Bought my mom a revolver today after being threatened.

[mjd932]

She called me this morning and told me about this guy threatening her at a counseling session. She's finishing up her master's degree in counseling and is working with addicts. She wasn't too disturbed by it since there were lots of people around but she did have to call 911. I am FAR from OK with this. After I got off the phone I went to Sportsman's Supply and bought her a used S&W 360PD revolver in .357 magnum, 2" barrel. LINK The thing is in pristine shape and I fired it before I bought it to check on the recoil (not bad at all). I paid $500 for it and got a box of WWB .38 special for free. What do you guys think? I don't know too much about revolvers but I wanted something that was reliable and didn't want to worry about her trying to pull a slide back on an auto.

[crawl0985]

Does she know much about handguns? I'd make sure she is comfortable/confident in using the gun at the range before it leaves the house with her. You sound like a good son to me!

[TonyF]

I think your choice of firearm is OK as is your intention. But I wouldn't press her to carry it if it makes her uncomfortable.

Advise her to get some training if she is willing to carry it.

[mjd932]

She won't be carrying it since firearms are not allowed where she works. This will be for HD and possibly CC in the future if she begins her own practice. Did I get it for a decent price?

[G21.45]

When I bought my wife her first carry piece I, also, chose a revolver. (For the same reasons you did) I decided to get her a 357 magnum with a 3” barrel and a large Hogue Monogrip. My thinking was that, if there were recoil issues, the 357 could always be loaded down to 38 special; and, the slightly longer barrel and superior grip would allow her to practice more easily and, hopefully, to shoot straighter - too.

The next thing I did was to run her through the NRA’s ‘Home Firearm Safety’ and, ‘Personal Protection’ courses. I’ve got her to the point, now, where she is very muzzle conscious and can repeat Cooper’s 4 rules from memory. At the present time she shoots 50 to 100 rounds a week with me and is doing better than I expected!

I really do believe a revolver is the better way to go for a woman who doesn’t spend a lot of time on the firing range; however, my wife’s experiences at the gun range have caused me to rethink things, somewhat:

So far, I’ve noticed that it’s harder for her to hit COT/COM while using double action revolver fire than it is for her to take one of my semi-autos and punch out the center of a target. The trade-off is that there’s more for her to remember in order to be safe and effective with the semi-auto. I’ve concluded that if you’re going to give a woman a gun, then, you’re also going to have to take her to the range with you and teach her how to properly use it.

With women, maintaining the proper grip and hand-strength seem to be critical issues. We, all, tend to stress sight picture; but, the older I get the more I’m convinced that everything about shooting a handgun actually starts with the proper grip. (Or more correctly, the maintenance of a proper grip during the entire firing cycle.)

Good luck to your mom! I hope she’s able to get in some good training.





PS: Get her some snap caps for that new revolver, too; it will make your practice sessions soo ... much easier!

[aubie515]

That is a good thing to do for family. A 2" 357 mag might be a bit much...38spl should be alright. You probably should have convinced her to go to the range with you, so she could try out various firearms and calibers...to see which pistol and caliber she felt comfortable using.

Have you thought about Fox Labs pepper spray? She should be able to carry that to work with her. I am going to buy some for my wife. A friend of mine suggested Fox Labs, so look into it.

[TRB]

Please encourage your mom to seek compentent training. The NRA Basic Course is a great place to start. If she is an experienced shooter ask her to consider a higher level of training. The pistol you purchased for her is a good one, but it is only a tool. She needs to know how to handle it properly.

[Possum]

If you bought the gun, they checked your background, not your mom's. Isn't there something you have to do to "give" it to her, just as you would if you were going to sell it to someone?

I ask because I have an old revolver that I don't shoot anymore, and I'm thinking of giving it to a friend who is getting interested in shooting.

Thanks!

[danp]

Originally Posted by Possum

If you bought the gun, they checked your background, not your mom's. Isn't there something you have to do to "give" it to her, just as you would if you were going to sell it to someone?

I ask because I have an old revolver that I don't shoot anymore, and I'm thinking of giving it to a friend who is getting interested in shooting.

Thanks!

Transferring handguns between family is very different than transferring between non-family. To transfer a handgun to another non-family member in PA requires the transfer to go through an FFL.

You and your friend go to the local FFL, fill out the forms, pay the fee.

[mjd932]

Originally Posted by danp

Transferring handguns between family is very different than transferring between non-family. To transfer a handgun to another non-family member in PA requires the transfer to go through an FFL.

You and your friend go to the local FFL, fill out the forms, pay the fee.

Exactly right. The only caveat is if my mom wanted to carry the pistol concealed she would have to get it put into her name.