One for her

[mrjefe2u]

I am looking for ideas for a home defense revolver for the wife.

I have a SW 19 2 1/2" 357 and a SW 10HB 4" 38spcl+P.

She has small hands and I want her to be able to enjoy practice.

My thougths are a 38 spcl in:

SP101
J-Frame S&W
Colt Det spcl
Let her use my S&W 10 so I can buy another gun.

Your thoughts or suggestions?

 

[hittman]

home defense revolver for the wife.

Welcome to the forum.

That's a pretty personal choice. I'd certainly let HER decide. There's really no "bad" choice unless she doesn't like it, doesn't shoot it well and won't practice.

Don't forget to look at the Security / Service and Speed Six snubbies in your search. They're the same size as those K-Frame Smiths.

 

[mrjefe2u]

I forgot to mention that we are getting close to "60" and I would say we are non-enthusiasts. Our son is a ruger fan and he has the SP101 in the 3". I think she would have no trouble with the recoil.

That would let me buy a GP100 4" to shoot.

I doubt that I will do the CCW, but you never know. Things are getting stranger everyday. She and I grew up where you didn't lock the doors.

 

[G2]

I was going to say 3" SP-101. Every time I take out women to shoot they allways want to buy my 3" gun. I also let them shoot a S&W 60 2" (same same as the colt det. imo)
M-10 it's a bit on the big size for most woman. I have a 4", it doesn't get shot much.

and they say size doesn't matter. :roll:

 

[Glupy]

Regardless of your choice of revolvers, I suggest putting 38+Ps in it if a lady will shoot it. The recoil of the 357's put them off and they are less likely to practice with it.

Personally, I have found that ladies like the 4" Security Six more than the SP101 (as hittman suggsted). The GP's are too big and heavy for them. The Taurus 85's seem to be a favorite too. The 85BUL weighs only 17 oz.

I don't own an RCP so I can't comment.

Dave

 

[contender]

Welcome to the Forum!
My wonderful better half is one of the top female instructors for the NRA Women On Target clinics in the country, (according to the NRA.) That said we've been teaching ladies shooting for 9 years now and we get to see all kinds and present them with many options.
First,, the firearm must be comfortable in HER hands,, as fit & comfort are big factors. Grips can be swapped for a firearm to fit her in most cases.
Caliber; 357 is much more versitile than 38 spl only. Different ammo choices. Practice with 38 spl light loads for most practice,, but for SD,, load good quality 357 mag ammo. In a stressful SD situtation,, she'll never notice the recoil vs the fear of the threat.
Next,, recoil; A lighter firearm has more felt recoil vs a heavier firearm with the exact same ammo. So, for shooting pleasure,, heavier is better,, while for carrying,, lighter is better. Unfortunately,, there is little you can do about the physics of this. The Ruger LCR is a semi compromise,, but it still has felt recoil moreso than a heavier steel framed firearm.
If at all possible,, have her try shooting MANY different firearms,, with different grips & ammo to find what SHE likes the best. THEN decide what to buy her.

 

[Lo-Bo]

The model 19 and model 10 are excellent guns for home protection. All you need is to find a pair of grips that fit your wife's hand. There are plenty of after market grips for both of those guns. Load the guns with .38 special cartridges and she should have no problem shooting either one.

 

[dougader]

Get a model 19 with a 4" barrel for home defense.

 

[427mach1]

have her try shooting MANY different firearms

Exactly! Take her to the range with as many different "candidate" guns as you can borrow. If you can't scrounge up the correct guns, rent as many range guns as she is willing to try. She has to be comforable with the gun and will be much more likely to shoot and use it if she participates in the selection process. You can theorize all day long on what you think she will like, but there is only one way to find out and that is to actually shoot.

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

Howdy!
I find alot of guys just don't get it when it comes to recoil on female anatomy; it's more than just hand size. Upper body strength including arm (forearm, upper arm and shoulder), neck and especially upper and mid back stength, joint flexibility, and limb-trunk-neck ratios all play into it, among other things such whether there are already physical impairments present like arthritis or carpal tunnel.
If you want her to 'enjoy' practising, and she's not a shooter already accustomed to recoil, then you better find a gun she can hold up and which will have just about no recoil with a 38spec round. Forget the tiny carry guns; I have an SP 101 in 357 and it has alot more recoil even with 38 spec ammo than the GP 100 in my medium size female hands. I don't shoot the SP 101 for pleasure with 38 spec; I pull out the GP 100 or a Ruger Vaquero.
Find a Ruger GP 100 in 357, 3 or 4 inch barrel, and put the compact Ruger grips on it. The added weight of the gun will tame the recoil, while the small grips can accomodate her hand size. Another option would be one of the New Ruger Vaqueros in 357. Like the gentleman said above, size is not that important in a home defense gun and the larger size/weight will offset recoil. I would also hand load the 38 spec and down load it for her.
Last, but not least, hook her up with other lady shooters who understand her needs better than guys. I've spoken to a number of women over the years who were turned off due to bad initial experiences from their male 'teachers'.

 

[COR]

My fiance took almost a year to decide what was right FOR HER. you can't pick that any better than you can pick what shoes she likes so stop kidding yourself and let her choose.

Mine went with an LCR and was a bit surprised with the snappy recoil of the .38 125gr JHP+P (just to compare). She likes to shoot so she was disappointed when I said it was to carry a lot and shoot as much as it takes to remain proficient. She likes shooting. She did enjy the CT laser and did very well but she is a shooter and never gives up, just accepts the recoil and improves her stance.

IMHO I would not recommend a .357 out of short gun. It is unpleasant to say the least. I completely disagree with shooting light loads for practice and then putting hot loads in the gun...You practice like you play and all that extra "power" amounts to a couple hundred fps and too many misses.

Accuracy and a cool head win the day, not the word magnum and a muzzle blast.

For any of you recommending a box of .357 loads marked SD because that is what you need to stop a drug crazed perp. I'll gladly welcome you to stand in the way of a 158gr SWC at 800fps. Thank God women don't have testosterone too.

 

[roaddog28]

Hi,
I agree with alot of posters that she should try as many revolvers as possible. Also I agree that small revolvers aren't the best choice if she wants to learn how to shoot and enjoy it. A 4 inch revolver to me would be a good starting point. Lots of choices. While a 357 revolver gives more choices regarding ammo most women won't feel comfortable shooting 357s at the range. A S&W model 10 4 inch is a excellent choice. I have one and enjoy shooting it. I also have a Ruger Police Service six 4 inch and enjoy it to. And I have a S&W model 66 4 inch. Again a great revolver. I feel the 38 special is a excellent plat form to learn how to shoot. Recoil is not harsh and even for HD/SD there are a lot of good +P rounds on the market that are fine.
Bottom line, let her make the decision. Then you will have a better chance of her liking to take her revolver to the range with you and shoot.

Good luck,
roaddog28

Here are the three that excellent choices.

Model 10 4 inch

Ruger Police Service Six 4 inch

Model 66 4 inch

 

[tomiswho]

My wife has tiny hands (I just measured her hand, corner of palm to tip of index finger was 6 1/4") and she loves her model 19 with 4" bbl. She keeps it loaded with .38 +P ammo. It has Pachmayr grips on it. She keeps it really handy.... not a woman to trifle with. :D :D

 

[toysoldier]

The most important thing is that your wife can USE the gun. Find the "biggest" gun she can load and fire without flinching. That's the one. If that's a .22, so be it.

Hand size and hand strength are the key. Lots of good suggestions here, but the proof is in the shooting.

 

[Tommy Kelly]

My wife has shot a lot with me and shot about every handgun made from my 500 S&W to model 36 S&W. We used to shoot mostly with a mod. 19 & a mod 66 using 38 ammo. She went and bought herself a handgun it was after shooting one of mine she loved we now have a pair of the sp 101's with the short barrel's. After shooting mine she wanted one of her own . She even bought a set of inserts for her grips to dress it up a little.

 

[Pal Val]

+1 to letting the lady pick the gun. Look for a place where you can rent a variety of guns and let her try them out. In my case, my wife tried more than a half dozen guns until she tried my SP101 (3"barrel). The gun is hers now. In the past two years, she has become pretty proficient at shooting it.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[gotcha]

well two that come to mind would be an sp101 DAO or S&W 640 older style .38spl only. S/D round .38spl 125gr jhp Nyclad.
(those older 3" 640s awsome but pricey) sp101 Tough tough tough!!! cant go wrong. But what ever it is they need to be right fit for the individual
carl

 

[BB Rvlr]

I'm always a little confused as to why people's minds automatically think of a handgun as their first choice for a home defense gun.

I guess my line of thinking is that something like a short barreled 20ga shotgun is handy, has manageable recoil, and the fact that it is against your shoulder and being held by both hands provides a steady platform. This line of thinking could also be applied to rifles along the lines of a Mini 14 or an AR. To me these seem like more important considerations than the portability of a revolver.

Maybe somebody with more experience and education can explain to me where my line of thinking is flawed but it seems to make sense to me.

Thanks for letting me voice my $.02 worth.

 

[427mach1]

I'm always a little confused as to why people's minds automatically think of a handgun as their first choice for a home defense gun

I prefer a handgun because of portability and maneuverability. I don't recall the exact figures, but I've seen statistics that indicate a high percentage of home-invasion shoot-outs occur at distances of less than 6 feet. That's close enough for the bad guy to grab the shotgun out of your hand. That being said, I'm not going to say that a short barreled 20 gauge isn't going to be effective!

 

[mrjefe2u]

handgun as their first choice for a home defense gun.

In my case, I started with an 12 ga 870 tactical. I shot it outdoors, fewer than 10 times and I am convinced that it would be a "rude greeter" if anyone got lost and mistakingly tried to kick in my door, thinking it was their garden home.

I now have more than one revolver strateegerly placed to where I could get to them easily if I had the presence of mind and enough time.

I call this Plan A.

I talked to my wife and asked her if she wanted to learn to shoot and she said yes.
That's what started this thread.

I'll call her Plan B.

I explained to the most important concept, Plan B should not shoot Plan A in the butt.

 

[PeterCartwright]

Howdy!
I find alot of guys just don't get it when it comes to recoil on female anatomy; it's more than just hand size. Upper body strength including arm (forearm, upper arm and shoulder), neck and especially upper and mid back stength, joint flexibility, and limb-trunk-neck ratios all play into it, among other things such whether there are already physical impairments present like arthritis or carpal tunnel.
If you want her to 'enjoy' practising, and she's not a shooter already accustomed to recoil, then you better find a gun she can hold up and which will have just about no recoil with a 38spec round. Forget the tiny carry guns; I have an SP 101 in 357 and it has alot more recoil even with 38 spec ammo than the GP 100 in my medium size female hands. I don't shoot the SP 101 for pleasure with 38 spec; I pull out the GP 100 or a Ruger Vaquero.
Find a Ruger GP 100 in 357, 3 or 4 inch barrel, and put the compact Ruger grips on it. The added weight of the gun will tame the recoil, while the small grips can accomodate her hand size. Another option would be one of the New Ruger Vaqueros in 357. Like the gentleman said above, size is not that important in a home defense gun and the larger size/weight will offset recoil. I would also hand load the 38 spec and down load it for her.
Last, but not least, hook her up with other lady shooters who understand her needs better than guys. I've spoken to a number of women over the years who were turned off due to bad initial experiences from their male 'teachers'.

As a male shooter interested in recruiting more women into this field, I REALLY appreciate this kind of input. Your suggestion about compact grips on a GP makes a great deal of sense. I recently worked with a brand new female shooter (as in "I've never shot a gun before"). After shooting a number of wheel guns, starting with .22 rimfire and moving on to mild .38 wadcutters (chiefly in Smith K frames and J frames with one SP in the mix as well as a P9 Kahr) this woman decided the 3" model 60 Smith fit her best. Even with the heavy barrel and full underlug, the gun is light enough to have noticeable recoil for new shooters. I have a 4" GP with the full sized grips. I wish I'd thought about getting a set of the compact grips to give this woman the option of the heavier gun. There's no avoiding the reality of physics (greater mass = less perceived recoil). I'll keep that in mind for the next time.

PC