Ladies Compact Pistols

[jim]

I've fired the compact Glock in .45ACP and found the recoil sharp. My petite 100 lb. sister wants me to teach her to shoot and select the proper gun. While I'm sure a Lady Smith or compact 9MM will do the trick when loaded with premium ammunition, I was hoping for something more decisive if she needs to use it like a Glock in .40 cal. using the lightest loads.

Has anyone used one of these, and what are your suggestions

jim

[RangerRick]

That's a lot of gun for a 100 pounder to carry and conceal unless she is haulin a backpack around all day. Me, I'm 6'1" and 220 lbs so packin my 1911 works for me as it is in proportion to my body size. How about a nice little pocket pistol like maybe a Keltec or maybe a Colt Mustang in 380 as it'll kill ya just as dead at 15 feet?

;D

Rick

[jim]

That might be a good solution for her. Premium ammo like Corbons or the like would help too.

[wy0mn]

Borrow a KelTec before you buy one.
I bought one for my daughter, they are absolutely too light weight.
I have no trouble with the larger magnums, but that itty bitty thing was a beast. Neither my daughter nor myself enjoyed shooting it.
We traded it off within a week, it was giving her some bad shooting habits.

[High_Desert]

I have taught 5 people to shoot in the last couple of years. What I have found is that for non gun people, the revolver seems to be the better choice from a safety and proficiancy perspective.

My answer is not the only one, just what I have found out on my own.

Best Regards,
HD

[OzarksJohn]

Howdy.

Big bores are ok, but I tend to think them a bit overrated. Having a pistol is rule one and having one that you can shoot accurately is rule two. 9mm and .38 Special are far from nerf balls when loaded with relatively mundane ammo by today's standards. Generic label 115 grain hollowpoint 9mm and 158 grain Semiwadcutter and Semiwadcutter hollowpoint .38 special loads have proven effective in lots of real world scenarios. I'd not have any problem with a nice Smith&Wesson J frame 5 shot .38 Spec. for totin' myself. A 4" medium frame .38 special makes for a darned fine "woods" gun.OzarksJohn

[jim]

Thanks for the info. I always lean toward a .38 Spl. and premium ammo for the ladies too, and have taught a lot of folks to shoot. I've never had experience with the compact Glock in .40 and figured if she could handle it, then that might be a very good set up. In the basic intruder/breakin senario she would be most likely to face, I would have no qualms being armed with a Lady Smith or the like.

jim

[DM]

I have taught 5 people to shoot in the last couple of years. *What *I have found is that for non gun people, the revolver seems to be the better choice from a safety and proficiancy perspective.

My answer is not the only one, just what I have found out on my own.

Best Regards,
HD


I've found the exact same thing...

I do believe new shooters are safer with a revolver and seem to learn to shoot them better, faster...

DM

[BlackWidow]

Hi, I am new here and this is a subject near and dear to my heart being female and all. When I need deep concealment I carry a Kahr MK9 Elite in a belly band, it conceals well under my clothing / scrubs and it is easier to shoot than the plastic Kahr. It is quite flat. I sometimes carry the baby Glock in 9mm, it's harder to hide, I wear a vest or a loose shirt over it. Also look at the Springfield EMP. For the purse or pocket (or a BBQ gun) I like a little Colt revolver, mine has black pearl grips.

BlackWidow

[BlackWidow]

Another thought, why would you want her to have a .40 with light loads rather than a 9mm or .38 with +P loads. I usually carry with the Winchester Ranger 9mm +P.

BlackWidow

[Old_John]

My DSW Sharon has all 9mm's.
Her first was a FN Hi-Power, but it was too heavy for her to carry day in & out. Then she got a S&W 6906, DA/SA, 9mm. Better, but still a bother to carry all the time.
O,BTW, she's 5'1" & chubby.

Now, she has two Keltecs. First she bought a P-11.
Then they came out with the PF-9. She likes it a lot better. She has a pocket holster. The PF-9 with a full load of Golden Sabres is a nice pocket-full. So she never leaves it laying in the drawer.
She carries it.

[jim]

Blackwidow

I feel that pistol calibers that start with a .4 are better than medium or small calibres for stopping power. Medium's like the .38 and 9MM come close and are adequate for the task but I'd feel better if she were handling a .40 or higher.

Having just spoke with her, I find she likes the idea of a compact 9MM. Using premium ammo and accurate shot placement will do the job, and I'm not going to pressure her to get something she doesn't want. She's excited and a little nervous concerning this big step, and I want it to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

jim

[Sebastian_Haff]

Jim,

Have you looked at the Walther P-99AS in 40 caliber. Nice gun, my wife owns one. Some folks consider them a bit pricey but I think its worth a look.

[jim]

Hadn't checked them yet, thanks for the heads up. Her husband is in the bucks, so price really isn't an object for them. I'm going to take her to Cabela's and a few other places to see what she likes best.

jim

[BlackWidow]

Blackwidow

I feel that pistol calibers that start with a .4 are better than medium or small calibres for stopping power. Medium's like the .38 and 9MM come close and are adequate for the task but I'd feel better if she were handling a .40 or higher.

Having just spoke with her, I find she likes the idea of a compact 9MM. Using premium ammo and accurate shot placement will do the job, and I'm not going to pressure her to get something she doesn't want. She's excited and a little nervous concerning this big step, and I want it to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

jim

Jim,

If more husbands were like you I bet more wives would carry. A 9mm she will carry is better than anything that starts with a "4", that she won't carry. Besides 9mm is cheaper to practice with, I hope you both have fun picking out her gun and shooting it.

BlackWidow

[jim]

You are correct, and I won't press her to get more gun than she's comfortable with. More than likely it will be a .38 or 9MM, but I can always hope.

jim

[Uncle_Alvah]

I'm lucky to have a shop nearby that has an extensive line of rental guns available, thats a tremendous resource in helping someone choose a firearm wisely.

[jim]

There is an indoor range close to here that does have rentals and I've been considering that too.

jim

[George_Bruce]

I haven't shot one and I don't know much about them yet, but Ruger has a new SP 101 in .327 magnum, which is a new cartridge. They say it has the same energy as a .357 but much less recoil. It is a six shot, unlike the .357 version which is five. It seems like an interesting concept.

[jim]

Thanks, I'll look into it.
jim

[AARTY]

I would steer clear of a micro or baby glock in.40S&W. I have a hard time keeping a firm grip on all the Glocks except the short frame and my hands aren't that small. Of the females that I have taught to handle a handgun, only 2 have been comfortable with Glocks and neither liked the recoil impulse of the .40S&W. Surprisingly, all liked the 1911A1's both a 5" and Commander length and did very well accuracy and grouping wise. They only compact .45acp I personally have owned that was totally uncomfortable to fire was my AMT Back-up.
What is your sister planning to use this handgun for? HD or SD? if it is for HD I would suggest a 4" .38 like a S&W M10. Best of luck and congrats on bringing another shooter into the fold!