I guess it's a good thing I'm a creature of the night. People put down pistols a lot, but my husband shot through the heart of a target with one, and I was able to shoot where he shot, leaving a double-wide hole in it. Of course, aiming like that takes a little time. But hey, a pistol is better than nothing.
Plus it's far easier to conceal and therefore won't make me a target for having it. I may be a target for other reasons, but having a gun won't be one of them.