Gun options for my wife

Chrisg67

Chrisg67

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Sorry if this has been discussed...i did a little searching with no luck


So i think my wife might finally be on board with getting her LTC. I work nights part of the week, and we feel she should be able to protect herself. she has shot my .22 rifle and did very well with it, but loses interest sort of quickly. she has tried my M&P9, and wasnt a fan of the recoil. (shot one round and handed it to me and said "Nope.")

Looking for opinions on some options we can look at and possibly try before we buy that have worked for the ladies on here or guys wives that maybe arent on here that shoot. something easy to handle, relatively low recoil and something she might be able to toss in her purse if she has to take the dog out at night.

she isnt 'small' she is about 5'7 130lbs and pretty strong, she just doesnt like the recoil. i have been eyeing something like a S&W 908 or 910 that may be a little heavier than the M&P, or even thinking something in .380

i have been throwing the idea around about getting into reloading, and maybe a light .38 load would bring the option in for a smaller frame revolver...

thanks in advance [grin]
 
Most .380s are blowback operated and have more felt recoil than a 9mm. A couple of notable exceptions are the Colt Mustang and .380 Gov't.

This is one that nobody talks about: S&W 351PD

Before anybody laughs, the .22 Magnum is every bit as powerful as the 5.7x28. I'd carry a 351PD before any .380.

Just for the record, there's no way anybody can 'know' what will be good for your wife. I've seen people hate the recoil of a 9mm, but fall in love with a 1911 in .45 ACP. Have her try a bunch of guns (maybe at S&W or some other place where you can rent them). You could also bring her to the Pumpkin Shoot and request that people bring specific guns for her to try.

Good luck.
 
EddieCoyle said:
Most .380s are blowback operated and have more felt recoil than a 9mm. A couple of notable exceptions are the Colt Mustang and .380 Gov't.

This is one that nobody talks about: S&W 351PD

Before anybody laughs, the .22 Magnum is every bit as powerful as the 5.7x28. I'd carry a 351PD before any .380.

Just for the record, there's no way anybody can 'know' what will be good for your wife. I've seen people hate the recoil of a 9mm, but fall in love with a 1911 in .45 ACP. Have her try a bunch of guns (maybe at S&W or some other place where you can rent them). You could also bring her to the Pumpkin Shoot and request that people bring specific guns for her to try.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

i appreciate your input. you're right, no one will know. i figured it might help just knowing what has worked for some so we can narrow it down to begin with. i will definatly get some people i know together with a variety for her to try out. [grin]

what do you mean by 'blowback operated'?
 
Yes, definitely let her decide for herself.

I simply went into a gun store and just started picking up and holding - even then, over time I changed my mind completely about what I LOVED the best, and I would say that the first one I liked looks absolutely nothing like what I prefer now.....

In any event, whatever she decides on now she can only look at herself for the choice she makes.
 
Try others in 9mm.. I have a M&P9c, and, a Glock, and the Glock has much less recoil.. I would advise against tossing a gun in a purse as well..
 
My wife is the same size and likes revolvers her favorites are, a 4 inch model 66 with rubber grips using 38's in it that I made. 148gr double ended wad cutters and 3grs of Red Dot and the Wife thought they were great.

When shes not shooting that she's using a 22 a 4 inch 10 shot, 617 which is the exact same gun as the 66 and also has rubber grips.
 
While I think a 9mm is the best compromise caliber if you're serious about giving her something useful...otherwise a .22 would be fine...the most important thing IMHO is to get the right fit for her hand. Recoil is part physics, part anticipation and part perception, with some sound effects thrown in. A compact gun shooting light 9mm loads with the proper grips and loads may feel like a peashooter compared to a PPK, for instance. My wife hates my .380 Sig 232 because of the noise and recoil, but has no problem with my H&K USP-9 Compact...it's simply a better match. On the other hand, my Sig 226 is uncomfortable for her because the bigger grip (which I love) makes it difficult for her to shoot it well with small hands. She does like the Sig 225 our friend has, with its single-stack magazine.

My advice...avoid revolvers and really small automatics. Spend the time with different compact models and let her find her comfort level. If you can find one, look for a Browning BDA in .380 or a similar Beretta model. It's a nice compromise. If none of this works...get a reliable .22 and avoid the useless little .25 and the marginal .32.
 
you guys are right. she definatly needs to try out options.

if she is serious about wanting something, she will have to man up and try out some guns [grin]
 
very good advice...but for some reason she has shoot-infront-of-people-phobia....not quite sure why. wont shoot at the range unless its just us. go figure
 
My girlfriend just purchased a S&W 317 .22 revolver. She loves it a lot and can shoot it really well. She also shoots my Beretta 92 but doesn't LOVE it. I make her shoot it at the range because this is the gun that is readily available in the house.

I just purchased the Beretta 380 Cheetah but haven't shot it yet. I'll let you know how my girlfriend likes it.
 
First, as the others have said, she's needs to try before she buys. Bring her to a shoot so she can try things out.

That said, I also agree with those that said revolver. If this is for home protection, something like a 7-shot 686 with .38+P in it would be a good bet. Recoil will be low and she won't have to worry about racking a slide (which some women have a hard time with).
 
EddieCoyle said:
Most .380s are blowback operated and have more felt recoil than a 9mm. A couple of notable exceptions are the Colt Mustang and .380 Gov't.

This is one that nobody talks about: S&W 351PD

Before anybody laughs, the .22 Magnum is every bit as powerful as the 5.7x28. I'd carry a 351PD before any .380.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Always liked the 351PD. Just wondering, can you shoot .22LR through it (like .38 through a .357)?


Back to OT: Let your wife find and pick out her own handgun. Less trouble for you if she does not like it.

Chris
 
Chris, here's another recommendation for bringing her to the Pumpkin Shoot. I learned how to shoot on a .45 (Llama large-frame - sorta 1911 clone), my first gun was a Model 19 .357... and when I tried my friend's Hi-Power, I didn't like it because I thought the recoil was too snappy. (Now, of course, I've got a couple of 9mms...)

Anyway, bring her up and let her try the veritable smorgasboard of guns that will be there. Odds are she'll find something she'll like. FYI, I'll have a steel-framed full-size 9mm (CZ75) if she wants to try it. I'll also have .45's, .357's, etc. She's welcome to play. Or if you want, we could meet up at Harvard sometime.
 
My wife has been carrying a Sig p230 for years and likes it. Recently she took my Glock 17 but not for daily carry.
 
EddieCoyle said:
...

This is one that nobody talks about: S&W 351PD

Before anybody laughs, the .22 Magnum is every bit as powerful as the 5.7x28. I'd carry a 351PD before any .380.

...
Click to expand...

We picked one up last night. While she's already got a SP101 (.357), the 351PD should be friendlier for pocket carry while she's walking the dogs through the woods. This thing is LIGHT, and the Hi-Viz sight should helpful in low light.
 
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put some glitter or pink on it........reduces felt recoil.
My way.........let her pick, let someone else teach her. Just be the support and driver to the range and gun shops. S&W air weight was my wifes pick
 
Chrisg67 said:
Sorry if this has been discussed...i did a little searching with no luck


So i think my wife might finally be on board with getting her LTC. I work nights part of the week, and we feel she should be able to protect herself. she has shot my .22 rifle and did very well with it, but loses interest sort of quickly. she has tried my M&P9, and wasnt a fan of the recoil. (shot one round and handed it to me and said "Nope.")

Looking for opinions on some options we can look at and possibly try before we buy that have worked for the ladies on here or guys wives that maybe arent on here that shoot. something easy to handle, relatively low recoil and something she might be able to toss in her purse if she has to take the dog out at night.

she isnt 'small' she is about 5'7 130lbs and pretty strong, she just doesnt like the recoil. i have been eyeing something like a S&W 908 or 910 that may be a little heavier than the M&P, or even thinking something in .380

i have been throwing the idea around about getting into reloading, and maybe a light .38 load would bring the option in for a smaller frame revolver...

thanks in advance [grin]
Click to expand...
First of all, find out her likelihood of getting an unrestricted LTC-A. If she can't, the primary mission of the firearm (by default) will be defense in the home while you are away at work. A short, light 20-gauge pump or semi-auto shotgun would be the best bet in that situation and can be had for much less than the price of a pistol in most cases. Hit probability and stopping power are much higher with the shotgun as well. A 12-gauge will also work well in this role, if she can handle the additional recoil.
 
pupchow said:
We picked one up last night. While she's already got a SP101 (.357), the 351PD should be friendlier for pocket carry while she's walking the dogs through the woods. This thing is LIGHT, and the Hi-Viz sight should helpful in low light.
Click to expand...

Nice!

Executive said:
Always liked the 351PD. Just wondering, can you shoot .22LR through it (like .38 through a .357)?
Click to expand...

No.
 
Hint: If you had to come here and ask, that means she's not very involved in the process. It might mean she's not ready yet. Recoil might not even really be a problem, she may just need more training. (Thinking way back to when I started, I found any mainstream caliber handgun to be abusive, but after learning how to hold the guns properly and developing a little strength, it's a whole different ballgame now. )

If you still are trying to get her something anyways, I 2nd Jim's suggestion on the 22 mag. Still has some punt, but shouldn't be overbearing.

I also agree with Jim in the respect that .380 blowbacks are off limits- they snap/recoil worse than almost any 9mm ever made. I'd rather shoot 10mm Auto than a .380 blowback pistol- it's less painful. (No, I'm not completely kidding-10mm flips more but doesn't sting as much!).

--Mike
 
RFWAVELENGTH said:
First of all, find out her likelihood of getting an unrestricted LTC-A.
Click to expand...

They're in Leominster. The odds of getting a restriction there are slim to none, more on the side of none. I know an individual who just got licensed there, who had a, shall we say, "more complicated than normal" app, to put it mildly, and had no problems getting A/None.

-Mike
 
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My 17 year old daughter really likes my S&W Model 14. Doesn't like my Beretta so much and really doesn't like my Kimber Custom Target II. The Model 14 is the softest shooting gun I own.
 

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