[Guvnor]

Size and weight not a concern because this will not be a carry gun. Want a 9mm for home defense that my usually recoil-shy wife can also use. Any suggestions? So far considering the Ruger p95, cz75, and 1911 in 9mm, but open to others.

[ZeSpectre]

My first thoughts are SIG 226, Beretta 92, or a CZ-75B.
However all of these have pretty hefty grips so if she has small hands it might not work.

[bds]

We see this quite often at the range with shooters trying to select pistols for their wives/girlfriends.

I always recommend they have their wives/girlfriends fire as many different pistols as possible and let "them" choose the one they can shoot the most accurately and comfortably the fastest (our range has a quite extensive rental selection). For 9mm, they usually end up with Glock 17/19.

Several female coworkers at work also wanted pistols for SD/HD. After firing various makes and models, they also chose Glocks over other brands. When I asked what made them choose Glocks over other models, they stated they felt less/milder recoil than other models and were able to hit the targets better.

If they are left handed shooters, I also cover which models have ambi controls (mag release, slide lock, safety) and M&P models have been popular with them although many left handed shooters have selected Glocks as well.

[oneounceload]

+1for letting HER pick out a gun to use.
Both of you need to read Kathy's www.thecorneredcat.com before doing anything else, lots of great info

[Guvnor]

Thanks. She is a lefty actually so the m&p may be worth looking at. She most definately will be involved in the selection process.

[bds]

Both M&Ps and Glocks tend to have stiffer captured recoil spring assemblies and will often provide "softer" felt recoil with full size models being softer than compact models.

Good suggestion on cornered cat website. Here's a working link - http://www.corneredcat.com/article/choosing-firearms/gun-store-miss-adventures/

[bannockburn]

Any full size all steel M1911 should be fairly tame on the recoil end of things. A CZ-75, Browning Hi-Power, or a SIG P229, are all very ergonomic and able to handle the 9mm. cartridge quite readily without much in the way of felt recoil.

The softest shooting 9mm. I have ever owned was MAB PA-15, which was all steel in construction and weighed nearly as much as an M1911. It featured a rotating barrel within the slide which made it very easy on felt recoil.

[bds]

bannockburn, that's what I thought until I had a five foot female shooter who expressed displeasure of trying to hold up fully loaded full size "metal" pistols. When she picked up the fully loaded Glock, she smiled and said, "Now, this is much better."

While I love shooting my Sig 1911 over polymer pistols, when such range testing is being done, now I say nothing until the shooter had a chance to shoot all different make/models and target shot groups are reviewed.

IMO, the ultimate judge of gun selection for a female shooter is the shooter herself and the shot groups on target. And that will vary for different shooters. My wife loves to shoot the full size M&P45 but with the small grip insert.

[bannockburn]

bds

Without a doubt, the only judge of what's suitable for a woman shooter is the woman herself.

The first time I took my sister (18 years old, 5' 6", and maybe 110 lbs.), to the range, I started her out with Ruger MKII .22. She did well with it and liked the weight (35 oz.), as it provided her with a steady balance in her hand. Not too heavy, not too light, and easy for her to keep it on target.

Next was a Star Model B in 9mm. (weight about 34 oz.), and again she shot fairly decent groups and didn't think the gun itself was too heavy or unwieldy, or that recoil was of any great concern.

Finally she finished up with a Browning BDA (todays SIG P-220 with a weight of 26 oz.), in .45ACP and shot her best groups of the day with it. Now you would think shooting a .45ACP in such a lighter weight pistol would be an issue for a beginner, but again no problems with felt recoil probably due to the great ergonomics of the SIG design.

[col_temp]

She is a lefty actually so the m&p may be worth looking at.

Second BDS suggestion and yours.
My wife who is quite small found she liked the MP9 the best.
Note one of the other things going for the MP series. Is they are left or right doesn't matter. (I am left she is right) so we can share.
Secondly, the MP have adjsutable back straps. Not all have this. So you can get a back strap that will work for both of you. (I.e. Whichever needs the smallest. The other can compenstate if necessary.

As other have said, go shooot a bunch and figure out which you like.
ALSO, try using 147gr ammo. I has a smaller recoil than the usual 115gr. (I don't notice a huge difference but after firing 40-50 rounds of 115gr and then shooting a clip of 147gr I do notice a difference!)

Good luck let us know what you come up with~! :-}

[weblance]

My wife will shoot my P95, and she is disabled, with limited hand strength. I have nothing to compare it to in duty sized pistols, but would let your wife try one and see.

[SharpsDressedMan]

Try a P1 Walther with standard 115gr loadings. It also has left hand ejection. :D

[eldon519]

I recently took a new shooter to the range and let her shoot my Beretta 92, Browning Hi Power, and CZ-75B. She liked the Beretta 92 the best and ultimately I sold it to her. I was surprised as the Browning Hi Power is my favorite, but she did not like it as much and admittedly, it did seem to possibly have a little more recoil when doing side-by-side comparison with the same ammo.

[toivo]

For a smaller-handed person, try a SIG P239.

[Stringfellow]

I recently took a new shooter to the range and let her shoot my Beretta 92, Browning Hi Power, and CZ-75B. She liked the Beretta 92 the best and ultimately I sold it to her. I was surprised as the Browning Hi Power is my favorite, but she did not like it as much and admittedly, it did seem to possibly have a little more recoil when doing side-by-side comparison with the same ammo.

I own the same group, and concur that the 92 seems to have the least recoil. The HP to me has the most of the 3. I was actually surprised that head-to-head, the 92 seemed softer than the CZ75. The only thing I could think of that explains this, is the larger dimensions of the 92 spread out the recoil. Dunno...

[B!ngo]

I'd suggest you add an H&K USP9 to the mix. I like their soft shooting feel (and other reviews note the same) and can be swapped to left handed controls (mine is). If hand size is an issue, the USP9c (compact) has a smaller grip circumference but a similar double buffered soft feel. My wife has that one.
GL with the choosing.
B

[snooperman]

+1 on the SIG P239 if she has small hands. If not, then try the Ruger P95.

[meanmrmustard]

I think the M9 and CZ75 feel the same, but recoil is subjective.

My fiancé has tiny hands, but with VZ Tactical Diamond grips, she shoots my 75 better than I do.:D

[WC145]

My FNS-9 is the softest recoiling 9mm I've shot. They're pretty nice, fully ambidextrous, have a couple of different backstraps, and come with 3 17rd mags. Accurate and reliable too.

[C0untZer0]

The Glock 17L is very soft-shooting, it is a long slide and the mass out front makes recoil negligble.

It's polymer framed so it ends up being a fairly light pistol over all.

I don't like stock Glock triggers but they can be replaced for 40 bucks.

My Glock 17L is the softest shooting nine that I have, followed by a close second - my HK P7M8.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=177268&stc=1&d=1357492841
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=166135&stc=1&d=1339541647

[Jenrick]

You might be surprised, she might like a wheel gun. My wife prefers my mode 15 with hogues compared to any other gun I own. She even prefers to shoot my M19 with .357 magnum loads over say my G34, she just vastly prefers how the revolver fits her hand.

Back to you original question, I find either my USP in 9mm or my 5" 1911 in 9mm are the two softest shooting nines I own. Both have a very mild recoil impulse, and the longer barrel helps get the blast and noise that much further away from the shooter.

-Jenrick

[Jim NE]

Of course, if my spouse was getting me a new 9mm, the CZ would be my choice, but the P-95 might be the best choice due to it's lower cost. The negative would be that the grip feels bulky to some. People say the P-95 is soft shooting, but that might be by comparison only. Mine is pleasant, but if my wife wanted to start shooting, I'd give her one of my K frame .38's.

[TennJed]

S&w 5906

[Rock185]

Lots of good suggestions here and I own, or have owned, many of them. I have 1911s in 9MM that are very soft to shoot, but I believe the softest shooting 9MM I've ever personally encountered is the SIG X-5. I have the X-5 AllRound version which has the common DA/SA, decocker,etc., so it is no different to handle and shoot than any other traditional DA/SA SIG...ymmv

[TMann]

In general, a large heavy gun is going to shoot softer than a smaller, lighter one. Also, grip size matters, as a good fitting gun is generally more controllable than one that doesn't fit you as well.

So having said that, I have had good success with he following guns: Browning Hipower, CZ 75B and 9mm full-size 1911s. All three can be carried/shot cocked and locked and shot in SA mode. I have small hand and have a hard time with DA/SA gun as the trigger pull is often just too long.

TMann

[Newcatwalt]

I strongly recommend the 9mm Sig P239.

[twofifty]

Good advice on the 147s having less felt recoil.

[toivo]

I strongly recommend the 9mm Sig P239.

With Hogue rubber finger-groove grips:

http://www.hoguestore.com/images/products/31000L.jpg

http://www.hoguestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23_47_605&products_id=4224

[777TRUTH]

From all the ones I've tried I'd say the CZ 75B or the Beretta 92.

[Shipwreck]

Beretta 92 for sure. Very low recoiling, and newbies generally are surprised at how well they shoot with one.

[fridayxiii]

Perhaps the Beretta PX4 Storm? Rotating barrel design and three sizes of backstraps available.

[SDGlock23]

The heaviest 9mm you can find, which is likely to be either a Beretta or 1911. Sig may have a few heavy ones, plus it's got a fat grip. Then load it up with 147gr ammo, that bullet weight seems to be the easiest shooting of all. A standard pressure 124gr XTP or Speer Gold Dot would be another great option, they aren't all that fast. I think Speer and Hornady also make a standard pressure 115gr JHP too. Or get an all copper bullet, their added length vs. a lead bullet eats up case capacity so it's generally a light weight bullet moving slower than usual, but they're nasty expensive.

[ATLDave]

Percieved/felt recoil is a complicated thing. A heavier pistol, all else being equal, will recoil less in absolute terms. But lots of other things go into how that recoil feels, and some of them are personal. Some people feel rotating recoil/muzzle rise more strongly/unpleasantly than linear recoil. For them, a low barrel axis may be more comfortable. Some feel straight-line recoil is more unpleasant, and a higher barrel axis may suit them better. Some prefer a steady push, which augurs for a heavier recoil spring, while others like a gun that stays "flatter" longer, with a quick snap of rotation when the slide ends its stroke, which suggests a lighter spring. Some people like the lower absolute recoil of a steel frame, while others like the shock-absorbing frame flex of a polymer frame.

In short, different people will percieve the same pistol to recoil differently. In my subjective experience, a full-size M&P9 is about as soft-shooting as any centerfire pistol, but I know others who feel differently. The best approach is to take her to shoot as many different types as you can with a constant type of ammo.

Then, once you pick the pistol, you can experiment with different types of ammo.