An HD/SD Pistol for a Small Handed Woman...?

[Garandimal]

A pistol for a small stretchered, reasonably strong, small handed woman.

With some shooting experience.

...who likes the sound of < $600 pistol, and would consider used.

Mainly for the home, but may travel when necessary.

In .357 Mag., most likely initially loaded w/ .38 SPL +P ammo.

A. Ruger SP-101 4.2" (29.5 oz.)
B. Ruger LCRx 3" (21.3 oz.)
C. Other

Have shot the SP-101 extensively and would consider it ideal.
Have zero experience or comparative info on the LCRx, save the positive reviews.

TIA.




GR

 

[sabbfan]

If not concealing it I’d suggest the GP100, it’s additional mass over the LCR and SP101 makes it more pleasant to shoot, especially with magnums. I have pretty small hands myself and have no issues with the GP100. Plus you can get one with a 7 round capacity, nice to have in a home defense revolver. Worth looking at 686’s as well but they usually cost a bit more on the used market.

 

[Garandimal]

If not concealing it I’d suggest the GP100, it’s additional mass over the LCR and SP101 makes it more pleasant to shoot, especially with magnums. I have pretty small hands myself and have no issues with the GP100. Plus you can get one with a 7 round capacity, nice to have in a home defense revolver. Worth looking at 686’s as well but they usually cost a bit more on the used market.

This woman is a trained predator.

...with Tiny hands.

At 40 oz. empty, the GP-100 is too big/heavy/expensive.

Thanks.




GR

 

[SteadyD]

My wife likes the LCR in 327, loaded with 32 H&R Magnum, and I do as well. One extra round, low recoil makes for fast follow up shots, and appears to perform well in the limited gel tests available when using the Hornady FTX. The downside is scarcity of ammo and limited selection. Best of luck in your search.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I would go with the Ruger SP101 in 3" if going to be carried

 

[Garandimal]

My wife likes the LCR in 327, loaded with 32 H&R Magnum, and I do as well. One extra round, low recoil makes for fast follow up shots, and appears to perform well in the limited gel tests available when using the Hornady FTX. The downside is scarcity of ammo and limited selection. Best of luck in your search.

Good suggestion.

Will consider it, and see if she is amenable to shock-piling ammo.

.32 cal. is gettin' pretty small for an HD round, my way of thinking, although know very little about that particular cartridge.

Thanks.




GR

 

[SteadyD]

Good suggestion.

Will consider it, and see if she is amenable to shock-piling ammo.

.32 cal. is gettin' pretty small for an HD round, my way of thinking, although know very little about that particular cartridge.

Thanks.




GR

In the lucky gunner gel test, the 80 grain Hornady FTX penetrated 14.1 inches and expanded to .40 inches. I’m not sure if that info is helpful, but it made me feel better about it as a useful round.

 

[Garandimal]

I would go with the Ruger SP101 in 3" if going to be carried

Would be a consideration.

Think the Rental Range has one, so she can shoot it.

It would be a contingency carry, though, not EDC.

The extra Bbl length of the 4.2" is appreciated for general shooting and HD, and still fits into the concealed carry envelope.

Don't know how the LCRx .357 3" shoots w/ .38 SPL +P loads.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

In the lucky gunner gel test, the 80 grain Hornady FTX penetrated 14.1 inches and expanded to .40 inches. I’m not sure if that info is helpful, but it made me feel better about it as a useful round.

Good penetration - but the .38 would have over twice the expanded area, albeit probably less penetration.

Then again - low recoil leads to good shot placement, and when combined with good penetration, will do the work nicely.

Will see how she handles the recoil of the .38's.

Thanks.




GR

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Would be a consideration.

Think the Rental Range has one, so she can shoot it.

It would be a contingency carry, though, not EDC.

The extra Bbl length of the 4.2" is appreciated for general shooting and HD, and still fits into the concealed carry envelope.

Don't know how the LCRx .357 3" shoots w/ .38 SPL +P loads.

Thanks.




GR

Then i would run with the 4" I own the 3" Sp101 But want the 4" just for a range gun that I could carry if need be I would take a look at a Glock 48 about the same size but with a 15 rounds of 9mm not a bad thing and they can shoot

 

[Garandimal]

Then i would run with the 4" I own the 3" Sp101 But want the 4" just for a range gun that I could carry if need be I would take a look at a Glock 48 about the same size but with a 15 rounds of 9mm not a bad thing and they can shoot

Range buddy has the 4.2", and like it, though on the stout side w/ magnums.

The G48 was my first thought - but they are hard to come by, and the added complexity in operation and training makes a DA revolver attractive.

Glock point-and-shoot reliability, w/o the mag, slide, and immediate action drills.

This woman will be drillin' hearts and snot-lockers, so capacity > 5 is not really an issue.

Thanks.




GR

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Best thing you can do is Let her shoot the Gun's She likes When my Daughter asked me for a gun I let her try out a few of mine one was a Ruger SP101 she did not like it and just did not shoot it well at all but she did shoot my XDm 3.8 vary well so i gave her that one
were my other Daughter picked my 1911

 

[jeepnik]

My wife can shoot any hand gun we own from .22 lr to .45 colt. But here current preference is a Glock 42.

 

[38riverrat]

Give the Kimber K6S a good look.
2 inch or 3 inch. DAO or DA/SA in both lengths.
Best double action trigger I have used.

Best,
Rick

 

[Tallball]

Small grips on a 3" Model 10 or derivative thereof?

My 2" Model 10 is an excellent shooter, and the original grips, which are not that large, can be changed out for something smaller.

The Model 10 has a WAY better trigger than my SP101. (It's a well-worn LE turn-in.)

Smith And Wesson Model 10 Snub

• Tallball
• Apr 20, 2020

 

[Armored farmer]

My wife often refers to my sp101 as 'that one I like'.
It's pretty heavy though.

FWIW, my mrs likes her LCP. She feels confident with it. $250.00 buys one.

 

[tubeshooter]

For what is being asked, I would recommend a 3" SP-101 or a 3" Smith model 60-15 (Pro or traditional). Should come in right around your $600 mark.


I would also take a good hard look at most any Smith K-frame 4" (Model 10, etc.). Not quite as carry friendly, but tried and true. Lots of good pre-owned specimens out there.

 

[danez71]

My closest 1st hand experience is with a 9mm LCRx.

The more relevant experience is 2nd hand.

My mom is mid 70s about 5' 1" with small/slender/petite hands (what ever you want to call them)

She shoots the 327LCR with either 32 long or 32 FM mags... pretty sure it's the FM mags.

I just remembered that after putting on the longer full grip, she likes it even more.... even though her hand didn't hang off the shorter grip.


She likes her new set up much better than old heavy 6 shot Rossi 38 with a 3"+ barrel she gave up.

Having said that, if you don't want the 327 and want to stay with the 357/38 and a longer barrel, I think the LCRx 357 could give similar results with with picking the right 38.

 

[unclenunzie]

357 mag, small stature, trained predator, home defense, travel defense, $600. Lighter and smaller than L frame types.

A K frame or the SP101, used, if you can find in the price range, which should be possible in normal times....

The LCRs shoot nicely - very nice trigger, thought I'd want something heavier for full house magnums (L frame).

 

[Rexster]

Several women have wanted to buy my SP101 revolvers, or were otherwise quite impressed when handling my SP101 revolvers. I have no experience with LCR-series revolvers.

My hands are long, but not wide, and my fingers are slender, so the SP101 is a good fit, in my skinny (adult male) hands. Like many women, I have short pinkies, relatively short ring fingers, and short thumbs. I love the SP101. There is enough real estate, on the grip, for my fingers, including the pinkie. The “heel” of the grip is just long enough to reach the “heel bone” of my hand, when is importaant for maximum stability. I see the SP101 as a true fightin’ revolver, with its main weakness being little clearance for speed-loaders. Larger-framed weapons provide more “work space” when one is reloading, in a hurry. Fortunately, the need for civilians/private citizens to reload, in real-world defensive situations, is unlikely.

I only needed to fire one defensive shot, during 33+ years of big-city policin’, almost all of it being night-shift patrol, so, in retirement, I do not feel “under-gunned“ when carrying a revolver.

 

[748]

My wife has small hands and she made the sig P232 hers. It's kind of Walther ppk knock off. But the sig P232 is kind of a collector's gun now so do get one unless you have 700-800 dollars burning a hole in your pocket.
But there are plenty of ppk clones out there for around half that.

 

[bdickens]

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/so-you-want-to-buy-your-girlfriend-wife-a-gun.564531/

 

[Garandimal]

Best thing you can do is Let her shoot the Gun's She likes When my Daughter asked me for a gun I let her try out a few of mine one was a Ruger SP101 she did not like it and just did not shoot it well at all but she did shoot my XDm 3.8 vary well so i gave her that one
were my other Daughter picked my 1911

We have a rental range date set for this week.

Will also bring a few of mine.

Hopefully she will be able to find a fit.

A 1911 would be awesome... except for the training necessity and safety discipline.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

My wife can shoot any hand gun we own from .22 lr to .45 colt. But here current preference is a Glock 42.

Will add the G42 to the list.

Had missed it.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

Give the Kimber K6S a good look.
2 inch or 3 inch. DAO or DA/SA in both lengths.
Best double action trigger I have used.

Best,
Rick

Good size/weight, and a 6-shot.

Will look into the 3".

Thanks.




GR