Best CCW pistol for newbie female

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You find that a J-frame works reasonably well for everyone? Really?

How do you define "reasonably well?" And would you honestly say that the average performance with a G19 and a J-frame are equivalently "reasonably well?"

I've not seen anything close to those results.
 
My daughter and ex both started with revolvers, my daughter has a M60 that she shoots 38's in and the ex had a M66 but she wanted lighter and smaller so I traded her a Titanium Taurus 85.
They both had dozens of handguns to choose from and liked the simplicity of the revolvers and at the time I was ok with it as well. To do it over again I would have softly steered them toward a 9mm like the G19 and in fact that is what the daughter wants now.
They must learn how to operate the slide with confidence and for some the extra effort is not worth it. I'm no longer a fan of the limited capacity of revolvers so that now does have a bearing on what my suggestions are.
 
My wife recently expressed interest in getting a weapon for self-defense. I am thinking a revolver to simplify things. The problem is she is a radical leftie- I mean, she can barely do anything with her right hand. Is there such a thing as a left handed revolver? Or even an ambidextrous one? Is there a small frame top break made? She would most likely have difficulty grasping a slide strongly enough to pull it back on a semi-automatic pistol, that was why I thought a revolver would be good for her.
 
Most of my students don't choose revolvers at all. Only a few want to. Of these, some start with a LCR or a 642 Airweight, and find the recoil too stiff. I have had one choose a K-frame and shoot .38s through it, but it was because someone in their family had one available. If there were more 4" Pythons available, I suppose I would steer them that way, but there aren't. I had one start with a J-frame and find they like and shoot a Ruger better.

But everyone has to start somewhere. J-frames are plentiful and reliable. My experience reflects decades of history, that a rookie with a few boxes of ammo and some simple good instruction can shoot a j-frame reasonably well. Doesn't mean they have to keep it. Doesn't mean they aren't allowed to trade up. But it works.

What is your experience?
 
Only that small revolvers tend to be difficult for experienced shooters to shoot accurately (sight radius, and tough triggers most prominently affect this), and the recoil varies from sharper than they find comfortable up to very painful.

(I had a 30-something pal insist he couldn't go on shooting an SP101 because it hurt his hands...that one I thought pretty anomalous, though.)

I know a lot of folks with J-frames. I don't know ONE of them who practices with them regularly, and I consider regular practice to be crucial to being at all proficient with a handgun.

If it is all a person can get or already has access to, I can understand making the effort to work with that. But I can't see steering them in that direction if they're choosing a gun! The sheer amount of effort it will take them to overcome their discomfort and to learn to shoot it accurately must surely be double that required to become competent with more appropriate weapons.
 
A snubnose revolver makes sense in that she doesn't need to worry about clearing jams (if it's a decent quality weapon).

If a local range rents guns, though, I'd seriously have her try out a SR9c Ruger pistol. It's modestly priced and very controllable. And if you want to spend even less for a concealable 9mm, I'm hearing good things about the new Taurus PT 111's...if you stay with the 2nd generation model (G2).

Good luck.
 
I made the stupid decision to buy a Ruger LCR with a CT grip...thinking it would be perfect for my wife. All I had to do was zero in the laser and we were going to be all set. WRONG!! That little revolver with a service load in it sucks to shoot in any practice situation. I shoot a ton....but my hands are bigger and that little lightweight gun with tiny CT grips is not very pleasant to shoot for long periods of time. She prefers my M&P "C" 9mm. Very comfortable, recoil doesnt seem to bother her..therefore I don't have to worry about her jammimg the gun by limp wristing it. I DO worry about her having to rack the slide. We have practiced in several different ways and methods, but she has not got me convinced that she has got it down. I believe that a nice S&W 442 in carbon steel might be the best option.
 
Sam1911 said:
You find that a J-frame works reasonably well for everyone? Really?

How do you define "reasonably well?" And would you honestly say that the average performance with a G19 and a J-frame are equivalently "reasonably well?"

I've not seen anything close to those results.
Click to expand...
I've always liked shooting my j frame Smith model 37 Chief's airweight Special....until I shot it immediately after shooting the old Rossi snubnose model 68 I recently acquired. Ow!! A whole lot of snappy compared to the Rossi, which had almost no recoil (using the same ammo).

The Rossi is bigger, heavier and harder to conceal, but still very concealable. I think I always thought the 37 was relatively easy to shoot because I was expecting something worse (it has the old small wood grips, no less). But when I was expecting something better, it was a rather unpleasant shock. :)

If the OP can find an old Rossi 68 or 88, that would be another good option.
 
I was actually pretty annoyed when my mother wanted to learn to shoot, and I took her to the local rental range, and all they had for revolvers was an LCR. I showed her how I can crank through five shots fast and easy, but it beat her up too much. Several years ago she broke her left wrist and it didn't heal well, she can't rack most slides.
 
The practicality of purse carry or concealability of larger revolvers on petite women and their dress makes some difference as well. A K frame with proper grips would be much better at the range or nightstand but to get them to carry it it needs to be a balance of weight, and size.
If I had my choice I'd put a G19 or 26 on the belt of all the women that I have helped arm but I would also want them to dedicate the time and effort to be proficient as well. The revolver is as simple and safe as it gets with a loaded gun. The sad fact is that many gun owners will never become close to being proficient with their defensive guns.
 
Ruger 22 magnum LCR, light enough to not be combersome, double action only, comfy grip, nice trigger, not much recoil if any, fun to shoot and practice with. Snub nose, 6 shot.
 
Too small is a frequent mistake for a novice female shooter.
-A 2-finger grip gun is harder to shoot accurately and better for advanced shooters.
-A lighter gun will recoil more for the same load
-A smaller gun has less sight radius and often less "pointability".
-Women's bodies/clothes offer much better concealment than men's bodies/clothes. If you don't believe me you should watch some of the gals on YouTube!

Mike
 
The problem with buying another person a gun is that often what they get is what WE think they want, as opposed to what THEY want.

That said, take the lady out shooting and let her try a variety of handguns for herself. Getting her involved will not only result in her getting a handgun SHE likes, it'll also result in appreciation over the consideration for her input which you took in the process.
 
After 3 whole pages of this I can't believe how many posts are putting women down like they are dumber than a stump. Statements like a revolver is easy to use so they don't have to worry about racking the slide or clearing a jam. Well, don't guys have to rack the slide and clear jams? How long did it take to learn to clear a jam and why do you think women are to stupid to learn that?

The reason why women are not good at shooting is they didn't go shooting a lot when they were kids as many guys did. I find they catch very quickly and then shoot just as well or better than many men. I also read somewhere up to half the women on the planet are cross-eyed dominant. That would also give the impression of not being able to shoot accurately.

I'm not aiming this at anyone so if you are offended by what I said, tough...
 
When I first met my wife she had one handgun . It was a P 90 Ruger. Not exactly a carry piece if you plan on conceal it.
Due to some strange conditions at the time she needed to carry 100% of the time.
I lent her my 640 and a R9 Bianchi holster.
It worked out just fine.
Now I can[t keep track of what she has but do know what she likes and caries. Either a 642 with laser grip or the LCP. The 1911's are available one is a Kimber Ultra Carry II, The SP 101 is a house gun but was not planned as such,
For some reason most times it is pocket or purse carry.
I am partial to my J frames also and I would say that is the way I go unless heading for the city. Then a 686 or 66 with a J BUG is the plan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B68ILSzggTc&list=FL4GrU9_tMbXOqb9sORd5mjQ&index=1

I hope this video is more helpful than my old school opinion.
 
Nobody is putting women down, the thread is about women so the conversation is not about men and why they don't want to carry/own beyond a revolver.
There are many threads discussing that topic for men.
If you want to see some parity it's out there.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
After 3 whole pages of this I can't believe how many posts are putting women down like they are dumber than a stump.
Click to expand...
Really???

I'm looking info on a carry piece for my wife-to-be. Mid 50's, small frame and an absolute newbie to firearms.
Click to expand...

My first carry gun was a revolver. When I got a lot more experience and training I switched to automatics.

Mike
 
but if she doesn't mind a little extra weight go heavier.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. The idea that small hands need small firearms is common, but leads to some unfortunate choices. Women, with purses, can actually tote more iron than most men. And it's almost always better for beginners to start with large steel frame handguns. They have a longer sight radius and recoil less. Difficulty racking the slide, if a semi is chosen, is usually a matter of technique not a lack of muscle strength.
 
In all my CCH classes, I provide a variety of guns for the new shooters to try during the range portion. These range from my .22LR to .40S&W. Since most of my students live in my community, I ask them later what gun they had bought. Now, mind you, this is from my sample size so don't take this as a universal truism.

100% of the women in my class have chosen to carry a revolver. However, not all of the women were happy with that choice. Why? The loaner revolver my students use in class is a S&W Model 10. It's not overly heavy, but it's sufficient to absorb the recoil for 38 loads (including +P). The women loved this gun in class and could shoot the snot out of it, but when they went shopping for their own, they bought tiny, lightweight models that they ended up disliking, so much so that several students eventually sold theirs and bought something else.

The advice I give women students (besides try, try, try before you buy) is to NOT get a gun that is too small or too light, especially if they're not going to be practicing at the range frequently (although I stress in class that they should shoot as often as possible to build competency and comfort).
 
I got distracted by the title of this thread, and answered it incorrectly. The correct answer is "the largest gun that she can shoot comfortably and still conceal" - same as for a man.

After all, why carry? In case you need it. If she's going to carry responsibly and effectively, she will need to train and practice with her gun. If a gun is too small (in any dimension) or too light weight, it is less comfortable to shoot. If it is too uncomfortable, it won't get shot much or well. A larger grip reduces felt recoil, spreading it over a larger area. It also is a real help and comfort to those with a touch of arthritis - common in 50-something females in my family.

My wife started shooting handguns a year ago, but missed much of that due to shoulder surgery. When she first started, she shot a .38 Airweight snubbie pretty well, a .22lr snubbie pretty well, a 5" 686+SSR very well, and a full-size Colt stainless 1911 extremely well. My 22/45 was not a favorite for her - didn't balance well for her. She shot a .22LR converted G17 well, though.

We (well, mostly me) decided she should have her own, and she chose a nice, slim LC9 after holding someone else's at the LGS. Took a while to get one, and when we did she was excited - until she shot it. Three rounds and she was done. It punished her hands. Tried a grip sleeve, still not good. Rented a bunch of 9mms, and while she shot the G19 marginally better than the M&P9c, the M&P was much more comfortable for her. She's very happy with her 9c, and the new owner of the LC9 is happy, too.

The 9c is about as big as she can handle well. With Gold Dots, it is as much recoil as she wants, where the .40 is too much. The weight is just right, where the all-steel guns are too heavy for her. She prefers the balance of the 9c over the 9 full size - she shot both, and the choice was clear. She has learned to hold it close and push the grip to cycle the slide, and does that well now. She enjoys shooting her gun, and she shoots it well.

I have half a dozen 9mms that I shoot better than the 9c - and that doesn't matter. What matters is what she shoots well and is comfortable with - so she shoots often. Every time she shoots, she improves. She has gotten to the point that she corrects her own form, and I hear her mumble "It's all about the trigger" every once in a while - and she improves. Next it will be "slow is smooth, smooth is fast"....
 
I just scanned the thread, but don't think anybody has linked to this yet:


http://www.shootingillustrated.com/index.php/29117/the-right-gun-for-a-woman-according-to-women/


This kind of backs up my own experience. The wife (20+ years ago when she was the "wife to be") didn't care for revolvers. She liked traditional DA/SA guns much better. I thought that was mainly because I loaded her mags and she just shot. She never had any trouble w/ jams and really didn't respond to my gentle persuasion towards the revolver. She also much preferred a third generation S&W 9mm to a smaller .32 (Beretta Tomcat, which was a piece of junk anyway).
 
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