Guns for chicks

[Dilettante]

Has any gun ever been designed from the start for women to use?

I used to do a lot of bicycling. A lot of companies had womens' models that were not only smaller (there were small sized for men too) but were designed a little differently to fit a woman's body.

I know there are "ladies' models" of various pistols; I don't know if the differences are cosmetic or substantive. (Dude, let's paint the handle pink!)

But mostly I'm thinking of a larger gun, like a carbine or shotgun. Could it make a difference ladies? What would you change?

 

[tiberius]

Ask Tamara, she's always bragging about the latest dainty "ladies" gun she's picked up.


Seriously, S&W's "Ladysmith" line was an outstanding propostion IMHO. They were all serious guns of moderate size with very nice finishes and quality actions. They were all based on existing guns, however. I don't think anything has yet been designed from the ground up - nor do I think it needs to be. Women are generally smaller, but I can't think of anything other than ergonimcs that would make something a "ladies gun".

 

[ceetee]

Hmmmmmmmm..................... How 'bout the "Witness" series that comes in designer colors like pink, blue, yellow...



Maybe not...

 

[Dorian]

I think that the awnser would more or less be yes.

That's not because the pistol or gun was designed specifically for a woman, but because it wasn't designed specifically for a man.

I think when you start looking at smaller(compact) pistols is when you'll find pistols that would fit a woman's "small" hands.

Trust me, I know. I have small hands

If I had smaller hands I'd start looking at stuff like USP compact 9mm, Sig p239, p230, p232, etc etc....

 

[Destructo6]

Seems like the AR's grip was designed for women's hands. Add a 6-position stock and Bob's your uncle.

 

[Thumper]

I believe that old Mossberg .410 pump with the vertical foregrip was marketed specifically with womenfolk in mind.

In handguns, obviously Smith's "Ladysmith" series was designed for the fairer sex.

 

[RM]

Several shotguns are marketed for women. Browning Gold makes a Ladies 12 guage.

 

[seeker_two]

Guns for Chicks

I'm all for RKBA, but giving guns to poultry just seems wrong....



(Don't forget American Derringer's "Lady Derringers".... )

 

[Delmar]

Other than the Ladysmiths, which I think the revolvers were done particularly tastefully, most of the rest were just different colors of the "male" models.

I have taught a few women how to shoot a handgun over the years. I would take them to a local range and we would rent what they thought was what they wanted, plus they would try my Government model Colt. The vast majority liked the way my 1911 shot and felt better than their choices. The few who did not like shooting at all, well, I just got too "busy" to spend much time with them.

Of the ones who liked to shoot, one of them bought a hi power and did pretty well with it. When I was dating my wife, she went out and bought an officers model on her own, and used to get really upset when a gun show proprieter would see her looking at their table and say something like, "aw, I got just the thing for the little lady" and pull out a chrome plated Raven with pink grips. Her response was priceless-what am I going to do with that? I shoot a 45 auto!

Good Girl!

 

[Tamara]

What an enduring phenomenon this is...

I love it when I'm carrying a revolver at the shop and some he-man customer asks "Whatcha got there, little lady, .38?" and I respond "No, a .44".

 

[Delmar]

Tamara-too bad you did not have a camera just for the look on his face. Talk about priceless

 

[mete]

The Ladysmith was in fact a marketing thing, minor changes to an existing gun, for the then new self defense for women movement. 50 years ago and more it was common to see in gun books the statement that women are very delicate and should not even attempt to shoot anything but a 22.I laugh at that when I think of the many women I have seen handling 45s and 44mags with ease. Part of the problem is all the jerks who tell women that the recoil is terrible and make them gunshy before they even touch a gun.

 

[Kharn]

Tamara:
Magnum or Special? Or should we just assume the former?

Kharn

 

[feedthehogs]

The average woman does have weak fore arms and fingers.
They don't practice regularly and hate the noise even with hearing protectors on.

The problem with the revolver lite weight womens guns to the average lady is the reduced weight and felt recoil even with lite loads, which suck for a self defense situation.

Semi autos give a different problem in the strength needed for pulling back the slide.
You can install lighter weight recoil springs but then the gun slams on standard defense loads which increases felt recoil and can damage the gun.

Trying to find the right combination of recoil, weight, concealment and stopping potential given the skill level takes time but can be done.

A big factor is how it fits in the hand. Changing grips can make quite a difference.

Its up to a qualified instructor to recognize these problems and help correct them.

Nobody will use a gun or practice with a gun that hand bites them.

I've given instruction to over 300 women for their CWP permit. It takes more time than instruction to men on the whole but needs to be done.

I've only told 2 women to forget the gun and hire a body guard.

One screamed at ruining her $150.00 nail job on the trigger guard and the other could not get over jumping, not flinching but jumping everytime the gun went off. I spent 15 hours with her but determined it was more of a mental block than anything and suggested a shrink to help out.

But at least women don't have bad habits to break.
Like holding the gun sideways Hollyweird style. Man I hate that!

 

[Waitone]

I do product development and marketing for a living. Unfortunately I don't work in the firearms industry.

Based on what I've seen in the world of firearms I have to say no one company has set down and used a clean sheet of paper on a gun designed for women. It seems most major companies have elements that could be applied to a consistently designed firearm, but no one seems to have put it all together.

I might be an interesting exercise to make a list of product attributes for a women's firearm.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I believe that old Mossberg .410 pump with the vertical foregrip was marketed specifically with womenfolk in mind.

Yup. It's still made as the "Home Security .410," though I haven't seen any ads for it in quite some time. Looks like a good idea, and not just for women. I'd leave off the spreader choke, though.

 

[Trisha]

I've always thought both the MAC-10 and the UZI were designed for women. Maybe I just enjoy 'Night of the Comet' too much. . .

Every time I've seen a girl shoot one, she's gotten very possessive of it!

A close second has to be the AR-15 and wonderful clones, certainly.

Women you've had experience with in Florida seem to be weak, feedthehogs? It ain't the case here in the high country - maybe it's a fashion thing, I dunno.

Few girls carry more than a .40 on their CCW, but they love everything up to crew-serviced weapons! A day at the range is enlightening - I always have to bring extra ammunition for my Desert Eagle. . .

I've been there, Tamara! Especially the time when I was dressed to the nines to meet Susan for lunch and dropped in to get a SOG Pentagon as a present. (wrinkled-nose smile)

Trisha

 

[El Tejon]

Dil, what needs to change is the perception that the tool must be reworked or redesigned. Young women often shoot my 1911s after less than an hour of instruction. Forget the sexist rubbish, and teach them. They'll be just fine. (Cowboy up everybody).

A wall covering (it is not the Last Supper) in my ancestral home shows two women defending a castle against the vile French horde. It reads, "With training all things are possible."

 

[telomerase]

The stocks on most long guns are too long for women. The MP5 has a nice short LOP...

 

[telomerase]

Seems like the AR's grip was designed for women's hands. Add a 6-position stock

Yeah, that's a good idea. Also Winchester makes a compact lever carbine with short LOP.

 

[El Tejon]

telo, the LOP on long guns are too long for almost everyone.

 

[telomerase]

telo, the LOP on long guns are too long for almost everyone.

Especially with body armor on

 

[toro]

I have very small hands. I have always shot a .45 1911. I even shot them in matches. I had trouble learning to pull back the slide. After a bit of practice it bacame easy. You just have to practice and your OK.

The problem I had was with the 12 gauge shotgun. I shot a 12 gauge for a while. I took a course with it and it beat me to death. Although I passed the course. The teacher told me to change to a 20 gauge and shorten the stock. That solved the problem. My second class was the advanced shotgun and I did great with the 20 gauge shotgun. The stock should be of sufficient length and have sufficient "drop" that, when mounted, it fits firmly in the shoulder pocket and, also, allows a good cheek weld with the comb (top) of the stock. When the toe of the stock is placed in the crook of the elbow, the first knuckle of the trigger finger should be able to reach the trigger. That way a small woman can handle the shotgun much better.

Mrs. Toro


________________________________________
11 John 1:9
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those thing which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

 

[Abominable No-Man]

Delmar, your post cracked me up!

Something similar happened to me and my wife. My wife is tiny, 5'2" and about 90lbs and she likes "manly" guns, too. Not so much into pistols, tho, not her thing I guess- she DOES dig shooting the .30-06, so recoil isn't a problem for her.

Anyway, about a year ago she was talking about getting her own pistol to have round the house when I got deployed. Okay, says I, good idea, and we went looking around. Tried the 1911 (she didn't like the "paddle thingie on the back of the handle") and a few others. Didn't look like she was going to find one that turned her crank, and she eventually settled on my Mossy 12 ga.

Anyway, about a week ago, we stopped by the local gun store to see if they had anything new. The Jer**ff behind the counter tried to push a Raven-like thing on her (chrome-plated, pink grips, probably couldn't clear a stuffy nose with it......). She looked at it kind of like "what the hell am I supposed to do with this?". HE got miffed and asked her just "how do you plan to handle a BIG gun?"

She said "Big as a 12-ga or big as a .30-06?"

Gas for trip to the gun store....22$
Box of 12-ga OO buck..............12$
Expression on gun-store blowhard's face.....priceless!

ANM

BTW, she's looking interested in the Ruger .44 mag carbine......

 

[C.R.Sam]

Fit
Fit of weapon to the particular body. Regardless of gender.

My grannie had no trouble with her .44 Russian and .44 triple lock purse guns. She was a wee thing but had good hands and really long fingers.

She had to have customized shotgun stocks tho.

A lady's gun would be the gun that well fit the particular lady.

Tough challange for marketing folks of mass production companies.

Sam