Gun for wife

[looney2ns]

I'm a bit confused here.

Why does she have to rack it?

A pistol kept in combat readiness already has a round in the chamber. All she has to do is pick it up and shoot.

But she does need to practice with it, if for no other reason, to ingrain safe gun handling skills. This can be done via dry fire.

 

[looney2ns]

Also, search is your friend here. This is discussed weekly somewhere on here.

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

Oh, i thought you were trading a gun to get a wife. I would have advised you to keep the gun.
But in all seriousness, whatever feels good to her and she can handle is what you need to get her.

I thought he was trading his wife for a gun, haven't seen a deal that good in a long time LOL.

Have you tried the Walther PK380, real easy to rack the slide and light recoil.

 

[Tink]

One of my daughters didn't want to learn before she moved out. I insisted she get (and she did) a shotgun. All she has to do is point in the general direction and pull the trigger. With a handgun, she would have to aim under pressure (and in a hurry) and hope to hit what she's aiming at.

 

[actaeon277]

One of my daughters didn't want to learn before she moved out. I insisted she get (and she did) a shotgun. All she has to do is point in the general direction and pull the trigger. With a handgun, she would have to aim under pressure (and in a hurry) and hope to hit what she's aiming at.

NO! NO! NO! (sorry. dislike common misconceptions)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrxkjRXk7m8
And somewhere, there is a video showing the effect at different ranges.


Inside a house, where distances are smaller, the pattern will only open up an inch or two. While that's better than what a pistol can cover, YOU STILL HAVE TO AIM.

That said, I have a shotgun for home defense. Just know it's limitations, and have a pistol backup.

 

[Tink]

NO! NO! NO! (sorry. dislike common misconceptions)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrxkjRXk7m8
And somewhere, there is a video showing the effect at different ranges.


Inside a house, where distances are smaller, the pattern will only open up an inch or two. While that's better than what a pistol can cover, YOU STILL HAVE TO AIM.

That said, I have a shotgun for home defense. Just know it's limitations, and have a pistol backup.

Thanks for that video. I didn't know that about the ammo. Looks like i will be taking her back out to the country for some more practice.

 

[Bunnykid68]

always a good trade

 

[actaeon277]

Thanks for that video. I didn't know that about the ammo. Looks like i will be taking her back out to the country for some more practice.

Whether she uses a shotty, pistol, or rifle, she should know how to:
Load, unload, operate, and clear malfunction. I'm not saying she has to be the best in the world. But, if you're usung your weapon in self defense, you really can't call a time out.
I've seen people grab a fire extinguisher, then freeze, because they never practiced.
In an emergency you brain operates at a simpler level. Training will help when you start to become overwhelmed.

I also highly recommend a class on defensive shooting, and Indiana gun law. It will cost a little. But the training and piece of mind is well worth it. And, its fun.

 

[JimmyR]

Another weapon people tend to ignore is the Beretta Tomcat- its a .32 ACP with a tip-up barrel, which negates the issues with racking a slide.

Also, +1 to revolver suggestions. Ease of use and simplicity in design make them great for new gun owners (and folks who like the classics ).

 

[IndyDave1776]

If this is going to be a house gun, what about a compact rifle in .45 ACP, 9mm, or .357? They are typically easy to operate, easier to hit with, and the recoil is extremely manageable.

 

[mrortega]

Oh, jeez, on the shotgun not being aimed and clearing the room! I have a Mossy pump with an 18" improved cylinder barrel. It opens up 1" per YARD. So at 8 yards (much greater than most in-house shooting distances) you get an 8" pattern with 00 buck. Plus a long barrel weapon is much easier to grab and take away from your wife after she misses and is blind and has no hearing and is in shock.

 

[boomtastic]

Ruger bodyguard. 38 (revolver) or. 380 (semi-auto) come with the lazer grip just point and shoot no range needed perfect size for her purse or light enough to CC

 

[dbrier]

I almost never reccomend a .38 special, I always suggest people buy the the .357. It gives you the option to use either ammuntion and it lets the new shooter "grow" a bit with more powerful ammuntion.
If the gun will never be CC, a good 4 inch .357 revolver is hard to beat for the price, ease of use, and stopping power.

 

[88E30M50]

What a relief... Going from the title of this thread, I thought you were looking for a trade.

It sounds like there is no carry anticipated, which opens up a whole lot more guns to her. As said a bunch of times, have her try some out to see what she's comfortable with. But, don't be too quick to go with something light. If she will not carry it, light weight only works against her. A heavier gun like a CZ would be easier for her to shoot.

 

[patience0830]

What a relief... Going from the title of this thread, I thought you were looking for a trade.

It sounds like there is no carry anticipated, which opens up a whole lot more guns to her. As said a bunch of times, have her try some out to see what she's comfortable with. But, don't be too quick to go with something light. If she will not carry it, light weight only works against her. A heavier gun like a CZ would be easier for her to shoot.

And the CZ has a better grip for smaller hands w/stock grips. Not striker fired so she'll need to learn to use the safety. She'll need practice with the safety between her ears too. We all do.

 

[Mark 1911]

I have several semi-autos ranging from .380, to 9mm to 45acp. My wife was having a hard time with all of them due to the strength required to cycle the slide. I understand that in a purely self-defense situation, she wouldn't need to do that. But I considered the fact that I also want my wife to enjoy shooting, enjoy putting 100 rounds downrange on a trip to the range. Would you enjoy shooting a gun you had a hard time mastering because of lack of hand strength? I wouldn't. Would you feel confident with that gun? I wouldn't. I think for ladies who don't have the strength in their hands that you or I do, a revolver is a great choice. I ended up buying my wife a S&W 626, 7 round cylinder. Shoots 38 spl or 357. She handles that gun just fine, qualified for her Minnesota permit at an NRA sponsored class up there. She enjoys shooting it, and its a great pistol. Plenty of power for self-defense, simple operation, and she can enjoy shooting it at the range.