Handgun recommendation for my wife

[supranatural 66]

Just got 2 permits so looking to buy 2 handguns.  At least 1 will be for HD and this one I think of more as my wife's gun (as she needs to be comfortable with it and be able to shoot it) although if I'm home in that situation I would be the one to pick it up).  Most important thing is to balance some reasonable amount of stopping power and recoil as follow-up shots are important and too much recoil means my wife would, in theory, not be able to get in effective 2nd, 3rd or 4th shots.  Of course we plan for her to try the gun at a range before buying to make sure she can handle the recoil.  

 

For myself I'm thinking H&K .USP 45 ACP...any thoughts on that?

[SJ Shooter 10]

My wife uses/carry a Bersa Storm .380..now the new Glock 380 looks impressive if u want a single stack..she may want more rounds...

 

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[Duppie 73]

This topic comes up regularly and opinions differ...The one common point that all can agree on is that she plays an active part in the choice and caliber of a firearm that she can become comfortable with.

[chris327 30]

This topic comes up regularly and opinions differ...The one common point that all can agree on is that she plays an active part in the choice and caliber of a firearm that she can become comfortable with.

agree with this,

 some people might want a revolver, some want a glock because no external thumb safety, some want a safety. caliber too some people prefer one over another. My opinion, bring you to a ranger with rentals, let her see what feels comfortable in her hand first. She may not be able to hold something comfortably so dont try it. see what fits nicely and then try several that she likes.

[ECsandstar 28]

^^^ x 2. Head to a range and just handle some pistols. See what feels comfortable in her hands, then test fire. Even though it might be comfortable she may not be comfortable with the way it fires. 40 and .45 are always good options for stopping power but can she handle that for a constant 5-round dump? You can never go wrong with any model from Glock (maybe a g19 or a g17 if you want to keep it basic?). They're cost effective and get the job done. Goes bang every time, and easy for you to clean(since we know who's going to be maintaining it). Explore some of their options  http://us.glock.com/products/sector/personal-defense

[Duppie 73]

Precisely....I made the mistake of "knowing what's best for the wife" and ended up with a semi auto 9mm that she had difficulty racking the slide in a caliber that she disliked. After much range time and firing several guns, she has become very proficient and comfortable with a .357 revolver shooting +P's.

I am not of the opinion of starting with a .22 and moving up in caliber from there as it takes too long to become proficient in a caliber that has a decent stopping power.

[supranatural 66]

I understand and agree about trying before buying - that was part of the plan...however I'm looking for starting points.  For example, in general which calibers have less recoil?  What do your wives like to shoot?  There are as many pistols as there are grains of sand on the beach so to try everything would be impractical (but probably fun though).  I am just getting back into the game (I used to shoot a lot in college but detoured into other pursuits, including big game fishing all over the world) and don't know current state of the art...i.e., is 9mm more recoil than .38, etc. I realize these are generalizations depending on what systems a gun has to deal with recoil, weight of the gun etc but just looking for starting points to get the wife trying some guns.

[checko 180]

My girlfriend loves my .45 1911, shoots it well, and hates .22.  She wants a .357 revolver for herself. She says .22's are like shooting cap guns.

 

Has she ever shot a gun?   My gf started with a .45 and then moved down.   This took a lot of the perceived "too much recoil" out by making everything else seem eh.  She really needs to just go and try everything she can get her hands.  Different 9mm guns will have more perceived recoil and she will control all differently.   

 

To start, I would have her choose a gun that fits her hand nicely and have a comparatively heavy weight to it. 

[chris327 30]

my gf started with my glock 23 and hk usp compact. both .40 calibers. Then went to 9mm, she shoots an fns 9mm. Check out the glock 19 for a semi auto 9mm i like that pistol alot. wish i still had one. im not into revolvers maybe someone else could chime in about a starting point for a revolver.

[Duppie 73]

Recoil is relative depending on the gun and tolerances of the shooter IMHO.

An all steel 9mm is far more manageable in most cases than a polymer firearm of the same caliber.

As I stated before...stay away from the standard starter gun in .22 and perhaps begin with a steel 9mm or .40 ....then try out some polymer guns in the same calibers for contrast.After , let her shoot some medium framed revolvers in .38 or .357  and I'm positive some clear favorites will emerge.

I cannot stress enough the importance of the grip and ease of function when considering the ideal gun for a novice shooter.

[checko 180]

I cannot stress enough the importance of the grip and ease of function when considering the ideal gun for a novice shooter.

 

 

Very much agree here, I did forget to mention, my girlfriend does have an issue that makes it hard to operate slides with high weight springs.  Part of the reason she got a pk380 is that you can practically operate the slide with a couple of fingers, but it is just a range gun for us.  I wouldn't really recommend .380 for her if SD is the primary use. Thats why she wants a revolver now.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot 358]

I was always partial a .38 spl revolver in these situations. Less moving parts, point and shoot, etc. YMMV

[Duppie 73]

Very much agree here, I did forget to mention, my girlfriend does have an issue that makes it hard to operate slides with high weight springs.  Part of the reason she got a pk380 is that you can practically operate the slide with a couple of fingers, but it is just a range gun for us.  I wouldn't really recommend .380 for her if SD is the primary use. Thats why she wants a revolver now.

My Wife's favorite guns to shoot at the range is now a N frame S&W with .38 or .38+P rounds or my .45 Colt government 1911 but our bedside HD firearm is a Taurus 605 .357 and we're both very comfortable with that choice.

[checko 180]

Our bedside pistol is my govt, its unlikely for her to need to rack the slide on that one. But I have my ar closer anyway. She needs to learn on that.

[voyager9 3,434]

My wife really liked the 357 revolver shooting .38. It's heavy enough for her to manage the recoil (what little there is from .38 ) and it's simple to use. She hates my sig.

[matty 810]

Wife rented a bunch and insisted on a Glock 17. She is happy with it, and it is even starting to grow on me

[gleninjersey 2,141]

Supernatural - I have a Ruger GP100 in 357 (revolver) and a CZ 75 (all steel 9mm semiauto).  I can meet you and the wife if you would like to try. I shoot at Heritage Guild in Easton, PA.  They also have an extensive rental catalog. PM me if interested.

[Dirt diver 0]

My wife really liked the 357 revolver shooting .38. It's heavy enough for her to manage the recoil (what little there is from .38 ) and it's simple to use. She hates my sig.

 

Ditto on this, my wife loves shooting 38spl out of gp100. Easy to load, handle and no kick

[Bully 749]

My wife has shot most of my stuff. She seems to prefer the revolvers over the semi autos because there is no slide to rack. A 357 rated revolver loaded with 38+p is, to me, a great combination. Seems to work for her as well.

 

C

[45Doll 5,877]

Topher: that's funny, at least for me. I re-started my wife in shooting two years ago with a couple revolvers for exactly the reasons you stated. But after shooting them and several semi-autos she immediately rejected the revolvers and is now a 90% Glock girl. And caliber doesn't matter; she shoots 22, 9, 40 and 45 with equal joy.

 

I should point out she still has her Model 19 from 1980 and does enjoy shooting it. It's just not her HD gun.