CCW help for my girlfriend

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I had enough trouble with my P3AT that I can't personally recommend it. Others like it fine.

You might want to find and try a Bersa Thunder 380 Concealed Carry model (not the plain Thunder 380) to see how it fits/feels.
 
Have her and yourself take a look at the Bersa line of handguns. I know they make the Thunder 380 and a CC in 9mm, .40 & .45 I've had several of the T380's and they are very light weight at only 23ozs unloaded. I think the new CC models are around that same weight. They are built on the Walther PPK lines and are very reliable guns.
 
My gf has small hands as well. After a trip to our local gun shop, she decided the HK p2000sk fit her the best. Either the DA/SA or LEM model in either 9mm or .40

Might be worth a look, they tend to be pricey but I dont feel you should skimp on this decision!
 
I had similar problems fitting my wife. We shopped for a long time before she found a pistol that she felt comfortable with and ended up getting a .380 SIG Sauer 232. I really like this little gun but for whatever reason my wife limp wrists this pistol and the result is stove piping. I have zero problem shooting it, I mean absolutely none. She can hardly make it through a mag without a problem. She actually prefers shooting one of my Glock 22's with more recoil to the little SIG. Go figure.
 
Is there no combination of striker-fired auto with interchangeable backstraps that will work? You might even want to consider having a Glock custom modified to fit her hands.

A lot of people are surprised to see that a 1911 will fit them. Keep in mind, at the time it was designed, the average American male was much shorter than now, with smaller hands. Current 1911 triggers are longer. It might be worth a look to see if a commander with a shorter trigger might work.
 
SIGsauer P-239 in .357sig SAS/DAK with a lasergrip

If you have the $$$, look into the well made SIGsauer model P-239 SAS/DAK .357sig. This small carry pistol maybe hard to find but well worth it, ;). It is small, has no sharp edges or corners, fires the powerful .357sig round and is durable under harsh conditions. The DAK format will help prevent accidents or false claims of reckless or careless shooting in a critical incident. This is why many LE agencies like the NYPD, ICE and the US Border Patrol use DA only weapons.
The P-239 SIG model grip can be changed to the Crimsontrace lasergrip, www.crimsontrace.com . This will aid in training and marksmanship and may help deter a violent criminal in an assault.
www.gunsamerica.com
www.sigsauer.com

Rusty S :D
 
The S&W M&P9 Compact with the smallest grip insert has a very short "reach" (backstrap to trigger distance) and the overall size of the grip is small. If possible I'd have her try it. It is also very carry-friendly for a woman.

It doesn't hurt that it's a great gun also.:D

Bobo
 
this last weekend I picked up a SA EMP for the first time ... might be worth a look ... make sure that you get a brand new one ... looks like the earlier versions had some kinks to work out ... everything that I have seen about the newest EMPs is encouraging

my best friend's lady is about 5' 90lbs soaking wet and she shoots our XD45 Service with astonishing ease ... just for a point of reference

you gotta love a lady with small hands ... always makes your gun look bigger

:evil: :uhoh:
 
small handed lady here,
and i can shoot just about everything thats been put in my hands, including dads G21.

so when it comes to her preferances, keep an open mind and let her try as much as possible.
if it comes down to it, the revolver is not a bad choice. if she likes semi-autos, she can always get a second gun, and a third gun and a fourth gun.....

the only thing i want to throw in is that purse carry is not a good idea. just not wise. the ladies over on W&G, seem to like purse carry about as much as i do (yuck!)
the other thing that i want to mention is that the 'cute/sexy' factor is secondary to the ability of the gun to do the job. and a far second at that.
 
+1 on PPK to Sig 232. I have a 232 and while the grips are fatter than the PPK, they are more ergonomic. I also like that fact that the hammer is somewhat shrouded to avoid snagging on clothes.
 
My wife chose a S&W 642 .38 Spl. It can shoot +P's, so I don't feel she is undergunned. Don't rule out the revolver.
 
Model 60 S&W .357 Mag. / .38 Spcl +P
I have the 3" Bbl. & like the +P Speer 125 gr. JHP GD
ALso avail. with 2 1/4 inch Bbl. but the 3" Bbl.
has the full length ejector rod.

How about the Seecamp - comes in several
different chamberings
 
Take your wife to a few of your favorite gunstores and have her FEEL them. Especially 9mm autos. If she feels that it fits in her hand, she will be more likely to like t when she fires a few. Focus on the heavy framed ones if you can.
 
I took her to the range again, and she fell in love with a Bersa Thunder 380 after holding it along with several 9mms and other .380s.

We took it out on the range to shoot it, and she can easily operate its controls and the recoil doesn't bother her. She even says she likes it better than the KelTec she was previously in love with, because it has a DA/SA trigger instead of being DAO like the P3AT.
 
Give the Beretta 85 a test run.
It is elegant, compact and reliable.
The single stack mag makes the grip slim, and the weight
allows for mild recoil.

Later,
Doug
 
I took her to the range again, and she fell in love with a Bersa Thunder 380 after holding it along with several 9mms and other .380s.

We took it out on the range to shoot it, and she can easily operate its controls and the recoil doesn't bother her. She even says she likes it better than the KelTec she was previously in love with, because it has a DA/SA trigger instead of being DAO like the P3AT.
Click to expand...
Bersa .380's are top-notch, IMO. My first handgun was a Bersa .380 (then called the Model 383A, I think), and it was remarkably accurate. It didn't like S&B FMJ, but ran perfectly on Winchester FMJ and Federal Hydra-Shoks; using that ammunition, I don't think I ever had a single failure of any type.

Just remember to keep it safety-on if the chamber is loaded, as it is fully drop-safe only with the safety on, AFAIK, unless they've changed the design since the 383A.
 
I appreciate everybody's input! She really liked the Bersa, and since we're not exactly loaded (pardon the pun), we couldn't really justify buying a $400-$700 handgun when a $200 Bersa seemed to fit the bill so well.

I put a down payment on the Bersa today. My local shop has a 60 day layaway program with no added fees or interest, so I won't pay anymore by doing this in installments than I would if I bought it outright.
 
EXCELLENT!! You are getting the one that she wants at the price that ya'll can afford. I hope she loves "range days", and never has to use it otherwise.

b-
 
Kel-Tec

The Kel-Tec P-11 you looked at is Not a single stack, in fact it is a double stack 9mm.
Kel-tec now has a new 9mm, single stack the "P-9". It has the same profile as the p-11, but is significantly slimmer. I just bought a P-11 for my wife with tiny hands. She shot it for the first time this evening, and it is fun to shoot. Recoil is far less than I expected for a 9mm this small and light. I may wind up using this one myself. At least when I don't feel like carrying my Glock 30:evil:
 
berkbw, She LOVES range days. She's never been an "anti," but I can clearly remember a time when the range was a scary place for her, and she was too scared to even load a firearm on her own, because she didn't like handing cartridges to load magazines.

Now she wants to go to the gun shop practically every single day to hold her Bersa, and she can't wait to get out on the range and practice more. Let other guys make their ladies happy with jewelry. Mine is emptying my wallet with ammo costs, and I couldn't be happier about it.

Penturner, yeah, I got the two Keltec 9mms confused. She has held both the P11 and the PF9, and the "reach" from the backstrap to the trigger was too much for her short fingers to achieve a comfortable grip. The Keltec P3AT fit her hand perfectly. The Bersa Thunder 380 wasn't QUITE as comfortable as the P3AT for her, but she ultimately felt that the Bersa's extra weight made for a tamer recoil, and she preferred the Bersa's DA/SA trigger pull over the DAO P3AT.
 
I would recommend a S&W 908. It is only a little bigger, fires 9mm (preferable to .380 in reliability and stopping). It will be easier to rack the slide (a major difficulty with small pistols, especially blowbacks - which I believe the Kel-Tec is).

It has a manual safety in addition to DA/SA operation. The grip is slim, with an alloy frame, which makes it light but not unmanageable.

This was what my wife learned on; she has since upgraded to an xd40.

It will probably spend most of its life in a glovebox or purse.
 
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