Autoloader recommendation for a woman

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FSJeeper

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A co-worker of mine has been taking shooting and self defense classes for a month or so now. She is building up her experience until she feels confident to carry concealed. Her safty manners, gun handling and accuracy are excellent and she out shoots most men in her classes.

This is a tiny petite woman with not a lot of strength. She bought a Kahr 9 based on a recommendation from several people. She can not operate the slide. She has tried my SIGS, a compact ruger .380, a Springfield EMP, S&W and can't operate the slide.

Her instructor recommended a Glock 19 and she rented one last night. She could easily operate the slide and shot well with it, but she does not like it because it is too big for her hands and she wants a pistol in the Kahr 9 size.

Any recommendations for a compact 9mm autoloader that is easy for a woman to operate?

Thanks in advance.
 
She needs to go to a gunstore and try several out, racking their slides until she finds one that she can run w/o a problem and that fits her hand. And then she needs to rent what works for her and go shoot it before making a purchase decision.

Also, she needs to read www.corneredcat.com and not buy what people automatically recommend because "it's small" or whatever. There are several pistols that I cannot operate the slide welll

Print this out and have her read it.
 
At one time Kahr marketed the Lady Elite, although I do not see it on their website today.
Except for cosmetic features, its only real difference was a two pound lighter recoil spring (18 vs 20 lbs) with a caution not to shoot +P ammunition.

Perhaps an 18 lb recoil spring, $7.89 from Wolff, plus the techniques already linked from The Cornered Cat, plus a certain amount of jaw clenched grim determination would save her the cost of a new gun.
http://www.gunsprings.com/SemiAuto/KahrNF.html#K9
 
there have been questions/ advice on how to rack a slide when hand power is minimal. use the search feature. not being snippy, its just too much to type again.
P-9 or P-11 is as popular as bersa 380 amongst the Women-On-Target groups i have instructred at.
there is a lot to choose from--perhaps too much. more time spent learning to use the tool you have may be time better spent than searching for the 'perfect' one.
 
+1
Anyone can rack anything if they use the right technique.

Teach her to hold the slide firmly in her left hand with her wrest & arm in a straight line.
Hold the slide with four fingers on the left and the thumb braced on the right.
Then PUSH the grip forward with her right hand.
Let go of the slide when the full travel is reached with the right hand grip.

See this about that:
http://corneredcat.com/RunGun/rack.aspx

rc
 
rcmodel said:
+1
Anyone can rack anything if they use the right technique.

Teach her to hold the slide firmly in her left hand with her wrest & arm in a straight line.
Hold the slide with four fingers on the left and the thumb braced on the right.
Then PUSH the grip forward with her right hand.
Let go of the slide when the full travel is reached with the right hand grip.

See this about that:
http://corneredcat.com/RunGun/rack.aspx

rc
Click to expand...
Exactly !!
 
She should only have to rack it at home, and then put it in a holster. If she is worried about not being able to rack the slide in a dangerous situation when she thinks she'll need the weapon, that means she's thinking of carrying the weapon without it being chambered and by that she's probably already lost the fight.

You might point this out to her.
 
Again,------------------she CAN learn to operate the slide. Until that time, she needs to keep training! She should also be capable of performing malfunction clearance drills in addition to loading and unloading.
str1
 
rcmodel said:
+1
Anyone can rack anything if they use the right technique.

Teach her to hold the slide firmly in her left hand with her wrest & arm in a straight line.
Hold the slide with four fingers on the left and the thumb braced on the right.
Then PUSH the grip forward with her right hand.
Let go of the slide when the full travel is reached with the right hand grip.

See this about that:
http://corneredcat.com/RunGun/rack.aspx

rc
Click to expand...
I think this is almost a 100% true.

Unfortunately, using this technique, my wife could not operate a brand new CZ P-01 which kept me from buying it.

In fact it was so tight, that I had to resort to the above technique to operate it. It caught me offguard when I failed to slingshot it the first time.

To the OP, bigger pistols, but I have always found Berettas the easiest to rack.
I don't own any, but the M&P's I've checked out always seem easier too. Maybe it is the thicker slides, can get a good grip.
 
I think this is almost a 100% true.

Unfortunately, using this technique, my wife could not operate a brand new CZ P-01 which kept me from buying it.

In fact it was so tight, that I had to resort to the above technique to operate it. It caught me offguard when I failed to slingshot it the first time.

To the OP, bigger pistols, but I have always found Berettas the easiest to rack.
I don't own any, but the M&P's I've checked out always seem easier too. Maybe it is the thicker slides, can get a good grip.
Click to expand...

Look at a CZ. The slide is set down into the frame, leaving only a portion of it to grab, versus other pistol that have the whole slide available to grab. Combine this reduced grip area with a little bit of oil or a slick finish, and a tight gun, and they are hard for anyone to run the slide.
 
Have to agree with her going to a gunshop and trying different guns. That said, my petite wife racks her personal fullsize 1911 :) by keeping both arms out straight with elbows locked, and making the needed motion with both shoulders. She does not have the strength in her elbows to do it with her arms bent.
 
For auto pistols with hammers you can cock the hammer first and then retract the slide to chamber a round.

The 1911 is a very good pistol for people with small hands. The Ruger SR9 is also a slim pistol, and may work well for someone with small hands. Another advantage to those two pistols is that both have manual safeties which may be a benefit for a woman that may carry a pistol in a purse or other off body pouch.
 
Last edited:
You can get her a revolver, I prefer the older Colt agent or cobra and fill the gun with 125 Nyclads non +P or full wadcutters. Second choice is Beretta with pop up barrel in either 32 or 380. No need to rack the slide back just pop the barrel up.
 
Send her to cornered cat's website, and stop trying to pick out firearms for other people. Picking out a gun for someone else doesn't work
 
Thanks for everyones help with this. That Cornered Cat website was just what the doctor ordered.

She loves her Kahr so she ordered the 18lb spring for it and is going to work on her technique.
 
Glad the info was useful. Pax has top-notch information, and I refer a lot of people there. 'What gun for a small female?' has the same answer as What gun for my my brother, dentist, Burt Reynolds, etc... They one that they choose.
 
Don't be so quick

I didn't get the impression that the OP was picking something out for her, just seeking recommendations that he could pass on as items his friend can look into herself.
 
Add HK autos to the list for her to try. My 9mm compact is a big hit with the petite and arthritic when I take them shooting. From their feedback, the large slide surface area makes it a lot easier to keep a grip on with more fingers when manipulating the slide. The technique listed a few times above has helped a lot as well. I know it helps me!
 
I did not pick the Kahr out for her, she did. It was recomended to her, I own one and love it for CC, and after getting the feel of the usual suspects, SHE chose that one. I recommended a SW J frame in 38 cause of its simplicity.
She wanted an autoloader and thats what she bought.

She paid around $700 drive out price for the Kahr, so I hope the lighter spring and training on technique work for her.

Great website and thanks for the info again.
 
Practice, practice, practice. She'll get the hang of it. But if its really, really too much, then switch to a small revolver. Especially if she's concerned about having one in the pipe while the gun is stored at home or whatnot.

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Have her select the gun that's right for her. It will take some time, and some range work, and perhaps some rentals. But whatever you do, don't make the decision for her. It's the No. 1 worst thing that you can do.
 
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