What to get the wife??????

[3jimbo3]

Ok, I need good honest opinions here. I am going to get my loving wife a new pistol for Christmas. She has always been a fan of the Bersa 380, I know!, but I want to get her something a lot more reliable and better quality. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the Bersa's and they are good guns, I just want to get her a great gun. She wants to stay around the 380 or 9mm cartridge, but after all, I'm putting this in her hands for protection so it needs to be top quality. She is an experienced shooter so thats not a big deal. She does have good gun control and prefers auto pistols. I don't want her to have to deal with any single actions, for safety reasons, and ssh don't like a laser. We went looking today and she has found a Glock 42 and is quiet excited about it. So with that said, I'm not a big Glock fan and could use some feedback on the 42's. Also if anyone has a particular model to show her, it's hard for me to see past a Springfield or a Ruger. I'm kind of hard headed about this, but it's for me and this one is for her so she has to be the one that says yes to it. I told her not to look at the price just find something she likes. I just need some opinions here, what would you give your wives?

[GP100man]

Take her to the range that rents firearms & let her shoot em .

[Art in Colorado]

If for CCW the revised striker fired Ruger LC9 should be considered. Very smooth and light trigger. If it was around before I bought a XDs 9mm I would have proably gone in that direction. Might still go that way.

[Thumbcocker]

Can't say enough good about the Lc9s. Mrs. Thumbcocker loves hers.

[williamwaco]

GP100man + 1


Do not -

Do not -

Do NOT -

buy her a gun she has nor previously approved.

[country gent]

Ill second the test fire idea as some look and seem right but recoil and actual use weed them out. While not a big glock fan I do have a 40 sub compact model here. Look at as many as possible rent and or borrow the contenders if possible and go from there.

[725]

If it were my wife and she didn't know what she wanted, I would conclude she doesn't shoot enough. That said, I'd never get her a semi for self defense. A semi has too many built in reasons to fail. Empty chamber, mag drop from mishandling, ?presence? of a safety, function compromised by body position / clothing / limp wristing, failure to go into battery, and stuff I'm sure I'm forgetting. For a skilled shooter, semi's can be great. I'd go for a nice .38 revolver - stainless - S&W ? - 5 shot. Just my two cents. I've seen to many mishandle semi's to be comfortable seeing my loved one rely on one for protection.

[opos]

I agree with let her pick and choose the gun she will shoot...I made that mistake many years ago with my then Wife...decided to "build her a deer rifle"..built her an 03A3 06 that was Ackley improved...it also weighed about 6# with the scope..and the cut down barrel It kicked harder than any rifle I've ever owned...I was so proud the day I handed it to her with a ribbon tied on it...and she was equally proud after firing 2 rounds out of it..to hand it back and cancel her plans to go hunting with us...she accused me of sabotaging her trip.

On the 380 Bersa..I had one of the "duotone" ones in .380...nice little pistol until it began to swallow disconnect springs which was fairly common when I had mine...leaving you with a club that would not shoot when the spring let go...I dumped it quickly in favor of a much more reliable smaller pistol...I'm not a Bersa fan because getting it fixed (I was not the original owner) was pricey and inconvenient. Just my 2 cents on Bersas

[docone31]

I got wifey a Taurus PT1911 for christmas several years ago. She is 5'4" and from Los Angeles. Today, she is very comfortable with the pistol. 200gn hollow point, or 230gn loads either way it makes her happy. She has learned a lot from that pistol. She goes to the range and comes home with more spent cases than she brought loads. She is now a good shot.
A large frame, good shooting pistol. Looks good, works well, and you can get spare parts!
My suggestion.

[twc1964]

My brother in law bought his wife a g-42 and she loves it. Recoil is nil and she sure can shoot it well. Went thru a lot of ammo and not one bobble. He bought her a kimber solo first and she chose the glock. Just my 2 cents.

[doc1876]

I got sweetie the lc9, and she HATES it. She is a good shot, and due to the long trigger pull, she can't even hit the barn at about 20 yds. That kind of failure to a competent deer and turkey hunter did not go well. I can't find the door to this dog house.

[jeepyj]

First choice is the same as one I carry a Colt Mustang second is a 42. A friend has 42 and it shoots about as well as my colt but as I said my first choice is the colt. I just wish my bride would carry because i'd buy her one in a heartbeat!
jeepyj

[Iron Whittler]

I shoot the Colt Gov 380 in polished stainless. Nicely balanced, flawless function, and very accurate. Only drawback is it not being double action. Iron Whittler

[Reverend Recoil]

Last month I got my wife a very good used S&W model 10-8 in 38 Special that I found on Gunbroker. It is a fun and accurate revolver that she enjoys shooting.

[trails4u]

My better half is quite scary with the Walther PK380 I got for her.... It's very small framed, but so is she...so it's a good fit. I find it shoots VERY well.....albeit nearly a pocket gun for a bigger framed person. It's a nice carry piece, IMHO....

[DLCTEX]

+1 on a S&W M&P Shield. My wife loves hers and shootrs it very well.

[stu1ritter]

Give her a gift certificate to your LGS for the value of a handgun of HER choice and let her do the shopping and ask the questions (assuming [ha] you have a good LGS.
Stu

[kungfustyle]

GP100man + 1


Do not -

Do not -

Do NOT -

buy her a gun she has nor previously approved.
Smart man here.....Get her approval on the thing first, unless your buying it for you :drinks:

[dragon813gt]

Go rent every pistol you can and let her decide which one she wants. I will tell you to make sure a Walther PPS is one that you test. It's what we both carry. It's overlooked for some reason.

[Green Monster]

Try before you buy. Also consider getting her a defensive ccw class. I took one at sig sauer and it teaches you alot about what firearm fits how you carry and how you handle under pressure.

[waco]

The Springfield XDS in 9mm is pretty sweet.

[garym1a2]

When I took the Ex shooting she liked the Ruger Mark2 and the S&W686. Hated the Glocks and the Walther P22.

I say try the triggers on all them and get what She wants. Than pratice a lot.

[MtGun44]

What Williamwaco said!

Make up a nice certificate "Good for the handgun of your choice" and wrap that for Christmas.

This is WAY too personal a choice to have any chance of hitting it right without her test firing the
guns.

Bill

[Erik72]

My wife picked out the Beretta PX4 Storm Subcompact. She has fired my LC9 but she hates the trigger. She test fired several other weapons but fell in love with the feel of the PX4. I tried it out and liked it enough to buy myself one. My teenage daughter enjoys shooting as well.

[buckwheatpaul]

I agree with williamwilco if your wife likes a Glock be sure to get one for her....but like GP100man said take her to a range that has a Glock 42 for rent and let her try it...I dont care for Glocks....but you and I are not the issue.....Good luck on your quest! Those two attitudes has kept me married for 38 years!

[monadnock#5]

Your wife will find something in the S&W M+P line that will satisfy all your criteria.

[junkpile]

I speak from experience here...

Get her whatever she wants.

Let her pick out what she's after, talk about how something she doesn't like is so great, and then just drop the conversation. Then get what she wants. And then schedule as many family outings as possible. I usually have more fun with my wife's guns than my own. I have no idea why. I guess the pea shooters are more fun to mess around with.

[3jimbo3]

I found a Beretta earlier today that is an older 92 style. Looks like a 92 and feels like a Bersa, and to beat all its a 380 like she wants. The dealer said Beretta discontinued this model about 4 years ago, this one is still new, never had had a round in the chamber. $550 tag on though, I think I'm the genius that made the statement "don't look at the price tag, just get what you want" yep that was me! I don't care though, as long as she is happy with it.

[Bzcraig]

In 380, I think the a Ruger LC380 is a fine gun but don't think you can do better than a Sig 232. In 9mm Kahr is my first choice in either polymer or steel.

[birch]

If she is an experienced shooter, I would suggest a double action revolver/pistol, but if she is new to the sport, it will be very hard for her to be an accurate shot with a double action gun.

If she/you are considering the Glock 42 *single action), I might also consider the Sig 238.

[randyrat]

I think it is a SA auto, but take a peak at it. Sig P238. Slim, reliable

[rking22]

3Jimbo3 , if that Beretta was a single stack 380 its an 85 if double stack hen 84. Either way they are great reliable pistols. I was actually going to suggest she look at one if you could find one. They are accurate and a ball to shoot,kinda a 2/3 size M92. By all means get her what she wants, but at least get yourself the Beretta. If it's a BB version the safety works just like a 1911, only allowing a double action first shot if desired. Mags are available and not overly expensive.

[Davidk]

Take her to the range that rents firearms & let her shoot em .

This. I am a big fan of the Kahrs.