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Sidearms & Scatterguns 380 for wife to carry.
- Thread starter Mr.Kirk
- Start date
- Nov 3, 2010
- 9,702
- 20,404
Three different 380s and my wife finally settled on a compact 9mm. Said it handled better and felt better.
Skip the CW380 and get a CM9. Caliber upgrade makes it a good CCW weapon that uses cheap training ammo with minimal recoil increase. Carry one as my off-duty piece. I shoot my CM9 better than I do my duty weapon. Have always shot a better qualification score on it for some unknown reason. Underrated little carry gun.
Women seem to like j frames or sp101's. Simple, easy to tell if it's loaded, no slide to rack, and just pull the trigger. If you get a hammerless, she can shoot it from her pocket 5 times.
Walther PK.380 Mine has one and likes to shoot it. The slide has a lite pull and the mags are easy to load.
I think if you go too small, handling suffers. My daughter is tiny, so the Sig 380 actually fits her, but I find it a little squirrely in hand. If your wife can run a semi, like clear it, tap, rack, load a magazine etc, then there's a lot of options. Take her to the shop and let her pick the one that feels best to her.
I just watched a guy tell his wife the Beretta was best for her, and she obviously hated it. Obviously, it was for him. Not cool.
Something with no safety - Glock, Kahr, or J Frame would be my recommendations.
I just watched a guy tell his wife the Beretta was best for her, and she obviously hated it. Obviously, it was for him. Not cool.
Something with no safety - Glock, Kahr, or J Frame would be my recommendations.
Get her a tried and true wheel gun.
There is no way I'd stake my life on a 380 let alone my wife's as a 1st teir gun.
There is no way I'd stake my life on a 380 let alone my wife's as a 1st teir gun.
My buddy has one of those Kahr .380s.
It is very hard to shoot decently. Would only be a back-up and jammed in the belly gun based on how hard it is to shoot.
I can count a number of people I know who got one of those or the tiny Ruger LCP and never shoot or carry due to them being so difficult to shoot.
try to find a range and shoot some of the “micro” pistols first.
Also look at how she carries, holster choice, etc.
Might be some changes to make some things easier/better for her.
The sig 365 is a good choice. The ruger LCR is nice (and easy to conceal/shoot).
It is very hard to shoot decently. Would only be a back-up and jammed in the belly gun based on how hard it is to shoot.
I can count a number of people I know who got one of those or the tiny Ruger LCP and never shoot or carry due to them being so difficult to shoot.
try to find a range and shoot some of the “micro” pistols first.
Also look at how she carries, holster choice, etc.
Might be some changes to make some things easier/better for her.
The sig 365 is a good choice. The ruger LCR is nice (and easy to conceal/shoot).
I haven't played with the 9mm version but the MP Shield EZ .380 would be a good choice. My wife uses a LCR .22mag due to low hand strength, she was able to pull the EZ slide back.
Its a big gun for a .380 and I'm not a big fan of the lemon squeezer but it seems to be a good match for females.
Its a big gun for a .380 and I'm not a big fan of the lemon squeezer but it seems to be a good match for females.
Good call on the SP. I know I’ll probably catch hell but check out the ballistics on the SP101 in 327 Fed. Way outdoes the 38 Special.
http://www.ballistics101.com/327_magnum.php
Wife alternates between the 101 and a P320 Compact
One thing several posters suggested and something that you should not overlook is letting your wife pick her gun. I'd go to a well stocked gun shop and let her pick a few she likes and then assist her in picking the best out of her group. It ultimately needs to be her decision. My wife likes the size and weight of a 2" airweight j frame the best, but she can't shoot it worth a darn. I had her try the heavier 3" ruger sp101 and it seemed to be a good compromise. She doesn't shoot it that great either, but I'd run like hell if she pointed it at me from down a hallway.
Mine likes her Berea thunder with the Hornady low recoil ammo. Easy for her to rack and carry. I showed her the Crimson laser grips on one, loved the idea. Next on her list.
To be clear are we talking to big for her to manipulate/shoot or to big as in it prints/hard to conceal?
And as others said kahrs suck dick. Trigger requires some grip strength and with not much slack.
Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolvers have had your back since 1950. These small revolvers were designed to fire a full power round and are as simple and easy to use as they are reliable. Available in various calibers and with three diverse hammer designs, it is no surprise that the Smith & Wesson J-Frame has become the most popular, small-frame, defense revolver on the market.
The Model 637 is a variation of the Model 37 Chiefs Special Airweight® that integrates the time-tested features of the original with modern advancements. This ultra-light revolver is a favorite back-up and concealed carry firearm.
www.smith-wesson.com
The Model 637 is a variation of the Model 37 Chiefs Special Airweight® that integrates the time-tested features of the original with modern advancements. This ultra-light revolver is a favorite back-up and concealed carry firearm.
ARCHIVE: Model 637 Revolver - Pink Grips | Smith & Wesson
No longer in current production, content is subject to change and is provided here for reference purposes only.Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolvers have had your back since 1950. These small revolvers were designed to fire a full power round and are as simple and easy to use as they are reliable.
Before she swaps to a .380 have her go check out a SIG P365 (standard, NOT XL) with the flush 10 round magazine in either standard or the SAS version. If she likes it, then use the Critical Defense Light ammunition and she'll have a very compact, very accurate, easy to shoot pistol that pretty much doesn't compromise anything.
Women and gun choices.
If you can get her to choose a caliber allready in use it's a win.
I suggest you get her in contact with one of the many legitimate women's groups out there.
Thier thoughts are different about ccw than yours. I suggest going to a shop with a large rental / try selection and let her have at it.
My wife doesn't like .380 due to small size, good for me.
If that were her preference that is what she would have.
My wife now has her DE rocker in pistol and working on rifle with her womans group.
Ccw anything from a 9mm in a purse to a 45 slim in a flash bang.
Let them have what they want as long as serviceable. Let them shoot without you often.
Buy them the best eye and earpro you can find..
Confidence is everything.
Divawow.org
If you can get her to choose a caliber allready in use it's a win.
I suggest you get her in contact with one of the many legitimate women's groups out there.
Thier thoughts are different about ccw than yours. I suggest going to a shop with a large rental / try selection and let her have at it.
My wife doesn't like .380 due to small size, good for me.
If that were her preference that is what she would have.
My wife now has her DE rocker in pistol and working on rifle with her womans group.
Ccw anything from a 9mm in a purse to a 45 slim in a flash bang.
Let them have what they want as long as serviceable. Let them shoot without you often.
Buy them the best eye and earpro you can find..
Confidence is everything.
Divawow.org
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Yep, too big to carry, meaning it’s bulky for her attire, like the j-frame was. I’ve made about a dozen holsters for it and she bought three. The woman has more holsters than me and I’ve worn a pistol for around 20 years.
She needs a skinny light piece of shit gun to fit into her waist band which would hopefully kill a man in the event that it hits target. She’ll shoot it once in order to see how it works and then allow it to fill up w lint until it occurs to me that I should clean and lube it.
Yep a revolver is a great choice along w a ps90 sbr on a sling, but mine don’t care.
Anybody know a similar choice to the kahr that is not so awful to operate and that is not a 1911 clone? It seems that the shield ez is bigger than the shield, so I will avoid that one.
She needs a skinny light piece of shit gun to fit into her waist band which would hopefully kill a man in the event that it hits target. She’ll shoot it once in order to see how it works and then allow it to fill up w lint until it occurs to me that I should clean and lube it.
Yep a revolver is a great choice along w a ps90 sbr on a sling, but mine don’t care.
Anybody know a similar choice to the kahr that is not so awful to operate and that is not a 1911 clone? It seems that the shield ez is bigger than the shield, so I will avoid that one.
+1
A .38 revolver with the "right" loads might also be a viable option. IMO, "hammerless" revolvers for women might be a good fit. Especially for women who do not put in a large amount of range time to build muscle memory and skills under stressful situations. Plus many women might not have simply grown up shooting like many of us.
No saftey to get mucked up, no slide manipulation, clearing malfunctions, ect.
Point, aim, pull trigger.
My 2 cents (or less).
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This or a 437 or 642 loaded with These. She will not be under gunned.Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolvers have had your back since 1950. These small revolvers were designed to fire a full power round and are as simple and easy to use as they are reliable. Available in various calibers and with three diverse hammer designs, it is no surprise that the Smith & Wesson J-Frame has become the most popular, small-frame, defense revolver on the market.
The Model 637 is a variation of the Model 37 Chiefs Special Airweight® that integrates the time-tested features of the original with modern advancements. This ultra-light revolver is a favorite back-up and concealed carry firearm.
ARCHIVE: Model 637 Revolver - Pink Grips | Smith & Wesson
No longer in current production, content is subject to change and is provided here for reference purposes only.Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolvers have had your back since 1950. These small revolvers were designed to fire a full power round and are as simple and easy to use as they are reliable.
My wife had a choice if any handgun she wanted after my pick for her was a loser.
Needless to say that I was shocked when she picked a Beretta model 92A.
She uses a 101 as well
It's pretty hard to beat a 38 with hard cast bo e chrushing bullets
Needless to say that I was shocked when she picked a Beretta model 92A.
She uses a 101 as well
It's pretty hard to beat a 38 with hard cast bo e chrushing bullets
diamond db9 might be something worth looking at
G42 is smaller than a shield (380)
Sig 938
Xds 9
Ruger lc9s pro
And I’m missing a few others
My wife loves her Sig P365 and she has very small hands.
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I've got the Glock 42. I'm probably not the biggest proponent of .380's, but I doubt this thing will ever get sold. Of course I use the extended grip mags too. That said, as far as size, and if she would want to step up to a 9mm, I've 2 Sig 365's (and an XL too). And there really isn't a lot of size difference in the G42 and the 365. They feel pretty much the same in my hand. And, you get a few more rounds in the 365. Again, if she wants the extra kick.
Sig P328 is what my petite Wife settled on. Same manual of arms as the Colt 1911 she loved when she was young enough to handle it. Her second choice is a Browning 1911 .380.
VooDoo
VooDoo
Take her to a gun shop/Shooting range and have her handle a Walther PPK in .380 Sure it's a 70+ old design but they work. No matter what she buys, if its to be a Semi-Auto that she can manipulate the slide and it's comfortable in her hands to shoot. Personally I'd recommend a .38 revolver like a S&W chief special model 36 or a Hammerless 640 there nothing to snag in her purse or hard to manipulate: just point and squeeze the trigger. My wife carries a Model 13 .357 Mag for it's simplicity and reliability.
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Another small option to consider if you want to stick to the .380 caliber is the Springfield 911. Pretty small and they are going for cheap (relatively) these days. I got mine for $299 on thanksgiving. Haven't shot it yet though to see how it works.
Other than that the Glock 42 (.380) and SIG P365 are excellent choices.
Other than that the Glock 42 (.380) and SIG P365 are excellent choices.
My wife used to have a 380 Walther PPK, and it was a great little gun...fit her hands perfectly. She wanted to try others out so she got a Kahr 9mm (horrible fucking pistols IMO— worse triggers ever!), and after that has settled on the M&P Shield 9mm for the last few years. She’s a tiny woman with not the best grip strength, and she struggles at times with racking the slide... but other than that she loves her Shield! However, I’m probably gonna buy a 38 snub nose revolver, slap some CT laser grips on it and let her try it out. At least with that she wouldn’t have to worry about racking slides, thumbing safeties, etc. Just pull the trigger when the laser dot is on whatever you want to put a bullet into.
380s tend to have a fixed barrel so end up with more recoil than a small 9mm with a browning type tilting barrel. My wife shoots my little Walther PPS better than anything. Its an easy pistol to carry.
My friends Mom lives in S.Africa still. She shot an intruder in the head point blank with her Bersa Thunder 380. He dropped but to everyones surprise got back up 30 seconds later. Bullet had bounced off his skull and just knocked him out. Go figure.
My friends Mom lives in S.Africa still. She shot an intruder in the head point blank with her Bersa Thunder 380. He dropped but to everyones surprise got back up 30 seconds later. Bullet had bounced off his skull and just knocked him out. Go figure.
Talk about worst trigger ever...I have a S&W 442. Crimson Trace grips. Horrible trigger, the first time my adult daughter shot it I didn't think she was going to get the trigger pulled! No, nothing wrong with it, it's just that the hammerless DAO has a helluva pull if you aren't used to it. If you check out the small 38 snubnose's be sure you can dry fire it a few times, "before you pull the trigger" on one! Hard to keep the red dot on target when you're concentrating on just getting the trigger pulled.
i kinda skipped to the end here, but has she tried a glock 43x. i haven't handled the shield, but the g 43x is a nice thin (single stack) package that still holds 10+1. i've been appendix-carrying it (tulster aiwb holster) and unbelievably i forget it's there most of the time vs the g26/33 & g19/23/32 i've carried. the stock trigger leaves a lot to be desired like all glocks but i just dropped in the taran tactical gm springs and connector and it made a nice difference.
The recently discontinued Keltec P11 gives 12+1 (Keltec changed the follower design that limited it to 10 rounds during the ban.) I've been carrying one for about a year.
There are several similar pistols from everyone from Ruger to Springfield.
ETA: These are all small frame 9mm's.
There are several similar pistols from everyone from Ruger to Springfield.
ETA: These are all small frame 9mm's.
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My personal experience with .380 small pistols:
I guess my $0.02 is the Sig P380 is the best combination of tiny/reliable/comfortable.
The LCP (I think it was LCP - it was >tiny<) was smallest and lightest but the only gun I ever shot that I hated worse was an under-5-pound single-shot break-action 12-gauge I shot once when I was a teenager... I saw stars. No stars with the Ruger but my palm felt like I had grabbed a belt sander.
- S&W Bodyguard: 20% failure to fire rate. LGS sent it back for repair. The "fix" gave me a 10% FTF rate. It had the typical small-pistol bite to fire. But mainly it was a POS that wouldn't fire reliably.
- Kahr of some sort: jammo-matic, at least the one I fired.
- Walther PPK: my father and a friend both had one. Neither ran reliably with a variety of ammo. If a semi-auto won't run with ball ammo, it won't run with anything in my experience.
- Ruger LCP (or whatever the smallest one is): I shot one. Two rounds. Enough. Jeez that thing was miserable to shoot, both in terms of the utterly awful trigger and the painful recoil. Hey, it's small and light. But whoinell would want to practice with it...!?!?
- Sig P380 / Colt Mustang: I carried one of these (Sig) for a few years. Comfortable to shoot, reliable, accurate for its size. Just have to remember to thumb off the safety.
- Glock 42: Comfortable to shoot, reliable, ok accuracy.
- And the winner is (e.g., after 24 years of concealed carry, this is what I carry now): Glock 43 9mm. Slightly bigger than the 42, a little bigger than the P380. Very comfortable to shoot for a small 9mm pistol, stone-cold-Glock-reliable, accurate enough.
I guess my $0.02 is the Sig P380 is the best combination of tiny/reliable/comfortable.
The LCP (I think it was LCP - it was >tiny<) was smallest and lightest but the only gun I ever shot that I hated worse was an under-5-pound single-shot break-action 12-gauge I shot once when I was a teenager... I saw stars. No stars with the Ruger but my palm felt like I had grabbed a belt sander.
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I have a hard time not printing with a G19 because I am so skinny. I find myself grabbing my wifes G42 because I can carry it in a tshirt and don't have to worry about printing. I tend to forget I have the 42 on me a lot of times.
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