CCW for my daughter

[lonestarjeff]

My daughter has been shooting for about ten years now, but never owned her own weapon. Everything she's handled has been a large frame auto or rifle. I haven't pushed her into it, but she recently asked me about helping her find something for HD & SD. She's a recently divorced 30-year-old living about 4 hours away, so I was quite pleased she decided on her own to do this.

I came up with a list of 9mm single-stack autos for her to rent & try out at the range. I hate to admit this, but I didn't even consider throwing in a revolver. Not to get into a caliber debate, but I didn't consider anything below 9mm & I expected anything higher power would be too much for her out of a carry-weight frame.

After shooting all the autos on the list she told me she didn't really like any of them. The one that shot & handled best was a revolver....I said "what revolver? I didn't put a revolver on the list!" Turns out the guy behind the counter at the range suggested it, so she tried it. A M442 is what she prefers. I still can't believe I didn't suggest it!

Jeff

 

[ADP3]

I gave my daughter a 442-1 with Crimson Trace grips on it when she moved to the big city. She took to it immediately. The first shooting session only ended when she wore a blister on her trigger finger. That took about 150 rounds.

Best Regards,
ADP3

 

[Biggfoot44]

It must be genetic. Mrs Biggfoot is a revolver purist. Biggfootette has been exposed to both , but so far is prefering revolvers.

I'm tapping this with a grin as somebody who likes revolvers. But seriously women are people too . Different people prefer different firearms, and there's nothing exclusive or excluded for either gender. Hand size , finger and upper body strength are factors for everyone , gender not a factor in itself. ( Some females see the humor in pink guns , some see them as insulting condencention.)

 

[rhmc24]

Ruger LCR available in .22, .38 Spl & .35 Mag., light weight, DAO almost fool proof. Semi autos in anything bigger than .32 can be a monster for a woman to rack the slide.

 

[MichiganScott]

Lonestarjeffette just shows that we need to let our wives and daughters pick their own firearms. They may surprise us.

The first handgun my wife bought was a 4" Model 28 after I tried to get her to shoot a K-frame. She said she preferred the weight.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Pink is cool

My daughter's S&W 331TI .32 H&R magnum.

The S&W 32-1 .38 S&W I gave my daughter-in-law.

Both of these young ladies also own S&W Shield 9mm pistols.

 

[Clovishound]

I find most of the single stack 9s to be unacceptable to me. Yes, this is a personal thing. Between really bad DOA triggers to unacceptable recoil characteristics, I really didn't find one that suited me. I ended up with a compact double stack 9. Sorry, it's not a Smith. Unfortunately, a lot of women have real trouble racking the slide on this weapon.

I'm of the opinion that a carry weapon should be enjoyable enough to shoot that you will want to spend some quality time with it at the range on a regular basis. Several of the weapons I dismissed were ones I could shoot accurately enough, but I would have to make myself go and practice with it.

This is not a hard and fast rule, just my philosophy for my own situation.

As to the revolver/semi-auto debate. Carry what you're comfortable with, and comfortable carrying. I would rather see someone I care about carrying a 5 shot revolver that they are comfortable and competent with, than a 15 shot semi-auto they are hesitant to shoot, and might have trouble clearing a malfunction.

 

[ColbyBruce]

" a lot of women have real trouble racking the slide on this weapon. "

Teach them to grasp the slide with their weak hand, arm under their rib cage, and push the frame forward With the strong hand (finger outside the trigger guard) to cock the pistol. The muzzle will be roughly 45 degrees away from the body and clear most God-given appendages.

 

[MaxS]

I am a woman - I love my 638 that's had an Apex spring kit installed. I can practice for half an hour and my hand isn't sore at all. And I'm pretty accurate with it.

I recommend the Apex kit for any woman getting a j frame. (just my .02)

 

[daveuspp]

My girlfriend is an avid shooter and hunter but like your daughter, never CC. I had her shoot all of my hand guns at her leisure to see what she liked.

She loved shooting my 4" Ruger Redhawk 44 mag, well we all know that might be the best CCW for a 5'08 150lbs female so I suggested maybe a smaller choice.

She did not like any of the Glocks but then shot my friends 40 Shield, my 442 and sp101.

She ended up settling on the 40 Shield, which she shoots very well and has confidence in.

The big thing to me anyway is confidence in a gun. Alot of guys seem to want to "caliber up " or tell other shooters what they think the shooter would like. If that shooter doesnt have confidence in that firearm and doesnt shoot it well then the point of carrying is lost.

My friends wife loves to shoot a 6 shot 22 mag. She shoots it very well and has tried other calibers and configurations with no luck.

Some say "Oh its only a 22 mag" She says "let me shoot you in the chest with it" and smiles.

If your daughter is happy with it she will be more apt to carry it on a regular basis.

 

[onemanwolfpack]

There are better conceal options but this is the one my wife makes sure she doesn't leave home without...

 

[daveuspp]

There are better conceal options but this is the one my wife makes sure she doesn't leave home without...

I cant let my GF see this post or she will be looking into a 2nd CCW

 

[lonestarjeff]

.....The big thing to me anyway is confidence in a gun.....If that shooter doesnt have confidence in that firearm and doesnt shoot it well then the point of carrying is lost.....

If your daughter is happy with it she will be more apt to carry it on a regular basis.

Couldn't say it better myself.

 

[lonestarjeff]

I am a woman - I love my 638 that's had an Apex spring kit installed. I can practice for half an hour and my hand isn't sore at all. And I'm pretty accurate with it.

I recommend the Apex kit for any woman getting a j frame. (just my .02)

I'm not familiar with it....need to check that out!

 

[lonestarjeff]

( Some females see the humor in pink guns , some see them as insulting condencention.)

1st thing she told me when she saw one in pink was "don't even think about it, mine will be black or stainless"...

 

[Cal44]

Ruger LCR available in .22, .38 Spl & .35 Mag., light weight, DAO almost fool proof. Semi autos in anything bigger than .32 can be a monster for a woman to rack the slide.

OK, I'm going to get people mad at me here, but I hear this business about women unable to rack the slide all the time and I don't buy it.

There are no doubt some really small women (and men) who don't have the arm/hand/wrist strength to rack a slide. But if that's the case, then they need an exercise program to strengthen their arms.

I have a wife, a sister, three sisters in law, and four granddaughters -- the youngest is 8. And all of them, including the 8 year old could rack a slide if they tried.

That said, I'd go the other way and buy a revolver myself.

But, IMHO, if we are talking operating regular defensive handguns, autos and revolvers, then I think every healthy person, man or woman, can learn to shoot them with, at most, some strengthening exercises. And those exercises are probably a good idea for all of us.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Ruthie says "semi's are boxy but revolvers are pretty".

Works for her.

 

[Linejudgemick]

It just goes to prove that we all prefer different things. One day my daughter wanted to try my handgun so I asked her which one. She said "all of em." After she shot several including revolvers, 22s, compacts - she declared she had a favorite - the one I least suspected. My full size M&P 40, after that I realized I'll just let them tell me what they like.

 

[rwsmith]

Like pointed out....

OK, I'm going to get people mad at me here, but I hear this business about women unable to rack the slide all the time and I don't buy it.

There are no doubt some really small women (and men) who don't have the arm/hand/wrist strength to rack a slide. But if that's the case, then they need an exercise program to strengthen their arms.

I have a wife, a sister, three sisters in law, and four granddaughters -- the youngest is 8. And all of them, including the 8 year old could rack a slide if they tried.

That said, I'd go the other way and buy a revolver myself.

But, IMHO, if we are talking operating regular defensive handguns, autos and revolvers, then I think every healthy person, man or woman, can learn to shoot them with, at most, some strengthening exercises. And those exercises are probably a good idea for all of us.

It's not completely about strength, but technique. When I got a full size 9mm I had difficulty racking the slide and I was wondering how it would be useful anywhere except the range. With a little practice I got better at racking it normally. OR keep the gun close to your rib cage. Reach over with the left hand and grab the slide (It's good if you work on not blocking the port). Push the right hand forward and let go. Easy as pie.

 

[John R]

Can't beat a 442, or 642 for SD for a woman.
Easy, simple, and goes bang every time.
38 speical is a good round for putting the bad guy down.