Woman's first handgun?

[jamo]

Ok gang - I have an SR9 that I love. My wife has big trouble - it's just too hard for her to pull the slide back to chamber a round. Not enough hand strength. Do you more experienced types have suggestions for her for her first handgun? Are the Ruger semi-auto rimfires hard to pull? A revolver might be out of the question - too many mfrs have discontinued, etc. Thanks for your help, as always.
Jamo

 

[Cheesewhiz]

Smaller semi-autos tend to have strong recoil springs so a compact pistol is not an option for some women. An SR9 has a pretty stout spring also and would amount to about the same issue. There are only a few semi-sutos that normally have easily racked slides, some Glocks, some 1911's, I have never experienced a light pulled slide with a P-series gun but I haven't shot everyone of them. I don't understand your problem with a revolver, there are some out there that fit the bill but make sure the DA trigger pull on a revolver isn't a problem for her. There are some pretty tough triggers out there.

 

[jamo]

Thank you VERY much! Ok - my thoughts about revolvers might be very wrong. Do you have any suggestions for a revlover then? Thanks agin.
J

 

[Cheesewhiz]

Ruger's LCR has a pretty good DA trigger but I don't own one. You might ask about others in the revolver section, those guys are great.

 

[jamo]

Will do - thanks. I've always had such good advice from gun owners!
J

 

[Spike12]

Spent a lot of time on this topic and watched women struggle with the slide and unless they're pretty practiced ANY malfunction they have completely de-rails the process.

I always go with revolvers for them and I think the LCR is a great choice.

 

[Mike J]

My wife has a little Taurus model 85 that she really likes. She had it when we met. I would suggest you take her to look at guns & let her pick what she likes. If possible I would also suggest trying to rent or borrow as many of the ones she is interested in & shoot them before buying. It could save a lot of money in the long run.
There is a website designed for women new to shooting that has a lot of good info if you think she might be interested www.corneredcat.com
IIRC there are instuctions there on different methods of racking a slide that might be helpful to ya'all.

 

[Tweety Bird]

My wife's first (recent) purchase was a SW 637CT. 5-round .38 cal J-frame revolver. The only thing we sort of regret is not waiting for one with the shrouded hammer (the hammer spur of the 637 makes it a little tougher for her to carry discretely) but she really liked the Crimson Trace grips on it so it came home with us. Looked at the concealed hammer version but we like the option to shoot SA if the mood strikes.

Lately, haven't found much .38 ammo at WallyWorld, though it seems to be pretty plentiful at gun shows now (reloads, mostly). We have some factory JHP for her to keep in the gun but she practices with the reloads.

I'm sure a Ruger revolver like the LCR would make a good choice, too; we don't have one (all our Ruger revolvers are new model SAs).

I sort of steered her toward the revolver because of their relative simplicity. Of course, since then, she's come home with a couple 9mm guns; a Kel-Tec PF9, which is nice and small but kicks like a mule, and a compact Springfield XD.

Moral: One is never enough.

 

[offshorebear]

I find it helps a lot of women to explain to them to hold the gun at a 45 degree angle below horizontal, pull back on slide with weak hand and push the frame forward with their strong hand.

If that doesn't work, its a general rule of thumb that a weaker round and/or heavier slide will have a weaker recoil spring.

 

[ConradM]

You need to teach her how to hold it right and get leverage. My 6 year old can rack the slide on an SR9.

 

[kscott]

If you go the revolver way I'd definitely check into the LCR. I have one and love it! Great trigger and very comfy to hold with the Hogue grips. Let her get her hands on some and see what she likes.

 

[blume357]

My suggestion is send her to a handgun safety class... alone... with out you. One where the instructor will show her and let her handle and shoot different handguns.... let her decide and keep out of it.

I did just like most husbands and tried to find my wife the best handgun for her.... the 'best' part of this was I ended up with SIX extra handguns.

 

[Sonnytoo]

Many women don't want to have to mess with a safety. I know. Get her a nice .38 Special midsize Smith or Ruger. She'll be delighted.
Sonnytoo

 

[Spike12]

Being able to rack the slide in training because you have the strength is one thing.

Having the presence of mind to rack it when you're being chaced and it a panic is another...

Don't overlook the conbination of less than constant training and panic.

KISS - just pick it up and pull the trigger, then pull it again, repeat...

PS: my wife's first carry was a Tauris 85 too. She's moved up the 605(?), same thing but built for 357mag (but we load 38+P)

 

[jamo]

Thank you all! She'l be going to an NRA class without me, and we'l be buying the one she likes best.

 

[glen851]

My wife wasn't comfortable with any of my semi-autos but really liked the .357 SP101. I polished up the trigger and got several different style grips for it. She chose the Hogue grips and shoots the gun VERY well.
I also insisted she take a CCW class, which she did, and she now has her carry permit AND my SP101!

 

[ConradM]

Am I alone in thinking it's flat out wrong that a grown woman can't rack the slide on a handgun? It has to just be something to do with leverage and grip.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Am I alone in thinking it's flat out wrong that a grown woman can't rack the slide on a handgun? It has to just be something to do with leverage and grip.

No, just a limited world view.

Not all females are 20-somethings who work out in the gym and run 5 miles every afternoon. Heck, I know some guys that would have trouble racking some semis, notably a Hi Power with a 35lb mainspring/recoil spring combo.

Why do you think women need help opening jars some times? "Upper body strength".

-- Sam

 

[perterra]

Am I alone in thinking it's flat out wrong that a grown woman can't rack the slide on a handgun? .

Probably.

 

[Gregg1LE]

When my wife and I went looking for her CCW,the ability for her to rack the slide and a pistol that felt good in her hands were top priorities. We went to Cabelas and tried all of the compact 9mm's. The one that won was the Bersa Thunder 9 UC Pro.And I was pleased with the price ! We now have a 1000 rounds through the pistol and it has never skipped a beat or any type of misfeed or misfire.

And now it has a pink hand all grip.

 

[blume357]

Okay 'GUYS' Jamo has already figured out the secret... let her figure it out on her own with out the help of HIM. That is the one factor that will cause a problem... the husband or boy friend. when I took my wife shooting she hated shooting everything I had, the only handguns she sort of liked were both 22lrs.

when she took a womens only handgun class she had no problem shooting a P95 and even a 1911... the difference... no husband.

 

[ConradM]

Am I alone in thinking it's flat out wrong that a grown woman can't rack the slide on a handgun? It has to just be something to do with leverage and grip.

No, just a limited world view.

Not all females are 20-somethings who work out in the gym and run 5 miles every afternoon. Heck, I know some guys that would have trouble racking some semis, notably a Hi Power with a 35lb mainspring/recoil spring combo.

Why do you think women need help opening jars some times? "Upper body strength".

-- Sam

Wow... It's pretty sexist IMO to say that a woman does not have the upper body strength to operate a handgun.

I say again, my 6 year old, when shown the proper leverage can rack the slide on my SR9. You're trying to tell me the average woman is not as strong as my 6 year old?

 

[ConradM]

I guess being a former mechanic I understand that over coming force has way more to do with leverage than strength.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Am I alone in thinking it's flat out wrong that a grown woman can't rack the slide on a handgun? It has to just be something to do with leverage and grip.

No, just a limited world view.

Not all females are 20-somethings who work out in the gym and run 5 miles every afternoon. Heck, I know some guys that would have trouble racking some semis, notably a Hi Power with a 35lb mainspring/recoil spring combo.

Why do you think women need help opening jars some times? "Upper body strength".

-- Sam

Wow... It's pretty sexist IMO to say that a woman does not have the upper body strength to operate a handgun.

I say again, my 6 year old, when shown the proper leverage can rack the slide on my SR9. You're trying to tell me the average woman is not as strong as my 6 year old?

Not all women, just the ones that have poor upper body strength, which is more common in women than men. Do you really not accept this? That, "imo", is a rather sexist attitude, if you want to start throwing that kind of thing around. Celebrate the differences, don't deny they exist. Next you'll be telling us the only acceptable gun is one you'd pick. Oh, wait...

-- Sam

 

[jamo]

Guys - guys!!! First, I 've gotten very good advice from you - thank you. Please don't go to the sexism/women thing. The military says that the most common problem with women recruits is upper body strength. That said, MANY women can handle high-caliber weapons with the proper training - just like men. Men need the same training. My wife happens to have a black belt in TaeKwonDo - she's no pushover. THAT being said, she still doesn't have the grip strength to handle my new SR9. SO WHAT????? No biggie! A revolver, or a different semi will fill the bill. I wouldn't want her to tell me what gun to own, so I won't tell her what she should own. As long as she owns, shoots, and enjoys it all with me, there's no problem. Again, thank you all for your help. Indispensable!
Jamo

 

[Anonymous]

Glock 19

 

[ConradM]

Am I alone in thinking it's flat out wrong that a grown woman can't rack the slide on a handgun? It has to just be something to do with leverage and grip.

No, just a limited world view.

Not all females are 20-somethings who work out in the gym and run 5 miles every afternoon. Heck, I know some guys that would have trouble racking some semis, notably a Hi Power with a 35lb mainspring/recoil spring combo.

Why do you think women need help opening jars some times? "Upper body strength".

-- Sam

Wow... It's pretty sexist IMO to say that a woman does not have the upper body strength to operate a handgun.

I say again, my 6 year old, when shown the proper leverage can rack the slide on my SR9. You're trying to tell me the average woman is not as strong as my 6 year old?

Not all women, just the ones that have poor upper body strength, which is more common in women than men. Do you really not accept this? That, "imo", is a rather sexist attitude, if you want to start throwing that kind of thing around. Celebrate the differences, don't deny they exist. Next you'll be telling us the only acceptable gun is one you'd pick. Oh, wait...

-- Sam

You honestly just said that there are woman that have less upper body strength than a 6 year old? :?

You realize that that's impossible correct?

OP, sorry to go off topic. I hope your wife find's something she loves.

 

[Mike J]

I like Jamos attitude & agree with let her make her own choices. Even among men what works for one person doesn't work as well for another. Whether they can force themselves to learn to do something or not. If someone is not comfortable with a gun or doesn't like it for any reason they are not as likely to practice with it.
Semi's also require more of a willingness to practice. To use a semiauto you should familiarize yourself with malfunction drills. My wife has pain in her hands that makes it difficult for her to grip very tightly. She feels more comfortable with a revolver. I believe I am better off meeting her where she is than trying to force her to use what I use.

 

[perterra]

You honestly just said that there are woman that have less upper body strength than a 6 year old? :?

You realize that that's impossible correct?

You'll understand when your 80 years old.

 

[Anonymous]

Your avatar is scary.