NEED REVOLVER ADVICE!

[scarville]

Do not get a snubnose J-frame unless your wife tries it first and is completely comfortable with it. Snubbies typically have triggers between 11# and 12#, a stiff recoil even with moderate loads and the short ejector rod requires quite a bit of getting used to when reloading. If a J-frame is your choice then consider getting one in a steel frame and putting on Pachmayr Decelerator grips.

My situation is analogous to yours. My wife will not use an autoloader so a revolver is the only option if a situation escalates beyond pepper spray and harsh language. After some work we finally settled on the L-frame 686+ with a 3" bbl stoked with Federal 38G ammunition. She can probably handle a bit heavier recoil (I'm going ask her to try the Buffalo Bore heavy 38's and their light 357) but a full bore 357 is out of the question at this time.

To make the gun work for her I had to do some work on it. I polished the internals for smooth operation and had the cylinder machined for moon clips. I replaced the mainspring with a Wolff full power and put in a 15# return slide spring (stock is 18#). This reduced the DA trigger pull to about 8# which she can manage fine. Finally I replaced the stock "batman" grips with smooth Hogue wood grips. In the near future, I may have the SA sear removed and the hammer bobbed.

After reading the interminable threads on how the legal system screws over a gun owner who shoot some free lance socialist, I have to add the caveat that any modifications you make to a gun can and will be used against by the pond scum masquerading as lawyers.

[choprzrul]

I met this fine lady last week at Apex Tactical Specialties, Inc. She is a petite lady, but look at the revolver that she competes with:



Link to story Here

Here is a page showing their services & prices for S&W revolvers. My first experience with these fine folks was outstanding. The comments made by others here on CGN indicated that they run a world-class shop.

Perhaps a phone call to discuss your ideal project endpoint would bear fruit for you. If they can make that 500 mag into a comp gun for Lisa, I think that they can handle whatever parameters that you throw at them.

.

[Rivers]

I took a friend and her husband shooting last year. Brought a selection of my handguns for her to try out. She is maybe 5'2" and 100 lbs. so I was concerned about recoil, etc. I didn't want this newbie to be intimidated by the recoil or blast from any of my guns. As it was, I fully expected her to have marginal interest. (The fact that she brought a book to read while at the range might have been a hint...)

Anyway, she shot a .22 Browning Buckmark (liked it, shot it well), my .38 Ruger SP101 2.15" bbl with basic lighter trigger job (fit well, shot it well, comfortable), my .40 HK P2000sk with light LEM trigger ("can you load up some more magazines for me please?" kind of summed it up), and my fullsize .45 HK USP (just physically too large a grip for her hands.) The P2000sk was the big surprise. Recoil on my .40 is less than some 9mm I've shot, and racking the slide is pretty easy too.

I'd recommend trying either the SP101 (get .357 so you can run .357 or .38 ammo) or the HK P2000sk. The LEM trigger has no external safety lever so safety relies on keeping your finger off the trigger. (It's a very safe system with crisp, predictable trigger break and reset. The LIGHT LEM has about 4.5# trigger pull for every shot.) Mine has been 100% reliable from Day One. Well worth the money.

[john.t.singh]

For home defense I would suggest NOT getting a revolver with a shorter barrel. When you don't need to conceal it, the extra barrel length will help in recoil (since it's heavier) and it has a longer sight radius so it'll aid in aiming.

this. snub nose is good for concealment but for home defense stick to a longer barrel. i would say avoid .357 and go .38+p. S&W are great, but I feel like the ruger gp100 or gp101 can be found for a better deal (almost $100-200 less).

[RedFord150]

...small, light, and easy to shoot? ....

Does not work that way.
Small and light = harder to shoot. My wife learned this lesson well after I got her a snub nosed .38 to shoot. The S&W lightweight revolvers are punishing even for some of our buddies in LE. These are guys that train and practice and still have a hard time.
I like .38 or .357 mag with 3" or 4" barrel. Start her out on mild .38 wadcutter loads and work her up to +P. For HD, I would personally skip on .357 mag and stop at +P.
Good luck.

[AJAX22]

The heavy trigger pull can be overcome by teaching her to use it single action.

Personally I don't use my revolvers as double action, I only shoot them single action, but I do it rather quickly.

[mjsweims]

GP100 with trigger job and using 38sp

[shooting4life]

I bought my wife a model 60 with crimson trace laser grips. Told her you get 5 tries and the bullet goes where the red light is.

[eaglemike]

3" S&W 686, or 686 plus. Get some nice wood grips from Hogue. You can get some nice rounded grips from them, very comfortable. I know a lot like the rubber, but the shape is better on the rounded wood grips for control and the shape helps with recoil too. Easy gun to balance and control. Rent or practice with a .22 like a 617 4" (with close targets) then go to light .38 loads in the 686. Maybe work up to lightweight .38 +P. I've mentored at several "Women on Target" events. This has always worked well.

[fauxcult]

This is great. Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. They've given me a lot to consider, but I have a much clearer idea of what to look for and what will probably work. Looks like we're going to have to make a trip to the range.

[Flintlock Tom]

I have a friend at work, petite and of the softer persuasion. She has a GP100 that she could not shoot because she could not pull back the hammer for single-action and the trigger is too heavy in double-action.
I got her a set of Wolff springs to lighten both and installed them for her. I also polished up the trigger and hammer surfaces. Now she loves shooting it.
Too bad because I wanted to buy it from her, but now she won't part with it.

[23 Blast]

I would suggest a Smith model 66 (a K-frame) with a 4" barrel. I have one as my nightstand gun and my wife feels confident and comfortable shooting it. Other suggestions would be a Smith model 60 (J-frame) with a 5" barrel - the frame and grip is smaller, which will probably feel more comfortable for your wife, but the longer barrel helps with weight, recoil, and sight radius. The drawback is that it holds only 5 rounds instead of 6, but most defensive encounters won't require more than that.

Another suggestion I can throw out is the Ruger SP101 with either a 3" or 4" barrel. Similar in size to the Smith K-frames, they're solid guns as well.

[ElvenSoul]

Rossi are a little bit better made than Tarus. I have owned three Rossi and two Tarus.