Help me choose a gun for my girl....

[Hoosier Daddy]

What is "coonfingering"?
(Besides a word that make me snicker!)

 

[doddsracing]

My girl friend went through 6 small semi autos 380-9mm then I picked up a rossi MR77 in 357.
She likes it real well and shoots it on a regular bassis.

 

[Sonney]

Walter 380 auto shoots great little or no kick, and very accurate. It has a great feel in the hand.

 

[TheJoker]

Best bet is to let her coonfinger them till she finds one she likes.

So true. I had a nice S&W Model 60. I thought it to be the perfect gun for my Baby. The first time I took her shooting, we took a half dozen hand guns. She didn't like the revolver at all, said it was too complicated. She liked my S&W Model 39-2 best. So, I traded the Model 60 for a Model 3913. She loves it and is shooting quite well.

Yeah, I know it is not logical to say a revolver is more complicated.

Spock: "Logic, logic, and logic..... Logic is the beginning of wisdom, Valeris, not the end."

 

[Chris m]

I bought my fiancé a kel tec .380 and she loves it.

 

[jballs]

Renting guns is a great idea. With that said, why not a small revolver? I have a S&W airweight 642 that my mom and girlfriend both love. It has a heavy trigger(as do most of the DAO guns recommended) but it's smooth and predictable with a nice break.

What's your woman's shooting experience? If it's minimal and she doesn't practice much, it's probably best to stay away from the semi auto's. I say that because a revolver is so simple. You don't need to know how to clear jams/misfires, and if you have a round that doesn't go bang, simply squeeze the trigger to cycle the next round. Revolvers take less thought/training for the novice.

 

[Bailey06]

I like the new Ruger LCR in .22 magnum

 

[jb142]

Can't go wrong with a light weight revolver.

 

[PhilDeez]

My wife bought a Taurus TCP 738. She loves it.

 

[B6240]

I agree she needs to handle as many as possible. The most important thing is it fits her and she feels comfortable with carrying and shooting it. The brand is not that important since that has a lot more to do with personal preference and not safety.

 

[toomuchfun57]

Mine carries a Nano but shoots all my .40s and handles them just fine.The cw40 is a little snappy but she like my Glock 23 just fine. What ever she is most comfortable with and can shoot confidently.

 

[LANShark42]

I'll second that. Let her see what she thinks of different calibers and different manufacturers. Also, find a good gun shop where you both feel comfortable and the person behind the counter takes the time to find out what feels right in her hand.

I took my wife into a gun shop but let her discuss with the sales person what she wanted. He asked a few questions, led her to the guns most suited to her wants/needs, and then let her handle several ones. She narrowed it down to a Glock and a Springfield. She then asked my opinion and I told her it was her gun, pick which one felt better. She got the Springfield, XD 9mm. Her hands are small, but the gun just fit her perfectly.

I was at the range today with a buddy shooting. Really slow day as we had the lanes to ourselves. Lady came in to shoot. Slim, petite lady. She had a XD 9mm. She was having a little trouble loading it, as she had left her autoloader at home. But she handled that XD VERY well. I was watching her target and she had some really tight groupings. (OK, that UNINTENTIONALLY sounded nasty.) I am being serious though. She handled the gun well.

 

[sixty8firebird1]

Mine likes my s&w j frame. It's small but powerful enough and as someone already said, it's a great gun for a novice.

 

[Aaron1776]

Do yourself a favor and don't buy her a .380. Most .380 platforms offer all of the recoil of a 9mm without the penetration and are a lot harder to shoot than even small 9mm platforms. I work in an ER and have seen too many COM hits with .380s get shrugged off to ever trust the round.

Try Ruger LC9, XD 9mm subcompact or XDM compact, the 9mm "baby glock" (can't remember the model number), I believe there is going to be an XDS 9mm coming out soon, there is also Kahr PM9, or the M&P Shield.

 

[dbrier]

Can't go wrong with a light weight revolver.

A revolver with a bit of weight shoots much better. My wife has an SP101 and every woman she lets hold it likes it better than most semi autos.
One nice thing about a nice .357 snub nose is that you get to pick your power level between .38, .38+p, and .357.
I'll also say the M&P 9c shoots very well for a small gun, the shield should do well too.

 

[Mr.Softball]

I would try the 357 with 38 loads also simple no slide to cock and no safety to manipulate.

 

[papadog97]

Just got a Smith & Wesson MP 9 mm. Is an awesome gun! Not much recoil. She might like it. Go to an indoor range and try some out first.

 

[Skywired]

With that said, why not a small revolver? I have a S&W airweight 642 that my mom and girlfriend both love. It has a heavy trigger(as do most of the DAO guns recommended) but it's smooth and predictable with a nice break.

What's your woman's shooting experience? If it's minimal and she doesn't practice much, it's probably best to stay away from the semi auto's. I say that because a revolver is so simple. You don't need to know how to clear jams/misfires, and if you have a round that doesn't go bang, simply squeeze the trigger to cycle the next round. Revolvers take less thought/training for the novice.

A revolver with a bit of weight shoots much better. My wife has an SP101 and every woman she lets hold it likes it better than most semi autos.
One nice thing about a nice .357 snub nose is that you get to pick your power level between .38, .38+p, and .357.

^^^ THIS ^^^ All the above. KISS Principle. (Keep It Simple Stupid or Silly or xxxx)

 

[LD36]

I forgot to throw in the suggestion of a Ruger SR9C. A female friend of mine has one and LOVES it. I got one too and is one of the best 9mms I've ever shot.

 

[toomuchfun57]

Mine has Nano for EDC but really prefers the larger frames, love y Sig 2022 and XD .45 something she is comfortable and confident with