question

[GetYerShells]

I have a question for you revolver owners. Here is my situation. I am currently away from home on a deployment. My wife who is pregnant is at home by herself most of the time. In the past month there have been several reports in our neighborhood of armed robbery, and breaking and entering. I have brought up the idea of getting a gun for my wife. We have several guns in the house but I want to get one for her specifically. She's got a pretty small frame so I was wondering what caliber of revolver would you reccomend for a small framed woman in her 20's. Keep in mind she's pregnant. Any suggestions?

Oh I forgot to mention most of these robberies occured while the assailant waited for the homeowner to get home. Got out of their car and followed them to the door. Once they got to the door they produced a gun and then forced them into the house.

 

[scorpion_tyr]

I'm not educated enough in revolvers to answer your question. I'm just gonna say from one brother in arms to another with a pregnant wife at home that I hope your wife finds a nice one that she likes, and I also hope she never has to use it.

 

[vostracker]

gun for wife

GetYerShells: Scorpion has a point in getting her what she is comfortable with. Being a retired LEO and having carried a wheelgun for a big portion of my career, I dont have a problem with a revolver's capacity of only 5 or 6rounds as others do. With my wife, she started out with a S&W 2" in .32 caliber and then progressed to her S&W 2" in 38 special. I think both would be fine. A revolver is simple to operate and you can find the load that she would be comfortable with. Good luck.

 

[melchloboo]

I'll be blunt. My wife is 5'3", all of about 110 lbs. No idiot ever put it in her head that women need small guns with pink grips. She shoots a 1911 .45 better than most men. The first time at my bullseye club we just put the .45 in her hand and at 15 yards she put 5 shots in the 10 ring. Because nobody told her women need an "appropriate" gun. We see this all the time in our bullseye club. So the fact that your wife is small-framed and pregnant is irrelevant.

Get her a .357 or .38+P snubby for her purse. S&W J-frame. Get her laser grips. Get her light 38 special target loads (reloads) to practice with. Let her practice with a glove on, possibly a padded one. Have her dry fire as much as you can get her to, watch the laser, teach her the importance of holding the laser on center mass. All the women in my club carry either a 638 or I believe the 642(? hammerless 38 sp. airweight). I carry the 638.

Find a competent gunsmith who can take a few coils off the mainspring. I believe you can take about 3 coils off a J-frame airweight, lower the trigger 3-4 lbs that way and still 100% reliable ignition on factory defense loads.

As for the noise and possible lead exposure, you need to read up on it. I don't know what the risks are. I am guessing an outdoor range with jacketed practice rounds might be safer (if anything is safe), as for noise, well you have to ask the pediatrician or whatever they call those obgyn docs about both.

Obviously you want her to carry and make sure it is legal for her to do so where you live. Also instruct her on tactics. She can have her hand in her purse as she walks from the car to the house. She can shoot right through the purse if needed.

 

[melchloboo]

And not to say you haven't thought about it...sometimes we men get focused on guns and forget the obvious.

But consider that the gun is really the last line of defense. It is just as important to secure the home and make it and her less of a target.
1. A man's best friend: a big dog. German shepherd will keep the home safer than any gun ever will. Does not even need to be trained to protect, although most dogs will. Just bark and look tough. Will make a great protector for the kid on the way.
2. An outdoor lighting system that comes on automatically at night.
3. Get rid of any landscaping that can be used as cover.

 

[GetYerShells]

I guess it would help to mention. I've considered that my wife could shoot a larger caliber semi-auto. The recoil of my SIG 226 in .40 is no problem for her. My wife however, has quite a bit of problems when it comes to racking the slide back to chamber a round. She wants a semi-auto but the fact of the matter is she's really weak and pulling the slide back is very akward for her. I don't want her to be fumbling around tring to insert magazines, racking slides, clearing a mis-fire, if her life and my babies life depended on it.

I've even considered the possibilty if a hammerless double action revolver.

 

[Majic]

Have you showed her how to hold the slide and push the frame to rack the slide. It's much easier and requires less strength. Just hold the slide with the whole weak hand (all fingers on one side of the slide and the thumb on the the other side) and arm extended then push the frame with the strong or firing hand. Finger off the trigger of course.

 

[melchloboo]

Yes, stay away from semi-autos. Your thinking is 100% correct. I assumed your concerns were about the caliber as you had already correctly decided that revolver is more appropriate.

I sense you still have doubts about revolvers. I'm guessing you've never used one extensively? I shoot semi-autos and revolvers competitively. I carry a revolver. I nag my friends and people I love to carry revolvers. Top female semi shooter in our club (former olympic shooter) carries revolver. They are not old-fashioned or old-school. Maybe to Hollywood. But for civilian carry I personally find no argument in the semi's favor. Round capacity is not important...your wife will not need 10+ rounds to end the encounter, 1 or 2 will do. You will be hard pressed to find any firearm more ergonomically suited to small hands than a J-frame.

Plus all the reasons you said and more. Even if you can show her how to use leverage to manage a slide, why? That still requires 2 hands. Harder to shoot through a purse reliably w/o possibly slide hangup. Remember the smaller and lighter you go the more recoil. In a semi this means greater chance that a shooter grips weak and slide does not return to battery. I could go on and on.

Hammerless might be best to eliminate snags. My 638 has a shrouded hammer which is virtually snag proof (I've tried), I like to plink single action with it.

Women have been carrying and defending themselves with 38 specials for decades now. If nothing else, don't try and re-invent the wheel.

 

[cerberus65]

A S&W j-frame loaded with .38 specials is the perfect tool for your situation IMO. I would recommend a steel one, though. There's more weight to soak up the recoil.

the gun is really the last line of defense

A big +1 on that! She should get in the habit of looking around as she's getting ready to park and as she's getting out of the car. If she sees someone exit a car nearby she should get right back in the car and lock the door. She could pretend to be making a call until the other person's intentions become clear.

 

[Keltyke]

My wife is 5'3", all of about 110 lbs. No idiot ever put it in her head that women need small guns with pink grips.

Darn right! My wife likes 9's and .40's.

Take your wife to the range and let her shoot whatever they'll rent or another shooter will let her borrow. Let HER pick the caliber and make/model SHE is most comfortable with. PD handguns are a VERY personal choice and you can't make it for her.

That being said, a lightweight snubbie in .38 spcl or .357 magnum is NOT a good choice for someone with less grip strength or a first time shooter. These little blasters are often hard for a strong and/or experienced shooter to handle, and are notoriously difficult to aim.

Since she IS pregnant, be sure she washes her hands thoroughly after a trip to the range, and she might want to wear a dust mask while shooting, too.

 

[BillCA]

My first reaction is to get someone who knows about guns to take her to a gunshop or a range which rents guns (if available) and let her handle/fondle a number of different types to see what she says is comfortable. The person who goes with her should make sure she buys something of suitable power and utility, that the gun fits her hand and doesn't buy more than what she really needs.

Dry firing is good to check things like trigger reach and the pull-weight of the trigger. Nothing beats letting her test fire it on the range.

Avoid the "Airweight" guns as they will not be pleasant to shoot. A steel J-Frame is the most likely wheelgun for women of her description (but don't be suprised if she chooses something different). A S&W Model 37 (Chief's Special) is probably the most available.

For concealment though, I'd prefer the 640 Hammerless Centennial or this one -- the Model 649 Bodyguard.

The bodyguard does allow use of the single-action mode, but is geared towards DA use 99% of the time. These are now made in .357, but I typically carry mine with .38 +P.

I would also recommend she at least "try out" the Beretta 92FS to see if it fits her hand and if she can run the slide. The 92FS is noted for its relatively easy slide operation. I've been surprised that many smaller women seem to like the "fat" grip of the Beretta.

If she can handle the recoil of the .40 Short & Wimpy, then the .38 +P shouldn't be much of a problem.

She needn't spend a lot of hard-earned money either. Many good used guns are available at dealers. If she can fine a 2-inch Model 10 or even a Model 15 that works for her it can provide a good gun at low cost.

S&W Model 15 - six shot .38 Special with 2-inch barrel
The above M15 is lightly used and priced at $350 in California. S&W Models 64 and 67 are the stainless steel counterparts to the M10 and M15 respectively.

Load any of these guns with .38 Special +P loads between 125g to 158g and she'll be in good stead. Let us know what she decides!

 

[chrisp0410]

Well, a couple of things here. First, many have suggested that you teach her this and that. I bet you will find it hard to train your wife while you're deployed on the other side of the globe. If you were here, as you were pre-deployment, this thread would never have been posted.

So, now that you are away and cannot conduct the training yourself, enroll her in a Self Defense course local to your area that teaches not only firearm but tactical self defense. A class that teaches her about situational awareness and threat assessment as much as trigger and breath control.

In addition, as melchloboo suggested, a dog would be a benefit in that the attacker would more likely pass on your wife if he even thinks for a moment he will get bitten in the pursuit of his crime (remember though that she is pregnent and their are concerns with having a new dog and a newborn child residing in the same household). Motion-sensor floodlights are a sound investment. Clearing the walkway of BG concealing brush is good also. Some Home alarm companies have key-fob panic buttons that alert the police, turn on the sirens and exterior floodlights when activated.

If you take nothing else out of this post, take these two items:
1) Unless she is competent with the firearm of choice and has the mental conviction to implement deadly force, she will only be giving the BG another weapon to use against your young family.
2) Anything your wife can do to make your homestead look less vulnerable, the more likely the BG will find an easier score.

Best of luck on your deployment, safe return and best wishes on your growing family.

Chrisp0410

 

[Bruce H.]

You said that your wife has trouble pulling the slide back on a semi-automatic. She also may not be strong enough to pull the trigger on a DOA revolver. I say this because my wife also is rather weak and has trouble pulling the slide back on her semi-autos. I have given her my S&W 642 to shoot at the range and she cannot pull the trigger back. I couldn't believe it, but she couldn't do it. She also can't shoot my Taurus Model 85 in double-action either. A dog, lights and trimming the bushes may be your best bet.

 

[Smaug]

Getyershells - I recommend a clean used 4" barreled S&W Model 10 in 38 Special.

My wife is the same way; not very strong. With proper technique, she can rack the slide, but sometimes gets limp wristing-induced jams on her Hi Power.

I think just as important as the gun is to be alert. Situational Awareness, folks here call it. She should watch her mirror when she's driving, and if a guy follows her all the way home, she should drive around the block again. If he's still there, she could get the gun ready, pull over, and open up the cell phone, ready to dial 911.

My mom got robbed a few years ago just like you described. A guy spotted her in the grocery store, followed her all the way home, forced entry as she was walking in by sneaking around the other side of the house. He said: "Gimmer yer purse." Her jaw dropped for a minute, and she said: "No, you can't have it!" The guy knocked her down and took the purse. Ran out the door. Mom, all of 5'4" and probably 150 lbs. ran out after the guy (in her sandals) and chased him down the block. He got in the car and made off. With the description she gave the police, they caught the guy and locked him up.

She's lucky she didn't get shot, stabbed, or beat-up. I would rather she pulled a 38 from her purse and drilled the guy, but in reality, he may have just taken it from her and shot her with it, as it was quite close range.

She's much more situationally-aware now, but still doesn't want a gun. I guess she maybe didn't get beaten up enough, or is really convinced that she's better off without it.

To top things off, she's a light sleeper. For a break-in, I'd feel sorry for the guy that met her at the stairs.

 

[vytoland]

wife needs gun?

you cannot begin to know what kind of gun your wife would want. the only person that can decide that is ................

maybe a good first step is to get a get a dog that will yap, bark,, yowl, at the first noise, then if your pregnat wife is up to it get out to the range and let her test fire various guns....they dont have to be cannons....any good revolver fired accurately will do the job.............one good round in the BG snot locker and the game is over.

 

[Smaug]

...or get a tough-looking dog that she can take with her anywhere. Like a Dobermann. Something with a "protective instinct" would be good. Just make sure it doesn't rip into you when you get back.

I know a few couples who have either pit bull mixes or rotweilers. VERY strong & tough-looking dogs. NO ONE would mess with a woman who had one of those with her.

I was walking this pit bull mix one day in Chicago at night. These four thug-looking guys were walking towards me on the sidewalk. I would normally have been at least a bit worried. But this dog was pulling at the leash trying to get at them. (to play!) Those four guys walked halfway into someone's lawn to make sure that dog couldn't get at them. It was really a thing of beauty.

If your wife was just going into the house and someone was forcing entry with your wife, it could be a very bad day for that person...

 

[Microgunner]

Caliber .32H&R Mag. is both potent and easy to shoot.

 

[GetYerShells]

I guess it would also help to mention, My wife knows how to shoot. Before I left and before she was pregnant we used to go to the range all the time to shoot my pistols. She can shoot them, pull the trigger without any trouble. The problem she has is with the slide, and loading. I don't want her to have to worry about all those things. That is why I am in the market for a good solid revolver for her. She's been around guns her whole life but never really shot much till she met me. I am more than confident in her shooting ability, mental conviction but she has trouble with semi-auto's. I asked her what she thought about a j-fram model 10 or something of the like. My father-in-law is going to the gun store with her next week so she can try a few out and dry-fire them.