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[Foriegn power]

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[liketoshoot]

Take her to a gun shop and let her play, that is the only way she will know if it fits her hand and she is comfortable with the trigger pull. everything else is speculation

[shooting4life]

Double action pull on just about any smith is going to be over 10 pounds from the factory. If she ever needs it the trigger pull weight won't matter. To get any better trigger it will need to be sent to a smith for an action job.
I would try and find a used k frame, a model 10 would be perfect. Then set her up with a set of crimson trace laser grips. Sight those in and then get a couple of speed loads and you'll be good to go.
This is what I did for my wife. 357 mag is way to much in doors for most people, especially beginners. You could probably get all of this for not much more than 500 including the laser grip.
Also, with going used the action has probably smoothed out a bit from use over the years.

[Bad Kitty]

Took my wife to the gun shop, and found some of the compact wheelguns fit her hand the best, but they were so light she would be absorbing all the recoil. Still shopping.

[BigDogatPlay]

A K frame S&W revolver is often a very good choice. A simple Model 10 heavy barrel (even a narrow barrel for that matter) is a very effective tool. Add a couple of speedloaders, a flashlight, some training with all those tools, and a not too hot .38 +P round = GTG.

You can find good quality used S&W revolvers in just about any gun store. Older will, as noted above, most often equal smoother.

But definitely let her do some shopping and some test firing. She needs to be comfortable and confident.

[-hanko]

Let her pick the weapon...

...I'd echo what everybody else has posted.

Give her free rein...hook her up with a good female (if possible) instructor and let them together find the right gun...that task can be / should be combined with training.

The traditional "I'll pick a gun for the little lady" attitude is an invitation to fail.

-hanko

[golfrj]

S&W model 36 (J frame) with Hogue Bantum rubber grips, should fit Really good & be recoil friendly with the rubber grips.. Downside 38 special (5 rounds) but for up close & Personal she will love it.. Have fun shoppin, Jim

PS... the double action trigger can be improved with an 8# hammer spring & 14# rebound spring, ( J frame) not hard to do if your mechanical.. (small job for gunsmith)

[Cowboy T]

If this is for HD, then a K-frame-sized wheelgun is a very good idea. I know you specified S&W, and they're definitely good stuff, but don't overlook a good Ruger Security-Six, either, if one pops up at a good price. Those, too, are mighty fine wheelguns.

BTW, there's nothing wrong with getting a .357 Magnum revolver and shooting .38 Special (including +P) out of it. We do it all the time. Just clean your firearm like you normally should be doing anyway, and there's no problem--nada, zero, zilch.

Whichever you have her try, make sure you have her also try different types of stocks. This is a Very Big Deal for comfort and fit. She might like the wooden ones. She might prefer the rubber Pachmayrs or Hogues. It all depends on her hand. I cannot stand Hogue Monogrips (Pachmayr Presentations and the original rosewood stocks fit me better), but a female friend likes Hogues very much. It all depends.

[Cowboy T]

One other thing. Any DA revolver will have a heavier trigger pull than, say, a 1911. My cameralady solved this problem by teaching herself to fire in single-action. This woman must've been a cowboy in a previous life, because she's doggoned good at it--naturally. She's fast with it and dead-on accurate.

Also, just this holiday weekend, I had an 8-year-old boy who doesn't have a lot of trigger finger strength try out my .357M. He couldn't pull the DA trigger, so I taught him "cowboy style". He handled that just fine and got nearly all his shots in the black 3" circle.

[redcliff]

I agree that for a home defense gun, NOT ccw, there is no good reason to go with a J-frame.

The most popular revolver I have when I take ladies, kids and new shooters out is a 4" K frame model 66. Great combination of weight, sight radius and overall size.

It can fire the hottest 38special defensive loads easily, or could use .357magnums if you take it out in the field. It can also accomodate a wide variety of stocks. Very versatile revolver. I too would recommend an older used one if you could find it. I'm not a big fan of the locks on current models.

[Cowboy T]

I agree that for a home defense gun, NOT ccw, there is no good reason to go with a J-frame.

The most popular revolver I have when I take ladies, kids and new shooters out is a 4" K frame model 66. Great combination of weight, sight radius and overall size.

It can fire the hottest 38special defensive loads easily, or could use .357magnums if you take it out in the field. It can also accomodate a wide variety of stocks. Very versatile revolver. I too would recommend an older used one if you could find it. I'm not a big fan of the locks on current models.

Right on, redcliff. That Infernal Lock System (ILS) on the newer models is why I generally won't buy a new S&W firearm of any sort. However, apparently they can be ordered new without the lock, so that's good. But better to just go with an older one if the OP's g/f likes the S&W's.

Another suggestion that came to mind is a Taurus Model 65 or 66, probably the best revolver series Taurus ever made. They generally fire right to POA. But what happens if something goes wrong? Taurus has that lifetime transferrable warranty, right? Well...kinda. You have to send the gun to them Overnight Express for high-dollar (about $60). But you can just have Taurus ship you the parts and install them yourself, right? NOPE. Unlike, say, Ruger, Taurus heavily restricts which parts they will send you. I found this out recently, much to my great annoyance. So, on paper the warranty looks good, but in actual practice, it's not so good. Better to stick with S&W (older) or Ruger, in my experience, if at all possible...unless that Taurus is a really good deal.

[RedFord150]

...357 mag is way to much in doors for most people, especially beginners. ....

You are 100% correct. This is why so many people shoot .38 special through their .357 mag revolvers.

[giants_fan24]

Take her to a gun shop and let her play, that is the only way she will know if it fits her hand and she is comfortable with the trigger pull. everything else is speculation

I agree I did this for my wife and she ended up with a .38 spl with a 1 7/8 barrel and she loves it

[JagerDog]

I dunno how big your girl is. Show her a 66 and a 60. Another option to the 60 is the Ruger SP101. That's what my wife has. Wish it had adjustable sights to make target practice more fun. Very comfy with .38's. Fair with mid range 357's. Barks pretty good with full bore loads. Without the rubber grips it would be painfull. I can't imagine WANTING to pull the trigger on the airweight guns in 357.

Stock DA revolver is going to be 10+ in DA. That's what makes it safe while in battery. IMHO they are the best nightstand gun option for someone who isn't going to practice, practice, practice. General wisdom is biggest they can manage (less recoil).

[scarville]

First off, do not get a J-frame unless it is the only thing she can use. They are not a gun for beginners. Trust me on this. I have two J-frames and I love them for concealment but I don't think I'd ever bother with one if I didn't have to conceal it.

Trigger pull weight is only part of the equation but for many women it's a big part. Factory triggers seem to run about 12# or more. Almost any S&W, except the J-frames, made since about 1995 can be cleaned up to an 8.5 to 9.5 lb trigger pull by replacing some springs and polishing the return slide. To get any lower you will probably have to compromise reliability which is a very bad idea in a SD gun.