Good .38 for a young girl?

B

baddarryl

New member
With plethora of choices out there, what has the best balance of light weight and recoil manageability? Both requirements being about 50/50. Home defense in mind.
 
Smith & Wesson K frame, any of numerous models. M&P model 10 frex.

Ruger Security Six, Service Six, Speed Six, discontinued, get on secondary market.

Colt Official Police or Police Positive Special. Long discontinued, but they do turn up.

All weigh 2 to 2.25 lbs, manageable by nearly any healthy woman. Think of a quart of soup in both hands.

Lighter guns recoil more and typically only hold five shots.
 
Read www.corneredcat.com before making a definitive suggestion.

By our Pax and the best source.

Sure one could suggest a SS Model 60 with a low recoiling self defense round - or a Glock 19 (my daughter's favorite) but it's individual and it's best to do the reference work suggested above.
 
Take her to a Range that rents Guns and let her shoot as many as you can Rent or barrow. It took my Wife several times at the Range until she was comfortable with her choice.
 
second on the range time

I'm a huge fan of a revolver as a first gun. I'd go .38 and try out different offerings in snubbie and K-frame sizes. She'll probably have an opinion on what she likes best after shooting them. Then enroll her in a serious training class.
 
Smith & Wesson K frame.
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A consensus is growing.

I am partial to a modern model 67. It has a 4" "bull" barrel and adjustable sights. By bull barrel, it means it's not tapered - it's as thick at the muzzle as it is at the breech. This adds a little extra weight out front - where it's needed most, to reduce muzzle flip.

So it's a small, light gun, yet with a little bit of mass to it. Great combo. And with the adjustable sights and the sight radius of a 4" barrel, it'll be fairly easy to hit bullseyes with.

And: It's a Smith & Wesson.
 
My wife prefers my Ruger LCR to my GP100. She has small hands so she can get a good grip more comfortably. However it does have quite a bit of recoil due to the extremely light weight. She will only shoot about 30 rounds through it when we take it to the range.
 
SHE needs to shoot the gun before buying. The advice about reading Pax's Cornered Cat and having her rent as many guns as possible to try is essential. What YOU think and what SHE thinks might not be the same
 
I'm with the group that SHE needs to shoot the gun. If she is not comfortable with the gun, she will never practice and be profecent with it. Some people have suggested a K frame. Not a thing wrong with that AS LONG AS SHE LIKES IT.
 
If she doesn't like the K frame I sure will! I have had her fire a stainless 38 snubby and a Glock 19. Both were a little much. My GP100 is too heavy. Mid way service revolver I think will be it.
 
A first gun, for a girl, for 38, for not that much money, and a brand without troubles
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What, because it's pink? The LCR is a small, light gun that's going to have significant recoil. As a concealed weapon, it serves a purpose, but the OP specified home defense.

I second (third? fourth?) the suggestion for a medium-frame service gun. Stick squishy Hogue or Pachmayr grips on it, and it's easy to handle.

That said, I also second (fifth? sixth?) the suggestion that she fire a few different guns first to see what works for her.
 
I think Ruger's 3" or 4" SP101 strikes a near perfect balance between weight and manageable recoil.

Of course the .357 chambering lets the gun grow with the shooter, should she learn she can handle/likes a bit more oomph later on.
 
She may like the new Ruger SP101 Trail gun, small frame, small(ish) grip, long barrel and good sights! Actually, I think I'd like one! Anyone wanna buy a Model 15? :D
 
My wife is a smaller woman, and when she shot my S&W Model 19, she declared that it was her gun now. It stays by her side of the bed. She generally prefers the factory grips that come with it to get a better grip on the gun. She's shot most of my guns, and the only one that she likes as much is my 1911.
 
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