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Pistol for Wife
- Thread starter danl
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Virgil Cain
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My old lady carries a Glock 26 and she loves it/ Much like your wife she is not tough or soft but a happy middle. If she likes a bit bigger the HK compacts are good too. Both are easy to manage.
Phil Degraves
New member
If she has no firearm experience, I would start her on a 38 revolver as the manual of arms is easier to learn. If you are sure that you want a pistol, I would suggest the S&W 3913 Ladysmith in 9mm.
My wife is 5'5", and used to weigh 112. A little more now, but kids will do that. Small hands. She has a S&W 3913 9mm as her primary gun. She also has a Detonics .45 that she likes. FYI, that isn't the mini gun, it was a very limited run of Colt Commander sized DA autos. She has also shot a Glock 26 and likes it, but doesn't like my G19.
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Dorsai
Personal weapons are what raised mankind out of the mud, and the rifle is the queen of personal
weapons. The possession of a good rifle, as well as the skill to use it well, truly makes a man the
monarch of all he surveys.
-- Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
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Dorsai
Personal weapons are what raised mankind out of the mud, and the rifle is the queen of personal
weapons. The possession of a good rifle, as well as the skill to use it well, truly makes a man the
monarch of all he surveys.
-- Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
I keep being hit about the head for being a traditionalist, but how about starting with a good .22? Something like a Ruger standard model, or an S&W Kit Gun would be what I am talking about. The latter is pretty salty, but they can be found used. Many beginners are scared off by the noise and recoil of bigger calibers. I knew one fellow who finally got his wife to express interest in shooting. He got her to the range and handed her a hot-loaded .44 Magnum Model 29. She fired one shot. She never went near a gun again and now wants him to dispose of his guns. If she had started with a smaller gun she could have hit something and seen results and the story might have had a different ending. She can go to a larger caliber later, but I note that people who say the .22 is no good for defense never seem to volunteer to be shot with one!
I had the same question a few years back. My wife is about 5'-4" and 115 lbs (she says...) and she shoots about twice a year. She doesn't practice enough to be familiar with the proper care and feeding of any auto-loader except a Glock or Kahr . The Glock's grip is too big for her and I didn't have the Kahr bug until recently.
We decided on a S&W model 60 - the old type with 2" barrel in 38 special. The factory grips suck (as most do) so a set of Hogue smooth combats with finger grooves was in order. Since the gun was intended for double action firing, I had a little trigger work done to make it easier for her to pull.
I taught her to use the sights (just like any other pistol) and she can really drill 'em out to 15 yards or so. She practices with wadcutters and carries with Silvertips. The extra recoil will never be noticed if the situation calls for the HP's.
If I did it again today I would pick the same revolver but if an auto is in the mix, the little Kahr 9mm is a PEACH! Hmmmm, she has a birthday coming up....
[This message has been edited by Mikey (edited March 22, 1999).]
We decided on a S&W model 60 - the old type with 2" barrel in 38 special. The factory grips suck (as most do) so a set of Hogue smooth combats with finger grooves was in order. Since the gun was intended for double action firing, I had a little trigger work done to make it easier for her to pull.
I taught her to use the sights (just like any other pistol) and she can really drill 'em out to 15 yards or so. She practices with wadcutters and carries with Silvertips. The extra recoil will never be noticed if the situation calls for the HP's.
If I did it again today I would pick the same revolver but if an auto is in the mix, the little Kahr 9mm is a PEACH! Hmmmm, she has a birthday coming up....
[This message has been edited by Mikey (edited March 22, 1999).]
I would second a stubby 38. Not too much kick with light loads and it is easy to learn. How about a stubby in 32 H&R mag? I heard that someone is coming out with one. This should have less kick than a 38 and more punch than a 22.
Just some thoughts, good luck to both of you!
Gino
Just some thoughts, good luck to both of you!
Gino
Bushwhacker
New member
Take your wife to a range where you and her can try out several and get her what she feels comfortable with, many ranges will "rent" firearms out to try before you buy. Some even have a package deal one price for any number of firearms, then enroll her in a firearm instruction class just for women.
Just my .02 worth
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Justice for one,Justice for all.
Just my .02 worth
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Justice for one,Justice for all.
I'll try again. I don't vote for a snubby for beginners. They are an expert's gun, and it takes a lot of practice to be able to hit anything with one. I can put all 5 from a 3" Chiefs Special revolver into about an inch at 7 yards in 2 seconds, shooting double action, but I hate to think of all the time and money I spent learning to do that.
A beginner needs to be able to hit something to feel that they are making progress. It is not only a matter of recoil, it is a matter of control and feeling that shooting is fun and good shooting is an accomplishment.
Now go get the .454, scare the bejeezus out of the little lady and make her hate guns for the rest of her life; what fun!
A beginner needs to be able to hit something to feel that they are making progress. It is not only a matter of recoil, it is a matter of control and feeling that shooting is fun and good shooting is an accomplishment.
Now go get the .454, scare the bejeezus out of the little lady and make her hate guns for the rest of her life; what fun!
I think the S&W M642 is as good as it gets, so that is my recomendation if you want a revolver. If you want a semi auto, I like the Kahr MK9. I bought one for my wife a few months back, and she loves it. That is small, and isn't all that heavy. (listed at 26 oz, but feels ALOT lighter.) It is also VERY accurate, with very mild recoil. Check it out.
I would also recommend a .22LR to start with. Something reasonably sized, of course, not some mini shooter. If your wife is new to shooting, then the lower recoil and noise of the .22LR will be a tremendous advantage. Start off easy and she can work her way up to a larger caliber if she finds that she enjoys shooting. If she doesn't like shooting, then the money spent on the .22 will be minimal... Good luck...
I think for most people, the best gun to learn on is not necessarily the best gun for them after they graduate from the beginner status. I learned to shoot initially with a pellet gun. I like the standard Buckmark .22, and so do my friends that I have introduced to shooting. Yes, it has a more complicated manual of arms than a revolver, but I think the combination of the light trigger pull, the light recoil, the good sights and the barrel length make it fun for everyone. I agree that beginners respond most favorable when they can hit something pretty easily, heck that's still exciting for me. I think a longer barreled .22 breaks them in gently and teaches good habits. Best of all, when she is ready to move up, you can just keep your new plinker. Seems like a great reason to buy a S & W model 41, you know, not for yourself, but for the wife. Wink,wink. Nod,nod.
the ol, lady felt that she would not be able to handle med. to lg frame pistol,s due to hand problems. started her out on a .22 (MkII) as the other jim(my),s stated and agree with (also use .22,s for beginners in instruction) she really liked the 21a berreta until serious difficulty handeling in strong wind. shot my sig 226 that day and now can,t get that G26 or colt det. spec. from her.
I have to agree with all who are recommending a 22 as a starter, either a good semi-auto or a revolver.
Think about it from a historical standpoint - I will bet good money that almost everyone on this board was given their first gun by their parents. Did they go get you a snub nose 38 or a 9mm or a 45? Of course not. It should be no different with girls or women as it is with boys or men. Once they understand and have learned the basics with a 22, I can almost guarantee they will want more and that's what it's all about.
Think about it from a historical standpoint - I will bet good money that almost everyone on this board was given their first gun by their parents. Did they go get you a snub nose 38 or a 9mm or a 45? Of course not. It should be no different with girls or women as it is with boys or men. Once they understand and have learned the basics with a 22, I can almost guarantee they will want more and that's what it's all about.
Consider the Kel-Tec pistols. The P-11 is only 14 ounces unloaded and carries 10 rounds of 9mm in a double stack magazine. Sells for around $229. Check out the Kel-Tec owners website at http://www.ktog.com. Over 500 members and a tremendous source of information. Kel-Tec has also just come out with a P-32 which will be in stores soon. It is a .32 autoloader which carries 7 rounds yet weighs an incredible 9 (yes 9!) ounces loaded! A true pocket gun which will go with her everywhere. No, I'm not a stockholder but I am a big fan of this company's products.
Dave Ebdon
Dave Ebdon
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I took a self-defense pistol course in 1980; some 750 rounds during the three-day course. There were two young women in the class. One had done a little plinking with a .22 pistol; the other had never before even held a pistol of any sort. Both women were roughly 5'-4" and slender-to-medium build.
By the end of the class, they were scoring in the middle of the nine attendees. They were shooting "El Presidentes" in around eight seconds, with high scores.
I do not disagree with the previous posts, so much as I wish to add to them. It is my belief that so long as there is no pressure on a student to learn, the teacher begins with extensive dry-fire training and Hear Guards are always used at the range, the whole issue of recoil is gone out the window. The size of the student's hand, and the comfort with any particular shape and size of "handle" seems to make more difference than anything else.
Best regards, Art
By the end of the class, they were scoring in the middle of the nine attendees. They were shooting "El Presidentes" in around eight seconds, with high scores.
I do not disagree with the previous posts, so much as I wish to add to them. It is my belief that so long as there is no pressure on a student to learn, the teacher begins with extensive dry-fire training and Hear Guards are always used at the range, the whole issue of recoil is gone out the window. The size of the student's hand, and the comfort with any particular shape and size of "handle" seems to make more difference than anything else.
Best regards, Art
My wife has a G26. Works great for her. Works great for me too.
This thread reminds me the time I went to a gun store and there was this lady minding the story. And lo and behold, what do I see on her side? It looked like a Les Baer.. complete with all the trimmings (short of just gold plating it). So I asked her about and she says, "I don't know what this is exactly [beyond a 1911]. My husband just got it for me." My jaws nearly dropped, and as the husband was coming around the corner, I said to him, "You got her a Les Baer?!" He said, "Yup. She just might save my life one day so she deserves the best gun she can get!"
We all had a good laugh over that one.
This thread reminds me the time I went to a gun store and there was this lady minding the story. And lo and behold, what do I see on her side? It looked like a Les Baer.. complete with all the trimmings (short of just gold plating it). So I asked her about and she says, "I don't know what this is exactly [beyond a 1911]. My husband just got it for me." My jaws nearly dropped, and as the husband was coming around the corner, I said to him, "You got her a Les Baer?!" He said, "Yup. She just might save my life one day so she deserves the best gun she can get!"
We all had a good laugh over that one.
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