handgun for my wife
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P5 Guy
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My wife has a S&W Mod60-4 that she carries and shoots pretty good. It's a 3" 'J' frame with Hogue grips. She keeps it loaded with 158gr +Ps.
TinCup
Member
Take her to a range that has a good selection of rental guns and let her try as many as she likes till she finds "her" gun. The last thing you want to do is pick one out for her.
Preacherman
Member
Ditto what Tincup says. Let her try as many as possible, and let her do the choosing. Otherwise, stand by for domestic strife... 
TrapperReady
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- Jan 29, 2003
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If you do decide to pick one for her... make sure to get something that you like to shoot. Because chances are it won't be the right one for her.
Trust me. I know.
Trust me. I know.
themontashu
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- Jan 3, 2005
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She can handle anything, It was about 2 years ago that I 1st shot my dads 44 and i put a box through it no prob, at that time I was about 110 pounds. It's all in knowing how to handle recoil
You probably wouldn't walk into a shoe store, pick out a pair of shoes for your wife and expect her to love them -- and them to fit her well -- even though she'd never looked at them or tried them on before you plunked down your money.
If you wouldn't do that, you also shouldn't walk into a gun store, pick out a gun for your wife, and expect her to enjoy shooting it.
All that said. If you're looking for something for her to enjoy shooting, try the Ruger Mark II or the Beretta Neos -- both semi-autos in .22 caliber. Or look for a .22 revolver, maybe the newish snubby from S&W.
If she wants a home defense gun, maybe an L-frame .38/.357 revolver or a Glock 19 -- both very simple guns that are comfortable to shoot but pack a wallop on a receiving end.
If she might want to carry a gun, the traditional advice is to get a .38 snubby, but I'm not sure she wouldn't be better served by a semi-auto. I'm a little leery of the super-lightweight .38 snubbies, which seem to be what newbiew gravitate towards ... until they shoot one and find out what the kick is like. For semi-autos, try maybe a Glock 26, Kahr PM9, or subcompact XD9. If she's a lefty, take a look at HK's P2000 or P2000SK, both very good guns.
HTH.
pax
If you wouldn't do that, you also shouldn't walk into a gun store, pick out a gun for your wife, and expect her to enjoy shooting it.
- take her with you to look at the possibilities.
- let her try the 'feel' of various guns in her hand.
- don't expect her favorites to be guns you would pick. She's picking a gun for herself, not to please you. If she picks one you like, that's gravy -- but don't expect it and especially, don't demand it.
- if she wants something lightweight, insist on renting one for her to shoot before you buy it. Light guns are fun to hold but plenty of women find them un-fun to shoot.
All that said. If you're looking for something for her to enjoy shooting, try the Ruger Mark II or the Beretta Neos -- both semi-autos in .22 caliber. Or look for a .22 revolver, maybe the newish snubby from S&W.
If she wants a home defense gun, maybe an L-frame .38/.357 revolver or a Glock 19 -- both very simple guns that are comfortable to shoot but pack a wallop on a receiving end.
If she might want to carry a gun, the traditional advice is to get a .38 snubby, but I'm not sure she wouldn't be better served by a semi-auto. I'm a little leery of the super-lightweight .38 snubbies, which seem to be what newbiew gravitate towards ... until they shoot one and find out what the kick is like. For semi-autos, try maybe a Glock 26, Kahr PM9, or subcompact XD9. If she's a lefty, take a look at HK's P2000 or P2000SK, both very good guns.
HTH.
pax
Kramer Krazy
Member
I went through the same process a few weeks ago. I let my wife shoot just about every handgun I own, we rented at least one at the range, and she even shot my father's handgun. I let her shoot such calibers as .22, .38 spl, 9mm, 45ACP, and 357 mag in revolvers and autoloaders. She liked my father's S&W 5906 (9mm) and we went to a gun show and picked up an ex-cop S&W 5903 9mm autoloader for her, when she was previously leaning toward a Glock 19. She's quite happy with the 5903 and will probably take the CCW course in the next few months with it.
MrTuffPaws
Member
First off, decide if it will be a carry piece or a target piece. If target, take here to the range and rent every 22lr they have. I am sure she will find one that she likes.
If it is carry, take here to the range and rent every 9mm/38/357 that they have. Make sure that she can rack the slide, if auto, and reach all of the other goodies too.
If it is carry, take here to the range and rent every 9mm/38/357 that they have. Make sure that she can rack the slide, if auto, and reach all of the other goodies too.
Havegunjoe
Member
Oviously let her try as many as possible.
But for ease of use and reliability I would stear towards a revolver for a first handgun. They are very uncomplicated and virtually never jam or have problems. They are also very easly to clean without having to disassemble. Somewhere down the line she may want to move to an auto loader after she has become accustomed to shooting.
But for ease of use and reliability I would stear towards a revolver for a first handgun. They are very uncomplicated and virtually never jam or have problems. They are also very easly to clean without having to disassemble. Somewhere down the line she may want to move to an auto loader after she has become accustomed to shooting.
Mastrogiacomo
Member
I'm probably the same size as your wife. Any three inch revolver is a good choice. Look to compact sizes in autos: Type M Beretta, Sig 239,225, 228, Glock 19, 26, etc. Let her try them out at the range or handle them in the shop.
Northslope Nimrod
Member
Range guns in small caliber: Ruger or Browning .22 auto
Range guns in larger caliber: CZ....any good gun with grip that fits.
Carry gun: Snubby .38, Kahr, Bersa .380, Baby Glock w/ grip extension.
Range guns in larger caliber: CZ....any good gun with grip that fits.
Carry gun: Snubby .38, Kahr, Bersa .380, Baby Glock w/ grip extension.
Mastrogiacomo
Member
It's not the caliber so much as the gun itself. I sold my 442 .38 snubby and now shoot a 686 4" .357 revolver very comfortably. It's finding the right size, weight, and grip. Don't worry about the caliber; most 9mm barely have any recoil.
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
10-04 on what Tin Cup said, as its awfully hard choosing a
handgun for someone else; especially a female. Not all handguns fit the
perspected user. I offer as an example, a S&W magnum of any sort is
a wrong choice for my wife; as she is really scared of guns. So why in
the world would I bring in a 2.5" barrel model 66 for her? Yes, she could
load it with .38 Specials but what then as she has NO formal training?
Best gun for her is the 12 gague shotgun, or a single shot, bolt-action
.22 rifle!
Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
handgun for someone else; especially a female. Not all handguns fit the
perspected user. I offer as an example, a S&W magnum of any sort is
a wrong choice for my wife; as she is really scared of guns. So why in
the world would I bring in a 2.5" barrel model 66 for her? Yes, she could
load it with .38 Specials but what then as she has NO formal training?
Best gun for her is the 12 gague shotgun, or a single shot, bolt-action
.22 rifle!
Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
GlenJ
Member
I made the mistake of getting my wife a snubbie and it was way to much recoil for her. So I just sold it and we're going to a range with a lot of rentals. She has handled a Kel-Tec P32 and wants to try one. So that would be my suggestion to you also. Good luck.
craig
Member
that's the best advice. let her pick. my wife started with a ruger mk1. now she's got 2 .357 snubs(loaded with .38s), a full size .357, a 9mm, .22 rifle, 2 20 gauge shotguns, and now she wants a 1911. she's even tried my 629. i hope she doesn't want a .44. i've created a monster and it's getting expensive, lol.
My wife seems to enjoy the Walther P22 over & above the rest of the pistols I own.
In fact most of the "new shooters" I take to the range tend to favor that little pistol over the rest of mine, even a couple of hardcore anti-gun leftists who I have talked into a trip to the range with me, immediately warmed up to shooting & guns in general becouse of that P22 & a bit of instruction/education.
In fact most of the "new shooters" I take to the range tend to favor that little pistol over the rest of mine, even a couple of hardcore anti-gun leftists who I have talked into a trip to the range with me, immediately warmed up to shooting & guns in general becouse of that P22 & a bit of instruction/education.
What tin cup said , only when at a range see if its possible to shoot other peoples pistols this way she can try them all, might costyou a few boxes of ammo but its cheaper in the long run and will make her happy! My wife shot all the small 380.s 9mm, 357 snubby couldnt stand them, one night at the range she was talking to two ladies and came up to me and said this is the pistol i want! Turns out the women let her shoot 3 mags and loved it! What was it? Kimber ultra compact 45acp, she has shot my commander and full size but didnt like the weight or recoil, so the following week she got hers, series 1 stainless, also picked up a colt officers so now she rotates between them, shocked the hell out of me but at least she is happy and a good shot! Dont underestemate a wife or woman they will surprise you! 
Felonious Monk
Member
"How To Buy a Gun for Your Better Half"
by Felonious A. Monk
CHAPTER THE FIRST:
And the Word came down from on high, saying
"Verily, O man, Thou shalt not choose a weapon for thy beloved."
Get thee upon thy donkey, and taketh her to the gun store.
Thou shalt not speak, except shall she speak first.
Thou shalt only stand with her for support.
Let her handle,
Let her choose.
CHAPTER THE SECOND:
And again the Word came down from on high, saying
"Verily, O man, Thou shalt not choose a weapon for thy beloved."
Get thee upon thy donkey, and taketh her to the range.
Let her shoot what she liketh in chapter one.
Let her choose.
THE END.
by Felonious A. Monk
CHAPTER THE FIRST:
And the Word came down from on high, saying
"Verily, O man, Thou shalt not choose a weapon for thy beloved."
Get thee upon thy donkey, and taketh her to the gun store.
Thou shalt not speak, except shall she speak first.
Thou shalt only stand with her for support.
Let her handle,
Let her choose.
CHAPTER THE SECOND:
And again the Word came down from on high, saying
"Verily, O man, Thou shalt not choose a weapon for thy beloved."
Get thee upon thy donkey, and taketh her to the range.
Let her shoot what she liketh in chapter one.
Let her choose.
THE END.
Let her choose, but there is no reason why you can't help her with the "research".
My wife's hands are too weak to rack the slide of an automatic. I "steered" her towards an SP101 DAO Snub .357/.38sp and she loves it!
She shoots .38sp out of it and I still get to shoots .357's out of it. I like it so much, I will eventually get another for myself.
My wife's hands are too weak to rack the slide of an automatic. I "steered" her towards an SP101 DAO Snub .357/.38sp and she loves it!
She shoots .38sp out of it and I still get to shoots .357's out of it. I like it so much, I will eventually get another for myself.
Nando Aqui
Member
My wife (5'3" medium build) used to shoot about anything, starting with her first gun about 35 years ago, a S&W Chiefs .38 special (5-shot), all the way up to her next to last gun, a Ruger GP-100 .357 Magnum, but she never really liked shooting the .357 all that much. Now that she is older (60) I finally convinced her to try an auto in 9mm – she used to be apprehensive of autos. She liked the S&W 5906 that I have, but couldn’t rack it or operate the slide release lever easily, so we went to the gun shop to try others.
After trying everything under the sun, she finally found one that she could operate easily and felt good in her hands: an H&K USP Compact 9mm. She has been shooting the USP Compact regularly, and does very well with it. Yes, it was a bit pricey, $635, but since she likes to shoot it, feels comfortable with it, and ‘knows’ that she can hit with it and ‘work it’, it was well worth it.
Alex
After trying everything under the sun, she finally found one that she could operate easily and felt good in her hands: an H&K USP Compact 9mm. She has been shooting the USP Compact regularly, and does very well with it. Yes, it was a bit pricey, $635, but since she likes to shoot it, feels comfortable with it, and ‘knows’ that she can hit with it and ‘work it’, it was well worth it.
Alex
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