House gun for wife to use

[distortion9]

Hey guys, I'm in need of some advice. I'm looking to pick up a pistol for my wife. Something we can keep in the house that she has access to when I'm not home. It would most likely see very little time as a carry piece if any at all.

The problem is that my wife in tiny...5' tall and like 100 pounds, tiny hands...she's also not very mechanically inclined, so I'm kind of ruling out semi autos (she has a hard time racking my USPc 9mm). Also, she has zero experience with firearms and has never fired one (she's super girly). I'm pretty sure she's not going to enjoy going to the range and practicing...could be wrong but, I doubt it.

I know I have to let her pick what fits her hands best and what feels right but, I'd like to at least go into the shop with 5 or 6 choices to get her started.

I'm thinking I should most likely let her choose a nice little 22 so she can practice and build her comfort level but, I really would like to get her something with more stopping power ASAP.

I can easily see a S&W 442 fitting her perfect but, I hear they are no fun to shoot. Maybe a Ruger SP101 in .357...let her shoot 38's at the range?

Any ideas?

[-terry]

My advice is pretty shopworn. Your idea about the .22 is correct. Let her start with that. Later you and she can try some other calibers to see what she likes. If you reload, perhaps a small revolver with light loads in it.

[Dain Bramage]

Definitely start her on a .22.

My wife is pretty recoil-shy too, but she loves her S&W 431PD (.32 mag snubby). However, she didn't like the Uncle Mike's boot grips that came with it. Best thing I ever did was listen to her needs and let her try a few different options at the gun shop. She settled on the Crimson Trace LG-305 grips. They extend down to allow for a pinkie grip, yet they are narrow enough for small hands. They also cover the backstrap with rubber for recoil reduction.

Surprisingly, she also likes to shoot my 6" model 15 Dan Wesson, using .38 specials. The Hogue wood grip is no problem for her, as she likes to shoot two-handed. The long, fully lugged barrel dampens down the recoil. It's just a little unwieldy for around the home.

I think a perfect home-defense gun for my household would be an S&W 686+ seven-shot revolver, with a 4" lugged barrel, loaded with .38s. I like the 158gr fed load or the new 130gr Speers. In a home defense situation, I think they are superior to .357 mags as far as flash, noise, and repeat shots go.

[mljdeckard]

I kind of agree, but I don't. Yes, a .22 is much less intimidating to learn with, but if she's REALLY not experienced, why condition her to a small round if she doesn't know the difference anyway?

Remember a couple of things. Inexperienced shooters find small pistols and revolvers less intimidating, but the fact is, they are harder to shoot accurately. If they weigh less, they have more recoil, if they have a shorter sight radius, they are more difficult to aim accurately.

Honestly, I would look hard at a Ruger or Smith small-framed revolver, yes, you can practice with .38s, but at the same time, I would also submit that it's a bad idea to hand her a revolver loaded with full-house when she is used to half-power. At least finish the day at the range with one cylinder of full-power loads.

I do know that it is much more difficult for many small-handed women to rack a slide, but one thing you should try is to have her hold the pistol tight in to her body, pointing forward, grip the slide tightly with the weak hand, and PUSH the pistol forward. It's easier to make it worh with the full strength of the right arm, than pulling with the left.

[mavracer]

it is pretty hard to beat a 3" sp 101 or modle 60.start with 38,and actually with the fbi load or the speer short barrel golddot I wouldn't have a problem sticking with 38s.

[whited]

Maybe a Ruger SP101 in .357...let her shoot 38's at the range?

That was my thinking before I finished reading your post!

[pax]

All great ideas, but it's research she should be doing for herself. Maybe she'll end up getting exactly the same gun you would have picked out for her -- but she really needs to own the process of selecting it.

Why? Simply put: the process of selecting a defense gun usually confronts the new shooter with a crucial set of mindset questions that they need to consider for themselves. You cannot do that part of the process for her, and you should not short-circuit her growth by trying to learn for her what she needs to learn for herself.

If she is not yet ready to confront those mindset questions, it is not yet time for her to purchase a defense gun. Look for a good practice gun instead, and go from there.

pax

[Troutman]

Adding to the above.

Have her rent them from the ranges. Then she can pick the caliber, handgun type from that. Can become costly and limited. But a good alt. to it.

[Shooters Plus]

The problem is that my wife in tiny...5' tall and like 100 pounds, tiny hands...she's also not very mechanically inclined, so I'm kind of ruling out semi autos.

I sort of underestimated my wife like that when she first started shooting with me. One year later and she shoots my Kimber .45 ACP better than I do. :eek:

With that said, I would hold off on a true defense gun right now and let her pick out a .22 or something (my wife started on a Walther P22) she can develop her skills more quickly with.

Good luck :)

[351 WINCHESTER]

A good .38 revolver with whatever ammo your wife can handle should do the job. Stay away from a .357 as it is much too loud and difficult to control, even for a lot of "seasoned" folks. Make sure she wears hearing and eye protection too.

[stevereno1]

I would recommend a large framed .357 revolver loaded with .38 loads. low recoil, great accuracy, simple, and efficient.

[sb350hp]

My opinion. If it is indeed a "housegun" I personally would consider a .410 or 20 ga shotgun. Small hands small frame not an issue nor would shot placement be a real concern in case of emergency. It it is going to see some carry time a would consider a small frame 38 with some +P hollowpoints so long as she can spend some time shooting it.

The very little use parts scares me when it comes to handguns.

[Shawnee]

I'm another very solid vote for the shotgun. A youth model pumpgun in 410 may well be something she takes a shine too (and can easily have some fun practice with) and - at typical household distances - a 410 is about equal to a .41 mag. The pumpgun is a lot more "fumbleproof" and is easy enough to be kept loaded without one in the chamber. The sound of that slide being brought home can have a sobering effect on potential assailants too.
Some think "manueverability" is an issue with the long gun(s) but, in real home defense, a person should take up a (pre-determined) defensive position and let the bad guy "come and get it" rather than risk being surprised and disarmed by going on a search for an intruder.

Local opinions may vary. :)

[sm]

I am in the camp to let her go with a bunch of gun savvy ladies and shoot and handle whatever she wants.

Just hand her the checkbook, some cash for lunch, and you support her decisions and choice.
Support includes cleaning house, fixing supper, dealing with kids, whatever else it takes to allow her to go out with the gals and do this try before she buys bit.

You do this, you will not be able to fit in the door, your chest will be so puffed out and you will be the bestest guy any gal could want and other guys are going to hate you for being so macho and good to your gal.


I am a guy, but I betcha I have at least one lady on this forum that will back me up.

[pax]

:)

sm's right -- I'll back him up on that.

pax

[Mad Magyar]

Having gone through this type of episode with two daughter-in-laws, I can tell you from my experience go with what they really feel confident in ultimately pulling the trigger. In my case, since they practiced on the range with .22 revolvers; they really felt comfortable and were pretty good shots..After all, they certainly got the hang of firing the entire cylinder w/o missing a beat in hitting a target. I rather have them have something they aren't afraid to fire than cajoling them to a higher caliber...My .03cents worth....:)
I lost couple of handguns; but feel good about it....BTW, now one has a .38sp. after doing much firing on her own...

[RevolverMan567]

do your self and you wallet the favor and let her decide. I mad ethe mistake of playing "alpha Male" and deciding what was best for my lady. few weeks later, and may more dollars she decided that she liked, and shot better a kahr 9mm. completely different that what i pegged for her. bottom line, she's shooting it, let her decide what "it" is.

[1lostinspace]

Glock 19 loaded one in the chamber in holster.

[Gordon]

Round Butt Model 10 S&W .38spl (with wad cutters)

[DAdams]

My vote in the budget and versatility category, a Airweight Centennial 442 or 642 loaded with standard pressure Buffalo Bore 158 gr. (not Plus P). About as mild as you can get with the snub, low flash powder, effective round.
Move up to the Plus P as desired. Many ranges have the model 60 in a slightly heavier K frame she might find comfy with .38 spl.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/dmadams/PB010026.jpg

Or same format basically....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/dmadams/22MAG.jpg

That 7 round .22WMR 2 inch S&W 351PD snub sure is nice and light at 10 ounces. 1500 fps in a 40 gr. That would be sweet to have around even if she outgrew it. Around $500 at Buds.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v237/dmadams/PB010006.jpg

Or a Seecamp LWS .32 auto. Don't have to be mechanical. 7 rounds of .32 DAO ready to go. Pick it up and pull the trigger.
Designed for close in work. 5-10 yards. Not unlike the snubs although you can get amazingly good with a 2 inch barrel.

[TOADMAN]

For home defense, S&W Model 36 revolver, three inch barrel... Can't go wrong...

[k-frame]

As above, let her try a bunch of handguns and let her pick.

But for crying out loud get her some training! She'll need to understand firearm safety and usage just as much - maybe more - as learning how to use her new weapon.

Highly recommend that you get this done via an instructor and don't try to teach her yourself. Practice together, for sure. But fundamental instruction is best done by a third-party.

[Lonestar49]

...

I agree, have her trained, and with that, then "your" home tutoring in loading, unloading, grip, dry-firing with snap caps, applying the 4 rules of safety over and over until, seeing a gun, loading a gun, having a loaded gun in the house, will all "become" second nature for her, with time, but never without that solid base to build upon to become confident and stay confident.

My best,


Ls

[distortion9]

Thank you all for the advice....

Wifey and I went to the fun shop to look around and see what she likes. First up was a S&W model 10.....no dice, way too big for her. Her hands are tiny and only coming down the backstrap about halfway to two thirds of the way down. Finger tip barely reaching the trigger.

Next up was a S&W 442 and it wound up fitting her hand really well. I was a little concerned about the learning curve with the small revolver but, we kept it out on the counter as a possible keeper.

Up to the plate next was a Kahr K9...this is where the wife goes, "Oooow!" This little pistol fit her like a glove (as a side note, this was the first time I had ever handled, or even seen a Kahr in person....I was highly impressed and immediately the wheels started spinning in my head...would he give my a deal if I bought 2?). Anyway, she much preferred the feel of the auto over the revolver and it REALLY seemed like the gun was made for her. She had a little problem racking the slide but, in her defense it did seem pretty stiff and not something that couldn't be resolved with a little practice.

Now that we were looking at autos, I asked to see a P2000sk. The HK fit her perfect as well. What blew my mind was how easily she dropped the mag on the HK...took me like a damn week to get familiar with the mag release on my USPc...go figure. She immediately learned the difference between single and double stack too. She overhand racked the slide like a pro....I was waiting to see her twirl it around her finger and tuck it in her waistband. We both loved the LEM trigger on the HK but, we both liked the feel of the Kahr trigger as well.

I had told the owner when we walked in that we were just looking around and trying to size her up, he was fine with that and willing to let us waste his time. If you're on Long Island go check out Hunter Sports in Massapequa and ask for Mark. We both thanked him for his help and took off.

Back in the Jeep my wife was asking questions and commenting about the HK and the Kahr...she liked the lighter weight of the HK but preferred the thinner single stack grip...reasons for price difference...etc. I can tell she's leaning towards the Kahr though, for sure...and I can't blame her, that's a sweet little gun. BTW, what should I expect to pay for a Kahr K9 NIB? He was asking $399 for the used one we were looking at.

Overall, it was a cool little outing...I got a kick out of watching my wife shop for a change.

Thank's again for all the help.

[jonboynumba1]

Get a taurus .22 snub-nose (it's a 9 shot...I think they are under $300 new in blue) to start her shooting with. Then get a taurus or S&W 5 shot snubby and perhaps the wolf spring-kit...taurus has stout springs in it...S&W a little better out of the box. I've seen several have issues with to hard to pull trigger...even letting off too soon inducing failures in the Taurus or Rossi guns (not really the guns fault) Stay steel framed and you can always have a smith swap springs and slick it up some on pull. Let her start working up with a cheap fun .22 to build confidence. Great little tackle-box gun anyway if she outgrows it :evil:

"I" really like the S&W airweight...but a steel-frame S&W or Taurus 85 is probably a better choice as it will arund jump less on her. I consider 125gr +P the min. deffesive load I like in a .38 but perhaps the GD 135gr would be better for her. Cheap 130's to plink with would feel pretty close if not quite as snappy. She might work up to a good hot 125gr load even in an airweight if she takes to shooting well.

Best advice I can give a guy...don't "bring a gun home for her". Let HER be part of the process of deciding what she likes. Just suggest models for her to try and feel the grip ect on. Make it low presure and enjoyable...never try to make her look or feel silly or stupid. Much better chance of getting her interested in the long run. I see it done the other way far too often...it rarely achives the desired result (a spouse who gets interested in shooting and carrying a firearm regularly)

Reading the above after posting it sounds like you figured that out ;)
the steel framed Moonie guns (Kahr) are very well made to...399 for a clean used one sounds like a great deal to me...(wholesale even) new price has kept me from owning one...I might buy a good used one like that if it ever comes through the shop. Kinda heavy but that would be a GOOD thing for her at the range. Way cheaper than a new HK...go for it!

[cocojo]

Either a 32 H&R mag or 38 special with standard velocity SWC or wadcutters. The 32 Mag is a nice shooter, I own one a S&W432. Another nice gun is a Colt Cobra or Agent if you can find one, they are out there. It's six shots not five and I prefer the unshrouded guns.
I carry my Colt Cobra 1968 model all the time, I prefer it to the S&W's I own.

[OldTXCop]

Your wife sounds like my wife's identical twin. I solved the problem with a Stoeger 20ga. coach gun. She was a little wary of it at first, but I got her to go to the range a few times to get used to it. She didn't like shooting any of my pistols, but she handles the coach gun pretty easily. I found some Federal Low Recoil Personal Defense loads (#2 shot) at my local gun shop and #3 buck isn't too much for her either.

She would definitely lock herself in a room and wait for help, so the "manueverability" issue doesn't concern me. The manual of arms is simple enough for her, and she feels more comfortable with it than a handgun.

Something to consider....

[KBintheSLC]

Good call on introducing her on a .22. I did the same thing for my 5'2" 105lb wife. Now she is wrangling a 9mm and a 12ga with ease. Start her small so she doesn't get turned off. You could consider a 20ga shotgun with some #3 buckshot for her HD needs. For carry, I would avoid a .22 as rimfires are inherently unreliable. Remember that it takes a lot of skill to be effective with a snubby .38. Look into a subcompact 9mm... she will learn to rack the slide just fine with a little practice.

[Rex B]

The first time I took my wife to a gun show (we were still dating) I was buying a Ruger P89 and she wandered off. Came back in a few minutes with a mint Colt Agent .38 spl. That's now her bedside table gun. She shoots it no problem, it hurts my hand.
Last year she told me she wanted a short-barrel shotgun. So I bought a 18" barrel for my Rem 870 and Voila. We took it out to the skeet range and busted some pigeons with it no problem. Now it's the primary go-to gun for her.
I have my own set of options, but I don't worry about her too much when I'm gone.

[Black Adder LXX]

My wifey is the same size and she felt pretty comfortable with my GP100. The simplicity of a revolver was a big plus as well.

[Harvster]

For home defense you just can not beat a shotgun. Easily 2, 3, 5 times the energy delivered per shot than many of the handguns being discussed. Plus you have the added accuracy of having a long gun with a stock. Unless you fantasize about room clearing in a house with a lot of tight corners, there is not much a pistol will do better. I bought my wife a Mossberg 500 in 20ga. (after letting her try out many, some good advice about that above). I wouldn't hesitate to grab it myself should a situation arise.

[PAPACHUCK]

Ruger SP101, 3" .32H&R mag.

"nuff said.

[stevemis]

I'm with the other folks here on the shotgun. If it's for home defense, you can't beat a shotgun. I'd be hesitant to recommend anything other than a 12 gauge, though.

Take a look at the shorter barreled models, like the Mossberg 500 Cruiser. We've got one here at the house. I replaced the forestock with a second pistol grip and my wife (small frame) has no trouble at all with #00 Buck. My 67-year-old mother-in-law even shoots it. I always start them off with bird shot/target loads (very low recoil) and once they've warmed up, we move to the higher potency #00 Buck. You don't want to shoot #00 Buck through a pistol gripped shotgun all day since it's pretty rough on the hands, but otherwise completely manageable. Not a bad investment for $229 + $20 for the fore pistol grip.

Also, don't forget "youth model" shotguns. While I don't have any direct experience with them, I understand they are designed for kids and young adults. One of these in 12 gauge would probably fit your wife very well.

[distortion9]

While it's main purpose would be "house gun", I want her to have something she could toss in her purse if needed. Basically the reason a shotgun isn't really an option. Plus, we have a large dog that would ( hopefully ) be all over a BG should one be in my house. She would never fire a shottie in the direction of our dog and I wouldn't either. I'd most likely wind up having to crack someone in the face with the butt end. But yeah, I'd say 90% house gun 10% carry...something like that.

As an example, the other night I went to a hockey game with a buddy, stopped for a bite to eat and a couple of beers after the game. My wife is home when her sister calls and tells her that she locked herself out of her house. It's a little after 11pm and while it wasn't a far drive, only a couple of miles, I would have felt better if she could have tossed a pistol in her handbag.

Stupid little situations like that pop up from time to time....especially now with it getting dark early and Christmas coming up. My wife and sister in law go Christmas shopping together...mall parking lots....grocery shopping, etc.

She carries pepper spray now but she has her pistol license....may as well use it and get her a handgun.

[lanceman193]

My wife fits the above description at 4-11 and 100 with small hands.We settled for a 649 later pre-lock model,a .357 with 2 1/8 barrel.This one is small enough to put in her purse,but heavy enough so the recoil from a standard velocity 110 or 135 HP 38 special is easy enough to handle.I also had a local smith do a trigger job on it.I hate to admit this but the little one can outshoot me with this revolver.Just stick to lightweight ammo in a heavier small frame revolver.......

[usp9]

I recently went through the exercise of trying to get my wife to pick a gun she would use in a home defense situation. The BIG problem we faced was finding one she could load. Time after time each gun she tried was too hard for her to quickly, reliably rack the slide and load a snap cap. I didn't anticipate this being the problem it was. We finally landed on the HK USPc, my last gun before heading for the .22s.

[Ratshooter]

Yes the .32 mag would be my recommendation. An sp101 with a 4" barrel if you can find one. For hame defense you don't need a snubby. The money you save buying only one gun can be used to buy practice ammo in .32 long and defense ammo in .32 mag.

Save your brass. Even if you don't reload now you might in the future.

The other alterative would be to buy a good .38 and try some of the light weight loads for Cowboy actin shooting for practice. I have a S&W model 10 for home defense mainly because my wife can operate it with little training.
I paid $200.00 out the door for it Its a skinny barrel marked RHKP on the backstrap. RHKP = Royal Hong Kong Police.

[Ratshooter]

One other gun you might consider is a .22 caliber rifle. A Marlin model 60 can be had used for around $75.00 or so. I see them listed in the local paper and also pawn shops. I personally like the tube fed rifles because there is no magazine to misplace. The good thing about a detachable mag is you can keep it loaded and put up someplace high if you have small kids in the house.

The 22 is cheap to shoot, light weight and has no recoil. You can dump all 16 shots in less than 2 or 3 seconds into a target the size of a Grapefruit at 20 yards. Also no muzzle flash to blind you. With the extra velocity from a rifle length barrel hollow points should expand and not exit.

[bigred82]

My wife does not like the sharp recoil of the lightweight revolvers at all.

My wife has rather small hands. Around 5'4" tall. I took her to the gun store and had her hold everything available. She liked the HK P2000sk the most.

We ended up buying the HKP2000 instead, but she liked it so much that i eventually sold it to her.

I would certainly see what your wife thinks about it. The slide is pretty easy to pull.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/jaronhudgins/P226/IMG_6840sat.jpg

[skarpenz]

My girl handles herself quite well with the Remington 870 Pump. It has pistol grips fore/rear and extended mag on it. She says it doesn't kick so bad with the #4 buckshot I keep in it. It is simple as hell to operate too, just click off the safety and pull the trigger, pump it, repeat. I think she would do fine with a shotgun, my gf is 5'3" and like 125lbs. Get your woman a shotgun!

[Jeff F]

We live in the country. The wife can handle an 870 pretty well so we have a couple three stashed around the house. Also have a revolver with .38s in it in the kitchen and another in the bedroom. Shes good with those also.

[Super Trucker]

Try a 3913 S&W 9mm, My wife sounds similar to yours and she loves this gun. Mine is about 15 years old so try to find her an older model, it is very easy to operate the slide and recoil is nothing.
BTW she did not like the long/heavy trigger on the 642 I used to own.

[sholling]

My first choice for her would be a S&W Lady Smith in 38spl. It's a great little snubbie for small handed ladies. And plenty of power to stop most bad guys. I'd pend some range time letting her practice with speedloaders and she'll be in good shape.

Later when she feels confident enough to look at semi autos I'd have her try out the S&W M&P Compact in 9mm. That's 12rds on tap and interchangeable grips so you can fit it to her small hands. There are a lot of tiny little things that swear by these.