So I had my 54 year old wife at the gun range today. Even though she did not grow up around guns, she has her concealed carry license, and is not "afraid" of guns. She loves shooting her .22 pistols and can work them safely and efficiently. The same is true with rifles. However her concealed carry gun is a Ruger LCP in .380. She has long fingernails and not a lot of grip strength. Even though she can accurately hit targets with just about any gun I give her, she has problem manipulating the mechanicals. And before you start saying "training and practice" I think there is more to it than that.
The Ruger LCP is the only gun that she can conceal with her woman's clothing, which is generally much more form fitted than our men's clothes. Also, men get to wear nice thick, wide leather belts which are perfect for holding a holster. Have you men looked at the belts that come with most women's pants? They can barely support a clip on pen! Alternative carry methods from a good waist holster (purse carry, ankle carry, etc.) seem about as useful as fire extinguisher kept at your neighbor's house. That is, not readily accessible in a moment of crisis.
I've had her try the new Glock .380, J frame 2" .38 spl revolvers, etc. She can't conceal the J frames, and the semi-autos that I can work easily, she cannot effectively work, and comes away frustrated. For example, she got her fingers pinched twice today racking slides on micro semi-autos. With her long fingernails, the overhand grip doesn't work, and with her weak hand strength, she has to put too much of her hand on the grip (too far forward and gets pinched) because she can't cycle the slides with just her thumb and side of her index finger.
At this point the only guns I can think to try next are the little .22, .25, and .32 tilt up barrel, semi-autos. They might be small enough for her to conceal, yet, she would not have to rack the slide, to chamber the first round. Not ideal self defense rounds, but better than a gun at home because it can't be concealed, or manipulated.
Does anybody (particularly women in the same situation) have any other suggestions?
Additional Information:
Based on the first replies, it looks like I did not give enough info. ha ha.
I am a Firearms Dealer and my wife works in the store. We sell lots of holsters and we are familiar with the Flash Bang, holster shirts, belly bands, pistol purses, etc. Accessing the gun in a life and death situation takes way too long.
We are familiar with The Cornered Cat and sell the book. My wife is a trained and competent shooter, and yes we have been through all of the modified ways to rack a slide. Suggestions for 4" revolvers are not going to work. Remember she can't even conceal a 2" J frame (5 shot .38spl) or Ruger LCR, because they cylinder and grip really show through her clothes. Much as I have tried to convince her, she refuses to wear potato bag clothing! This is also why she doesn't conceal carry her .22's that she has no problem working: it is hard to conceal a Browning Buck Mark, or Ruger Mark II with 5.5" barrels!
Yes I can, and have been, sending her off with a Ruger LCP .380 with a round already chambered. But this does not let her gain proficiency or confidence with the gun. That is kind of like doing everything for a driver (starting the car, putting it in gear, and running the petals) and only letting the other person steer. This is not good, if I'm not around to assist.
The problem is more one of physical limitations (I forgot the carpal tunnel) not letting her work common Micro guns, AND yet these micro guns are the only guns she can conceal, using a sticky holster, pocket holster, or inside the pants holster.
So I guess I'm looking for suggestions for other guns to try, that are micro in size, yet easy to work... FROM A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE, or from somebody with physical limitations like arthritis of the hands.
Are there any women out there?
Thanks again for ALL suggestions. Even professionals can't know everything, so some of you are going to hit on ideas I have not considered.
The Ruger LCP is the only gun that she can conceal with her woman's clothing, which is generally much more form fitted than our men's clothes. Also, men get to wear nice thick, wide leather belts which are perfect for holding a holster. Have you men looked at the belts that come with most women's pants? They can barely support a clip on pen! Alternative carry methods from a good waist holster (purse carry, ankle carry, etc.) seem about as useful as fire extinguisher kept at your neighbor's house. That is, not readily accessible in a moment of crisis.
I've had her try the new Glock .380, J frame 2" .38 spl revolvers, etc. She can't conceal the J frames, and the semi-autos that I can work easily, she cannot effectively work, and comes away frustrated. For example, she got her fingers pinched twice today racking slides on micro semi-autos. With her long fingernails, the overhand grip doesn't work, and with her weak hand strength, she has to put too much of her hand on the grip (too far forward and gets pinched) because she can't cycle the slides with just her thumb and side of her index finger.
At this point the only guns I can think to try next are the little .22, .25, and .32 tilt up barrel, semi-autos. They might be small enough for her to conceal, yet, she would not have to rack the slide, to chamber the first round. Not ideal self defense rounds, but better than a gun at home because it can't be concealed, or manipulated.
Does anybody (particularly women in the same situation) have any other suggestions?
Additional Information:
Based on the first replies, it looks like I did not give enough info. ha ha.
I am a Firearms Dealer and my wife works in the store. We sell lots of holsters and we are familiar with the Flash Bang, holster shirts, belly bands, pistol purses, etc. Accessing the gun in a life and death situation takes way too long.
We are familiar with The Cornered Cat and sell the book. My wife is a trained and competent shooter, and yes we have been through all of the modified ways to rack a slide. Suggestions for 4" revolvers are not going to work. Remember she can't even conceal a 2" J frame (5 shot .38spl) or Ruger LCR, because they cylinder and grip really show through her clothes. Much as I have tried to convince her, she refuses to wear potato bag clothing! This is also why she doesn't conceal carry her .22's that she has no problem working: it is hard to conceal a Browning Buck Mark, or Ruger Mark II with 5.5" barrels!
Yes I can, and have been, sending her off with a Ruger LCP .380 with a round already chambered. But this does not let her gain proficiency or confidence with the gun. That is kind of like doing everything for a driver (starting the car, putting it in gear, and running the petals) and only letting the other person steer. This is not good, if I'm not around to assist.
The problem is more one of physical limitations (I forgot the carpal tunnel) not letting her work common Micro guns, AND yet these micro guns are the only guns she can conceal, using a sticky holster, pocket holster, or inside the pants holster.
So I guess I'm looking for suggestions for other guns to try, that are micro in size, yet easy to work... FROM A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE, or from somebody with physical limitations like arthritis of the hands.
Are there any women out there?
Thanks again for ALL suggestions. Even professionals can't know everything, so some of you are going to hit on ideas I have not considered.
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