Handgun for mature woman?

[M.45]

Hey Calgunners,

I've been tasked with picking out a defensive pistol for a friend of the family. She's interested in having a small gun for carry and home protection, not much plinking. I'm insisting that we do a number of range trips so she becomes competent with the weapon.

My first thoughts are a .38 Smith... why ye say?

[GunNutz]

Can you please elaborate on mature? Does mature equate to frail in this instance? How is her eye sight, arm strength, balance, etc.?

[bjl333]

Can you please elaborate on mature? Does mature equate to frail in this instance? How is her eye sight, arm strength, balance, etc.?

Valid questions !!!

If all of the above is good to excellent then a S&W Model 10 4" would be great choice. Why the 10 ?? A "K" frame is a little heavier and will take more recoil out of the shooters hand. It doesn't have adjustable sights to get knocked around. It may not be that small but its a lot more controlable the a "J" frame small revolver. And she doesn't need to worry about shooting a 357 mag !!!

Does she want to carry it around town ??? Why does she need to carry ??? Does she have a CCW permit ???

[OHOD]

.38 spl
Revolver
Plenty of inexpensive brands.
My preference, S&W

[M.45]

Can you please elaborate on mature? Does mature equate to frail in this instance? How is her eye sight, arm strength, balance, etc.?

55ish good health. Strong teeth, good eyes and licensed to kill. Ok maybe not the last one.

I just mention her age because I don't think she's interested in learning lots of tricks with a semi.

[M.45]

.38 spl
Revolver
Plenty of inexpensive brands.
My preference, S&W

Thanks, yes I was thinking of a S&W 642. It's an airweight and she wants *shudder* a laser grip.

While I would never ever let someone normally waste money on such a ninja trinket, but in her case it might be very helpful.

[GunNutz]

Given that info, I'd say +1 on the airweight. Oh, and the laser grips do have a certain cool, factor - you know to show the friends at bingo night!

[WokMaster1]

Thanks, yes I was thinking of a S&W 642. It's an airweight and she wants *shudder* a laser grip.

While I would never ever let someone normally waste money on such a ninja trinket, but in her case it might be very helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3dB8FiaM6k

It has its advantages if applied properly. In fact it may be a great idea for older folks. Ken explained it pretty well.

Take her shooting at a range that rents handguns & let her pick what she feels comfortable with shooting.

[9mmepiphany]

don't forget to look at the Ruger LCR

it is a nice size, has a better trigger feel than the J-frame and has a model that comes designed for lazer use

[Rekrab]

If possible, let her shoot one of those airweight revolvers. The recoil can really suck. Something like a Ruger SP101 might be better for her if she doesn't like the recoil on a lighter frame.

[Steyrlp10]

55ish good health. Strong teeth, good eyes and licensed to kill. Ok maybe not the last one.

I just mention her age because I don't think she's interested in learning lots of tricks with a semi.

Thanks for the clarification.

You're right -- take her to the range and let her rent everything that catches her eye. What a man thinks is good for a woman isn't always correct. It's like a lot of things in life -- practice makes perfect.

[j1133s]

Hey Calgunners,

I've been tasked with picking out a defensive pistol for a friend of the family. She's interested in having a small gun for carry and home protection, not much plinking. I'm insisting that we do a number of range trips so she becomes competent with the weapon.

My first thoughts are a .38 Smith... why ye say?

Does her hands shake a lot, is she frail and weak? Is her only use home defense? If so, check out a pistol chambered carbine. Those are incredibly easy to shoot, almost no recoil. Barricade herself into her safe room and aim the thing at the door.

[Vacaville]

S&W Model 10 or a Ruger GP100 using .38 spl ammo. My mother-in-law asked the same question and after a lot of thought, that was my response.

DA Revolver = easy to use with the least practice. Also, I have a steel-frame snubby that weighs 21 oz and it still has a strong kick with regular .38 spl ammo. Mid-size is the way to go.

[masameet]

... DA Revolver = easy to use with the least practice. Also, I have a steel-frame snubby that weighs 21 oz and it still has a strong kick with regular .38 spl ammo. Mid-size is the way to go.

Speaking as a mature female, I think the DA trigger on the 642 airweight revolver is a real b&#ch to pull. It's also a long pull backwards. Uh-huh, so much for squeezing or pressing the trigger with the pad of the index finger. This trigger requires using the first joint.

(And no doubt, with an adrenaline rush, a gal won't be thinking about how hard the 642 trigger is to pull. She'll just pull it and think the guy dead.)

Still if your friend has her heart set on an S&W revolver, I think she might find the Performance Center models more to her liking. Their triggers are not DA. Instead they're short, sweet and not painful to pull, like what you'd find on some semi-automatics. But the PCs also come with hefty price tags.

[bruceflinch]

If possible, let her shoot one of those airweight revolvers. The recoil can really suck. Something like a Ruger SP101 might be better for her if she doesn't like the recoil on a lighter frame.

I have an airweight. For practice, some really light loads are necessary. +P's are BRUTAL!

Last Lady I had try it, she couldn't pull the trigger back enough to shoot it.