9mm with less than average recoil?
- Thread starter robertsig
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Sharpsdressed Man
Moderator
If you develope a really strong grip, recoil can be mitigated in most weapons by using a slightly stronger recoil spring, as long as it doesn't adversely affect reliability.
How big are her hands? There can be a substantial difference from an uncocked trigger to the backstrap from model to model. The grip width can also make a difference.
I have witnessed numerous shooters who would use a poor hand grip to try and make the grip size of the handgun work with their hand size. If the strong hand thumb and trigger finger are not parallel to each other, recoil will most likely be going into the knuckle of the strong hand thumb and not the web of the strong hand. If there is poor alignment of the strong hand to the handgun, the bottom of the backstrap typically is also not covered by the palm of the strong hand which usually results in more muzzle flip.
Todd Jarrett uses a grip that is very stable. Notice how little muzzle flip he has when shooting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48
I have witnessed numerous shooters who would use a poor hand grip to try and make the grip size of the handgun work with their hand size. If the strong hand thumb and trigger finger are not parallel to each other, recoil will most likely be going into the knuckle of the strong hand thumb and not the web of the strong hand. If there is poor alignment of the strong hand to the handgun, the bottom of the backstrap typically is also not covered by the palm of the strong hand which usually results in more muzzle flip.
Todd Jarrett uses a grip that is very stable. Notice how little muzzle flip he has when shooting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa50-plo48
If her hands fit it check out the above mentioned S&W 5906.....GREATTTTTT GUN and shoots very soft but it is a little on the thick side
Go by your local gun shops and pawn shops and see if you can get one she can hold. If she likes it you can pick one p through CDNN for $299 (unles you can get a better deal with the one you're holding
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Go by your local gun shops and pawn shops and see if you can get one she can hold. If she likes it you can pick one p through CDNN for $299 (unles you can get a better deal with the one you're holding
)I own an SR9, Beretta PX4 9mm, Beretta 92FS 9mm and a Stoeger Cougar 8000 F 9mm. All are soft shooting and are excellent guns. Both of the Berettas and the Stoeger are very easy to rack and the Stoeger fits my wife's hand better than any of them. The grip may feel thick but it's actually shorter front to back at the top and fits a small hand better than the 92FS, or the SR9 and PX4 which have adjustable backstraps but are still longer front to back at the top of the grip.
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loose_holster_dan
New member
the sig p226 is one of the lightest recoiling 9mm on the market. if she can't handle that, i can't imagine she will like anything else. even the beretta is known to have more punch.
HK P7. It has a low bore axis, and is fairly heavy for its size, so felt recoil is low. It may be difficult for her to rack the slide though. The gas system compensates for higher powered rounds so going from standard target rounds to SD rounds doesn't really feel any different. Just make sure the gas port in the barrel is clear.
DavidtheGnome, which PX4 did you have? (They come in three sizes.)
I have the 9mm in both sub-compact and compact size, and don't find either one to be high recoil guns; the compact is actually pretty soft. It seems most others have the same perception; I'm not discounting your perception but I am curious as to the size/model, and whether you tried alternating backstraps for better fit, etc.
I have the 9mm in both sub-compact and compact size, and don't find either one to be high recoil guns; the compact is actually pretty soft. It seems most others have the same perception; I'm not discounting your perception but I am curious as to the size/model, and whether you tried alternating backstraps for better fit, etc.
Many of the suggested pistols are big (fat grips or long trigger reach in DA) pistols for most women.
Just making sure you consider good fit (grips and trigger reach) and not just recoil. Proper fit significantly affects felt recoil and recoil management. If the pistol is too small, it will be difficult to get a good hold, pistol will move in the hand when shot. IF too big, trigger reach will probably be too long..... so on, so forth.
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Have you considered a .380 like a Beretta 85? (have not shot one but looks like a good small pistol.
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Have shot a Kahr CW9 9mm - mild recoil for a small pistol. simple DAO operation, too.
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SA XD and XM seem to fit small hands better than other double stack pistols (trigger reach where it breaks tend to be on the short side comapred to glock and others) but recoil is same as most pistols in its category.
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I have shot a EAA 9mm witness match recently. Nice target shooting pistol. It has lighter recoil than my 5" 1911 9mm but it is big and heavy.
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Let her choose and rent to try out if possible. good luck.
Just making sure you consider good fit (grips and trigger reach) and not just recoil. Proper fit significantly affects felt recoil and recoil management. If the pistol is too small, it will be difficult to get a good hold, pistol will move in the hand when shot. IF too big, trigger reach will probably be too long..... so on, so forth.
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Have you considered a .380 like a Beretta 85? (have not shot one but looks like a good small pistol.
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Have shot a Kahr CW9 9mm - mild recoil for a small pistol. simple DAO operation, too.
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SA XD and XM seem to fit small hands better than other double stack pistols (trigger reach where it breaks tend to be on the short side comapred to glock and others) but recoil is same as most pistols in its category.
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I have shot a EAA 9mm witness match recently. Nice target shooting pistol. It has lighter recoil than my 5" 1911 9mm but it is big and heavy.
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Let her choose and rent to try out if possible. good luck.
overkill0084
New member
Have you considered a carbine in a pistol caliber? Granted CC is out, but for home defense, size is less of an issue.
A full sized .357 revolver with .38 special loads is another option.
A full sized .357 revolver with .38 special loads is another option.
She's petite - like some of my granddaughters...so she probably has smaller hands as well...
out of my collection of 9mm's....the guns they prefer..
a. Sig 239 in 9mm...its a DA/SA ...and you can lighten up the trigger a little but at 10lbs / 4.4 lbs its pretty good. They can also cock the hammer on their first shot it they want to.
b. a Kimber 4", 1911, Tactical Pro II model, alloy frame ...sure maintenance might be an issue ....but it has a bull barrel ...so takedown is pretty easy. She could do the normal maintenance / let you do the heavy duty stuff ...they're available in 9mm.
The kids shoot both of those guns equally well...( 4 grandaughters from 10 - 17 and they all like those 2 guns...).
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c. S&W revolvers ...they do like some of the K frames in .38 spl ...like a model 19, or 66 ...but they think they're a little heavy even in a 4" barrel.
d. they don't like my 1911's 5" guns in 9mm ...they think they're too heavy ...and they go back to the Kimber 4" and alloy frame if there are 5 guns on the bench or the Sig 239's.
out of my collection of 9mm's....the guns they prefer..
a. Sig 239 in 9mm...its a DA/SA ...and you can lighten up the trigger a little but at 10lbs / 4.4 lbs its pretty good. They can also cock the hammer on their first shot it they want to.
b. a Kimber 4", 1911, Tactical Pro II model, alloy frame ...sure maintenance might be an issue ....but it has a bull barrel ...so takedown is pretty easy. She could do the normal maintenance / let you do the heavy duty stuff ...they're available in 9mm.
The kids shoot both of those guns equally well...( 4 grandaughters from 10 - 17 and they all like those 2 guns...).
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c. S&W revolvers ...they do like some of the K frames in .38 spl ...like a model 19, or 66 ...but they think they're a little heavy even in a 4" barrel.
d. they don't like my 1911's 5" guns in 9mm ...they think they're too heavy ...and they go back to the Kimber 4" and alloy frame if there are 5 guns on the bench or the Sig 239's.
Normally, I'd be recommending the Beretta PX4, but not this time.
Generally speaking, women tend to have smaller hands than do men. The trigger reach on the Beretta pistols is on the longer side, which because I can palm basketballs, has always been something I liked.
However my wife hates my Berettas. Her pistols are both the S&W M&P9 on the nightstand and a M&P9c for carry. She even loves the magazine disconnect in case there is a struggle over her weapon, one she'd likely lose to a determined male attacker, so she could have a chance to disable the weapon. The M&Ps have shorter reach triggers, especially with the small backstrap insert.
I haven't found the Smiths to be flippy, or otherwise poor at managing recoil.
Generally speaking, women tend to have smaller hands than do men. The trigger reach on the Beretta pistols is on the longer side, which because I can palm basketballs, has always been something I liked.
However my wife hates my Berettas. Her pistols are both the S&W M&P9 on the nightstand and a M&P9c for carry. She even loves the magazine disconnect in case there is a struggle over her weapon, one she'd likely lose to a determined male attacker, so she could have a chance to disable the weapon. The M&Ps have shorter reach triggers, especially with the small backstrap insert.
I haven't found the Smiths to be flippy, or otherwise poor at managing recoil.
I am also a bit surprised about DavidtheGnome stating the PX4 is a hard recoil pistol. No way, IMO. Actually much softer than a G17-19 or HK USP Compact, or XDm Tactical, to mention a few polymer pistols I've shot.
Now my two cents in. If you want low recoil, you want a long barrel and a heavy platform. That strenghtens your choices to Beretta 92, CZ75 or a 9mm 1911 as some other posters have suggested, or some SW models (I'm not so familiar with Smiths). Mind your daughter's hands size, the 92 has a thick grip. The CZ too, perhaps not that much as the 92, but then, with a PX4 (which is the only polymer one I'd reccomend in your case, due to its low recoil) you get three different backstraps to fit your daughter's hands.
In terms of perceived recoil, for me the CZ75 (particularly a SP01 or SP01 Shadow) has the edge. The 92FS and PX4 (full size) would be trailing her closely. Between the 92 and PX4, my impression is that the PX4 has a more snappier recoil, but gets back on target faster, and the 92 has a softer recoil (heavier pistol, longer barrel) but has a slightly slower action and gets back on target not as quickly as the PX4. I carry a 92FS on duty on a daily basis, but my CC and HD pistol is a PX4. I am, though, so fond of CZ's and can't wait to get one (a Shadow, preferably) which would be exclusively a range and IPSC competition pistol. In terms of trigger pull, the CZ wins again. Right after would be the PX4 and the 92 in third position. Long and heavy trigger pull in Da, and the stiffest SA pull of the three.
In short, if that pistol isn't gonna be CC:
- CZ75
- 92FS
- PX4
Provided your daughter can hold the first two comfortably. Otherwise, PX4 hands down.
Now my two cents in. If you want low recoil, you want a long barrel and a heavy platform. That strenghtens your choices to Beretta 92, CZ75 or a 9mm 1911 as some other posters have suggested, or some SW models (I'm not so familiar with Smiths). Mind your daughter's hands size, the 92 has a thick grip. The CZ too, perhaps not that much as the 92, but then, with a PX4 (which is the only polymer one I'd reccomend in your case, due to its low recoil) you get three different backstraps to fit your daughter's hands.
In terms of perceived recoil, for me the CZ75 (particularly a SP01 or SP01 Shadow) has the edge. The 92FS and PX4 (full size) would be trailing her closely. Between the 92 and PX4, my impression is that the PX4 has a more snappier recoil, but gets back on target faster, and the 92 has a softer recoil (heavier pistol, longer barrel) but has a slightly slower action and gets back on target not as quickly as the PX4. I carry a 92FS on duty on a daily basis, but my CC and HD pistol is a PX4. I am, though, so fond of CZ's and can't wait to get one (a Shadow, preferably) which would be exclusively a range and IPSC competition pistol. In terms of trigger pull, the CZ wins again. Right after would be the PX4 and the 92 in third position. Long and heavy trigger pull in Da, and the stiffest SA pull of the three.
In short, if that pistol isn't gonna be CC:
- CZ75
- 92FS
- PX4
Provided your daughter can hold the first two comfortably. Otherwise, PX4 hands down.