Break out the rulers!

[Jim Watson]

One thing about the EMP is that we can get a shorter trigger (the EMP comes with quite a long trigger)

Don't bet on that, unless SA offers it. The EMP has a shorter -front to back- magazine well for 9mm and it sure looks to me like the stirrup length would be shorter than for a real 1911. I fear a short trigger for EMP would have to be made or modified from stock.

Somebody who has one, please confirm or correct.

 

[miko]

I have a small hand for my size and my wife's hand is smaller than mine, so we had to go through quite a few guns when selecting. Reaching the trigger was most important, after that, reaching any othe controls with the thumb.

Here are my sugestions for you:

3" S&W stainless J-frame (M60) with Hogue Bantam (strapless, very compact) rubber grip. Usually such M60 comes with a great but bulkier grip with closed backstrap.
Stainless because strapless Bantam is not practical on lightweight models - just too painfull.

S&W K or L frame with Hogue Bantam grip.

Kahr 9mm or .40. Better all steel rather than plastic.

H&K USP Compact or P2000 or P2000 SK.

I ended up with all the above revolvers (J, K & L) and P2000 DA/SA.
Besides the reachable trigger, the mag and slide release can be conveniently operated with the trigger finger if the thumb is not long enough and the decocker is on the back next to the hammer (in models that have hammer and decocker).

miko

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Wife also has small hands

My girl has small hands, too.

She picked the Taurus PT111.

Local shoppe recently got a couple of unfired Seecamps (.32) in.



also



Way too small for my (small-medium) hands.

 

[-terry]

One firearm I've not seen mentioned yet is a Walther P99c. It comes with three grip back plates so you can (to a certain extent) size the grip. About 6 inches when in SA mode. They are 9mm and very nice guns.
-terry

 

[Car Knocker]

Saw this comment on MadOgre.com today:

This Wilson Combat ADP. Man, I have to hand it to Wilson... they transformed the old Stealth into a pistol that is actually worth having. It's smooth and it hits. I've been packing it around... it carries like I left it at home. The gas system allows the slide to be pulled back easily and smoothly. Smooth because there is no mechanical hitch from a barrel disengagement and light because the gas system doesn't need a heavy recoil spring like a straight up blow-back action. This gun is good for those looking for a decent CCW option that is small... for women who can't jack the slide on a regular auto... for those with small hands... for those who like Wilson Combat... or for those who just like cool guns. Because the ADP is a very cool little gun. If you are a petite woman with small hands who likes cool guns and wants a full power 9MM with decent mag capacity – the ADP is your next gun. Being a full sized male, the ADP feels like a toy in my hands. But man... it shoots! I love this pistol. I shot it again today...

 

[tinygnat219]

Some suggestions:

Taurus Millenium Pro 140 in both 9MM and .40 S&W

Beretta 84 Cheetah in .380.

Sig P232 in .380.

CZ-83 in 9MM Makarov

Just off the top of my head. Sounds like the slightly larger mouse guns would be perfect.

TJ

 

[Jim Watson]

You guys need to read the older posts. The Lady apparently cannot comfortably reach ANY make or model of DA trigger.

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Dan Wesson revolvers allow greater customization of the grip. The grip has no backstrap so you can sculpt them to whatever size you want. CZ makes them new in some ridiculous SuperMag, but for a useful caliber, I think you'd have to buy a used one.
http://www.notpurfect.com/main/dwrev.htm

 

[Sport45]

How much finger is she trying to get on the trigger? Can you post a picture of one of handguns in her grip?

Maybe a picture like this one that Jackal posted.

 

[the naked prophet]

Sport45, if you imagine the backstrap of the gun pressed firmly into the web of her hand (between the thumb and forefinger - a good firing grip), the very tip of her trigger finger reaches only the side of the trigger on her P32 (which has been sold).

Where the red thing would be her finger. The ideal fit for a gun that we are comparing to is from http://www.corneredcat.com/FirstGun/TryOnGun.htm

In order to easily pull the trigger, you should be able to place the backstrap of the gun in the web of your hand, and comfortably put the first knuckle of your trigger finger on the trigger. To actually pull the trigger, you use the pad on your trigger finger, but you need a little extra room.

If the P32 had a single action trigger, she could reach it and fire it just fine. If you'll notice the Seecamp .32 and the Rohrbaugh R9 both have tiny little grips that everybody sees and suggests, but nobody seems to notice that the trigger is a million miles away, and is designed for the average male hand.

 

[peacemaker45]

Springfield

I recall picking up a cut down springfield 1911, recently. I'm sorry, as I don't recall the model name/number, but it was a shock to my hand, as the trigger and backstrap were much closer together than any other 1911 style gun I'd ever picked up. Turned out that it was built around the .45 GAP, rather than .45 ACP. the round is shorter, therefore the front to back size on the grip was smaller. also, 1911 style, so it's SA.

Also, there are a lot of SA revolvers out there nowadays with itty bitty grip frames on them. Ruger's Single Six, in .32 H&R Mag, and a host of smaller model Ubertis. Don't discount the .32 H&R, it's a pretty potent little round, unlike the .32 ACP, and others. Only downside to the SA revolver is that they are slower to reload. not necessarily slower to shoot, though. With proper technique, numerous cowboy shooters can get off ten rounds, out of two pistols, in the four second range.

Hope that helped.

~~~Mat

PS: I don't have a ruler handy, but a side by side comparison has revealed three things.

1: Your wife has very small hands (I realize that this is obvious to you, but, being a visual person, just became obvious to me). My trigger finger, when fully extended, is long enough to reach the muzzle of my P32. This places the trigger at about second knuckle, (from the fingertip.)

2: For a Single Action Revolver comparison, I picked up one of my match guns, and found the reach to the trigger to be nearly 3/4" shorter, using my normal grip. That should buy her enough room to get on the trigger. Also, bear in mind, this is a full sized Peacemaker clone, with fairly fat grips. It is available in calibers ranging from .22 LR all the way up to .45 Colt. Ruger's New Vaquero has similar size grip frame, with slimmer grips than mine have. It would also allow the gun to be carried fully loaded. If that's not small enough, you can still look at the small framed SA's.

3: You might try going to a SASS match. Take her along, and you'll have cowboys tripping over themselves finding guns for her to try, and showing her how to shoot them.

4: I'll never, ever complain about having small hands again.

 

[wildburp]

Chief's Special

I've an S&W model 36 .38 special that measures 6.5 inches with oversized rubber Pachmyr (spelling?) grips. Unfortunately, the original walnut grips for the little 5 shot round butt snub nosed revolver have submerged :banghead: in my nest somewhere some 30 years ago, but I'm fairly certain it would measure less than 6 inches.

I have not read the entire thread, so I apologize if this info is redundant. Good luck with your quest.

wb

 

[Blue .45]

I have no personal experience with AMT products, but the trigger on this "backup" looks like it has a short trigger reach.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976735855.htm

 

[great2bme]

I'm confused. The range in size of the guns suggested varies from a P-32 to a full frame 1911, and operationally from DA to SA only. I've owned many of them and aside from the P32 toy, the gun that will likely fit her right out of the box is a Colt Mustang .380. It's SA, short pull. Try it, she'll like it.

 

[migoi]

If she already likes..

the Glock 27, you might check into a grip reduction by Robar. http://www.robarguns.com/

migoi

 

[Darth Muffin]

I have a friend who's wife has the same problem. It's not so much small hands as it is short fingers--not much pull length.

She ended up getting an HK P2000SK in .40 with the LEM trigger. The first DA shot on the V3 trigger (she tried mine) was too stiff for her to comfortably work at maximum finger extension without moving her grip. The different backstraps that come with the gun help. A S&W M&P .40 also sort of worked for her. She heard that Sig will do a trigger modification which places the trigger farther back, but she didn't want to mess with returning a gun to the factory.