Help me pick a 'better' handgun for my wife

[area51]

I think Kimber makes a nice 9mm...

 

[PabloJ]

Kahr K9 with optional ported barrel. Recoil is low, trigger is nice and the grip is good for smaller hands.

Or . . .

1) Buy a reputable gun and let her shoot it.
2) If it doesn't suit her, place the gun in your safe, and repeat step 1.

Eventually, you will find the right handgun.

Though rumor seems that place has forsaken quality control in favor of customer being one and only final inspector.

 

[HexHead]

My wife used to have a Para PDA in 9mm that she shot pretty well. Based on the 1911 design, but with their Light Double Action trigger, it doesn't need to be carried "cocked & locked". The LDA trigger is great, it's the trigger Glock wished they had.

 

[PabloJ]

I think Kimber makes a nice 9mm...

Yes, small and cute though when it comes to ammo selection tread carefully! I assume you're not suggesting sub-compact 1911s which in circles of those who know better are called 'Jam-o-matics.'

 

[HexHead]

I assume you're not suggesting sub-compact 1911s which in circles of those who know better are called 'Jam-o-matics.'

Not the Colt Series 90 Defender line. Both my New Agent, and several people I've known that had them too, were as boringly reliable as a Glock regardless of the ammo fed them. Only Colt has figured out how to make a 3" 1911 dead nuts reliable.

 

[Hokkmike]

ngnrd



My Ruger P90 (.45) is way too big for her, but she says the recoil is much more pleasant, and if it were necessary to fend off an intruder, she says that's the one she would grab before any of the other handguns because it's got 'less' recoil, and is more powerful - even though she knows it's too big for her hands.

So... she likes her .380's because they're lightweight and compact (I think I heard her use the word 'cute'... but I'm gonna ignore that and substitute the word compact), but much prefers the less snappy recoil of my larger, heavier .45.

And this is my conundrum... Which compact handgun, chambered in a cartridge that has more power and less recoil than a .380, would you recommend for a petite person?

Personally, I would stay with the .380. Maybe try a SP101 in .327? At any rate, let HER decide.

 

[weblance]

That's interesting Kernel. I had actually considered the P938 at one point. But then I read this from a Guns & Ammo article published in May of 2012:

This is not the gun to hand to your wife or girlfriend because “It’s light, small and easy to carry” and expect her to enjoy practicing with it. Especially if you give her a magazine filled with defensive ammo.

So, I basically dismissed the 'cute' P938 based on my assumption of what the recoil would be like from a 9mm in a 16-ounce subcompact. Maybe I was wrong?? Could be worth further consideration...

Sig has a 22 Long Rifle version of the P938 in the works, AND a 22 conversion for the P938. If you are worried about her practicing with 9mm, and having difficulty with the recoil of the P938, she can practice with .22 AND then carry the 9mm. Its a great compromise.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=740908

 

[JJFitch]

I train professional women the fine art of the defensive handgun. I find that the
Ruger LC9 fits the requirements of most women and is not too small for regular practice and not too big for regular carry. Women with children like the idea of the thumb safety.

Cheers,

 

[Havok7416]

I took my mom out today to try out my Defender and a rental 9mm. Unfortunately, when we got there, I found out that their only rental in the same size category was the EMP -- and it was broken. I did manage to talk my mom into shooting the Defender and she said the recoil was too much. I brought a PT1911 along for comparison and she said she liked that a lot better, but it was too big and too heavy. For what it's worth, she did alright with the Defender even though she only fired two rounds (5 yards).


I will go back and do a comparison between my Defender and the EMP when it gets fixed. It should give me enough time to reload my .45 ammo. Let me know how else I can help!

 

[bushmaster1313]

Help me pick a 'better' handgun for my wife

If you're trading you wife for a handgun I hope you get a good one.

 

[torqem]

Hand "fit' is almost completely subjective, and unless the shooter in consideration is highly skilled in seriously fast competition, she's probably holding the gun incorrectly anyway. At various times in my career, I have thought that J and k frame smiths were "perfect fits", once I put Jordan style stocks on them. Ditto the Woodsman, 1911, especially the alloy Commander, the P35, the Star PD and BM, and others that I can't recall right this instant.

 

[ngnrd]

That's great info Havok. I really appreciate it.

I was able to do a side-by-side comparison between an EMP and a couple of different sized 1911's yesterday. While at first glance they seem to have the same sized grip, the EMP actually is just a bit smaller in the hand. It's not huge, but there's definitely a difference. Also, the one I handled took more strength than I thought it should to rack the slide, but it was a 40-cal, and I've heard that the 40's have a much stronger spring than the 9mm version.

So Havok, if you do get a chance to use that EMP, could you make a mental note of how racking the slide compares to your Defender?

Thanks again.