Suppressors Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

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Bamf911

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Minuteman
Feb 13, 2010
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NC, Piedmont Area
#1
Been trying to get the old lady interested in shooting. I think she just might bite if I can find something that suits her smaller hands and has low recoil. Was thinking maybe a Glock 19 9mm or maybe a Glock 26. I would want it to be something decent she could carry once she got comfortable with it. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks
Henry
 
#4
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

Take her to a range that has rentals ..... do it over multiple sessions. One time rent 9mm's and have her shoot as many as she can. Most ranges will make you shoot their ammo so thats why I say multiple trips, but most ranges will let you swap out rental guns if you tell them what you are doing. Buy 50 rounds of range ammo, shoot 5 rounds thru 10 guns then go back and buy another box and shot it thru the favorite 2 guns. Then next week see if the fave two guns have a 40 option and shoot those, then try others. Then go to 45 the following week .... that way she has her choice and has hands on as to what SHE is comfortable with
 
#5
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

I started my wife on my Buckmark 22lr first to learn basic pistol marksmanship, then moved her to a Glock 19. She picked the Glock based on grip feel and trying one out first. She still loves the Glock, carries an XD sub-compact 9mm, and even rocks the steel range with my P14-45.

Crawl, walk, run...
 
#8
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

Glocks are kind of bricky and obtrusive, and 2" .38s recoil like a pack of firecrackers in the hand.

Look for a single stack 9mm for carry. The S&W 3913 is well underrated and usually quite a bargain.
 
#9
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

I agree. Let her shoot a 22LR autopistol for a while then expose her to as many different pistols and revolvers as possible. I'm training female friends these days with a suppressed Ruger 22/45.

My wife likes an airweight Smith about the best...a Centennial or Bodyguard. But every person is different.

One way or another, don't go for a cheapie. Get her quality from the start...S&W, Glock, Springfield Armory, Sig, etc. And I suggest going as simple as possilbe. No 1911s.

-David
Edgewood, NM
 
#10
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

+1 for the S&W J frame airweight in 38 special. Picked one up for the wife for christmas and she loves it. It also comes with pink and black grips so she can have the tactical pink handles if she prefers.
 
#11
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

I'm convinced the .22 has done more to convert shooters than anything else. One ex gf I had, hated handguns. I convinced her to go to the range and turned her loose with a Ruger MKII bull barrel. Gave her a couple hundred rounds of mini mag. When I checked on her a bit later she was into the third box of .22 (the ones that were for me to shoot) and looked at me with a big cheesy grin. A month later we got her a .40 S&W Sig 229

So my advice would be to start her with a .22
 
#12
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 300WSM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">get her a glock 19 with a .22 conversion. </div></div>

+1
 
#15
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

Get something SHE is comfortable with - DO NOT get something for her because you like it.

If she can get used to the grip on a Glock 19, that would be my first choice in terms of reliability, but if she cannot get used to that, then find something that feels good in her hand.

Make SURE that she can EASILY reach and operate ALL controls on the weapon.
 
#16
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

A nice heavy Ruger .22 target pistol is a great one to start with as it's easy to control, very accurate and has pretty much no recoil.

After that, the main thing I would suggest is that bigger/heavier = less recoil = more enjoyment. Most of the women that I have taken shooting have hated the little compact pistols and had a lot more fun with the full sized ones.
 
#17
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

I pretty much agree, 22 LR of some sort, let her get used to the fundamentals, its also obviously cheaper to shoot and the small amount of recoil that is produced wont cause her to flinch as much and will help her increase her confidence.Then move her on to something bigger i.e. 9mm or .38spl. when she is ready.
 
#18
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

I got my wife a Taurus 85 with a Crimson Laser Trace grip a few years back. The pistol has the exposed hammer for single or double action use. The recoil with the 38 special is minimal. She is usually done after a box of 50 but she does really well with the laser. I got the laser grip for her about a year after she had been shooting the iron sights alone so she at least has a grasp on the fundamentals, but now that the laser grip is on there she enjoys shooting even more. Good luck with your purchase, just don't rush her on it.
 
#19
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

Desert Eagle .50.


j/k. You know women, even if you do all the research and find the ideal item it won't be what they picked out. Test drive is the right call.
 
#23
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

I started my wife witha SIG 226 airsoft pistol just to see if she would have any fun shooting anything. It worked great cause we didn't even have to leave home for her to try it. Then took her to a gunshow and let her fondle every handgun in the place. She hates the feel and look of revolvers. She picked up a SIG 226 in 9mm and said this is what i want. Took her to an indoor range to shoot one and she's never changed her mind. So we went and got her a 226 of her own.

ETA: At the last Tulsa gunshow, she picked up a Ruger 22/45 and liked it, that one came home with her, and now she's stocking up on .22LR and 9mm(just in case).
 
#24
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: phi
deaux</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I started my wife witha SIG 226 airsoft pistol just to see if she would have any fun shooting anything. It worked great cause we didn't even have to leave home for her to try it. Then took her to a gunshow and let her fondle every handgun in the place. She hates the feel and look of revolvers. She picked up a SIG 226 in 9mm and said this is what i want. Took her to an indoor range to shoot one and she's never changed her mind. So we went and got her a 226 of her own.


ETA: At the last Tulsa gunshow, she picked up a Ruger 22/45 and liked it, that one came home with her, and now she's stocking up on .22LR and 9mm(just in case). </div></div>

I would say this may also be a good way to approach things. I see guys above recommending all sorts of little guns. The problem is, women want something that doesn't beat the hell out of them. So stick with larger guns until they develop more as shooters. Small guns typically require more skill to shoot accurately.
 
#25
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sled Dog</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Desert Eagle .50.


j/k. You know women, even if you do all the research and find the ideal item it won't be what they picked out. Test drive is the right call. </div></div>

Read this and LOL. Has to be the truth, whatever feels right in her hands chambered in the heaviest round she can shoot comfortably and your GTG.
 
#26
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfriend?

I have a Sig p229 in 357 sig that she has shot and did decent with but I think its a bit big for her hands. Less recoil like a 9mm or 22 I am sure would be more fun for here because she would be less intimidated by it. I talked to her about it and said the same thing lets go to the gun store put some in your hand and see what you like best. Thanks for all the responses.
 
#28
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfrien

Glock, 9mm. Decent stopping power low kick. I have gone to the range with about 20 or so women, and the vast majority(85%) preferred the nine to a .40, .45, and a .38. XD's are fancy, but Glocks are for life. My .02.
 
#29
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfrien

Every women i've ever gone shooting with (ages anywhere from 12-60's) has chosen a 1911 in 45 ACP over XD's and Glock's in assorted caibers. I personally love a Walther P22 for learning on. My favorite pistol is an XD40, and a 1911 in 45ACP is a close second. I will use either for carry but we allways take the P22 to the range just because it's so fun and allthough small, it feels really close to a fullsize gun. YMMV
 
#30
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfrien

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TerrorInTheShadows</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Every women i've ever gone shooting with (ages anywhere from 12-60's) has chosen a 1911 in 45 ACP over XD's and Glock's in assorted caibers. I personally love a Walther P22 for learning on. My favorite pistol is an XD40, and a 1911 in 45ACP is a close second. I will use either for carry but we allways take the P22 to the range just because it's so fun and allthough small, it feels really close to a fullsize gun. YMMV </div></div>

A close friend of mine (with quite small hands), just selected a Browning Hi-Power for herself.
 
#31
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfrien

+1 for the P22, a bad first experience due to extreme recoil or being overwhelmed by the pistol and your dream of a spotter in training are surely doomed.

OW
 
#32
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfrien

I started my girlfriend out with my Ruger 22/45. She has put quite a few rounds through it now and she's about ready to try out some 9mm's.
 
#33
Re: Whats a good starter handgun for the Girlfrien

+1 on starting with a 22. Once she's used to that, let her try several different guns. She won't know for sure what she likes until she shoots them. A few that might work for her are a Kahr or a singlestack S&W or Sig. A snub revolver I think is a bad idea for a new shooter. They are hard as hell to shoot accurately.
 
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