What is a good weapon for a woman to conceal?

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Please do not listen to anybody who would reccomend a Raven, they are pieces of junk and I would never trust one, especially if my life was being threatened, they are $50.00 for a reason and not even worth that. IMO the only use for them is as a fishing weight. Just for the record I own one and will not sell it because I would not want somebody else to make the mistake I did by buying it, my personal credibility is worth more than $50. My wife loves her Sig 2002, it works for her but that does not mean it would be a fit for anybody else. The Ruger LCR is also a gun to look at. There are a lot of good suggestions in this post, well except for the Raven...........
 
Whatever you decide, make sure you get something that you will carry and not leave in the purse or in the car, because it becomes too cumbersum. If it feel like it's going to be a problem, then it probably will. You need to be able to have it on your person at all times. Many folks buy a larger gun and after a few weeks or months just leave it home. Don't make that mistake. Something is better than nothing. Even a Seacamp in 32, or other similar weapons in 32 or 380, are better than a 2 lb gun that you left home because it was too bulky or heavy.
 
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Before you buy anything else, I reccomend trying quality leather holsters

Kydex holsters are typically designed for men unless otherwise specified, they just don't contour right with a woman.

The fact is, men and women are just made differently (Thank God cause ya'll sure are easier on the eyes!) and there are no one size fits all solutions.

I dated a rather short little lassie and she found this particular holster fit her well.
ps6ldyr2.jpg
I have a similar holster that looks almost identical (except in color) in it's construction, but with my holster her rear end made the butt of her gun dig into her ribs when worn in the 4 o'clock position with a cant. I own several custom leather holsters and a couple made by Mernickle. Mernickle's craftsmanship and customer service are outstanding. Once I received the holster, I received an email the following day asking if my new holster fit to my liking.

These guys also make quality leather specifically for ladies:
http://www.c-rusty.com/pages/holsters/Ladies.html

Quality leather ain't cheap...but it is made to fit your exact gun and you if purchased correctly.

Good luck!

I've also found that many women like the handbags with holsters built in, as this way you aren't required to alter your dress. This is a tremendous step up from a loose gun in a purse. However, once someone snatches your purse...they also snatch your defensive weapon.

Edit:::Link for merknickle holsters: http://www.mernickleholsters.com/ps/ps6ldyr2.html
 
The way I see it, if you're going to shoot a .38 Special, then buy a .38 Special revolver; skip the extra weight and bulk of a .357 mag. revolver. Perhaps a J frame S&W. Something small and effective.
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LadyHunter,

Please do not fall for typical "guy" reccommendations advising you to get a snubby because it's "the right size for a woman" or because it "fits your hand better".

I have a Taurus M-85 titanium which is a very light J-frame snubby. I am a former commercial diver and have hands made of IRON.

Small lightweight J-frames are so light they offer almost ZERO recoil protection. Shooting +P defensive rounds out of such a lightweight gun hurts my hands, and they're hard as nails.

Please reject advice geared towards frail, dainty and feminine women. I have a 28 year old petite cousin and she carries a Springfield Armory 1911 in 9mm. There is nothing that says "all women prefer......".

The best advice you can provide is your own preference. I'd suggest going to a range that offers rental guns and trying some out for yourself. Don't just try the ones "made for a woman", try a selection.

Some I would "try out":

Beretta PX4
Sub compact Glocks.
3" or 4" SP101 in 357 with 38specials is a good suggestion I have seen.
You might want to try a J-frame S&W but in steel with low recoil loads and maybe a magnaport job if you can find one.

Just try a selection and don't feel that there are certain firearms that are better off left to men. I've been outshot by women borrowing my guns more often than I'd like to admit.
 
The advice to sort out a holster or carry style is critical.

Especially for women, from what I have read.

If one is going to purse-carry, then the advice to get the biggest / heaviest one is good, I suspect. However, if you plan to carry on your body--there are more variables at hand. Part of it is your own clothing style--e.g., the 'layered' look allows one to conceal more easily, and not just the extra lbs; obviously, the spandex style doesn't work so well for that.

It seems to me you need to sort out some basic parameters here--so consider the carry style (purse or body) and then take one branch--i.e., if purse, then look at all-steel handguns like the S&W 60 or SP-101. Shoot them at a range, get to know them a bit. Then, segue sideways into a moderate lightweight--say, if you can find it, the new S&W Scandium 38 / 3" barrel.

One other 'truism' to consider: if you intend to carry, then carry 'always'--then get the lightest gun you can feel comfortable shooting. And, if you practice diligently, hand conditioning may enable you to comfortably shoot a lighter revolver.

Jim H.
 
I had an SP101 in 357 that my lady stole after I made the mistake of letting her shoot it. I picked up a Taurus PT709 (Slim) 9mm a couple of months ago thinking should would prefer the Taurus over the heavier Ruger but I wound up keeping it as my pocket gun. Point is that I like and trust both of them.
 
Ruger SP-101 2.25" barrel in .357 Magnum.

Then you can load it with .38 Special if you chose. It sure is a lot easier to shoot an SP-101 than a S&W Airweight. To my hand shooting a .357 in a SP-101 feels like shooting a .38 SPL in an Airweight.

Depending on the size of your hand you may want longer grips installed (it's a big help if you can get your pinky on the grip).

I carry my SP-101 most often (more than my 4" XD-40). It's loaded with Federal .38 SPL +P. My other choice would be Remington 158gr LSWCHP +P.

Also .357 Magnum Speer Gold Dot 135gr "Short Barrel" ammunition does not kick like a heavy .357 Magnum load.

Buffalo Bore also makes "Heavy 38" ammo. The advantage of .38 in a .357 is two fold: less recoil, and the extractor on a .357 snub can easily eject the .38 cases clear of the cylinder (faster reloading).
 
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First - Congratulations for getting your Carry Permit.

Second - For beginning shooters it's always advisable to carry what points naturally for you until you get enough trigger time and training to be able to adapt to different handguns with different ergonomics and different manual of arms. The other advantage of carrying what points naturally for you is that you can shoot more accurately during the early stages of training, shoot more comfortably than with a gun that has too steep/acute a grip angle, long/short trigger reach, thin/thick grip width, and shoot greater recoil ammunition more comfortably and accurately than out of a gun that doesn't point naturally. You don't have to shoot some itty bitty gun just because you're a "girl" in spite of what some ill-informed "he-men" tell you. A 90lb female friend of mine shoots a .45 because it fits her perfectly, but she isn't comfortable shooting a 9mm Glock or CZ because the ergos are wrong for her.

Third - Often women have more of a challenge in finding the most comfortable/secure carry system because of the differences in the shape of the average woman vs. the average man. There have been some great articles written addressing those challenges for women and how to overcome them.

Fourth - There's nothing wrong with purchasing guns. Just be sure you can shoot the daylights out of what you carry. At first, that usually means finding what points and then buying a full size and a compact carry and maybe even a fancy "barbecue" model all in the same "gun" so that the ergonomics, manual of arms and other characteristics are all the same to you.

corneredcat.com looks at most of the opportunities women have for getting the best carry system and for how to properly fit a handgun.
 
Hello, LadyHunter, and welcome to THR!

I think this thread is more suited for Handguns/General than S&T, and so I'm moving it there.

I second HSO's advice about looking at Kathy Jackson's site at http://www.corneredcat.com/ . She's done a great job with it. And THR member Massad Ayoob has an excellent article titled "Women and Guns" in the previous issue of Backwoods Home magazine- you can see it online at http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob121.html . The list of his other articles can be seen at http://www.backwoodshome.com/ayoob_index.html .

Hope this helps,

lpl
 
LadyHunter

I would suggest a 357 so you have the option of shooting wadcutters for practice and work up to the most powerfull round you feel comfortable with!
For belt carry a SP101 3" or for pocket or purse a S&W Scandium J frame.
Would be a good Idea to go try each at a range that rents. Good luck and be safe!
 
I have a 2.5" Taurus M85 and I love it. Great little revolver for the price, but I just recently broke 130 pounds and if I didn't wear these baggy carpenter jeans you'd see it. So I believe I'll break away from all the (good!) suggestions for the SP101...

From what I've seen, for women and men alike, one of my favorite compromises is the CZ RAMI in one of its few flavors. Short barrel but formidable calibers (9mm and .40), grips that can be changed out to suit you if the 'lady-sized' (read: possibly uncomfortably thin) grip isn't comfortable, and it's large enough to hold onto but flat enough that it hides well.

Plus, I'm a CZ fan, and my PCR has never failed to feed, fire, or eject, save for my own overlong reloads.
 
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I also recommend Kathy Jackson's website at www.corneredcat.com

It's called "Cornered Cat" because you should fight like a cornered cat!

Kathy is a very knowledgable and experienced instructor and she really knows her stuff. Her site is a great resource for any new shooter. Although its focus is for women, men can learn a lot as well.

I also agree that Mas Ayoob's articles are worth a read as well. Mas is one of the top instructors in the country and has good advice for new shooters of either gender.

Read Kathy and Mas, think about what they say a bit, and that will help you figure out what might work best for you.
 
Please do not fall for typical "guy" reccommendations advising you to get a snubby because it's "the right size for a woman" or because it "fits your hand better".
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I'd love to find the part of my post that refers to the OP's sex or hand size. My suggestions are based on keeping the weight low, as well as the fact that recoil from a .357 magnum through a snubby is going to be harsh. If'n it'll make you feel better, it'll be harsh for a man, too. :rolleyes:

A nice small .38 Special snubby is a reliable, lightweight gun that'll do the job of CCW quite well. No need for the extra weight and larger size of a .357 mag snubby when you're just going to shoot the .38 through it, anyway (something the OP stated).

Nobody is suggesting that the OP shouldn't try out lots of guns, or that women can't shoot guns. We're just responding to the OP's comments.
 
Fremmer - the other thing about a small frame snubby though - even in a .38 Special and with a steel frame they can be a bit much in terms of recoil for an inexperienced shooter. The sights are also not the best and they aren't very far apart, which causes practical accuracy to suffer. Because of that, I consider most any snubby to be not the best choice for someone who's new to guns - at least unless we're talking a .22LR. In that case, you have a concealable snubby that you can shoot until your hand gets sore, which does make sense. But then you have that "inadequate" caliber to deal with (which is a somewhat fair criticism to be honest).
And... as I said I've carried them and they didn't conceal all that well for me. Granted, I should have tried other carry options and maybe other grips, but just because a gun is small doesn't mean it's going to carry or conceal any better than a larger gun.

LadyHunter also mentions she has a 9mm... I think she should tell us more about that and about her general experience with guns. If she's got six thousand rounds through her 9mm in the last five months the odds are good she'd be able to handle a J-frame just fine. And if the 9mm is a SIG P-225 or something of that size, maybe a good holster would be a better reccomendation than a new gun.
Just saying...
 
go to a gun show and pick up a few guns that you think you might like. See how they fit your hands. My wife picked out her Khar this way. She must have looked at 50 different guns.
 
I'd consider the Ruger SP101 as an option. Whatever you choose - if you're interested in a gun, try to see and handle it in person before you buy. Just a recommendation.
 
I think what Dues Machina said needs to be emphasised
If at all possible, DO NOT KEEP IT IN YOUR PURSE.
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I know the OP didn't specify which method she intended to carry via but just in case she was thinking about a purse it's not going to be as fast as a holster.
 
Small, light revolver w/laser. This is what I think will work for my wife if she ever decides to carry. I ocasionally ask her questions about my semi-auto handguns such as clearing a jam or loading it. While she knows, she would not do well under pressure since she doesn't have the same desire to practice it that I do. While not ideal, I think the simpler I keep it the better the chance of her being effective with a hand gun if needed. If you practice drills with your gun anything you are comfortable with will work well for your carry gun.
 
Check out S&W 642, 442, and their new body guard 38. All rated for .38 Special +P for extra penetration
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These would be my suggestions as well. If you want a .357, the M&P 340 or 340 PD are the same size and weight as the 442 (within an ounce), but you're gonna pay quite a premium for that .357 capability (like, double), and they are VERY unpleasant to fire with full house loads-take it from a recoil junkie who pushes the limits with the .454 Casull and .50 AE.

Most of the people I know who have a 340 very rarely fire mag loads out of them, most even carry .38 +P. My suggestion is to save $400 and go with the 442 or similar.

If you don't mind carrying the extra weight, a S&W model 60 LS or Ruger SP101 have enough mass with their stainless steel chassis that the .357 loads are manageable.
 
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