good pistol for girlfriend

[sniper5]

My wife is little bitty, has little bitty hands, and hated guns and was VERY recoil shy. Her gun? A Ruger GP161 with small grips. She shoots .38 Special +P 125 grain HP and loves it. Accurate, very little recoil, very little muzzle blast, simple, and after replacing the springs with light Wolffs, easy and smooth to shoot. Hers is for HD, but it was a great start. She really loves going to the range now, and has tried some light magnums. She's not jumpy, but just doesn't care for the heavy loads. She tried everything in the rental rack, and that is the one she felt "fit" her.

 

[punkndisorderly]

My recommendation, get her PROFESSIONAL training first, then let her try as many platforms as possible, then let her pick out her own handgun. The only input you should have is steering her clear of platforms that have a reputation for not being reliable or durable.

Training class should come first because they should cover things like legal matters, use of force, basics of marksmansip, carry modes, etc. Women tend to listen to a professional more than their significant others. Professionals also should be able to pick out poor technique or other issues and correct them.

Trying out should be next on the list. This will let her figure out what meets her needs first hand. Things like carryability vs shootability, recoil, what fits her hands, etc. Buying a first gun without trying at least something very similar is a recipe for disaster. Doubly so if someone else picks it out whether the shop owner or a significant other.

Lastly, carrying in a purse is better than no carry at all. That said, on body carry is a much better idea. When a gun is on body, it's always secured. Unless she never sets her purse down, that won't be the case.

 

[hwp]

Before she carries an auto (as some people here suggest) she needs to be able to load and unlaod the mags and gun, she needs to be able clear malfunctions, she needs to be able to take it apart and put it back together.

Once again it is a "forrest for the trees" kind of thing with people suggesting a semi. My wife loves to shoot (and shoots it well/better than most on here) a G17. She can hardly rack the slide, she can't load the last 10 rounds in the mag, and she has no idea how to clear a malf and has NO intention of learning how to do these things.

What a person likes to shoot really has nothing to do with what would be best to carry.

 

[alfack]

Before the ammo crisis, I would have suggested a Bersa Thunder .380. Cheap, easy to shoot accurately and reliable.

Since you can't get any .380 right now, I would suggest something in 9mm. Maybe a Berreta PX4 sub-compact.