Wife needs first time cc options

[Expygator]

I'm looking for her first cc firearm. She does not like guns but has fired a revolver. We can train later. The gun will likely be carried off body in a purse. She is not a very strong person so I'm thinking that racking a slide is not an option. What guns (S&W and others) should we be looking at? I'm trying to stay above .380. I carry a BG .380, but I can shoot.
Thanks!


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[EricR]

Will simply share my wife's relatively recent similar experience. She's a realtor and does purse carry. She is very girly and lacks upper body strength. She confidently handles a Ruger LCR in 22 mag. It was a long process and multiple handguns were purchased, including a 442 which I now proudly carry. But this LCR is the handgun that she is fearless with and can't seem to mess up with.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

A tip up barrel Beretta will work but those come in .22, .25. and .32, assuming there are any around at all. Any .22 caliber revolver will work, the S&W 43c is a good, modern choice if a .22 will work:

Model 43 C | Smith & Wesson

They tend to have hard triggers but can probably be modified some.

But if you must stay above .380 you're not going to find a host of revolvers that will work except J-frames in .38 caliber (.38/.357 but you'll stick to .38). A lightweight J-frame is an excellent purse gun but (i) she needs to be prepared for some vicious recoil, and (ii) she needs to properly carry it where it is easily accessible, does not get messed up by other things in her purse, and (iii) she never loses contact with that purse.

 

[CDR_Glock]

S&W 442 but get an Apex trigger kit.

Glock 43 9 mm or S&W Shield 9mm.

Sig Sauer HD P238 380 would be the easiest to shoot.


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[Scorpion520AZ]

My wife's CCW favorite is the S&W New Model Bodyguard .38 Special +P with Laser.
Good Luck.
Happy Shopping.

 

[pawngal]

Aside from a S&W J frame, Charter Arms makes a decent .38spl 5 round smallish revolver that comes in all kinds of colors if that might interest her. The grip area on it is a little longer than a J frame. My GF has one and really likes it.

 

[Expygator]

Will simply share my wife's relatively recent similar experience. She's a realtor and does purse carry. She is very girly and lacks upper body strength. She confidently handles a Ruger LCR in 22 mag. It was a long process and multiple handguns were purchased, including a 442 which I now proudly carry. But this LCR is the handgun that she is fearless with and can't seem to mess up with.

Haha....my wife is also a realtor. That's the whole reason for this.


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[daddio202]

I was also going to suggest you look at the 38 special group of revolvers. A lot were made and still are being made. Fairly cheap and give you a huge range of various options in different barrel lengthes. Take her to the lgs and let her pick through some of the 2 to 3 inch barrel length models. I'm sure she will see one she falls in love with. Good thing is she can practice with semi wadcutter shaped bullets which have very mild recoil so she will be confident and become a good shot. Then buy some +p ammo just to carry and she won't be afraid to use it if she needs. Most all new S&W revolvers are rated for +p and I wouldn't hesitate to shoot +p out of 90% of the older ones made.

 

[Rpg]

Let her select her own firearms!

Find someone (not you) to teach her to shoot.

Get her to a range that rents firearms and let her pick the guns she wants to try.

I'd discourage even trying the Tupperware bodyguard38: these things jam up too easily. I'd also stay away from 22 mag: much too noisy for a new shooter to enjoy and trivial benefit in velocity in a handgun over a 22lr.

Stick with wadcutters in 38 special: very effective sd round that encourages skill development.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Let her select her own firearms!

Find someone (not you) to teach her to shoot.

Get her to a range that rents firearms and let her pick the guns she wants to try.

This ^^^^^.

If she chooses it and tries it and likes it, she'll carry it.

Take her to an LGS counter person you trust, and walk away until they are done.

 

[moralem]

For purse carry I gave my daughter 340 MP with Crimson trace grips. She practices with .38 sp but carriers with .357. Great lightweight gun, simply point the laser and pull the trigger and it always goes bang. Just my two cents. Wasn't cheap but small price to pay for peace of mind.

 

[dben002]

Why do so many just assume a woman can not handle as much handgun as a man can....Well they can..believe me...I know quite a few....

I have yet to meet the woman I can not teach to rack a slide with the push push opposite direction method.

If your wife is going to purse carry and need to rack the slide to use the weapon she probably should just carry pepper spray or a revolver with a safe chamber.

 

[Arik]

Have HER TRY. You can't guess if she can or can't rack the slide or how it feels in her hand. Take he to the store and have her try

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[ISCS Yoda]

I agree that many women can be taught to rack a slide but any woman, or man, actually, with hand issues, sometimes back issues, or wrist issues, can always have difficulty with racking slides. And some folks
are just not dexterous and/or are too weak to do it.

Stick with wadcutters in 38 special: very effective sd round that encourages skill development

As a matter of fact, I agree totally, wadcutters are no slouch in the self defense department.

 

[Bill In Texas]

While I most assuredly agree with letting her pick her own gun and going to a range that rents them, I will make a suggestion.

I bought my wife a 640. A stainless version of the 642 and 442 that weights about a .5 lb more. The extra weight makes the felt recoil when shooting .38 specials not feel as harsh as it's Airweight brothers. It's a DOA, so the ability for her to be able to shoot through her purse is an extra added benefit. She wouldn't even need to draw the gun if it's use became necessary. Hope this helps!

 

[Expygator]

Why do so many just assume a woman can not handle as much handgun as a man can....Well they can..believe me...I know quite a few....



I have yet to meet the woman I can not teach to rack a slide with the push push opposite direction method.



If your wife is going to purse carry and need to rack the slide to use the weapon she probably should just carry pepper spray or a revolver with a safe chamber.

That's why I was posting in the revolver area. She's not strong, not enough hand strength. I figure a revolver is the way to go...... and you can shoot them in/through the purse, no hammer to catch, and they go bang every time. I wouldn't want her to have to do that with a semi auto.


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[BB57]

I'm looking for her first cc firearm. She does not like guns but has fired a revolver. We can train later. The gun will likely be carried off body in a purse. She is not a very strong person so I'm thinking that racking a slide is not an option. What guns (S&W and others) should we be looking at? I'm trying to stay above .380. I carry a BG .380, but I can shoot.
Thanks!

I'm going to address the two issues in bold above.

What makes the slides on most .380 ACP pistols hard to rack is the blow back operation. Thats also aggravated by short barrels and slides that have less weight and thus need a much stronger recoil spring due to the lighter weight and the shorter length.

The solution to that is a delayed recoil locked breech design, like the Colt Mustang, Kimber Micro, Sig 238, etc. The recoil spring is much lighter and they are easy for even women with small hands to cycle.


If you're saying you want to stay "above" the .380 ACP, you're also saying that you want to stay "above" the standard pressure .38 Special, at least when fired in a 1 7/8" or 2 1/8" revolver.

.380 ACP performance has improved and any of half dozen loads using the 90 gr Hornady XTP will meet the FBI's penetration and expansion requirements when fired out of a 3.5" barrel where the velocity is around 1000 fps.

Even in a 2.75" barrel like the pistols mentioned above it'll get 12" penetration and expansion in bare gelatin 100% of the time and get 12" penetration 100% of the time and expand about 60-80% of the time in the heavy denim test when the velocity is around 900 fps.

Looking at it the other way, those 90 gr XTP loads in a 3.5" .380 ACP will out perform all standard pressure .38 Special loads shot in a 2" revolver and are as good as most .38+ loads shot in a 2" revolver.

And, most .380ACP pistols are a 6+1 or 7+1 pistol compared to a similar sized or larger J-frame that offers only 5 shots.

----


That said, a .380 ACP pistol like the Kimber Micro, Sig P238, or Colt Mustang will work well for your wife, as would a J-frame in .38 Special, using +p loads. Similarly a J-magnum frame revolver like the Model 60 in .357 Mag will also work well with .38 +P loads.

 

[Island Boy]

If your wife is going to purse carry and need to rack the slide to use the weapon she probably should just carry pepper spray or a revolver with a safe chamber.

Agreed, but what is "a safe chamber"? All DA modern revolvers are safe and can be carried fully loaded - do you mean an empty chamber, a'la a Single Action Army style pistol?

I carry two .38 snubby's all the time (Taurus AL Model 85 and Rossi steel snub - basically a Model 85). Fully loaded w/ 5 rounds.

But, let her go to the range and pick a few to try - we had a bunch of ladies in our Basic Pistol class on Saturday that started out on 5 shot snubbys and ended up w/ 9mm pistols - XD compacts and Taurus PT111G2's. You can always swap springs for easier slide racking.

I'm trying to figure out how to carry my SD9VE daily now... love that huge thing

 

[oneounceload]

Let her select her own firearms!

Find someone (not you) to teach her to shoot.

Get her to a range that rents firearms and let her pick the guns she wants to try.

I'd discourage even trying the Tupperware bodyguard38: these things jam up too easily. I'd also stay away from 22 mag: much too noisy for a new shooter to enjoy and trivial benefit in velocity in a handgun over a 22lr.

Stick with wadcutters in 38 special: very effective sd round that encourages skill development.

This ^^^^^.

If she chooses it and tries it and likes it, she'll carry it.

Take her to an LGS counter person you trust, and walk away until they are done.

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She's not strong, not enough hand strength

So what makes you think she will have the hand strength to pull a heavy DA trigger or handle the recoil from a small 38, even with wadcutters?

 

[BAM-BAM]

Traditional logic says a 2" .38 k-frame............ if you can find one.............................

That said.......................

Got my wife a M&P .22 Compact for Valentines Day....... she loves it ......

over the past few months I've decided I'd rather she has the 10rd .22 Compact with her than; her have her K-frame at home.......

no one likes to be shot with anything........I'm teaching her to shoot 3-5 string "bursts" at 10 yds.................................

she will not be facing down drug crazed muggers or a horde of Jihad's by herself in the otherwise safe "Burbs of the Burgh"