Newbie: Need advice on purchase

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Crue4

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Planning on getting a pistol for my wife that she is comfortable with for home protection and some range training and shooting. She has fallen in love with a 9mm SW 908s, $349 that a friend of mine is willing to sell it to us for. Gun in excellent shape, not even 300 rounds fired, (no question on the condition and how it was cared for).. he moved to a 40cal that is why he is selling. We have been to the gun store and have looked and held all different kinds. Of course, for me this 908s would not be my choice...but I am not buying it for me (of course I will shoot it though :) ). We of course looked at Glocks, XD9 and XD40s but she just didn't like the feel of them..nor did she like not having a thumb safety.

I guess the question is given the excellent condition (along with knowing the owner and that he has only had it a 6 months) at the given price $349, and the fact that in her mind she likes the feel and design of it... should I get it for her.... on should I get one that I personally feel better about and teach and train her on it?

I am looking for a great deal, and I want to save as much money as possible for an upgrade to my current pistol. What are your thoughts.
 
Crue4, count your blessings. Many of us on this board would die to have a wife that wanted ANY gun. Don't be a control freak. Buy her the gun she wants for heaven's sake. Buy another that you like so that you can both be happy.

Happy shooting.
 
Thank you

Thanks for the response... So you think the 908s would be a quality and dependable gun for her at that price point?
 
One of the most important elements of owning a firearm is that it "feels" right. You will almost always shoot that one better than others that don't have that natural feel. If she likes it and would be willing to use it then get that one. And be very very happy you have a wife who WANTS one to begin with.
 
Crue4

MaterDei says it all...a wife that shares your interest in handguns? Holey Moley!! What I wouldn't give!

If she likes the gun..brother, buy it for her! Regardless of cost (sounds good), the fact she'll be sharing gun time with you is priceless.

Take Care
 
there are a billion different guns that might be "better" for her in your eyes but that one is a gun that she, personally feels comfortable with and that's what's important. if your concern is that 9mm is too low a power level, consider this: first off, 9mm is generally accepted as being enough gun with proper ammunition, 9mm recoils much less than .40 or .45 and therefore allows her to quickly achieve follow up shots plus it means she's likely to shoot more often and more ammunition in each training session. a .44 doesn't do any good if you can't hit with it. get her the nine and after she shoots the crap out of it and puts you to shame every day she may want to move to something else. most importantly, get her the gun SHE's comfortable with, buy her professional training, good acessories (holsters, mags, etc.) that work well for HER and get her to start carrying ALL the time.

that said, a pistol is lousy home protection. pistols are for carry convenience, nothing more. if she absolutely can't or won't carry get a rifle for home protection. that's not to say you shouldn't get the pistol too, just for fun.
 
908's are ok and the price seems right. I must be lucky too I bought my wife her 1st 9mm about 1 year ago a Sig 239 and she loves it.

Any way if your wife is getting this for home protection and not CCW I would try getting her a gun with a little longer barrel easier to shoot well and will build confidience. If she has already done a good bit of shooting or is willing to hit the range then by all means buy the 908.

Good Luck
 
Thanks

ChopinBlock--- The pistol is for extra protection and to carry in her vehicle... she is well trained with my Remington 12guage, and my Browning 300 WSM... but the pistol is for carrying and keeping on her nightstand.
 
Girl Guns

If the shoe were on the other foot, would you like your wife to decide what gun you got? The 9 mm has plenty of power for self defense. My wife doesn't like autos (here hand was nicked by a slide once and they're too hard to open) and doesn't like recoil. She has a Taurus revolver in .22 LR; not the one I would pick but it fits her hand and she is happy with it. I wouldn't want to be hit with either a .22 LR bullet or with a 9 mm one.
 
Yep that is my conclusion as well

Grum-- I think that is exactly what I need to do... as we looked at different pistols.. revolvers and autos... I first thought she would like the small beretta .380 size just b/c of it smallness, but she really struggled with the slide since it was so small... I then thought a revolver would be her choice for ease, but she didn't like not having a safety, plus she just didn't like how they felt in her hand... once she held the 908s, she immediately loved the feel and the ease of the slide, and the safety... so every gun after that she compared back to the 908, and none matched up... so at least price wise at $349, I feel like I am getting a very quality piece at a very good price point...

So moral is that I am at least happy that she did at least choose the 9mm over the .380 or .32...so I cannot complain about that.
 
The 908 is an excellent gun. IIRC, it's the same gun as the S&W 3913, just with less fancy finishing (the slide is less rounded, the frame is plainer, etc). My own carry/HD pistol is a 3913 LadySmith, which cost around $750 (MSRP is now $858):
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...d=10001&productId=14726&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y

Since an S&W 908 is an essentially similar gun, $349 is an excellent deal in my book.

BTW, MSRP on the 908 is $587: http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...d=10001&productId=12754&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y

I know nobody pays MSRP, but I see one on Guns America going for $420 at the moment:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976529567.htm

I do second the notion to let your wife make the decision, though, but if she likes the 908, it's an excellent choice. My 3913, which is essentially the same gun, is fantastically accurate, absolutely reliable, and easy to carry. I also like the fact that it has an external safety and an exposed hammer. It can be safety carried with a round in the chamber and the safety on or off (it's still drop-safe with the safety off, which can't be said for all .380's).
 
$349 is a good price for a 908S with just 300 rounds thru it and 3 months old. Street price in OKC is around $480.

The only thing I would suggest you consider is to have her shoot a similar sized and caliber pistol that is DA/SA. In other words only the first shot is double action. I say this because DA shooting is more difficult to do well than SA without a whole lot of practice.

With a pistol there's no reason that anything other than the first shot should have to be that long hard trigger pull of a DA.

I'm not a huge fan of DA; it isn't any faster than SA (though some may argue that point) and without practice it is a whole lot less accurate.

That's my 2 cents worth...
 
epijunkie67 said:
One of the most important elements of owning a firearm is that it "feels" right. You will almost always shoot that one better than others that don't have that natural feel. If she likes it and would be willing to use it then get that one. And be very very happy you have a wife who WANTS one to begin with.
Click to expand...


he's right. what matters is that she likes it. that's it. The thing is giving her what she wanted!
 
things I picked up frpm your article.

She likes a single stack magazine, you listed double stack guns that she says doesn't feel right.

I suggest along with the 908, having her try a Kahr K9 (not the mini, etc etc) Sig p239, and I am sure i am missing a few others of the same type.

Regarding the slide, had the same thing when a friend took his girlfriend out gunshopping, didn't like the 'feel of them'. I asked her for more specifics, she said it was too hard to work the slide. Remember, the slide IS stiff on new guns. We went back, picked a few used guns that the store also had new models in, and tried the slides of those, then of the new ones, to assure her that the slide would be much easier to operate once the gun had fired a box of ammuniiton or two.

In the end, she too went for a S&W 908. When asked about the feel, she described the grip not being so wide, which is why i picked up on your choices being double stack and her prefering a single stack in your story
 
Big Change

My wife has now decided the she likes the S&W 6906 stainless 9mm due the smaller size. So that looks like the one we are going with. Any comments on this gun from those familiar with it?
 
I know

V4-- I know I know... It is something my wife is comfortable with ... You should have seen her reaction to the Glock.. she thought is was the ugliest most uncomfortable thing she had ever seen... So politics aside, I bought her something she wanted... of couse she love a custom Springfield Arms stainless with wood grain 45... but that was a little out of my budget for her... Just asking for opinions on the piece not the thoughts on the company.
 
It's A Woman's Perogative To Change Her Mind!

Should she change it again, my wife and I both rate our KAHR P9 very highly.

Take Care
 
Tell me about it...

But it looks like she is pretty sure this time... I am at least glad she is getting one that she feels good holding and using... that after all is the point...

Anyone here attest for the quality of the 6906?
 
My wife has now decided the she likes the S&W 6906 stainless 9mm due the smaller size. So that looks like the one we are going with. Any comments on this gun from those familiar with it?
Click to expand...
I carried one as my duty pistol for several years when working for the Sheriff. It was 100% reliable and suitably accurate.

My only concern with double stack magazine pistols is that it fits your wife's hand without her having to adopt an awkward grip in order to fire it, and then adjust her grip another way to drop an empty magazine.

Pilgrim
 
6906 is a single stack... at least the one I am looking at ... comes with 2
shot mags.
 
We all agree. Get her what she likes even if you don't like it at all. My Mother carries a Kel-Tec 3AT & I don't like it at all. That is not the point. She does & it goes bang every time she pulls the trigger I have no complaint or say over what she carries.
 
beaucoup ammo said:
If she likes the gun..brother, buy it for her! Regardless of cost (sounds good), the fact she'll be sharing gun time with you is priceless.
Click to expand...

+1

I am in the same situation.. My fiance, after 4 years of being rediculously scared of guns, decided to go the range with me when I picked up my AO 1911. I let her cook off a box of 50 to herself, and she's been infected :D

She wants a Baby Eagle in .45 - not my first choice at all for a new shooter, but that's what she wants. She says she likes the grip, the weight, and insists on learning to shoot with a .45 - Although I'm sure that has SOMETHING to do with all the THR caliber-wars she's read over my shoulder these last couple of weeks.

even though I think she is absolutely nuts, ya gotta admit... Having a woman who is interested in guns is unbeatable :) Keep her happy and get her what she wants... More than likely, as she learns more, your interests will influence her choices in the future

Have fun!
 
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