Pistol for a lady that's never picked up a firearm.

[Swamp Man]

Alright guys it's come to the point to where I want my wife to be trained and carry. She has never picked up a firearm and has small somewhat weak hands. I personally don't know much of anything about hand guns and surely not hand guns for a lady. I was thinking about a revolver with an enclosed hammer without a lot of recoil. I don't want to buy a top of the line hand gun to start with because I'm not sure how she will take to it. Not sure if she would prefer a different model once she get to shooting it. I plan to have her take a class so she can be trained by someone other then myself because I feel she will get more out of it if someone else teaches her the ropes on safety and handling. We live in Fl so she will have to take a class to get a CC permit I'm not sure if that would cover any type of training or not if not I'll have her take a class for both. I have only owned two hand guns a 22lr and 32 S&W snub and that was 30 years ago. I bought them both to help a friend out that was having money problems and I didn't keep them long before reselling them. She is in town a lot I hardly ever go to town and when I do I have my Judge 410/45 in the truck which was mainly bought as a fishing/boat gun. I would be grateful for any help with ideas or info on pistols for ladies. Thanks

[willie_pete]

S&W 442; 5 shot .38 Spl. revolver

WP

[Swamp Man]

Thanks Willie. I'll check into those.

[USAFrox]

Small 5-shot revolver. I'd be careful about getting a shrouded hammer, though. I have a friend who tried my snubbie with a shrouded hammer, and she literally could not pull the double action trigger. I had to cock it for her each shot, because her hands were too weak to either pull the double action trigger OR to cock that half-hidden hammer. Something to think about, since you mentioned your wife has weak hands.

[Rick Hodges]

I would not rule out a small double action automatic like the Taurus TCP 738 or the Ruger in 380 auto. Minimal recoil, easy to conceal and carry.

[HarryT]

Take her to a gun store and let her try out everything in there. If she has weak hands she may have trouble with a double action revolver trigger and probably not be able to rack the slide on a medium to large caliber semi-auto.

Maybe you should look at the Taser.

If you decide on a 32 or 38 revolver, load a bunch of wax or glue bullets for her practice shooting.

Don't forget a good holster.

[Swamp Man]

Harry I had thought maybe taking her to the LGS may be the answer to finding something she feels comfortable with before buying and going from there. Thanks

[Bonz]

my wife's first gun was a S&W 642 revolver with a custom trigger job (approx 5 lbs) and hogue grips. her hands are weak and the trigger job made a huge difference. my wife's favorite now is a Colt 5" Government, 2nd favorite would be her Sig P239 9mm and 3rd would be her S&W Shield 9mm

[winelover]

S&W 442; 5 shot .38 Spl. revolver

WP

I'll second that. My wife has very tiny wrists and has no problem with the S&W Airweights. Does, however have issues with retracting the slide on most auto's of decent caliber. Recoil is mostly mind over matter, anyways. Revolvers are the best for newbies. Keep it simple.

Most CC Classes, the instructor can or will supply the pistol or revolver for qualification. Then, there is no rush to make a "buying decision". In Arkansas, if you qualify with a auto you can carry, either. If you qualify with a revolver, that's all your allowed to carry. Our instructor brought a 22 Ruger Mark III for those who showed up with their own revolvers. That may or may not be a consideration in Florida.

Winelover

[Wayne Smith]

Look at the Ruger LCR as well, in .38 Special, not .357Mag. Given your admitted lack of experience I assume you do not reload??

[pdawg_shooter]

+1 on the small revolver. Best I have found is a Colt Detective Special. However, these are getting hard to find and very expensive. Seen a like new one at a local auction go for $780.00. Made me think about selling mine...NOT!

[willie_pete]

I teach concealed carry in Florida. She will have to take a class, but it is minimal. I teach the 8 hour NRA pistol course, but Florida lets you get by with a couple of hours at a gun show; no real training. I've taught over 600 people concealed carry between Florida and Ohio. A majority of the women have not had the hand strength to run the slide on an auto, but have been quite comfortable with a small frame revolver. The 442 is a hammerless DA. I have shot ICORE matches with mine just for grins. Send me a PM if you have other concealed carry questions for FL.

WP

[aspangler]

Check out the Taurus Pink Lady. Light weight, 38spl, pink frame for the ladies, and easy to handle.

[prsman23]

My girl would pistol whip me with a pink gun if I suggested it.
:-)
Not all women like pink! Not a bad suggestion though if it's made with the lady folk in mind.

The best suggestion in these situations is just to let her try everything she can get her mitts on.

A few guys have given good suggestions as starting points too.

Don't forget to make it fun. Or she will despise it from the get go.

[Cactus Farmer]

My wife was not a gun person when we got married. I was given a Hopkins & Allen 5 shot 32 S&W. She shot it and liked it,so it was hers. Now she carries a S&W Model 36 3" ,a High Standard D-101 derringer and the H&A. Plus anything else she wants. I feel sorry for the fool who scares
her! She shot with me as a helper for a while,now she shoots when she wants/needs to practice her marksmanship and loading skills.
Snakes and assorted other vermin around our place are sent packing to the "other side" in short order.

[Cactus Farmer]

My wife was not a gun person when we got married. I was given a Hopkins & Allen 5 shot 32 S&W. She shot it and liked it,so it was hers. Now she carries a S&W Model 36 3" ,a High Standard D-101 derringer and the H&A. Plus anything else she wants. I feel sorry for the fool who scares
her! She shot with me as a helper for a while,now she shoots when she wants/needs to practice her marksmanship and loading skills.
Snakes and assorted other vermin around our place are sent packing to the "other side" in short order.

[historicfirearms]

We went through the same thing with my wife recently. She has small hands and weaker too. She owned a Smith and Wesson Bodyguard .380 for a while but she had problems racking the slide because of the stiff recoil spring. I let her try my J frame that is double action only and she had a really hard time with the long and heavy trigger pull. We finally found a S&W model 60 ladysmith that she loves. She shoots the Hornady critical defense lite 38 special ammo in it for the light recoil.

[MarkP]

My wife loves my S&W 317 (22 LR Air Lite) for practice and shoots a 637 (same as 642 but with hammer) or a 642 less frequentely. The 317's are somewhat pricey but would make a great companion to a 38 Air Wt. for practice.


Interestingly 40 gr Federal STD Velocity 22 LR's clock a consistent 1,000 to 1,015 fps which is the same as snubbies in 22 Mag. Thinking I was clocking the shock wave due to the extreme consistency I stepped back to 30+ ft, same result. The 36 gr Hv's were a little slower at 975 ish and more erratic.

A 22 LR may be a viable option at least better than nothing.

[jmort]

My wife has S&W M&P 360. J Frame trigger pull is heavy. Had the smith at the LGS cut off a couple coils and it is now around 10 lbs and started off north of 12 lbs. She uses .38 Special standard pressure. I have had other J Frames and triggers are heavy. Have a .357 LCR and trigger is much better and they adsorb recoil better in my opinion. I like J Frames and will always own a couple, but the LCRs are good choices and also.

[USAFrox]

Have you looked into the Kel-Tec PMR-30? It's an auto chambered in 22 Mag which holds 30 rounds per magazine. 30 rounds of 22 Mag is nothing to sneeze at, and as Stalin said, "quantity has a quality all it's own".

[High Lord Gomer]

Of the different guns we tried, my wife preferred the Bersa .380. They do sell it with pink Crimson Trace grips, too.

[shdwlkr]

First thing is take your wife to a range that has many different pistols you can rent to shoot.
Second get her in a firearms class that has live fire
Third let her pick her firearm with the above knowledge
Fourth make sure you both get in lots of range time
Fifth enjoy your new shooting partner

[archmaker]

I agree with the 38spcl, but get one with some heft to it (but not to heavy!), the reason being is what happened with my mom one time.

The dogs were setting up a rukus right outside the front door, and she was home alone. She gave me a call as I was only 10 minutes away, and when I get there the dogs had a badger cornered on the front porch.

The thing that surprised me is when I do get inside and see what she had decided to protect herself with . . . it was the Ruger Redhawk in 44 mag. I asked her why she picked that gun (her gun was 25 auto her dad gave her, and there was a 38 revolvers, and some derringers that was closer to hand), and her comment was "if they came in the door I wanted something big in my hand" she had more confidence and felt more secure with a weapon that was big. (yeah that is extreme)

Remember you want them to have confidence in what they are holding, my mom felt like that the small gun would not do the job, it had nothing to do with terminal ballistics or her shooting ability. We tend to forget that sometimes.

You want a gun that can do the job, easy to shoot, and instills confidence. A 38 snubbie may do the job, but it may not give her some confidence. For my wife (who doesn't shoot, but I am working on that!). . . I think if the SHTF and she has choice between my Kimber Ultra or my full size 1911, she will go with the full size, even though, they both shoot the same round.

[john hayslip]

There is a Beretta 32 auto (and 22lr) with a tip up barrel to load the one in the chamber. You can load the mag for her and no pulling of slide required. Double action first shot and single action there after. Small enough to fit in a pocket. Tarus makes a copy but with the problems I've had with a pocket pistol I got from them (won't feed properly, several shot it with same results, been back to factory 3 times with no improvement) so I wouldn't recommend it.

[Whiterabbit]

I read this question alot in the cal guns forums, alot of macho guys there wanting to get their wives the whizzbang stuff. The advice given there (by ladies) is always the same:

Let her go into the gun shop, preferably without you, and talk to the guys there. She will make the best decision for herself, and more likely to do it without you over her shoulder, whether you open your mouth or not. if that means she comes home with a 22 pistol, then at least you have a trainer she can get her shooting legs with, then escalate from there. If not? Well, 10 rounds of .22 is better than 0 rounds of anything.

[Outpost75]

My advice to women thinking about buying a handgun is to take the class FIRST, and learn to shoot a variety of handguns, DA revolvers, single- and double-action automatics, etc. And NOT to make a purchase decision until they have fired 1000 rounds through the various "school guns," so that they have acquired basic skills and knowledge, and reasonable confidence in their ability so that they may make an informed choice.

Several ladies I have taught went on to get the Ruger LCR after having shot S&W J-frames, and felt that the trigger pull on the LCR was easier for them, and that the LCR grip was more comfortable. None chose a single-action automatic, none chose a .40 cal. Two did get compact Glock 9mms. Overall it was a toss-up among the ladies between .38 Special revolvers and 9mm. Either is suitable with good ammunition.

I recommend:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ESIVE5A/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00ESIVE5A&link_code=as3&tag=grantcunningh-20

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'd recommend a 38 spl revolver like the S&W mod 36 J-frame Chiefs Special.
here is a pretty good article.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2010/04/don-gammill-jr/38-special-comparison-1st-place-%E2%80%93-smith-wesson-model-36/

[bosterr]

My advice to women thinking about buying a handgun is to take the class FIRST, and learn to shoot a variety of handguns, DA revolvers, single- and double-action automatics, etc. And NOT to make a purchase decision until they have fired 1000 rounds through the various "school guns," so that they have acquired basic skills and knowledge, and reasonable confidence in their ability so that they may make an informed choice.

Several ladies I have taught went on to get the Ruger LCR after having shot S&W J-frames, and felt that the trigger pull on the LCR was easier for them, and that the LCR grip was more comfortable. None chose a single-action automatic, none chose a .40 cal. Two did get compact Glock 9mms. Overall it was a toss-up among the ladies between .38 Special revolvers and 9mm. Either is suitable with good ammunition.

I recommend:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ESIVE5A/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00ESIVE5A&link_code=as3&tag=grantcunningh-20

+1+!!!

[garym1a2]

Wather P22 is perfect for learning to shoot.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

r grip!

[Love Life]

There was a premier grade model 83 in 454 Casull in the S&S section...

If she doesn't like it, you can get her a 22 revolver and keep the Freedom Arms!! Win, WIN, WIN!!

[Blacksmith]

My advice worth what you are paying for it:

Borrow a .22 handgun and you take her to a quiet place to shoot. Give her basic safety instruction and let her shoot some bulls eyes and some fun targets. This will help her get over any apprehension.

Take or send her to one or several gun stores and let her try as many as she can for fit and function and get suggestions. Take notes.

Then take her to a range that rents and have her try live fire with the ones she liked at the gun store or similar ones. So she will experience the actual recoil and handling.

Then get her in a NRA basic handgun class to learn the right way to do things before she develops bad habits that have to be unlearned. Finally have her take the required carry training to learn the specifics of that discipline.

Don't overload them with information or recoil and they will learn to enjoy not avoid shooting.

[alrighty]

My advice to women thinking about buying a handgun is to take the class FIRST, and learn to shoot a variety of handguns, DA revolvers, single- and double-action automatics, etc. And NOT to make a purchase decision until they have fired 1000 rounds through the various "school guns," so that they have acquired basic skills and knowledge, and reasonable confidence in their ability so that they may make an informed choice.

Several ladies I have taught went on to get the Ruger LCR after having shot S&W J-frames, and felt that the trigger pull on the LCR was easier for them, and that the LCR grip was more comfortable. None chose a single-action automatic, none chose a .40 cal. Two did get compact Glock 9mms. Overall it was a toss-up among the ladies between .38 Special revolvers and 9mm. Either is suitable with good ammunition.

I recommend:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ESIVE5A/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00ESIVE5A&link_code=as3&tag=grantcunningh-20
+2 The LCR has a much better trigger pull.Even though I am not a Glock fan , the model 19 can be easy to learn to shoot and shoot well.There is a reason why most police departments issue Glocks.

[popper]

retracting the slide on most auto's of decent caliber Biggest problem for women and kids. I got an XDs 9mm. I now it's on recall but.. It works, is dang accurate for a SC. Wife did good, daughter did good, 9 yr old did good. You get 7+1, revolver get 5-6. Daughter tried Sig 380, bersa 380. Couldn't get her to try the diamondback(florida?). Says she liked the XDs best. I agree with letting someone else train. I think practice with anything is good before the purchase. Then is a matter of selecting the best fit. If you don't shoot a lot before the purchase, how do you know what is good or bad? Just believe the sales person?

[bugkiller]

Find a good female shooter/instructor, introduce them, and get out of the way. I know a young woman who is very knowledgeable who is also sales person at a LGS. She kills the guys there, selling guns to the female customers.

[Swamp Man]

I read this question alot in the cal guns forums, alot of macho guys there wanting to get their wives the whizzbang stuff. The advice given there (by ladies) is always the same:

Let her go into the gun shop, preferably without you, and talk to the guys there. She will make the best decision for herself, and more likely to do it without you over her shoulder, whether you open your mouth or not. if that means she comes home with a 22 pistol, then at least you have a trainer she can get her shooting legs with, then escalate from there. If not? Well, 10 rounds of .22 is better than 0 rounds of anything.LOL I just told my wife about an hour ago I was going to take her to a shop and tell the guy she needs a gun and walk away. let them work on finding her a gun without me having anything to do with it. The only reason I'm taking her is because she hates to go to places she refers to as man shops by herself such sporting good stores or car repair shops.

[High Lord Gomer]

If you're ever up this way, ATP gun range in North Charleston, SC has a cool policy where you can pay one rental fee and go through every gun in their rental case. I think they require you to buy a box of ammo for each one you try, though. Still, a decent way for her to try several and you get to shoot the rest of the ammo when she doesn't like one after a few rounds.

[N4AUD]

My wife didn't like the recoil of a .38 Special but loves to shoot my Ruger Mark II Target. Depends on the lady, I guess.

[tygar]

Yes to Willie Pete. As a firearms inst that has trained quite a few women, keep it simply stupid, "KISS". Pick it up & pull the trigger, shoot in chest/head until empty, practice a lot. Also, being in FL, summer wear all year, use frangible rounds if you like what they do. They are easy to shoot & hurt a bunch.

[Swamp Man]

Look at the Ruger LCR as well, in .38 Special, not .357Mag. Given your admitted lack of experience I assume you do not reload??
I do not reload at all yet but will be before long but I'm starting with shotshells then maybe moving to rifles. I would have already been reloading if it wasn't for the madness going in the market right now seems no one has the press and supplies I want in stock at this time. However I don't think I'll be reloading for hand guns for a long time if ever. I have plenty of experience with long guns but never been much of a pistol person. I would feel better letting her pick a gun and find good factory ammo that works well with her gun and stick with that set up for her carry gun.

[Lead Fred]

A revolver for sure, some ladies just cant rack a slide unless its a weenie round that wont help them if they need to use it.

Mrs Fred is a wee lass, and we have not found a auto that she can rack the slide with yet. (unless its a small caliber)

a 38 sp for those light days, and a 357 for the heavy days.

An upgrade option is always good, you lose that with a 38 sp

[Riverpigusmc]

Harry I had thought maybe taking her to the LGS may be the answer to finding something she feels comfortable with before buying and going from there. Thanks

I don't know how close you are to Micanopy, but Harry Beckwith on 441 has an indoor range, and they rent a lot of different pistols she could try. Also I believe my range, Gainesville Target, gives CCW classes and defensive handgun training

[montana_charlie]

A 22 LR may be a viable option at least better than nothing.
I agree with that sentiment for people with weak hands.
The Walther P22 is s viable choice, and it's grip is a bit on the small side, anyway.
It gets it's best dependability with CCI MiniMags ...
CM

[BNE]

My wife is deadly with a .38. It is good she is willing to shoot, but beware, she will likley out shoot you with a little practice!

[wv109323]

Ever body has weighed in. The best thing is take her to a LGS and let her handle different guns to get an idea. I would try to stick with a S&W revolver and possibly a Ladysmith. The S&W can be worked over for less trigger pull weight. The Ladysmith already has some of that work done.
I would really think twice about the less expensive revolvers due to their heavy trigger pull and difficulty to reduce the weight. Any quality handgun can be resold. You might consider a .22 LR or .22 Mag with the future to resell and buy her a .38 Special. Learn her on the the inexpensive 22LR (when times are normal). Remember a hole with a .22 LR is better than the muzzle flash of a .44 Mag.
Like every one said of the smaller autos, they can be unusable to a woman due to the strength needed to work the action/slide. There exists some small autos that have a tip up barrel that does not require racking the slide. The first round is inserted into the chamber and the following rounds are recoil fed.
Buy something that she is comfortable with and can and will practice with. Cost should be a secondary consideration.

[pmer]

My wife started out with a Browning Buckmark 22 LR pistol. Good sized guns with nice controls and accurate too. At first we started out with only one round in the magazine and she shot it that way a few times. Then a couple rounds and soon she was shooting bowling pins at our LGS with it.

I would think that most ladies could rack the slide of a 9 MM with some practice. But like what a lot of people are saying, a 38 Special in a snub nosed revolver is very shootable and effective with the right ammo.

[Swamp Man]

I don't know how close you are to Micanopy, but Harry Beckwith on 441 has an indoor range, and they rent a lot of different pistols she could try. Also I believe my range, Gainesville Target, gives CCW classes and defensive handgun trainingI'm out near Gilchrist country and know right where Harry's is at been there a few times just never went into their range. I know Gainesville well it's my home town but not sure where Gainesville Target is haven't lived in Gville in about 30 years. Only go there now when I need to buy something or go out to eat. Thanks

[dothedrew57]

A lot of women have trouble "slingshotting" the slide on an auto like most men do.

Teach most of then to hold the slide firm with their off hand and push across their body on the grips with their strong hand and most don't have much trouble.

There is my $. 02

[grumman581]

LOL I just told my wife about an hour ago I was going to take her to a shop and tell the guy she needs a gun and walk away. let them work on finding her a gun without me having anything to do with it. The only reason I'm taking her is because she hates to go to places she refers to as man shops by herself such sporting good stores or car repair shops.

That can be a recipe for disaster. The guys in the store are wanting to just make a sale, not find what would work best for their potential customer. I have helped a few women over the years choose a handgun. When the husband / boyfriend is with them, they are often pressured into getting what might be a really good firearm, but not a good firearm for a woman. I have found that many women do not have the grip strength to pull back the slide on a semi-auto. I make it a point to let the women try pulling back the slide AND the alternative method of pushing back the slide. Many can do neither, even with calibers as small as 9mm or .380. For those, there are alternatives with certain handguns like the Glock. There are some devices that attach to the slide of the Glock that either provide a finger loop or a side protrusion that will allow for an easier grip on the slide. Many women find that this makes a big difference.

81526

81527

In Texas, the CHL range session requires you to be able to load your own magazines and pull the slide back. For some women, that can be an issue. Texas also requires a minimum of a .38 caliber handgun, so the women can't get off easy by just using a Ruger Mk-II for the range session.

In my opinion, a full length slide is easier to pull back than a compact slide. That is something that you might also want to be concerned with. Women think that a smaller handgun will be easier to handle / pull back the slide on and that is not necessarily the case.

[WRideout]

My wife started out with a Browning Buckmark 22 LR pistol. Good sized guns with nice controls and accurate too.

I introduced my second wife to the shooting sports (five bonus redneck points). She is able to shoot my Buckmark reasonably well, and it's actually the one we keep with the magazine in, full of hollow-points for HD purposes. I have a Smith Mod 19, and some others, but she really isn't strong enough to handle any of those.

In re: to pink guns for ladies; I can't believe that too many women would like to carry a fashionable gun, except to the range. If one is using a gun for self-defense, it should look threatening.

Wayne

[Swamp Man]

That can be a recipe for disaster. The guys in the store are wanting to just make a sale, not find what would work best for their potential customer. I have helped a few women over the years choose a handgun. When the husband / boyfriend is with them, they are often pressured into getting what might be a really good firearm, but not a good firearm for a woman. I have found that many women do not have the grip strength to pull back the slide on a semi-auto. I make it a point to let the women try pulling back the slide AND the alternative method of pushing back the slide. Many can do neither, even with calibers as small as 9mm or .380. For those, there are alternatives with certain handguns like the Glock. There are some devices that attach to the slide of the Glock that either provide a finger loop or a side protrusion that will allow for an easier grip on the slide. Many women find that this makes a big difference.

81526

81527

In Texas, the CHL range session requires you to be able to load your own magazines and pull the slide back. For some women, that can be an issue. Texas also requires a minimum of a .38 caliber handgun, so the women can't get off easy by just using a Ruger Mk-II for the range session.

In my opinion, a full length slide is easier to pull back than a compact slide. That is something that you might also want to be concerned with. Women think that a smaller handgun will be easier to handle / pull back the slide on and that is not necessarily the case.
I'm going to make her stick to a revolver because I feel that split second spent on a slide could be a death sentence. There are a few shops around here with a vary long standing and good reputation for meeting the customers needs that I'd feel comfortable letting her work with. However that is a pretty neat looking slide loop pull.

[grumman581]

I'm going to make her stick to a revolver because I feel that split second spent on a slide could be a death sentence. There are a few shops around here with a vary long standing and good reputation for meeting the customers needs that I'd feel comfortable letting her work with. However that is a pretty neat looking slide loop pull.

There are also a couple of other designs out there that replace the slide plate on the Glocks. Some have the protrusion on just one side. I've even seen some that mount on the top of the side. I think that the above two options probably get into the way the least though.

I don't think that saying saying that "the split second spent on a slide could be a death sentence" is accurate unless she is planning on carrying it without a round in the chamber. The issue would be when she needed to reload and I would hazard to guess that it will take her longer to reload the revolver than the semi-auto.

[gmsharps]

A draw back on a revolver with a shrouded hammer is it is basically a double action only. The triggers on those tend to be a bit heaver than a single action pull. With a double action revolver the options are she can choose to pull the hammeer back on the first shot or just pull the trigger for a double action shot. A neat thing on the revolver is that there are no other external controls to remember while in duress. When she fires a shot the revolver is automatically on safe. Plus no chance of limp wristing it to cause a jam like on an auto. So there should be 5 or 6 reliable shots depending on the cylinder capacity. When you go look at the gun shop show her a very small gun and the ma very large gun. That way she will know what feels really bad and then when you start showing other various handguns she will start getting a better feeling on what feels good in her hands to her. Don't forget this is all about her and what you think is of no consequence. Maybe a little input but mostly getting her to make the choice or you will hear about it forever. just my thoughts

gmsharps

[grumman581]

A draw back on a revolver with a shrouded hammer is it is basically a double action only. The triggers on those tend to be a bit heaver than a single action pull. With a double action revolver the options are she can choose to pull the hammeer back on the first shot or just pull the trigger for a double action shot.


Of course, there are DAO and DA/SA semi-automatics also. I have a Sig P229 and it has no safety. With a DAO P299, you have the same heavy trigger pull as a DAO revolver in addition to the increased ammo capacity of a semi-auto. I'm not suggesting that the P229 would be appropriate for her though. She needs to try out the difference in pulling back the slide with various semi-autos before making a decision. It's entirely possible that she will only be able to handle a revolver.


A neat thing on the revolver is that there are no other external controls to remember while in duress. When she fires a shot the revolver is automatically on safe. Plus no chance of limp wristing it to cause a jam like on an auto. So there should be 5 or 6 reliable shots depending on the cylinder capacity. When you go look at the gun shop show her a very small gun and the ma very large gun. That way she will know what feels really bad and then when you start showing other various handguns she will start getting a better feeling on what feels good in her hands to her. Don't forget this is all about her and what you think is of no consequence. Maybe a little input but mostly getting her to make the choice or you will hear about it forever. just my thoughts


I have seen women limp wrist the little Beretta 21. One woman was so pissed off with it that she actually *gave* me the gun because she couldn't shoot it without it jamming on her a couple of times on every mag. I took it and fired off a few mags with the same promo load Remington ammo without a single problem. Surprisingly, given the short sight radius, it was fairly accurate.

One of the main things that make the revolvers appealing for a woman though is that you can reload the ammo to really low velocities and don't have to worry about not being able to cycle the action. Plus, you can use either wax bullets initially so that the woman gets used to the sound, but is not as scared of the lethality of the projectiles. If you load a couple of grains of powder with a wax bullet, you end up with basically a shotgun blast of wax powder coming out the barrel. Past 20 ft, I doubt it would go through a piece of paper.

[country gent]

The first thing is to get her over her fear of firearms. Then introduce hre to shooting thru friendly easy controled settings. Also start her out with saftey first then sight pictures and loading un loading trigger control with dummy rounds. Now for the big trick to making this work best, Get an outsider to coach her and teach her. Perferably another lady. Like it or not another lady knows the issues she is going to have much better than men do. Get as many diffrent handguns into her hands as possible let her decide what fits and works for her. If there is a range nearby with rental guns make several trips and rent a couple diffrent ones each trip for her to try. Start with .22s theres no need to scare her induce flinch from the start. Strat with 22s work up thru 32 380s and light loaded 38s. Wadcutter factory loads are good. Work with the mid barrel lengths to start 4"-6" helps reduce fliching and recoil, easier to develop a consistent sight picture. Most Ladies are going to carry in their purse so a 4" revolver isnt near the issue. Some ranges have informal matches, Fun nights, team shoots, ladies nights, ect ect. A begginers course where firearms ammo is supplied with instruction and coaching is a great way to start her out.

[Jamesconn]

Start with 22/45.

[Browningshooter]

+1 on the .38spl revolver. Snub nose can always go with you and the whole point is to HAVE the gun when/iff you need it. Train hard on weapon retention!

[crawfobj]

My wife and her friend took a basic pistol course on their own. She got to fire several different handguns, which was a big benefit. Her favorite in the class was an m&p 9mm. She didn't like the j frame revolvers.

I got her a Ruger LC9 with a laser ($399 locally) which she loves. She doesn't have any trouble releasing the slide on a fresh magazine and she shoots it very well. I added a hogue handall to it to make the grip a bit more comfortable, and it does the trick.

Haven't made her do jam clearing drills with it yet, but might next time we're out.

[cephas53]

Went through this a few months ago with the wife. She had a shotgun, 20 ga. 1100, that she was very proficient with but wanted something for her walks around the place. We're very rural. Seeing some stray/wild dogs gave her the incentive. Let her shoot .22's to 45's and her choice was my S&W 19. Found a police trade in Model 10 with a 4" barrel. Started her with very light handloads and we're now approaching the WC target load. Wouldn't want to be downstream of it.

[Bad Water Bill]

For several years our range had "BEGINNERS DAY"

You showed up and I provided the 22LR rifle,FREE ammo and instructions.

I had BEGINNERS from about 5 (with parents,siblings and grand parents present) to grandmothers that said "THANK YOU" when I called them "YOUNG LADIES",yes they were both 70.

One that will forever stick in my mind was a young woman about 55 years old.

I am not afraid of shooting a rifle but am scared silly of using a handgun.

My old Sears 9 shot revolver trembled in her hand for what seamed like 5 minutes till suddenly it locked on the target and BANG.

Yes we had another shooting young lady in our midst.

What a smile she wore.

PRICELESS

[Blacksmith]

I just got back from helping a neighbor pick a handgun, Taurus model 627 in .357 Mag., his first gun since he was in the Army a loooong time ago. I will work with him first and then we will introduce it to his wife who has never shot.

[unclogum bill]

I would push a five shot 38 with a 2 inch barrel. Simple, cheap to shoot , easy recoil. Took my 115 pound daughter when she asked to range. shot .25 , 10mm, 38 and for kick's 44 mag. 38 was her choice . Bought 38 Taurus when she returned to WY.

[Pitchnit]

I just spent the last 3 month doing exactly the same thing. We have been married for 30 years and wouldn't have anything to do with shooting. Too scared of them. Then 3 months ago out of the blue she says " I want my own gun and I want to take the CCW class. My 642 had too much recoil and the double action trigger was too hard to pull. She couldn't hand my buddies Bersa 380 back to me fast enough-recoil. We looked at pistols for about a month every weekend and in the mean time I was having her shoot my dads old colt woodsman. Basically a long double action trigger was out-too hard to pull, 9mm had too much recoil and she could not rack the slide on any auto she picked up or release the mag slide. We looked at 32 acp beretta with the tilt barrel but still didn't like the trigger. Looked at the Sig 238. Guy handed her it. By the time I asked him 1 question I heard 4 things-slide rack, slide release, click and I'll take it. it's a bit pricey so I suggested we sleep on it. Next day I found out a buddy had one and loaned it to us for the weekend. At the range I showed her how to load and operate and watched closely over her shoulder as she shot the whole box. We bought 1 the next day. 2 boxes of ammo-$40, extended mag-$50, Pistol-$650, Wife now asking me to go shooting-PRICELESS. She loves it. Not all 380's are the same. The Sig's slide is very easy to rack. It is a locked breach design which has considerably less recoil than a blowback design. I think I have heard that Taurus may make a breach lock but am not sure. Good luck. What ever you do, Let her decide.

[capt.hollis]

StArted my Wife with a glock model 26 9mm. Sweet accurate gun, and she handles it well.

[Swamp Man]

About hand & finger strength:
I've known women that could not pull the slide back on a 380 pistol, or pull the double action trigger through on a Colt DA 38 special.

I suggest shooting lots of different guns before buying.
Maybe a quality 22LR pistol because the slide spring isn't so hard to pull back.
Dry firing the revolver is a good way to build hand strength and get comfortable with it.
Bill I'm going to take her out to a range near here where we can rent different guns for her to try out. Then let her pick what she feels most comfortable with weather it's 22,9mm,or 38 it will be what she wants. I know what I had in mind but she may not like that at all. I think letting her pick and just go with that will be best. I know I tried to pick out a car for her when we bought her last car and she didn't want anything to do with my choices so it will mostly be the same with a gun. All I can hope is if she gets one then wants a different one later that she didn't pick a pink or purple gun.:shock:

[MBTcustom]

I'm just going to throw my experiance in here FWIW.
My wife has MS. This weakens her hands, and makes it hard for her to do some operations like opening new jars of pickles etc.
About 5 years ago, we decided it was time to get serious about CCW and we made it a goal. When it was time to go pick here out a gun, I took her to the gunshop that I smith for, and let her try everything they had. All I was looking for was for her to be able to work all the functions on the pistol. I figured if that got settled, then we would adjust her clothing/carry style to suit the piece of equipment, not the other way around.
Much to my gleeful surprise, the gun she was best with was a RIA 1911. It was the only slide she could manipulate consistently, and the revolvers were too stiff triggered for her to use. As it happened, they had two 3.5" RIA 1911s there, so I took a loan and bought both of them.
I got another surprize when we went to the range. She fired 300 rounds non stop! She loved it!
As time went on though, I noticed that even though she was very proficient with her pistol, she hardly ever carried it, and found herself in a scarry situation unarmed. I asked her why in the world was she not armed? I asked her what force of nature would prompt her to walk out of the house like a sheep rather than a lioness?
She ashamedly told me that it was no excuse, but that her gun was too heavy to carry comfortably, and she didn't like that much weight. I told her that if that was the case, then perhaps we should sell her gun and buy something better? She was against the idea at first, but I took her over to my parents house and asked mom if she would please let Angie see her chiefs special. Angie fell in love with that gun immediately.
I sold her 1911 to a friend and bought her an original S&W model 36 in excellent condition. Unfortunately, the trigger was too stiff for her to pull unless she got both fingers on the trigger.
I told her that it's just too bad we don't know a good gunsmith that could lighten up the trigger for her. She gave me a level look and told me to get my butt out in the shop and fix her gun! LOL!
I did a trigger job on it, and reduced the trigger pull by quite a bit (Lord those lawyers are nuts!).
She is now able to pull the trigger with one hand and loves that gun and carries it everywhere with her.

This and other peoples experience has led me to believe that the S&W model 36 is the best womens pistol ever made. Heck, if I get a deal on another one, I wouldn't mind carrying one myself! I can hit a paper plate at 50 yards every time with her little revolver with cast lead boolits. That's hard to beat.

[jmort]

I don't care who your are, the J Frames are beautiful things. Triggers are way too heavy.