Handgun for a woman

W

Walkerman

Inactive
A friend of mine died 4 weeks ago. His wife has his Colt mustang 380 single action. She is not comfortable cocking the hammer and doesn't want to leave it cocked.
I'm looking for opinions on what gun would be good for her in a double action (maybe a revolver). This would be mostly for home protection.
HELP
 
Plenty of good options in wheelguns. If the Colt doesn't have sentimental value, selling it would finance anything reasonable she might want.

Has she shot before? Does she have physical limitations due to age, low strength, arthritis, etc?
 
Take her to a gun shop, let her pick the gun she wants. Better if she could go to a range that rents them so she can try it out.

I'm not one that believes us guys should pick guns for our women folks. They will be happier with something they pick out.
 
If you can find a rental gun range so she can actually shoot some handguns of different types, caliber, size that she's interested in, I think it will be a more reliable purchase. Anyone, but especially a first time buyer, can be very surprised by what they get when they actually use their new handgun, if they've bought it based on what they've heard or how it looks.

I'd suggest using .38+P rounds in a mid-sized steel .38+P or .357 Magnum revolver. Be sure to explain to her that although the bigger guns may look like they kick more, they actually kick less, for the same cartridge. She'll see that soon enough if she rents a few.

Some nice revolvers to look at for home defense are (Smith & Wesson):
- 3-4 inch barrel model 686P
- 3-4 inch barrel model 64
- 3-4 inch barrel model 67

The model 64 and 67 are a little smaller and lighter than the 686P of the same barrel length and carry 6 rounds. My favorite would be the 3-inch 686P. 7 rounds, quick pointing, and enough heft to make shooting smooth without being a boat anchor either.
 
Obligatory suggestion to visit corneredcat website.
Obligatory suggestion to let her pick.

Simple answer to question. S&W in 38spcl 4"-6" barrel since concealment isn't a concern.
 
There are some great deals on trade in model 64 Smith & Wesson 4" double action only. I can get them for $200 out the door at my FFL. Get a 64-6 and you'll have a round butt for smaller hands.

They are 38's but with +P loads you can't beat them as a drawer gun.
 
While I agree with the previous poster above who says a woman should get what she wants and is most comfortable with, there are a lot of women who really don't like guns, are scared of them, and won't really be comfortable with any of them, but still realize they need one and will actually try to become proficient with one. Some of them ask for and actually appreciate advice on the subject.

I think most knowledgeable gun people would advise such a woman to buy a 38 Special revolver. I'd advise that too, but I'd also advise her to make sure she has the hand strength to control the hammer before buying any double action revolver. Some women can't, and trying to let off a cocked hammer can be extremely dangerous for someone without the hand strength to easily handle that task. For those women, I'd advise a double action only revolver, assuming it has a smooth, easy trigger, as most S&W's revolvers do. One of the police department trade-ins like J&G Sales was recently advertising on line and may still be selling might be ideal for such a woman. Get a stainless steel one and it'll reduce the need for upkeep.

However, some women don't have the hand strength to even handle a DA trigger, and for them I'd advise a Beretta semi-auto with a tip up barrel. The drawback is that she may not be able to load clips (magazines) herself, although almost anybody can load at least the first few rounds in a clip. But, someone may have to load clips for her until she can shoot enough to be reasonably proficient with the gun. After that all she's got to do is keep a couple of loaded clips around the house and a single bullet or two. When she wants to shoot, she'll just insert a clip in the handle and tip the barrel up to drop one of the single rounds in the chamber; then she can close the barrel just like you close a singe barrel shotgun, and be ready to go. To unload the chamber, she just tips the barrel up to eject the chambered round.

I've owned a Beretta tip-up barrel in .25 auto, and it was very reliable. Most people don't reccommend anything less than 380 Auto though for SD or HD. I'd prefer .380 to .25 too, but when you really need a gun, any gun is a lot better to have than no gun, and 9 rounds of .25 auto is a lot of lead for a BG to eat. Beretta does make a 380 auto with a tip up barrel, but I've never fired one. If its as reliable as my old Beretta Model 950 BS .25 auto was, I'd have no problem reccommending it, but I just don't know. Maybe someone else can comment on that guns reliability - the Beretta .380 with the tip up barrel.
 
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Walkerman, if she isn't familiar with shooting a number of different types of handgun already, I'd recommend taking her to the range before you take her to the store. Either rent a bunch of guns at the range (if they have handguns for rent), or bring everything you have and borrow what your friends have, so that she can try them all out.

*Then* she'll have more experience and be better able to make a good choice for herself.

Also, just in case nobody has said so yet in this thread:

http://corneredcat.com

:-)
 
I'd be interested in the mustang if it goes up for sale.

IMO for the average woman who is not going to shoot a whole lot and may not be willing to put in the time to learn other systems I would recommend the 38 revolver.
 
Semi Auto option

The Beretta .32 caliber TomCat.

Tip-Up barrel. Just about the easiest thing to load.

Double action trigger and also has a manual safety.

A little heavy for a true mouse gun (loaded weight 17-20 oz) , but on the other hand it has fairly good sights for a mouse gun.
 
LET HER PICK IT! Take her to a range or borrow friend's guns and let her shoot as many as she can.

The "best" gun is the one SHE likes, not anyone else. It will be a compromise of:

1. Fit - It should fit in her hand like she was born with it there.
2. Reliability - It should go BANG about 99.8% of the time she pulls the trigger.
3. Accuracy - In HER hand. It's how well SHE shoots it.
4. Concealability - It should be comfortable enough to wear and easy enough to conceal so she won't leave it laying on the dresser at home.
5. Cost - She doesn't want to scrimp on her "life protector" weapon, but she probably don't need a $1,000 Kimber, either.
 
^+10,000

There is no gun that is always better or worse for a woman. She needs to hold and fire different styles and models to see what works best for her.
 
Hi,

Take her to the range several times and let her become familiar with shooting with all types of hand guns. I have always suggested for the first time shooter either female or male a revolver. I still suggest a 38 special and a 4 inch barrel length. A 357 is a option of course because of the revolver's ability to shoot 38 specials too but in most cases a women will not like shooting 357s plus accuracy will suffer unless she really "gets into shooting". Again she has got to practice and practice. A minimum of twice a month at a range. I suggest for home protection a S&W model 10 or model 64. The 64 being stainless. On the average the double action pull on the 10 or 64 is very good. And she can develope the proper double action trigger control with practice.

And lastly, practice and practice. She needs to become comfortable with shooting and shooting her weapon. Or she will end up not using the gun or selling it.

Good luck,
roaddog28
Model 10 4 inch heavy barrel
model10-14a.jpg
 
The very best answer is to let her choose. Point her to The Cornered Cat as was previously suggested, that will put her on the right course.

A safe suggestion, for several reasons, is a 3" or 4" S&W K frame revolver. .38 Spl is fine, but of course there's nothing wrong with .357 Mag. One nice thing about the K frames is that there are so many options available in grips, hence she can get her revolver and then get grips to fit her hands. That, and the manual of arms is so simple.

FWIW, SWMBO (who has rheumatoid arthritis) ended up choosing a 4" S&W model 15, a K frame in .38 Spl. Yeah, I found it for her, but then again she tried it out herself, liked it, and bought it herself. The grips fit her, the gun is a delight to shoot and is a tack driver. Unlike your friend's wife, SWMBO prefers to use her revolver in single action mode. She insists on cocking the hammer. Yes, I know -- I've told her time and again that it is supposed to be used as a double action. She nods, and cocks the hammer anyway. She claims that she doesn't have the strength in her finger for the DA trigger (which happens to be nice and light). Whatever. She's comfortable doing it that way. At least she's armed.

I suggest for home protection a S&W model 10 or model 64. The 64 being stainless.
Click to expand...
Those are nice, but don't turn her away from the corresponding adjustable sight models. Those would be the models 15 (which is at SWMBO's side of the bed) and 67, respectively. While the fixed sight versions are faster out of the holster, it doesn't make all that much difference as a HD firearm. Likewise, don't turn her away from the .357 Mag versions of all of the above. After all, you don't have to shoot .357 Mag ammo in a .357 Mag revolver, .38 Spl works fine in them if she is recoil shy.
 
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