New female CCW shooter

Recently a friend of mine asked me for advice on buying a handgun for concealed carry and concealed carry in general. She has limited experience with pistol shooting in the Army (and by "limited" I mean she got a 30min class and then shot a qualification once) but aside from that she is a new pistol shooter. I have two questions:
1. What would be a good handgun for her to start out on? She expressed interest in getting a Beretta 92FS/M9 since that would be her issued duty weapon and she wants to be familiar with it. But I'm thinking perhaps not, since she wants a to concealed carry. Maybe something with the same safety/decock mechanism like a Walther PPK?
2. Anybody know of any online tutorials, articles etc. for concealed carrying in female clothes?

 

www.corneredcat.com

What do you mean "her duty weapon"? Is she taking on a law enforcement or security position?

As far as her own self-defense weapon, she needs to make her own choice, and that will be easier once she's perused the above web site, and handled (and possibly tried out) several makes and models at gun stores and ranges..

 

Agree that the choice is hers, but I get that you want to guide her. Beretta 92/M9 are big guns. How about a Beretta 84/85 in .380? Similar controls, easier to conceal. Also an extremely shoot-able weapon.

 

Ernest Langdon has been working on a Beretta PX4 Compact as a carry gun. It has basically the same controls as the M9/92, but is smaller and lighter.

http://www.gunnuts.net/2015/08/17/ernest-langdon-and-the-beretta-px4/

 

1.per choice. they make the 92 in a compact version. a better carry gun

alternate choices, compact cz 75,glock 19,walther ppq or ccp or h+k vp9

2.per clothing. it is her choice of style that dictates how she will carry. My wife tucks her gun into he r pants. she attaches a trigger guard holster to a lanyard and then around a belt. done deal. She wears lose blouses and blue jeans most of the time.

 

What "duty" is this weapon for? Is the weapon carried concealed for "duty" or is concealed carry a separate purpose? If it for an open cary duty weapon, and concealed carry when off duty, I'd probably be looking at two weapons.

 

Holster options for women by a woman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogGBPVk5GQk

 

Thanks for the replies guys. She is Army bridge crew engineer (12C), from what she's told me, she has had next to no training on the M9 but she's been told to qual with it a couple of times would probably carry one if she gets deployed.

 

If she wants to become familiar with the M9/92F then by all means she should get one. Concealed carry isn't the total impossibility with larger guns that some folks make it out to be, and she can conceal that one if she wants to.

Now, down the road she'll probably want to move into other firearms, but she's got an "in" with the M9 and that's a great way and great motivator to get her going and keep her interested. If she was able to shoot it in training and qualify with it, then it will work for her.

Nobody ever said your first pistol has to be your only pistol.

 

I'd take her to a gun rental facility and have her try several guns then pick the one she's most comfortable shooting and handling.

 

If you want to really help her make the right decision, take her to a range where she can rent a variety of guns. Having them in her hands and shooting them will mean much more to that decision than anything you (or we) could tell her.

 

I agree with the PX4 compact idea. Same manual of arms as the M9, not a big honkin' M9. If she does get deployed she will have plenty of time to dry-fire her issue M9 to her heart's content during the train up. That's what I do, no reason for me to own a personal one...though I do really dig the Wilson Brig-Tac.

 

PJ has the right idea, went through the same thing with my now wife a long time ago. She must have fired three dozen different pistols/revolvers before picking out what she wanted.

I will add that what she picked out would not have even been on my list of choices but it is what she likes it and had no problem qualifying with it.

 

Have her log onto www.corneredcat.com. There is a lot of good information on that site.

 

PJ Sprog: +1

 

If she believes that she will have to carry/qual with an M-9, I would recommend she get one. Let her work out what she will CC-a gun rental range might be a good place for her to begin on that.

 

Bingo! We have a winner! The M9 is not the best choice for concealment, but there are many pistols with similar actions that are. Trying them out would be the best way to decide.

 

^^^^^^ This is the answer!

If she may have to carry one, then a 92 variant of some kind is a great choice. They do make "compact" models as well, though they are a bit large still. The Cougar is another overlooked choice that is out there and very affordable and shootable, with the same controls.



If it were me, I'd convince her to spend some more money, and have a full size 92 for home defense, and a smaller gun for concealed carry. I personally do not believe that there is a "one handgun to do it all". Different needs require different tools, though some guns can certainly be pressed into multiple service roles. The question is does she want one gun to do some tasks really well, and others just ok, or does she want two or more guns to do all the required tasks REALLY well?

If she likes Beretta's and wants a fancy one at a reasonable price, the Wilson/Beretta 92 Brig Tac is a fantastic choice. Though I wouldn't recommend the trigger job if it will be a HD gun, as it is the type of trigger that could get away on an inexperienced shooter.

 

Noted and corrected. Thank you.

 

One more thought, she might consider a Bersa Thunder .380 or .22. While I realized I'll get flamed for suggesting a "mouse gun", the Bersa will be MUCH easier to conceal than the 92, and if she trains with the 92, the Bersa controls are situated in the same style. It's also cost effective if she eventually decided on a different gun.

 

If your friend wants to stick with the same manual of arms as the Berretta M9, the link below is to an older THR thread listing handguns with slide mounted safeties. It has a long list of assorted calibers and quality.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-731419.html&amp&

 

One of the LGR's that I frequent conducts these NRA "Women on Target" training courses, and the response is phenomenal. Show your friend this video per the first link, and then encourage her to use the second link to find the next available class at an LGR that she can commute to;

http://youtu.be/U14GA-oKxOY

http://women.nra.org/womens-instructional-shooting-clinics/find-a-clinic-near-you.aspx

 

Tell her to join the Base gun club or whatever it's called(Might be Rod and Gun etc.) and talk to the other members. And go to a shop to try a few on for size. That Beretta maybe too big for her hand.
Curiosity got to me. A bridge crew engineer is a grunt who helps put bridges and rafts in place to keep my tanks nice and dry. Thank you. snicker.

 

I'm curious.... I wonder how many people advocating gun rental have actually rented guns....