Double duty 9mm?

[SauerGrapes]

Here is my dilema guys and please all gals. Maybe the ladies will show up you guys. I know this has had variations discussed. I want to get a 9mm or .380 auto compact for my wife.
She is a little recoil sensitive. I want to rule out DAO guns. I don't want something real small or too light, and not full size. It will be for range shooting and her own gun for Home defense. Until I find the right gun she is going to shoot my Colt.22 auto. She has only shot twice. I had her shoot 2 guns. Beretta 3032 Tomcat and S&W 12-2 airwieght .38spl. The Tomcat is no good for range, and the revolver was too snappy in her hand.
She thinks my Sig P250 is too big. Women! Next thing will be pink with purple accents. I am tryinng to kill two birds with one stone. I also figure I can carry it if I feel the need. OK 3 birds. I want her to have fun and not get beat to death. Auto seems to be the way to go for recoil. I am going to run her and myself through the NRA program. Don't want to spend more than 500.00 out the door. I asked this question because I figure some one is shooting exactly what I am looking for.
I won't have to figure this out if one of you will take her off my hands.....lol.

[pred]

Beretta 92 and a .22 cal conversion.
Not for carry, but will perform well.
train with 22. Use 9mm for duty.
OR Kahr MK9, all steel 9mm and not too bad on recoil.
Peter

[S&W 10mm]

You will be spending more money than $500 by doing it your way, hate to break it to you. Men arent picky women are in general. Better put is women have more and different needs then men. Your way would be to get a few opinions on a few guns that look like her and pick one up. Well I do not see the harm in asking for some guns for the ladies but do not just go to the store and buy one and bring it home. Let her be apart of the decision and DAMN sure let her feel them before you buy! Like you said she has limited experience with them and you need to let her feel em and maybe shoot a few by renting. Anyhow in general you'll want a heavier gun to dissipate recoil greatly, nice grips will reduce felt recoil as well. I would stay away from a .380 there a lot smaller gun and they're more expensive to shoot. They're also snappy, Problem is you sacrafice weight for recoil and recoil for weight/size. You said she wont carry it rarely if at all, so go heavy, dont rule out .38's too. You could pick up a smith L or K frame or something of that nature Ruger SP-101 is another example for a little cheaper money. Like I said just let her choose and you'll turn out good.

[Shawn.L]

Kahr is a good choice

so is the G19, medium size, slide racks easy, 9mm, "high"-cap, blah blah blah GLOCK stuff

bottom line is she needs to get out and try diffent guns and get some experiance so she can make a decision. A decision you make for her based on second and third hand info you have gleaned from the internet is not gonna cut it in the long run. Although we can prob give you some good places to start.

find a range that rents guns.
make it to a group shoot.

[SauerGrapes]

I would never just buy her a gun and bring it home. Might as well just buy what I like.....lol

[S&W 10mm]

I would never just buy her a gun and bring it home. Might as well just buy what I like.....lol

Well im glad to know you dont have a death wish lol

[JDePietro]

Just thought I would point somethings out for your general enlightenment.

Any sidearm you pick out will end up being one based on your preferences and will most likely suit you more so than her.

She will want to shoot, carry, and take care of any sidearm if she picks it out herself much more so than if you pick one for her. I would place a bet that 6 months after you buy her a gun it will most likely end up with you.

Most of the fun of getting into shooting is just picking out the sidearm you feel best suits you. Why take that away?

I went through this just a little while ago. First I took her to the range and we shot some stuff and to be honest she really wasn't that into it. Then I got onto the self defense podium and preached until I was blue in the face. Still she didn't seem that interested. So then I went out and bought a snubby and we went shooting and she liked how easy it was to operate but did not like the kick and flash and boom. So it sat in her night stand and she did not care to shoot it or clean it or buy ammo.

So I dropped the whole subject, I gave up.

Three months after I gave up she asked to come to the gunshop with me. I asked why since this was quite unusual for her. She stated that while I was at work (3rd shift) she heard a crash. She woke up and looked at the revolver and instead grabbed my 1911. Mind you she has shot it and does know how to operate it but never expressed any interest in it. Naturally I asked why and in her own words she said.

"It has a light on it, it can fire 8 shots and its much faster to reload, also it has sights on it, I just thought that if someone was going to attack me it would be better. "

Now I don't care to argue semantics or if the 1911 is better than a snubby, because none of that matters. She chose all by herself that night the tool she thought would help her get through a possible confrontation. Luckily for both of us it was just the cat knocking over my gun cleaning supplies (damn cat) but it got her thinking.

We drove to the gunshop that day and she played with all kinds of guns. She found herself caught between a Sig 226 and a M&P9c. After a lot of thought and a lot of discussion about what she wanted she choose the M&P. As a reward I bought her a Crossbreed Quick clip.

She wants to go buy ammo and cleaning brushes and once she learned its controls well enough she is going to take the first call she can up at Topton.

So I guess in short what I'm trying to say is don't rush things. Let her warm up and want one before you shove one at her. Things will be much more favorable for both of you that way.

[normanvin]

Take her to a store. Let her handle a few. Then go to a range that rents. Let her shoot what she likes. this will narrow things down, and make your life a lot easier.

[ReconLdr]

Can anyone tell me if there is a place that rents handguns near the Lehigh Valley area? I would like to take my mom out so she can try a few guns to see which ones she likes...

[Mity2]

my suggestion is to take her to every local shop you have in your area. Let HER try out as much gun as she wants. and let HER pick one she wants.

Dont impose what you think she should have. Because thats not likely one she wants.

Women generaly will shoot without of much complaint if gun she is shooting is something she picked out.



With that being said:
something in 38sp would be great choice. But get one in good old steel ot stainless.
added weight will reduce felt recoil(not the 38sp have much recoil)

older DA/SA steel frame guns in 9mm are always great guns for girls.
My fiance picked out S&W3913 for herself, and was small enough to fit her hand, but large enough to soften recoil. being silver, looked good in her purse too(lets face it, that IS important aspect to girls!)

Its always best to let her talk to salesman, then you. Here is why.
She loved that 3913 until she shot my M&P9, which she claimed it is hers now, which is funny, because she hated the recoil - which is why she liked 3913 so much that it was very soft recoiling weapon. And eventho its mild recoil, lighter M&P9 is harder recoiling weapon 3913, but she don't mind that.
But interestingly she hate shooting my M&P9C(she says too small, but same size as 3913)
And She loves M&P9, but she hated XD9, G-17...

See girl shooter makes no sense. Best to take her to shop, leave her with sales man while you browse around..