Single Stack 9mm

I think the XDS, Kahr, or Walther PPS are good choices. The Shield has a safety (that is recessed... so more difficult to actuate naturally than a 1911 safety). I prefer not having a safety at all. But, hey, 1911s have the nicest triggers around and a 9mm 1911 is sure to have no recoil compared to the other pistols named. The thing is that a 1911 costs more and is slightly harder to use than, "Draw, aim, and pull the trigger".

It is nice to just have the gun you are going to carry right from the beginning. But, a 1911 in 9mm would have minimal recoil and a really nice trigger that will allow a new shooter to gain confidence and proficiency before going "hard mode" with a lighter gun that has a less than premium trigger.

S&w 3914/3913

Going back to what Old Dog said. Single stack gun. Nice feel and shoots great. You can also carry it concealed fairly easy. I have a 3914 and do carry it on a regular basis. I see them at gun shows all the time nice gun and a metal frame instead of plastic.

ProPhetiQ said:

I highly recommend the Walther PPS.......it is probably one of the softest shooting single stack 9mm out there.....extremely reliable and durable.....Sig 239 is also soft for a single stack 9, but grip is fatter like a double stack.

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Nice suggestion. I haven't handled a PPS yet, but it's on my near-term "to-do" list as a possible gun buy.

Also agree on the P 239... I always had an eye out for one until I picked it up; bigger grip than my double stack SR9c.

Why not a .380 for her? Less recoil.. Ruger LC380 or Bersa Thunder. Then move up from there unless she absolutely has to have a 1911.

Hi Peoga,

just like you, I've been looking for a range gun for my girlfriend, who has really tiny hands. The problem is that most small polymer single-stack handguns have quite some recoil.
On the other hand, many older full-size single-stack handguns like the Sig P220 or the S&W 39 have grips that feel just as big as those of modern double-stack pistols.

We tried lots of guns, and a pistol my girlfriend really fell in love with is the Sig P210. Slim grips, single stack, but all-metal and not too much recoil. The price tag is a downside, though... that's why she'll probably get a CZ 75 with flat grips or one of those modern polymer guns with adjustable backstraps (e.g. Walther PPQ).

My wife loved my Star Super. At least until burglars kicked the door frame out of the wall and relieved us of various portable posessions.

W.E.G. said:

Why would anyone suggest a Browning Hi-Power for a shooter with small hands?

Features of the BHP:

• just about the fattest 9mm grip that ever existed
• extremely heavy recoil spring
• very-difficult-to-reach safety lever
• horrible factory trigger
• frequently equipped with tiny sights
• expensive

I can hardly think of a worse choice for a diminutive novice.

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My wife is 5'0", has small hands and short fingers. She learned to shoot and qualified for her HCP with a Browning HiPower, which she really liked shooting and shot very well. Para PDA and a Gen4 Glock 17 worked very well for her as well. She now has an HK P30, which when I put all the small grip panels on, she exclaimed was the most comfortable gun she'd ever held.

Peoga452 said:

We made a trip into the city, to visit a much larger store. After a couple of hours of holding about every gun in the store, she decided on a Springfield XD Slim in 9mm with the 4.0" bbl. it seemed to be her best combination of fit and the features that she wanted. Thanks for the help!

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Congrats! Pictures? Range report?

Congrats! Hope it work well for you, from what I heard it should be great.

Women are not smaller version of men and as such have special requirements. I recommend new German-made SIG 210. These go very well with: Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Bally,....leathers. Ok, I see selection has been made. Congratulations.

I highly recommend the Sig P239. My wife really love it.

My wife has small hands. She shoots my M&P9 pretty well. I should have never let her shoot it, I can't get it away from her...lol.

9mm 1911 pistols are a hoot to shoot! Low recoil, very accurate. Put some thin grips on it.

I highly recommend the Sig P239. My wife really love it.

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My wife and I went to a Firearms Expo yesterday with representatives from Sig, Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Taurus, Remington and Benelli (shotguns) there with their products to actually shoot on the range.

At the Sig table the Rep did not have a 239 out. Since I have become interested in a more compact single stack 9mm I ask if he had a 239 out on the table (some guns were already out being tested by customers on the range). He replied no. I then asked if he had a 239, he replied yes and pulled one out from under the table. I handled it and then asked if I could shoot it to which he replied yes. So I got to shoot first five rounds through a brand new unfired gun.

What can I say? My first round which I fired double action cut a black 1" square bullseye. My next four rounds I shot S/A with them going slightly too the left of the bullseye and I dropped the last round slightly ruining a four shot one hole group. The range instructor next to me said "You shoot a lot of revolvers don't you?" I replied "Yes how can you tell?" to which he said 'Your first shot hit the bullseye."

With a lot of coaching we convinced my wife to shoot it. Some of you may recall from my previous posts her issues with not being able to rack the slide on a semi-auto. Before she went on the range we coached her on a couple ways to cycle the slide and she got good coaching when on the range.

When she came out she commented how she like the gun and how happy she was that she could shoot it. She said she wouldn't mind having it and commented that I was already planning on to buy it.

While she will not be giving up her Colt Police Positive Special as her primary defense handgun it is reassuring that she can handle and shoot the P239 when I come up with enough dino to buy one,

Another vote for the SIG P239. For a person with smaller hands (such as myself) it comes close to being a "full-size" handgun. The weight tames the recoil. Trigger is good, and putting Hogue rubber wraparound grips on it tames recoil even more (although it does fatten the grip up some). Best grips for this pistol, IMO, are the Hogue Extreme G10 with checkering.





Beretta Nano is another one worth looking into. Smaller and lighter, although more recoil and not nearly as nice a trigger.





If you decide that .380 is OK, you could do a lot worse than a Bersa Thunder. I let a friend's 13-year-old son shoot mine, and he felt that it was just right for someone of his size and strength.





And as long as we're on .380s, let's not forget the SIG P232. The Hollywood ladies seem to like it. (Trigger discipline, Anne ...)

A femal friend of mine has relatively small hands as well. She owns both a Kahr CW9 and a Kimber Ultra Carry II in 9mm. She keeps the Kimber in the car with her and tends to shoot the Kahr at the range more. Either is a good choice. If you are looking for simplicity, I would go with the Kahr. DAO and no manual safety to worry about. Solid pistol too. The Kahr CW9 was the first pistol I was able to make accurate hits at 25 yards with many years ago. For the small single stack 9s these days, I have decided to stick to the S&W M&P Shield 9mm. It works great for me.

Star BM as a Range Gun

If a small-framed new shooter, female or male, wants a decent 9mm single-stack range gun that will cover all the bases discussed, I would say go on Gunbroker or GunsAmerica and start pricing a Star BM. They're not in production anymore, but they are plentiful, durable, slim, relatively inexpensive guns that shoot well if they haven't been abused. The weight of the BM (as opposed to the aluminum-framed BKM) soaks up a fair amount of recoil. With smaller hands there should be no hammer-bite issue, otherwise you can bob the hammer 1/4" or so.

Solid choices for single stack 9mm:

- S&W 3900 series
- SIG P225 or P6 (prefer the P225)
- Kahr K9

I own or have owned each of these and like/love them all. That said, if your looking at a mid-size pistol, you really aren't saving on grip girth when comparing to a Glock 19/23. Both the S&W and SIG are only marginally thinner/smaller, but the gain in firepower and accessory availability were too good for me to pass up.

Has the new Springfield Armory XDs 4.0 been mentioned? It's quite thin for a "full sized" pistol.

She owns both a Kahr CW9 ...

I would go with the Kahr. DAO and no manual safety to worry about. Solid pistol too.

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Not that solid, my CW9 front frame rail broke after about 6000 rounds, Kahr customer service has been less than helpful and is not answering my Emails.

To me, the Kahr CW9 is light recoil. Feels good in my hand, good trigger and accurate enough. Try one.

My wife was recently introduced to a Dan Wesson ECO 9mm.
It is a little pricey but with what you pay.

A Kahr T9 is one beautiful gun though.

small and plastic = more felt recoil & less grip to hold . Choose something that fits her hands. Make sure you are buying a quality gun . this is not the time to be bargain hunting.
Everyone has a favorite so listen to them and remember we tend to be overly Smith or Ruger. Baretta and so on guys . let her choose the one not a sales guy or the gun nut uncle .

MikeFrank said:

If a small-framed new shooter, female or male, wants a decent 9mm single-stack range gun that will cover all the bases discussed, I would say go on Gunbroker or GunsAmerica and start pricing a Star BM.

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You may also want to consider the Star Firestar single stack 9mm. Very similar in size shape and function to the Sig 938, but for half the cost.