Home defense handgun

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MattyT

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I have decided to purchase a home defense gun for the wife but I cannot decide which route to take. She is about 5'5'' with small hands, left handed, and does not shoot much at all. My original thought was to get her a glock 19 since I love glocks' simplicity and reliability. However, the only time she has shot a glock she had a few jams, and I think the only explanation was limp wristing or accidentally hitting the mag release with her left hand squeeze. My father in law yesterday recommended a revolver for simplicity and reliability, which would be ok with me as I already load for 357/38 too. So my question is for your opinions on whether to just go ahead and get her a revolver for simplicity or get her a glock 19 and hope those past issues were a fluke and train with her to iron them out?

Thanks
 
.38 Special Revolver for sure. Let her try a number of different models and get the one she says fits her the best. No snubbies.
 
MattyT said:
I have decided to purchase a home defense gun for the wife but I cannot decide which route to take. She is about 5'5'' with small hands, left handed, and does not shoot much at all. My original thought was to get her a glock 19 since I love glocks' simplicity and reliability. However, the only time she has shot a glock she had a few jams, and I think the only explanation was limp wristing or accidentally hitting the mag release with her left hand squeeze. My father in law yesterday recommended a revolver for simplicity and reliability, which would be ok with me as I already load for 357/38 too. So my question is for your opinions on whether to just go ahead and get her a revolver for simplicity or get her a glock 19 and hope those past issues were a fluke and train with her to iron them out?

Thanks
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Don't get a gun for her.

Assist her as she gets a gun for herself.


I could write a lot more than that...but I don't want to detract from the above ^
 
.38 Special Revolver for sure.
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That would be my suggestion as well.

Something like a used S&W Model 10 or 64, or Ruger GP100 with a 3" or 4" barrel are good choices.

Take her to the range and let her try a few different types of ammunition.

If she's sensitive to recoil, 148gr. lead wadcutter target loads are an option. they don't have a lot of power, but they're generally soft lead and cut a sharp hole which promotes blood loss.
 
Since you specify the gun is for defense and limit the choices between Glock 19 or unspecified .38/.357 revolver; get her a medium framed, steel, 3"-4" barreled, .38/.357 as it is a much better choice for an inexperienced shooter than a Glock 19 because developing competency with it is much faster and easier to achieve. Once she has demonstrated strong motivation to become proficient she can always transition to the more complex and capable Glock. I have a S&W Model 10 with a 3" medium heavy barrel that several of my wife's female friends have been introduced to shooting with and they find it a good balance of ease of use, power, and weight. I am sure someone will chime in here saying your wife should pick her own pistol but like many things (motorcycles and middle-aged men with little experience comes to mind) you don't want her to get in over her head with something requiring more time to become proficient with than she is willing to give or makes it to easy for her to injurer herself or have a negligent discharge. Neophytes with any type of machinery need guidance in making selections and in operation. Good luck.
 
Thanks for your replies so far! The problem is that she could care less about guns, especially shopping for them, but she does want one for home defense. I did get her out the other day and she held an sp101, gp100, and lcr. Lcr is a no go since it's too small in her opinion. She likes the glock but the issues concern me. If we do go the revolver route, I think a three inch barrel minimum is a must, and I wish I could find a four inch barrel sp101 but that's hard around here
 
Warp is right, of course ... she needs to select her own.

You may be on the right track with a DA .38 special, but she needs to try it out. I have been surprised that several of the young ladies I have trained do not have the grip strength to shoot my GP100s (with light special loads) double action. My wife, who is not an avid shooter, trained with a S&W 3913, one of the DA/SA type semi-autos. It fit her hand much better than a Glock, and was SA after the first round.

Just something to consider.
 
The trigger action is better on the LCR and the GP100 than the SP101, but smaller hands make the SP101 a good choice. It can be hard to find a 3" version, and Imhave never seen a 4" model in a gun shop. You may need to make some calls and travel to pick one up.

Personally, I would never hand an auto, especially a Glock, to a new shooter. When a city I lived in a number of years ago converted their officers over to Glocks, there were a number of ADs, and injuries. A revolver is a better bet, as long as there are no children in the home.
 
My wife loves her shotgun. She shops for handguns now and then (currently looking at a S&W 586), but mostly she wants to learn all she can about her pump. She believes it to be the most viable home defense tool for her.
 
Keep in mind that a semi auto like a Glock 19 is much easier to shoot than a double action revolver. The revolver is more simple to operate (provided that is starts loaded and does not need reloaded), but the G19 is easier to hit with with. The revolver is less prone to malfunction. It's all a matter of trade-offs.

Rentals to try on the range would be a good idea.
 
Unless you are her twin sister with the same size/shape hand, something you pick that fits you can not fit her any more than if she picked some specialty athletic shoe or bicycle for you based on how it fit her.

So it is vitally important that she handle what the available options are and find out what fits and points for her or she's not going to be as comfortable/accurate/happy as she could be. Take a look at corneredcat.com, or better yet, provide the link to her to look and she may want to get out there and handle the different handguns once she's armed with some good information so her gun fits her. My wife fits a CZ75 like she was born with it in her hand. She hates my 1911s. Because of that she shoots a .45 or .40 CZ with speed and accuracy, but has trouble making a 9mm 1911 perform for her. Pick what fits and she'll make hits. Itty bitty concealment guns are a very poor choice since they typically have more challenging triggers and are uncomfortable to shoot even when they fit properly. New shooters interested in defensive handguns need to try a Glock, CZ75, 1911, and a couple of revolvers for fit and natural grip/point. When they find what holds comfortably and points naturally they'll be able to shoot it with less training and range time needed to overcome a weapon that doesn't fit as naturally. Take a look at this thread for some more good info.http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=760809

I'll also ask why a handgun instead of a semi shotgun or carbine? She's not going to carry the gun on her hip all the time so she's going to have to go get it from where she keeps it. If that's the case she's going to fort up instead of act the fool and try to clear the house and she may be most comfortable with 30 rounds of 5.56 or 5-7 rounds of 20 gauge buck.

If this is just an excuse to get another gun for yourself, that's fine. If you and she really want something for her defensive use it is critical that she handle it first and find out if it fits her.
 
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Suggestion:

Once you decide on a gun, take her to the range once a month on a weekend, then out to lunch or dinner some place nice afterwards.

It'll make range day something pleasant instead of a chore.
 
You say she likes the Glock but the you are concerned about the “issues”. I think you have good reason to be concerned since “she could care less about guns, especially shopping for them”. That is an indication to me she is not particularly motivated to put the necessary time in to become safely proficient with the Glock. Despite some posters suggesting other types of firearms and trapped cats, you have narrowed the choices down and described the mindset of your wife enough to that it is doubtful she is going to be interested in a shotgun/rifle, wading through the text of a website, or strenuous training . If that changes, then those suggestions are worth pursuing. Based on what you posted, I strongly suggest a “K” frame S&W. This frame size has grips available in numerous sizes and textures and you will probably find something that feels good in her hands. The DA trigger pull is easy to make reliably light and smooth for all but the weakest of hands. Coincidentally my wife is also 5’5” tall with delicate hands. She has no problem whatsoever with the “3” Model 10 I described earlier. She has since moved on to using a Glock 22 but she would be the first to tell you that learning on the Model 10 was reassuringly easy.
 
Cooldill said:
A used Smith M10-M15 or M64-67 in .38 special would be muy bien!
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Yup! It also will not be very expensive so that if she moves on to the Glock you will not have much money tied up in her training gun. I suspect even if she moves on to a Glock she will still love the S&W, will never let you sell it, and you will have to make an appointment with her to allow you to shoot it. At least that is my experience with my wife.:D
 
The problem is that she could care less about guns, especially shopping for them, but she does want one for home defense.
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If she doesn't care less, and that translates into not practicing, she won't be proficient with ANY gun.
She doesn't have to be a competitive shooter putting thousands of rounds downrange every year, but she needs to shoot enough to familiarize herself with the gun, and be able to operate it with muscle memory so that when she is terrified in a life threatening situation, she'll have the wherewithal to accurately put lead downrange.

Picking the gun, and training with it is something that has to come from her. You can't do that for her.
 
19-3Ben said:
If she doesn't care less, and that translates into not practicing, she won't be proficient with ANY gun.
She doesn't have to be a competitive shooter putting thousands of rounds downrange every year, but she needs to shoot enough to familiarize herself with the gun, and be able to operate it with muscle memory so that when she is terrified in a life threatening situation, she'll have the wherewithal to accurately put lead downrange.
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I completely agree. All that reinforces my belief if she is going to have a handgun for home defense despite little training the revolver is the right choice.

Picking the gun, and training with it is something that has to come from her. You can't do that for her.
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If she is not willing to do that, and that is exactly what appears to be the case here, but insists on her husband getting her a gun, what is the guy supposed to do? He is supposed to use his best judgement to get a handgun that is as safe and easy as possible for her.
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He can just wait until she shows enough interest. He has guns, if she doesn't want to go pick one herself she's probably not interested enough to do anything to make herself safe or competent with whatever is gotten so he can just show her how to run one of his and call it good.
 
hso said:
He can just wait until she shows enough interest. He has guns, if she doesn't want to go pick one herself she's probably not interested enough to do anything to make herself safe or competent with whatever is gotten so he can just show her how to run one of his and call it good.
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I don't think he would be posing the question to us if he had an acceptable gun already that both she and him were satisfied with. You are right, she may not "do anything to make herself safe or competent" but if she insists on having a gun he can at least choose one that is makes it easier for her to be safer and less incompetent. Many people none of use would describe as safe and competent with a gun have safely and successfully defended themselves with a relatively safe and simple to operate revolver.
 
Shotgun. 20 ga, youth-size, auto if she has problems with the pump. Lots easier to use when the adrenaline is pumping and the house is dark, trust me.
 
Let's not overstate the case.

I have decided to purchase a home defense gun for the wife but I cannot decide which route to take. ... The problem is that she could care less about guns, especially shopping for them, but she does want one for home defense.
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She isn't "insisting" on a gun, she simply "wants on for home defense, but she "could care less" about them.

He should just say that when she's ready he'll be happy to help help, but she wouldn't want him picking shoes/pants/pick whatever has to fit for her.
 
Lethal force, training....

first, Id sit down & have a long talk about if she can or will be able to use lethal force. There's no "shoot to wound" or "I'll just scare them." BS anymore in 2014. Violent or aggressive felons can & do attack. :uhoh:
If she is unable to defend herself or use a firearm properly, then she should just get a C2 or X2 Taser, www.taser.com .
If she can safely load/unload/clear a working firearm then Id start with a simple no frills stainless DA or DA only revolver. JGsales.com has a huge supply of .38spl police trade in S&W revolvers. A few were NYPD sidearms. :D
These robust well made .38spl revolvers or a new medium frame .357magnum could be a good place to start. Have her take a few safety or tactics courses with a trained, respected instructor. Not a gun range safety officer or some internet gun "expert". :rolleyes: .
Author & well known cadre; John Farnam stated a few years ago that the rise in CCWs & gun sales meant new "instructors" were sprouting up all over. Many of them had little or no real credentials. Take a 4hr seminar or 1 day class first then see if the instructor is worth a full gun safety or CCW tactics program if you can. If training is a problem, look at a few DVDs or videos by top programs; John Shaw, Clint Smith, Jeff Gonzales, Larry Vickers, Ken Lamb, SIG Sauer Academy, Magpul, Massad Ayoob.
If she buys a new firearm make sure she knows how to safely store & clean it. A gun should not be fired one or 2 times, then put in a purse or bed side drawer never to be cleaned or checked in 15 years. :uhoh:
Id also advise using factory made rounds only. No reloads or hand-loaded ammunition. Some hunters & gun owners think they are super great or can engineer better loads than Corbon, Hornady, Remington, etc. I say, let them worry about the legal or civil issues. You should stay with regular LE grade handgun rounds for carry or serious defense.
See; www.nra.org www.gunlawguide.com www.ccwsafe.com www.gunvideo.com www.brownells.com www.mpro7.com www.gunsamerica.com www.paladin-press.com www.glockstore.com www.usgalco.com www.safariland.com www.handgunlaw.us www.midwayusa.com
 
I would skip handguns altogether and get her a mild recoiling, reasonably powerful, semi auto carbine or shotgun.
 
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