Can I get some advice on this choice???

G

Ghostman258

Inactive
My wife is at home a lot while I'm working and given the amount of recent home invasions in my area, I'm not too comfortable with the .380 pistol we have at home as an effective home defensive weapon for her. (she enjoys shooting it, but lets just say even at 25 feet her aim is lackluster at best.) I tried just a basic short barrel 20 gauge shot gun for her, but even that is too much recoil for her. So I'm looking at the .410 Taurus Judge revolver as a viable option at home for her. From short range it has a really nice spread so her accuracy would not be an issue... Problem is finding the right .410 load that will not be too much recoil for her. She's around 90 pounds soaking wet and I'm not sure if the Judge with specific.410 load would be too much for her. How is the recoil with this .410 pistol? Too much for a novice female?
 
I can't speak for your wife. Maybe she can.
The .410 revolvers are so popular, you surely know somebody who has one she can try out.
I would not count on it.
Maybe some serious directed practice or even a class beyond the usual CCW.
 
Maybe some serious directed practice or even a class beyond the usual CCW.
Click to expand...

Yep. Take a class.

The first class I took, back in 03, made a world of difference in how well I shot. Stance, grip, sight picture, trigger control -- all that needs to be taught.
 
This is a choice that you and your wife should make together. The reason so many men try to make the choice for their wives is that those particular wives often aren't really into guns but respect them as an emergency defense tool. An obvious answer is to get your wife some real classes (not the mandatory pistol class people take to obtain licenses in many states) and/or actual range time.

That said, tiny .380s, especially with heavy trigger pulls, are naturally challenging to shoot well. Giving them to relatively inexperienced shooters often leads to discouragement. A big part of practicing is enjoying the practice and wanting to do it. That means getting a gun that is easier to shoot well! With this in mind, look into full-sized handguns in 9mm or .38 special. Find one that fits your wife's hand well and that she likes. She'll get more rewarding practice, more user confidence, and more stopping power if she ever needs it.
 
In my opinion the Judge would not be a good choice for your wife. I had one and sold it pretty fast. It weights a ton and the recoil is much more than a hand full. I would go with a larger revolver maybe a Ruger or possibly a Glock with the high capacity in 9mm.
 
The small .380's are a handfull to many people. Since you asked for opinions, I would suggest you steer clear of the Judge for her for the reasons already mentioned. I would suggest a 4 inch DA .38/.357 revolver. It will not be too heavy, have a decent sight radius, and the amount of recoil can be controlled by ammo choices. Be sure to let her try different guns and let her make the choice.
 
First- your wife needs to be able to shoot accurately. No gun is going to make up for poor shooting. Get her to a class.
Second, if your wife weighs 90 lbs, a full-size .38 or 9mm will be too big for her hands. Perhaps a J frame S&W with a 3-4" barrel, loaded with mid-range wadcutters, or a 9mm carbine.
 
First I think the classes are about the best idea no matter what gun is selected. Second let her take the lead in what gun she is most comfortable with. Third if you really like the idea of a .410 then think about something like the Mossberg 500 HS 410 home security shotgun over the .410 pistol, more mass to help reduce felt recoil, more size allowing three point contact for better panic/combat shooting. It's for home protection not every day carry so let the larger size work for her.
 
The 410 Taurus would likely not be comfortable for her to shoot. I suspect a 20ga pump shot would be more comfortable and certainly more controllable.

If you are thinking handgun, I would look to a medium framed 38spl. Something like a S&W Model 10 revolver or Ruger GP100. She can shoot light loads.

She probably needs a helping hand with her shooting handguns. You could do it or she could take a class.

The 410 shotgun idea is not a bad option either if she is comfortable with it. Much easier to control than a handgun.
 
I second the Model 10 if a pistol/revolver is OK. Simple, easy to shoot and very controllable in .38 Special. But if you want to go with a shotgun, get a 20 gauge, not a .410 and not a "shotshell pistol". Revolvers chambered for .410 tend to be loud, hard to control, and not very effective.

Jim
 
Some of those little 380 pistols have lousy accuracy. Some are better than others. I have a friend that has a Makarov that is both easy to shoot and way more accurate than his 380 Colt Mustang. The Makarov takes a different kind of ammo, but it's similar in power to the 380.
 
I'm not a fan of .22's on anything bigger than rabbits, but in your case I think I would consider a full size Ruger 22 pistol or a quality .32acp loaded with Winchester silvertips, Low recoil and good accuracy.
 
By far the most important aspect to effective handgun use is TECHNIQUE. If your wife is such a poor shot with the 380, then she will likely be a poor shot with any handgun. Training and practice is what she needs.

Barring that, my alternate recommendation would be a short-barreled shotgun. A 20-gauge pump (or 12 gauge, if she is up to it) would do nicely.....and there are few more effective choices for home defense.
 
The Judge is a "speciality" gun, and home defense in the hands of someone that can't shoot accuratly in the first place is not it's speciality. It is not a shotgun pistol. It's a handgun that is capable of shooting shotgun ammunition. The pattern density with smaller shot is not acceptable for home defense. With 000 buckshot, accurate shooting is a must.
Also, the recoil most likely will be something she doesn't tolerate well.
As others have said, she needs to learn to shoot first. After that, the 380 you already have may well be all she needs. If she would feel more secure with more power, a service size 38 special would be much better than a Judge.
BTW, I have a Judge Public Defender Poly. It's "specialty" for me is as a close range carjacker deterrent kept along side the driver's seat in my truck.
 
Revolver in .38 spec, or a police turn in Glock. Snub nose at in house distance isn't a bad choice either.
Borrow one or more from a friend and let her shoot and decide.
 
Most people don't bother to wear there handgun all day at home, but if a person is really worried they should. Bad guy's usually don't call ahead and make appt's and let you know what room you should be in to reach your gun. If they hit it will probably be so fast, is she going to have time to recover the handgun, if it's loaded will children, friends and family find it, the safest place is on your person. Your wife will have to handle a asst. bunch of handguns to get the feel of them, if the reach to the trigger is too long for her it might explain the lackluster accuracy problem. For folks who don't shoot a lot a small frame 38spl with target wadcutters have low recoil, as do the .32acp's and if nothing else a 22 handgun, if nothing else the 22 will build confidence.
 
"I tried just a basic short barrel 20 gauge shot gun for her, but even that is too much recoil for her."

I'm going to pile on and recommend against a Taurus Judge. A hand held 410 will be more uncontrollable than a 20 ga. shotgun. Plus there's a lot of more effective SD choices than a 410 shotshell.

Plus it's best she try a variety of handguns of a couple different calibers and decide for herself. But I'll add to the other recommendations of something medium framed in 38 special.
 
As others have answered, a big clumsy low capacity shotgun wouldn't be the best choice in the circumstances mentioned.
There are home defense techniques suitable for the venerable shotgun, but without the necessary training and know how, they are not recommended.
Way too easy to get disarmed or blocked if walking around with one and usually not quickly accessible if stashed in a safe room.
Just a thought.
As for her inadequacies with her pistol, that's easily overcome with suitable training.
Since you are trying to improve her skills with changes in equipment, we can safely assume that the training will have to come from elsewhere.
Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's better than having to come home to discover a disaster that could have been avoided.
P.S.
Accuracy skills are not the same as defensive fighting skills.
 
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