Advice for a coworker on home defense carbine

I have this female coworker friend who probably isn't going to do the work to be competent with a pistol, and says she doesn't want a revolver (which I've been letting her borrow). Yet she wants to keep a gun at home. So I've been thinking of a carbine.

I have several pistol caliber carbines but only one semi-auto, a Ruger PC4. I like it for her purposes, but they're not easy to find these days, nor are the others that come to mind, like a Camp Carbine.

She's not at this point picky about what she buys, would take advice but more expensive is going to make her wait and probably not do it at all (so M1 carbine and HKs are probably out).

So I was wondering what folks think about the (seems to be) only presently manufactured, inexpensive PCC on the market - the Hi-Point. I'm assuming we'll be able to find one in a local shop to try on for size, though I don't expect we'll be able to borrow or rent one to shoot. My Ruger should be close enough to tell if she's going to be able to handle it.

Thoughts?

 

If you don't expect her to do the work to become competent with a pistol, do you really expect her to do differently on any other weapon?
Anyhow, the HiPoint is a cheap, clunky, ugly, but reliable carbine. Hardly any recoil. Forget the junk laser some come with. Can't say how well the .40 or .45 acp versions work, but the 9mm has never given me any issues.

 

HiPoint review:

 

For home defense, one of the things to worry about is over-penetration. The round that may go through two walls and kill a neighbor or family member. Another thing to consider is intimidation. Scaring off an intruder without having to fire is almost always a good deal.

For those two reasons, I'd argue against a carbine, and suggest instead a pump shotgun in either 20 gauge or 410.

Shot usually stops in the target or the first wall after, and nothing beats the sound of a shotgun being racked for discouraging a home invader.

Inexpensive used 410 pump guns are around, but the old ones are often high because of the collector value. Or, if buying new, the Mossberg 510 Mini costs no more than a decent handgun.

The recoil of the smaller gauge is also easier to handle.

 

Hate the Hi-Point. Keltec, Bereta, Tuarus all currently have on the shelf pistol caliber carbines.

 

Ouch - the Taurus carbine weighs almost one lb per round of capacity...

I'm thinking the 20 gauge semi sounds like a winner. This Mossberg looks interesting but hard to find:
Mossberg International SA-20 Railed | O.F. Mossberg & Sons

 

@ BT POST I have the Rem. 870 in a 20 gauge pump with the extended tube (7 shot) We shoot all Buckshot (#3 Buck) however from it. It doesnt over penetrate like the 12 Gauge does. Nasty shotgun.

 

A load of #6 shot is real nasty at close range....Just say'n

 

I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT IF SEEING A GUN MAGICALLY STOPPED ALL CRIME, A LARGE PORTION OF CRIMES WOULD NOT BE COMMITTED. THIS IS A BULL@@@@ STATISTIC THAT LIES AND MISPREPARES PEOPLE FOR THE POTENTIAL REALITIES OF THE SITUATION.

PLEASE, for the sake of all of the people out there who are not really prepared to take a life, quit coddling them with this LIE. It gets people killed.

 

I AGREE IF YOU PULL IT YOU USE IT.

 

Know a couple small young ladies who didn't like pistols larger than .22. Noisy, recoil, flash, short sight radius, and so on. Have an old clunky hi point 9 mm carbine, 1 st generation, without all the tracks for lights etc. They tried it at the range and loved it. Almost no recoil, flash is away from face, seemed quieter to them, they could hit the target at 25 to 50 feet, no problem with limp wristing the gun and not feeding right and so on. I found one that shoots quite well and in good condition with 2 mags for one of the young ladies for $150 and am still looking for another one. It may be a cheap lousy carbine, but it also seems to work quite well for home defense and plinking as a super clunky almost pistol, just my humble opinion and I am sure your mileage will vary.

 

Been there when three of them broke, and one of those fell into pieces.