LADIES help please!

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

stana

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
50
Location
down wind from a dairy
In the past year my wife of 40 + years decided she want to get her concealed firearms permit. I was delighted and I "knew" just the right gun for her. I was wrong. I had bought her a 38 Chiefs Special. She could stack the bullets on top of each other at 7 yds single action, but double action she was all over the target, her 60 year old fingers and hands weren't up to the heavey trigger pull. We tried a baby glock, she shot it great, but she couldn't rack the slide and she complained about the fat grip. We tried a 9mm S&W MP compact. It worked, I got her a fanny pack, but she hasn't carried it. Well here I go again! My youngest daughter is waiting for her permit in the mail. I took her shooting, a S&W 442, Ruger 101, moms MP compact and a baby glock. I was surprised at how well she shot all of them. (but then I taught her) She liked the S&W 442 becaused it looked the coolest. Iv'e carried for the last 38 years. I know what works for me, but girls are different or are they? Ladies your experinces and advise please. Thanks Stan
 
Wife is simple. She will shoot what is good for her. And nothing else.

I tell you secret. We went to store look for HD shotguns, wife says leave me alone until I find gun I.. emphasis on I

Good luck!

My next problem was solving the recoil problem so she can shoot gun without injury. Now she is ready to try out my M&P .45 and I think we will be going through a stack of handguns before we find one she can shoot.
 
If you are looking for shotgun recoil reduction, the Knoxx Spec Ops stock has both length of pull and recoil reduction...might fit the bill nicely. It isn't cheap, but it works. It's worth a look....if you were in Michigan, I'd have you try it out

I have one on my Remington 870 Marine Magnum.
 
My wife went through several trips to the toy store before getting her H&K USP. She got the pistol because it felt good in her hand, but has not shot it very well since she got it. I took her out one weekend and let her shoot my G19, G17, CZ75 & BHP. She loved shooting the CZ & BHP until she shot the G19. It was the perfect balance of size, grip and accuracy. She thought initially it was too thick of a grip for her, but she shoots it extremely well. Bottom line, she bought a G19 for herself! :D and is now very happy.
 
Take her to a gun show and let her feel the guns. Take some snap caps so you can dry fire them - that's how I did it. A gun store is OK, but women don't like salespeople breathing down their necks, plus there's not usually a wait to touch one.
 
It's all about how the handgun fits the individual. Since you're not the individual the gun is for your role should be helping the individual it is for select the proper fit.

Pax's website does about as good a job as I've ever seen in explaining how to fit a handgun to the individual.

http://www.corneredcat.com/FirstGun/tryongun.aspx

It's probably best to have them read the material and then simply lend a hand in helping them find what best works for them.

I've trained several women to shoot and found that working out what fits for grip angle, grip width and reach to trigger will zero in on what it the most comfortable and enjoyable to shoot. I also teach all new shooters to grip the slide and push the handgun instead of "pulling" the slide back. This allows a stronger set of muscles to be used and makes slide operation more dependable compared to pulling the slide back.

It really doesn't matter if your a man or woman or kid, if you find out what fits the individual it works out much better than forcing the individual to adapt themselves to the firearm.
 
Last edited:
My wife was raised by a gun lover and collector so she has always had a positive attitude about firearms, self defense and the 2nd Amendment.

She's been shooting long and short guns for years and is good with different handgun platforms. The key is that she is interested and wants to continue to develop her skills.

Her favorite is a Beretta 92FS which she used to qualify at the range for her CCH permit last summer. (She's just crazy about that pistol!)

For carry, she chose the Walther PPS in 9mm after considering many other small, concealable handguns.

It sounds like you have given your wife and daughter some good training.

Let your daughter try as many pistols as you can and find what she likes.

Good luck. :)

Wanted to add this: My wife doesn't much care for my BHP which drives me nuts!

I love that pistol. What an awesome sidearm.
 
Last edited:
well if the issue is the long trigger pull of da my guess would be fire something where every shot is sa, maybe an older style semi auto would be the trick, like a 1911 or something similar.

I use to have a 1922 that fired sa only and it had a grip safety, I wouldn't recomend it due to it being a 32 but prehapse there is something out there with a larger caliber and similar safety mechanism.
 
just a thought, i asked about having a trigger job done on pistols. the gunsmith told me that if they make it, he can smooth and reduce the pull. if she likes the gun otherwise, you might want to talk to a GOOD gunsmith about what she needs. as for an auto, my wife has a heck of a time racking the slide also. i do the initial one, and since the slide stays open after the mag is empty, she can do the rest. when i leave her alone for any amount of time, i set the gun up, and lock it in the safe. if she feels uncomfortable, she just goes and gets it. her gun is not particularly concealble, unless she buys a big purse. and honestly, i do not feel a purse is a good place to carry a gun.
 
Im not a lady, but I can speak for my wife as we have gone through this same issue. Her favorite carry gun is a Kel Tec P32. It is not my first choice of caliber, but she can shoot and operate it very well, and most of all, she can carry it on her person IWB or in a pocket. It is utterly reliable as well. I believe that her ability to shoot and carry the gun is far more important than the caliber.

She also has a Sig P239 for "special" occasions, but the P32 is always on her. I prefer she have a P32 on her body, than a 9mm in her purse or in the safe.

I initially bought the P32 for myself, but she liked it so much that she confiscated it. I had to buy another... now we each have our own.
 
My wife:

- took a beginner's class on firearm safety just before we met
- tried a variety of automatics, revolvers, and rifles
- thought that .44 magnums and AR-15's were the most fun
- wants a Smith model 36 because "that's what dectives use in b&w films"

Like the others have said, let your daughter try a bunch of guns and choose which one(s) she likes best. ;)
 
I let my wife have her choice from the inventory of 3 gun stores. The one she fell in love with was the Bersa Thunder 380cc. This would not have made it into my top 20 list, but this was the one she wanted the most. To this day she has not regretted her decision and still finds that the low recoil, size and aesthetics are perfect for her.

I call this picture of her Bersa "Death by Chanel".
channelandbullets.jpg


P.s. I'm pretty sure that she chose this handgun because it makes her feel like a bond girl.
 
Another, "picked her up a .38 snub" guy here. Lesson learned! She has stolen my beloved 2.75" ruger security six from me:( When she carries it, it is loaded with speer short barrel .357's.
 
From Coltman 77:
Wanted to add this: My wife doesn't much care for my BHP which drives me nuts!
I love that pistol. What an awesome sidearm.
Click to expand...

My wife was just the opposite. She had tested 3 or 4 revolvers and a couple of Kahrs. Then she tried my BHP.

It is no longer my BHP.

And ditto on the "I love that pistol..." comment.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

2
  • Locked
CCW suggestions for Teeny Tiny lady
2
Replies
43
Views
2K
nero45acp
N
D
  • Locked
Gun for my wife for self defense.
2 3
Replies
63
Views
2K
kb0zos
K
C
  • Locked
Handgun for older lady
2
Replies
26
Views
933
Shadow 7D
S
Riomouse911
Helped a newer shooter out today
Replies
17
Views
624
Rodfac
Rodfac
R
  • Locked
? for the ladies.
2
Replies
25
Views
2K
Rick R
R
Back
Top