[gold cup abuser]

well this is a recap of what I went through when my wife decided to get a LTCF and her first firearm.

I wanted something with 'stopping power' and it just HAD to be an autoloader.

She needed something that was conceable.

So I got her a Glock 27 in 40 s&w it is the IN caliber with all the gun scribes afterall...lol

I also got a 22 conversion kit for the Glock from Advantage Arms and proceded to teach her how to shoot using the 22 conversion first.

And with the 22 conversion kit I got her acclimated and on paper fairly fast.

Then we went to the 40.........and thats when the train went OFF the tracks for her.

She could load ONE mag in 40 and after that she had NO grip strength to load a second magazine with the slide locked as the slide stop was too strong for her fingers. Even with the slide down, she could NOT rack the slide back for a reload.

Back to the drawing board............

We went to Cabellas and I had her go over all of the revolvers there and she saw and WANTED a Smith 642 with the Crimson Trace grips.

That is now her primary and ONLY weapon.

She can shoot it and reload it with few problems and with the way she dresses it conceals well. Now its either in her purse in a desantis pocket holster on in her jeans pocket in same holster.

It is not a comfortable weapon to shoot, but it is more managable for HER than the Glock 27.

Now she can handle and shoot and reload my Browning Hi Power, but for her small frame that is just too bulky for her to carry concealed.

This has to be a 'custom fit' operation.

What some ballistics snobs say wil or will not work may have some credence, its training, training and MORE training that will overcome any inherent flaws in calibler choice.....

From my somewhat limited memory what inspired the founder of Second Chance Body Armor to create this product was from a shoot out he was in as a pizza deliveryman.

He successfully defended himself with a 22 revolver, an RG I belive. The gun was cheap and the ammo definely marginal, but his constant training and SHOOTING with that revolver is what saved his life when the SHTF.....just a random point to ponder....lol

The best solution to this issue is to go to a gun range that rents weapons and give them a try and see what works for your wife. This is a very personal and custom issue and the best way to resolve it is by sampling and shooting.

Good Luck in what you select and may you or your wife NEVER have to use what you are selecting.