Which one for the wife?

[SRMohawk]

Gentlemen,
For better than a year now my wife has been deliberating over several possibilities in the way of a concealed carry piece. She wants us both to get CCLs and is pressing the issue more and more. Though she shoots with me often and shoots well, the firearms with which she has trained are all totally unacceptable for concealed carry, even for many men. And I've told her I'm not going to support her in getting a CCL until she gets something that she not only shoots accurately, but that she wields with ease and some degree of speed.

The three choices she has narrowed it down to are: a) Les Baer Stinger .45 ACP; b) HK USP Compact .40 S&W; or c) Glock 23

Cast your vote for her, boys! And remember, she's only 5' 3", 105 lbs.

D.H.

 

[Freeze N]

Ok, my vote goes to the Glock 23. My wife carries the Glock 26, and loves it. She is proficent with it as well.

 

[wally]

My vote is to let her decide for herself. What works for you or me may not work for her.

Those all seem like prety big guns for someone 5'3 105lbs (about the size of my wife). How's she planning to carry? In her purse? Not the best choice, but if she wears clothes like my wife does, none of these are likely to conceal very well unless she never takes off her coat.

--wally.

 

[Jim PHL]

I agree with Wally but just want to add that her height and weight really should not have any bearing on her ability to carry and shoot any of the above. If she wanted to make the effort, as far as her mode of dress/carry, to take a 1911 gov't model with her, I'd encourage her all the way.
If she is willing to dedicate herself to everything that goes along with responsible concealed carry (ie: some compromises she'll have to make regarding her outfits or purses) then by all means buy her any of the three you mentioned. (I will add she may give herself more options if she opted for a G27 over the 23 - slightly smaller will perhaps give her a few more dress options.)

 

[Jim Watson]

Can you line up rental or loaner guns for her to try? From that list of three, I'd recommend she concentrate on the G23 and some not too vigorous loading, see below. Maybe the Federal Personal Defense. Not to the exclusion of the others, though. H&Ks are around. Finding a Stinger to try out will be tough, but there are a lot of Colt, Kimber, and Springfield dwarf 1911s that would give her an idea.

If she is not absolutely locked in on that trio, I'd walk her by Glock 19 and 26; I consider .40 a hard kicker in a light gun and think a 9mm more manageable. And I am not small or inexperienced.

Kahr is worth a look. They are apparently the only current maker who thought the thickness of a gun worth working on.

 

[hoghunting]

Try the Glock

I agree that your wife should have the final say. Here in TX where the summers are very hot, there is nothing that will rust a gun faster than body sweat. The Glock works well here and is a very easy gun to shoot and to qualify with.

I would also look at the 27 because it is smaller.

 

[SRMohawk]

Jim,
I share your concern about the two options in .40 S&W. Jenny (my wife) has shot cases and cases of ammuntion through .45 ACP and 10mm Auto guns (we don't currently own anything in any other calibers) and even with cool 10mm Auto ammunition, her shot-to-shot control and recovery with the .45 ACPs has been decidedly better, even if her groups are all about the same. This, in fact, is the only reason why the LBC Stinger is on the list! The two .40 S&Ws, however, still persist in her mind because a) she doesn't want to be forced to deal with a safety under stress, and b) she's convinced that (as almost every one of the lady shooter's and/or police officers she's consulted have insisted) deadly gunfights are won and lost on the ammunition already in the gun when the shooting starts.

Thanks for your valuable feedback!

D.H.

 

[sm]

Does the wife know she is being traded for a gun - or is this supposed to be a big surprise?

<buttons lip> "mum's the word"

 

[Jim Watson]

Then support her on the Glock.
I have seen a lot more of those shot well than I have H&Ks.

 

[gudel]

shouldn't you be asking your wife, "which one of these guns that you shoot well with?"

what other people say here doesn't matter if she can't shoot it worth a damn.

 

[SRMohawk]

Guys,
C'mon, she doesn't know the answer to the question; "Which one do you like best?" That's why we're asking you! She simply came to me this morning and said she had narrowed down the list of possibilities for a concealed carry gun for herself to the three subject makes/models, but after looking at each of them with one of her close friends, couldn't decide. She said she liked the feel of the LBC Stinger and HK USP Compact about the same (better than any Glock of any size). But that the Glock 23 impressed her because of its being virtually fool-proof. However, she complained about the .40 S&W not being the man-stopper that the .45 ACP is, while at the same time being a bit less manageable. Then she turned right around and said that it was scary in her mind that the LBC Stinger only holds 8 rounds (vs. a dozen plus in the Glock or HK), plus that you have a safety to worry about (disengaging when you don't want it to be disengaged or forgeting to disengage it at a critical moment).

I didn't know what to tell her other than that we would ask you guys!

D.H.

 

[SRMohawk]

Guys,
C'mon, she doesn't know the answer to the question; "Which one do you like best?" That's why we're asking you! She simply came to me this morning and said she had narrowed down the list of possibilities for a concealed carry gun for herself to the three subject makes/models, but after looking at each of them with one of her close friends, couldn't decide. She said she liked the feel of the LBC Stinger and HK USP Compact about the same (better than any Glock of any size). But that the Glock 23 impressed her because of its being virtually fool-proof. However, she complained about the .40 S&W not being the man-stopper that the .45 ACP is, while at the same time being a bit less manageable. Then she turned right around and said that it was scary in her mind that the LBC Stinger only holds 8 rounds (vs. a dozen plus in the Glock or HK), plus that you have a safety to worry about (disengaging when you don't want it to be disengaged or forgeting to disengage it at a critical moment).

I didn't know what to tell her other than that we would ask you guys!

D.H.

 

[Jim Watson]

Well, I don't think a .40 less of a "man-stopper" than a .45, and I don't thnk 8 rounds too few for defense, and I have a good deal of practice with a manual safety. But that is MY position, not hers.

I would just invite her to consider that she married you "til death do us part" and "forsaking all others," but that does not apply to a pistol. Suggest she get whichever appeals to her at the moment, work with it for a period of at least some months, and if it doesn't suit, trade it on Something Else.

Training and practice will take care of .40 recoil and Stinger safety manipulation.

 

[hpg]

GLOCK 23