concealed handgun for the wife?

R

revolverrandy

New member
Lookiong to get an inexpensive,yet reliable self defense concealed handgun for the wife.
In your opinion which is the better way to go

4 3/4 inch barrel with 22lr and 22 mag cylinder s

http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...ider-Handgun&i=418187&aID=510E1B&merchID=4006

or this real little one with same options

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...=SBC;MMcat104792580;cat105526980;cat105528780

reason I am looking at 22 LR and 22 magis due to her being comfortable with the caliber and the price of ammo allowing alot of practice rounds for accuracy
 
Does your wife shoot much?? If not take her to a range and let her try different guns. My wife is about 5'4" and low 100' s (been with her 25 years so aint going no closer on weight) and you would be surprised what a woman would like to shoot. If i could find a 44 mag that would be small enough to carry she would want one. And as far as price to shoot most guns out there will have a sister gun of same size that shoots 22 for the range. I.e. m&p, ruger, etc. Etc....i learned along time ago with the first gun "I" bought for her that what i thought she wanted isnt what she really wanted. So i dont pick her panty's and I dont pick her guns....
 
OH deer, I misread the title, thought it said "Concealing Handguns FROM the wife". My bad!
.22 is a cheap way to start but most outgrow that and want a more powerful (yet usable) round. We're then at .38 special, a good and versatile round.. or 9mmP if dealing with the autos isnt a problem.
 
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I'd recommend going up in caliber. 38 Special has always been popular with women for carry purposes and it can be had relatively cheap. Especially if you reload.
 
You do realize that both of those revolvers are single action, right? Is your wife going to train enough to reliably cock them in an emergency? Consider how rapidly she will be able to cock and fire followup shots. I personally wouldn't want a single-action for a defensive handgun, but some people do.
 
To me, generally, inexpensive and self-defense, are mutually exclusive. The "cheapest" handgun I would consider would be a Bersa Thunder .380 but you would need to shoot it a lot to get used to it. For starters, I would have your wife check out a J Frame or Ruger LCR and see how she likes those. Simple to use without long hours at the range. She could move on from there.
 
Ok, since nobody else seems to have already said it:

http://corneredcat.com

This site is run by one of the moderators on TFL, "Pax," and is full of good information for new shooters and new concealed carriers.

Also, as others have already said, picking a gun for the wife is typically a bad idea. Have the wife check out The Cornered Cat; then bring the wife by some gun shops, preferably shops that have ranges and rental guns, and let her find what suits her. You can probably keep the price reasonable, especially if you find decent used guns.

But picking a gun for the wife is about as smart as picking a car for the wife, or picking a dog for the wife, etc. If she isn't invested in it, she probably won't like it, won't shoot it, won't carry it, etc.

Oh, yeah, don't assume she'll prefer revolvers. She might. But, ounce for ounce, autos tend to be softer shooting, due to the slide and spring absorbing some recoil energy; and autos tend to have less muzzle rise, due to (usually) lower bore axis.

Pax goes over a lot of this in her website, and also in her book.
 
yep, Revolverwise... Ruger LCR in .22 sounds about right... click:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...ns/1911s/Ruger+LCR+22++.22lr+8-RD+HOGUE+GRIPS

Those first two single-actions you mentioned are NOT good choices IMHO because in an actual SD situation, a single .22 penetration is unlikely to stop the threat immediately (unless it was a lucky headshot)... therefore giving an aggressor time to physically make contact and likely overcome a weaker defender before follow-up shots can be gotten off.
 
I just got my wife her first firearm ever on Monday, a M&P Shield. It is slim so it is great for smaller hands, recoil in 9MM is easy, 9mm ammo is cheap and the right modern 9mm hollow points are very effective at stopping a threat.
PLUS the gun comes with an extended magazine that allows me with my big ole man hands to hold the gun with some comfort.


I see a lot of misconceptions, even amongst gun store employees who automatically try to point women towards so called "mouse" guns in 22mag, 25, 32 and 380 cal. Most women can easily handle 9mm, a large majority with training can handle 40, 45 or larger.
 
corneredcat.com is excellent reading for women AND men. It is in my favorites for quick checks for updates, additions, etc. I highly recommend taking the time to read it all.
 
Two thoughts...

1. any .22 lr or Mag cartridge is inadequate for self defense, no matter how "comfortable" your wife is with it. Get a decent cartridge.
2. Forget about cheap, and buy her some reasonable security.

Front Sight, the NV based training institute, considers 9 mm as a minimum choice. Any woman can handle the recoil, if she practices. If she doesn't, ... you're going to send her out with a .22 and minimal training and a cheap gun and feel good about it?

Spend the money, do what it takes to build her interest in shooting and the realities of a self defense situation, and train, train, train. For our family, my wife carries a S&W 637 with a good +P hollow point load in 125 gr weights. She's more than proficient with a Glock 19 9 mm, but prefers the revolver...it's simple, accurate for the job at hand, and concealable. Same goes for my daughter in law...same gun and she's had to pull it from its hiding slot in her purse on one occasion..she's a realtor.

You can find that j-frame Smith for less than $400 any day of the week, and buy enough .38 special ammunition to train her.

If she's against it, you need to argue the point successfully, get some help from somebody who knows..cops, FBI, Secret Service...all have helped me convince my wife and DIL of the necessity for vigilence.

Best Regards, Rod
 
Purse gun, a 4" model 10 or a model 36. The 10 is a lot easier to shoot than the 36. The air weight guns are great to carry but not many will shoot it well because of the recoil. I find it a lot easier to shoot the LC9 than my 642.
The D/A revolver it the simplest to operate- point and click.
 
Lookiong to get an inexpensive,yet reliable self defense concealed handgun for the wife.
In your opinion which is the better way to go

4 3/4 inch barrel with 22lr and 22 mag cylinder s

http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...B&merchID=4006

or this real little one with same options

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoot...3Bcat105528780

reason I am looking at 22 LR and 22 magis due to her being comfortable with the caliber and the price of ammo allowing alot of practice rounds for accuracy
Click to expand...

Neither. If you're looking at a .22, find a Ruger Mark i/ii/iii or 22/45.
 
If she's against it, you need to argue the point successfully, get some help from somebody who knows..cops, FBI, Secret Service...all have helped me convince my wife and DIL of the necessity for vigilence.

Very well put but ...find a woman to argue it with you. Go to a range, go to a LGS and find a woman to help you with your point. Not that you couldn't be effective in getting a point across but hearing it from someone outside the family will not go across "deaf" ears as much..
 
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If she's against it, you need to argue the point successfully, get some help from somebody who knows..cops, FBI, Secret Service...all have helped me convince my wife and DIL of the necessity for vigilence.

Very well put but ...find a woman to argue it with you. Go to a range, go to a LGS and find a woman to help you with your point. Not that you couldn't be effective in getting a point across but hearing it from someone outside the family will not go across "deaf" ears as much..



If she is against what?:confused:
 
I would consider the following in .22 LR, based on your stated requirements. prices listed are approximate "out the door" prices based on www.gungenie.com for dealers in my area. Your local pricing may be different.

Semi-autos:
Bersa Thunder 22, compact but not pocket size, 10+1 capacity, ~ $330
Beretta 21 Bobcat, pocket size, 7+1 capacity, ~$320
Walther P22, medium size, 10+1 capacity, ~$370.
Taurus PT22, pocket size, 8+1 capacity, ~$250.

Revolvers:
Charter Arms Pathfinder, 2" barrel, 6-shot, ~ $350

I don't own any of those, but I do own some similar guns. I have a Bersa Thunder 380 which has been a very reliable and accurate pistol that is fun to shoot. The .22 is the exact same size, just a different caliber.

I have a Beretta Model 20 in .25 ACP which is a surprisingly accurate little gun for the size. Shoots great, drops in a pocket. I would assume the 21 Bobcat in .22 lr would be similar.

I've handled the Walther P22 and it has great ergonomics. Would be a fun range gun.

The Taurus P22 is available in several colors, finishes, and barrel lengths. I don't have any personal experience with Taurus.
 
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