Need a girlfriend gun/small carry.

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jfrey123

New member
I'm looking for a semi auto in a small caliber (around the size of .380) on a smaller frame. It's intent is for trying to get the girlfriend into shooting (she loves going with me, loading my mags but says guns aren't for her... But I think I'm making progress). She's 4'11" and has hands like a ten year old. I would also like one that could serve as a better than throwing rocks back up CCW.

Any suggestions? I want to cap it for price at around $450, but the over and under is $50.
 
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vpjack

New member
For a small gun I would look at a Sig 232, CZ 83, Walther PPKs, or maybe a good use Colt Mustang. I think any of these would be a good choice. That being said, if it is truly to be her gun, she must be the one to do the picking. Every time we set out to get a pistol for my wife it took about 6 months for her to decide which one she wanted, but they are all HER pistols. A Sig 239, Nighthawk Custom Talon II, and a pair of ruger Single Six in 32 mag. She does have good taste.

Jack
 
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pax

New member
Stop by my website, www.corneredcat.com , and read everything under the section titled, "For the Men" -- especially this one.

Then see the article titled, "Trying On a Handgun." The reason it's a bad idea to buy a gun for another person, without that other person's involvement, is because gun fit is every bit as personal as shoe fit. You can't try on a pair of shoes for her, and guns are the same way. Both style and size are very personal choices.

You also need to consider the purpose of the gun she'd get. If it's for range fun and learning to shoot, it should be a .22. But if it's going to be used for defense, it's got to be .380 or larger. There's no real reason she can't learn to shoot on a defensive caliber if she's motivated, but since this sounds more like your idea than hers, I'd go with a .22 for the sake of making the learning curve easier and more fun. If she really gets into it, she can move to a defensive caliber later on.

pax
 
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Bill DeShivs

New member
Look at the Keltec P32. Most .380s will recoil too much for her. Don't believe that if you carry a gun it has to be larger/more powerful than a .380. VERY few people will continue hostilities when being shot with anything. A nice .22 will help her learn.
Bill
 
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springmom

New member
That gave me a double take

"Girlfriend gun" didn't, on first reading, sound like "gun for my girlfriend" but something you wanted for a peculiar type of hunting:eek: :D

Take her to the gun shop and let her handle a zillion of them and let her ask HER OWN questions, and then buy her what she wants. There are lots of good alternatives in that size, including the Bersa Thunder, a .38 special snubbie, maybe with LadySmith size grip, Sigs, etc. Let her go looking.

Look at it this way; she's going shopping and this is one time you'll enjoy going along ;)

Springmom
 
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jenniferjane

New member
I have to agree...what you think would be right for her and what actually feels right to her can be worlds apart.

The recommendations that were made to me were a CZ75 or a Storm...the Stom felt good but I didn't like how it looked, and I completely hated the CZ...it just wasn't right, for reasons that I really had a hard time articulating, other than saying that it just wasn't me.

I ended up really liking the Kimber 1911, which I never would have guessed had I not tried it. I don't think it would have even been recommended to me, but a friend happened to have one and I really enjoyed shooting it.

So I guess what I'm saying is, take her with, let her take a few different ones out for a spin, and see what feels right to her.

Jenniferjane
 
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springmom

New member
Welcome to TFL!

Welcome, Jenniferjane! Nice to see another woman on the board.

I like my Kimber Ultra Carry II. Didn't think originally I'd want a 1911 but it sure shoots well. It makes me look good at the range ;)

Again, welcome.

Springmom
 
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threegun

Moderator
Walther P-22. It has fit my wife her gun shy friend and both my boys age 7 and 10. Loved them so much that I bought a second one so that both boys could claim one as their own. They are a very good first gun.
 
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cpaspr

New member
What Pax said.

Plus, in response to some of the earlier suggestions: While I love my Sig P232 for its light carry weight, I don't love it for its recoil. Lightweight guns which are easy to carry and easy to hold out at arm's length simply don't have the weight necessary to absorb the recoil. I don't have a problem with it, but since you are trying to get your girlfriend interested in shooting you should seriously consider how the "easy to hold" guns are going to react once she starts actually shooting them.
 
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KD5NRH

New member
Try the Bersa Thunder. It's got enough grip to help tame the recoil, but not so much that my fiance can't get a good solid grip on it. The only thing she's had trouble with so far is that the slide catch notch can snag a thumbnail with improper grip, but a little more practice fixed that right up. The best thing is that for your price range, you could get one for each of you.

As a backup, it disappears into my Coronado vest or a SmartCarry, and if I didn't already have so much junk in my pockets, I'd be able to use it in a pocket holster too. As it is, I may go the pocket route when we hit jacket weather down here.
 
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JIH

New member
In my experience, "chick" guns are guns "chicks" don't wanna shoot.

My "waifish" girlfriend (5'1", Vietnamese, with a very small frame) immediately warmed to my Ruger Blackhawk .44, with magnums, and wanted nothing to do with my sister's 9mm SP-101 because it was, to quote, "a sissy gun only suitable for snuffing out pidgeons."
 
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skeeter1

New member
Ditto pax and RevolverLover

Get thee to a range or good gunstore and let her pick out her own. For a newbie who might be recoil-shy I'd suggest a .22LR, maybe something along the lines of a Beretta Bobcat or Cheetah. I have fairly small hands, and the Cheetah feels like it was made just for me. Loaded up with CCI Stingers, well, I certainly wouldn't want to be shot by it.
 
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fairview mick

New member
Gal gun

A Plus for KD5NRH. My wife shoots my Bersa thunder .380 and likes it. You might start her with a .22 to get used to a little oush and the noise of HER making the gun go off!!!
Mickey
 
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tony pasley

New member
I love my guns but don't consider any of them my girlfriends, as for your girl friend let her find one she likes when ready. get several you like in small cal. for you to shoot.
 
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john in jax

New member
When I was in the gun business I sold a lot of those small Berettas to women - - I agree you need to let her pick the gun but she might like a Beretta Tomcat in .32 or a Beretta 70, 84 or 85 in .380

Not exactly cheap ammo for plinking, but something she might enjoy shooting.
 
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Qwiks draw

Moderator
I agree with all the others here. LET HER PICK IT! Let her go at her pace. If she decides to start shooting and wants to try a 22, which is always a good pick, the Browning Buckmarks and the Ruger 22/45 should be considered. Other makes and models are appropriate to consider. Let somone else teach her the basics. Boyfriends and husbands are not always the best treachers. Qualified instructors are. There are women only classes. Local gunshops or ranges might have this. This is a non- threatening enviroment and is geared towards the ladies. Check the www.nra.org site and click on training. There are Basic and womens only classes to introduce new shooters properly to the sport. Good luck.
 
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jfrey123

New member
Thank you for the advice. I've decided to let her go at her own pace. I don't really pressure her, I'll just ask her every now and then, "Hey, You wanna go shooting with me?" She comes, but only loads mags.

I posed my question kind of wrong. I was intending to get myself a small caliber carry defense pistol, but also get one that she would be able to "try" if she ever got the nerve. The pistol was intended for me, but wanted something she could handle should she decide to.

If I do get her interested and tries it, I'm starting her off the way I started, with my ol' Marlin .22LR Bolt Action. Then if she wants decides she wants her own gun, my plan was to let her feel EVERYTHING, regardless of caliber. Training would be best in a class also, I agree. I haven't taken a class in my life, so they would definatly be more qualified to instruct her on techniques. I only know what works for me....


Thanks for the help guys! This forum rules!
 
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springmom

New member
Aha, gotcha

Well, in that case, you might think about a .38 snubbie (I love my S&W 37) or a .380 like a BersaThunder. That's a nice concealable gun and if you get a good one (most of them are) they're fun, if a little "livelier" than my .40 There are lots of good "little" guns out there.

Happy shooting!

Springmom
 
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