Gun for (seriously) tiniest female hands you've ever seen

Alternative: shotgun

Mentioned only once before is the web site CorneredCat.com

Mentioned a couple of times is the fact that a shotgun (consider a 20 gauge, which is lighter than a 12 gauge and hits much harder than any handgun suitable for home defense) is

1) easier to aim
2) MUCH more effective on the receiving end
3) is much less likely to have uncomfortable recoil
4) better suited for the tactics of a stationary defense (get in a defensible room or corner, call for backup - police- have shotgun aimed at the entry point and wait.
5) see post 43 for stuff I forgot

Lost Sheep
 
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Alternative: Ruger Bearcat. Here's the plan

The Ruger Bearcat is a gun I would recommend you look at. It is proportioned for the small hand and a used one should be quite affordable. When you want to move up to a centerfire, you will lose very little when (if) you sell it.

Why start with a 22 that is only marginally adequate for home defense?

IT GETS YOU ON THE RANGE WHERE YOU WILL BE OFFERED THE CHANCE TO TRY OUT MANY DIFFERENT GUNS.

Guys are proud of their guns. I guarantee if you show up at a range regularly, show safe gun handling skills, are attentive and approachable, you will be shown their favorites and given a chance to shoot many of them.

At a range, you will not be confronted with salesmen who will be trying to make a sale (which, since you have trouble reaching the trigger on the gun you were sold indicates you were dealing with the wrong clerk who did NOT have your best interests in mind).

Target practice with a 22 will develop skills most of which WILL transfer to centerfire guns (safe handling, sight alignment, trigger control, breath control, etc.) and are easier to learn without the distractions of the accompanying blast, noise and recoil of the larger calibers, for now.

Learning to shoot well and confidently requires a LOT of practice. 22 Ammunition is a tenth the cost of centerfire (at least in stores around here).

With the Ruger Bearcat (or possibly the Single-Six) which is (are) single-action revolvers, you will find it difficult to cock the hammer with one hand. But that is no problem, as you should be holding the gun with both hands and can use your off-hand thumb to cock the hammer and your primary hand to operate the trigger and both hands (fingers) to wrap around the grip.

Join the NRA and take one of their introductory classes.

Good luck. Welcome to the forum. Thanks for asking our advice.

Lost Sheep
 
I have size 7.5 hands so I understand your plight a bit better than many. By really small I am guessing you have size 6 or even 5.5 hands.

1911 pistols...forget them too big. Double stack 9mm and 40 S&W also too big.

The biggest and closest to a full sized semiauto you should be looking at is a single stack 9mm. Even though a 40 S&W can be available in the same sized package, the recoil will most likely really put you off.

Go to your local gun range that has rentals available. It is worth the time and money to see what is available and take them for a test drive. The selection of smaller guns will probably be very limited but it is worth seeing what your options are.


Look into a Sig 239. You probably will have a bit of an issue with trigger reach in double action mode with the factory trigger (we'll get back to this). If you can get to the trigger in single action mode and it feels like something you would be interested in see if the shop offers any gun smithing services. SigArms offers a short trigger that costs about $30-40. This reduces the reach to the trigger in double action.

If the Sig is too big for you, then look at snub 38 revolvers and 380 pistols like the Bersa Thunder ( Article ).

If all else fails you can get a Mossberg 510 Mini Super Bantaam in either 20 gauge or 410. The stock has spacers so you can adjust the stock length from 10 1/2" to 11 1/2"....this will accommodate your shorter reach. If that is too small, then you move up to the 505 with a 12" length or a 500 Bantaam at 13". The wrist on the stocks of these are also reconfigured to get your trigger finger closer to the trigger.

A Buckshot load from a 410 will get a bad guys attention real quick.
 
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Size matters but... a well placed .22 shot is better than wild .44 or .50 shot

If you can't confidently and reliably control the weapon, then don't consider it.

A .22 that fits your hand well and allows you to consistently achieve a good shot placement is a significantly better choice than a larger weapon you're either afraid to rapid fire or can't control the weapon after the first shot.

Why is this important? Remember last month's NYC shoot out: 2 officers fired 16 shots, hitting 9 people.... These guys are supposedly professionals trained to fire under stress. Find a weapon where in a difficult situation you don't have to think about your grip.

And most importantly, take lessons.

Good luck.
 
S&W Lady Smith

Smith and Wesson makes a j-frame .38 that is built for smaller hands. Granted, I don't know just how small that may be. With a j-frame though, I'm sure you can search around for smaller grips that can be changed out with just a couple of screws. Best of luck on your search.
 
+1 to http://corneredcat.com

+1 to going to shops and trying guns for size. Even better if those shops have ranges and rental guns.

If you have friends who are shooters, you might talk them into letting you try theirs. (I have been known to let people try mine on for size.)

I would also recommend a class or two, since you are new. One, with focus on firearm safety, and one with focus on gun handling, shooting, and stoppage clearing / troubleshooting.
 
Smith & Wesson Airweight and a couple of speed loaders.
Then, practice, practice, practice.
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She asked for something heavy enough to tame recoil, and I wouldn't put a S&W Airweight in the hands of someone who asked for that. Heck, I don't think they are much fun myself. My wife and two daughters disliked mine severely.
 
A Bearcat is a fine suggestion. Guaranteed it will fit your small hands. I bought one for my kids when they were little and it was perfect for them. It is a single action though, that and a 22. But it's still a fine gun to have and shoot at the range. In a pinch you could press it into SD service I suppose, but a Bearcat is not my idea of a primary arm.

They are wonderfully light and compact and is the bridge between the NAA Mini-revos and full sized handguns.
 
I try to avoid recommending specific guns to people I do not know.

With regard to my 442 (J frame) I will say that I don't find it too punishing, if it has the right grips. I have the opposite problem from the OP - my hands are long. I could not get a good grip on the old, slim, banana style S&W grips. With those, the little gun hurt.

With the current iteration's thick rubber boot grips, or with CTC grips, it is much less unpleasant. My present 442 has some oversize Altamont woods, which also work.

Fit and shape matter, with regard to perceived recoil.

(Note, though, that in the subcompact category I would much prefer to shoot my PPS or PM9 over the 442.)
 
Get a Ruger 10/22 rifle with a 25 round magazine. The longer barrel will increase the power of the .22 and what's not to like about 25 rounds. The new take down version is nice and light.
 
I'll throw in a vote for the LCR. It's my daily pocket carry. I just tested it in my hand and my trigger finger reaches out past the the front of the trigger guard, or far into the trigger area if I actually put my finger on the trigger. My mom is fairly small and she enjoys her LCR. It can have a sting with hot 38+P rounds but practicing with regular 38's isn't bad. You won't notice that when you need to use it anyway. Like people are saying, go into a shop and put your hands on one. It might be better for you because you could get a full grip on the little handle.

If you are looking into 22 there's also the LCR 22. 8 shots and unlike a semi auto if you get a bad round you just pull the trigger again to get to the next round. With a semi auto you'll need to rack the slide and possible clear a jam. 22 is not ideal for defense but it is better then a police whistle.
 
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How about a Springfield 1911 EMP 9mm??
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Try to shoot one, if possible. If it fits your hand and feels good, and if you can reach and operate the controls comfortably, then it could be a good gun for you. I don't hear much negative about that model--friend of mine uses one as his carry gun and shoots it often. He is very happy with it.

It is a single-action 1911 style pistol which means you'll have to think carefully about what mode you would want the pistol to be in while it's "on duty". Typical "ready" mode would be hammer back with the safety on--some folks aren't comfortable leaving a gun in that mode.

I wouldn't rule out the .22LR pistols entirely, but it's probably better to start considering them only if you've tried the other options (Kahr K9, Springfield EMP 9, etc) and determine that you can't find something in 9mm that won't work for you or that is in your price range. .22LR has saved defenders' lives, no question about it; but it should be selected as a defensive caliber as a last resort, in my opinion.
 
First I have to say thanks so much to everyone who took the time to help me. So much good advice. Maybe too much. :p I've never visited an online community that offered so much advice so quickly.

I ended up with the Springfield 1911 EMP 9mm.

My reasoning:
I tried some of the other guns recommended. The J-Frame was an acceptable fit, but the gun is too light for it to be comfortable to shoot. The Kahrs (lower end 9mms)fit very well, but again I wanted a heavier gun and apparently the K9 and T9 are hard to find. I would have to order them online, sight unseen, and possibly pay some kind of transfer fee. I tried a few small Rugers - they were either too big or too light. I mentioned the possibility of starting with a .22, but the salesperson frowned at me, so I moved on. He seemed to think a 1911, a LadySmith, or a K9 would be my best bets, but he had none in stock.

So I went another large dealer in the area. I tried more Kahrs and Rugers. There were no K9s or LadySmiths to try, but there was a very, very pretty and very, very expensive Springfield 1911 EMP 9mm (the smallest 1911 and the only one with a shortened distance between grip and trigger). It fit nicely in my hand, with my finger easily on the trigger (still not quite perfect, but still comfy). The weight doesn't feel too heavy, but it's enough to feel substantial, which I hope will help with recoil. I racked the slide and I was stunned by how much more natural it felt, since I had been struggling to do that on my XD. I could operate the slide release (couldn't budge the release on my XD), the mag release, and the thumb safety fairly easily.

The 1911 felt so good that we pulled the trigger on it (hardy har har) and got a "decent" trade in amount for the XD (still=lost money though. *tears*). The only other option was to try my luck at smaller retailers or order something online, sight unseen.

So I practiced basic operation without ammunition tonight and feel ready to try it out tomorrow at the range. I'll be taking a few classes in the next few months as well. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again!
 
That's great to hear. It sounds like you've found a gun you're really going to enjoy.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
 
Nice Choice... Kudos to you for making a sizable $ commitment for a gun you can be happy with... and kudos for making the switch so soon and following your intuition. As my byline says...

"If the gun fits, shoot it!"
 
Wow, you pretty much got schooled in all of the elements of gun ownership in a record short time, from testing a gun before you buy it, to unscrupulous gun store clerks, to the many different choices for you out there, to the fact that polymer guns are worthless when you try to sell them--even in great condition.

Good luck with the EMP, it's a nice gun.

It'd be nice if you could have shot these guns before you made the decision, but I think you'll be happy.
 
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