Suggestions for female handguns

[may1958]

I would like to ask for help with weapons that would be preferable for a new female shooter. I am left-handed, don't have a lot of strength for chambering and find my hand is uncomfortably stretched from the grip to the trigger when holding the pistol correctly. I have had more success with a 38 revolver but I have to believe there are also Semi-automatics that will fit my hand- this includes Nazi era handguns that I have decided to start collecting (are they usable or should they just sit on a shelf?). In not interested in a gun that will do nothing more than graze a guy, I want something with real hollow-point stopping power.

[gunderwood]

What is your intended purpose? Target shooting, self defense, hunting?

The most important thing for a SD gun is that you practice and get good. A .38Sp is plenty of gun. IMHO, anything .38Sp/9mm or larger is very good with the right ammo. 380Auto is also a good choice although I personally prefer stepping up to the .38/9mm.

The best gun is very personal. I would go to a gun shop and let them know you are trying to identify guns which fit your hand well. If they won't let you try a bunch out or give you an attitude, don't shop there. There are lots of gun stores which would be happy to let you hold any or all of the guns (although they may need to help other customers in between too).

It would be great if you had someone experienced go with you or the gun shop attendant was able to help you. When you are new it is hard to understand which fits you better, but it is better than just buying a gun on a whim. Alternatively, you could take a basic training course.

If you can't do those things, take notes on the following (I'm trying to simplify things to assist you in finding what fits your hand well):

1. How does it feel in general? With the owners permission, hold the front of gun in your weak hand (since you are left handed it would be your right) and just grab the grip with your right hand (finger out of the trigger guard of course). Does your hand naturally align with a good grip (this can be trained away, but the better the gun fits you the easier it is to train)? The purpose is to see how you quickly acquire a grip. Most guns feel fine to a beginner if they take time to situate their grip.

2. With the owners permission, try out the trigger. How is the weight? How is the pull? Does the trigger align with the natural pull of your finger well or does it seem to be odd. For example, my Ruger LCP and 1911 have a little too short for my fingers. I feel find it easier to jerk the trigger on those because the trigger breaks after my trigger finger reaches 90 degrees on the first joint. I'll probably see about getting a longer trigger made for the 1911 one of these days (not longer pull, but physically a longer piece of metal).

3. With the owners permission, hold the gun and present it with your eyes closed. Hold the gun straight out. How are the sights aligned? Is the front sight too low or too high or just right? Do that a couple of times with two different guns (different grip angles), say a 1911 and a Glock. A Glock is more likely to be high or just right and a 1911 is more likely to be low or just right. You want to find out what your natural grip and point of aim are. You want a gun that has the sights nearly aligned when presented. Over time you can learn to shoot anything.

You can rent a bunch of guns at a range. It is useful to get an idea of how much recoil is too much and how the weight of a gun affects its perceived recoil for you.

Of course the best thing to do is all the above. Find what fits you and let us know what those are. Then we probably can suggest some similar guns.

[may1958]

Thanks for all your help- I guess I really need a range with some very patient people! I will try all of your suggestions when I can ever get there. I have been able to handle recoil with my current guns with a 2-handed grip but I have a terrible time chambering the rounds and they are definitely too large to fit in my hand the correct way. Frustrating to say the least!

[NickW]

Check out this web site, it is run by a women for women.

http://www.corneredcat.com/

also, anyone can chamber a auntomatic if they do it the correct way, check this out, you can fast forward to about the 6th minute to see how to rack an auto, its a push-pull over hand method than works the best.

http://www.how-tovideos.pupiltube.com/a ... eoid=37519

[wally626]

One caveat on WWII German pistols is that they are really designed to use FMJ round nose ammo, my daughter has a Walther P38 and it really dislikes hollow points.

More of the automatics are shipping with adjustable width hand grips, like the 4th generation Glocks, so you may have an easier time finding something that fits. Also a single stack design is going to be smaller in the grip than the typical double stack polymer pistol with the caveat that you do lose available rounds.

[fiasconva]

You may want to look into a few of the newer models, like the S&W M&P's. They come with 3 different size grips that you can change very easily yourself. They are designed to fit almost any hand size. Find a gun shop that has them and I'm sure they'll let you try each size. You may even find one that rents them so you can try them out while firing them. Good luck!

[CowboyT]

Do you have your heart set on a semi-auto? Personally, I find that revolvers are also excellent tools. They're dead-simple to operate, jam maybe once in a blue moon, are physically incapable of stovepiping, and have done the job for something right around 150 years now.

If you're having success with your .38 Spl revolver and like it, then stick with it.

[DWinter]

I know it's cliche but my wife can shoot the heck out of her Charter Arms Pink Lady. It's 38 SP so it's a capable SD weapon, but more importantly, as stated above, it fits her hands and she trusts it and her abilities with it. By God if she get's to it before you get to her, You'll be wearing 5 rounds. I'm so proud!!!! Oh I forgot, in case your still moving towards her after that, expect 6 rounds of 22WMR to the forehead.

Whatever she decides, just get her out shooting it. One trip to the range and a trip to the nightstand is no way to treat a weapon, and no way to become skillful. We shoot together at minimum of every other weekend. Take her to lunch, take her shootin and she's liable to take you places that put large smiles on your face. Trust me, we've been married 23 years and I ain't lookin for trade-ins any time soon.

[SgtBill]

My wife had a hard time working the slide on my semi auto's that I have for Con. Carry. I purchased a Walther PK-380 last year that is the simplest weapon in the world to work the slide on and chamber a round. It is double action for the first round and then single action for the next 8 rounds. It has a Amby. safety and an Amby. Mag release with great sights. Fill it up with something like the Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point Ammo and you are good to go. I have had mine now for over a year and I just got the wife one for her birthday last Oct.

If you are in my area stop on by and you can try one of ours.
Bill

[Jakeiscrazy]

My wife had a hard time working the slide on my semi auto's that I have for Con. Carry. I purchased a Walther PK-380 last year that is the simplest weapon in the world to work the slide on and chamber a round. It is double action for the first round and then single action for the next 8 rounds. It has a Amby. safety and an Amby. Mag release with great sights. Fill it up with something like the Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point Ammo and you are good to go. I have had mine now for over a year and I just got the wife one for her birthday last Oct.

If you are in my area stop on by and you can try one of ours.
Bill

Make sure she is using the correct technique, as seen in the video. Almost anyone can rack any gun using the proper technique.

[SgtBill]

Jake this is true but if the person cannot rack the weapon in any position then what do they do when the poop hit's the fan and the pucker factor is up. Thank's but no thank's. My wife will stick with her easy rack Walther PK-380.
Bill

[twilsoncohen]

I am a female, 5'1"and only 102 lbs., however I have spent several years handling firearms. I enjoy the Glock 26 because it not only is concealable, I am not tasked with trying to stretch my hand from grip to the trigger. Another great gun is the Sig Sauer P239, 40 caliber. The grip is much thinner and the gun fits perfectly into my hand. You can also get this gun in a 9mm.

[dieselgrin]

I didn't know guns had genders. I wonder if my G26 or all those J-frames are M/F? Now I'm beginning to question my manhood. What have I been holding all these years?

[gunderwood]

I didn't know guns had genders. I wonder if my G26 or all those J-frames are M/F? Now I'm beginning to question my manhood. What have I been holding all these years?

Well you G26 has a "trigger," you don't have to read the instruction manual to operate and reloads quickly...any other questions?

[Palladin]

I didn't know guns had genders. I wonder if my G26 or all those J-frames are M/F? Now I'm beginning to question my manhood. What have I been holding all these years?

Well you G26 has a "trigger," you don't have to read the instruction manual to operate and reloads quickly...any other questions?

Ba dump - chsssssch!!!

[Unkn0wN]

Thanks for all your help- I guess I really need a range with some very patient people! I will try all of your suggestions when I can ever get there. I have been able to handle recoil with my current guns with a 2-handed grip but I have a terrible time chambering the rounds and they are definitely too large to fit in my hand the correct way. Frustrating to say the least!

Let us know where you are located and I'm sure some of us will tell you where the better places to go that will get you the friendly customer service that you need.

If you are from the Hampton Roads area, I can meet you at the Lafayette Gun Club to shoot my PK380. As Bill mentioned already, it is a very nice gun that is very easy to rack and would probably fit your hand very good. That's about the only thing I have that would fit your criteria.

[CowboyT]

Yeah, where roughly are you at? This may help.

BTW, I notice in your profile that you list a Ruger 9mm. What type is it? Reason I ask is, the P95's and that family have fairly wide grips, very good for my big paws, but not so good for the smaller ones. The SR9 family, by contrast, is considerably slimmer and has a reversible insert that can help adjust for hand size.

[graybeard321]

I guess i am old fashion, i prefer wheel guns. My wifes carry weapon of choice is a Smith & wession 642 (in 38 spl) with Crimson trace laser grips. She likes it because there is no hammer to snag in her carry purse.

[Jakeiscrazy]

Jake this is true but if the person cannot rack the weapon in any position then what do they do when the poop hit's the fan and the pucker factor is up. Thank's but no thank's. My wife will stick with her easy rack Walther PK-380.
Bill

Thats a good point, I agree!

[jsmithusaf89]

One of my c.c. is a Taurus pt-709 slim. It's a 9mm and it is compact. Smaller hands will easily be able to control and shoot this weapon and my larger hands have no ill effects either. My wife who loves my 38 spcl s&w loves to shoot this gun as well. It has mixed reviews, but mine has never ftf. I do clean my ladies regularly, and with the good stuff. But I really feel that the Taurus pt-709 needs better reviews. It's not always the guns fault???

By the way, a little black near the talon equals stopping power with extreme predjudice.