Maybe a new one for you all

[Jamie]

Ok, so I just joined the forum today so I can ask this question.

I've handled a decent amount of handguns, fired a few thousand rounds here and there, and have a good idea of what I like and don't like. I live in a safe neighborhood, don't have a lot of "extra" income, and haven't felt the need to get a gun until recently. Now that I do, I want it to be useful for concealed carry and home defense and -- here's the catch -- easily handled by both myself and my tiny (5'2") wife.

My first thought was a .38/.357 with a smaller frame, but I don't cotton to small grips. (My favorite to shoot so far has been a .45 Springfield XD.) I've also thought about a Glock 9mm just because Glocks are simple and 9mm is common and cheap while still having decent power.

I'd appreciate any thoughts you all might have. Are there such things as slip-on or quick change grips for a revolver that I could swap out easily when I'm home (I'm a federal worker so can't carry to work anyway) but switch back during the day when my wife is flying solo? What about the compact Glocks with that extra finger grip on the magazine for me (not necessary for her)? Any other ideas?

Thanks, gentlemen. If there's one thing I like about gun guys it's that they're always willing to help the newbie. (Oh, and always with advice completely free of bias.)

[gunderwood]

Finding a compromise will take some work. I would recommend you look at 9mm if you go semi-auto. Good 9mm HPs are right up there with the best, but the recoil is substantially less than 40/357/45.

I have both the G19 and G26. My wife prefers the G19 to the G26. The smaller guns have more kick and feel snappy. However, any of them are virtually impossible for her to CC; they are all to big. Purse carry perhaps, but otherwise she OCs.

Go rent some and let your wife try them out.

[Chasbo00]

Recommend you take your wife to the range and let her try some of the handguns you are considering. The handgun that I thought my wife would like and shoot well was a total reject. She liked a S&W M&P 9mm Compact and shot it better than the others she tried -- now it's hers.

[Jamie]

Sounds like good advice, but the only range around here with rentals that I know of is Blue Ridge, and they're expensive, so I want to have a good idea of what to try before I start shelling out bucks.

[Mindflayer]

Jamie - Silver Eagle Group has rentals as well. I'd be more than happy to meet you (provided free time!) there and allow you and your wife to shoot my XDM 9mm, XD subcompact 9mm, XDM .45, and snub nose .38. I will say that the small .38 revolvers will likely be unpleasant for your wife to shoot.

[jtrider]

It will be tough finding a handgun that is comfortable for both of you. If I had to bet on one that might fit the bill as far as fit and function, my money would go on a CZ 75 compact. Reliable as a hammer. Not much for bad reputation as far as feeding and function. Ergonomics are amazingly adaptable to a large range of hand sizes. Not complicated to operate. Many options for changeable grips, which may be all it takes for the weapon to be adequate for the multiple carrier / one weapon family. 9mm or .40 options. And usually found new for around $575.00 [+-10%]. YMMV.

[CowboyT]

Sharpshooters is also in NoVA, in Springfield, and they rent guns. Their prices and policies are decent, too.

Personally, I would suggest two guns, one for home defense and one for carry, both chambered for the same cartridge. This way you don't need to make as many compromises.

Semi-autos (Glocks, 1911's, etc.) have already been mentioned, and they're fine guns. I would suggest considering a revolver as well, especially for carry, in .38/357. The reason is that a revolver won't stovepipe on you when you shoot it through your coat/jacket pocket, as my Dad nearly had to do once.

Like 9mm ammo, .38 Special practice ammo can be found relatively inexpensively. And if you know a handloader, .38 Special ammo is one of the easiest rounds in the world to make.

For home defense, a Taurus Model 65/66, S&W K-frame, or Ruger Security-Six in .357 Magnum would be an excellent choice. They're service-sized, thus would fit your hands pretty well. I have fairly large paws too and also prefer a bigger stock. However, they're not so bulky that a 5'2" woman with small hands would have any difficulty with this. My g/f shoots light .38 Special out of a Taurus 65 and loves it. All of these can be found in fine condition on the used market.

For carry, it's tough to beat the Ruger LCR. Like a S&W J-frame, it's featherweight, and the grips aren't huge, but even I find them comfortable. The felt recoil with standard .38 Special ammo, while certainly present, is less than I would've expected, so much so that you can actually practice with this gun every day and enjoy it. Ask me how I know that.

If you want just one gun to do everything, then you might try out a Ruger SP-101 in .357 Magnum. Before the LCR came along, that was Ruger's idea of a "light carry piece." However, it is dimensionally fairly small, and its relative heft does let you shoot .357 Mag's without destroying the bones in your hand.

Whichever you decide on, you and your wife should practice as much as you can with it. Get to know your choice intimately. Be able to do whatever you need to do with it in pitch-black darkness...because Murphy's Law says that's when you'll need it.

[ProShooter]

2 simple rules apply when we're talking husbands and wives and handguns:

1) Do not expect that you and your wife will be able to shoot the same gun with the same level of effectiveness, or at all. Its a "fight on the way home" waiting to happen.

I have seen this time and time again. Hubby gets a gun that suits him well and he shoots fine. Wife can't hit the range wall. (and yes, I have seen the husband/wife roles reversed in this.)

2) Do not, I repeat do not, under any circumstances attempt to teach your wife how to shoot. Remember the fight in rule 1? It gets worse.

[Jakeiscrazy]

I shot the XD subcompact 9mm and even though will be large on her, it is a nice and low recoiling. You can put the large mag with the grip extension(16+1) in it and have a better HD gun. Unless she is willing to open carry then she may have to wear a vest or lose T-shirt. BTW "Small of The Back" might be her best bet for carry.


I haven't shot on in compact, but look into the SR9C(I doubt the range has one yet). It is pretty slim and I think it would have manageable recoil.


Don't star looking into those LCPs. Let me tell you those suckers are snappy and hard to aim and shoot well IMO.

Finally:

[gunderwood]

Don't star looking into those LCPs. Let me tell you those suckers are snappy and hard to aim and shoot well IMO.

I'll second that. My wife has carried the LCP, but hates to shoot it at the range.

[rromeo]

2 simple rules apply when we're talking husbands and wives and handguns:

1) Do not expect that you and your wife will be able to shoot the same gun with the same level of effectiveness, or at all. Its a "fight on the way home" waiting to happen.

I have seen this time and time again. Hubby gets a gun that suits him well and he shoots fine. Wife can't hit the range wall. (and yes, I have seen the husband/wife roles reversed in this.)

2) Do not, I repeat do not, under any circumstances attempt to teach your wife how to shoot. Remember the fight in rule 1? It gets worse.

+1,332,434,432,424,234,266,700,987

Funny thing is, I have always had a 9mm pistol. When my wife started asking about pistols, I thought, "okay, I'll look at G19, XD9, CZ, etc" She went to the range one day with a few of our friends. She comes home, "Which 1911 do you think I should get?"
She has her guns, I have my guns.

[chfaunce]

2) Do not, I repeat do not, under any circumstances attempt to teach your wife how to shoot. Remember the fight in rule 1? It gets worse.

Hmmm. Weird. My wife must be an oddity. Taught her to shoot, no fight on the way home. Either that, or I'm one charming mf'er.

Back to the original topic, very timely debate. Looks like with me having to travel more and the rising crime rates in Springfield, we're heading to our LGS this weekend to look at things (though, the great news is that she is pretty good with the shotgun). The G26 is a contender.

[Jamie]

Thanks for all the advice. I think this particular wife unit will be ok with me teaching her to shoot. She wants to go shooting with some of her friends (they all borrow their husband's guns and get a babysitter).

I'll check out Silver Eagle and Sharpshooters (and hopefully get together w/Mindslayer as well).

Are my ideas to swap out grips practical? Or is it just too much of a pain to do? I know nothing about the mechanics of such a thing.

[SgtBill]

I must agree with Pro Shooter on this one. Altho I have heard of a husband or two teaching their wives to shoot for the most part they could not shoot well themselves so they did not know what type's of mistakes they were passing on. Have someone that know's what they are doing teach the wife.
Bill

[Jim]

I cannot count the number of times I've seen men and women at the range shooting an automatic and go blank when the sidearm stove pipes or jams in the feed cycle. "It won't shoot. What do I do now?"
If they're not trained to handle that situation at the range, what are they going to do when they're 3 seconds from being killed and the sidearm jams?
I'm not attacking automatics. I own one myself. I'm merely suggesting that, in a life or death situation, an automatic requires a lot of training to get it back in battery when seconds count.
When I am coaching first time buyers, I point out the highs AND lows of both types and let THEM make the decision.

[gunderwood]

I cannot count the number of times I've seen men and women at the range shooting an automatic and go blank when the sidearm stove pipes or jams in the feed cycle. "It won't shoot. What do I do now?"
If they're not trained to handle that situation at the range, what are they going to do when they're 3 seconds from being killed and the sidearm jams?
I'm not attacking automatics. I own one myself. I'm merely suggesting that, in a life or death situation, an automatic requires a lot of training to get it back in battery when seconds count.
When I am coaching first time buyers, I point out the highs AND lows of both types and let THEM make the decision.

Good points. I prefer autos, but they do require more training to use. A DAO revolver is simple, pull the trigger again.

IMHO, mind set is the hardest point to train.

[user]

I cannot count the number of times I've seen men and women at the range shooting an automatic and go blank when the sidearm stove pipes or jams in the feed cycle. "It won't shoot. What do I do now?"
If they're not trained to handle that situation at the range, what are they going to do when they're 3 seconds from being killed and the sidearm jams?
I'm not attacking automatics. I own one myself. I'm merely suggesting that, in a life or death situation, an automatic requires a lot of training to get it back in battery when seconds count.
When I am coaching first time buyers, I point out the highs AND lows of both types and let THEM make the decision.

Good points. I prefer autos, but they do require more training to use. A DAO revolver is simple, pull the trigger again.

IMHO, mind set is the hardest point to train.

Also, most women lack the grip strength to pull the slide back against the recoil spring in a semiautomatic. There is a technique for doing it which I teach in my pistol course, but it's not intuitively obvious. I always suggest revolvers for all these reasons.

My suggestion in this particular case would be a Smith and Wesson model 64 or 67 stainless 4" barrel in .38 spl. (fixed combat rear sight or adjustable target sight, respectively - I prefer the former, my wife prefers the latter). There are lots of aftermarket grip stocks available in all sorts of sizes. Though I'd bet that the best option would be the Crimson Trace Lasergrip in the soft rubber overmold (not the hard polymer version). A lot of gun stores have "blue guns" with those on display for squeeze-and-grope. 64's and 67's are available used for less than five hundred bucks. I particularly like the -3's.

[SgtBill]

As far as grip strength is concerned my wife had a problem with her Walther PPK/S and also my Glock in .40 Cal. I got a new Walther PK-380 about 6 mos. ago that she has no problem with at all. The weapon now has about 500 rds. through it and it has not sneezed in any way shape or form with any type of ammo from Ball and hollow point's to several diffrent types of my hand load's. I would tell anyone that was looking for a self defense weapon in a semi auto to try a Walther PK-380. As of this date I no longer have one, my wife has taken it over. Anybody looking for a PPK/S
Bill

[gunderwood]

I cannot count the number of times I've seen men and women at the range shooting an automatic and go blank when the sidearm stove pipes or jams in the feed cycle. "It won't shoot. What do I do now?"
If they're not trained to handle that situation at the range, what are they going to do when they're 3 seconds from being killed and the sidearm jams?
I'm not attacking automatics. I own one myself. I'm merely suggesting that, in a life or death situation, an automatic requires a lot of training to get it back in battery when seconds count.
When I am coaching first time buyers, I point out the highs AND lows of both types and let THEM make the decision.

Good points. I prefer autos, but they do require more training to use. A DAO revolver is simple, pull the trigger again.

IMHO, mind set is the hardest point to train.

Also, most women lack the grip strength to pull the slide back against the recoil spring in a semiautomatic. There is a technique for doing it which I teach in my pistol course, but it's not intuitively obvious. I always suggest revolvers for all these reasons.

My suggestion in this particular case would be a Smith and Wesson model 64 or 67 stainless 4" barrel in .38 spl. (fixed combat rear sight or adjustable target sight, respectively - I prefer the former, my wife prefers the latter). There are lots of aftermarket grip stocks available in all sorts of sizes. Though I'd bet that the best option would be the Crimson Trace Lasergrip in the soft rubber overmold (not the hard polymer version). A lot of gun stores have "blue guns" with those on display for squeeze-and-grope. 64's and 67's are available used for less than five hundred bucks. I particularly like the -3's.

I disagree with the strength comment. The force required to do so is not much. Recoil springs are only 10-15lbs usually. I don't know any woman that can't do that. Heck, some of the trigger springs are 8-12lbs on a DAO and you want them to operate that with one finger.

However, it is true that at first many women have problems doing it. It isn't because of strength, but rather mindset. Women tend to handle things more gently then men. They don't want to yank the slide as is required to clear a jam quickly. It has nothing to do with physical attributes and everything to do with mindset. Another example of this is trigger control. Women tend to do much better than men (assuming a new shooter) because women squeeze the trigger while most men, until they are trained, are much more rough and forceful which affects their accuracy negatively.

[srwg9mm]

I disagree with the strength comment. The force required to do so is not much. Recoil springs are only 10-15lbs usually. I don't know any woman that can't do that. Heck, some of the trigger springs are 8-12lbs on a DAO and you want them to operate that with one finger.

However, it is true that at first many women have problems doing it. It isn't because of strength, but rather mindset. Women tend to handle things more gently then men. They don't want to yank the slide as is required to clear a jam quickly. It has nothing to do with physical attributes and everything to do with mindset. Another example of this is trigger control. Women tend to do much better than men (assuming a new shooter) because women squeeze the trigger while most men, until they are trained, are much more rough and forceful which affects their accuracy negatively.

+1
I totally agree that it isn't a strength problem it's a mindset issue. Women who are new to guns tend to be somewhat intimidated and therefore really hesitant. Men tend to not have this issue 'cause they like to be macho and show off. There's a reason we have the term "manhandle".

As far as not teaching your wife to shoot goes, I think that's a bunch of hooie. As long as you are experienced enough with guns I think that's the best way to go. Garrett taught me to shoot without any problems and I took to it allot better than if I'd been learning from someone I don't know. Learning something you are uncomfortable with from someone you are comfortable with is far better than learning it from a total stranger IMO.