Good Day!

My wife and I are really looking into getting a hangun for personal protection and recreation. She really likes the Ruger LC9s because it fits her hand the best. I like Ruger, but ive really enjoyed my M&P15t and would like to start an M&P tradition in my family.

What would be the best gun to shoot side-by-side the Ruger when we go to test drive some new firearms?

If you go by similar size and capacity it would have to be the M&P Shield.

But if she really likes the Ruger, why not forbear in steering her in other directions?

The choice is clear. Get her the ruger. Get you the smith. I have bolth they are flawless

There certainly holds true in my house the saying "if Momma's not happy nobody's happy". Let the decision be hers and put the tradition on the back burner.

My wife had a Shield in 9mm and found it was too much for her to cycle the gun. She ended up trading it for a Ruger LCR in .38 spl. She recently bought a Sig P238 in .380 that she also carries on occasion.

I have a Ruger LC9s-Pro that I carry daily. It's a great gun and also got it by trading in my Shield, which I didn't grow to love for some reason.

That being said, I would suggest finding a gun store where you can rent a variety of guns and let your wife make the decision. Along with purchasing a new gun she must also decide how it will be carried and what type of holster suits her best.

Once she gets the gun and holster then get some good training to help her become a confident shooter. My wife took a class at Gunsite in Arizona and it made her an excellent shot, as well as making her more street smart when carrying a gun. Well worth the money. Good luck!

I really do want to make her happy in the long run, even if it involves breaking a tradition. I just want her to shoot a few different models that way she finds one comfortable to shoot and not just hold. That's where the comparison comes from

I agree, she should SHOOT several different guns and find one she can handle well.
I also believe that she should make her own choice with suggestions from others but NO pressure.
If the choice is not hers. she will be looking for another gun in short time.

She may like the Ruger, but is that in comparison to an M&P?
She may like the Ruger, but how does she shoot it?
She may like the Ruger, but does she like it based on meaningful criteria? (E.g., I couldn't stand the controls, didn't like the takedown, and only 2 uncomfortable backstrap options were enough to pass on it. I did like the size and appearance but too many things wrong with it for me otherwise.)

I have 2 serious choices when it comes to firearms-S&W and Ruger.

Both offer excellent choices but it really comes down to how well you handle/shoot your choice of handgun. Appearances can be deceiving and once you have the opportunity to actually shoot the gun; you find out you don't like it as well, or not at all.

If you/your wife can shoot several before making a purchase, that is definitely the way to go. I have Shields in both 9 and 40 and I have no issues with either, but they are a stiff little gun and some have problems working the slide and with disassembly/reassembly. I have not tried any of the similar sized Rugers for a comparison. If this purchase is more for your wife, then let her make the decision based on what works well for her; she will be the one that needs to be comfortable with her choice. No reason that you can't also have a "tradition", but it may have to be more yours than hers.

Best of luck and hope it works out for both of you :-)

Don't get hung up over one specific brand.

There's a lot of quality options out there. Have her shoot a bunch of different options and choose the one best for her.

I have Rugers, Smiths, Glocks, CZ's, Brownings and like them all.

I

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-Mike-

The best choice will be the one she can operate easily, fluidly, and dependably and shoot well and like.

Assuming we are limiting ourselves to handguns, the single biggest issue I have seen with infrequent shooters, smaller people, or people with weaker hands is whether they can easily and dependably operate the slide and/or the mechanic of a semi-auto?

The last 2 ladies I introduced to shooting, who will shoot infrequently, after exposing them to multiple choices, concluded a revolver was a much more logical choice than a semi-auto. Women are the smarter of the species ........ at least that's what they tell me.

I recommend you find a range or situation where she can try various size handguns in both semi-auto and revolver. Let her do everything (loading, operating the slide/safety/etc., unloading). Let her decide.

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Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well