44caliberkid
New member
Here's one out of left field, a Citadel 1911 in 9mm.
Best 9mm for a new female shooter?
- Thread starter bbousa
- Start date
jetinteriorguy
New member
CZ P07.
Brownstone322
New member
Yeah, I hate to be utterly predictable, but the Glock 19 immediately popped into my head too, assuming she's cool with a gun that's always hot when a round is in the chamber. A Glock is a bit different from a decocked P226. (I still have people who argue like hell with me about the need for a manual safety, and I can see their points.) A couple weeks ago I woulda said P320C, but ... put that idea on hold.
Other ideas would be the P229/M11-A1 (downside: expensive) or the CZ P01/PCR (downside: a little weird to rack with that narrow slide). Everything is a trade-off.
"The big key is what fits HER hand. The only way to know is to try em all, I say!"
I could not agree more.
There is such a wide variety of firearms out there that if a person actually 'wants' to get into it, they can. Gender really doesn't even play a role in this any more than a persons size. It's about whatever it is that's in the heart to do. Women are typically seen as weaker, but there are plenty of women in this world that can be a challenge for any man. There are people with small hands (both men and women) and people with large hands (both men and women).
If she 'wants' to get into it, she will. Like anything else in life. Otherwise, the potential enjoyment will never be realized. The only way to understand that fire is hot is to get burned. One cannot be forced. Guidance and patience is required.
I could not agree more.
There is such a wide variety of firearms out there that if a person actually 'wants' to get into it, they can. Gender really doesn't even play a role in this any more than a persons size. It's about whatever it is that's in the heart to do. Women are typically seen as weaker, but there are plenty of women in this world that can be a challenge for any man. There are people with small hands (both men and women) and people with large hands (both men and women).
If she 'wants' to get into it, she will. Like anything else in life. Otherwise, the potential enjoyment will never be realized. The only way to understand that fire is hot is to get burned. One cannot be forced. Guidance and patience is required.
muzzleblast...
New member
That sounds like an excellent recommendation. Not too big, or too heavy, or too much girth in the grip, nice single action trigger pull. Yet, much easier on the hand than the subcompact 9mms. Has a visible hammer and decocking is simple.If she refuses to make a decision then my crystal ball says it's the Sig P225 A1 9mm single stack.
Maverick36
New member
My wife really likes our VP9 .
Interchangeable backstrap and sides/palmswells make it fit like a glove and the little wings ( that so many hate ) make it easy to rack.
Interchangeable backstrap and sides/palmswells make it fit like a glove and the little wings ( that so many hate ) make it easy to rack.
"Nope. She refuses to make the decision." Sounds like you might be more intent than she is about getting her a handgun. She also doesn't want to disappoint you by picking the 'wrong' gun.
Try getting here a session with a qualified expert. I've always said, gun safety, driving and computer use is best taught by strangers. It helped my wife's shooting. She had carried a Ruger LCP and was changing over to a Ruger LC9s. She can shoot my .45 SIG and Ruger pistols as well as several 9mms very well, however she struggled racking the slide. This was not a problem with the Ruger LC9s and it was purple so that helped.
Our local gun club has a women's group that invited a local trainer to give them all a basic shooting class. He had my wife adjust her grip on the Ruger to center it in her had, however with a great grip, she could not reach the trigger. The instructor took out his Glock 43 and she put five quick shots into the X ring. That night I ordered the first pistol she actually chose, a Glock 43. She loves shooting the 43 and tears out the center of her targets.
Rent some pistols for yourself and let her try them; shooting much more definitive than just holding pistol.
Try getting here a session with a qualified expert. I've always said, gun safety, driving and computer use is best taught by strangers. It helped my wife's shooting. She had carried a Ruger LCP and was changing over to a Ruger LC9s. She can shoot my .45 SIG and Ruger pistols as well as several 9mms very well, however she struggled racking the slide. This was not a problem with the Ruger LC9s and it was purple so that helped.
Our local gun club has a women's group that invited a local trainer to give them all a basic shooting class. He had my wife adjust her grip on the Ruger to center it in her had, however with a great grip, she could not reach the trigger. The instructor took out his Glock 43 and she put five quick shots into the X ring. That night I ordered the first pistol she actually chose, a Glock 43. She loves shooting the 43 and tears out the center of her targets.
Rent some pistols for yourself and let her try them; shooting much more definitive than just holding pistol.
Cosmodragoon
New member
If you can find a reputable professional that will give her some basic instruction and help her to try some different options, that would be ideal. Since that isn't always a viable option, use this as an excuse to get together with some gun-owning friends. If these friends are men, have them bring their wives, girlfriends, daughters, or whatever. Everyone can have fun trying out different stuff, especially with reactive targets like water bottles, milk jugs, etc.
See, you know a little about how she feels with respect to weight, width, and recoil. At least find out what kind of trigger she likes (SA, DA, DA/SA, hammer or striker). That will give you the best starting point. Also consider the end point if you miss. It wouldn't hurt to consider options where your interests intersect. It will make your life easier (and better) just in case she doesn't like it.
As far as the suggestions so far, this is a good family to start looking at:
The P99 is relatively compact for a full-sized high-capacity handgun. Recoil isn't bad with standard-pressure ammo, though it is more noticeable than it would be in a bigger or heavier gun. They are very durable and nicely contoured for carry. I only ever see the "AS" models these days, which nicely emulate DA/SA sans hammer. Compared to DA/SA guns, the P99 has a pretty good trigger right out of the box.
The PPS has the normal striker-fired operation, akin to a single-action. This one also has a good trigger right out of the box. The different magazine lengths have different grip extension lengths. This allows not only for different carry methods but for an additional grip accommodation. The longest one makes the PPS behave and feel like a full-sized gun, despite being thin and petite. (For some people, that is full size.) The little gun handles 9mm recoil exceptionally well for its size class.
See, you know a little about how she feels with respect to weight, width, and recoil. At least find out what kind of trigger she likes (SA, DA, DA/SA, hammer or striker). That will give you the best starting point. Also consider the end point if you miss. It wouldn't hurt to consider options where your interests intersect. It will make your life easier (and better) just in case she doesn't like it.
As far as the suggestions so far, this is a good family to start looking at:
The P99 is relatively compact for a full-sized high-capacity handgun. Recoil isn't bad with standard-pressure ammo, though it is more noticeable than it would be in a bigger or heavier gun. They are very durable and nicely contoured for carry. I only ever see the "AS" models these days, which nicely emulate DA/SA sans hammer. Compared to DA/SA guns, the P99 has a pretty good trigger right out of the box.
The PPS has the normal striker-fired operation, akin to a single-action. This one also has a good trigger right out of the box. The different magazine lengths have different grip extension lengths. This allows not only for different carry methods but for an additional grip accommodation. The longest one makes the PPS behave and feel like a full-sized gun, despite being thin and petite. (For some people, that is full size.) The little gun handles 9mm recoil exceptionally well for its size class.
Mastrogiacomo
New member
I'd buy her pepper spray until she can make up her mind. A person should be able to decide this for themselves. I have Beretta 92FSs, a S&W 686+, and small guns like the Walther PPS and Colt Detective Special. Someone that can't decide on a gun should take their time until they can.
Laura
Laura
Sgt Pepper
New member
Sig P239
Sig P225
Beretta 92 Compact
Browning Hi-Power (with one reservation - I would change the mainspring to a lighter one)
Browning Hi-Power with Navidrex thin grips is enlightening.
These pistols maintain some heft, which is important, yet allow for smaller palms and/or fingers to comfortably control the pistol. The worst thing that you can do, in my ever-not-so-humble opinion, is to get something that is too small and too light.
Sig P225
Beretta 92 Compact
Browning Hi-Power (with one reservation - I would change the mainspring to a lighter one)
Browning Hi-Power with Navidrex thin grips is enlightening.
These pistols maintain some heft, which is important, yet allow for smaller palms and/or fingers to comfortably control the pistol. The worst thing that you can do, in my ever-not-so-humble opinion, is to get something that is too small and too light.
Badgerstate
New member
I recently bought a Walther PPQ and when I first got it, my wife wanted to go with me to the range just to get comfortable with it, incase she ever has to use it.
She is a new shooter, not particularly strong or athletic and she had no problems shooting the PPQ. She said the recoil wasnt bad at all (it is a 9mm, afterall) and she shot pretty good groups with it.
Theres a part of me that thinks maybe I should have bought a CCP because the recoil spring is a bit heavy for her. She can rack the slide to chamber a round just fine but I dont know that she could clear it if it had a malfunction. Its a Walther, so it should never malfunction but its still something Ive thought about.
She is a new shooter, not particularly strong or athletic and she had no problems shooting the PPQ. She said the recoil wasnt bad at all (it is a 9mm, afterall) and she shot pretty good groups with it.
Theres a part of me that thinks maybe I should have bought a CCP because the recoil spring is a bit heavy for her. She can rack the slide to chamber a round just fine but I dont know that she could clear it if it had a malfunction. Its a Walther, so it should never malfunction but its still something Ive thought about.
Doc Holliday 1950
New member
My friend from Boston is totally right. Until she can find that perfect fit she might take along i her purse Pepper Spray. There actually are GSs & Ranges that cater to women. They have their own classes and their own practice sessions. I know this sound dumb, " Happy wives make for happy lives'. Guys, I know how hard this is for you but chill out.
Spats McGee
Administrator
It sounds to me like you should consider the possibility that she does not want a gun.bbousa said: