HD gun for my wife

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whowey

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I have a S&W .357 magnum wheelgun for myself. My new responsibilites have me away from home far too much for me to like. The wife is a fairly good shot, but a small lady. She shoots .410 during hunting season, anything larger is too heavy. She can barely heft the S&W up to take a shot.

I was thinking .380, she really likes the Colt Semi-autos she saw. Any other ideas??
 
If she likes the Colts, don't sell her short with a .380! There are many other calibers available, including 9mm. I'd even recommend trying out one of the 4" bbl, compact/officer size frame in .45 cal. The .45 is really an easy to handle recoil, and will give her superior protection.
 
If you want her to have a seperate gun, how about .38spl -that way, you both share similiar manual of arms.

My next suggestion would be a Kahr K9 in 9mm. Small/light enough for her, but reliable.
 
Try to set it up so she can try a variety of guns.
In decent defensive caliber.
Best if she choses, but help her to make it an informed choice.

I like CWL's .38 spec suggestion.

3" J frame is quite pleasant to shoot and friendly with small hands.

If she choses the gun, she more likely to practice with it. The more she practices, the better and safer she will become.

A course in tactics and the law as it applies to where you are would be good too. Some CCW courses are good for that, and some barely touch on the subjects.

The brain is the weapon, the gun is an accessory tool for brain.

Sam
 
There are many options for people with small hands and for those that have an issue with weighty guns. I would stick with 9mm in an auto for home defense since there are so many that are no larger than most .380's and in my opinion actually have less felt recoil. The Kahr series are excellent choices as would be the Sig 239 or a single stack S&W like the 3900 series. In revolvers I would recommend a 3" Ruger SP101 stoked with .38+P's or as mentioned by C.R. Sam, a 3" S&W model 60. You didn't state which .357 you own but there is a huge difference in heft between a 4" 686 and a 3" 65 Ladysmith. She could quite possibly find that or a 3" model 64 chambered for the .38+P to her liking. I agree totally with C.R. Sam that she should choose her gun with some gentle guidance on your part. I think that in a self defense weapon it is very important to have one that feels like a natural extension. If a gun feels awkward you will have trouble getting on target when the chips are down.
 
Oh, believe me she will pick it out. She has picked out both of her long guns.

I just wanted some more ideas of what to show her. I just have never thought about the size and weight of a gun before.
 
I know that this is a handgun forum, but what about just using her .410? Or maybe a carbine in 9mm or .45acp?
 
I've been carrying 1911's for over 30 years, and my primary home weapon is a Rem 870 12 gauge full of double ought. Can't go wrong with a scattergun! You can even get buckshot for the .410!
 
If she doesn't like handguns and can't hold your .357 because of weight issues, then a handgun may not be the best option - if it HAS to be a handgun and she can't manage the weight of a .38 Special 3inch such as a Ruger SP101 (great choice if she can manage it) then you may be down to looking at something like a Smith Ultralight .22LR, I think they are a nine shot, and they are VERY light. Nine Stingers or Velocitors can have a serious dampening effect on a home invaders desires.

The .410 can be made to work very well, I would choose the solid lead slugs over buckshot. A pump action .410 loaded with slugs is a lot better than screaming for help.

Hope this helps.
 
Sounds like the problem is solved. She apparently has picked out the Colt in .380. If she is pleased then by all means that is what she wants. Alot of people think you have to have the biggest, fastest caliber on the market, but in truth you need the one you like and shoot the best.
Buy her the Colt she wants, plenty of ammo for practice, and get out of her way.
 
My fiancee has a S@W model 66 which she can shoot, but like your wife, it is a little large/heavy for her. After looking at a lot of pistols, she fell in love with a Sig 239 in .40 cal. She can shoot the daylights out of it and is very confident with it. She does not feel comfortable with a 1911 style pistol, and the 239 is extremely reliable. The 239 also comes in 9mm. Many people feel that the 380 is not the best choice for self defense, but it is certainly better than something even smaller.
 
Advice from a small lady...

I'm petite myself but there's no gun I consider a handfull. If it's a problem for your wife though: I have two Beretta compact type M which are very compact and slender. It should be easy for her to use. Other favorites: a Glock 26, a Lady Smith 65 S&W and the S&W 686 Snubbie if she goes for revolvers. Otherwise, I'd look to the Glock 26, 19, and Beretta compacts if it must be an auto.
 
If she wants a .380, look at the CZ-83. My wife loves my Colt .38 Det Spl.
 
If she likes the Colt .380's, and they work for her, there's nothing wrong with that. Make sure she picks the gun SHE wants, not what someone else thinks is best for her.

My wife and I have been trying to find a defensive gun for her quite awhile and have learned a lot along the way. In addition to making sure the gun's size fits her hand , make sure she can comfortably work the action and the controls. My wife liked the size of the Kahr P9, but could not reliably work the slide. She had the same problem with all the Glocks we tried. J-frame S&W revolvers are often reccomend for women because of their size, but my wife had problems pulling the DA trigger through. It took ALL of her hand strength and she could only do it for 2 or 3 pulls in a row.

What did work for her included:
Sig 239 in 9mm
Makarov (She doesn't like it much, but she can run it just fine)
S&W Model 10 .38 (The trigger geometry is different then the J frames so that wasn't a problem. It also fits her hand very well).

Amazingly enough, one of her favorites turned out to be my CZ-75 9mm. I thought it would be too big for her, but she handles it fine and doesn't have any problems working the action or the controls.

Have her keep trying until she finds what she likes. If she isn't comfortable with it, and it isn't fun to shoot, she won't practice with it and will never develop confidence in it our her ability to use it.
 
whowey,

I bought my wife a Ruger 9mm. After a couple trips to the range I could see a semi-auto was not right for her. I once had a Colt snub .38 and the DA trigger pull was too heavy for her. Anyhow, I just bought a 2 3/4" Ruger Speed Six that has an 8 lb. DA trigger. We'll see how she does with that.

If your wife handles a .410 pretty good then that may be all she needs. The muzzle energy of a .410 slug equals or exceeds the muzzle energy of the best .357 magnum round when fired from a 6" barrel. If you don't have children at home then it seems a loaded .410 pump may be your answer.

One more thing, someone told me to let the lady make the final decision.
 
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Think about this: Who made the decision when you bought your S&W .357?
Now show her thru all the manufactors websites and the auction sites so she can see what's on the market and what she may like. Then take her to stores, shops, and gunshows so she can actually handle them to see if they fit, she's able to work controls, rack slides, etc. Purchase the one she likes. Ultimately everyone can suggest actions, models, and calibers. Most suggestions are based on what that person likes. The bottom line is this, when the you-know-what hits the fan and she has to grab the handgun none of us with all our suggestions won't be around to help her then. If she is going to be on her own at that time it's best that she has something that she likes and have confidence in, not just what so and so says she should have.
No one buys and shoots a handgun that they don't like for very long, so let her choose what she wants. Your job is to explain to her how it should fit her hand and when she finds one that does she will know.
All guns have their pros and cons, but if she can live with her choice then you must also.
 
When looking I would think about

ease of use.
adequate level of protection
fits her hand, not too heavy, etc.
something she will practice with.

Guns that might fit the bill:

Ruger SP-101 in .357/.38 with 3 inch barrel
S&W M60 with same 3 inch barrel

advantages include use of low powered .38 up to .357 and she can choose her level of recoil.

various mini-glocks/ Springfield XD in 9mm

I'd also purchase some of the .410 OOO buck for her shotgun. S&B used to make a 3 inch .410 with 5 OO buck as well, though I have not been able to find it and horde the one box I have........
 
There are lots of good choices available. We've helped a few women and they all have told me it's important they shoot and pick out their firearms. ;)

Some of the ones they've liked are: Detective Special, 9mm Hi Power, Ruger Speed Six, M65 Lady Smith, M3913, Mini-14, and a Marlin Camp Carbine in .45 ACP.

The Mini-14 especially has worked out very well for HD use. All the revolvers are loaded with .38's, preferably the 158gr LSWCHP's.

Best.
 
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