Family member is asking for help with a handgun.
Smaller hands AND VERy RECOIL Shy. A non-shooter who wants to get some training and will practice some. Right now only interested in revolvers.

In 38 Special anything +p hurts and is scary when using a 2 inch Airweight and 3 inch model 65.

I am thinking that 148 gr wadcutters may be the best way to go. Would consider another calibre such as .327 Federal but I have zero experience and can not find a rental.

If you have ideas to share, lets kick options around.
Thank you

I started all my first timers with a S&W 34 .22 with sub-sonic ammo.

And work them up through the range of .22 loadings then on to 38 wadcutters, when they are ready.

.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Glad you responded.
Something such as a Ruger LCR in .22 LR is in my thinking.
LCR seems to be one of the lighter factory trigger pulls.
CCI mini mag in the craw is more than nothing.

I know the drill...22 is not a defense round etc. As you said..."work them up as they are ready"is wise!

A 327 Federal is a Magnum round. +Ps .38s are a handful in a small light revolver and in her case probably would be too much in a heavier gun.

If she is going to carry size/weight matters. If just for now target practice and familiarization perhaps a K frame size something in 3'' or 4'' that will mitigate the recoil.

Your wad-cutters are a good thought and there is the 130 grain .38 load. Light and easy to shoot especially in a medium frame gun . Note the 130s are a FMJ and not a good defense round

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

Do you reload? You can make up some very mild 38 Special loads with cast bullets that almost anyone can handle with a lot less recoil than +P loads.

I have gun-shy prospective students who have been stalling and stalling because I refuse to start them out on the state carry course with small center fires. If they never shot anything (or very little), basic pistol on .22s is the way to go. The basic center fire with light loads.
Then defensive class.
I've got their number: they want to shoot as little as possible, then get a carry license for a gun they can't (won't) shoot. Another Oklahoma instructor refers to this as "wanting a gun as a magic talisman, not as a weapon."

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Science plus Art

If they are not planning to carry concealed, they may be happier with something like a Ruger GP100. The ability to shoot either single or double action, along with a longer barrel for better accuracy when learning, may be a better fit than something like the LCR. Just my $0.02 worth.

possibly a Smith and Wesson 351 , either PD or C . 22 mag with the short barrel offerings by Speer {Gold Dot} or Hornady

In that same setting my M17-6 comes out and I use some standard velocity ammo......have yet to have a newcomer not have an ear to ear grin starting with that setup....sometimes my Ruger Single Six does that duty with the same results.

Randy

.22lr LCR trigger pull isn't the same as centerfire LCR! Much heavier, and my understanding is that is due to the dynamics of rimfire primer requiring heavier impact than centerfire primer. Have both and found that the. 22 does help with costs of training but .38 trigger pull is noticeably lighter. Wife carries wadcutters in her LCR, and is happy with both weight of LCR and wadcutter recoil.
Regarding. 22lr for defense I heard a story about a man who was being harassed by his buddies about carrying a. 22 lr for self defense, his reply, " Heck, I'll just turn you into a lawn sprinkler! "

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Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

Yep on the "magic talisman" don't how many have came to my range for CCW training with that mindset. They just want me to put them on target well enough to pass the test and will probably never train again. Now that Missouri and Oklahoma are both constitutional carry states which I understand it's a bit un-nerving who out there are packing a firearm that don't know how to use it properly.

IMO, everyone should learn to shoot a .22 first. Heritage Rough Rider Bird Head 22LR / 22 Mag Revolver with Pink Pearl Grips | Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore

something like this, then you can step up to .22 Magnum as things progress. It is only single action, but they get decent reviews for functionality and lasting a while from what I've seen.

Instead of going smaller, go bigger. 4" K-frame with rubber grips and standard-velocity .38 Special rounds. Once they see that recoil isn't going to break any bones, then try a smaller revolver.

Walkinghorse, Mass Ayoob says the same thing about the trigger pull LCR in 22. I did not know this until you posted.
I have a 4 inch SP101 in 22. We need to try that and get some 38 wadcutters to try out. There will be a combo that works. I still ask for your ideas.

I appreciate the replies.

Keith44spl is right on the money. Too many times well-meaning individuals, i.e. husbands, fathers, etc., give their significant others or family members a gun that the husband, father, grandfather, etc. thinks will be good only to find that the wife, daughter, sister, niece, etc. develops gun shyness.

Ms. Judy started out with a Ruger Mk II. She loved it and was wiping out bullseyes left and right. Of course, I, thinking I knew what was best, tried to push her into a short-barreled .38. Didn't work. Oh, she could shoot it all right, but nothing compared to her accuracy with the Ruger .22.

While she will occasionally shoot a Smith and Wesson Model 19, 2½-inch barrel, she normally carries a Browning 1911-22 compact. She feels comfortable with it and easily hits the bullseye with very little effort. So, I had to swallow my pride and figure that a head shot with a .22 is better than a miss with a .357.

Your family member wants a revolver? You probably can't find a better one than the Smith and Wesson Model 34.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

Well, this the lowest recoiling revolver I have.

It's an ex British Service .455 that was converted to .22lr.

Being a 6 1/2 barrel N frame. It makes recoil non existant.



Edit. I wonder where my first picture went.

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Expect the unexpected

I think an LCR in .327FM would be perfect, but not with .327 to begin with. It will shoot .32 ACP, .32 S&W Short, .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R mag, and finally .327 Fed Mag with incrementally increasing recoil. With the .32 ACP and .32 S&W Shorts, recoil is very light and manageable. Gradually work her up to get her used to the recoil. The trigger on the LCR is very smooth and easy to master. It’s a light and easy to conceal DAO revolver that can pack some major power factor man stoppers when needed.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

I was kind of thinking about the GP 100 in .22..?

My go-to low recoil choice is a 4" Model 63. For centerfire one of the larger double-stack .380's or a mid-frame .38/357 revolver loaded with .38 Short Colt (reloads). I tried wax bullets but they are too much of a hassle.

There are some inconsistencies to balance. J frames in general have heavier triggers due to the geometry in the action. While this can be addressed to some extent, it can be a problem for some shooters. Given your description, I can see this applying to your student. Rimfires also need heavier triggers as a general rule to have the ability to consistently light off the primers in RF rounds. This can be a potential problem.

That said, to a great extent I think a .22 is a good starter gun, and less likely to generate a recoil impulse that is bothersome. The .22 Magnum is nothing to sneer at, but often a lot louder than one would expect, which can contribute to flinching and other signs of recoil sensitivity. (Good hearing protection, with plugs and GOOD muffs combined, will help.) There is a short barrel God Dot round that as I recall is designed for handgun length barrels and has more care in production to deal with the problem of rimfire primer quality control. It is designed for defensive use in a .22 magnum revolver. If either .22 is the best your candidate can do in terms of control, self-confidence, proficiency, ability to practice, etc, then that's how it goes. Good hits with that as a result of knowing anatomy and development of good mindset and physical skills beats the heck out of a wish and strong language.

Bigger heavier guns with smaller rounds will have less recoil impulse transferred to the shooter. At the extreme, a 5" N frame .357 with .38 wadcutters would be a good example. From your description of the candidate, it would be too far to the extreme. Small hands and the like implies to me a real possibility of not enough strength for that platform, too. A loser. For the reasons I describe above, a J frame might also be too far to an extreme, in the other direction. That may not be correct.

Compromise, once you get some time to start with the shooter and have her (?) develop some skill and comfort: A K frame. In all honesty, the M14 with wadcutters is really easy to shoot. It is far easier to get a decent trigger weight in a K frame than a J. It may still be too heavy. A 3" k frame is likely to be a decent compromise, especially if carry is (at least potentially) in the future. I prefer the adjustable signs on Smiths (and most firearms, especially revolvers). Not because they are adjustable, but because they are easier to see in a hurry. They are potentially less snag resistant, but that's a tradeoff that has to be considered. Most of the attributes I would consider from your description might require a custom revolver to achieve; probably not a great idea.

Among factory models that might work well, once you have some baseline knowledge about the shooter's comfort and the shooter is making progress: a 2" M15 with the smallest grips (likely rubber) you can find. While the 4" is certainly going to be easier to shoot in some ways (the 4" barrel is easier to use in terms of the sights), it may still be too heavy, and will have a square butt frame. The 2" will have the same actual mechanical accuracy potential (ergonomics will be different, but ...), a decent trigger, visible sights, and a round butt. Load it with quality .38 wadcutters (which are actually a decent defensive load if the bullet is square enough) (I prefer Black Hills; the boutique makers are likely to load it heavier). Recoil will be relatively low. Standard velocity .38 SWC are a decent load too (I have a bunch and use them in my 4" M66 for most uses), but may be too stout for the person you describe. They are a better reload than the WC, as WC are harder to get into the cylinder in a hurry. If the sights are still sub-optimal, consider replacing the front with an XS Big Dot tritium, and widening the slot in the rear sight to match.

One guy's thoughts, and worth what you paid for them.

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NHI, 10-8.

I think like a lot of the posters above.....a 22 will do just fine. I would stay with the steel framed revolvers like the 34, 63 and if she has the strength, model 17, 18, 617. I find that folks without good muscle tone can't hold the larger revolvers very well and begin shaking before they get through a cylinder full.

I have had several 22's that were semi-auto, but that falls into the advanced beginner class. I would try to avoid the Airweight, Lightweight rimfires as their trigger pull fells heavier to me.

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On the Oak Savannah

No snubbies, only K frame or bigger.

22 LR or at most 38 Special with wadcutters or a very low recoil load.

Edit to add: Maybe the Mod 63 but the trigger pull will be harder than the above preferred K frames.

I have taught quite a few folks how to shoot. Always did about the same
as Keith44spl says above, except I used a Taurus model 94 .22 revolver.
When they are comfortable, gradually work up to a more potent caliber.

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In Omnia Paratus

Back when I was instructing for CC licences....

One class there was an older lady (late 70's) never had even picked up
a hand gun of any kind.
Her husband had brought his S&W 686 and a box of 38 wadcutters for them to qualify with.

I advised this lady if she didn't mind waiting to shoot last, I'd help her with some additional
safety tips and allow her to have a few practice shots.

I retrieved my 4" K- frame from my truck and let her shoot it...
She followed all the safety rules to a 'T' and did not get flustered one time.
After she had shot a box or so of 22 LR (shooting both single action and double action)
she took a couple of shots with her husband's revolver...

She qualified easily and said it was fun. Another happy customer.

.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

And then there is this.

Recoil shyness does not chooses neither size nor age. Some folk have it some don't no matter size or age. And sometimes you'd be surprized.

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Expect the unexpected

when I posted the 351 suggestion, I was thinking conceal carry with potential.

For a starter, I would suggest a model 63 with the 3 inch barrel and the fiber optic front sight {22 long rifle} Then maybe move to the magnum for CC and self defense.

Noise is rarely an issue {for a couple of shots}when the adrenaline is in charge. And for practice, muffs are always worn, so shouldn't be an issue either.

Steel Js. Always steel.

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LEX ET ORDO

You have given me a lot to think on.
In 38 we have J, K and L frame available. Wadcutters may be the ticket here. I have nothing 32 but think it would be nice to have one.

Some real quick checking a few websites raised a question.

I like what tlawler says about the 327 Mag being able to be "down sized."
Is the 32 S&W Long wadcutter an OK, decent, terrible self-defense choice?
A few places say it has very little recoil. If so the 327 Mag could be a good choice platform.

1. Center Fire Revolver (action easier and smoother than a Rim Fire)
2. Caliber .38spl. (start with low recoil wadcutters-load very light to begin)
3. Model- S&W Model 36, round butt, 3" barrel, smooth and lighten action if needed

Exactly what I was thinking, Gain the familiarity, confidence, and basic skills with the 22 then graduate to the almost identical gun in a better defensive caliber.

You could do the exact same thing with the Ruger LCRs in 22 and 38. Probably a little cheaper than the S&Ws.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Some of the desirable S&W models mentioned in the previous posts are no longer available new. I just don't enjoy the used firearm hunt like I used to.

Ruger is a good choice if simply availability.

I use a M34 or (and) M17 for a new shooter. Less expensive, less recoil and less noise than any centerfire. Three good reasons to use a .22 RF. A good fourth reason is no reloading the ammo. Larry

Consider a Charter Arms Undercorvette in 32 S&W Long.

Find the film "Hannie Caulder" in where Robt Clup exercises Raquel Welch's hands and wrists for two weeks before he even puts a gun in her hand.

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"Don't Give Up the Ship"

My wife and mother(75) have no issues with most standard pressure .38 special ammo in their Airweight J-frames. +p is a no go. They don’t/won’t practice much, so no extended range time and neither would carry anything heavier than an Airweight.

Sometimes, I'd start with dry firing on the range to work on grip, arm position and stance first.
I always started new shooters on my 4" M34 with the factory targets which are really not so big. Too small a grip can be just as bad as too big depending on the shooter's hand size. We tried several grip sets.
I always started with big targets to aim at, up close so they'd get hits on the target.
Next I'd go to mild 38 pip-squeak handloads in a 4" M19 after carefully getting their grip right. And then move the target back. I'd alternate between mild loads and then a few more powerful as the shooter progressed.
Shooting a semi-auto, I'd single load a round, let them shoot that. Then load 2. So they had control.
You could do a lot worse than an ex-Police 4" M10 with grips that fit the new shooter's hands. I find many rubber grips too big for me. I carried the original Hogue mono-grips and they still fit my hands best of anything.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

I have a Ruger LCRx .327 Fed Mag, easy soft shooting with .32 S&W Long, a little more punch with .32 H&R Mag but not bad. The .327 Fed Mag round is not for the recoil shy! (and it is very loud) I have not tried .32acp in it.
The main drawback of it is the short barrel, under 2 inch, so hard for a new shooter to become accurate with it. I shoot my 2 1/2 inch M66 much better.

The Charter Arms Undercoverette in .32 H&R mag would also be a good choice, can shoot the .32 S&W long also. Just not the >327 Fed Mag. And costs a lot less than the Ruger. A girlfriend of mine has the same gun in .38 spl and has shot thousands of round thru it with no problems.

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Super Snooper

I don't think anyone asked the obvious question:
How does this person know that she's "recoil-shy"? Has she ever fired a gun?
I hear all my forum-mates and their well-meaning advice. I'm sure they're very successful, too. But it's frustrating as hell.
But here's a fact: women attend firearms training at police academies all the time. And you know what? None of them were given a "weenie-caliber .22" and treated like a cripple who couldn't "handle bigger" until they took baby steps first.
No, they were handling a duty-issue firearm from day 1 and learned to successfully finish the course. Do you know why? Because to play into this over-wrought "fear" of how much a standard-size cartridge recoils by coddling and saying, "Here, start with this, you can't handle a REAL gun yet" is simply crippling the person's mind into thinking that if YOU don't have confidence in them, why should THEY have confidence in themselves?
I taught my wife, my daughters, my granddaughter, my son's girlfriend and her sister, and my wife's best friend and her daughter. I let them watch me fire first, and every single one said, "That doesn't look so bad, I want to try it!" Within a box or two of .38 Specials they were doing great. My wife still prefers a K-frame to any other gun in our inventory, and she shoots it well with +Ps, too.
I'm sure this advice won't sit well with those who think that only they, an INSTRUCTOR, has the "magic formula" for teaching a mere woman how to shoot. That's fine. I'm far from perfect, and I don't think I have the only anything.... I'm just pointing out that many thousands of women have discovered the joys of shooting without being made to feel inadequate by insisting they can't shoot a centerfire until they shoot a small-caliber first.
And yes, I'm a sarcastic *** but for Heaven's sake, this isn't rocket science.
OP, best of luck and Happy New Year!

Actually, there is a lot of truth in what you /\ are saying.
Proper instruction in handling, grip, etc. goes a long way in making a successful and pleasant shooting experience.

I got back into handguns at age 65 after not shooting for about 35 years.
Started right out with .38 & .357 and it was all trial & error. I shoot revolvers up to 41 mag, 45 acp and 45LC. with no problem. I'm confident I could handle a 44mag but have no desire to purchase one.
I didn't even own a 22 until I started teaching grandkids to shoot.

But semi-autos are a different story, not so good there....

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Super Snooper

My significant other is really happy with the 4" HB Model 10 I gave her 2 Christmases ago. She is very sensitive to the recoil produced by her Ruger LCP 9, and I admit I can't shoot that gun very well, either. Her groups with the 9 are all over the target. Put the.38 in her hands, and her groups are half the size, and centered on the bull. She loves not having to rack a slide or load a magazine. It's a French LE re-import from Bud's, and has an extremely smooth, but not too light trigger pull. I touched up some worn bluing with a little Oxy-pho, and added some faux ivory magnas. It fits her smaller hands just fine, and doesn't look too bad, for a sub $300 gun.

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The cartridge options have been covered a lot. *If* the shooter want's just one revolver from ab initio shooter to concealed carry then I'll repeat the .327 Magnum suggestion. The shooter can start with 71 gr .32 ACP rounds then advance to .32 SW Short and/or .32 S&W long, then .32 H&R Magnum, and then .327 Federal - stopping as soon as the recoil tolerance level is reached.

What has not been addressed is the small hands issue. Both grip size and trigger reach come into play and I didn't read every post in detail but I haven't see them addressed.

Yes, I agree that the J frames tend to have heavy triggers but they also have a short trigger reach that lets a small handed shooter get his or her finger on the trigger all the way up to the first joint, which provides lots of leverage. That makes the "heavier" trigger much more manageable than a "lighter" K frame trigger where the shooter can only get the pad of the finger on the trigger.

There's also the issue of grip size. Ruger has all the advantage over S&W in the grip size department as both the SP101 and the GP100 use a peg style grip frame, which allows for a much smaller grip than a J or K/L frame revolver.

The SP101 is also about 5 oz heavier in a given barrel length than the J frame Model 60. That reduces the felt recoil without increasing the weight to the point it is uncomfortable to carry.

Putting those concepts together a 3" SP101 in .327 Federal is arguably yout best revolver option.


-----

I am however wondering why a revolver? A small semi-auto in .32 ACP is generally very pleasant to shoot and the slides are not hard to operate due to lighter recoil springs.

I'll echo the concern here that guys have a bad habit of picking handguns for women that make sense to the guy, not to the woman who will be shooting it.

----

There's also a third aspect to fit - how it points. I've encountered numerous new shooters (and more than a few experienced shooters) who select a gun they want based on someone's recommendation. However, when I ask them to pick a point of aim 10-20 ft away, close their eyes, point the handgun at the target, and then open their eyes and tell me what they see for a sight picture, the results are often less than optimum:

1) Ideally, both the front and rear sights will be visible, and more or less aligned.

2) Less ideally, but still minimally acceptable, the front sight will be visible about the rear sight.

3) Unfortunately, in many cases the front sight will not be visible at all, as the handgun just doesn't fit their hand well.

Number 2 can usually be addressed with suitable aftermarket grip selection. Number 3 often cannot. A shooter who has a handgun that doesn't fit well will have to work very hard to shoot it well, but will never shoot it as well as a handgun that actually fits them. Worse, a shooter with a poorly fitting handgun is unlikely to ever shoot it well under extreme stress and pressure.

I'm still the old school, start with basic firearms safety, handling, and marksmanship, decent range time with friendly "advice" (no yelling and loud criticism).

My kids liked to learn and shoot and most started out with .22, and stepped up to larger calibers as they desired and time permitted. The Smith Model 34, and the Model 17 are definite favorites. Some took to the Model 31 snubbie in 32 Long as a real "fun" gun. My EDC is a 637 and usually has plus P aboard so that one is fun just before dusk to watch the fireball. Nobody in our family has large hands, but none are petite either, so I would say average hands, recoil tolerance is different among all men and women alike so some like shooting 357 and 44 Mag while others love 45 ACP from revolvers/semis, mil-surp too.

Again...what worked for me was 22's for the basics, step up when the shooter can (and wants to). My youngest daughter is a North Carolina LEO and her duty weapon is a Glock 21 in 45acp. She also told me that, like posted above, a lot of trainees at the academy had no familiarity with guns and had to jump right in, handguns, shotguns, rifles, mace, tasers, pepper spray, hand-to-hand, etc.....NO different than Uncle Sam taught in 1966...so yes....you COULD start right out with bigger caliber guns, but if your "student" doesn't have some basics already you may not find the desire holding up for the necessary practice, practice that carry concealed requires with the use of a greater recoil handgun.

Just another opinion, so you do need to find whatever works for you and yours. Best of luck to you in however it works out.

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

[QUOTE=GerSan69;140631671]I don't think anyone asked the obvious question:
How does this person know that she's "recoil-shy"? Has she ever fired a gun?

Yes. 38 +P from a 686 (4 inch) and 9mm from a full size semi-auto have both been shot. They hurt and from the hand and wrist pain this translates into "they scare". This is a person who has gone back to the range to see if maybe something has changed. The recoil is a problem that needs a new approach.

Thanks for the many ideas and offers of solutions. I do believe a 32 or .327 (H&R? or Federal Mag??)will be purchased along with low recoil .38 ammo (no not for use in the .327) Thanks again!!
Oh, Happy New Year!

I should also add that she had a chance to shoot my model 10 and really enjoyed it, before I ever thought of buying her a revolver of her own.

One thing kind of buried in my earlier post is the use of a big target... the Army L is specified in my state for Qualifications so is widely available. Besides 22 and down loaded 38s, I always started up close so hits were a certainty.
I felt with novices that there was too much going on in the initial firing. There's nothing worse that the novice totally missing... discouraging them. A little success is a huge motivator.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

so...maybe Give her the Model 10...Then go shopping for something to replace it {for yourself}

You should really pay attn to keith44spl's advice about the M34-1 instead of being so fixated on CF calibers for several reasons. I mean, if a 9mm out of a full sized auto loader hurts, that is really recoil sensitive.

A M34-1 4" bbl using SV ammo (subsonic), and being all steel, isn't zero recoil, but close to it. Muzzle blast is also neglible. This can easily cause flinching and (I guess), perceived pain. So, forget .22mag out of a pistol. For a new shooter anyway.

She is going to need to practice....A LOT. So, unless you reload, anything other than .22lr is going to get expensive, real quick.

If she doesn't enjoy shooting a particular pistol, she certainly isn't going to practice or become profecient. Get her shooting one she likes and she'll soon want to try others. Just human nature.

Yes, the M34-1 is out of production, but there many listed on GB. The M63 is still in production judging by the number of NIB also offered on GB. The only ones more difficult to find/more expensive are the 1 7/8 bbl length.

BTW, I have 2-M34-1s, a late 70s and a 1988 and the triggers on both are equal to, or better, than my CF J frames. Very smooth, even in DA. Both have the 1-7/8" bbl.

Have no experience with the Rugers & .22/cf versions of the same pistol, but it is a thought.

Rob

Well, I am a bit late to the conversation, and it seems that the OP is leaning toward a .32 revolver. In this particular situation, I think that is an excellent choice. Here is a link to an excellent article that Lucky Gunner published recently. https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/w...caliber-is-32/

I occasionally carry a S&W pre-model 30 snub usually loaded up with .32 S&W Long 100 gr. wadcutters. From the above linked article, penetration for this load is remarkably good, averaging 15". And, the recoil is practically non-existent, at least for me. I purchased this gun 8 months ago and paid $350 for it. I have no experience with Charter Arms, but think their Undercoverette would be another good choice, and it is chambered for the .32 H&R, which would give you one more choice if the recoil can be tolerated.

For not much more recoil than you get from a .22, I would much prefer a 100 gr. bullet from a .32 over a 40 gr. bullet from a .22.

Please keep us updated on your results.

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SWCA 3297 SWHF 583

I have an old, pinned M-10 and someone did an amazing action job and anyone that can shoot a squirt gun could fire it accurately and its DA trigger pull is much lighter than any slicked up J-frame. I would have a new shooter practice in the garage with a heavy tarp or blanket on the wall and shoot Speer plastic bullets with CCI magnum primers, these are quieter and kick less than .22s. Once they are proficient and comfortable with the gun buy some Magtech .38 Special "short" ammo from Sportsman's Guide, 125 grain lead bullet at 680 fps.

Excellent article from Lucky Gunner as usual. He doesn’t mention the LCR’s ability to also shoot .32ACP, but several reader comments confirm that. I tried a couple cylinders of them when I first got my LCR (had them on hand because I also had a .32 Seecamp), and other than having to extract them individually, they worked fine.

BB57, good call on the SP-101, I have one of them in .327FM (actually my only .327 now that I traded my LCR off this past week). It really soaks up the .32 H&R recoil to make it nearly nonexistent and makes the .327FM a pleasure to shoot. I shot about as much .327FM in my LCR as I did .357 in my 340PD when I had it, which wasn’t very many...maybe a couple cylinders of each before I went to the milder stuff. I only wish the SP-101 trigger was as smooth as the LCR!

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

Before buying another gun, try this Hornady 90gr .38 Special defensive ammo in the 3" Model 65 and if she likes that, try it in the J-frame.