Guns for my female

[psusra112]

Well, my girlfriend asked me to take her to the range today so she could get a feel for my guns (She's never been within 5 feet of a non-police firearm, let alone touched one). Her hands were way too small for my M&P 9 with the small backstrap, but all the same she was hitting bullseyes at 7yds. Stupid me forgot the ammo box at home, so we shot through the 9mm from walmart and headed home.

She asked me if she could get her own pistol, and since I have nothing that will fit her hands, I wanna point her in the direction of a few to go fondle. Can anyone recommend a few pistols in either .380 or 9mm that won't kill her with recoil? She said the recoil from my M&P was about the most she's comfortable with (had my M&P45c which she could "tolerate if she had to SHTF" and my SP 101 .357mag which she "fired for the experience, but never again"). I'm thinking maybe a 9mm 1911, but there isn't much there that's affordable. We're trying to stay 500 and below on this.

I don't see her carrying in the immediate future, so this'll probably be a range/apartment gun for her.

Any advice?

[vapochilled]

Ruger SR9 or the SR9c
Very thin grip, perfect for smaller hands, reversible back strap.
and it shoots very well

[renegadephoenix]

Ruger LC9, Kahr CW9, Kahr P9, Sig P239 just to name a few

[mollymayhem82]

Let her shoot a 1911. I have two, and a Glock. The 1911s are comfortable to shoot for me. There's not much difference shooting .45 through a steel 1911, and 9mm in a soulless, ugly hunk of plastic like a Glock. 1911's look big, but the grips are actually pretty thin. Please don't get her a little 38 special snubnose revolver. Every gun store I've been in tries to sell me one. Why do they think all women want to shoot them?

The best thing to do is to let her decide what she wants.

[B2Luv2Hunt]

Let her shoot a 1911. I have two, and a Glock. The 1911s are comfortable to shoot for me. There's not much difference shooting .45 through a steel 1911, and 9mm in a soulless, ugly hunk of plastic like a Glock. 1911's look big, but the grips are actually pretty thin. Please don't get her a little 38 special snubnose revolver. Every gun store I've been in tries to sell me one. Why do they think all women want to shoot them?

The best thing to do is to let her decide what she wants.

My wife agrees with you. If we could afford another gun right now she would get a 1911. She does not feel much difference in shooting her M&Pc 9mm and my 1911.

[Grizz2720]

My Wife does not like autos! She can shoot my 1911 with out a problem as well as our 9mm. When she decided she wanted a gun it ended up a Lady Smith and Wesson revolver in 357 mag. She has since taken my S&W 357 K frame as hers also. Look at revolver and try one she may decided the wheel gun is the way to go.

[mauser]

I agree with Grizz2720, think about the possibility of a revolver unless there's some reason that one of you absolutely insists that it has to be a semi-auto.
There are a few small frame revolvers that might work well for her. The Lady Smith is small and with .38 Special loads the recoil should be very tolerable for her. Taurus Model 85 is a nice small revolver too but it's limited to .38 Special only,+P rated but still not .357.

[mollymayhem82]

Again with the revolvers. I wonder if this gun was going to be for a man, would the suggestions be the same.

[mauser]

Again with the revolvers. I wonder if this gun was going to be for a man, would the suggestions be the same.

Yes indeed. My hands aren't very big, short fingers. I really like my Taurus 85, Ruger Security sixes and S&W K frame. The small grips fit my hands quite well. The small grips can be brutal with .357 Magnum loads, (especially when you load your own ).
There are a few members here who like to shoot my reloads, but not too many in a row. .38 Special loads are great because you can shoot those all day without fatigue. I'll recommend a revolver to anyone, especially someone just starting out.

[spartakis252]

Again with the revolvers. I wonder if this gun was going to be for a man, would the suggestions be the same.

Im going to be taking my girlfriend gun shopping sometime soon, ill have to send her in on her own to see what the try to push her into. She kinda likes Glocks but the 17 is to big and the 26 is to small for her and I don't own a 19(yet) but that's the 1st thing she has in mind to 'try on'.

O and to contribute to the thread I would also recommend the Ruger SR9 or SR9c, my hands are on the medium-small size and I liked shooting them, but still bought a Glock(well 2 now). The only small issue I had with the SR9 was the billboard that pops out of the top that screams LOADED CHAMBER but that's just a personal preference gripe.