Handgun for Wife

[Redshirt]

My wife just got a pistol permit, so I am thinking about getting her a gun. I know, romantic. She isn’t going to carry it. I want to get something that:

Fits her hand
Has manageable felt recoil
Preferably 9mm
Simple to operate
Has easily available 10 round magazines

I initiall thought about one of those little Glocks, but being so small I think the felt recoil might be too great.

Any ideas?

 

[Eddie Gunks]

G19

The 42 and 43 may have too much recoil cause they are so small.

And they are tough to hit anything with so she may become frustrated.

If she is not gonna carry the 19 is the way to go. Soft shooting. Easy to handle. Easy to hit the target

 

[MikeM]

Hmm, handgun for wife. Sounds like a good trade!

 

[thegatman]

What does she look like? I might have a LC9 to trade.

 

[Harry Hood]

Ruger 22/45

 

[Marine Cpl]

I'm going to recommend the Glock 42 in .380. My buddy has one for his wife. She is a dainty Asian woman that barely weighs 100 pounds and can shoot it with no problems.

I shot it and the recoil is extremely mild. I think it's mild because it's bigger than standard pocket. 380's.

Plus it's small enough to conceal if she ever got around to it.

 

[Doc8404]

Great trade go for it.


Oh sorry. Just replying to the title.

 

[Doc8404]

G19

The 42 and 43 may have too much recoil cause they are so small.

And they are tough to hit anything with so she may become frustrated.

If she is not gonna carry the 19 is the way to go. Soft shooting. Easy to handle. Easy to hit the target

Glock 19 is a good idea. Hell she might be able to carry it in the winter.

 

[livingston]

Look at the vp9sk Could fill the bill

 

[dsdmmat]

Easiest way to pick a handgun for the wife is not to do it yourself. Provide her the relevant information on reliability, caliber and then let her go to the gun stores and pick one herself.

When my daughter was looking for her first handgun I told her that she should be looking at a 9mm or 380, handle all the pistols at every gun store in the area (she lives in Oregon), note the brand and model number that fits her hands the best and let me know which one she wanted. She likes the Springfield XD 9 subcompact the best so that is what I had sent to her. The following summer when I got back from deployment we went and picked up a full sized XD for her so she could have a fun gun for the range.

The important thing is to let the lady pick her own gun based upon her research and her expectations of what she wants in a gun.

 

[Steal2B]

My wife just got a pistol permit, so I am thinking about getting her a gun. I know, romantic. She isn’t going to carry it. I want to get something that:

Fits her hand
Has manageable felt recoil
Preferably 9mm
Simple to operate
Has easily available 10 round magazines

I initiall thought about one of those little Glocks, but being so small I think the felt recoil might be too great.

Any ideas?

A better question would be "Can you recommend a good FFL or range where my wife can spend a good deal of time to handle a variety of reliable handguns, be provided insights on choices for her priorities, and she can select her first handgun." That is unless this is just an excuse for you to get another gun in the house ( I tried that route but my wife seems to claim every gun is hers.)

 

[Calculon]

Get her to a range that rents guns and spend a few hours trying out options, full size and compact. I bought 4 different guns for my wife that she didn’t like before I made a rental date. She loved the G42 so we picked one up.

The only downside to doing my route is that she may get discouraged until you find the right one. On the upside I got to keep what she didn’t like

 

[Deplorable Me]

My wife's first impression of a semi-automatic was she hated them (Glock 19) mag was not comfortable to load and putting mag in firearm was a pain. Soooo I handed her the .357 with .38's. She loves it and can crank through a box of 50. She'll shoot .357 but will shoot .38 all evening. At the LGS there are always a number of traded in, good condition 5 shot .38's. They're nicely priced. Many look hardly used, they got traded in for people moving up to semi-autos. They're not target guns so they probably have low miles.

My wife is very comfortable with using my revolvers, her go-to gun, as she's standing behind me.....

Get your wife shooting comfortably then evolve to a magazine type handgun.

My wife has medium size hands, a S&W shield 9mm with flush mag (7 rounds) is a good fit with her, she's fired mine and hates changing those mags. Never going to happen in a defensive situation at this point in her shooting career.

Just a perception based on experience.

(Now you have a logical reason to buy more guns, you owe me!)

 

[Eddie Gunks]

Easiest way to pick a handgun for the wife is not to do it yourself. Provide her the relevant information on reliability, caliber and then let her go to the gun stores and pick one herself.

.

But then you risk some asshole gunshop owner talking shit.....

Get her to a range that rents guns and spend a few hours trying out options, full size and compact. I bought 4 different guns for my wife that she didn’t like before I made a rental date. She loved the G42 so we picked one up.

The only downside to doing my route is that she may get discouraged until you find the right one. On the upside I got to keep what she didn’t like

Yeah. Sounds like you were buying yourself guns under the guise they were for her!

 

[BDinPutnam]

But then you risk some asshole gunshop owner talking shit.....



Yeah. Sounds like you were buying yourself guns under the guise they were for her!

Who would ever do that?

I second what these guys say, go with her and let her handle them, and shoot them if possible.

 

[Phauxtoe]

I always start friends and new shooters with a 22LR
cheap and so nice to shoot. also double up on Ear Protection!

 

[tirwin1]

I bought my wife a walther p22. She prefers it over my glock 19. Smaller and has less recoil. YMMV.

 

[Phazer]

Get her to a range that rents guns and spend a few hours trying out options, full size and compact. I bought 4 different guns for my wife that she didn’t like before I made a rental date. She loved the G42 so we picked one up.

My wife first liked the Glock 42. Then, the Glock 43. Then, she noticed that Sig made 1911-style compact pistols...so she wound up with a purple metallic P238 and a P938.



The P238 is her favorite. I has garnered may great reviews from surveys of women shooters.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

My buddy has one for his wife. She is a dainty Asian woman that barely weighs 100 pounds and can shoot it with no problems.
/QUOTE]
Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[Joe Blow]

If your wife is handgun savvy and capable with a semi auto as far as loading magazines, changing magazines, and clearing possible jams, I'd get her a Glock.
Otherwise, a Smith 'n Wesson revolver (642 / 643) in 38SP . Fits in the purse, no worry about jams, etc.

...

 

[Jaywmustang]

My wife went with the Glock 43, after shooting it. I wish she picked the Glock 19

 

[Mk44]

Do you know what caliber she likes to shoot. You mentioned 9mm. is that her choice or yours? I would recommend going to a range that rents guns & have her try a few different guns in different calibers & see what she likes to shoot.
(sometimes we think we know what she'll like, but only to find out she doesn't.)

Shield 9mm, M&P compact, Kimber Micro 9, Sig's, S&W .38 spl, there are so many..

 

[Acer-m14]

like some other's have said .. take her to ranges with friends that have pistols and just let her shoot .. go to a range and rent and shoot ..
when she shoots something she likes you will know when your at a gun shop and she see's it in the glass case .. oh i remember i shot that one ..
BUY IT NOW!!! she says with evil sexy eyes .. LOL ..

 

[Saltwater60]

I liked the sig P238 as well. It’s a really nice gun. I didn’t want a safety so I didn’t buy one. Now I’m thinking of going to a 1911 for carrying purposes and of course it will need a little brother for pocket carry.

 

[Phazer]

I liked the sig P238 as well. It’s a really nice gun. I didn’t want a safety so I didn’t buy one. Now I’m thinking of going to a 1911 for carrying purposes and of course it will need a little brother for pocket carry.

My wife always liked the grip size and trigger on my full-size 1911 45acp. So, to her, the Colt Mustang clone P238 was something she was interested in. She tried mine (Scorpion color scheme). She really liked it (feel, form factor, recoil, etc), except for the color. That led her to purchase hers in metallic purple. She got the 9mm P938 later on to "complete the set." However, the P238 is her favorite. She goes through hundreds of rounds at a practice session (which is why I have to reload .380 auto).