Need advice on carry pistol for my wife

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

<SLV>

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2007
Messages
358
Location
La Crosse, WI
I took my wife to the indoor range last week to give her a chance to try a couple different pistols. She shot the Glock 19 and the Taurus .357 CIA (loaded w/.38 special). The Glock has twice the barrel length, and shot much more accurately, and it was her favorite of the two. However, I noticed that she consistently hit about 6-8" low at 7 yards (using the soft trigger reset). I went over sight picture with her several times, and I'm sure she knows what she was looking at.

On the way home she asked me, "Is there another caliber that would be as effective as 9mm in stopping a bad guy without the gun jumping around so much?" She didn't mind the recoil, except for the fact that she felt it was hard for her to stay on target. She is petite and feminine - not exactly macho or athletic - although her hands are big enough and strong enough to comfortably hold the Glock.

So I have two questions:

1. What is she doing wrong with the Glock 19 that she is consistently hitting low?

2. What other caliber(s) should she consider? I thought of .380... any opinions?
 
I am also thinking that a .22 MAG would be easier for her to handle... but is it powerful enough to stop a BG? How about 38 Super?
 
If she is shooting low, she might be jerking the trigger, squeezing the whole gun, REALLY anticipating recoil and pushing down or the sights might just be off for her.

.22 mag is not a good defensive caliber choice.

Rent more guns.

Do you own a .22LR pistol? Has she been shooting before? Does SHE want to carry or do you want her to carry?
 
She is the one who came to me and said that she wanted to carry. I think it happened after the mall shooting in Omaha. She doesn't have a lot of experience shooting. She has only shot those two calibers. I do have a Browning Buckmark... maybe I should do some target practice with her.
 
I originally thought my Springfield loaded was shooting low until I shot it from a solid rest. I figured out that because the trigger pull was so heavy (it's headed for a trigger job this weekend) I was unconciously pulling the barrel down right before firing the pistol. It may also be recoil anticipation.

Or as we used to say in the South, "Maybe she's not holdin' her mouth right". :D

I think you might be wise to start her with the Browning Buckmark. It will be easier to learn trigger control starting with the .22.
 
I'm looking around at .380s that offer "high capacity" (10+). Has anyone tried the Taurus Millenium Pro?
Click to expand...

Yep. I have a PT-138. And it's the biggest piece of garbage I've ever bought. It seems that it's just this particular one, which seems to be a lemon. The front sight fell out while shooting the very first magazine of ammo through it. While checking the rear sight to make sure it was tight I noticed that it was installed backwards from the factory. And it's the most inaccurate firearm I've every shot. In fact, my Mossberg with 00 buck patterns better at 100 yards than this thing does at 10. I think the crown of the barrel is cut incorrectly and even looks "off".

In it's defense, the thing will eat anything you feed it. It's never jammed, failed to fire, or puked on anything.

My wife hates it. All the controls are too hard for her to manipulate. The recoil spring is too stiff for her to even rack the slide. She can't eject the magazine, she can't release the slide with the release lever and you can forget about her field stripping it.

I bought a Bersa Thunder .380 in nickle which my wife promptly stole from me on it's first range trip. She can shoot that one accurately, she can manipulate all the levers, she can even disassemble it quicker than I can my XD. The only drawback is the Taurus holds 13 rounds, the Bersa 8. But considering nobody can hit the broadside of a barn with the Taurus, I'd rather have her carrying the Bersa.

My wife was shooting low also. This was due to her either flinching or anticipating recoil and leaning into it. If you want to find out what she is doing wrong, put a laser on it. Have her use the sights, not the laser. YOU watch the laser as she fires. It will tell you exactly what she is doing wrong. And it's probably either slapping the trigger, flinching, or anticipating the recoil. If she's a new shooter, like my wife, my vote is anticipating the recoil and leaning into it.
 
My girl and I recently settled on a Bersa Thunder 380 for her in .380ACP. The recoil of 9mm wasn't too bad for her, but the slightly smaller grip size of the 380 made it fit her hand better and more comfortably.
 
+1 Let her pick her own.
After shooting a bunch of different stuff, my wife picked out a GP-100 as the easiest to shoot.
She has wrist problems from working with computers the last 25 years.
Loaded up w/ .38 +P there's almost no recoil, and she does pretty well with it:)
 
my wife also carries a Bersa .380. She likes it and has no problems shooting it.
 
People keep saying "Let her pick her own!" and "Go to Cornered Cat!"

I have read Cornered Cat, and I have sent my girlfriend to that site so she can read the excellent material there. I firmly believe that the info from Cornered Cat is excellent.

Nobody here is going against Cornered Cat's advice by providing handgun suggestions and sharing what works for OUR wives, girlfriends, sisters, mothers, aunts, etc. I didn't see anybody saying, "You need to get your wife an [insert gun], because it's the best for a woman." We're all just giving suggestions. That's all.

The selection of handguns out there is broad and sometimes overwhelming. If a THR member can at least get a list of guns to start his or her search with, then I think that's a good thing. Knowing what has worked for others can help people who are new to this issue avoid reinventing the wheel.
 
I went to my local gun shop to look over the .380 pistols, and the one that really felt nice and appeared to be well made was the CZ-83. I've never shot .380... is it easier to control than 9mm?

main040.png
 
My wife does not like the feel of a gun that takes double stack magazines...Glock, Sig, Beretta. She carries a Colt Detective in .38 and enjoys shooting my 1911's.
 
I vote Bersa. I have one. My lady loves it. I prefer to carry it because it is so comfortable and easy to conceal that you forget it is even there.

On the plus, they now make a Thunder 380+ that holds 15+1 of .380.

The Thunder .380 has a better trigger than a Walther PPK does, and it costs much less.

ETA: It eats anything you feed it too

http://www.davidsonsinc.com/consumers/subsites/inven_product.asp?dealer_id=957577&item=THUN380PDT15&instock=all&manufact_combo=Bersa&mod_ser_combo=None&category_combo=None&model=None&g_type=None&act_type=&finish_type=None&calib_combo=380&sight_class_combo=None&price_range=None&left_handed=&youth=&Offset_rec=0&num_rec=50&item_num=
 
Something to consider.
I have a CZ-83, .380 cal. I also have arthritic hands.
That out of the way I have loaded up to 124 grain bullets with a lighter powder charge with good results. The extra length bullet takes up some of the empty space when I load them lighter.
My 100 grain reloads are very smooth in the Bersa as well.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Auto loader for wife? She likes my Glock 19!
Replies
22
Views
1K
tinygnat219
T
E
  • Locked
Oh No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Replies
8
Views
613
JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone
J
B
  • Locked
Wife's PINK Glock
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
Sheepdog1968
S
K
  • Locked
Advice for wife's pistol
Replies
14
Views
466
Soybomb
S
C
  • Locked
finally got my wife out shooting again
Replies
9
Views
480
ColtPythonElite
C
Back
Top