Some low-life thief came up on our side porch the other day and stole some patio furniture - did it during a lightning/thunder storm so perhaps that was why we did not hear them. Anyway, earlier in the day, she is pretty certain she heard someone on the porch.
She has her carry permit and is a pretty good shot, but has been reluctant/resistant to actually carrying a gun. A visit with the LEO who came by after the theft may have finally convinced her to take her own protection seriously.
We have looked at revolvers over the last year or so. I let her keep my old Colt agent in her night stand, but she is not fond of it at all. But her consistent preference is a J-frame with Crimson Trace. Did not like the Bodyguard at all, nor did I. So I guess I will get out and find her a Model 642 CT. And then I am going to see if I can find someone locally to provide her some training so she can be more confident about carrying.

Good plan, that is what I bought my wife. Do yourself a favor and buy yourself some snap caps too. You are going to have to dry fire it quite a bit to smooth out the trigger pull. It will be fine for you, but my wife's hand strength is not the same as mine, dry firing it helped. Also, teach her to reload with either moon clips, speed loaders or speed strips. My wife has a knife and OC with her as well.

Here's a opinion, you can take it or leave it, just offering some thoughts.

I'm sure some will want to argue, but if you look at street results and research there are only 3 rounds which expand/do the job through heavy clothing out of a snub.

The old 158 gr LWCSHP FBI load---good street results, marginal test results.

Speer Gold Dot SB 135 gr +P--excellent Street and research results.

Corbon DPX 110 gr--newer round, excellent test results, few available street results.

All of them have their fans for various reasons and I'm not claiming to be an expert, just giving you what I have found through experience, talking to experts and research. If you check out Doc Roberts recommendations, he recommends the Gold Dots, Evan Marshall likes both, but carries the DPX. There are a lot of guys in cemeteries from the FBI loads.

Check out the local NRA training--it's reasonable and pretty good, they have some geared towards new shooters.

Have a good one

We all have to take responsibility for our own safety. You will not always be there with your gun to protect her.

Sorry that you were victimized, but it is a cheap lesson if she now takes her own safety & security more seriously.

Good luck on the handgun search, and stay safe.
Frank

Yep, researching some training options now. A slow day at work. Our little town does not have much so we are probably looking for some sort of weekend training session (make it more fun for her, too) at some facilities.
Even our shooting range here is pretty primitive and is not "conducive" to an enjoyable experience for some, such as my wife.
I need to pay more attention to ammo myself. I still carry FMJ or cast lead rounds - that should get me flamed - but I have been reading up and thinking reloading based on the FBI round mentioned.

Wow, I thought you were throwing her out. Naw, keep her, you need someone to protect you.

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Dick

You may have to have a compromise in the 642 between the round that is most effective, and the round your wife can most comfortably handle. Most Corbon loads are pretty stout, and your wife may not like or be willing to handle it. Lightweight J frames are easy to conceal, great to shoot, but with stout loads have a lot of perceived recoil. Good hand filling grips help.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I always post this in these kinds of threads:

Cornered Cat

It was very good reading for me when I wanted to get my woman to get serious.

A friend of mine got a gun for his wife.


I thought it was a hell of a good trade.

OK, I LMBO, but the wife did not find is as humorous, if you can imagine that. Especially when I said what kind of gun he got.....

NEW Bodyguard? I am not a big fan. REAL Bodyguard? Yes! This Airweight has been in my pocket for 20+ years.

just remember to tell her...you will be hard pressed to justify a shooting over stealing a lawn chair

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Ok, should have said "packing heat."
But for real, looked at the link to cornered cat and they are offering sessions in the next two months in Memphis and in Sierra Vista, AZ. Both about 800 miles from here. Might be perfect for the wife. Take three or four vacation days and get her some real training. Then I would feel safer.
Cornered Cat - Cornered Cat Training Company

I taught my wife how to "do it" with a little model 317. Then graduated her to a model 38 Airweight with light loads. Now...I have to be careful how I talk to her....she can shoot!

I should have known not to get my hopes up. She backed out on me for training while we were looking at revolvers yesterday. She did prefer the Ruger LCR with Crimson Trace over the S&W (at least an S&W/Crimson Trace combo we could afford. Did not like the bodyguard at all, nor do I.
In any event, I won't be going down that road for a while.

Keep pushin'......she needs to learn how to shoot. I found out early the issue with the wife was the noise more-so than the recoil. Get some ear-protection.....that will help a lot.

Now...I would not recommend on starting her with a lightweight like the LCR. It's going to have some recoil. Maybe look for an older (even beat-up) off-the-wall gun like a Taurus model 82, or 85 in a 4-inch barrel. That may be a little heavy for her, but it will tame the recoil until she gets acquainted with it all.

Point being....don't go out and purchase an expensive gun just on the looks....teach her how to shoot with a reliable old (even rusty) rag and then work your way back up. Doesn't matter how accurate she is at first....or if she even hits anywhere on any target. Just point-n-shoot first, then work on accuracy.

I hope you bring her around...good luck!

Wife knows how to shoot. With my Bersa Thunder she is frequently a better shot than I and she enjoys shooting small-caliber rifle and any caliber pistol (well .22 to .40), and shotgun.
Problem is not shooting. Problem is feeling comfortable having a gun at the ready in the home and away from the house. She has her CHL.
I will keep asking her if she wants to go to the range with me and we always take guns when we go out to my mom's property in West Texas, but I am won't be bringing up her carrying a gun again or keeping one close by at the home.

Understood.

I think my wife would be quicker to pop-a-cap in somebody than I would. She "never leaves home without it" and it is at her side on the night-stand at bed-time. Just too much trash running around out here (even in the rural area where we live) to not be ready. House burglaries abound and we are a good 45-minutes away from any law even if they get here in a hurry.

Try to buy a 642-1 (W/O THE LOCK)--they are available from several distributors. Outfit it with a set of CT LG-405 that provide maximum cushion of the backstrap to reduce felt recoil. She'll LOVE it.......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

LD--I do not know if this will help or not. I made a point to have mine read the Armed Citizen stuff in NRA mags, called her attention to every woman attacked thing on the news and pulled a few things out of forums. It took a while, but she finally decided she need a gun. Also, if you have friends or know someone who is an officer, have him talk to her about what they have seen.

I hope she changes her mind, one question though, could she use a gun if she had to? Have you asked her?

In the meantime, Kimber makes a good OC sprayer, the blaster. That and a taser are better than nothing.

My wife's and my carry guns. My wife prefers the heaver M649 to the
M38-2

Never underestimate the effectiveness of good old wadcutters. They don't carry all the ooohh factor of hollow points, but can do as much tissue damage. Better still, they're usually not as loud or as dirty or as expensive to practice with.

If you go someplace as a couple, if anyone confronts you, they'll take you out first. It then leaves a 'defenseless woman" to fend for herself. Most frequently, you'll find the husband ready and willing to defend his wife (or girlfriend, or whatever), but she usually isn't prepared to defend him in turn. Not always, but often.

When you take a non-gun woman to look at guns, they pick up a steel version of a carry gun and comment "oh so heavy". You don't usually get that with the 3 series, Airlites. A lightweight gun is a lot more likely to be carried. The heavy gun might be along, but in her purse. The purse is the first and most common target of the crooks.

About 6 years ago (just a little over) both of my DILs were pregnant. Right at that same time there were a few incidents (a rash, really) of women criminals cutting open the stomach's of near term women and stealing the baby. Not something to promote confidence or calm. So I made both them and my sons (neither of which had bothered to get their licenses) an offer. If they took the CCW class and got their license, I'd pay for it. License and training. Then I'd buy them an appropriate CCW gun.

Put me on the hook for possibly a couple of hundred in training per each, plus the license fee. Then the added possibility of $4-500 for each of 4 guns. Sons have proven themselves stupid at times, but they're also greedy. Both of them went headlong into the search for the free gun. Neither of the girls bothered. I don't hold it against them, I'm just amused that they didn't go for the gold.

As for a good carry gun for the recoil sensitive, I'd also suggest they consider the 351s. With the laser grips if need be. I bought the first one I saw. I'm not burdened with indecision, I can make a decision on the spot when needed. So when the younger son started his course for the CCW, he wanted to borrow a revolver. I suggested the 351 (and good hearing protection). He took it along and loved it. But he wanted a 637 for some reason, so we found him a prelock gun and bought it. And he said after his range training the instructor came up to him and made the comment "that's a really nice carry gun". Of course it is, Dad isn't always stupid.

Then some of their friends, a similar age couple wanted to go shooting and see what it was all about. No prior shooting experience. They really like the 351 over his 637, his G-lock 26, etc. It does have one big drawback, well 2 really. The noise, and then the cost of ammo. But at least its available. In power its probably as good or better than a .32 or .380. Revolvers are real easy to operate and understand, something tiny semi-autos don't do well, and particularly for inexperienced shooters.

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Dick Burg

Patio furniture? Wow...talk about not a lot of resale value and hard to carry. Sad.

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NRA Certified Instructor

Back in the late 1980's we had a serial killer running around here, and he dumped a body near where my wife worked, so I got her a carry permit and a gun. I chose the S&W Model 632 in 32 magnum. The 32 magnum HP is a very good defensive round, and there are 6 shots, lower recoil, and the lighter weight which made it easy for her to carry. I took her to the range, and taught her how to use it. She is a very good shot. I recently got her the pink grips S&W now offers to make it truly her gun.
Try to find one of those for your wife. She would probably like it as much as my wife likes hers.

I keep thinking it a shame the low life scum wasn't struck by lightning... Can't have everything. Good luck with getting her comfortable with the idea of self defense. You're on the right track and have many options. Kyle

The trash running around out there practically has a free-hand. They can't keep them in jail, because the jails are full. While my house was being built....they stole the doors and windows.....TWICE during the construction process. It's pretty common to have patio and porch furniture swiped around here.....and anything that isn't nailed-down. They just ride the roads and look for an easy steal.

This scum knows nothing much is going to happen to them and if it does....jail-time is not all that bad. They feed you and keep you in a comfortable place. You get to hang-out with your buddies to plan your next job and you're out and back on the street in a few days anyway.