# Carry pistol for wife?



## Robert A. Langager

Been mulling it over for a while and the wife was not too appalled when I suggested that we both get our CCW. That was a few weeks ago.

So last night we are sitting watching TV and she turns and says "So, when are we going to get MY new gun? It has to be mine, you can't buy one that you want and try to tell me that it is for me." Is this my wife talking? Well, I better get on it fast before she forgets...............She must be nesting as child number one in due in 3 weeks.

It should be smaller, for a backpack or purse, and should be a reasonable caliber. She has shot some handguns before, but not alot. She really likes my S&W model 29, but that is too rediculous. She has shot my Browning Hi-Power, but didn't really get a feel for it.

I am leaning towards something in the lines of a Walther PP, PPK, etc. I really like the Sig 232 as well. I haven't really given revolvers much thought, although I should.

We will have to got to the shop and try some on for size. But I figured I'd run it past the experts.

Bring it on.

Robert


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## Burly1

Robert, This is the revolver my wife has. http://www.taurususa.com/products/produ ... y=Revolver Hers is a little different, in that it is the IB model with the bobbed hammer, which is no longer catalogued. But there are still quite a few new ones available from different dealers. The 9mm is much more manageable than even the .38 spl. A very good self defense load of 134 grain hydroshocks are available for the 9mm. This gun uses full moon clips which make reloads quick and easy. I considered and even purchased a small auto for her but her hands are too weak to cycle the slide without a great deal of effort. The revolver is light, compact and packs a very serious punch without being punishing for the shooter. If you have any interest, shoot me a pm and I'll give you the info on a dealer who may have one in stock. Burl


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## Gohon

The little KelTec 380 may be worth looking at. Small, very light, and most of all can be safely carried with a round in the chamber without worry of a accidental discharge and plus there is no safety or slide worries in a panic situation. Just point and squeeze the trigger. Personally I don't consider the 380 as weak of a caliber some seem to think it is.


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## Remington 7400

I'm with Burl on this one. Just makes sense to start women on revolvers, most the women I know like to keep it plain and simple. Too many bells and whistles and they loose interenst. Nothing is simplier and more reliable than a good wheel gun. Just because we like to debate manual safety vs. Decock only, vs. DAO, vs. single action desent mean the wife will. Keep that in mind.

Most women understand the Double Action revolver concept. Very few want to rack the slide, decock, return to safe, holster. Believe me, cocked and locked is a hard concept to explain to a woman too, but not nearly as hard as trying to explain the half cock notch on a 1911, I carry quite a bit in half cock with my safe off, and while we all know this is safe, it does go against all the preaching about safe on untill ready to shoot.

My buddy's wife once saw him holster a 1911 safe off after half cocking it. She then decide that she was going to carry her S&W CS9 Chiefs Special with a round in the chamber and the Safe off! Luckily she didn't shoot herself or anyone else. Needless to say he replaced her sidearm with a S&W Bodyguard in .38 Spcl the very next day.


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## Robert A. Langager

Gohon,
You are thinking like me. I have looked at and played with the KelTec. It is pretty sweet. I may get one for myself.

I may get lambasted for this, but I am not to concerned about the smaller chamberings either. I guess if 9mms are for sissys (is that how that goes?) then I am a sissy and proud of it. I just try to compensate with my .44 mag.

I do agree about the ease of operation and simplicity of wheel guns. I was showing the wife a few at GunsAmerica and she said a revolver would be fine. She like the fact that they were "old-fashioned". What can I do but just smile, but shudder inside. At least she didn't say they were "cute"!

Ultimately, I will leave the final decision to the wife, so she can really feel that it is her gun. I just want to have a good line-up of "pre-approved" offerings.

Robert


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## MRN

I have a small wife who likes to shoot handguns when the mood stikes here. For her its a learning/understanding/knowing kind of thing.

From her experience, I'd stay away from some of those choices (as I have most of these models).

The Sig 232 is blow-back and not fun to shoot. Its jarring and harsh. 
The newer US made PPK's are for crap in feed reliability. The older steel european models PPK and PP (larger) are good, but heavy and expensive.

Wheel guns are a good choice. Any of the hammerless .38's is fine, and they are reliable and won't plug-up with lint. Stay away from the 9mm wheels and moon clips and all that.

Several of the modern self-decocking autos are great choices too (stay away from anything with a safety or decocker or such). The Glock 19 is very popular for a reason. Any of the Kahrs are great (but expensive). My wife loved the feel of the Sig 225, but it has a decocker. I am sure the Sig 239 would be great - if you can get it in the self-decocking DAK model (if they even make it). One of the better female instructors, Vicki Farnam, used to carry this.

I'd suggest spending less on the arm (e.g., .38 bodyguard) but spend more on the carry system (purse or on body??). Heck, I'd spend $150 on the gun, but $250 finding the best way to carry it properly. Then I'd spend $500 on getting good training.

Good luck,
M.


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## Alaskan Brown Bear Killer

Check out some of these:
http://www.taurususa.com/whatsnew/revolvers.cfm
:sniper:


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## Whelen35

Most cary guns are just that crried a lot and shot a little. This is not a bad thing, but just the way it is. With that said, a wheel gun to me makes is a more logical choice. This also stands for the home protection gun. Semi-automatic guns can and do fail when the springs in clips are not maintained well. It is too easy to not chage them out, and in a stress situation, it may be forgotten to cycle the action to chamber the gun, or if there is one in the chamber, depending on the gun, cock the gun. A wheel gun is still loaded cylinders pull trigger=bang. No clips that fail to feed, a de-cocker left on, forgot to chamber a bullet type of thing. A snubby 38, or a 357 (added weight for 38's) will work just fine. Most people will be off and running just at the sight of the gun if you ever had to use it. And, if youi did have to shoot, make shure the target can't talk about it latter. Don't shoot once and see what the results are, shoot to end the conflict. You will hae lots of red tape to wade through either way, but if you the only one still able to stand, it would seem to me that there would be a bit less. Good luck.


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## Gun Owner

I'll chime in again for the lil KelTec. My bro has one and loves it.

DO NOT consider the Beretta Tomcat. I got one for my wife, and after jamming 20-25 times trying to run about 100 rds through it, the frame broke. Beretta replaced the gun free of charge, but my faith in the gun was lost and I quickly parted ways with it. I later found out frame breakage was very common with these pistols, and they had such a bad reputation for jamming that certain law enforcement agencies forbid their use as a backup gun.

I'd look for a wheelgun myself, and Taurus has some of the nicest CC pistols around. I personally carry a 7 shot hammerless .357. But if your wife is like mine and wants an automatic, look at the KelTec. Another good, but hard to find gun is the CZ50. Very nice compact pistol in .32 caliber. I'm on the lookout for one right now for my wife. The KelTec will be my backup choice if I cant find one soon.


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## Remington 7400

*MRN wrote:*


> Wheel guns are a good choice. Any of the hammerless .38's is fine, and they are reliable and won't plug-up with lint. Stay away from the 9mm wheels and moon clips and all that.


I'm courious as to why you feel a hammerless revolver is a better choice than the BodyGurad configuration?

With the bodyguard you have a shrouded hammer, the ease of a double action trigger pull, and the accuracy of a single action trigger pull. Best of both worlds!


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## MRN

When I was refering to hammerless my intention was to included fully shrouded and partially shrouded hammers (I don't think any revolver is truely hammerless like an auto striker).

I prefer fully enclosed hammers for PD because:
- cleaner, lint & coin-free, action
- there is no reason to use single action in PD.

From my perspective SA is fine for games, but full time DA is for work. We could discuss that in another thread.

M.


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## gooseboy

Hammers can also get caught onto clothing i would get your wife a hammerless one but i dont think it will make a huge difference. Here are a list i think youll like.

She'll like this not badly priced bling bling gun
http://www.taurususa.com/products/produ ... y=Revolver

http://www.berettausa.com/product/produ ... s_main.htm
http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod- ... 1-uc.shtml
http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod- ... 1-mc.shtml
http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod- ... pact.shtml
http://www.kel-tec.com/prod02.htm
http://www.kel-tec.com/p3at_pistol.htm
http://www.kel-tec.com/prod01.htm
http://www.amderringer.com/lms.html
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/ ... sFirearm=Y
http://www.amderringer.com/m1.html
http://www.waltheramerica.com/firearms/p99c.cfm
http://www.waltheramerica.com/firearms/ppks.cfm
http://www.glock.com/g29.htm
http://www.taurususa.com/products/produ ... y=Revolver
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/ ... sFirearm=Y

AND HERES AN ARTICLE THAT WAS IN MY MAGAZINE
http://www.taurususa.com/newsreviews/CHMay03_000.cfm

GOOD LIST

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/ ... gory=15708


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## Remington 7400

*MRN wrote:*



> When I was refering to hammerless my intention was to included fully shrouded and partially shrouded hammers (I don't think any revolver is truely hammerless like an auto striker).
> 
> I prefer fully enclosed hammers for PD because:
> - cleaner, lint & coin-free, action
> - there is no reason to use single action in PD.
> 
> From my perspective SA is fine for games, but full time DA is for work. We could discuss that in another thread.
> 
> M.


Understood, but in my opinion revolvers such as the S&W Centennial are more or less hammerless. I agree in a true PD secenerio I would want DA, but I find myself shooting SA alot too, exepecially for pesky things such as rattlesnakes and copperheads.

My vote for small revolver, S&W Bodyguard.

:sniper:


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## fireman299

I just took the wife for a new gun and she picked the GLOCK 26 9mm. I talked her into the GLOCK 19 for the 5 more rounds, more to hold on to. plus it has a light rail. we went and shot and it was accurate as hell. GREAT PICK. :beer:

:sniper: :******:


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## DecoyDummy

My wife ... Queenie ... has a S&W Model 640 "J-frame" 38 special ... hammerless and easily concealable for about anyone.

It's only a five shot, but I figure if it takes you more than five shots to "equalize the situation" your in deep doo doo anyway you want to slice it.

I like the revolver thing because they can be expected to work flawlessly in most any situation ... I use a S&W model 624, so or us, both guns function the same and if she ends up with the .44 in her hands, it will "work" just like her 38 special, but with a little more "fire power."

Oh did I mention the four day "defensive hand gun course" at "Front Sight" in April.


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## blackace

well I took my girlfriend shooting once and she fell in love with a springfield 1911 .45

she is not fat but a bigger built than alot of girls, shes a swimmer so the upper body is there and can handle the recoil!


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## Longshot

When my wife and I were living in Phoenix, checking out a gun show, she made the comment that she wanted her own handgun. I told her to look around and pick up as many as she wanted to get a feel for what she liked. She bought a Walther PPK in 380. Took her out to shoot and she did well. A few months later I returned a laser sight for my Glock and traded it in for a Taurus 5 shot revolver in 357/38. She ended up shooting this one much better and in fact I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't long before she shot nothing but the Taurus because of her abilities with it and the ease of use. If you have a place for your wife to try a few models I would take advantage of it.


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