[fred cook]

Your cousin is a wise person! Go and rent/shoot as many as possible to find just the right one for your tastes. For defensive purposes, most consider the 9mm the minimum caliber/round. Personally, I would not want to be shot with any size bullet, but sometimes the assailant could be hopped up on drugs, etc and require a lot of force to subdue. Consider that if you carry an auto pistol, you would need to carry in condition 1 which is a round in the chamber with the safety on. On the other hand, a small revolver like a Smith and Wesson Chiefs Special or a Colt Detective Special can be safely carried fully loaded with the hammer down, only requiring a pull of the trigger to fire. As long as you keep the weapon wiped down with a good oil, sweat should not be a major issue. Good luck!