Yes, I know the old joke. Guy walks into a gun store and says he's looking for a lady's gun. The clerks asks, "Why? You gonna shoot a lady?"
My wife, Miss Kitty, went out to the range with me recently. One of her few visits. She can shoot, but it's just not her passion. As a bed side gun, she's had a revolver for many years. A Charter Bulldog .44 to be specific. From 12 yards she downed 5 plates in a row with Critical Defense ammo. It took her about a minute, but still she's not afraid of guns. She fired, for the first time, my G17 and my S&W 686 (with an Apex work over), and while she liked the 686, she's has made up her mind she wants more rounds, 10+ preferable in a striker fired, no safety semi.
If you're still with me, we then went on to discuss what she liked and disliked about the G17. It boils down to the grip. To be specific the circumference of the grip where the 3rd finger goes.
What I'm looking for is a striker fired, no safety, 9mm semi, whose grip is <5" as measure below the trigger guard. Trouble is it needs to be a full sized gun to reduce recoil. This isn't for concealed carry. Ah there's the rub. Find a small grip and it's a small gun.
I haven't measured all the guns out there, but here's my prelim chart.
So far it leans towards the XDS 4 with an extended mag.
It appears that most manufactures think "small" means shorter, not smaller around.
How much can be shaved off a G17 or G19 grip?
While the Sig 320 is mix and match, how far can you go with a Glock? Can you actually mix the barrel and slide between models of some?
Anybody have measurements to help me fill in the chart?
Any other quality guns to recommend?
My wife, Miss Kitty, went out to the range with me recently. One of her few visits. She can shoot, but it's just not her passion. As a bed side gun, she's had a revolver for many years. A Charter Bulldog .44 to be specific. From 12 yards she downed 5 plates in a row with Critical Defense ammo. It took her about a minute, but still she's not afraid of guns. She fired, for the first time, my G17 and my S&W 686 (with an Apex work over), and while she liked the 686, she's has made up her mind she wants more rounds, 10+ preferable in a striker fired, no safety semi.
If you're still with me, we then went on to discuss what she liked and disliked about the G17. It boils down to the grip. To be specific the circumference of the grip where the 3rd finger goes.
What I'm looking for is a striker fired, no safety, 9mm semi, whose grip is <5" as measure below the trigger guard. Trouble is it needs to be a full sized gun to reduce recoil. This isn't for concealed carry. Ah there's the rub. Find a small grip and it's a small gun.
I haven't measured all the guns out there, but here's my prelim chart.
So far it leans towards the XDS 4 with an extended mag.
It appears that most manufactures think "small" means shorter, not smaller around.
How much can be shaved off a G17 or G19 grip?
While the Sig 320 is mix and match, how far can you go with a Glock? Can you actually mix the barrel and slide between models of some?
Anybody have measurements to help me fill in the chart?
Any other quality guns to recommend?