What kind of handgun and how to purchase/ register it for one-handed female wheelchair user?
I can’t advise you on Canadian gun laws. I’m assuming you’re an average sized female with virtually no experience with a handgun, and only have the use of one arm. Based on the above criteria, I would NOT recommend buying a .357 magnum. It’s not really suitable as either a beginner’s weapon or a one-handed weapon. The recoil, barrel lift, muzzle blast and high pressure of the .357 can be intimidating even for average sized men with some shooting experience under their belt. The .357 is also known for over penetration, so it can be dangerous if you live in a house or apartment with innocent people just a thin wall away, or if you had to fire in a public place with innocent people in the background. Go with a name brand .38 Special revolver with 4″ barrel. You should use a good 110-grain jacketed hollow point round like the Federal Hydra-Shok.
The only handgun that can easily be operated with one hand is a revolver. In a typical semi-auto pistol (i.e. Glock), you need to press a button, grab a new magazine, insert it, and rack the slide. With some practice, you could become proficient at loading and shooting a revolver one handed. To add to what previous people already said, a 357 magnum in a 4 or 6 inch barrel will provide a lot of power with a manageable amount of recoil. If the recoil was too much, you could shoot weaker 38 Special rounds, or a 38 Special +P round for performance somewhere between the standard .38 Special and the 357 magnum.
