Help to pick a pistol for my wife

[Golf battery 1,223]

So today she got her fid card and two pistol permits. Ok. I have to brag. It took three and a half weeks from handing it in to receiving it. Its good to know people. So any thoughts on what type and caliper? Small lady 5'2" and 120 ish. We have a home based business and she and the pd undestand why she should be armed. I was thinking revolver or 380 type. What do you think. We will be doing alot of practice this winter. What about female pistol courses for self defense?

[checko 180]

Take her to a range that rents and try out a few.  Don't pigeonhole her into something cause she's a woman.  I've seen small women handle full sized .45's just fine. 

 

Maybe start with a mid sized 9mm.

 

As far as classes, there are several schools on this forum you would be happy with. 

[gleninjersey 2,141]

When I picked up my CZ 75 from Monmouth Arms they had a nice looking Lady Smith and Wesson 38.  If she is looking for small, concealable, easy to use revolver it could do the trick.  Nice looking gun as well.  Monmouth Arms is a forum vendor (scroll to the bottom of the forums).  Give Steve a call or PM him. 

 

If you don't care about concealable or carrying and are on a budget, look at the .357 Ruger GP100.  She could run 38s through it and with it's sturdy build and weight it would practically have no recoil (in a 4 inch barrel).

 

As far as renting guns, that can get expensive real quick.  I'm sure some forum members would love to share their guns and let you try them out or if you have a general idea of what you want (as one forum member posted...think it was OldDog) just buy it.  If you absolutely hate it, sell it and buy something else.  Your "loss" in selling the gun would still be cheaper than renting several guns, purchasing ammo and range time.  Ask me how I know.......I spent close to $300 renting several different guns trying to decide what I should get.  I ended up purchasing one of the first guns I read about (Ruger GP100 but in .327 Federal Magnum) and I never rented it....but I did have quite a bit of fun!

 

Young lady tried out my revolver this weekend while at the range.  I was running .32s through it (just like shooting 38s out of .357) and she loved it.  She thought it had about the same (maybe even less) recoil than the .22 semi she had just tried before. 

 

Good luck!

[Golf battery 1,223]

What do you think about 380 to 9 i like 380 Softer kick. I think youre right. Let her decide. Im just worried about blow through with 9 mm

[Golf battery 1,223]

I showed her the video of millburn and she finallly realized what ive been preaching about. I can only be there a percentage of the time.

[GRIZ 3,369]

Let her choose what she wants not you. My wife liked my old S&W Model 10 and it became hers. She became an above average combat shooter but wanted nothing to do with semi-autos.

[checko 180]

What do you think about 380 to 9 i like 380 Softer kick. I think youre right. Let her decide. Im just worried about blow through with 9 mm

 

For self defense I would choose 9 hollow points.  .380 might be softer, but it will be softer both ways.  The trade off isnt worth it IMO

[ogfarmer 138]

380 is currently more expensive than 9mm ammo, so keep that in mind for training

 

380 is around .38-.40 cents a round and 9mm is around .260- .27 cents a round

[GRIZ 3,369]

You can work up from wadcutters to std loads to +P to +P+ to full magnums if recoil management is an issue. You can do it all with a 357.

[Buckshot195 8]

Check out the SigSauer P232. Its a 380. It has enough weight to soak up any recoil. The single stack magazine makes the gun real slim to fit in smaller hands. Its super accurate. My wife loves hers.

[Underdog 1,593]

S&W M&P 9 full size, CZ 75 variety, or either Ruger GP100, SP101, or Smith 686, or just get a Glock 19.

[DSD1026 48]

i would advise against getting a Lady Smith unless she's comfortable shooting and can handle some recoil.  Snubbie revolvers are nice for concealment, but they are harder on the recoil than a standard sized 9mm or a 357 revolver with a 4" barrel loaded with 38..  My wife bought her Smith 640 snubbie years ago (before i knew her) because she thought she'd be able to carry it in her purse, etc (lol, yeah, i know) and she shot it exactly once and hated it..  And she had shot 44 prior to that but they had a long barrel so she assumed the recoil would be less than that (which it really wasnt). 

 

SP's choices are solid..  My wife thought my CZ75 was heavy, but accurate and not really painful to shoot (and she is weak as hell). 

[mcbethr 42]

I have noticed that women tend to love the M&P Shield, but it's more about what feels good for her.

[Daveyboy42 0]

My wife, who is about the same size, really likes my beretta nano. The grip is small and i put a talon wrap around it. Something else to consider!

[Mach16lt 0]

I have noticed that women tend to love the M&P Shield, but it's more about what feels good for her.

+1

 

My wife loves her shield (as do I)... I would say a single stack 9 mm is a great option.

 

Also, try a full size 9mm 1911... My wife wants one because it's heavy enough to absorb recoil, but thin enough for her hands to grip, and the longer sight radius makes it naturally easier to shoot. She does great with my .45 but wants one with less kick.

[acuevo 0]

in my opinion, nothing is better than going to the range with about 100 bucks and a few boxes of ammo and renting as many handguns as you can. this helped me make a last minute change when buying my first handgun and i couldn't be happier.

[factorx81 0]

My wife likes my emp in 9 as well as the p226. I think trying to have her shoot before you buy is a good idea for instance I have an xdm5.25(tack driver) in 9mm and she goes for the emp every time, weird but that's just the way it works.

[PeteF 1,044]

Step 1. Have HER go to store with a good selection.

Step 2. Have HER select a few that feel comfortable in her hands.

Step 3. Go to a range with good renatal selection, and try out the ones that felt good in step 2

 

Buy what she feels the best with.

 

With second permit get a 22 if you don't already have one.

Great tool to work on sight picture, grip, trigger squeeze without inducing a flinch or breaking the wallet.

[nitrospaz9 10]

My girlfriend likes my 1911 .45. It's heavy and absorbs a lot of the recoil. She hates my snubbie with both .38's and .357's. She nick named the snubbie "Big Fire"

[checko 180]

My girlfriend likes my 1911 .45. It's heavy and absorbs a lot of the recoil. She hates my snubbie with both .38's and .357's. She nick named the snubbie "Big Fire"

Same here. Mine prefers my CLT to my m9

[SuRrEaLNJ 294]

I had mine try anything I could rent or borrow for her to shoot from .22 to .45. Wed try some guns, rule out some and then go try some more. I exposed her to any firearm I could, would help he rind reviews and things for some took her to a few stores and ranges. Eventually she picked herself out a .45 SA 1911 in stainless, with which she's not ashamed to show many shooters up with.

Next step by her word is something smaller to make use of her carry permits in free states, so we will repeat the process. Was out last weekend with some guys and she shot everyone's carry guns that brought (not in Jersey obv.)

[MedicYeti 96]

www.MHRPC.com

Lady's day at the range 10-20-13. 10:30.

Have her come down with a positive attitude and she can try a bunch of different guns; then she can answer this question for herself.

[mag1 0]

P30, she will love it

[mag1 0]

9mm

[Dirt diver 0]

My wife loves my ruger gp100 357. 4in

 

No kick at all with 38spl but not concealable.

 

She has a ruger LCR 38spl. Nice and small but it hurts her hands on the kick so we swaped