Need Help: Gun for Wife

[BullRunBear]

My wife is small and has arthritis symptoms off and on. In an emergency, she can handle any gun in the house but for comfortable shooting she has had good luck with the M&P 9mm, both the compact version and the Shield. They take the sting out of recoil, the grips fit her well and she can work the slide easily. Even when she is hurting she can put three magazines through them. And she is damnably accurate with them.

For plinking and targets she prefers a Ruger Mk II or a CZ 75b Kadet, although the CZ can be a little hard to cycle the slide.

Jeff

 

[David4516]

smalls, you are correct. I am not picking the gun for her, I did not mean to leave that impression. She and I have been looking at some different pistols at the LGS's together, with her having final say in what we get. It would be silly for me to choose one for her. I did read the sticky and basically all it says is "let her pick her own gun", which I already knew (seems like a no-brainer really).

I am just looking for ideas of specific makes/models that we can look for at our LGS for her to try out and see if they fit her hands (being able to reach the trigger seems to be the biggest problem), and if she can rack the slide on them.

I really do appricate all the ideas that you guys have shared with me so far. Please keep them coming. Thanks!

 

[W.E.G.]

If the shooter cannot manage a Smith and Wesson model 10 with standard-velocity SWC bullets, it just might be that the shooter should consider being something other than a shooter.

If the struggling shooter wishes to persist, she should consider strengthening exercises or physical therapy.

A handgun is supposed to be comfort-ING, not necessarily comfort-ABLE.

Maybe not what the OP wanted to hear, but that usually ends up being about the sum of it.
We've gone over this a few times before.

 

[David4516]

If the shooter cannot manage a Smith and Wesson model 10 with standard-velocity SWC bullets, it just might be that the shooter should consider being something other than a shooter.

Not very constructive or helpful. I find your "one size fits all" solution to be laughable, no matter what gender the shooter is. People come in different shapes and sizes, and have different needs/requirments from their firearms. Saying that "if you don't like gun X then you shouldn't bother with shooting anything" simply makes no sense.

A handgun is supposed to be comfort-ING, not necessarily comfort-ABLE.

I don't think that it's unrealistic to ask for both. I suspect that most on this board will agree with me on that.

 

[Lethal Threat]

gun for wife

I would want to see pictures of your wife before I made an offer please.

 

[MattShlock]

Counter Offer

I'll take her, sight unseen, as long as I get to choose the gun. Deal?

Seriously though, a moderately powered gun of modest size can be quite useful and better than nothing. I'd still recommend the revolvers. Don't go less than a .32 or more than a .38 Spcl. Best of luck... You'll find something soon. Maybe a 3" j-Frame S&W model 36. Even the square-butt lady police models with heavy barrels are probably quite manageable for her. This was the 5-shot revolver of uniformed NYC Police Women. GREAT guns.

 

[btg3]

Bersa Thunder .380

Perhaps your wife could handle one of these at the gun store and see how it feels.

For SD and CC, you'd already have a round chambered, so racking the slide should be a non-issue.

Check the DA trigger, which is not heavy. DA would be the first shot, then the SA trigger is easy, of course.

If good so far, hopefully you can rent one, or otherwise shoot for comparison to other options.

Small enough for CC, but large enough to be a soft shooter with .380ACP ammo. Add a Hogue grip sleeve for extra comfort/grip.

I love shooting this gun and think it's great for anyone sensitive to recoil for any reason.

 

[peacemaker45]

Another vote for the Sig P238. Single action, so no long reach to a hard trigger, and the hammer can be cocked manually to ease the force needed to rack the slide. Good sights, and reasonable recoil. Next choices would be for one of the Berettas with a tip up barrel.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

 

[David4516]

I think the fist thing I'll do is try a different grip for her .38, found this on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Hogue-Rubber-Grip-Taurus-Small-Frame/dp/B001MJB3R2/ref=pd_sbs_sg_1

I could be mistaken but it looks a little smaller than the standard taurus grip.

If the new grip doesn't work out, we'll be in the market for a new gun. I really like the look of the Walther PK380, at least on paper. I did some searching and it sounds like it has some quality control problems, so I am not sure I would actually buy one. Another good option might be the Sig P238. A steel framed Kahr 9mm might also be good, if she can pull the DAO trigger and rack the slide...

Anyway, I will order the grips and report back here letting everyone now if they work or not...

 

[303tom]

Here is what my wife carries & she love`s it.................

 

[jad0110]

Your wife sounds to have the same issues as mine. She is 5', has FM, as well as a neck injury from a car accident 10 years ago. Her hands are even smaller than normal for someone even her height. My 6 year old son's hands are nearly as big as hers. She cannot reach the trigger of a S&W K frame, even with the thin walnut service stocks installed. She can just barely reach a 1911 trigger if she rotates the gun to one side. The Sig P238 was out of the question for her, because the trigger reach is actually slightly longer than the 1911. And in all our searching, I was surprised to find the Walther PPK had 2nd to the longest trigger reach of any gun we measured, behind the S&W N Frame (which was actually only a tad longer reach). Of course, double stack autos are completely unworkable for her, as there is no way for her to even reach the back of the trigger, much less curl the tip of her finger around the trigger face.

She has a Colt 1908 .25 ACP and a 1908 .32 ACP. Both have a short reach to the trigger, though she can just barely tolerate the recoil of the .32 ACP cartridge. And neither vintage is safe to carry with a round chambered. Her favorite gun is her Ruger SR-22. The trigger reach is perfect for her, the slide is easy to rack, and the recoil isn't an issue for her. If nothing else, it might be a good range/training gun for your wife one day.

We thought the same thing, bought her a Mossberg 505 in .410 a while ago back, but have had nothing but trouble with it. It likes to "drop" shells from the tube when you pump the action. I wish Remington made the 870 express youth model in a .410, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Once you get down to the .410 cartridge, I personally prefer a carbine in a light kicking cartridge. Something along the lines of an AR-15 or Ruger Mini 14 in 5.56, an AK in 5.45 or even 7.62x39, or an M-1 Carbine in .30 carbine. The M-1 Carbine in particular seems to lend itself very nicely to smaller framed individuals. It even feels great to taller guys like me.

 

[David4516]

I've ordered the new grip for the .38, just waiting for it to arrive now and try it out.

My wife and I went shooting on friday night with some friends and I had her try the Makarov. With a little effort and her new method, she was able to rack the slide and chamber a round. The trigger on the Mak was easier for her to reach than on the revolver, especially in SA mode. She shot it well (better than me), even when firing fairly quickly. She then informed me that she was keeping the gun.

That actually works out well, as I have 2 Makarovs, one Bulgie and one East-German. I'm keeping the Bulgie, she gets EG. This was a solution that cost us $0 so that's great too. However I still see some issues and would like to know what my fellow THR members have to say about these:

#1: Gun is heavy, I don't picture her actually carry it. Maybe if she were to open carry on a really good belt holster? She tried out one of my IWB holsters but the gun stuck down too far inside her pants, to the point that she shouldn't sit down.

For these reasons she'll probably just keep the Mak as a house gun and use the little Beretta .25 for carry. This is ok but at some future point I'm sure we'll be in the market for something larger than the .25 that she can actually carry. So the original problem we had when I started the thread still remains valid.

#2: Recoil Spring is very strong on the Makarov. She is able to rack the slide but it would be nice if it were easier. As it is it takes just about all her stregnth to do it. I see that Wolf makes a reduced power spring:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/177569/wolff-recoil-spring-makarov-15-lb-reduced-power

I am wondering if this would work? I assume that she would need to use reduced power loads with the weaker spring? This might not be bad either, as I assume it would also reduce recoil. She can handle the 9x18 recoil but it is about her limit. If we could lighten recoil a little she'd be more willing/able to practice more I think.

jad0110, I like your carbine idea. While we were out shooting on Friday some other people who were also out there had a brand new Olympic Arms AR-15, and they asked if we wanted to try it. My wife shot about 15 or 20 rounds with it and now she wants one. Olympic Arms is a local company too, just a few miles from my house, and we like the idea of buying local. Of course this is way out of our price range right now. Might have to wait for next year's tax return.

We do have an M1 Carbine, might have to have her try it out and see what happens. I would think that with JHPs it would be an awesome gun for her...

Edited to add:

I think the "recoil" she's feeling with the Mak is more the blowback action, with the slide "snapping" back and forth, more than it is the actual kick from the cartridge itself. I'm not sure though.

 

[BLB68]

See if you can find her a Ruger LCR in .38 to try. As others noted, the trigger is excellent. The recoil with mild loads (and a lot of people still carry standard pressure wadcutters for SD) might be tolerable.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

A slightly heavier gun will tame recoil a bit. A single stack should help with her ability to reach the trigger. A single action should help with pulling the trigger. How about some sort of 1911 style 9 mm? I think Kimber or some others may have one in a commander size.

My wife really liked the Ruger SRc in 9 mm. Fit her hand very well. It's another idea. Good luch and be patient.

Places such as Robar can take a 9 mm Glock and do a grip reduction if she likes some aspects of that pistol.

 

[History.Doc]

The LC380 has a long-ish trigger pull but seems like it would otherwise fit your bill: Easy to buy, own, load, clean, rack, and shoot.

 

[XD40scinNC]

Does your local LGS/range have rental guns? Look at something in 9mm, XD9 sub-compact, or XDs9.

 

[btg3]

^^^^
not sure that a subcompact should be recommended where recoil sensitivity is an issue...

but if it's XD-something-or-other, then no worries :banghead:

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

A nice J frame revolver should fit the bill and there is no slide to work.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My friend who has problems with his hands and can't easily pull triggers or rack a slide found a gun he can shoot well. He's carrying a SIG P238, his is the P238 Rosewood.

The reasons it works for him are, for some reason the slide is very easy to rack, the single action trigger is easy to pull and it's heavier than most small compact pistols because it's not polymer so it soaks up a lot of the felt recoil. Since it's chambered in 380 Auto it is also a better choice for SD than a 25 Auto. I highly recommend your wife take a look at one and if possible shoot one. I'm fairly sure it will be to her liking.

 

[HexHead]

My friend who has problems with his hands and can't easily pull triggers or rack a slide found a gun he can shoot well. He's carrying a SIG P238, his is the P238 Rosewood.

The reasons it works for him are, for some reason the slide is very easy to rack, the single action trigger is easy to pull and it's heavier than most small compact pistols because it's not polymer so it soaks up a lot of the felt recoil. Since it's chambered in 380 Auto it is also a better choice for SD than a 25 Auto. I highly recommend your wife take a look at one and if possible shoot one. I'm fairly sure it will be to her liking.

I'm going to go one further and recommend finding an original steel frame Colt Mustang the 238 is based on. As stated above, they are very easy to rack and have a short pull lightweight trigger, being single action. The steel frame really soaks up the .380 recoil, making it a very comfortable pistol to shoot.
No, they're not cheap when you find one, but the classics never are.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

You might want to try a Ruger LCP I saw it reviewed on TV not too long ago and here is a review I found online. http://gunblast.com/Ruger-LCP.htm htm Put a Hogue grip or something similar and she should be good to go. The whole gun is only about 5 inch long and about 2 1/2 from the backstrap to the trigger. Good luck in your search.

P.S. Any good gunsmith can adjust the trigger pull on most guns. Some even have a device to test your strength of pull. Also Saiga makes a 410 semi auto shotgun.

 

[History.Doc]

Unless your wife is pretty familiar and comfortable with firearms and recoil I wouldn't recommend the lcp. Lc380 yes. Lcp no.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I haven't read the thread all the way through but just to add, if she's having problems with the hand and it's for home defense, I'd recommend a S&W 686 or 686+. I have the 4" plus and it's very easy to shoot this accurately because of the fantastic site on the gun. And shooting .38s, the recoil is very mild as the weight absorbs it well. It's one of my favorite guns. I bought my used; this is a really good choice for people with pain issues and it's a blast at the range too. I know I always have fun....

Laura

 

[BLB68]

Unless your wife is pretty familiar and comfortable with firearms and recoil I wouldn't recommend the lcp. Lc380 yes. Lcp no.

Along the same lines, the Walther PK380 is another larger (well, non-pocket) .380 that a lot of people consider a soft shooter.

 

[History.Doc]

Along the same lines, the Walther PK380 is another larger (well, non-pocket) .380 that a lot of people consider a soft shooter.

Cz 83 is similar; both blowback .380s but pretty big and heavy. Lc380 isn't a blowback so even though the gun is lighter the recoil is pretty mild.