Sister needs a carry gun /suggestions?

[Edward]

She just passed her test and is getting steered towards an S+W MP .380 EZ .I watched some reviews (Hickok45) and the thing I thought of is ammo cost ain"t cheap in 380 and I like wheel guns for new shooters . I load for 38 and could help out with lots of target loads,and figure revolvers are kind of fool proof easy to operate with practice and cleaning is a lot less involved compared to semi's . Also cost is a factor ,she as like me is retired and I think 38 beats 380 every time and you get to keep the brass (required when I supply the ammo )! Any thoughts one way or the other (I am biased) good trigger either way and reasonable cost for every day/night time use ? Thanks Ed

[knifemaker]

She would be more prone to carry the .380 more often due to weight and size over a compact 38 revolver. I was a LEO firearms instructor and we used to train women shooters several times a year for their CCW license and the number one complaint from those women was the weight or size of the gun. Most of them will carry the firearm in their purse, no matter what you tell them about carrying it on their body. They want a small flat gun that will fit easy in the purse. Let her be the judge what gun she wants.

[Finster101]

What does your sister want? How does she plan to carry? When I'm dressed for it I carry an Officer model 1911, but it's hot here in FLA. Most of the time it's a KelTec P-32 in the pocket of my shorts. The one you have with you beats the heck out of the one at home because it's too big or too heavy.

[Murphy]

The 38 Special makes the most sense. I would have her look at a S&W hammerless model and she how she feels about it.

380 Auto's abound and there are several out there very reliable. In regards to cost, a Ruger LCP can probably be easily had for less than the S&W 38 Special.

Given the choices, I'd look for a 38 Special.

Murphy

[RED BEAR]

Bought the wife a sw 442 quite small but less than a pound its pretty handy. Does your sister shoot a lot if not a revolver might be a better choice. Wife has week wrist and autos jam constantly on her so she will not carry one.

[country gent]

I would get as many different handguns in her hands and some live fire as possible, revolver semi auto and in as many calibers as possible. This helps her to make an informed decision with more knowledge. A lot of ranges have rental guns where handguns can be rented and shot giving her an idea of recoil blast how it feels and last fit and how well she shoots it. ANother is a range day with friends where there are samples for her to test..
Her Ideas wants may be a little or lot different from mens. Her perceived recoil and blast will be different also. Help her to make up her mind with as much hands on information as possible.
This is a complete system from square 1 She not only needs a good reliable firearm She is comfortable and happy with but holster or carry system, cleaning system, and storage system. All of which She is comfortable with and knows how to use

[Winger Ed.]

I'm a big fan of double action autos. or Alum. frame 5 shot 2" revolvers for someone like that.
They have a better record for not having accidental discharges than a chambered auto with it's safety,
and there's less to 'fiddle' with for someone not so familiar with shooting a lot.

[JSnover]

Country Gent is right. She should get the one she likes best after she tries as many as she can.
An automatic isn't really a beginner's gun but if she chooses one, then she should get in as much training as she can.

[35remington]

I agree...Let her decide. The 380 EZ is actually heavier than an aluminum 38, BTW.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

is there a range were you can Rent if so i would have her rent a few to try out first

[DougGuy]

Let her try some of the 40+ calibers as well. The best rule here, is that she should carry the largest caliber she can shoot reliably and accurately. Some women take to a 45 like they were born with it. Kahr CW45 is great, no bigger than 75% of the 380s but look at the energy difference.

Many documented defense shootings the armed citizen only had time for one shot. She should understand this much, and if you started a poll here that stated if you only had one shot at close range against an assailant, what caliber gun would you want that one shot to come from? What exact round will give you the highest percentage of surviving an attack if you only had one shot?

Let me interject this as well. With the decision at hand as to which gun, have her do this test. With an unloaded chamber, have her hold the gun out at arm's length, shoulder height, pointed straight out sideways, while she is looking forward. Now have her turn her head and see where the front sight is. Depending on the grip frame angle and also her grip, if the front sight is nowhere near the rear sight, that gun does not fit her very well. You would want it to be instinct that the sights are fairly aligned and with the right gun, they will be.

[Finster101]

In my earlier post I was not advocating a caliber or gun. Just trying to point out that whatever it is, it has to be comfortable enough to stay with you. I do remember a phrase I heard once though that carrying a gun was not necessarily comfortable but comforting.

[Hossfly]

The choice should be hers, she should carry weather on body or purse the weapon she is most comfortable with and PRACTICE with regularly and I don’t mean once a year.

[Battis]

My wife has the S&W .380 EZ and she loves it. It is EZ to use. My daughter just got a Ruger LCR .38 and she loves it. My wife did not like shooting the S&W Airweight .38 (I don't really like shooting it either but I carry one a lot).
My daughter likes revolvers, and the grips on the Ruger LCR are comfortable, making it an easier shooter than the Airweight.
I reload for both the EZ and the Ruger.

[CastingFool]

Some women have a hard time racking the slide back on semi auto pistols.

[35remington]

That’s why the EZ was developed.

[NyFirefighter357]

I would get as many different handguns in her hands and some live fire as possible, revolver semi auto and in as many calibers as possible. This helps her to make an informed decision with more knowledge. A lot of ranges have rental guns where handguns can be rented and shot giving her an idea of recoil blast how it feels and last fit and how well she shoots it. ANother is a range day with friends where there are samples for her to test..
Her Ideas wants may be a little or lot different from mens. Her perceived recoil and blast will be different also. Help her to make up her mind with as much hands on information as possible.
This is a complete system from square 1 She not only needs a good reliable firearm She is comfortable and happy with but holster or carry system, cleaning system, and storage system. All of which She is comfortable with and knows how to use

Bring her somewhere where she can test/rent several types. My mother always carried a S&W Chiefs Special but when she went for her FL CCW they had a Ruger LC9 she couldn't get a good grip and couldn't pull the heavy trigger. She always shot revolvers. They waited when everyone else was done and went back and got a S&W snubby. After she put 15rds in the bull he stopped her and said that was enough. The old girl always could shoot well.

[Bazoo]

Consider this, if someone grabs the gun when she pulls it, a semi will still fire the first shot and then jam. A revolver may not fire as the cylinder might not turn. But if it's up close and personal, a revolver won't jam due to grip or close proximity to clothes or being limp wristed. If she doesn't have the strength to not limp wrist without focusing on her grip and stance, a revolver is probably best. Your going to fight the way you train, if you can. She might not be able to fight with a two handed grip, better make darn sure the gun will cycle with her shooting one handed and with a close to body hold.

My wife is weak, and most automatics will either jam or throw the empties back in her face. But the bersa thunder 380 she has is the exception. It has never failed her, never jammed except when we shot some steel cased ammo. I think the fixed barrel makes it less susseptible to limp wristing. She has a hard time racking the slide on most automatics too.

[Froogal]

Smith and Wesson 642 airweight. .38 special. Fits in my pants pocket just fine. I barely know it is there. If considering a semi-auto, can she rack the slide?

[charlie b]

Like several have said, it is HER choice, not yours. Go to a range where they have rentals. See if there are any women instructors in the area she can shoot with and talk to. The only thing I would stand firm on is a caliber minimum. IMHO, .380 is the minimum.

My wife and her sister both carried. The sister was a diehard for autos from day one (she has a 9mm Sig) and my wife was a revolver person. She felt the gun moved too much during recoil. Well, many range sessions later and my wife became a 1911 fan. She loves the .45 OTOH, my niece carries a .380.

Just like men, women are all different about what they like and don't like. Don't push her in a direction. Offer the choices and see what she likes, including how she wants to carry.

FWIW, if you push her, then she will end up getting something she does not like and she either won't carry it or won't shoot it enough.