She has never shot a gun, but she does a lot of hiking and bears and other animals could be a problem in our area. While this is an important factor I don't want to sacrifice it's utility for self-defense or SHTF, also needs to be suitable for EDC in a CCW role. Would pretty much like it to be something that the recoil is not prohibitive but carries enough rounds for a possible zombie invasion. She is of course not a super model but can still rock a set of mom jeans. Also what would be the best mode for concealed carry at church. Hate to even ask but we live in a pretty liberal area and she will need to be armed even to and from.
Best handgun for the wife
- Thread starter marano
- Start date
Let her buy whatever she wants.....
Encourage her to shoot a couple of guns/ or as many as you can at a local range that rents guns .....
Some guns that my granddaughters and some of the new shooters in my family like....
1. Sig 239 in 9mm, single stack, light, easy to shoot, capacity is 8 + 1 in 9mm
2. a 1911 in 9mm ...something like a Kimber Tactical Pro II model, alloy frame, 4", nice gun and light again
3. a K frame S&W revolver ...in .357 mag but she can shoot .38's in it ...not the real light guns - but a model 19 or 66 in either a 2 1/2" barrel or better yet, in a 4"..../ put whatever grips on it she likes, that fit her hands the best - rubber, wood with finger grooves, standard wood target grips, etc...
double stack guns are usually too wide for smaller hands...
heavier and longer guns are kind of intimidating to new shooters..
keep the recoil down ( 9mm, or .38 spl or light .357 mag...) until she has 1,000 rounds or more thru the gun....
Encourage her to shoot a couple of guns/ or as many as you can at a local range that rents guns .....
Some guns that my granddaughters and some of the new shooters in my family like....
1. Sig 239 in 9mm, single stack, light, easy to shoot, capacity is 8 + 1 in 9mm
2. a 1911 in 9mm ...something like a Kimber Tactical Pro II model, alloy frame, 4", nice gun and light again
3. a K frame S&W revolver ...in .357 mag but she can shoot .38's in it ...not the real light guns - but a model 19 or 66 in either a 2 1/2" barrel or better yet, in a 4"..../ put whatever grips on it she likes, that fit her hands the best - rubber, wood with finger grooves, standard wood target grips, etc...
double stack guns are usually too wide for smaller hands...
heavier and longer guns are kind of intimidating to new shooters..
keep the recoil down ( 9mm, or .38 spl or light .357 mag...) until she has 1,000 rounds or more thru the gun....
redhologram
New member
http://www.corneredcat.com is practically my go to for everything. The book has a lot of great information as well as the website.
BusterValentine
New member
I"m gonna cast my vote for a PPK/S or a Sig P232. Easy to conceal, heavy enough to mitigate the already light recoil of the .380 and DA/SA is great for carry. It won't take down a bear though. . .
Wait, she needs to be armed to and from church because you live in a liberal area? Is liberal the new pc way to say ghetto?
Wait, she needs to be armed to and from church because you live in a liberal area? Is liberal the new pc way to say ghetto?
The idea that certain guns are best for "women" is frankly absurd. As Jim P so eloquently stated, let her pick out the gun she wants. Treat her as you would want someone to treat you while looking for your first gun. Let her try out as many as possible to see what she likes and doesn't like. Let her try multiple calibers, not just the "easy ones." Ignore her sex for a few hours, and treat her as a novice gun owner looking for a reliable, effective weapon for CC/HD/SHTF situations.
My initial thought was that she might need two different guns. I have a hard time imagining a pistol that can be concealed in church clothes and still be noticeable to a bear.
My wife recently picked up a Sig P238 for a CC pistol. Very small, but with a weight about half again that of an LCP, the recoil is quite manageable. It is worth looking at, but as others have said she has to make her own choice. I would be afraid that a .380 would just hack off any bear with a modicum of self respect.
My wife recently picked up a Sig P238 for a CC pistol. Very small, but with a weight about half again that of an LCP, the recoil is quite manageable. It is worth looking at, but as others have said she has to make her own choice. I would be afraid that a .380 would just hack off any bear with a modicum of self respect.
A buddy and I are doing the same thing with his girlfriend this weekend....(she's in her 30's but has small hands)....and I'll be acting as the primary instructor / he'll back off a little. Our only focus is to let her have some fun and shoot a variety of guns...so she can decide what he will buy for her !!
------
He has nothing in a 9mm ( he's a .45 acp / .44 mag kind of guy )....so he'll buy 3 boxes of 9mm, a couple boxes of .38 spl, a box of .357 mag.../ and we'll let her shoot as many guns as she wants - or until she's tired of it ...and she can pick or exclude anything she doesn't want to shoot...because she thinks its ugly or whatever...
------
from my collection - she can testfire:
a. Sig 239 in 9mm ....with stock grips, or I can change to Hogue rubber grips with finger grooves.../a favorite of some of my grandkids.
b. Sig 226 in 9mm ...with same dual grip options...( we don't expect her to like it ....we think it'll be too wide and too heavy - but it lets her fire a full sized Sig if she wants to ). My 226's are the all stainless versions - so they're a little heavier than the standard models.
c. Kimber Tactical Pro II model in 9mm...4" alloy frame..../ nice gun ( a favorite of my teenage grandaughters).
d. Wilson Combat 5" Protector model in 9mm...5" all steel gun.../ this is my primary practice gun - and its just to give her a feel of a full sized 1911 in 9mm. Most new shooters - fire this gun / and go immediately back to the 4" alloy frame Kimber....weight, or something in it...doesn't intimidate them.(this is a favorite of mine ...and they'll have dig it out of my casket someday ...because I'm taking it with me). But I share ...and let them shoot it, once in a while....
we can rent a variety of Glocks, XD's, Berettas, from the range in 9mm....
( I have most of the same guns in .40S&W ...but we're going to keep them out of the mix ...). The problem with rental guns...they may not be clean or well tuned up ...and you can only take one out of rental case at a time..so you can't just put 2 rounds thru one gun ...then shoot the next one...
---------
In revolvers ...( all S&W )
In K frames:
Model 10 in a 4" . 38 spl ...with original grip and Target grips
Model 66 ...in a 2 1/2" round but with either wood grips or Hogue rubber...
Model 66 ... in a 4" ....sq butt...standard wood target grips, S&W finger groove wood grips, Hogue rubber grips....
-------------
All to just give her a cross-section of what is out there....
-----------
I was laughing with my buddy last nite ...but its almost like I've got a "kit" of guns that I use for new shooters..../ but its fun ...especially with the 10 grandkids I have now from 3 - 22 yrs old and their friends.../ its been my priveledge to teach them how to shoot .../and I'm looking forward to sunday afternoon ....
( only bad thing for my buddy ....none of my guns are for sale !! )...he'll have to find his own...!
http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=85770&d=1357338028 - 2nd gun from bottom is Wilson 9mm ...gun at upper right is Kimber 9mm 4" ..( gun at bottom is my carry gun / Wilson CQB in .45 acp)...
http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=69517&d=1303316779 ....nice thumbprint ...on this one ..??
/ just a standard Sig 239...
http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=82015&d=1339792625 ...some of my other .357's...
------
He has nothing in a 9mm ( he's a .45 acp / .44 mag kind of guy )....so he'll buy 3 boxes of 9mm, a couple boxes of .38 spl, a box of .357 mag.../ and we'll let her shoot as many guns as she wants - or until she's tired of it ...and she can pick or exclude anything she doesn't want to shoot...because she thinks its ugly or whatever...
------
from my collection - she can testfire:
a. Sig 239 in 9mm ....with stock grips, or I can change to Hogue rubber grips with finger grooves.../a favorite of some of my grandkids.
b. Sig 226 in 9mm ...with same dual grip options...( we don't expect her to like it ....we think it'll be too wide and too heavy - but it lets her fire a full sized Sig if she wants to ). My 226's are the all stainless versions - so they're a little heavier than the standard models.
c. Kimber Tactical Pro II model in 9mm...4" alloy frame..../ nice gun ( a favorite of my teenage grandaughters).
d. Wilson Combat 5" Protector model in 9mm...5" all steel gun.../ this is my primary practice gun - and its just to give her a feel of a full sized 1911 in 9mm. Most new shooters - fire this gun / and go immediately back to the 4" alloy frame Kimber....weight, or something in it...doesn't intimidate them.(this is a favorite of mine ...and they'll have dig it out of my casket someday ...because I'm taking it with me). But I share ...and let them shoot it, once in a while....
we can rent a variety of Glocks, XD's, Berettas, from the range in 9mm....
( I have most of the same guns in .40S&W ...but we're going to keep them out of the mix ...). The problem with rental guns...they may not be clean or well tuned up ...and you can only take one out of rental case at a time..so you can't just put 2 rounds thru one gun ...then shoot the next one...
---------
In revolvers ...( all S&W )
In K frames:
Model 10 in a 4" . 38 spl ...with original grip and Target grips
Model 66 ...in a 2 1/2" round but with either wood grips or Hogue rubber...
Model 66 ... in a 4" ....sq butt...standard wood target grips, S&W finger groove wood grips, Hogue rubber grips....
-------------
All to just give her a cross-section of what is out there....
-----------
I was laughing with my buddy last nite ...but its almost like I've got a "kit" of guns that I use for new shooters..../ but its fun ...especially with the 10 grandkids I have now from 3 - 22 yrs old and their friends.../ its been my priveledge to teach them how to shoot .../and I'm looking forward to sunday afternoon ....
( only bad thing for my buddy ....none of my guns are for sale !! )...he'll have to find his own...!
http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=85770&d=1357338028 - 2nd gun from bottom is Wilson 9mm ...gun at upper right is Kimber 9mm 4" ..( gun at bottom is my carry gun / Wilson CQB in .45 acp)...
http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=69517&d=1303316779 ....nice thumbprint ...on this one ..??
/ just a standard Sig 239...http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=82015&d=1339792625 ...some of my other .357's...
Last edited:
redhologram
New member
I'm just going to sit here and drool over those WC's.
Wilson Combat does make some spectacular guns. I will tell you that the pair of Wilson's I have, are two of the top 5 handguns in my safe ..../ I have a little over 45,000 rds thru the all stainless 9mm version / and about 20,000 rds thru the blued wilson in .45 acp ....they're both about 8 yrs old.
and far be it from me to tell my buddy he shouldn't order one for his girlfriend if he wants to..../ but if I were him, I'd buy her the Kimber or a Springfield or something in 9mm ...and buy the Wilson in 9mm for himself !! But he's funny, he just can't bring himself to shoot much of anything in calibers other than .45 acp or .44mag...
I'll be careful on Sunday to tell her there are all kinds of 5" 1911's made in 9mm and that this is just one example.
But if she holds to her current intention..of carrying this in her purse ..a 5" 1911 is probably too big or too heavy.
and far be it from me to tell my buddy he shouldn't order one for his girlfriend if he wants to..../ but if I were him, I'd buy her the Kimber or a Springfield or something in 9mm ...and buy the Wilson in 9mm for himself !! But he's funny, he just can't bring himself to shoot much of anything in calibers other than .45 acp or .44mag...
I'll be careful on Sunday to tell her there are all kinds of 5" 1911's made in 9mm and that this is just one example.
But if she holds to her current intention..of carrying this in her purse ..a 5" 1911 is probably too big or too heavy.
redhologram
New member
That's her first mistake. Tell her to carry on body.
My fiancé has the WC CQB in .45 and it really is a nice gun.
For me personally, 9mm is as large as I'm comfortable with. And my hands fit better around singlestacks. Doublestacks are ok, but I get "that" feeling with singlestacks.
No, I'm not telling her anything ....she has to make her own decision, about whether and how she wants to carry..../ I'm merely a facilitator of info on a variety of guns that I think she should consider.
But with the right kind of purse...and the right holster/pouch in the purse...it can be done very effectively.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=purse+carry+options&qpvt=purse+carry+options&FORM=IGRE
-----------
Just like picking a gun to own or carry for anyone ....she should do what she wants.
But with the right kind of purse...and the right holster/pouch in the purse...it can be done very effectively.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=purse+carry+options&qpvt=purse+carry+options&FORM=IGRE
-----------
Just like picking a gun to own or carry for anyone ....she should do what she wants.
redhologram
New member
Trust me.. I'm quite familiar with all of the options we have to choose from. And you are right, let her choose, that's what I did. It has to be what works best for them.
I'm just personally not going to have my gun in a purse, my bra, or anywhere that's going to make it difficult to reach when I need it.
Everything I do, however, is based on my personal experiences and decisions just like she'll have hers.
And you are right, let her choose, that's what I did. It has to be what works best for them. I'm just personally not going to have my gun in a purse, my bra, or anywhere that's going to make it difficult to reach when I need it.
Everything I do, however, is based on my personal experiences and decisions just like she'll have hers.
Tactical Jackalope
New member
I know a guy locally that traded a Wilson Combat for a Glock 17.....
-_________-
My friends shop took and sold it for what it's really worth.
Some people I swear.
I know I know, sounds too crazy to be true. Look where I live.
-_________-
My friends shop took and sold it for what it's really worth.
Some people I swear.
I know I know, sounds too crazy to be true. Look where I live.
In the case of my buddy's girlfriend....( she's in her 30's )...( from my note above): on Sunday, from my collection, she fired .....
a. Sig 239 in 9mm
b. Kimber Tactical Pro II 4", 1911, alloy frame in 9mm
c. Sig 226 in 9mm, all stainless version..
d. Wilson Combat 5" 1911 - Protector model, all stainless - in 9mm
e. S&W Model 66 2 1/2", K frame, round butt...with .38 spl
f. S&W Model 66 4", K frame, square butt ..with .38 spl....
Her notes:
a. Trigger pull on all of the double actions ( Sigs and revolvers were too long and too heavy to suit her). She dry fired both revolvers a little ...and put 2 rounds of .38 spl thru each of them ...and discarded both revolvers as options right away.
b. Sig 226 ...too wide...too heavy / clumsy...trigger pull in DA too long. She didn't like it in single action either.
c. Wilson 5", steel, 1911 in 9mm ....was too heavy to suit her.
d. Sig 239 ...she didn't like the DA trigger pull ...too long. She thinks she might be able to get used to it.
e. Kimber 4", alloy frame, 1911 in 9mm. She thought had the best balance of all 6 guns...
-------------
so for her, its more range time with the Sig 239 and a 4" 1911 in 9mm...she likes some things about each. She will need to dry fire each ..a lot....and then a couple more range trips...before she can really decide with any long term certainty. But she has also ruled out all of the Glocks, XD's, etc that are double stack. She's making progress....
a. Sig 239 in 9mm
b. Kimber Tactical Pro II 4", 1911, alloy frame in 9mm
c. Sig 226 in 9mm, all stainless version..
d. Wilson Combat 5" 1911 - Protector model, all stainless - in 9mm
e. S&W Model 66 2 1/2", K frame, round butt...with .38 spl
f. S&W Model 66 4", K frame, square butt ..with .38 spl....
Her notes:
a. Trigger pull on all of the double actions ( Sigs and revolvers were too long and too heavy to suit her). She dry fired both revolvers a little ...and put 2 rounds of .38 spl thru each of them ...and discarded both revolvers as options right away.
b. Sig 226 ...too wide...too heavy / clumsy...trigger pull in DA too long. She didn't like it in single action either.
c. Wilson 5", steel, 1911 in 9mm ....was too heavy to suit her.
d. Sig 239 ...she didn't like the DA trigger pull ...too long. She thinks she might be able to get used to it.
e. Kimber 4", alloy frame, 1911 in 9mm. She thought had the best balance of all 6 guns...
-------------
so for her, its more range time with the Sig 239 and a 4" 1911 in 9mm...she likes some things about each. She will need to dry fire each ..a lot....and then a couple more range trips...before she can really decide with any long term certainty. But she has also ruled out all of the Glocks, XD's, etc that are double stack. She's making progress....
redhologram
New member
Well, it sounds like, at least, she knows that she will "know" what she's looking for when she gets it in her hands. That's a good thing.