One of the big issues that many women have with shooting firearms is the amount of felt recoil. Many women (and, yes, some men) don’t like the feel in their hands, their fingers, forearms, and wrists after any time at the range. They simply hurt after that.

So, many women prefer a smaller caliber than, say, a .40 caliber handgun.

Then, in our discussion today, there are considerations about what is the best home defense weapon. Many people like a pistol because of the ease of concealing it on your person or in your home. There is an argument, though, that the best home defense firearm is not a pistol but a carbine. You can read more about arguments for using a carbine for home defense here.

If a carbine is better for home defense than a pistol and if you are someone wanting to buy a firearm for home defense, it makes sense that you want one that can do the job but that isn’t going to knock you on your behind with the recoil.

Enter Ruger’s LC Carbine chambered in 5.7x28mm (and for those of you who argue that 5.7x28mm isn’t effective for personal defense, Colion Noir retorts that “Compared to a .22, it is.” Others have argued that 5.7x28mm is better than 9mm for some people and contexts.). Kelly Young gives us details about this Ruger carbine:

Ruger refers to the LC Carbine as a pistol-caliber carbine (PCC), and from the company’s very specific perspective—the LC being a derivative of and companion to its Ruger-5.7 pistol—it is.

Young continues:

The “LC” in LC Carbine stands for Light and Compact, and the company ain’t just whistling Dixie on either account; Ruger has incorporated design elements into the rifle from the ground up that help bring both of those descriptors to fruition in the final product. This is a closed-bolt, straight-blowback-operated semi-automatic that weighs just 5 lbs., 15 ozs., empty, and, given how lightweight 5.7 mm ammunition is, loading and topping-off the LC with 21 rounds only brings its total weight to a highly manageable 6 lbs., 4 ozs.

A five-position collapsing buttstock allows the carbine’s overall length to be adjusted from between 28.5″ and 30.5″ long, despite its 16.25″ barrel, and a hinge in the buttstock assembly also allows the stock to be folded along the side of the rifle’s receiver, decreasing the already diminutive rifle’s length to just 22.5″ when stowed. For the sake of comparison, at its absolute longest, the LC is still 2″ shorter than a typical 16″-barreled AR-15 with its stock fully collapsed, and only about 4″ longer than the AR pistol with an 8″ barrel that I built for myself a few years back—neither of which are foldable.

Young also notes, “The LC’s rectangular receiver is comprised of a solid block of 7075 aluminum, with a full-length Picatinny rail machined into, not bolted onto, its top surface.”

Apparently, also, the LC Carbine is easy and fun to shoot (Noir was almost giddy in his review of how this carbine shoots, and, based on other reports, he’s not the only person who has had the reaction.).

So, a low–recoil carbine that is fun to shoot and is (because it’s a carbine) potentially a great choice for home defense? Some may see the Ruger LC carbine as the perfect choice for women for home defense.

If that’s you, this may be a firearm to look into.