Pistol for my wife

[brin]

At home, I'd agree with you as far as an empty chamber...but when carrying, that split second it takes to rack the slide (assuming you even think to do it) could make the difference between the assailant stopped...or the good guy (girl) stopped.
Most (but not all) carry handguns have a pretty stout trigger pull...which is good. I would never lighten the trigger of a carry gun....too easy to fire when in a stress situation. Also, some trigger tweaking can make a gun less reliable (light strikes).

Just my humble opinion...

Agree 100% Roy...Leave the trigger alone...it serves as a quick saftey...

 

[jrkaye]

Quote Originally Posted by davrow View Post
I hate these threads.

There is only one answer. Take her where she can shoot every gun. Buy her the one she likes best.

Nothing else matters.

Spot ON

And now you got to the heart of the matter.:laughing: And you're exactly right.

You can buy the smallest or the biggest and baddest but if your wife doesn't practice and practice often it won't matter when the rubber meets the road. Proficiency and frame of mind are your 2 most capable weapons in a life and death situation. My first carry pistol was a lil mouser of a Bersa Thunder .380 but that pipsqueak was accurate and reliable. Being a Colt guy but also appreciating SIG I have a few of those from the Colt Detective Special to the SIG P239 in 9mm as well as some .45's (Colt GM Series 80, Colt LW Commander, etc.)

I practice as much as possible and have taken 4 self defense pistol courses over the years besides being a military Vet. Nothing makes up for instinctively drawing, pointing and hitting your intended target in a fluid motion and it takes time to be REALLY good.

Dependent on finances, don't skimp. Ask yourself what is my wife's life worth and you'll have your answer. Accurate and as close to 99.99999% reliable as you can get will get your the right firearm. Make sure your wife LIKES the weapon so shop around and test drive. If she doesn't like the recoil, no matter what she likes holding, it's a mute subject as she'll flinch and that spells a miss.

Best of luck in your venture and stay safe, be ever aware and may you nor your wife ever have to use the firearm other than practice.

Jeff

 

[Garandman]

I hope the OP gets something out of this thread.. These kind of threads tend to wander a bit. I have trained several hundred women to shoot handguns.

I prefer to instruct women as well. They actually listen....

 

[k0ua]

I prefer to instruct women as well. They actually listen....

Yes that has been my finding also.. The few men I have instructed, about half of them had attitude problems. Most women do not pretend to know things. A lot of guys do.

 

[dodge man]

My opinion is any semi auto should be carried with a round in the chamber. Its no more dangerous than a revolver. The key is to ALWAYS use a holster and if pocket carried, nothing else in the pocket.

 

[lakngulf]

We really appreciate the discussion and suggestions. A lot to think about, and fodder for a good plan.

 

[Garandman]

Yes that has been my finding also.. The few men I have instructed, about half of them had attitude problems. Most women do not pretend to know things. A lot of guys do.

My daughter went to camp and they put up the best boy versus the best girl. She said even the girls were betting on the boy instead of her - the first day. :laughing:

Even in the People's Republic of Massachusetts gun ownership is rising and women gun ownership is rising faster than men. There have been some very high-profile abductions, rapes, murders and home invasions in Boston and the last license test I went to there were four new female shooters. They all passed: 3 of the 9 guys failed.

 

[RSKY]

I am a firm believer in the KISS principle! Therefore if the weapon is going to be kept in the house, next to the bed or someplace like that I would suggest a revolver. I cannot hit anything except the broad side of a barn with a revolver. Don't know why, just can't. But if I wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of breaking glass I want something in my hand that takes no more thought than to get my finger on the trigger and pull it. I don't want something with a safety or a mag release that I could hit by accident while half asleep and scared stiff. I dont need to hit a target at 100 yards. I just need to hit something at no more than five yards and I need to get bullets in the target ASAP to stop the threat. I am thinking about my wife here and while she is fearless in situations that terrify me (have seen her get called on and stand in front of 500+ people and talk for ten minutes), other situations leave her frozen in fear. I want her to have a weapon that is the simplest to use. Therefore there is a 38 Special S&W with a lazer sight in the lockbox next to the bed.

On the other hand, if I am out and about I carry a Ruger 380. She has been known to carry it in a coat pocket also. She loves to shoot the little pistol and can hit better than me.

One friend of mine is a two tour Vietnam vet. Served a second tour to keep his twin brother out of the war. Was in some heavy stuff and messed up for years after he got home. I have heard the story several times about the last patrol he went on when he rounded the corner of a building and was face to face with some VC, pulled the trigger and didn't have one chambered, then dropped the mag. Said he stood there with his weapon staring at the VC who stood staring at him. Then they took off running as the rest of the patrol came around the building. The point is that in a life or death situation what can go wrong will go wrong so the simpler the equipment is, the better.

 

[jrkaye]

The point is that in a life or death situation what can go wrong will go wrong so the simpler the equipment is, the better.

Exactly right and maybe I rambled a tad. I have 3 revolvers loaded and ready to work within steps of the front, back and bedroom doors. I can, with 100% confidence, say the trigger gets pulled and a round is headed down the pipe. My wife is an excellent revolver marksman and can best me. She's a natural. Me, I had to work on open both eyes, breathing and all that stuff from the get go. Love my 1960 DS, it carries quite well and in the correct high rise and canted holster, I don't even know it's there.

I do like firepower, my Colt LW Commander (DOB around this time last year) is probably one of the best carry pistols I own and also RELIABLE. Fit and function have come a long way in the Colt manufacturing process. This pistol rocks and then some and never FTF/FTE and POA is, to me, as close to pointing a finger, as possible. We all have our favorites but this is your wife, she needs to be capable and prepared with the best you can afford. A lot of manufacturers claims fall short when the round stovepipes or a plastic part fails. As I said before, shop diligently, if you are not sure, take someone that is an expert or at least knows more than internet chatter.

 

[Bird]

I cannot hit anything except the broad side of a barn with a revolver.

I guess it depends on what you start with and are more experienced with. I can shoot a better score with my S&W Chief .38 (5 shot revolver with a 2" barrel for those who didn't know) than I can with my Sig Sauer P229DAK 9 mm. At first I thought maybe this semi-auto was not accurate, but I let 2 competition shooters try it and it's dead on.:laughing:

if I wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of breaking glass I want something in my hand that takes no more thought than to get my finger on the trigger and pull it.

That's all it takes with the Sig Sauer DAK models. They are always double action with no other safety, just like a revolver if you chamber one when you load it.