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Wife wants a pistol and CHL

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EAGLE View Drop Down
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    Posted: June/22/2013 at 11:48

She has used my Ruger wheel gun .357 with 38 loads, a large frame 9mm and .40 ACP and does pretty well with them.

They're not made for small hands and make her hands cramp, etc

I was looking at a S&W Bodygaurd for her in .38 , but would like others input.

FYI- She is 5' with small hands , she wants to get a CHL so what's a great pistol (life will depend on it) and cal IYO?

Eagle


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coyote95 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote coyote95 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/22/2013 at 13:15
I think your idea of the j frame smith's is a good idea,but i don't like the laser setup they use on the bodyguard. It is part of the frame not like the crimson grip they use on other models and I also would think in a defensive situation you really are not going to use it. My friend just bought the 642 for his wife because I could not find the lady smith she wanted. fACT of the matter their is a shortage of snub noses here in michigan right now. I found the 642 out of state for a good deal and the money he saved will buy the wood grips she liked on the lady model.
"Life is like riding a bicycle . To keep balance you must keep moving" Albert Einstein
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PhilR. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/22/2013 at 15:19
Originally posted by EAGLE EAGLE wrote:


She has used my Ruger wheel gun .357 with 38 loads, a large frame 9mm and .40 ACP


FYI- She is 5' with small hands , she wants to get a CHL so what's a great pistol (life will depend on it) and cal IYO?


.40 ACP? Haven't heard of that one. .40 S&W is much more common. At any rate -- if she is willing to learn the manual of arms of a semi-auto and put in enough practice time to become comfortable clearing them when they jam, then a compact 9mm or .380 would do well. 9mm would be preferable, but a .380 Sig P232 is easily handled by any woman with the hand strength to shoot firearms. It is as accurate and reliable as a Glock, and does not require the use of a safety lever (it de-cocks). It is the king of .380's, and every female that has shot ours has tried to talk me out of it. I would not recommend one of the sub-compact poly .380's, as they have a lot of snap to the recoil. Also have her look and hopefully shoot the Kahr CW9, Glock 26, Beretta Nano, Sig P290, and S&W Shield. Keep in mind that the smaller you go in overall size, the more intolerant of poor handling skills and poor cleaning techniques a semi-auto becomes.

If she does not want to put in the time to become proficient w/a semi-auto, then a .38 revolver becomes the best choice. What type is determined by how much weight she wants to deal with. The steel J-frames obviously weigh more, but the also absorb recoil a bit better. OTOH, the small alloy revos aren't that bad to shoot at all, if equipped with a decent rubber grip such as a Hogue. Besides the S&W 442/642, look at the Ruger LCR, which comes in .38sp and recently in .22mag. If you like searching for things, the Colt Detective Special and it's alloy siblings are also great choices, especially since they are about the same size as the J-frames, but hold six rounds instead of five. You can also get alloy medium-framed .357's from S&W that hold seven rounds, but these are rather bulky.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PhilR. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/22/2013 at 15:27
Originally posted by coyote95 coyote95 wrote:

I think your idea of the j frame smith's is a good idea,but i don't like the laser setup they use on the bodyguard.


Fully agree w/the above. Don't let her depend on a laser to enable her to hit her target. It' hard enough to concentrate on everything around you that is going on when you are suddenly faced with a life or death situation, and having to locate and then concentrate on a small red dot will be extremely difficult. She needs to be able to quickly draw, point, and shoot in rapid succession, and she is not going to have time to find the red dot, if she even remembers to turn on the laser in the first place (and assuming the batteries are still good at the precise moment of need).
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EAGLE View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote EAGLE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/22/2013 at 16:04
Typo should be .45 ACP.

We found a place that rents pistols locally so I will take her there and see what she likes.

Thank you for your response.

Eagle
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/22/2013 at 19:19
I have a Sig P238 in 380 and it is very manageable to shoot. And they have taken care of the issues that plagued them in the first two generations. I have a Kahr CW9 and it is very snappy, I would have a hard time recommending it. But that is my personal preference YMMV. I have shot a S&W Shield 9mm and it is very easy to shot and it very accurate as well. Even one handed for me. Same thing for the Springfield XDs in 45ACP. And they are coming out with a XDs in 9 as well. Also I was not a fan of the S&W Bodygaurd, but I know others who love theirs.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Longhunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/22/2013 at 23:36
In my opinion, the most important factors in selecting a "carry gun" for your wife are getting something she likes and will actually carry.
 
I would rather my wife have a .357 with her at all times, but she will and does carry a small, light 8-shot Kel-Tec .32 filled with Winchester Silvertip HPs.  (Her bedside gun is a 4" S&W .357, and our travel gun is a .40 Glock.)
 
The less your wife has to do to make the gun go off (safeties, etc.) the better!  This (and reliability) are where revolvers really shine.  Bad situations can happen really fast, with the victim  experiencing momentary shock and confusion!   
 
Revolvers and compact automatics often don't ride well in the fitted clothes many women wear. Waist carry is the usual solution. Purse carry has its own security considerations, since purses are often snatched.  Fanny packs with security snaps and steel wire in the strap are available from some of the better travel catalogs.
 
   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2013 at 10:48
A 38 revolver can be a good choice but I would prefer that it also uses .357 mag that way even if the pistol is loaded with the first two shots being .38 the next 3 can be .357 mag there is a significant difference in the stopping ability of the cartridge.  Taurus makes a .40 S&W revolver in a snub nose.
 http://www.guns.com/2011/05/17/taurus-new-40-saw-and-44-spl-compact-revolvers/
Years ago an old gunsmith told me he would rather see a woman buy a .22 pistol that she is not afraid to  shoot and will get good with it. Based on that logic the Ruger SR 22 would be a good one to look at they seem to be very reliable are double action have a safety that can be used as a de-cocking device.
 
Ruger also makes several LCR snub nose revolvers   22,  22 Mag, 38 &  .357
The 22Mag might also be a fine choice for her. Low recoil ammo $12 to $15 per 50.
 
Ruger LC 9 is also one to look at.  A 9mm will actually have a lot more penetration than a snub nose .38 still I am not a big fan of 9mm and the smallest pistol I tend to carry is a Glock model 23 in 40 S&W with 155 gr Silvertip ammo which works well or a Smith and Wesson model 640 .357 with crimson trace lazer.  She will probably base choice on what feels right to her but you need to factor into the decision will she practice with it, ammo availability and cost, and more importantly how effective is it at stopping someone from hurting her. The legal ramifications of when it can be used need to be fully understood and she needs to be certain that she is willing to use it and wont merely add a gun  she wont use to an already bad situation.
The old saying if the caliber does not include a 4 or a 5 in it dont bring it to a gunfight still holds true.  
 

Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - June/23/2013 at 11:00

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EAGLE View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote EAGLE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/23/2013 at 22:19
Wes,

Which G-23 do you have (Gen 3 or 4 ) and how do you like it?

Eale
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote EAGLE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/29/2013 at 13:12
Picked up a Sig P938 with the SigLight Night Sights.

I'll post up some range pic, once she gets additional trigger time.

Eagle
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