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

[Garandimal]

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

Trying to stay away from < 3" Bbl's.

No reason to go shorter for an HD pistol.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

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.View attachment 934546

Figured the ~ 30 oz. heft of the SP-101 would mitigate recoil, while still being light enough to hold on an intruding target.

LCP is a good, and inexpensive, suggestion.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

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.

A 4" used Smith would work - if the tiny hands thing permits.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

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.

An LCRx vote.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

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).

Assuming .38 SPL +P defensive loads.

Tiny hands, but she may handle recoils OK.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

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 to 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.

Like the SP-101.

This woman's hands are maybe two full segments shorter than mine. (to my 2nd to last knuckle)

Fit will be an issue.

Have no doubt on either fight or capacity.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

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.

Sounds sweet... but the market is budget utility.

Will keep an eye out for an under priced used one.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

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

Thanks - have incorporated most of that.

Trying to narrow the field and minimize the buyer's remorse.

rental range will be a good weeder.

Thanks.




GR

 

[danez71]

An LCRx vote.

Thanks.




GR

I saw where you said above you dont want to go shorter than 3".

I didn't know that when I posted.

The 327 LCRx (and the 9mm LCRx) are both the 1.87"?? barrel as opposed to the 357 LCRx is a 3"

 

[FFGColorado]

Haven't gone thru the whole thread but if she isn't 'married' to 38/357(which can be a handful in a light, small revolver)..look at the Taurus 380 revolver. I had one, great little pistol, has moon clips but cylinder small enough, don't really need them.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Haven't gone thru the whole thread but if she isn't 'married' to 38/357(which can be a handful in a light, small revolver)..look at the Taurus 380 revolver. I had one, great little pistol, has moon clips but cylinder small enough, don't really need them. View attachment 934798

i shot one in 9mm for a Taurus it was kinda nice shot right to point of aim

 

[BreechFace]

Glock 43x or 48, change out the mag catch to an aluminum one and buy some 15 round Shield Arms magazines (if in a state that supports liberty).

They are ideal for CCW or full HD duty and the slimness of the grip combined with 15 rounds of 9mm and Glock reliability there isn't much downsides. The nice thing is if I go to a 10 round anti-liberty state, the 10 round stock mags play that role nicely.

Your point on manual of arms and wondering if a revolver is the correct route is a good place to start in the process of selecting a firearm. If she is ok with a semi-auto and can reliably rack the slide with ease after some training, the G43x or 48 would be the way I would tell a person to go. Get a good holster and get her understanding that the only reason to take it out of the holster is for the following reasons: cleaning, practice, self-defense or if one needs to make safe due to laws or circumstance. Aside from the above mentioned reasons, my CCW G48 stays in it's IWB holster and goes directly into my bedside safe until the morning.

 

[Garandimal]

I saw where you said above you dont want to go shorter than 3".

I didn't know that when I posted.

The 327 LCRx (and the 9mm LCRx) are both the 1.87"?? barrel as opposed to the 357 LCRx is a 3"

Fit and shootability is the primary issue at this point.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

Haven't gone thru the whole thread but if she isn't 'married' to 38/357(which can be a handful in a light, small revolver)..look at the Taurus 380 revolver. I had one, great little pistol, has moon clips but cylinder small enough, don't really need them. View attachment 934798

Nice, but probably too small.

> 3" Bbl., unless otherwise prohibitive.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

Glock 43x or 48, change out the mag catch to an aluminum one and buy some 15 round Shield Arms magazines (if in a state that supports liberty).

They are ideal for CCW or full HD duty and the slimness of the grip combined with 15 rounds of 9mm and Glock reliability there isn't much downsides. The nice thing is if I go to a 10 round anti-liberty state, the 10 round stock mags play that role nicely.

Your point on manual of arms and wondering if a revolver is the correct route is a good place to start in the process of selecting a firearm. If she is ok with a semi-auto and can reliably rack the slide with ease after some training, the G43x or 48 would be the way I would tell a person to go. Get a good holster and get her understanding that the only reason to take it out of the holster is for the following reasons: cleaning, practice, self-defense or if one needs to make safe due to laws or circumstance. Aside from the above mentioned reasons, my CCW G48 stays in it's IWB holster and goes directly into my bedside safe until the morning.

Again - Ideal... but don't think she will be able to get one, and the simplicity of a DA revolver is the first vector.

Thanks.




GR

 

[maxxhavoc]

Well, this is the wife's CCW. And bedside gun (obviously). And Range Gun.


If I hadn't bought a Rossi .22 revolver that handled the same as it, I think it would be the only handgun she ever shoots. She occasionally shoots .357, but not often. Her carry ammo is 38spl +p. I have tried autos, nope. SP101, Nope. ("Too big and heavy") Yes, I know the SP101 and Taurus 605 are not that drastically different in either. It just comes down to the fact that it is her gun and she doesn't need 2.

So it has over 2100 rounds just by the ammo cans she has emptied. Her best group with it at 15 yards was a hair over 2", not a normal group for her, but she put it on Facebook. But she can consistently ring a 10" steel at 25 yards, and get the 6" at least 3 times in a cylinder.

It is less than your 3" barrel unless you can find an old one (apparently they made a 3" at some point?) And if you step up to the 4" 8-round 608, you go from 24oz to 45oz.

 

[Garandimal]

Well, this is the wife's CCW. And bedside gun (obviously). And Range Gun.
View attachment 934953

If I hadn't bought a Rossi .22 revolver that handled the same as it, I think it would be the only handgun she ever shoots. She occasionally shoots .357, but not often. Her carry ammo is 38spl +p. I have tried autos, nope. SP101, Nope. ("Too big and heavy") Yes, I know the SP101 and Taurus 605 are not that drastically different in either. It just comes down to the fact that it is her gun and she doesn't need 2.

So it has over 2100 rounds just by the ammo cans she has emptied. Her best group with it at 15 yards was a hair over 2", not a normal group for her, but she put it on Facebook. But she can consistently ring a 10" steel at 25 yards, and get the 6" at least 3 times in a cylinder.

It is less than your 3" barrel unless you can find an old one (apparently they made a 3" at some point?) And if you step up to the 4" 8-round 608, you go from 24oz to 45oz.

Looks nice.

The weight's right, as is probably the cost, and the Bbl length comes after shootability.

Will add it to the list.

Thanks.




GR

 

[Garandimal]

Just went to the rental range with a my friend in tow.

Ruger LC380.

The only trigger she could reach.

Easy to shoot well and operate, except for gettin' that last round or two into the mag w/o practice.

Have researched them, and they are economy priced, smooth DAO trigger, and hammer reliable.

With proper ammo, like Speer 90 gr. GD, should be a fine choice for an SD pistol.


Thanks for the help - these things go where they go sometimes.




GR