Gun for the wife

[Twhite5555]

I am looking for a 380. I have my eye on the P238 380 Sig Sauer any thoughts or suggestions.

[Tarn_Helm]

Does she prefer pistols over revolvers?

Does she have any experience or training in how to operate a firearm?

Does she know how to clear a jam?

Are her fingers, hands, and arms strong enough to retract the slide and to load the magazines?

Is it for keeping in the home or should it be suitable for carrying around?

If she plans to carry, has she taken any defensive pistol training courses?

You need to put your request for suggestions into meaningful context.


Also, this type of thread topic does not belong in this sub-forum.

[bruss01]

"Gun for the wife"

Sounds like a good trade. I'd take it!

[Twhite5555]

Prefers pistols
Yes knows how to shoot
Yes can clear a jam
Strong enough to rack the slide
Home defense only
Where does it belong

[Seaweed02]

No reason not to have it right here. Somebody is always trying to regulate stuff that is none of their business.

I say to have her try out the Kahr P380. It is my pocket gun, very small and light. Have her try it out first though because the trigger pull is long and she might not like it.

[skosh69]

Since this is a dupe thread, I'll repeat my answer from my previous post.

Take your wife to the LGS and let HER pick out HER gun. What we like and what they like are two different things. Remember, it's HER gun.

Good luck.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Twhite5555

Prefers pistols
Yes knows how to shoot
Yes can clear a jam
Strong enough to rack the slide
Home defense only
Where does it belong

Rather "issue" her a gun, have her shop and rent them with you. Why limit it to 380 anyway? If she can shoot a more appropriate self defense caliber, let her. With proper fundamentals I've had smaller women shoot the standard service calibers just fine.

[Foebia]

Her gun.. Everyone of us will be "honey you have to wipe off the prints" "you didn't put frog lube on it did ya? "Honey cleaning means to actually clean it"

[Foebia]

Hit the range and use the pistols find one with a god feel and recoil.

[finsfan21]

Good advice about having her chose her gun and I agree. i am however in the same boat as the op. I am much more into guns than my wife so it is falling on me to at least narrow the field. Going to shoot the firearm first is great if you can find a range that has the gun you are looking for as a rental. Some of the possibilities are "off roster" so that makes it more difficult. I know you guys can't pick a gun for my wife, but you may be able to steer us in the right direction. My biggest hurdle for my wife is she loves the glock trigger an hates long DA trigger pulls. She wants a .380 is single stack configuration because she is petite and does not want to carry anything as thick as my G27.
Thanks for any input and it hopefully may be of help the op as well.

[Socalman]

Rent several and let her pick the one she wants. You may find that the .380 has more felt recoil then a 9 in some models.

[sd_fox_racer]

My wife loves the p238 I got for her, it has a nice kick to it if you haven't shot one

[Mutant]

My wife carries an old German Sig P230 and it is her favorite. At home she has a M&P9 for more power and capacity. Sometimes she will carry the M&P9.

[BonnieB]

Look on the Ladies Forum, here on Calguns. There's a whole lot of info on how a woman should choose her gun, not limiting herself to small ones, etc. And real women telling about their own experiences.

Better yet, have your bride read it for herself.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=357584

[jvpark]

Originally Posted by bruss01

"Gun for the wife"

Sounds like a good trade. I'd take it!

Second in line... Lol


Honestly as the first post said.... Is she handy? Will she know how to function the semi under pressure.
I opted for a revolver and glock for my wife.

[Bongos]

Why NOT to get her a 380
the 380 one of the most violent recoil calibers, this is because most of the guns chambered for this round is small and light, 380 is very expensive ammo and cost as much as 45 ACP. 380 is also a pain to reload. Due to cost of ammo, she will practice less and due to the recoil will not want to shoot it.
380 is going to be retired (though 007 will not admit it)

If it's for carry and concealment.. look at the Kahr MK9 in 9mm, the way the gun is designed, the higher axis lessens felt recoil.

If it's for self defense hme protection, I suggest the Beretta 92FS, my wife prefers her Browning HiPower but the HiPower requires more discipline as it's a cock and lock style pistol

[dracer]

the 238 is a nice pistol , my girl friend tried almost all small carry pistols and it was the only one she could rack , plus she really likes the rainbow

[BoJackUSMC]

Originally Posted by Bongos

Why NOT to get her a 380
the 380 one of the most violent recoil calibers, this is because most of the guns chambered for this round is small and light, 380 is very expensive ammo and cost as much as 45 ACP. 380 is also a pain to reload. Due to cost of ammo, she will practice less and due to the recoil will not want to shoot it.
380 is going to be retired (though 007 will not admit it)

If it's for carry and concealment.. look at the Kahr MK9 in 9mm, the way the gun is designed, the higher axis lessens felt recoil.

If it's for self defense hme protection, I suggest the Beretta 92FS, my wife prefers her Browning HiPower but the HiPower requires more discipline as it's a cock and lock style pistol

^This
why dont you get her 9mm instead.. more fun to shoot and more recoil friendly

[Swagman00]

The .380 is a great round for compact guns of you don't mind the recoil of a fixed barrel. There are lots of manufactures that make good guns in .380: Bersa Thunder, Walther PPK, Kel-Tec P3AT, Ruger LCP, S&W Bodyguard, etc. That being said, the .380 kicks hard compared to a 9mm and produces significantly less stopping power.

The guns themselves are more compact then a higher power caliber that requires the barrel to unlock from the slide when it fires (9mm, .40, .45, and so forth). Some of the smaller 9's aren't much bigger then the .380's now and the extra firepower is nice to have in such platforms like the Ruger LC9, Sig P290 or Glock 26 Sub-compact.

Either way being armed with something is better then nothing at all. Best of luck in the search.

[e46sc3]

I bought a P238 rainbow for my wife (her first gun) and she is far from an experienced shooter. It took her a few shots for get comfortable with the noise and recoil, but I think she handled it well. Right now, I would say she might have a problem during a stress like situation. But, I'm sure with practice she'd get better. As others have said ... 9mm is cheaper, so perhaps when she's ready for it I'll move her up. The rainbow finish isn't for everyone, but as long as she liked it ... I was okay with it.

[David-K]

My wife loves her Glock model 19. Personally, I think that would be a good choice for any gal.

[unusedusername]

.380 is a rather "advanced" caliber and not usually recommended for beginners, mostly due to the sharp impulse from recoil produced by this cartridge.

Stick with 22lr, 9mm, .40 S&W, or .45ACP for a first gun in autos, or a .38 special for revolvers and you will be happiest.

Remember recoil is a function of the weight of the gun (more weight = less recoil) vs the energy of the cartridge (more energy = more recoil), but weight of the gun is a larger factor in the function.

Basically, you want the heaviest gun your wife is confortable shooting, within reason.

My wife likes her S&W 686+ 4" stainless as a point of reference.

[MontClaire]

My wife's sporting an HK P2000 in .40S&W and a POF415 AR. She handles recoils in both and she's a 5'5 slender 115-120 lbs depending on her mood. Consider substantial caliber as 9mm euro(.380) is way underpowered for today's threats.

[OKAY]

I took my wife to the range and rented a bunch of guns. She was most comfortable with the Beretta Cheetah .380. It is really easy to shoot, dependable, and pretty accurate.

[onegtalon]

Wives are like husbands... let them shoot whatever they want and let them pick.

-> Rent the most types your wife can with different calibers and let her make the choice. We all do this at the beginning... and we still do when we want another toy. No difference.

Step 1) Ergonomics is key!!! Revolver, semi? what type, what brand, what model? If you don't like how it feels it won't make you shoot great. I know. Sold my S&W 3913 cause I hated how it felt in my hand. My Sig226 is more natural for me. Hate the glock. All personal preference.

Step 2) Caliber? .380, 9mm, 45acp, etcccc

You can modify a trigger, you can't change the ergonomics of the gun.

This may be a year of renting and shooting... if your wife buys in a rush and hates it later you'll both be out luck.

rent, rent, rent, and yes... rent.

I rented for 4-6 months before I chose the Sig226R. Don't regret the wait.

[movie zombie]

holding a gun is different than firing a gun.
what feels good in the gun shop may not feel good at the range.
most guys buy what they want next in their gun stable.
before any "narrowing of the field" needs to occur she needs to handle and fire as many guns as possible.
and like BonnieB i invite both of you to the ladies forum.
the more she is involved in the process, the more likely she is to practice at the range.
personally? i hated the .380. i don't see it as a great self-defense round. resale on .380 is not great either.......if she doesn't like it you'll not get your $ out of it.

[buster1960]

Whats she look like? Got picks?

Hope you have a sense of humor. All in good fun.

[XDJYo]

The wife & I just went thru this process over the last 6 months or so. A few tips.

Check out the Ladies Forum and read the thread BonnieB directed you towards. A LOT of very good info.

Involve her in the search. It is a personal thing for us guys. It is for the ladies too.

DO NOT rule out full size guns. Just because they're big, doesn't mean it won't fit them. My wife totally dug the double-stack FNX-9 (too bad we couldn't get our hands on one). The Ruger SR9 is also a double-stack 9mm with a very slender grip and good ergonomics for HER. She liked my 1911 with it's single stack grip, but the ergonomics just wasn't for her. The slide is too tough to rack and the slide lock and mag release are too far away.

SHOOT was she feels comfortable with. Like the others said-holding is different than shooting.

Consider your main use. Home defense? She has to be able to use/function under extreme stress, in the dark and place shots repeatedly accurately. That said, she needs to be able to TRAIN. That means a TON in ammo, training costs. Look at where ammo prices are today vs. 2-6 months ago. How much money are you willing to put downrange each weekend? Consider 250-400 rounds for practice initially. It goes fast.

If any conceal carry possibility, consider holster options too and even possibly different guns for different purposes. From what little I know of the subject, ladies have a much harder time concealing than men do.

I know it's a lot to consider. Your criteria is a bit different than my wife's. We are strictly the weekend target/plinker variety.

One thing that hasn't been brought up yet, how much training does your wife have? If she's inexperienced, maybe a cheap .22 would be good to start off with to get the fundamentals down? Is she already an accomplished shooter? Check out tactical training classes.

Anyways, do a LOT of homework. You've come to the right place! A LOT of very knowledgeable people here with TONS of experience. I am not one of them, but have learned a lot from everyone here. (THANKS CALGUN GUYS & GALS!).

Happy hunting and be safe!

[nickel plate]

For home defense only I also would encourage going to the largest cal./mm that she could rack and handle with minimal effort.
If the Sig P238 continues to be the main focus, Find the heavier recoil absorbing model HD or HDW as they are the only two all stainless steel models currently being produced.
All new Sig P238 being sold in California are off roster so expect an SSE tran$action. I bought my HDW in the Sacramento area a few months ago and use it for CCW summer carry, not for home defense.

[spetsnaz]

let her choose

i prefer a solid glock like a g19/26 but its better to let her choose for herself

[madjack956]

I got my wife a 7 shot Taurus .357 magnum and a 870 shotgun. If she needs help when shes alone, I want to make sure her tools are going to do the job.

[movie zombie]

thanks for the support, XDJ.......seems like too many like to discount the advice the women of calguns are willing to share. glad it worked for you and your wife! your post is a really good summation.

[West coast]

How about the Smith&Wesson 442, I got it for my wife but she love more the Glock17. She has better control of the Glock.

[Bongos]

Reasons why I suggested the 92FS is because the slide can be easily racked by women....

[diana]

Originally Posted by Twhite5555

I am looking for a 380. I have my eye on the P238 380 Sig Sauer any thoughts or suggestions.

I have a full size Beretta Px4 Storm 9mm, fell in love with it the first time I held it and every time I shoot it I'm reminded how happy I am with it.

[BoJackUSMC]

Let her try Glock 19.. she might like it

[SublimeJJ99]

What about a Sig P239? It's compact, single stack and available in 9mm, .40 S&W and .357 Sig. It's a bit on the heavy side for a compact, but my girl shoots it just fine and she is petite as well.

[uw06670]

Since she likes the Glock trigger, as others said the G19 fits well for modest sized hands. If she wants something narrower, my wife likes the Sig P239 (in 9mm) it does have that first shot DA but its not a hard pull. Recoil in both guns is not bad at all.

[racer14]

My wife likes the trigger on the glock and more importantly finger on or finger off safety aproach , she had a s&w 5904 but if she didnt shoot all the time as crazy as this sounds , she would always question me on "which way does the saftey go" or "what do I do first" (decocker,saftey,rack slide ect....). So she went with the G19 for that middle of the night.........grab her gun and "KNOW" what to do!!! As simple as it sounds that is what made her decision. And she has very small hands , hope this helps

[RedFord150]

Bersa Thunder was a perfect choice until it recently dropped off the roster. I own one and have let many people try it out, most love it.
Maybe you can find a PP deal out there.