Looking for a handgun for my girlfriend

[jessegpresley]

Originally Posted by rvicta

I had to show him the proper way to grip a semi automatic handgun.

who showed you? the two of you need training. go to kr training outside austin or with paul howe in nacogdoches.

[rsrocket1]

Next time have her ask you for the money rather than selling her gun!

She probably got bottom dollar for it in TX and now you’ll be paying close to retail for a new one. Not smart.

[rvicta]

Originally Posted by jessegpresley

who showed you?

A few people when I started participating in USPSA and IDPA. Proper grip and stance isn't totally lost on me.

[HighWildFree]

I’d bet there are a bunch of awesome used S&W Revolvers floating around Texas. I’d be searching for something pinned and recessed, 4”-6” barrel and chambered in 357. Then have her shoot .38 specials out of it.

[naz]

Full size heavy handgun with light and red dot or pcc would be my $0.02 for HD setup

Get her a g34 mos or 320 x5 legion

[S.O.A.R.]

Originally Posted by rvicta

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I actually try to get out to TX at least once a month unless I decide to go for a few weeks then it's every other month or so. I wouldn't be trying to get a handgun out here, but needed ideas of some for her to try while I'm out there. The first time I took her shooting I noticed that her grip was wrong (tea cupping) and I have been working with her to correct that. Her dad is the one that taught her to shoot and her best guy friend has been reinforcing that grip, or lack of grip. So, I had to show him the proper way to grip a semi automatic handgun.

Best guy friend helping said gf to shoot, reinforcing that "grip".... where is the parody? This is a gold mine. Lol.

[tomrkba]

Originally Posted by rvicta

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I actually try to get out to TX at least once a month unless I decide to go for a few weeks then it's every other month or so. I wouldn't be trying to get a handgun out here, but needed ideas of some for her to try while I'm out there. The first time I took her shooting I noticed that her grip was wrong (tea cupping) and I have been working with her to correct that. Her dad is the one that taught her to shoot and her best guy friend has been reinforcing that grip, or lack of grip. So, I had to show him the proper way to grip a semi automatic handgun.

You need to be in Texas or she will play with some other guy’s guns.

[ThatPunkGirl]

Originally Posted by Librarian

Generic answer is 'have her try a bunch and decide for herself'. Lots of stories that run 'I thought she'd like [this little thing], but turns out she likes a full-sized 1911'.

So true! You would think a smaller gun has a less recoil than a full size but I've learned that that's not true.

I couldn't stand to shoot my friends Glock, but I loved the my husband's CZ. See if she can have a range day with a friend and have her try out the options for herself!

[c good]

https://historical.ha.com/itm/milita...a/6050-52985.s

[theLBC]

some girls have pretty small hands. my P226 is too big for my daughter.
the single stack compact might be best but i would go to ft3 or other range with lots of different guns to try.
some like the glock grip angle and some don't...holding and shooting aren't the same.

[rvicta]

Originally Posted by S.O.A.R.

Best guy friend helping said gf to shoot, reinforcing that "grip".... where is the parody? This is a gold mine. Lol.

Yup, I read that also once I posted it. Decided not to rewrite it.

[smittty]

Originally Posted by rvicta

She used to have a 380 but sold it because she needed money. So, I would like to find a new handgun for her since she's home alone most of the time. She's in TX and I'm stuck in CA trying to make my way out there. Have to find a job first. I used to have a Shield and an XDS so I'm familiar with those two but are there others that I should consider for her. She's a small thing at 5'. She has shot my XD9 and XDm but thinks the recoil is harsh on them.

What would you guys that have girlfriends, wives or significant others with handguns suggest?

Not much to choose from these days so your best bet is to make a weekly trip to your favorite FFL and when she see's something she likes buy it.

[SharedShots]

Why do some guys find it necessary to buy guns for women as if the woman isn't capable of figuring it out herself? Training is as important for a man as it is for a woman, there is no difference.

The best thing anyone can do for someone else, woman or man is to help them get trained and explore the various guns available. When the person is trained and has learned to use guns then they are as capable as anyone else to choose the gun to which they will entrust their safety.

How may guys would be ok with a woman picking the gun they will use for self defense and just say, ok, thats it? I bet not very many. Gifts are different, wife says hey, here is the gift cert, go pick out a new gun for yourself, I'm on it. But this here is the gun and this is what you'll use - GTHO.

If the gun is for home/self defense how can anyone decide what works best for anyone else? While helping is one thing, just asking the Internet and then adding whatever and going with that actually sends the message that the woman isn't as capable as the guy to choose a gun. Nothing could be more wrong. It becomes a control thing. First the guy chooses the gun, then naturally since the guy knows so much more they choose the ammo too. Meanwhile there is no real training going on, it's do as I say not learn to do better.

This is 2021 and woman have been and are entirely capable of learning how to use and choose guns for their own use. Anything else is that good ol boy mentality and puts the woman at a lower level.

[TMB 1]

Bersa Firestorm is what I got my daughter for her first centerfire handgun.

[Gryff]

My sister-in-law is very petite, and I anticipated her being recoil sensitive because she has an innate fear of guns. She's in Idaho, so no roster concerns, so I recommended she look at the S&W Shield 380 EZ. I liked that it was a larger gun for a .380 (meaning less recoil), and had the easier slide racking aspect.

That's what she bought, and I took her to the range last week when they were down visiting. The 380 EZ was a great choice. Excellent ergonomics. About as little recoil as you are going to get for a gun chambered in a reasonably lethal caliber. Very easy to manipulate and shoot for my sister-in-law. Halfway through our session she turned from being someone who flinched every time she heard a gun shot to asking "What are we going to do next?" when I started having her do light drills.

So, the S&W Shield 380 EZ is my recommendation. I really wish I could buy one here so that I have it when training smaller or recoil-sensitive new shooters. If ammo cost/availability is a concern (.380 is $.90/round when you can find it), they also make a 9mm version. Slightly more recoil, but 9mm is more available and less expensive (relative to .380 currently).

[jessegpresley]

Originally Posted by theLBC

some girls have pretty small hands. my P226 is too big for my daughter.
the single stack compact might be best but i would go to ft3 or other range with lots of different guns to try.
some like the glock grip angle and some don't...holding and shooting aren't the same.

What size is your daughter? What training has the person showing how to shoot received?

Is she smaller than this 10 year old shooting a full size pistol better than most of the people posting on this thread can?

Have you tried shooting a single stack compact vs a full size P226 with timed & scored drills and seen how much harder it is?

[theLBC]

Originally Posted by jessegpresley

What size is your daughter? What training has the person showing how to shoot received?

Is she smaller than this 10 year old shooting a full size pistol better than most of the people posting on this thread can?

Have you tried shooting a single stack compact vs a full size P226 with timed & scored drills and seen how much harder it is?

hard to say, but she can wear kids clothes and shoes.

[keith1911]

I would strongly having her go to a range in TX and try a bunch of different guns. What you like may not be what she likes. One of the groups I teach with is all women students and we try to give them options and letting them decide because what works for one person doesn't work for another.

Also it is better to start on a full size gun then go with a compact. A bigger gun is easier to shoot.

[tatso7]

I suggest SW 351 PD in 22 magnum.

[BillSmith]

Agree with this...

Checkout the Sig Sauer P238 (.380 ACP.)

[Rob454]

Originally Posted by rvicta

She used to have a 380 but sold it because she needed money. So, I would like to find a new handgun for her since she's home alone most of the time. She's in TX and I'm stuck in CA trying to make my way out there. Have to find a job first. I used to have a Shield and an XDS so I'm familiar with those two but are there others that I should consider for her. She's a small thing at 5'. She has shot my XD9 and XDm but thinks the recoil is harsh on them.

What would you guys that have girlfriends, wives or significant others with handguns suggest?

My wife has a Taurus 5 shot 357. I load it with 38+P hollow points. It’s not a long distance pistol but strictly home defense. If your girl had a 380 before why not get her the same thing she had previously as she would already be familiar with the weight, function, recoil loading unloading malfunction clearing

The reason I went with a revolver is it’s pretty much bulletproof. Even if she has a misfire she just keeps pulling the trigger. Loading and unloading is pretty simple and unless something drastic happens or it’s just a pile of crap brand....revolvers are damn near idiot proof.
We tried a lot of different guns and semi auto pistols were pretty much all too heavy for her. She did t care for the whole, slide magazine loading unloading and possible malfunctions so we stuck to the less complicated revolvers.

[bb557]

Originally Posted by Librarian

Generic answer is 'have her try a bunch and decide for herself'. Lots of stories that run 'I thought she'd like [this little thing], but turns out she likes a full-sized 1911'.

Truth One of the women in my circle of shooters is a wonderful, petite young lady who is 5"3" and maybe dresses out at a buck 10 soaking wet, ( I'm old enough and smart enough not to ask her her weight!). Her daily carry is a Glock 17 with an RMR. She dresses smart, and hip but, when somebody yells fight, she skins that smokewagon and goes to work. She is a hell of a shot.

Don't limit them based on your perception.

[Darto]

Recoil is 1/3 the story. The other thirds are how hard it is to pull back the slide and how small the grip is. Recoil action have strong springs. Double stack grips are large.

I would say the Ruger LC380 is the one most likely to please. Low recoil, weak spring, narrow grip. But not small like a LCP so is not at all snappy.

[nitroxdiver]

My wife enjoys her SW shield ez. Very easy to manipulate the slide. Can be had in 9mm or .380


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[Calamity Sue]

Originally Posted by jessegpresley

When you suggest little 380s and revolvers for women, you show your ignorance. You and the women you're suggesting little 380s and revolvers to need training. Good training.

Here are 11 and 12 year old girls shooting full size pistols.

That's what an 11/12 year old looks like nowadays??? Bleep, did I miss a lot 60 years ago.

I think many think you have to have a high caliber round to bring the guy(s) down. Not so. My wife started with a Sig 380 mainly due to it's looks. She had a hard time chambering a round. Now she can't do it. I told her I could fix that a bit, but she said she didn't like the recoil either. Shot it for 3-4 years and into the safe it went. When 380/9mm became non available 8-10 years ago, we went the 22lr route. Mainly just paper shooters and some steel. We both love it although I also love my CZ Shadow 2 SA. You may recognize me/name as we shoot 1K rounds a week of various calibers, Calamity only 22lr.

Okay. When we switched to 22lr, I did a lot of research before buying anything. I'm an engineer. Made a spreadsheet with info on each item I looked at, esp. for handguns. Price was not a concern. At the time, the Ruger Mark series were nice, but impossible to clean. I wanted her to learn to do it too. To make a long story short, among other things, I settled for a Ruger SR22 for her, along with a Single Ten which she now hates. Not sorry even ten years later with the SR22. Easy to shoot, accurate, easy to clean, easy to chamber a round, and most of all, fun. Very easy to adjust sights too. Calamity is quite a good shot with it. She now shoots only one of her several 10/22's every week. Shot around 500 rounds yesterday. These have Kidd triggers, springs, etc. and a GM barrel, like all her 10/22's.

When the times changed a year and a half ago, I started keeping a 9mm pistol in my nightstand, and suggested Calamity to keep her SR22 in her night stand. She was semi reluctant, but I got the puppy out, cleaned it good, and before we did our usual weekly rifle shoot, we both shot that for a while. We both forgot how much fun it was and how accurate. She would have no problem drilling a bad guy at 20 feet with an Indian birth mark or ten shots around the heart if necessary.

It's something to think about.

[jessegpresley]

Originally Posted by Calamity Sue

I think many think you have to have a high caliber round to bring the guy(s) down. Not so.

Nowhere in your long winder boomer post did you bring forth any evidence from medical experts that backs up your assertion.

Originally Posted by Calamity Sue

She would have no problem drilling a bad guy at 20 feet with an Indian birth mark or ten shots around the heart if necessary.

I would love to see a video of her "drilling" a moving 5" B8 bullseye at 20 feet. What other boomer tall tales ya got?

[Barang]

let her pick her own. i made a mistake of picking a couple for my wife and she hated them, sold them at a loss.

[Rivers]

An interesting article about the effectiveness of a .22LR pistol. Apparently it was good enough for the Israeli Mossad and Israeli Air Marshals during the peak of their "interactions" with the PLO.

[Gryff]

Originally Posted by jessegpresley

Nowhere in your long winder boomer post did you bring forth any evidence from medical experts that backs up your assertion.



I would love to see a video of her "drilling" a moving 5" B8 bullseye at 20 feet. What other boomer tall tales ya got?

When not contributing, but desiring to just insult, it is important to select carefully from the current list of trendy internet buzzwords. Well done with the multiple instances of "boomer," young padawan.

[eaglemike]

I can't remember which company, but there's been (maybe still in production) some .380's that are about 3/4 scale versions of a 1911. That might work.
A steel framed CZ75 compact might work well also, if focusing on a semiauto.
There's several 3"-4" S&W and Ruger revolvers that would be on the list.
Pretty much agree with the first responder, let her go rent as many as possible. Stocks,or grips, can make such a huge difference in comfort, and rental guns don't always have the best setup - might be one issue.
Maybe even just start with a .22 revo, and have a lot of fun. A handgun that is comfortable and easy to shoot will be miles better than something she just doesn't like, no matter the caliber.
Good luck!

[jessegpresley]

Originally Posted by Rivers

Apparently it was good enough for the Israeli Mossad and Israeli Air Marshals during the peak of their "interactions" with the PLO.

Shooting PLO with 9mm Uzis was also apparently good enough for the Israelis... in the previous century. But today they use .223.