Respectfully, IMHO a small revolver is the BEST choice for a novice to CCW. They don't jam, ever, unless something goes horribly wrong with bad ammo or broken springs. No safety to fiddle with. Very simple operation.

As for "shooting well", most use of a handgun for SD occurs well within 10 feet (I think the average was 7 ft) and, statistically, the rounds fired will not be accurate anyway due to stress and movement.

The only two caveats with a wheelgun are that lightweight frames with +P ammo deliver punishing recoil, and revolvers with a full hammer spur can snag on clothing. So if you don't have a hammerless or CH steel framed revolver it is best to load with standard velocity ammo and have the hammer spur bobbed off. Many of the negligent discharges with revolvers involved the hammer being cocked for SA shooting resulting in a super light trigger pull, or the person slipping while decocking over a live round. A novice has no business messing around with SA in a snub revolver anyway -- that is only intended for accurate aimed shots at distances of 30 ft or more.

Quote Originally Posted by Zundfolge View Post
At any rate, a small revolver is NOT a good gun for novices. Other than stuffing them into someone's belly and pulling the trigger five times, you're not going to shoot it well unless you practice a lot (same goes with any small gun, but tiny DA revolvers have a steeper learning curve). I cringe every time I see someone recommending a J-Frame sized wheel gun to an inexperienced woman.

The main reason to pack a wheel gun is because either you're better at shooting it than an auto or you're packing a magnum or big bore because you want the extra power. Otherwise, there are just too many quality CCW automatics designed for use by novices to saddle "the little lady" with a J Frame just because it says "Lady Smith" on the frame.