RECCOMEDATIONS ON A GOOD GUN FOR MY WIFE

Walt Nunley · October 2001

GOT A GUN SHOW COMING UP THANKSGIVING WEEKEND IN KNOXVILLE.LOOKING FOR A GOOD GUN FOR THE WIFE(READ:SMALL HANDS).I AM LEANING TOWARD THE SUBCOMPACT GLOCK 9MM.I DO NOT WANT ANY JUNK.WHAT DO YOUR LADIES CARRY/SHOOT?JUST LOOKING FOR SOME SUGGESTIONS BECAUSE SHE IS GOING TO PICK IT OUT IM JUST TRYING TO AMASS A SHORT LIST OF GUNS TO SUGGEST TO HER TO PICK UP AND FEEL AT THE SHOW THANKSWALT

Submarine Sailor,Truck Driver,and very bad typist.GO RUSTY #2

.250Savage · October 2001

Always suggest .38 Special/revolver. Good recoil-to-effectiveness ratio, simple to operate. If you are determined on 9mil/autoloader, try Kahr K9, trim handle, light DAO, steel frame, REAL nice, you will be trying to take it for your own

I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.--Voltare

Dancing Bear · October 2001

I know S&W is a dirty word to some, but when I had my shop I sold a lot of the Lady Smith 9mm's. I carried one myself, but never let anyone know, just told them it was a 9mm, a 6'2" 275 lb man should not carry a gun that says lady on it and let his friends know.DB

The more people I meet, the more I like my dogs.

cpileri · October 2001

Talk to your wife and ask her preferences.I would have liked my wife to have a revolver: simple, reliable, point,shoot, low maintenance. For defense, that would have been ideal. But it would have had to be loaded. (Speedloaders notwithstanding)But she would not have a loaded gun in the home. So we settled on an auto with a loaded clip at hand. I made sure she knows EXACTLY how to use it, and how to make sure it is inert if she wants it to be. That compromise satisfied both of us.Just another aspect to consider.C

AntiqueDr · October 2001

I used to suggest the .38 revolvers to ladies, until one asked me "Well, why dont you carry one?" Uhhh... "What, you think I'm too stupid to work an automatic?" Ummm....Uh..... "If you care enough to buy me a gun for protection, why dont you care enough to teach me how to shoot?" Ummm... uh...Now my wife shoots my 1911's better than I do.

We buy, sell and trade quality guns and scopes!Ask us about Shepherd Scopes!Visit our website at www.ApaxEnterprises.com

Rembrandt · October 2001

Mrs Rembrandt carries a Smith & Wesson Model 60, .357, 5 shot, stainless revolver. She's pretty good with it too!

Free N TX · October 2001

My wife is 4'8" with tiny hands. She had a Bersa 383A .380 that fit her very well. (Until we had a burgulary and that was the one gun they stole.) It was small enough to fit in her purse. One good feature about the 383A, as long as the magazine is not in the gun the trigger group would not work. My wife had a hard time working the slide, so she was able to have a round chambered without worrying about an accidental discharge, with the safety on and no mag in place. If she needed to shoot, all she had to do is slip the mag in the slide and release the safety and squeeze the trigger. It was also pretty accurate, better than I thought it would be. If you check out the Bersa make sure it is a 383A not the older 383, there is a difference in the mags and will not interchange. I am not sure, but I believe the earlier version did not have the mag safety (where it would fire only if the mag in place).Now she a LLama .380 small frame, built just like the 1911 style guns but is smaller in size. I does incorporate the grip safety just like the larger .45's but it has a smaller, thinner grip and the slide is easier for her to work. This one is much easier to conceal that the Bersa and the accuracy is about the same. It has an adjustable rear sight, left or right with screws. If I remember correctly, the Bersa's rear sight had to be adjusted using a punch.I also bought her a Taurus .38 special Model 85. It has the shaved hammer to keep from getting hung up when removing it from her purse. No sight adjustment at all on this gun. Of the three I think she liked the Bersa the best, because of the mag safety set up it had. Her second favorite is the Llama. As soon as I can afford it I am going to get her another Bersa and I'll keep the Llama for myself.

mudge · October 2001

Walt....Mrs. Mudge shoots my Commander almost as well as I do. The only drawback is that her hands are too small to hold it comfortably. (She's 5'2" and 125lbs.) A friend who has a humongous gun collection let her fire some of his (9MM's, .357's, .40's and .45's) and she decided on the Glock 30. It's .45 ACP but she got REAL good with it REAL fast. I like to shoot it too but it's too small for my hands. Just a thought about 9MM's....Unless you have good shot placement (often tough under stress unless you're WELL trained) 9MM's aren't often "one shot stoppers". That's why I appreciate the fact that Mrs. Mudge chose the .45. Choosing a .38 or 9MM just because it's for a woman doesn't make sense to me. It's like a woman trying to buy a motorcycle. "Oh, you should get an 883 or a Sportster, that's a good bike for a woman." Mrs. Mudge drives a Low Rider. It's got the same engine my Road King has just a different frame. See my point? Commander and Glock 30...both .45's with frames to fit the user.Am I making my point or have I started rambling? ANYHOO...Mrs. Mudge and I would vote for the Glock 30. Cpileri...Not a criticism, just a friendly suggestion.Every second wasted (read "loading") translates to increased risk to you and the Mrs. You should be able to pick it up and pull the trigger.Mudge

I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS![This message has been edited by mudge (edited 10-14-2001).][This message has been edited by mudge (edited 10-14-2001).]

Smoky14 · October 2001

My wife, an excellant shot, tried many and in the end selected the Ruger SP101. We load it with the reduced power Rem 357. The ballistics are superior to the 38 with very little more recoil. It saved her life when she had to use it in earnist. She was confident,practiced,and placed her own life above all else.I probably would have lost her had she had less power. It made me quit carrying a 9mm.

TLynn · October 2001

I personally like my Beretta 92F and I have fairly small hands. I can just get my hands around it but I like the feel.If your wife is not used to shooting though I would still suggest she start out with a revolver. A .357 probably shooting .38 specials till she got used to it.And if you find a nice compact single stack .45acp that she can get her hands around that would probably be the best. Israeli Arms has one that fits my hand beautifully - but I'm not suggesting any one brand here.

dheffley · October 2001

Walt,My wife has carried a S&W mod. 36 (5 shot .38 Special revolver) for years. So did my sister. We live in Texas, and when the Conley 7 escaped, she informed me that 5 shots wasn't going to handle it. I let here carry a S&W 5906 with high cap mag's until they were captured. I took her to the range and let her practice with it until she was comfortable. After the convicts were captured, she decided she wanted to keep the gun. If she's carrying a shoulder strap purse, she carries the 5906. If she's carrying inside the waist band, she carries the 36. The bad part, she told my sister, and I had to buy her a 5906 so they could go to the range together. One can't stand to be out done by the other. My suggestion would be to carry her to a range that rents guns and let her try out several of them. If she's going to have to carry it, it should be her choice.Good luck, and let us know what she decides.

Save, research, then buy the best.Join the NRA, NOW!Teach them young, teach them safe, teach them forever, but most of all, teach them to VOTE!

Andrew Adams · October 2001

I'm sure someone esle will suggest this , but the Kimber Ultra Carry fits a small hand fairly well.I know this because I was out at the range and got my butt kicked by my fiance shooting hers.

When you want to dial long distance...AT&T, .223, or Jeremiah 33.3?

Lowrider · October 2001

My wife carries a Taurus model 85CH. 5-shot .38 with spurless hammer. She keeps it loaded with +P hollowpoints.

She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.

Kadaver · October 2001

if a revolver is in mind....Ruger Sp-101 or Colt cobra......if its an auto you are looking for then.....compact glock, kimber ultra carry, or beretta cheeta.

cpileri · October 2001

Mr. Mudge,I most certainly agree. But my sweetheart would NOT, NOT, NOT have a loaded gun. COuldn't convince her.Someday maybe, but not yet.Heck, it took me 7 years to get her to have one nearby at all.So that was my compromise, and I feel a bit better when she and the baby are alone at home.But I certainly do agree 100%, with you.

mudge · October 2001

Cpileri......Maybe she needs to hear "unloaded guns can get you killed" from a firearms instructor or some other person of "authority". Keep tryin' though.Mudge

I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!

will270win · October 2001

The first pistol my wife ever shot was a SIG P2009 (pro), She is scared of pistols but I can't keep that pistol fed when she gets her hands on it. Scared my BUTT!!!!!!!!

If you run, you'll just die tired!

stanman · October 2001

Brings up an interesting problem I'm having with my wifes concealed handgun.Taurus 85, spurless hammer, .38 SP.She's not particularly recoil sensitive, (she shoots the Ruger .44 mag. really well, and every other gun I've put in her hands) but, the same petite construction that makes the gun easy to conceal also makes the recoil transfer straight to the web of her hand. As a result she doesn't practice as much as I think she should. Reduced .38 loads: might as well be throwing rocks. Any ideas on good aftermarket grips, or what.She's partial to revolvers and likes the idea of the spurless hammer, so this is the one for her, I just would like to find a way to make it more comfortable for her to shoot!

Lowrider · October 2001

Some oversized Uncle Mike's or Pachmyer grips might cure the problem.

She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.

stanman · October 2001

Thanks Lowrider, does your lady use either of those or does she shoot the factory grips?The factory grips are so slender they really fit a small hand well, better than the grips on the Lady Smiths Ive seen. That might be my imagination since I think the model 85 is really just a S&W clone.Anyway thanks for the input!

Mom Mom · October 2001

I'm with TLynn on the .357 shooting 38's, my choice in autos would be a 9mm. Should she ever want to branch out into rifles just for fun, the M1 Carbine is a nice shot. Relatively light for a rifle, minimum recoil, handy little clip. The kids can handle this one with some help, so small hands are no problem.

Mark II · October 2001

I'm with Free n Texas on this one. When I got my wife a handgun, we went to the local shop and she started asking questions. I answered what I could, the gentleman behind the counter filled in the gaps. She ended up choosing a Bersa Thunder .380 with two mags, a Hogue slip on grip, and Hydra-shok and Mag-safe ammo in the magazines. When I asked why she chose that one over the other ones (it was right next to a sig .380), she said "It's pretty". It now sits in the case, locked up and empty. She likes my Mossberg 500 now. The Llama is a decent firearm, too. Mine is only a .32, so I just play with it at the range. Very low recoil, acceptable accuracy under 25 yards. It also wears a Hogue slip on grip. Anyway, my suggestion is let her choose what she wants. Just make sure she can handle the recoil so she can practice as often as possible.

"To meet with ill fortune is to meet with good fortune. To meet with submission is to meet an enemy."

Lowrider · October 2001

Stanman: My ol' lady shoots the stock grips on her Taurus. She's never complained about recoil, but she's probably afraid of getting a beating if she DOES complain.HAHAHAHAHAJust kidding.

She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.

TED GAR · October 2001

You know I have a S&W model 36 snub 38. And it has collected dust, from dis-use, because I favor the auto-loaders. But these little guns with some pachmayers are deadly accurate. I suggest the smith, because she wont have to pull the slide back, and it is always ready for action. just pull the trigger, and BLAM!

Khegglie · October 2001

lady Khegg took my Ruger P90DC and shoots it better than her Browning BDM. It seems that the ladys can do VERY well with the .45ACP.Any suggs why?

njretcop · October 2001

My suggestion would be to find one that fires through the breech instead of the muzzle............ Just kidding ladies. We love you all!

Guns don't kill people, it's the bullets, stupidI am the NRA, the KABA, NJ Area Rep for the 2ampd, and the AARP :(njretcop@copmail.com

BigTex · October 2001

My wife carries a Glock 19-C with N/S, she really likes it and handles it well.

sandman2234 · October 2001

Bought the Wife a PPK, and She won't carry it. Nothing wrong with the gun, you would just have to know my Wife. She got ahold of my Contender one day with the .410 barrel(.45 longcolt)on it, and although it's too big to carry, a stray snake hasn't a chance. Dog's treed a rat out on the back forty and Old Anne Oakley did it in in one shot.

Have Gun, will travel

shane · October 2001

AMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!

mudge · October 2001

Khegglie.....Mrs. Mudge says she likes the .45 because the recoil is more of a "push" than a "snap". Mudge

I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!

Khegglie · October 2001

mudge. Thanx to you and Mrs. Mudge. Maybe i should get lady Khegg a miniglock 45 too....so i can get my P90 back!!

He Dog · October 2001

My only good half likes a Tarus .38 snubbie.

Walt Nunley · October 2001

Thanks guys it was my intention to let her choose the gun.It seems that is the one constant in all of your posts.I was just looking to see some suggestions on what to let her hold and feel,we do not have ranges that rent guns here in Crossville Tn so that is not an option unless someone knows of one in the eastern Tn area.Thanx again Walt

Submarine Sailor,Truck Driver,and very bad typist.GO RUSTY #2

BHLiu · October 2001

Hey Walt, Jus t want to deop my 2 cents in the bucket here. I bought my wife a Taurus M605 Stainless steel since this particular hand gun is capable of excepting 38 Special and 357 Magnum. This gives her a choice of which weapon she wants to fire. I only paid $ 300 and its brand new. Cheap yet pretty reliable. Also, she like Kahr P9 since it is a 9 mm which weight less than 1.5 Lbs and its as big as 6" long, 4 1/2 Tall and about 1 1/4 " thick. This wil lcost you somewhere around $600 for this. The best t hing to do before you buy a gun is to take your wife out shooting at a range which has a lot of rental guns. This way, she can shoot them before spending money and know what she might like and she might not like. That's how I bought guns for my wife.Good luck!

BHLiu · October 2001

Hey Walt,Just want to drop my 2 cents in the bucket here. I bought my wife a Taurus M605 Stainless Steel since this particular hand gun is capable of excepting 38 Special and 357 Magnum. This gives her a choice of which caliber she wants to fire. I only paid $ 300 and its brand new. Cheap yet pretty reliable for 5 shooter. Also, she has Kahr P9 since it is a 9 mm which weight less than 1.5 Lbs and its as big as 6" long, 4 1/2" Tall and about 1 1/4 " thick. This will cost you some where around $600 and its a 7+1. The best hing to do before you buy a gun is to take your wife out shooting at a range which has a lot of rental guns. This way, she can shoot them before spending money, and know what she might like and might not. That's how I bought guns for my wife.Good luck!

RECCOMEDATIONS ON A GOOD GUN FOR MY WIFE

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