What 9mm pistol fits these criteria?

[Walt Sherrill]

My wife trusts my judgment in these matters.

Famous last words. <grin>

It's not a question of judgment -- it's really a question of letting the person who will actually use the gun have an active role in picking the gun. I can't tell you how many times I've personally seen men pick the right gun for their wives or girlfriends only to later sell the gun, to pick another right gun, etc., etc.

Given a chance to fire several different guns, the significant other can quickly -- and your guidance is certainly necessary in the process -- come up with a gun they'll actually shoot, rather than refuse to shoot (for reasons not obvious at time of purchase).

Are there any ranges with rental guns in your area? You may find that money spent renting and trying several different guns is money well spent.

For my wife, just finding a gun that she can rack the slide is a problem. We have a revolver, but while it's got a great SINGLE-ACTION trigger, the double-action is a challenge for her. Revolvers are a natural choice for some women, but not just any revolver...

 

[JohnnyRotten]

I second the Springfield XD9 Sub Comact. Awesome gun, never had any

failures, I trust my families life on it. Plus it is a fun shooter at the range and very concealable.

 

[hentown]

If you arbitrarily just use a lower-than-standard recoil spring, you will accelerate wear to the pistol. The spring strength is carefully balanced to operate the weapon without excessive wear, cushion recoil, and reliably close/lock the weapon with enough force to chamber the next round.
__________________

That's a very well-written, authoritative and sensible-sounding post; however, it's largely fallacious.

Any manufacturer's choice of recoil spring weight is a compromise. Lots of informed consumers tailor recoil spring weights to loads/calibers that they're shooting, with excellent results. IF the OP's wife chooses a Glock, chances are, she'll get 500,000+ rounds through it, regardless of the recoil spring she uses.

Having fired over 300,000 of my reloads through my Glocks, I suppose I consider myself an informed consumer.

 

[GoPadge]

If you get the chance, hitting your local gun show is a great way for her to get HER hands on a ton on guns. You can then rule out the ones that don't fit her hand, have difficult to operate mag or slide releases or are too hard to rack.

 

[FireInCairo]

Neither my wife, nor I, subscribe to feminist dogmas. She really does trust my judgment in this.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Neither my wife, nor I, subscribe to feminist dogmas. She really does trust my judgment in this.

I don't think anyone here subscribes to feminist dogma, either. That wasn't the point... Shame you missed it.

All that behind us, let us know how she does. Maybe it'll be a good possible gun for others here.

 

[45bthompson]

Get her the one YOU want. Then if she decides she doesn't like it... You eat the leftovers!

 

[Pukindog12]

How about a Bersa Thunder 9UC Pro? This pistol meets your requirements IMO (mag release is reversible) and it is a superb EDC. I know a couple of females who carry these and are very satisfied with their choice.

 

[WinThePennant]

Personally, I think the Sig P250 is the best gun for a woman out there (as long as the long DAO trigger pull doesn't bother her).

My P250 is the easiest gun in the world to clean and use. Racking the slide is cake when compared to almost any other semi-auto.

Sounds like she might like the P250 SC in .380. That .380 is pretty sweet, too. Twelve rounds in a SC that only weighs 19.4 ounces WITH THE MAG. Pretty sick!

 

[Robbins290]

Let us know how she makes out. If she does not like it. Take her to a chain store (or a local) with plunty of options for her to handle. I taught and helper plunty of women how to shoot. And each one liked and did well with different pistols. It's hard to pick one out online with suggestions online. Good luck fire

 

[FireInCairo]

I know my wife, she is very pragmatic and not too particular. She loved shooting the S&W 642 I bought, and she will enjoy shooting the PPS. This is the kind of wife men should marry.

 

[FireInCairo]

Personally, I think the Sig P250 is the best gun for a woman out there (as long as the long DAO trigger pull doesn't bother her).

My P250 is the easiest gun in the world to clean and use. Racking the slide is cake when compared to almost any other semi-auto.

Sounds like she might like the P250 SC in .380. That .380 is pretty sweet, too. Twelve rounds in a SC that only weighs 19.4 ounces WITH THE MAG. Pretty sick!

I haven't read too many good things about the 250, but the 2022 was on my radar. Problem was, the shop that had one sold it the morning I called. So it was the PPS. It's slim pickings in the Commiewealth of Marxichusetts right now because of the panic.

 

[WinThePennant]

The P250 has a somewhat soiled reputation for two reasons.

1. The P250's DAO trigger is simply the best one I've ever shot. Problem is, almost no one likes DAO triggers. So, people slam on it because it isn't like what they are used to.
2. Early production (years ago) was indeed spotty. Now, the damn things are simply one of the most reliable guns available.

Both reasons, by the way, are why the P250 is available for a relatively cheap price.

 

[zignal_zero]

Yep, P250 is the bombdiggity I had one and LOVED it. However, my wife also loved it. So.... I gave it to her cuz I'm a softy when it comes to her or my kids.

I hope the Walther works out for you guys, good luck

Also, what the other poster was explaining has nothing to do with being a woman. I have had agencies TELL me what I was going to carry and it's like - "oh thanks, glad I get to trust my life to the gun you say will fit my hand the best". These days, more and more agencies are forcing their officers to all carry the same gun which is something I completely disagree with.

Also, while you guys do not "subscribe to the female dogma" I would highly recommend you do subscribe to the NEW SHOOTER dogma.

On a side note, I think revolvers are a fantastic choice for lesser experienced shooters who are planning to use the gun for SD just keep in mind the whole "they don't jam" line is utter B.S. I have had THREE different revolver malfunction on me it is less common, but when they do they are generally out of the fight and not simply a "tap, rack, bang" away from being back in it.

 

[YZ]

Walt
This has been my experience as well. The replacement spring I bought from SIG (just in case) is colored. I have not tested it because my original unpainted spring has been fine. It seems out of character for Sauer to put the wrong recoil spring in their signature pistol that is test fired before leaving factory. Could it be a matter of user perception?

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Walt
This has been my experience as well. The replacement spring I bought from SIG (just in case) is colored. I have not tested it because my original unpainted spring has been fine. It seems out of character for Sauer to put the wrong recoil spring in their signature pistol that is test fired before leaving factory. Could it be a matter of user perception?

User perception?

If it were a matter of a minor difference or a little extra effort to release the slide, perhaps. But in my case, the slide stop was so hard to depress that I truly had to use both thumbs on the lever, or one on the lever and the other hand to pull back on the slide, to get the slide released.

I haven't shot IDPA in several years, and when I bought the gun was thinking about starting up again. Dreams die, so to speak -- as there was (and still is) no way I can that gun in competition: reloads are too slow and cumbersome. The new spring makes it a lot easier, but still not something that I can manage with either the strong hand or off hand, alone. (Changing the angle of the cut on the slide, or polishing the area on the slide stop lever where it interacts with the slide are options that I haven't tried -- I figure something like that is best left to the SIG gunsmiths.)

This is not my first high-end gun; I have a number of other nice guns, including several SIGs. (Some years back I had a P-210-6 for a while; it, along with a very nice S&W 52-2, and a collectible Luger were sacrificed to buy a second car we badly needed. I miss them all.)

I've never had a "competition" pistol so difficult to use. It is VERY accurate, so I'll just keep struggling with it until I find a better solution. That may include eventually sending it back to SIG. (I bought it used, but essentially unfired, so there's no warranty. I now suspect I know why it was such a low-mileage weapon.)

 

[YZ]

But in my case, the slide stop was so hard to depress that I truly had to use both thumbs on the lever, or one on the lever and the other hand to pull back on the slide, to get the slide released.

Are you saying the slide stop is tough to disengage? It is obviously a separate issue from the recoil spring assembly. Or both. Since you bought it used, hard to tell what the seller might have done.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Are you saying the slide stop is tough to disengage? It is obviously a separate issue from the recoil spring assembly. Or both. Since you bought it used, hard to tell what the seller might have done.

Why is it "obviously a separate issue from the recoil spring assembly"? Perhaps my description of the issue/problem hasn't been clear enough?

The slide release moves easily for the first portion of it's arc, but when it's pressed farther, to where the release needs to drop below the notch on the slide, it becomes very difficult to move. Pulling back on the slide releases the pressure and allows the release to continue down. There's nothing obvious inside the gun, causing this; with the slide off, the lever moves easily.

If the slide is locked back, and a heavy recoil spring is in use -- as was the case originally with the X-FIVE -- that recoil spring is tightly compressed and must be compressed just a bit more to release the slide. Doing that is difficult is you just use the slide stop to do it. It's like the recoil spring is simply too long (and possibly stacked.) I get the sense that were the recoil spring a half-coil shorter, most of the problem would go away, but I'm not going there. I didn't compare recoil springs lengths when the new one arrived, knowing you can't compare old and new unless they're in the same working state. (Recoil springs take a set -- shorten a bit -- with use.)

As noted, installing a lighter spring made it much easier to release the slide stop -- and made it almost manageable. If it was a separate issue from the recoil spring assembly, I don't understand why changing out the spring would have made such a marked difference. It did.

I have had other P-226s, but this is my first X-Five. As I'm sure you understand, the recoil assembly on the X-Five is substantially different than the standard P-226 -- and has a surprising number of parts!

I also have a P220 Super Match which is one of the single action only models of the 220, and a P228 reworked by Gray Guns. The slide stop on the Super Match is slightly easier to release than the X-Five (with the new, lighter recoil spring installed), but like the X-Five, not easily depressed by the strong hand thumb. The slide on the P228, which is very low-mileage gun, can be easily depressed using my strong hand thumb without having to shift my grip to get better leverage, etc.

 

[YZ]

I have the distinct disadvantage of relying on your written description of the problem, sight unseen. All I can say, normally no matter how heavy the recoil spring is, pulling the slide back all the way (whatever it takes) makes room for the slide catch engagement. Be as it may, you can't be sure your X5 has all original parts, because someone had it before you. I'd be on the phone with customer service like yesterday. I'd bet something has been altered inside. Good luck.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Bersa 9mm pro meets every thing you want. But is a DA/SA pistol so it does have a decocker Surely she can learn to use a decocker

 

[justice06rr]

M&P9c or XD9c.

I owned both and they are excellent pistols for under $500.

 

[IdahoSkies]

Lots of info and opinions here but +1 on the new walthers. PPS, P99 etc. Make sure they are on the list you have your gal look at.

 

[welshdude]

My wife is left-handed and uses a P11. She's confident in carrying it 10+1 as the DAT is 8.5 lbs, but feels heavier. She decided it wasn't a 'purse gun' as that's the first place a perp will grab, usually. It's in a clip holster in the small of her back w/t holster/gun on the inside. Uses JHP 115+p SD rounds. She's not very big, but I don't worry about her as she's ex-military and got a 92 out of 100 on the range portion of the CCP class.

Btw, it weighs 20 oz fully loaded.

 

[golden]

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY XD9 or WALTHER P99

Based on the criteria you laid out, I would suggest either a:

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY XD9 Sub Compact.

The addition of a grip safety and the better ergonomics of the grip put it at the head of the list. I strongly suggest getter the PEARCE GRIP ADAPTERS for the shorter 13 round magazine. It made a huge difference in handling qualities to me.


WALTHER P99 AS

While larger than the SPRINGFIELD ARMORY, it may be worth the trade off if you can find one in your price range. I really like the way this gun shoots and it is one of my favorites. The grip shape is just right and you can modify the grip by using the different backstraps.
Also, I prefer the traditional DOUBLE/SINGLE ACTION trigger of the "AS" model to the newer GLOCKLIKE trigger versions.


H&K P-2000

This is my duty gun because it is what my agency issues. It works well, is accurate and fits all your criteria, EXCEPT PRICE. It is a $800.00 gun, though you may find one used in your price range. I have never warmed up to this gun. I carry it because I have too and it works well enough, just beware of rust issues if you are in a humid climate.


GOOD LUCK,

Jim

 

[Jim Figaniak]

You may want to consider this SIG P939 , 599.99 @ LGS., Jim