Which of these guns for girlfriend?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Simple is best, especially for beginners.

4" Dan Wesson.

If you don't take your own gun with you when you go over :eek: then keep a speedloader or two of 125 grain JHP's to load it with for when you'll be the one checking out the noise. Just remember to swap back to the .38's before you leave.

.
 
she said "Where's the safety?". I said "There ain't one". Her: puzzled & concerned look.
Click to expand...

Sometimes folks who have been shooting for years forget that people aren't born with full knowledge of how all guns work.

So she's learning a little later in life than you did. You can take pleasure in teaching her. And if it turns out she's a better shot that you, you can always take full credit for your excellent teaching :)
 
I like shooting 6" revolvers, but they are easier for an assailant to grab from her hand.

That's another reason to go with the Bersa, IMO.
 
But no love for the revo with 6" barrel from anyone? How come?
Click to expand...

How comfortable would she be with the 6 inch over the 4 inch?

Let her try both barrels out, that is if she likes the gun.
Even though she might be worried about the safety, it is a home defense weapon and for someone trying to fiddle with a safety in the dark (I'm not aware of her current familiarity with handguns) might be too risky in a tight situation.

If need be, hammer down on an empty cylinder. But I would definitely trust the Dan Wesson over the other options.
 
Get her the 4 inch and tell her it's the 6 inch - I've been doing that with my girlfriend for years.:)
 
If her first thought was 'where's the safety', my first suggestion is 'Colt Series 80'. It has three safeties. :)
 
i agree with searcher , your woman needs to chose for herself , she should go with what feels right for her , maybe she can shoot several of them as rentals froma gun range as rentals to get a feel for them and then decide ?
 
Update - from a couple weeks back.

She chose the Bersa Thunder 9 (full sized). And she's smart enough to understand the concept of "disengage safety" and she WANTED a safety. :)

She found that it recoiled less and she shot more accurately than with the others - it was an easy decision for her and me watching her shoot both. No failures of any kind.

Oddly, she thought the DW 15 4" revo with .38 specials had a lot of felt recoil and didn't like it, though it was accurate for her. :shrug: I didn't put the 6" barrel on and let her shoot it.

PS. She shot my Marlin 60 at least as good as me after we were done with handguns!

PPS. She also tried my CZ 75 compact PCR, and I'll be damned if it didn't FTF a couple of times, with the new round hanging up halfway in - odd and a bit frustrating. Time for a detail cleaning. :(
 
make sure she can rack the slide of any semi-auto you're considering ;) i don't have a makarov, but i have a cz-82, and your average woman would NOT be able to rack that slide. it's hard to grasp properly and takes a decent amount of force.
 
The Makarov is great but there's a really stiff racking involved. My girlfriend loves shooting mine but hates racking the slide; it's almost too difficult for her.

A 4" barreled .38 revolver is a great choice, though. Way simpler for the shooter. I don't know anything about Dan Wesson products but, if they're as functional as a K-frame, they should be a perfect bedside gun. I have a 4" .38 revolver next to my bed, btw.
 
Since you have the title of Dr. in front of your name and asking about a handgun for your "girlfriend" that your wife has the Dan Wesson. :D

OK, I'm done. I just had to get that little zing in there. :neener:

BikerRN
 
Last edited:
These are the reasonable choices available to me at present. I think the snubbie .38 is a bit too hot to handle (jumps in the hand), but maybe I should let her try that one, too.
Click to expand...

She's the one to decide which gun she wants to try. Gotta change your attitude, brother.
 
Kinda depends on her stature & her skill level. I normally recommend mid size wheelguns for beginners and petite women. specifically something w/ at least a 4" barrel in 38 special. Smaller guns seem to amplify perceived recoil so I wouldn't go too compact -- shorter barrels are tougher to shoot accurately w/o practice (due to shorter sight radius) and there are some that have a tough time racking a round w/ a semi auto
good luck
 
Bersa looks good. shoot just regular 115gr slugs.
Mak ( I use this one) is good also but 'hot' cartridge does have some 'buck'.
the 2 of my 5 sisters that like to shoot I got .380acp's for after I trained with 4" bbl .22LR revolver. one that's not fond of shooting but will has a Charter Arms .32 S&W Long. (she shot my .22LR revolver about 3-400 rounds before settling on this round - says 'it's got some 'whack to it')
 
I just went through this with my wife. We had been going off and on to different gun shops to let her feel how the pistol fits in her hands. I let her hold some revolvers and she hated the way they fit in her hand. Plus they have heavier triggers and will recoil more than an autoloader.
One day we finally got a chance to go to the range that has rentals. I let her shoot my HK USP 40C, XD45C and G30SF. She thought they were all right but not for her. I rented a G19 and she loved it. She could rack the slide, it fit her hand, and she enjoyed shooting it. So when our anniversary came around I went and bought her a G19 with Trijicons.
She enjoyed that rip to the range shooting the G19 so much that she cant wait to go again.
 
4" Dan Wesson. It is BY FAR the most versatile of the guns listed.

Not only are the barrels interchangeable, but so are the grips. If you had to you could fabricate a grip customized to her hand.

I used to have a 15VH. I wish I still had it.
 
Dr. Winslow,

Is she going to go around with this concealed? Are you going to spend time teaching her how to manipulate the weapon?

I suggest she shoot all of them. If it's for packing, either the Bersa or the Mak. House gun, the Dan Wesson as bulk will not matter.

Let her bust some caps and see what she likes.
 
2. Dan Wesson 15 w/ 4" bbl, loaded with .38 spl
Click to expand...

My wife only likes shooting my 4" S&W 28 with .38 loads. Won't touch my 6" 586, too heavy and unwieldy for her, won't touch my autos, thinks my PCR with coco bolo grips is ugly (?) and my Glocks are space guns, just doesn't like them.

I also think the 4" revolver has some amazing pointing characteristics, the model 28 she likes so much is the handgun I shoot best too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Gun For Girlfriend
2
Replies
38
Views
1K
Benton
B
G
  • Locked
Gun for the Girlfriend to use
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
Gunner4h1r3
G
T
  • Locked
Girlfriend needs a gun! (small problem)
2 3
Replies
51
Views
3K
thorazine
T
K
  • Locked
Pistol for my girlfriend
2
Replies
47
Views
2K
tomrkba
tomrkba
M
  • Locked
My girlfriend and Raccoons...
Replies
22
Views
4K
MagnumDweeb
M
Back
Top