Poll: CCW for a lady: .32 H&R, .32 Auto, or .22 WMR?

[Monster Zero]

I know a lady who is considering getting a CCW weapon of her own. It's got to meet certain criteria...

So, the choices are:

Ruger LCR in .32 Federal Magnum, (Really, for her, .32 H&R),

Kel-tec P-32 or something similar,

or, an LCR in .22 WMR or Smith model 521. (If the bullet doesn't get 'em the muzzle blast will?)

So, given the three choices here... 1st, 2nd, 3rd?

More importantly, why?

All opinions welcome, and thanks in advance.

 

[Panzerschwein]

It's got to meet certain criteria...

According to who? Are these what you think she needs, or are these what she herself thinks she needs?

 

[Coyote3855]

How much shooting experience does she have? Does she have the hand strength to rack the slide on a KelTec .32?

I'd rule out the .22 WMR just because of the muzzle blast and noise in a short barreled revolver.

My wife sometimes carry a KelTec .32 and it has been a reliable firearm with the FMJ ammunition she prefers. Her regular carry gun is a Kahr P9, but the KelTec is handy in the pockets of her shorts when she's gardening on our rural property.

I have no experience with the .32 H&R but friends who have the LCR really like them and I think the .32 H&R is a decent cartridge. Maybe practice with the H&R and carry Magnums for real?

 

[iagbarrb]

I do also vote according to the experience she has.
It is not just having the gun. There are small ladies that can shoot big guns very nicely.
And I believe a gun comes in a holster not in a pourse or bag.

 

[Tallball]

LCR 327 every day of the week and twice on Sunday. 32 H&R is an actual SD cartridge. My daughter was shooting them when she was nine years old. 32acp is weaker and not always pleasant to shoot.

 

[BSA1]

I agree with not selling the lady short on how big of a gun she can shoot. Women are attacked more often than men and due to being physically weaker they need more of a "equalizer."

There are many very, very good choices in both handguns and ammunition. With that said I am surprised that the .32 magnum never has caught on. I guess for most gun buyers having the larger, heavier bullet outweighs the value of having one additional round in the cylinder.

I also think Ruger missed the boat by only chambering the LCR for 6 rounds of 22 Magnum. The cylinder will easily hold 8 rounds which is a significant increase in firepower. For me I find the Taurus M-941 to be superior to the LCR.

The only 32 Auto I consider is the Seacamp LWS. However that is a totally different concept of self-defense than most people think about.

 

[MedWheeler]

Is she really asking us to pick out her gun? Who picks out her shoes? Her hair styling iron? Her slow cooker? Her car?


I cannot even participate in the poll. If I were the lady in question, and had checked out the options, I'd feel qualified to. But I'm not.

 

[NormH3]

oops.....

 

[NormH3]

LCR 327 every day of the week and twice on Sunday. 32 H&R is an actual SD cartridge. My daughter was shooting them when she was nine years old. 32acp is weaker and not always pleasant to shoot.

I like this idea as well. Gives her multiple cartridges to try/use. As other have sad, she needs to visit her LGS and try a few on for size.

 

[JO JO]

There are so many options out there she needs to see what SHE likes and fits her
She should go to a range rent a few get some trigger time then pick what she likes,
Then take a class if she is a new shooter, She needs to be comfortable with her new firearm

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm curious as to why you said she will shoot .32 H&R Magnum instead of .327 Magnum ammo? Those choices don't really might into the "new shooter" category so I can't vote.

 

[entropy]

Of the choices presented here , the LCR in .327. The other two are non-starters. But with more specific info, better choices might be made.

 

[stchman]

It is widely believed that .380ACP or .38SPL is the bare minimum for a SD handgun. I happen to subscribe to that as well.

What needs to be ascertained if she has the hand strength to cycle the slide on a semi auto. Some women don't, so a revolver is a good choice.

A Ruger LCR, Charter Arms, or other small .38SPL revolver would be a good choice. The LCR has very manageable recoil and is easy to shoot.

If she has good hand strength, an LCP would be a good choice.

All in all, she needs to go to a range and try out a few guns to see what fits her hand the best.

 

[NormH3]

It is widely believed that .380ACP or .38SPL is the bare minimum for a SD handgun. I happen to subscribe to that as well.

What needs to be ascertained if she has the hand strength to cycle the slide on a semi auto. Some women don't, so a revolver is a good choice.

A Ruger LCR, Charter Arms, or other small .38SPL revolver would be a good choice. The LCR has very manageable recoil and is easy to shoot.

If she has good hand strength, an LCP would be a good choice.

All in all, she needs to go to a range and try out a few guns to see what fits her hand the best.

I think the hand strength thing is overrated. The hand only grips the slide. The elbow is doing the action. It's more of an arm strength scenario. Also, if you grip the slide and push the frame forward you are still completing the operation and is actually easier in my opinion. Perhaps it behooves all those that carry to do strengthening exercises as well if necessary.

 

[Monster Zero]

According to who? Are these what you think she needs, or are these what she herself thinks she needs?

Honestly, just trying to compile some opinions from a source of information I respect.

This lady is someone in my family who knows more about shooting than most people do, women or men. She is about to make a decision about a ccw piece and in fact, I am close enough to her that she wants my opinion about it. She has certain parameters that need to be met. She also has a knowitall father who is going to criticize any damn thing that she and I come up with just so he can dominate and be right, whether he's right or not. So I thought I'd ask around about some things just to be sure.

I assumed that my statement of that fact would suffice to attract some favorable responses one way or the other...

Maybe I should have just worded it all differently. Thanks anyway.

 

[NormH3]

Honestly, just trying to compile some opinions from a source of information I respect.

This lady is someone in my family who knows more about shooting than most people do, women or men. She is about to make a decision about a ccw piece and in fact, I am close enough to her that she wants my opinion about it. She has certain parameters that need to be met. She also has a knowitall father who is going to criticize any damn thing that she and I come up with just so he can dominate and be right, whether he's right or not. So I thought I'd ask around about some things just to be sure.

I assumed that my statement of that fact would suffice to attract some favorable responses one way or the other...

Maybe I should have just worded it all differently. Thanks anyway.

It's unfortunate that some threads go this direction. There was another post on here started by a gal asking about opinions and everyone was nice and thoughtful. I've seen posts like yours go sour on a number of forums. Hopefully you can glean the good advice from those that had a bad day at work. I think giving as much information in the OP helps keep the negative stuff out.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Monster Zero, you keep saying, "She has certain parameters that need to be met" but you still haven't told us those parameters. If you give us all the information we can help you make in informed list.

Many shooters think a short barrel revolver is a good choice foe women and new shooters, it is not. A short barrel revolver is difficult to shoot well and the trigger takes practice to master.

My son's girlfriend is a small girl who had difficulty racking the slide on most small semi-autos and hated snub nose revolvers. The Sig P238 was perfect for her. It's slide was easy for her to manipulate, the SA trigger is great, sights are good and the slight additional weight made the gun controllable. Talk to us so we can help...

 

[NMPOPS]

I would vote for a .38 special if you had it listed, so I didn't vote. Do you actually think a woman can't handle a .38?

 

[mp510]

Go with the .327, as long as she can manipulate it and work the trigger. If she can handle them go with .327 loads. If not, you have a lot of options (if you need to go down to .32 Long, it is a pop-gun round to shoot).

 

[Plan2Live]

327 Federal. Why, because whether it's a small block Chevy or a revolver cartridge I've always liked the feel of a 327. Plenty of power to get the job done without overkill.

 

[suemarkp]

Agree. The 32 can be handloaded as hot or as mild as you want (or substitute 32 S&W, 32 H&R, or different 327 loads if you don't handload). A revolver will tolerate cartridges of varying power.

The 22 WMR is not handloadable, so factory load is the only choice. Most are loaded for rifles so the muzzle blast is horrific. It is also marginal as a self defense caliber, especially when the barrel is under 6".

32 ACP is ok, as it can be handloaded. But a semi-auto is fussy about the range of power and bullet shapes you use. There really aren't a lot of bullet choices either and the 60gr JHP is marginal on penetration. In FMJ, a truncated cone or flat point would be better, but I haven't seen too many of those in 32 auto. A 32 S&W wadcutter is probably more effective.

 

[jstert]

pick the platform first then the ammo. let her choose after she tries several. remember that a hit always trumps a miss. my petite asian fiancee can only but reliably shoot 22lr. she doesn't want to rack a slide so she likes an s&w 317 22lr, shoots single action to center mass at 15'.


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[bannockburn]

Monster Zero

Given the limited choices (personally I would have a .38 Special in the mix), I would go with the LCR in .327 Federal Magnum.

 

[Jim Watson]

Does it have to be a teeny pocket/purse gun?
A Beretta 81 or CZ83 .32 would be a sweet shooter with lots of tries.

 

[doubleh]

Your OP was pretty clear on what the choices were. I knew you were going to get additional advice on what other calibers to choose instead although you didn't ask for them. It always happens. Always. If you had included the information in your second post it might have helped keep down the "something else" responses but probably not.

I'm all for letting her make the selection as it has to please her and none of us including you but you asked for our opinion. Of the options given I would choose the Ruger in .32.