Doxiedad
Member
Archangel, I don't know which one it is. Have to wait till this evening to look at the pistol
Gun for my wife for self defense.
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Nushif
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So, reading through this thread I know we're pretending to not tell her which gun to use, but we actually are.
I know the *intent* is to "do the leg work for her" and narrow the choices down, but frankly here's my question: Why?
When your wife got her driver's license, did someone pick out a car she could find easy to drive, test drive it for ten hours, then sit her next to them, have her just watch, etc?
No. At least not with my wife. They probably sat her in the truck, explained the controls, and let her drive down a quiet road.
Why are we, or you, the OP, doing all this? Ultimately isn't it her gun, her project, her shooting sport?
If she makes the mistake of getting herself that .44 mag snubbie and not liking it ... let it be *her* mistake. Or if she buys that cute .22 and finds it's boring to shoot and can't even knock a 2x4 over ... let that be *her* discovery to make.
I don't know why we think women can't figure their own way through the process of buying, selling, trading, hating or loving guns. I certainly don't remember anyone doing this kind of groundwork for me and somehow I managed settling on the guns and the shooting I like. who says women can't?
As I said, we're all pretending to not pick a gun for her right now. When really we should be saying. "Nice. What do you want?" and then letting her go out there into the glorious world of shooting and actually discovering it.
Instead of handing her a road map, a route, specific sights to see and the telling her to come back home immediately.
Give the woman some decision space here!
I know the *intent* is to "do the leg work for her" and narrow the choices down, but frankly here's my question: Why?
When your wife got her driver's license, did someone pick out a car she could find easy to drive, test drive it for ten hours, then sit her next to them, have her just watch, etc?
No. At least not with my wife. They probably sat her in the truck, explained the controls, and let her drive down a quiet road.
Why are we, or you, the OP, doing all this? Ultimately isn't it her gun, her project, her shooting sport?
If she makes the mistake of getting herself that .44 mag snubbie and not liking it ... let it be *her* mistake. Or if she buys that cute .22 and finds it's boring to shoot and can't even knock a 2x4 over ... let that be *her* discovery to make.
I don't know why we think women can't figure their own way through the process of buying, selling, trading, hating or loving guns. I certainly don't remember anyone doing this kind of groundwork for me and somehow I managed settling on the guns and the shooting I like. who says women can't?
As I said, we're all pretending to not pick a gun for her right now. When really we should be saying. "Nice. What do you want?" and then letting her go out there into the glorious world of shooting and actually discovering it.
Instead of handing her a road map, a route, specific sights to see and the telling her to come back home immediately.
Give the woman some decision space here!
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Ledgehammer
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Yup- her daddy.
Nushif
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Man. My dad explained the controls, slapped the hood and walked down the path and waited for me on my first ride if I remember right.
My first swim consisted of being lowered into the pool, too. Where's the sense of adventure here!
My first swim consisted of being lowered into the pool, too. Where's the sense of adventure here!
bigfatdave
Member
It baffles me too. I'll happily supply a pile-o-guns for just about anyone, but I know that my ergonomics don't match anyone else's closely enough to be picking guns for each other, and I know that most of the stereotypes about women and guns are BS, guns are very much gender-neutral in reality.
Ledgehammer
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I think the main thing when introducing your spouse or female friend to guns is the fact that can be intimidating or they may get turned off due to recoil etc.
Actually the car scenario is a good one. Most people aren't given a set of keys with out instruction and you certainly don't buy with out test driving. I wouldn't expect my little wife to enjoy the ergonomics or handleability of my 4x4 tundra. She enjoys little sportier models.
Basically I want to make shooting a fun and pleasurable to my wife as possible. Now if she asked me to go shooting I may change my tactics and sit back and let her explore and take the lead. Regardless of gender you don't start someone with a hand cannon. You work up to it.
Actually the car scenario is a good one. Most people aren't given a set of keys with out instruction and you certainly don't buy with out test driving. I wouldn't expect my little wife to enjoy the ergonomics or handleability of my 4x4 tundra. She enjoys little sportier models.
Basically I want to make shooting a fun and pleasurable to my wife as possible. Now if she asked me to go shooting I may change my tactics and sit back and let her explore and take the lead. Regardless of gender you don't start someone with a hand cannon. You work up to it.
bikemutt
Member
We went to the local ranges and rented more guns than I care to remember for her to try out. Everyone to a fault, myself included, kept trying to convince her to start out small. In any event, she now owns a Glock 21 SF, it's her favorite to shoot and damn if she isn't accurate as all get out with it. Her backup is a GP100 although she doesn't enjoy shooting .357 with it.
So while the ammo isn't cheap, she loves the gun and loves to go shoot it, 'nuff said.
So while the ammo isn't cheap, she loves the gun and loves to go shoot it, 'nuff said.
Nushif
Member
I don't think there is any difference in introducing anyone to firearms. Female, male, strong, weakor whatever. The potential to scare someone off with excessive recoil is present in any shooter.
Given decent instruction you can start even the daintiest female on a 92D.
It's really more about mindset and technique than gender. And frankly I don't think half these suggestions would fly around if our new shooter here was a male. I am telling you. Women don't break that easy and if we have to con them into shooting maybe *they* are not wanting to shoot?
If they truly want to shoot they would probably enjoy the boom and heft and recoil. If they don't I dare to suggest they're trying to shut you up and want to humor you at the range. No?
Given decent instruction you can start even the daintiest female on a 92D.
It's really more about mindset and technique than gender. And frankly I don't think half these suggestions would fly around if our new shooter here was a male. I am telling you. Women don't break that easy and if we have to con them into shooting maybe *they* are not wanting to shoot?
If they truly want to shoot they would probably enjoy the boom and heft and recoil. If they don't I dare to suggest they're trying to shut you up and want to humor you at the range. No?
Doxiedad
Member
Well she tried my Glock 22 and didn't like it. I'm only doing this research at her request.
Ledgehammer
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Pretty true statement right there because well - they aren't wanting to shoot at first, they are mainly doing it for self defense purposes. Not to necessarily be a "shooter" All of these "buying a gun for my wife" threads are started by a husbandnand. Not the wife! Usually what happens is the wife will go to the range a couple times to get familiar with the firearm and then the gun rides in her purse or whatever for the rest of its life. I introduced firearms to my wife so she could defend herself if need be. That's where her interest stops. She can qualify with it and will probably going shooting with me 3 times a year if that.
I agree that's a soft shooting gun and should be fine for any beginner. I'm mainly talking about the guys that want to hand their wife a 44 magnum her first time and then wonder why she's says no thanks the next time they ask her to go shooting.
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Nushif
Member
And that's kinda the conundrum from which this whole "Shut up, Sit down, Write the check" comes from.
To be a good defensive shooter it takes a little bit more than that. And unless the "self defendee" choses their own gun it'll stay in that glove compartment or purse forever. Only if the person themselves starts actually liking the gun, because *they* chose it *for themselves* with *their own comfort* in mind will this purse or glove compartment gun ever turn into an actual defensive firearm which almost requires a bit of "sporting."
Kinda makes any recomendation hard ... because what the average "gun for my wife thread" is asking for is two very seperate things:
"What's a good entry drug?"
"What is ultimately a good defensive gun?"
Both of these are usually not the same answer and exceedingly individualistic. Like shoes.
timberwolf204
Member
I agree with the 22 use that till she gets comfortable with something bigger or stay with that. Wife had a walther ppks 380 and could not pull slide back very well so she would not carry it. Now I got her a Smith and Wesson Body Guard 380 and she loves it shoots it well and is more managable then the PPKS, and most of all she is happy with it and carrys it.
good luck.
good luck.
Trahma Hownd
Member
I would just like to add that you may want to look at a Walther PK380. It's a locked breech short recoil design so it's even milder than a "normal" blowback .380. The slide is very easy to manipulate as well.
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