Gun for the Girlfriend to use

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Gunner4h1r3

Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
230
Location
Virginia
My girlfriend is the conservative, pro-gun type. She's looking into getting a handgun for CCW/HD. She says she'd carry most likely in her purse. She also wants something that won't go off when the gun is in her purse. I asked her what she would like for capacity and she said at least 6 shots minimum.

Any recommendations/advice would be greatly appreciated. I am thinking of an XD9 or something similar.
 
take her to a gun store, let her hold a few so she can decide for herself. if you're luckier than I, you have a few ranges around that let you rent guns to try out. that would be your best bet.
it all comes down to her decision, but I've heard all sorts of bad things about purse carry. for one, she may not be able to get to it if she was being attacked. two, unless she carries it condition three or something, there's always the risk of a pen or a lipstick or something getting in the trigger guard and having a ND. bad juju.
bottom line, let her try a few guns out and decide for herself which gun she wants and the best way to carry it, just as you did when you started.
 
She also wants something that won't go off when the gun is in her purse.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, what gun is she thinking about that will go off in her purse?

Look man, here is the thing: You thinking XD doesn't mean crapola, because SHE needs to like it. If she wants a gun, she should pick out the gun.
 
timbo

I was only thinking XD because of what she told me concerning method of carry and what she wants. I realize that she needs to pick out what she likes, I am just thinking of ideas and options for her.
 
Taurus 608 8 round .357 mag in 4".

8 shots, can use .38's & .357's, purse-friendly, affordable.
 
kp9093p9.gif


P9 with night sights. Great trigger, low recoil, 6+1, very slender and concealable, small grips fit small hands very well.

+1 on Kat
 
By all means...Don't buy her a handgun without her being with you. She MUST be happy and comfortable with it. And I would have second thoughts about a Kahr as about half of them seem to have problems. When you find a good Kahr you have a very fine piece...A lot of them have problems with dropping the magazine on the first shot...
 
Again...this topic has been beaten to death. Please make good use of the search function. Maybe we need a sticky for the "Which gun should my wife/gf/mistress get?"
 
I recently had to make the same decision. I bought my GF a XD9 sub compact. That was a bad move. The recoil spring on small guns is a lot stiffer and she had trouble racking the slide. I sold the XD9 and bought her a full size M&P 9. She is able to operate this much better. If I had it to do over I would also consider a small frame revolver like the S&W 642.
 
Same here

...

Yep, bought the wife a Sig P323 SL 380, and between the much stiffer recoil spring, used for the much, dirtier, blow-back-action, made for too much work, for too little time in-between cleaning, for the least amount of punch.

So, I just got her the new Springfield Armory 1911 EMP 9mm..

She loves it.. Much softer recoil spring, as she has NO problem racking the slide. No more hard, long, DA/SA pull, with the bottom thumb-slide release, manual pulling out of the mag and tricky reinsertion of the 7-round only mags.

Now she has SAO, same consistent, trigger pull every time, along with a bigger, better caliber, with a frame-mag-release-button, that pops the mags out, on their own, and go back in, straight, fast and easy, and hold 9 rounds per mag of 9mm ammo.

Try and find her a 9mm, that would be a great start.. stay away from 380, and if ya do go 380, get one that does NOT have the bottom, thumb-release-slides.. trust me, tricky, slow, unforgiving.


Ls
 
The only thing I would like to add is about the method of carry. While there are many good recommendations for the gun I would advise against the purse carry. A purse is easily removed from its owner. Don't believe me just look at the crime reports and see how many purse snatchings there are. The other problem is setting it down in a resturaunt or some other location and it being picked up while you aren't looking. On the body carry is much better even if it may be difficult for some. Good luck in your search and let her pick the gun since she should be happy with it.
 
The worse place for a woman to carry is in a purse. Period.

If she chooses to, make sure to sew on some nice patches advertising what type of handgun "Mr. Smash N' Grab" gets as a prize for smashing in her face and snatching her purse. The first, and usually only, thing a perp wants is the purse of the "softest target" he can exploit. It is real easy to run by, from behind, and snatch a purse from a woman chatting on a cell phone.

I'm sure your girlfriend would feel terrible knowing her gun was snatched and then used by some BG to kill someone else. Also, she might be more inclined to fight to the death trying to hang onto that purse knowing the gun was in there. Let the purse go . . . it ain't worth dying for . . . but then again, it ain't the place to tote a gun! My wife no longer takes a purse into stores. It screams "MUG ME!"

You and her need to read the website written by a fine woman CCW handgunner called "The Cornered Cat."

It will cover all the questions you have and, written by a woman who has been there, you'll get to see just how many mistakes you've made so far in trying to help the "Little Missus" get "her" own gun.

One chapter too covers CCW options for women and also lists holster makers who make holsters that women can feel comfortable using . . . not usually the case with most holsters that are made by me, for men. You'll learn the BEST places for a woman to carry concealed . . . and the purse ain't one of 'em.

Hope this helps . . . and try to steer her away from purse carry . . . and towards the "cornered cat."

http://www.corneredcat.com/

T.
 
Thanks all for the advice and recommendations. I looked at the cornered cat site and my girlfriend is going to check it out today. There was a lot I learned from this post and it helped out in the process of which handgun to buy. I'll keep y'all posted on the results.

Gunner
 
Her size, strength and firearms experience all play a huge factor. As does her life experience, biases (we all have them), work place location, parking location, living location, lifestyle, etc, etc, etc.

The ONE commonality of every woman that has ever asked me this question has been the answer to this question: Are you absolutely, positively, 101% certain that you are willing to snuff out the life of that teenage boy.

When put in those terms every single one of them - every one - hesitated. I use that as a very powerful lesson to them... if you cannot immediately say absolutely, then you are not ready to carry a gun.

Because you are not ready, you owe it to yourself to get educated. Take a CHL class that also offers extended training. You will get professional attention and you will get the opportunity to use a lot of different guns in simulated high stress situations. She will then be able to make an educated decision about what firearm best suits her... not what she likes best. What she likes best means NOTHING if she can't shoot it best.

All of you guys do all of these gals a favor and give them that advice. Our biases WILL affect what we tell them. Only after they have received training are they fit to take on the huge responsibility that comes with carrying a firearm. Only then can she even START thinking about how to best carry it. And I am sure of one other thing.... like all of us, she will question her choices now and again and come up with some reason to change guns, leather, carry means, etc.

THEN you know you have a responsible gun carrier.
 
The worse place for a woman to carry is in a purse. Period.
Click to expand...

Amen. Except I'd just say that women should try to avoid carrying purses.

Wallet in the pocket, CCW worn--I can't advise as I don't CCW.
Sometimes I have to carry a briefcase, sometimes I have to carry a diaper bag/backpack. I almost never carry a purse. May as well carry a sign that says "Snatch me!, I contain cash, credit cards, and ID!"
 
Man I don't know how any woman ever makes it home unsnatched the way that sounds!
Click to expand...

Aw, c'mon, I wasn't trying to be alarmist at all. Just don't see the wisdom in putting lots of valuable and essential and difficult to replace things in a small bag and toting them around with you everywhere. It just asks for trouble, misplacing or forgetting just as much as snatching. And purse-snatching requires a whole lot less skill than picking pockets.

Almost like women are trying to catch up with men: leaving small, valuable, easily damaged things hanging out in the open. :p
 
Bersa .380

Can't keep my wife's hands off of it. at this point, i don't consider it my gun anymore. might have to the CC version for myself.
 
Depending on your GF's committment to learning how to operate & maintain her handgun, I'd recommend a wheelgun....maybe a S&W 442 or 640. Simple, work most of the time & they're made well.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Gun For Girlfriend
2
Replies
38
Views
1K
Benton
B
G
  • Locked
Help Finding Stylish CCW Purses??
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
Langenator
L
J
  • Locked
Girlfriend can't work slide on semi-auto handgun.
2 3
Replies
53
Views
5K
rha600
R
V
  • Locked
Which CCW for my wife?
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
Kleanbore
K
J
  • Locked
CCW Gun and Gear for small frame sister
Replies
19
Views
1K
alistaire
A
Back
Top