A good pistol for my little wife?

[gezzer]

Reddbecca, stop it with the sexist crap. The man said his wife CANNOT pull the slide. Hell I am a male gunsmith with arthritis and cannot pull some slides.

The problem is a Physical disability, male or female. useful information is needed and asked for not PC/sexist answers.

On subject Yes the Berretta tip ups are great for physically impaired users. Duh the slide does not need to be pulled for a misfire. Tip it up and put in a NEW cartridge. When dealing with disabilities things are very different, when they work who cares if they are tactical or not.

 

[sierrabravo45]

I ran into the same thing with my fiance'. She is of a small stature. While she Loves to shoot, competes Limited 10 and does manage to beat a few of the guys, she carries a little 5 shot wheel gun with a shrouded hammer and .38+P's in it. Why?? Not because she can't handle a full size 1911 she shoots one for comp., but because she is more comfortable with the wheel gun. Hell, I am more comfortable with a wheel gun. 5 pulls of the trigger, NO JAMS!! It makes me feel safe also and I like carrying a little 5 shot too. Being the small stature that I am 6'2 and 240 I don't feel that I need to compensate with a large Auto like some.........

I have seen it too many times when competing when a guy jams a gun somehow, goes dry or has another SNAFU of some sort. It takes him a couple of seconds to diagnose the problem. This is a seasoned shooter trying to figure out what went wrong in a medium stressed environment. Take that situation and make it real, you are into a whole new situation. If you have a marginal problem of racking a slide (man or woman) you are going to have a hell of a time clearing a jam under a stressful environment.

I work at a gun store, and sell men and women guns. I know when husbands and wifes come in HE thinks she should have a full size 1911 for protection. I talk them into a 5 or 6 shot wheel gun. Reddbecca you are prob hating me right now!!

I do it because of this reason. That husband is going to take his wife to the range and teach her how to shoot the gun in all of his infinite wisdom. They will go to the range ONCE maybe more, and HOPEFULLY once a year if she is lucky. That will probably not happen though.

If they bought an Auto he (the husband) will not show her how to extract a stuck case, how to clear a stovepipe, or many of the other problems that could happen. He is the problem, but it will ultimately effect her life.

IMHO a wheel gun takes a lot less training to operate then an auto. If a guy is buying a gun for PP and he is not as familiar with guns or wants a 100% dependable gun, its a 5 shot revolver. I have seen all autos jam.....Yes even the Glock 17. (I am sorry some of you Glock Lovers, yes I know you almost can't bear it but Glocks do Jam to.)

If whoever started this conversation, buys a gun and takes his wife to the range to shoot the gun a couple of times a month, get her whatever she feels comfortable with. But if other activities come before shooting and the gun is more for looks then function. Get the gun that will always work, the trusty old uncool revolver.

 

[starboard]

My wife is very thin and not exactly athletic, yet she can cycle anything. It's just a matter of technique -- getting the right muscles and leverage involved. She likes the G19, she does, but it is mine, mine I tell you -- My Precioussss!

 

[mtbkski]

J-Frame 38 Smith. Heck, I find myself throwing this pistol in my front pocket again and again in a pocket holster and loving it.

It shots well. Very well for what will be defensive ranges. Chances of your wife shooting more than 15+ yards to defend herself. Come on....

If your worried about aiming. Get a Crimson Trace Laser on it. They work wonderfully. Just grab the grips and they light up. Put the dot where you want the bullet to go. Don't get no easier than that. Great psychological weapon too.

As for a good round. Try Cor-bon 38 special 110 DPX (Note it isn't +P). It got rave reviews in a short stubby pistol. 15 inches of penetration with excellent expansion. (No lead, all brass bullet) Shoot great out of the snubbie.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=107502

Carry in a purse, pocket, or a holster. For ease of use. Ease of carry. Reliablity. It is hard to beat.

 

[Sylvan-Forge]

Busdriver72,


Some thoughts..

Arms that have been fired, or "broken in" a bit will be a little easier to work with.

A little lubrication might help.

You could always load your own (handload) or search out "target load" ammunition that is less powerful than average and install a lighter weight recoil spring.
The most prominent spring maker is wolff: http://www.gunsprings.com/resources/welcomeNOF.html


Some pistols that come to mind, in no particular order -

Smith & Wesson CS9. ?
Taurus millennium PT132 series. ?
*SiG P225. I carry this cocked, which means more risk of ND with rough handling.
SiG P239. I carry this cocked also. Short trigger available-helps a lil.
Kahr P9. Might be too long of a reach to trigger. ?
Springfield Armory ESP. A lil pricey, but good fit.
*Heckler & Koch P7M8 (pricey and exotic op system - part gas, part blowback).
Beretta 80-series. If you have to go with .22lr check out the Beretta 87.
Heckler & Koch P2000 & P2000sk (LEM or DA).
Smith & Wesson M&P. ?
Springfield armory XD. ?
Glock 26, Glock 19. Trigger reach?
SiG P232. I carry this cocked.
*Makarov. Watch the safety, it can cut you. I shaved mine down and leave it off.
Bersa Thunder. ?
Browning BDA. ?
*=discontinued though available used or new old-stock.



Some notes on recoil -

Recoil is work over time .. power if you will. The system of operation will affect the perceived recoil. Your typical systems of operation are: Revolver and Semi-automatic which can be further distilled into two types:
Short Recoil (AKA Browning) and Inertia (AKA Blowback).

Keep in mind that these comparisons are based on arms of equal weight utilizing the same ammunition. Adding weight to the arm would reduce the perceived recoil. From greater to lesser;

Revolvers - recoil is immediate, with no mechanism to delay the opposing force of the projectile, only the weight of the arm itself. Greatest recoil.

Blowback - harder to cycle the slide by hand because the spring is one of the primary mechanisms in keeping the breech closed during firing. The recoil is perceived to be less than the revolver due to the work of the slide and spring being drawn out over a longer time period. Barrel is fixed. Medium recoil.

Browning - usually, but not always easier to cycle the slide than on a blowback. Least recoil due to the mechanism drawing the recoil out over an even longer period of time. Barrel tilts when cycled. Again the least recoil.


Now to tell you that sometimes it is easier for certain people to cycle the blowback because the operation is smoother. The browning will have a hitch or two and may mess up the operators groove-on. Dig it cat.


Nothing wrong with revolvers. Except a lil extra recoil and a lil less firepower.
Speedloaders/speedstrips are helpful.


Best of luck.

 

[busdriver72]

Thanks for the responses.
She didn't mention anything about the recoil bothering her. I have talked to her about technique, and she says she'll try different methods. Come to think of it, she did have her hands too far out in front of her.
Going to a gunshop and trying different pistols is a good idea, too. I have a shooting buddy who has lots of guns, and he may have something she can try out.
We were talking about it last night and she said "Heck, I'll just go into the closet and get out the four hundred and ten." (We have an older lady in our church who called the .410 shotgun a "four hundred and ten." Since then, we have humorously referred to it as that.)
I really can't let her get tooooo good....she'll start showing me up at the range.

 

[DogBonz]

I know that this is late, but...

Check out the .380 Beretta Cheetah with the tip up barrel. She wont even have to cock the slide to load it. Also its a beautiful well balanced gun that would be great for carry.

Also, HK's are very easy to rack the slide on. My GF cannot work the slide on many autos, but can on my USP45 and SIG229, but the USP is the easiest. Maybe a USP9c or a P2000.

 

[03Shadowbob]

Hey Furncliff, nice manicure!
Am I the only one who noticed that in the pictures? LOL

 

[sierrabravo45]

Posted By: oo7

"Some thoughts..

Arms that have been fired, or "broken in" a bit will be a little easier to work with.

A little lubrication might help.

You could always load your own (handload) or search out "target load" ammunition that is less powerful than average and install a lighter weight recoil spring.
The most prominent spring maker is wolff: http://www.gunsprings.com/resources/welcomeNOF.html"

Ah if that is a "Self Defense Load" Isn't you handloading them, considered premeditated murder, if the ammo was ever used in a situation???

(I know you can say buying it is the same thing but some districts look at handloading yourself a lot different.)

 

[erict]

My wife is pretty small/wimpy and can't rack the slide on a few of my handguns. She doesn't like revolvers either for some reason.

We found the perfect handgun for her and it was the Sig 239 in 9mm, she loves it!

 

[Sylvan-Forge]

sierrabravo45,

A reasonable concern, especially in the more socialistic and statist parts of the country. Of course the concept of defending oneself in these places, regardless of the means will be under assault already.

A decent lawyer should be able to make the case that the ammunition in question is less powerful than what is available commercially.
And as you mentioned, not significantly different than what one could buy.

A good lawyer will utterly destroy the prosecution's argument and make them out to be the elitist slime that they really are

Premeditated murder and self-defense resulting in death are, for good reason, distinguishable from one another.

All in all we takes our chances regardless.
Best tools for the job and all that.

 

[dasmi]

Come on booner, an AR is hardly a big gun

 

[single action]

My wife is small, 5'4' 120lbs and is able to rack the slide on my .45 but simply DOES NOT WANT TOO!!! My wife has shot all of my handguns and has decided on her favorite....... A 4 3/4 in blackhawk .357! She does not conceal carry, but does carry it in her vehicle. ( its legal here) I know its not a combat arm, But its something she has shot alot, is good with and most important, is very comfortable with. Her very favorite weapon is her .410 double coach gun. again not the best home defense weapon, but she has practiced with it for years and is very comfortable with it. She is good enough with both of these weapons that I am very carefull not to make her mad!

 

[BOONER]

Come on booner, an AR is hardly a big gun

true.... the garand was better i think

 

[RugerSAFan]

I recommended to my brother (good size guy) a S&W 642 for his first pistol. He never did enjoy it. In hindsight, I should have recommended something a little larger to handle recoil.

I have a Lady Smith Model 60 that I love. I know some guys don't like the lady smiths; I always enjoyed how they look.

 

[Barbara]

Myself, I like both the AR and Garand, but the AR is a lot easier to shoot and move with..also a lot easier to reload on the move.

But as you can see, I'm hardly the jolly green giant..I'm the one with the bad fashion sense in the first photo and shooting the Garand in the 2nd and I don't have any real issues with either of them, at least beyond my general inability to shoot pretty groups.

Maybe the original poster's spouse only likes to shoot .22s. Maybe she only wants to shoot rifles. She needs to make that decision. As long as she's a reasonably healthy adult without arthritis or some other delibitating illness, she can probably operate any firearm she chooses. But what we keep hammering away at is it has to be her decision if she's actually going to use it.

 

[Trope]

My wife is petite, 5'2" with pretty small hands. She can shoot my G19, but in order to reach the trigger, she cannot get as good a grip as she should. We thought about a revolver for her, but she knew she wouldn't shoot it as much, so we sought out a semi-auto for her. We tried several, and finally settled on a S&W M&P9c. It fits her hand well, and she is able to operate it well, even more so now that the recoil spring has lightened up a bit.

 

[Barbara]

And large capacity.

 

[pax]

Trope ~

You bring up a really good point. A lot of women "can't" rack the slide simply because they are trying to run guns that do not fit their hands well.

See http://www.corneredcat.com/FirstGun/tryongun.aspx for an article about gun fit. The important bit here is that if she cannot reach the slide stop without radically shifting her hand around, locking the slide back is going to be a major issue for her. There are ways around that, but the simplest is to buy a gun that actually fits her hand.

pax