A Pistol for a small girl? suggestions please

[phantomak47]

I have a friend whom is very small and is interested in getting a pistol. I was thinking about having her look at baby glocks 26 or a glock 19. She does not want a mouse gun or anything smaller than a 9mm(no 380s).

Glock 26
Glock 19
Sig 239?

she is about 100lbs with small hands. any info would be helpful

 

[nhhillbilly]

Suggest very strongly that she go to an NRA Basic Pistol Class. Most of them will have several handguns to try out. She will get good training and will be able to pick out a handgun style and size she like by shooting several. Normally good training at a reasonable cost.

 

[Powderman]

Believe it or not...

After taking my wife to the range a few times, the grip size was a real problem. I have large hands, and most of my guns are N or L Frames, with a Python thrown in for good measure. The closest she came to a gun that fit was my G22.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago in the house. On a whim, I handed her a full size GM Colt. It fit perfectly! The shorter trigger reach really helped. Now, I have to get her to the range to see how she likes it in actual practice.

So, give a thought to some of the shorty 1911's, like the Colt Defender, or even the Commander. What the heck, she might even like the GM.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

Maybe a Glock 19 with a grip reduction? Or a 1911 with slim carry grips?

 

[1911Tuner]

Small Pistol

Might I suggest the M-85 Beretta...Single-stack version of the M-84. Excellent, handsome little pistols in .380 caliber that are light, easy to carry, and in the two examples that I've owned...never failed to function.

 

[Norton]

I'm in the same boat...I'm 6'7" with bear paws for hands and my wife is 5'4". For her it's not necessarily the shooting part that bothers her with the larger guns, it's the other controls like the slide release (especially) and the mag release. She shoots my USP and her 1911 no problem, but has to become a contortionist to get all of the other controls.

FWIW....she really liked the Sig 239.

I agree that you should take her to an NRA class, a range with rentals, or at least a gun show where she put her hands on anything that interestes her.

 

[1911Tuner]

Contortionist

Norton said:

For her it's not necessarily the shooting part that bothers her with the larger guns, it's the other controls like the slide release (especially) and the mag release. She shoots my USP and her 1911 no problem, but has to become a contortionist to get all of the other controls.

Howdy Norton,

May I make a suggestion? If she's right-handed, have her try working the controls...mag release...slidestop release...with her left hand. It's already in position to do the drills and it's faster and less fumble-prone to boot. The
mag release button is pressed just as she moves her hand to reload, and encourages wiping the magazine free from the grip frame. The slidestop is
released just as her hand slaps the magazine into place and starts to re-grip the pistol. Works right good after a little familiarization and practice.

 

[denfoote]

How about the Kahr MK9????
Single stack with a very thin, small grip!!

 

[TK73]

What about a...

...FN Browing Hi-Power P35 in 9 mm? Most men and women blessed with small hand have no problem grasping this classic double-stack pistol. Besides, it's a proven full-size pistol. That's a big plus when it comes to practical accuracy and performance.

 

[only1asterisk]

I also like new shooters to get handguns that allow a full or near full grip. I like the Kahr series, but would choose the K9 or T9 over the MK9. Try also the SIG 225 and single stack 9mm S&W's. I like Tuner's suggestion of the Beretta Model 85 (although only a 380). If willing to step down in power, the Mak is another option.

The baby Glocks offer nothing to the small-handed novice that the 17, 19, 22 or 23 wouldn't do better. The grip circumference and controls are the same, the short barrels and grips are drawbacks to learning.


David

 

[Norton]

Howdy Norton,

May I make a suggestion? If she's right-handed, have her try working the controls...mag release...slidestop release...with her left hand. It's already in position to do the drills and it's faster and less fumble-prone to boot. The
mag release button is pressed just as she moves her hand to reload, and encourages wiping the magazine free from the grip frame. The slidestop is
released just as her hand slaps the magazine into place and starts to re-grip the pistol. Works right good after a little familiarization and practice.

Good points....we're going to the range on Saturday for a while and I'll make her work some of those drill while we're there. It's funny,since we use revolver for HD and she's pretty much only interested in target shooting (she's good too!) she doesn't worry too much about the speed of reload, etc with the semi-autos. I keep telling her that she needs to be proficient with ALL of our guns, especially if she's going out on her own.

She's still growing into this whole thing....but at least she's working at it

 

[Brian Williams]

BHP or a S&W mod 39, or 3913.

Try a Ruger SP-101

 

[HankB]

Since you're looking for a pistol for a small girl, be aware that Glocks have a reputation for being prone to malfunctions if not held firmly. My G17, which is 100% reliable in my hands, will sometimes burp when I have a woman fire it. (I haven't seen this with my G26, which runs fine even with a two finger grip.)

The Browning HP is a good pistol for a person with small hands, especially if you install Spegel grips. Mine seems immune to "limp wrist" syndrome.

I suggest you take her to a large gun shop so she can "try on" various guns. Stick to major brands, have her do the "pointability test" and then let her choose the one she likes.

 

[spacemanspiff]

a steyr m9 or a walther p99 has better ergonomics than a block, for those of us with short fingers, at least imho.

kahr is another good choice.

 

[incursion]

Kahr K9

 

[nero45acp]

I have small hands and found these fit best:

Browning/FN Hi-Power

1911 with short trigger, flat MSH, and Navidrex thin micarta grips

SIG P225

Steyr M9

Beretta Vertec 92 FS

Colt "D" frame revolvers

nero

 

[Graystar]

Another possibility is the Glock 36. The grip is slimmer than other glock grips.

 

[spacemanspiff]

yes, the g36 is *slimmer*, but it still has the length. for me, i dont mind thick grips as long as my fingers can still comfortably wrap around the frontstrap of the grips. a para double stack is comfortable for me to shoot, but any glock just feels like a desert eagle in my hands.

 

[Trisha]

phantom;

There are some great suggestions so far - I would add the HK USPc in 9mm or .40 caliber as both were chosen by girlfriends who likely matched your gal's specs; and both women found the 1911 GM quite comfortable as well.

If it is for the possibility of eventual use as a CCW firearm I would be remiss not to recommend the S&W Bodyguard (great purse gun, wonderful in a KL Null inverted shoulder rig, slips in and out of a pocket and has a lovely trigger).

A fully engraved German Walther PPK/S would make a nice Christmas gift too, regardless! The perfect accessory. . .

 

[tomkatz]

The two guns my wife shoots best after alot of trial and error.....
sig 239
kahr k and p series guns, and the pm and mk are fine if she has a fingerrest on the mag, she doesn't like short grips with the pinky hanging.........tom

 

[Black Snowman]

Formal training is always a good idea. Range rentals are your friends. Have her try some CZs. Their eros really work for a lot of people and they're a great value. Hit the Rallying Point forum and try to get a collection of THR shooters to bring their guns for her to try.

Most of all, make her choose the gun. Don't get suckered into her saying "it was your idea." and blaming anything about the gun on you

 

[MrTuffPaws]

Steyr M9 has a really small grip. Too small for my hands. I would give it a try.

You also might want to look XD9 or XD9SC. They have a nice thin grip and good ergonomics.

One other thing you might want to consider is if she can rack the slide. It can be a big problem for some women, ala my wife. The XD has a two stage recoil rod, so it is a bit easier to rack. My wife could not rack a glock 17, but she could rack my XD9 with some effort.

 

[Litlman]

S&W "Lady Smith" , 3913 9mm. Good Luck...

 

[Mad Man]

I'm in the same boat...I'm 6'7" with bear paws for hands and my wife is 5'4". For her it's not necessarily the shooting part that bothers her with the larger guns, it's the other controls like the slide release (especially) and the mag release. She shoots my USP and her 1911 no problem, but has to become a contortionist to get all of the other controls.

The Springfield XD, Walther P-99, and HK USP series all have ambidexterous magazine releases. I'm sure that list is not complete; and all of those guns come in compact versions.

Some European guns have the magazine release at the base of the grip, rather than behind the trigger: Walther P-5, HK P7 PSP (an earlier version of the P7 M8), and the older Sig P-220 9mm (often imported as the Browning BDA). While many American shooters do not like that setup for whatever reason, it makes a lot of sense for someone who cannot reach the magazine release button.

Having recently helped a female co-worker -- who had the exact same problem -- shop for handguns, I really wish the American handgun market would stop obsessing over the 1911-centric male shooter, and realize that they are alienating a large potential market (and RKBA activists).

The CZ-85 has an ambidexterous safety and slide release lever (but not an abmi mag release button).

However, if one pulls back the slide and lets go after loading a new magazine, the slide release lever really shouldn't be an issue. That is simply a matter of training (or changing habits) rather than equipment.

 

[Dave Sample]

I like the small Taurus revolvers for this kind of social work. They are easy to use , failrly safe from AD's, and with a 38 Special +P round, would be very controllable by a petite lady. The also fit in a purse with ease and are capable of doing the job at hand. Training would be an all important factor and we need to add in the cost of ammo. A good choice for many girls I have known. Brass is plentiful and so are bullets if her pal re-loads.