A good pistol for my little wife?

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Well, I don't have a 'little wife, per se. But I do have a 'girly' one. The method that Furncliff illustrated is the method I showed my wife and she is successful with 3 of the 5 firearms I own. The Springfield and Kimber I own are the most recent and not in heavy rotation, so they could still be a little stiff. But she can pretty much cycle my P2KSK, USP, and Beretta 96 without any issues now.

Hindsight being 20/20, I think there was a comfort issue as well as one involving technique. The technique issue was easily solved by showing her a different method. The comfort issue took some time...she had this fear that my racking the weapon, 'something' would happen...that something being loud and uncomfortable. So when I had her practice, I used Snap-Caps and fully explained they were dummy rounds. As she got more comfortable and proficient, I had her cycle it with live rounds. Lo and behold, she saw that there was no difference...unless you pull the trigger. Thankfully, she's exhibited excellent trigger discipline since I've been working with her.
 
no arguement here that women can handle semi autos, figured a revolver would not be a bad choice as this particular lady is having trouble pulling back the slide. if this gun for plinking, developing shooting skills, and not for ccw there a some .22 autos like the ruger 22/45, and bersa .380's that are a bit smaller than 1911's, and would probably not kick as bad in her hands as an airweight revolver. she probably would have no trouble reaching the controls or racking the slide. the best thing would be to let her handle some in the store and decide what she is/isn't comfortable with.
 
"... we're just as capable of handling a semi-auto as you men are."

Not really. Some of you are and some aren't.

The opening premise is that his wife is having a problem racking the slide. So, in some cases, this one in parfticular "pushing" J-Frame may be the best answer if the questions is moving her to a reliable, easy for her to handle defensive gun.

It's not a women versus men thing. I have smaller hands and have trouble handling double stack magazines, so does my wife and all 3 daughters.

My youngest daughter, as stated above, can't handle racking the slide on my semi auto's. But she enjoys shooting and wants something she knows she can handle with out thinking or worrying if she can make it work when all her fine motors skills have gone out the window.
 
Here's a better idea. Take her to the gun store, let her check over the handgun assortment and try to rack the slides, and see what she can pull off.
 
If she can fire the 1911 well, but has manipulation problems, a good "Lightweight" "K" frame .38 such as the S&W Model12 six shot, loaded with 158 grain LSWCHP+P "FBI" load should work well.

If she prefers a semiauto type, consider a Glock 19. In my experience teaching women's handgun classes, the Glock 19 was extremely popular with the ladies. And none of them had problems manipulating the slides.

With the square nosed Glock, there's also the option of putting the end of the slide against a flat surface and pushing down on the grip until the slide is all the way rearward. That technique is taught to LE who are issued Glocks.
 
Quit pushing the five shot J-frame revolvers on us, we're just as capable of handling a semi-auto as you men are.

No doubts about that whatsoever. The thing I discovered was that a steel j frame w/ a 3" barrel is probably more than enough firepower for the bedroom in absence of a known heavy threat. The other thing is that the 'ladys' come out of the factory with a near-perfect trigger that would require quality gunsmithing to achieve on a 'standard' model. I'll admit it--it's strickly a comfort thing for me but my wife provides plausible deniability.:neener:
 
I keep seeing these guys, having the best of intentions but not much in the brains department. They assume that women simply can't handle guns as well as they do. They believe women can't operate a semi-auto and that we're better off if we stick exclusively to lightweight snubnose revolver, or small cliber semi-automatics if we "can handle them effectively".

For a good number of years I was actually believing that kind of propaganda. Seems to be the widespread image of women and guns. However it's far from being true.

The slide of a brand new semi-auto might be hard to cycle with a spring that's likely not even broken in yet, but there are alternatives to switching over to a revolver. Just find one with a slide you can cycle. Check out used gun sales, see what you find.
 
My daughter is a small women and she carries a Kel-Tec P-11. I bought it for myself but she liked it so well I gave it to her. Just a thought.
 
Quote:I keep seeing these guys, having the best of intentions but not much in the brains department. They assume that women simply can't handle guns as well as they do. They believe women can't operate a semi-auto and that we're better off if we stick exclusively to lightweight snubnose revolver, or small cliber semi-automatics if we "can handle them effectively".

For a good number of years I was actually believing that kind of propaganda. Seems to be the widespread image of women and guns. However it's far from being true.

The slide of a brand new semi-auto might be hard to cycle with a spring that's likely not even broken in yet, but there are alternatives to switching over to a revolver.
--------------------

I have to agree with ya Reddbecca, as the slide action, along with manual cocking of the hammer was my own personal concern/taste.

That is why I bought, My Beretta Px4 40cal, the Sig P229R CT 9mm, and the wife's Sig P232 SL 380, the ease of the slide-action and hammer draw-backs, their weight and balance, as I knew, just like how we played together in coed baseball and we turned the sweetest double plays every time.. Me at SS, her 2nd base, and to be honest, she could play SS, or 2nd base, better than most of the guys, and she looked so cute in her dolphin shorts & tank top, doing it.. lol,

I have no doubts, that she, being 13yrs younger than me, may very well turn out to be a better shooter than me, very quickly, which I have no problems with.. Talk about having your back watched.. I'd bet on it.

I also had the pleasure of teaching some very very good women pilots in limited aerobatics, and know they can fly as good as any man.


It's just a head trip that takes some longer than others to cope with.. lol


LS
 
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Reddbecca ~

Preach that, sis. :)

The whole thing with the "women can't ..." meme is that it is, VERY often, a self-fulfilling prophecy.

A woman often picks up the gun as a newbie, doesn't know how to run the slide or the mechanics of the gun or the basic strength-enhancing slide manipulation techniques (hint, guys: it doesn't involve putting your fingers on the muzzle of the gun, and also doesn't involve pointing the gun at your own forearm ... m'kay?). She's usually a little afraid of hurting the gun or of being hurt by the gun, too, and doesn't often articulate these fears loudly enough to be heard by her beloved.

So the newbie picks up a gun. She doesn't know how to run the slide, and she can't just muscle it through the way her beloved man does. So he snatches the gun away from her and says, "Lemme do that. You're too weak to do it ..."

And she believes him.

She believes him so well, in fact, that from that time forward, he becomes her designated gun-handler. He loads the magazine for her (her thumbs are too weak). He loads the gun for her (she can't figure out how). He racks the slide for her (her hands are too weak). He removes the magazine for her (she can't figure out which button it is). He reloads the gun for her (it's too complicated for her and she's too weak to do it) ...

And she never learns to run the gun herself. She can't. She's too weak. It's beyond her capability.

For the record, I have still never met a healthy adult woman -- of WHATEVER height and weight -- who could not be taught to rack the slide of a semi-automatic handgun, or who was too stupid to learn how to run such a simple machine.

But I have met an amazing number of women who have allowed themselves to be convinced they are too weak to run a slide and too stupid to be shown how.

A few minutes on the range, with a patient instructor who is not married to her or dating her, invariably allows such a woman to learn otherwise. :)

pax
 
You might be able to get something. I'd put a post out on gunbroker. Someone's bound to be willing to trade something for her, 'specially if she can cook or has a good job.
 
When my wife and I first went though this same exact thing a couple of years ago, I tried to get her a J framed S&W revolver because that's what I'd always heard to get a woman. She just flat out refused to get one as she considered them "old fashioned" and because she just didn't like them. Maybe your wife would like one of those, so those are an option if she just can't get past racking the slide of a semi-auto pistol and if she likes them.

Like the link on the middle of page one that ZF posted was talking about, maybe she's racking the slide on semi-auto pistols incorrectly and maybe she's trying to muscle through it the way that most men do. That link kind of struck a chord with me and it reminded me of how my wife racks a semi-auto pistol the correct by just gripping the back of the slide with her left hand and then punching out with her right hand. I'd never really thought about it, but that's how she racks a pistol. I didn't teach her that as I just use my left hand to pull it back, maybe she just learned that instinctively from trying to do it a couple of different ways.

If she can try racking the slide this way and if she can get past this and if she wants a semi-auto pistol, there's no reason she shouldn't have one. My wife seems to like the 9mm. In fact for alot of women, the various 9mm's (9X18, 9X19, .38 Super, 9mm Largo etc), the .38 Special or the .357 mag loaded with 110 to 115 grain bullets seem to be the way to go. They are all accurate, the 9mm has got enough pop to give my wife confidence (the others are great too, especially the .357), but not so much as to throw her around, it can throw out some decent stopping power, the ammo's cheap and that means that she'll actually practice with it due to those factors. Plus if you load it right, it's got a pretty decent record of stopping power. W

After going through a couple of different pistols (a Walther PPK, a Beretta .380 that we bought and then sold after she ended up not liking them and then three or four rented guns at a range after I got smart), she ended up getting her a Glock 19 9mm and that was it, that's what she stuck with since then. I put in a different mainspring that one of my buddies gave me that didn't require that she use alot of force to rack it back, had the 3.5 competition trigger put in, threw on the extended slide release and some grip decals for a better grip for her and she hasn't changed a thing since.

So maybe you could take her to a gun range that rents guns and have her try the Glock model 19 9mm, it was the solution that worked for my wife, maybe it'll work for yours. I would have her try it out first, that ended up saving me alot of hassle that she and I really could've really done without.
 
I nice snug nose .38 is hard to beat for those with smaller hands. Also the Sig 232 is a nice option, I like them and have a bit smaller hands. Only avalible in .380 though, the 239 has similer specs and is just a bit larger offered in more bang.
 
Boys, a piece of advice.

Quit pushing the five shot J-frame revolvers on us, we're just as capable of handling a semi-auto as you men are.
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Ahhh, no you're not. Typically, the arm and upper body strength of most women is considerable less than men. Racking the slide of many semi-autos is difficult or impossible for women, especially the blowback .380's we like to push on you. After trying to convince my wife of a semi-auto, she picked a J frame S&W .38 Special all on her very own. She also limp wristed many semi's including Sigs, Glocks, Springfield HD's. You can't limp wrist a revolver.
 
Let me chime in in agreement with pax and reddbecca. Getting proficient at racking a slide is a matter of the right technique, a little concentrated practice and most of all, the desire to learn to do it. It’s a lot easier than pushing out a baby – believe me :D

Don’t just get the wife a snubby and call it a day. Sorry – but snubbies just aren’t fun to shoot, and the best outcome is for spouses to spend time shooting together! Here’s my two cents from the female perspective-- Get her a nice 4” or 6” wheelgun for her bedside table, and a Glock 19 to bring to the range. I bet it will fit her hand perfectly, and with some practice, she’ll be racking the slide like a pro. Hook her up with a local female instructor or LEO (if you know one) who might be willing to show her some different racking techniques and get her comfortable. Go to the range and try a number of weapons and let your better half ultimately choose her gun.

P.S. to Pilot – I’m just gonna assume you were joking when you said women can’t rack a slide . . . :cuss:
 
Beretta Cheetah 86

Actually, there are a few Beretta Cheetah 86s left in the supply pipeline. I just picked one up (NIB) from a dealer two weeks ago. Got a great deal on a great gun. There's a reason Beretta has been in business since 1526; they get 'em right.

They're also occasionally available used on the 'net or in stores. If you spot one, grab it-- they are a worthy addition to any collection.

The bride hasn't shot it yet, but now can choose between it and her S&W 686 2.5" for PD weapons. She's not a CCW candidate, or we would likely have a SP101 for her, as well. The nice thing about having a "niche gun" problem is-- you get to buy another gun!
 
If she prefers a semiauto type, consider a Glock 19. In my experience teaching women's handgun classes, the Glock 19 was extremely popular with the ladies. And none of them had problems manipulating the slides.
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I guess I won't be the first to recommend the Glock, but at least a close second?

I recently bought a G19 myself, and got my wife to the range for the first time recently, and I was happy that she seemed to have no problem with the slide, loaded or unloaded. I showed her how to lock the slide, pop in a fresh mag, and release the slide, to make it easier in a pinch, just in case, but she seemed to do well w/ it anyway.

I think the Glock and similar models spoil even me, I was looking for a polymer semi-auto pretty much from the beginning. Now that I've hung around guns shops more for awhile, someone's always trying to show me something, and I was surprised as a 6'1" 275# guy how hard some of those slides are to work, even on some relatively small guns, so I would definitely say some are easier than others.

+1 on the gun store, or better yet a rental range, to let her try some stuff.

A lot of people have recommended that I start her out w/ a small 22, or revolver, I guess I was thinking that the best gun for me/us to start out was the G19, and I had confidence in her that she could handle it for starters. And we're both taking the CCW class this weekend w/ it, so hopefully that will go well!

However, the next time we go to the range, after she's then had a few exposures to things, I think I can get her to try a rental or two, maybe a small revolver and a small semi, and see what she thinks, and go ahead and buy a second gun that she wants to shoot with, because I do agree w/ what some people have told me, if its easy enough on her to use, it may be more fun and motivate her more to go w/ me, and eventually she'll feel more comfortable to use a larger caliber for defense.

But if you want a 9MM, I can vouch for the G19. I handled a KelTec PF9 the other day, but didn't get to shoot it. It's smaller than a G26, but bigger than a KelTec 380, and the slide seemed relatively easy on it. Also the M&Pc is smaller than the M&P full size, and slightly smaller than a G19, but slightly larger than a G26, and it has the adjustable grip pads, which she may like, and I don't recall the slide being any harder than the Glock...

Good luck,

Karz
 
Springfield EMP, 9mm.

Excellent gun, 1911 format, so you should like it. Note that it isn't just a 45 1911 with a 9mm barrel; it's designed around the 9mm, so it is a smaller handle, just right for smaller hands.

www.springfieldarmory.com
 
a LITTLE punch

I have and carry a small Rossi 5 shot .38 spc in a snubnose configuration. Its accurate for its purpose, has never failed to fire, and using ammunition such as Hornady's TAP should be managable by the smallest of hands. I got the gun because it neatly fits inside my denim jacket's interior pocket. Since then, my sister and several other of my female friends have tried to snag it from me because of its ergonomics and "attractive" nickel plating. I carry it loaded with, and practice with Win +P ammo in it. I've fired atleast 500 rds through the gun and have had no failures and it shows no sign of flame cutting above the forcing cone or any other signs of weakness. I paid 325 NIB and its been a solid investment.
 
Also the M&Pc is smaller than the M&P full size, and slightly smaller than a G19
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But see, that's my point. I have fairly small hands and the M&P compacts just don't fit well in my hand like the full sized do..It's definitely personal preference..I don't like the balance of not having a full hand grip on that particular gun.
 
pax said:
A few minutes on the range, with a patient instructor who is not married to her or dating her, invariably allows such a woman to learn otherwise.
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pax,

Love your site and respect you a lot for the advice for women (and men).

My wife, who I taught to shoot and how to overcome racking a slide which she was convinced she couldn't rack loves it also :neener:

You may be right that a husband/boyfriend may not be the best instructor (I read your article that said so), but as a Christian husband that is supposed to love his wife as Christ loves the Church, I love her enough to make sure she is safe, even if that means frustrating her when I remind her to keep her finger off that trigger and yes, she can rack the slide :D
 
cz's. in both 9mm and 380, have just about the smoothest operating slides you will ever try. that would then proly be the same for the tz, tangfolio, imi, baby eagles, eaa, etc., since they are all copies, but try a cz first, in 9mm compact.
 
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