Revolver For the Wife

[JaxNovice]

After my car was broken into the other night while sitting in my driveway and $5k worth of computer equipment stolen, my wife suddenly lost her fear of guns. I had just gotten back from a business trip and it happened the night I got back. We have two babies and she concluded it might not be such a bad idea to learn how to shoot my revolver. Anyway, I was going to surprise her with a revolver of her own. This gun will most likely only be shot once at the range for her to get used to it and then tucked in her nightstand so it does not need to be anything fancy.

I do not want to spend a lot money on it so I narrowed it down to:

Charter Arms 2000 .38 spl
Taurus ultralite .38 spl
Rossi .38 spl

Input from the board would be nice since I am sure many fellow members have bought a gun for the wife.

Thanks!

 

[armoredman]

A few things -
1 Don't get a snub, recoil will make her fear it all over again, better a good 357 mag, (loaded with non+P 38 Spls), with a 3 inch tube, or a 4 inch full size 38, will help dampen recoil to a managable extent. The advantage is a 4 inch .38 Spl. full size wheelgun can be had used, good ones, for $150-200 easy. Save the extra $ for some grips that will fit her.
2 Have her pick it out. A gun she can't stand won't even be thought of, and she might not even remember where it is in an emergency.
3 Spend some $ on some light practice ammo, and have her have fun with it. Then buy a box of the 158gr LWSHP for bedside.
4 Kids? No bedside table for you. Look into a keypad lockbox, or a holster at the head/against the wall, something to keep the sidearm available but not to little fingers. LOTS of options there. If they are really little babies, you have some time before they crawl, but as soon as they crawl, get it taken care of.
5 Have fun. My wife never wanted anything to do with guns before I met her, now she carries her CZ-2075 RAMI everywhere.

 

[Cosmoline]

I agree a snub is probably not the way to go. They go bang when you pull the trigger, but they're among the most difficult of all firearms to master. A 4" barrel revolver of K frame size or bigger is probably a better bet for starters. You can't go wrong with a Model 10 in fact. And you can find them for very reasonable prices.

And ditto re. making this HER CHOICE. She should handle and try out a variety of firearms. You should keep an open mind, and not try to force her into a "lady" gun.

 

[Spiff_P239]

Like both of the posters before me said, do not get her a snubnose, especially not a light weight snubnose. I'd be looking into a 3" or 4" Ruger GP100 or S&W 686. Shooting .38 special out of one of these guns almost feels like you're shooting a .22.

 

[Wedge]

This gun will most likely only be shot once at the range for her to get used to it and then tucked in her nightstand so it does not need to be anything fancy.

1st) What sort of gun is your revolver? Has she shot it before? Does it already do CCW or nightstand duty? She might like that one best.

2nd) Since this is going to be a bedside / range gun there is no reason that it needs to be small. 4 or 6" barrel would be pretty nice IMHO.

3rd) She really needs to pick out what fits best for her, both gun size and caliber wise. If it is something she really likes it will be practiced with much more.

Good luck and stay safe! Hopefully this will also get you a new range buddy!

 

[Stainz]

I let my wife choose her .25ACP Beretta's replacement... a new CZ-75. One day, she tired of it and we sold it. I found a 3" 65 and fitted a grip to her liking to it. She liked it - but couldn't hit squat with it, so it left. Then she acquired my 6" 66, followed by my 5.5" .45 SS Redhawk - which she proclaimed as hers. She loved those big old bullets - and that big old revolver - with slick wood stocks. She didn't notice when I sold it early this year. The last time she went to the pistol range with me, she picked up my JM PC627 V-Comp - and shot the stew out of it, and said "Never mind that .45 thingie, I love this one!". Well, I do, too... so I took her to the Steel Plate Challenge this AM. She had poor results practicing with the 627, so I offered her the Ruger KMK-678GC MKII I had received, from her, for Christmas some years back - my only evil-bottom feeder. Instant karma - I barely beat her - but with my 627 back in my hands again!

Oh, we have a 2" 10 on her side of the bed - and she is quite good with it, despite her distain for the 'little' revolver, the monicher with which she labels anything with less than a 4" barrel. I'll bet a 4" 10/64/67 would get my Ruger MKII back, but I'll stay where I am for now. Women like to 'make their own choice', when it comes to firearms. Just be careful that they don't choose your favorite handgun - believe me, it is hard to get them back... except to clean. I would give serious consideration to a 4" .38/.357M - for .38 Specials for plinking and maybe even self/home defense - just keep either 148gr WC's or 158gr SWC's, lead or jacketed/plated. For the 'ultimate' in .38 Special, albeit a +P round, consider the Remington R38S12 158gr LHPSWC - aka 'The FBI load'. A proven performer - with a bit more recoil. I have them in speedloaders for my 2" 10, 6" 66, & 5" 686+ - and my 642 is always loaded with them.

So, let her have an active part in the choice of protection/plinker - lest you lose a favorite firearm!

Stainz

 

[JaxNovice]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the thoughtful responses. I never considered going with a longer barrell and using .38 spl. Makes perfect sense! Thanks for the sound advice guys.

 

[bigmike45]

JaxNovice,

I noticed in you list of guns, it states you have a Ruger SP-101. Might that be the 3 1/16" version???? If so there is the gun for your wife. Otherwise look for another for her. She might prefer the smaller grips of the 3" SP-101 loaded with .38specials.

bigmike45

 

[SgtRage]

I would suggest staying away from the Taurus. I've just heard too many horror stories about their lack of customer service when someone gets a lemon or breaks a part.

 

[campbell]

I'll second the suggestion for a GP100. My wife had never shot anything until we got married. After she took a class with a .22 auto of mine, I bought her a 4'' GP. She loves it.

 

[1 LT MPC]

Ditto the Sp101! My wife has the 3 inch barrel and shoots it well. I load it it with Buffalo Bore 150 gr wadcutters and the recoil is akin to a .22 long. If I do the laundry on Thursday, she lets me shoot it--occasionally.

I should mention that the BufBores are .38 specials.

 

[SJshooter]

First thing I would do is sign my wife up for an NRA basics class - they will spend time in a classroom going over the function of revolvers and semi-autos and she will get range time with both. I did this with my wife and it -really- eliminated her fear of guns. My guess is your wife thinks a gun can just "go off" if dropped, for example (mine did). Once she takes the class she will be even more comfortable with a gun because she will understand how they function and how serious gun people take safety.

I would second the advice to avoid getting her a snub nose. They can be very difficult to shoot accurately at anything beyond 5 yards, and if she goes to practice and shoots with a gun that allows her to put up tighter groups, she will like shooting more than going in with a snubby and having a hard time keeping them close.

If I were you, there are two ways I would go:
1) Get a GP-100, 686, or similarly medium sized gun that absorbs recoil extremely well and is a fun range shooter. Enjoyable practice is important for all shooters, but especially beginners, and these guns are perfect for comfortable defense.

2) Buy her a .22 for the range and a snubby for home. Despite the reasons above to skip the snub, it IS the perfect short-range home defense or tucked-in-purse weapon. But with this plan you can take her to the range with the .22, where she will learn to become deadly accurate with really cheap ammo, and you can end every session with one cylinder on the snubby so she knows what to expect when it hits the fan. This way she has the snubby when she needs it but she still learns to shoot well on a gun she can handle.

Oh, and don't be surprised if you wife outshoots in you short order. I have been shooting for years and my wife was able to match my groups at 7 and 10 yards after only a few range sessions. And I've heard many similar stories from friends with shooting wives. I don't know if women have steadier hands, better concentration, or what, but if you get her on the range and she likes it, it won't be long before she is giving you tips.

 

[pete f]

Ok, buddy, pal, friend of mine, listen close..... Do you go buy shoes for your wife? purses? Blue jeans? I did not think so. LET her choose the gun.

Second. How much is she worth to you? Are you going to go Cheap on her? IF she decides the only handgun that she likes is mid fifties Python, then suck it up, ask the Boss for OT, and get it for her. You may get lucky and find that she just loves a cop shop hand in model 10 for 150 bucks, and you may find that the only gun she likes is a Korth.

I would suggest that if she is just starting out, getting a .22 of some quality is a good starter, although many women find full size 9 mm's to be just as easy to shoot as .22's, (mine still has my Hi Power as her back up.) and finding a nice model 10 or 13 or 19 is always an easy proposition.

I recently taught a friends wife how to shoot after he had very bad luck doing so, (for some reasons, husbands teaching their wives is often a bad juju sort of thing.) and she discovered that a S&W 686 with CT grips was just the thing. One she could shoot light rounds for practice and yet could manage a few +p magnums without fear. The CT grips reduced the need or her to find her glasses, ( a very real consideration for her, she has fairly strong far sightedness, and sights were not a great thing, targets on the other hand, she could read the writing on the bottoms at 7+ yards. That red dot on the target really made her confident.

 

[campbell]

Do you go buy shoes for your wife? purses? Blue jeans? I did not think so. LET her choose the gun.

Disagree, because of this,

"This gun will most likely only be shot once at the range for her to get used to it and then tucked in her nightstand..."

She's bought jeans her whole life, and knows exactly what works for her. Guns? Not so much.

IMO, that quote throws autos out completely. For the criteria he set out, GP100/686 is the way to go.

 

[JaxNovice]

Hi Big Mike, The SP-101 is actually a 2 1/4" version. I was going to give it her initially but the posters on this thread raised a good point about going to a longer barrelled .357 and loading it with no +p .38 spl. Really got me thinking!

 

[GRIZ22]

My wife is tiny and we tried a variety of guns when she first went to the range. She declared that the 4" S&W M10 I carried when I was on a police departemnt was hers. Keep it loaded with factory wadcutters and she's happy. She doesn't shoot often and preferred the revolver as:

1. She's concerned about getting bit by the slide on an auto.

2. She knows all she has to do is pick up the revolver and it's ready to go.

 

[dang]

i bought my wife a snub sw 38. she loves it. they are harder to shoot but easier to conceal. practice makes perfect.

 

[jad0110]

As others have said, I wouldn't just buy something. At a minimum, she needs to be involved in the process. Let her try your collection. Who knows, that 2 1/4" SP101 might be just right for her. She and you won't know until it is tried.

Certainly, you won't be able to turn her completely loose to buy her first gun. She will need lots of guidance from you. Help her to help herself find what is right for her.

Here's my personal example: My wife came with me to the range last weekend for the first time. She has experience shooting rifles (including black powder) and shotguns from her childhood, but no experience with handguns. I had with my S&W 642, 686 and K-22 as well as my new Springfield M1911A1 Government Mil-Spec. First off, I always assumed a 3" S&W Model 60 or 3 1/16" Ruger SP101 would be just right for her.

My wife is VERY petite. She isn't quite 5' tall, and has very small, child sized hands. She could barely shoot the K-Frame K-22, as the trigger reach was just too far. That ruled out the 686, as well as the Model 14 at home. The 642 didn't work either. Apparently, the recoil on the first shot was bad enough that the next two shots were flinched into the ceiling of the indoor range, about 10 yards behind the target .

Finally, she shot my 1911 in 45 ACP (Government/full size). Though the gun was a bit large, and recoil was a little more stout than she'd prefer, by the end of the first 50 rounds she was producing decent groups at 5 yards. And she decided that wheelguns aren't her thing: she doesn't like the long trigger pull, and she said the cylinder rotating is "distracting." Plus, she feels more comfortable with a manual safety. So my 1911 is now her primary HD gun, cocked and locked.

It's not ideal for her. But if she ever becomes more interested in finding something more to her liking, I will be able to provide guidance. In my example, my original thoughts on what would work for her turned out to be completely wrong.

 

[Rebailey]

Gun For Wife

My wife has very small delicate hands. A .38 or .357 is way too much recoil for her. After looking a while I picked up a Smith Model 30 in .32 S&W Long. She loves it and can shoot it very well. I have told her that it's where you put the bullet that gets the job done. A highway patrol buddy of mine has a saying: Gun control is one bullet right between the eyes. I bought her some Rem. 98 gr ammo. I also bought one box of 85 gr. to practice. She can shoot a turtle off a log at 20 paces.

 

[Glockman17366]

"I would suggest staying away from the Taurus. I've just heard too many horror stories about their lack of customer service when someone gets a lemon or breaks a part."

You can always tell a novice...they make comments such as this...

Anyway, if I were you, I'd take your wife to the gun shop. She can decide which is the best gun for her.
If you wanna be cool, get a gift certificate for her (from the shop).

 

[Scotticus]

My vote is for a 3" SP101 in .38 or .357 --preferably the .357 so she could, in a pinch, use any .357 ammo you may have for your SP101 (eg, grab the wrong speed loader or some such thing). Add Hogue monogrips before she ever shoots it. Practice with light .38 loads and work up to as hot a .38 load as she is comfortable and accurate with.

My OTHER vote is for a Taurus Tracker .357 4" (7-shot). Those Trackers have very comfortable grips for smaller hands. (Probably more comfortable than the K-frames with factory grips). I've shot a Taurus ultralite .38 and it is what I would consider an "intermediate skill level" gun--not a beginner's gun.

 

[Logos]

Oh no.....don't take her to the gun shop.

Too many choices.

That means a good chance of her making a bad choice.

Like a Taurus or a Rossi or a Charter or something else......(Rugers are great, but usually have terrible trigger pulls).

Or she might latch onto a lightweight snubbie and find that the recoil bothers when she gets around to shooting it.

The good choice is the Smith 65 in a 3-inch barrel used with the .38 Special 110 grain JHP (a bullet weight for indoors close shooting).

There are a lot of good used ones around at reasonable prices.

Here's what you do......let her choose any grips she wants. That will let her feel some control on the purchase and also ensure that she'll be comfortable with the gun.

Have her practice point-shooting a lot since she may have to shoot in the dark. CT laser grips should be considered.

Do have her take a class if at all possible.....it will do wonders for her confidence.

Remember that the drawer of the nightstand is ok, but the gun will have to be locked up when she's not there or in control of it.....otherwise it might be used against you or her or handled by a child.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

JaxNovice,
Like everyone else is telling you, you should let her choose the gun she will use.

You said you don't want to spend too much money but didn't tell us your budget. Remember, the gun she buys may have to be used some day to protect her, the children or you, you don't want a cheap gun. I'm not telling you to spend a lot of money because inexpensive doesn't mean cheap just like expensive doesn't always mean good. You can buy a relatively inexpensive handgun which isn't cheap.

Rossi revolver are known to have very heavy triggers. that might not be a good thing for a new shooter. Taurus is also know for heavy triggers but they do smooth out with use. Not even S&W makes a great trigger out of the box these days but they are probably the best.( IMO of course) You might want to go into the used market to get a good revolver at a fair price that's within your budget.

I highly suggest you go to this site and especially read the sections "Your First Handgun" and "For The Men." Take a look at the whole site, it's very helpful, then suggest to your wife she read it too.

Good luck and I'm glad you and your wife have decided to take protection into your own hands before something forced you too.
http://www.corneredcat.com/

 

[Xenia]

I also agree to her going to corneredcat.com

Also the women at womenandguns.com could give some more advice to her about what works for them.

I myself have yet to shoot a revolver I like. My hands are very small... like that of a 12 year old.

 

[jt1]

If you are only talking about HD and not a a CCW, what about the mossy 500 you already have? With the proper loads she would be well served with. It is much more effective than any handgun and if she only plans minimal practice it might be a better choice.