Handgun for the very recoil sensitive girlfriend

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Kvon2

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So my girlfriend got her first firearm (bolt action .22 rifle) last year and she really loves going to the range with me. She has decided she wants a handgun this go around. It would be mostly for recreational use although having a firearm in her apartment does make her feel a little safer.

I admit I am not much of a handgun gun. My only handgun was gifted to me from my grandfather, it's a S&W659. I took her out, showed her how to use it, she took one shot and said no thank you to the recoil. So the 9mm is out and she is leaning towards a .22.

I think she should get whatever makes her happy, but what other calibers/firearms should she consider? She is leaning towards a semi auto and she was able to work the slide on mine perfectly fine.

To top it off, she wants it to be pink :D
 
4" S&W686 or Ruger GP100 shooting 38 spl 148gr wadcutters.
I had a 659, really nice gun, sure wish I'd kept that one.:mad:
 
You might look at some of the "bigger than mouse gun" 380s, like the Walther PK380. Or look on line and search ".32 ACP". There are some pistols, like the Walther PP and the Mauser HSc that are relatively heavy. That's why you don't see new ones; you can get a 9 mm in the same size now. But for the truly recoil averse, the combination of a little weight and a little cartridge makes for easy shooting. Stay away from the PPK. A .32 in James Bond's pistol will command a premium price. Both the Walther and the Mauser are first shot DA, SA for followups, so they're pretty safe.
 
If the 9mm was too much, then a .38 is also going to be too much recoil.

The smaller and lighter weight the gun is, the more recoil it will have.

So, you need a small caliber, heavy gun for no recoil. Something like a Ruger Mark III Target would have about zero recoil.

A .380 is a small caliber pistol, but most of the .380's are small guns and relatively light weight making the perceived recoil much greater.

To give you an idea what I'm talking about, here is a link to an STI DVC Limited.

The pistol, with an empty magazine, weighs about 42 ounces. That's 2.6 POUNDS. It comes with a 14lb recoil spring. To reduce felt recoil further, I put a 12lb recoil spring in it.

It still recoils. Not very much - but, you can feel it. Heavy pistol, relatively small (9mm) round - it still has recoil. My wife loves it. She shoots it competitively and last week did one entire stage with one hand as it was a fast movement stage and she could shoot while moving easier using one hand.

The GP100 recommended in a previous post, as well as the S&W 686 all weigh in the 40 oz range - less than the DVC. They're going to recoil more than the DVC.

If you have a local range that rents guns - take her to the range and rent a variety of large, heavy guns in 9mm or .38 Special if they're available.

It's all physics. The net force on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by the acceleration of the object.

You either have to increase the mass (weight) or reduce the force causing the acceleration (smaller caliber), or both.

Smallest recoil is a heavy .22 caliber pistol = Ruger Mark III.
 
38spl wadcutters @ 750fps have much less recoil than any 9mm load. Both revolvers have the muzzle weight to help lessen perceived recoil. You also have the ability to increase the effectiveness of the gun with more powerful ammo.
A Buckmark or Ruger MkI, MkII or MkIII probably would be a good start.
 
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.327 (RUGER SP101 or SW632) firing .32 S+W long should have very little perceived recoil

I'm going to disagree with the "larger" 380 sentiment - at least on anything based on the Walther PP / PPK. I have a Sig P232. Absolute beautiful gun but it has a tremendous amount of recoil for a gun of its size and cartridge. I am told this is due to the direct blowback and position of the spring around the barrel.
 
If 9mm is too much, I would trying something like a Beretta Cheetah (Model 83, 84, 85, or 86), or possibly even something like a Ruger Mark III in .22LR. A .327 mag revolver would work if you can find a decent sized one. She could just shoot .32 S&W longs out of it.
 
Beretta's Cheetahs, being blowback, actually have more "recoil" snap to them than a Model 92FS and just as much "bark."

Perhaps it's the "bark" that is too much with the 9 mm.

Really, most women and girls I've met can handle a .38
K-frame Smith with light loads. Of course, finding a decent
used K-frame can be a problem and the only ones Smith
currently makes are the Model 10, Model 67 and Model 66,
all pricey.
 
"...she took one shot and..." Guessing the thing didn't fit her right. A handgun has to fit the shooter's hand or the recoil, among other factors(like the BANG!!!!) will hurt. Usually the bang that causes people to feel recoil more than the actual recoil.
You really need to take her shopping. You'll likely find that with a pistol that fits, a .45 isn't out of the question.
What's the budget? Pink, as daft as it is, is doable. Anodizing is responsible for a lot of horrific stuff.
Walther makes a pink framed PK380. Runs about $400. Glock and Charter Arms make pink firearms too.
Net search 'pink coloured pistols'.
 
ligonierbill said:
You might look at some of the "bigger than mouse gun" 380s, like the Walther PK380.
Click to expand...

Lohman said:
I'm going to disagree with the "larger" 380 sentiment - at least on anything based on the Walther PP / PPK.
Click to expand...

The PPK has a phenomenally high recoil for the round it shoots; it made me appreciate the genius that made the 1911 so gentle in .45.

A PK380 isn't a fixed barrel beast. It has a recoil that I can only compare to a 22LR. It also has a small grip. I have misgivings about its overall quality, but I think it could be an excellent carry gun.
 
A friend of mine has a Beretta PX4 9mm. It doesn't kick. It would be more accurate to say that it kicks less than other 9mm's that I've shot. But it feels like it just doesn't kick.
 
IF it was me I would go with a .22. Some revolvers are very stiff in double action mode until WELL broken in and may be difficult for a female shooter with weak or frail hands....I know the Ruger SP101 .22 that I have could be difficult....revolvers are a bit simpler to operate than autos but...

If the weapon is for defense/concealment and you can afford and find a Walther PPK, Astra Constable, Berretta M70 or the like, I think this is a best bet....I am not familiar with the more modern .22s of this ilk but I'm sure there are some....if just for plinking and target the number of choices expand to the likes of the Ruger 22 standard and target, Browning Buckmark, etc.

I would stay away from very cheap .22 auto loaders as even the high end ones will jam on occasion and sometimes this is the fault of the ammo, not the pistol.

The popular notion that more people have been killed by .22s MIGHT hold weight...She would obviously need to learn the manual of arms of these weapons VERY well and know how to clear a jam as best she could...
 
I haven't been able to get my wife too interested in finding a suitable handgun for her. Although most will recommend a midsized revolver with .38 rounds, it is the weight of my GP 100 that my wife doesn't care for-not the recoil. A friend has an SP 101 that we are going to try. I think that may suit her better. My SR9c works well for her, but she is not comfortable racking the slide or removing the mag to clear malfunctions that could happen.
 
Actually knowing and learning how to shoot a handgun will go a long way in dealing with recoil.
Tell her to sign up for a genuine shooting skill class, if she wants to continue.
And all those around her will appreciate it, too.
One of the ways to discourage someone from ever being a shooting enthusiast is to just hand them a gun and let them scare themselves.
It rates right up there with taking them to an indoor range when rifle shooters are blasting away.
 
While a 22 isn't the best choice for self defence, a gun that she will regularly shoot is!
Do you have a range in your area that rents guns? If so, let her try something like a Ruger SR22, MKIII, or Browning Buckmark. Also, if she likes the slower, more controlled operation of her bolt action rifle she might like a revolver like the LCR in 22, or a Charter Arms Pathfinder.
 
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