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Echoing what others have said about finding one that works for you, and then actually practicing with it and being familiar and comfortable with it. My wife has three pistols: a Kahr CW9, a Glock 19, and a S&W 642 revolver. Of those three, she most likes the Kahr, and that is her daily carry weapon. All three of the pistols have an overarching theme: light weight and ease of operation. She prefers the Kahr over the Glock because it fits her hand much better and it is lighter to carry. She prefers the Kahr over her revolver because the Kahr trigger is much lighter. She prefers the Glock over the revolver because of the lighter trigger and the higher capacity.

She's sitting on the couch right next to me at the moment as we have our morning coffee and watch the news together, and when I asked her these questions, these were her answers. Overall order of preference: Kahr, Glock, S&W. However, when we go to the range together, she practices with all three guns to keep up her proficiency with all three. My wife has work-related neck/shoulder injury issues (30 years of sitting in awkward positions as a chair-side dental assistant) which have resulted in problems with her hand strength, which is why a small grip frame, light weight, and a light trigger are so important for her, particularly in a carry weapon.

Comparing the Kahr CW9 to the Bersa Thunder:

• Both are roughly the same size.
• Both have the same magazine capacity.
• The Bersa weighs 20 oz. to the Kahr's 15.9 oz.......advantage Kahr due to its polymer frame.
• The Bersa is chambered in .380 while the Kahr is chambered in 9mm.......advantage Kahr due to more effective caliber.
• The Bersa is mechanically more complex to operate while the Kahr is more "point-and-shoot" like a revolver......advantage Kahr.
• The Bersa can be found for roughly $320 (Academy), while the Kahr can be found for $358 (Bud's Gun Shop).....advantage Bersa due to being $38 cheaper.

I would submit that the $38 difference in price is more than offset by the advantages in carry weight and capacity. There is no doubt in my mind that if size and weight are not an issue for you, the Glock 19 is a probably a better gun than the CW9, just based on build quality and it's long-held and well-deserved reputation for reliability....and my wife enjoys hers. For the record, I also own a couple of Kahrs and I do like them......but also for the record, there are competing alternatives in the same class from Kel-Tec and Ruger which would also be good choices. Really, what I'm sold on is not so much the brand as the concept of a lightweight, polymer framed, single stack, striker fired, light trigger pistol in sufficient caliber.

As others have pointed out, you don't need a CHL to have a gun in your home; nor do you even need a CHL to carry one in your car. But sooner or later, you're going to run into a situation where you wished you could have had the gun with you—if for no other reason than feeling safer. Get the CHL.