Keeping my wife alive

Thanks for the source of .32 wadcutters. I think it's the best wasy to go, given that she's at this time limited to the little Smith.
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Every .32 S&W Long wadcutter load I have come across has been low velocity. A LRN load might be a better choice.
 
My old Mom likes her Smith and Wesson 357. Most guys cant out shoot her, she is as steady as a rock. She is 4 ft 11 just like Grandma :)
 
I would suggest a Ruger LCR with standard pressure .38 SPL rounds . . . either 158 Gr. LSWC or 125 gr. Federal Nyclads.

The LCR has a cam action trigger which makes for a light easy pull. It's a light gun however so keep the ammo on the tame side. ANY .38 Special trumps .32 S&W long. The LCR also is available with Crimson Trace grips.
 
I agree with the easier trigger pull on the LCR and the laser sights made it really easy to shoot well under pressure. However, it ate my hand. Let her shoot it first. See the Ruger LCR thread I started on the revolver section for much discussion about this.
 
On the Ruger LCR recommendation, I'd heard the same: nice trigger pull, but it has a lively kick. I've not shot one, but I can only imagine its recoil as being slightly sharper than my S&W 642. I'd be curious about their new .357 model - it weighs a little more, so if one were to only load .38's in it, it should handle like the .38 model, only more forgiving.

My wife & I went through a similar experience to the OP this past year: we got burglarized, and suddenly my wife was interested in my guns. Here's what we've done since then:
  • We had an alarm system installed.
  • She bought a youth model 20-ga shotgun, pump-action. She did the research and made the decision to buy on her own, and I think it was a good one. We keep it in the same quick-access safe I keep my handguns in when I'm not carrying them.
  • The two of us practice shooting, or at least do a fair amount of dryfiring if we can't make it to the range.
  • We're looking into restarting a neighborhood watch program.

One of our local cops knows us by name & reputation now, and it's good knowing that at least one of the guys in uniform has our back. Personally, I mean. Getting involved in the community around your is probably one of the best things you can do to stay safe.
 
Its good she likes the .32, and its good she can have something to move from room to room, but I think you really ought to consider having a shotgun in the house. Think of it as backup, if nothing else.

Worst possible case, the Terminator breaks in, the .32 might not be enough. But it might buy the time needed to get to your "backup". And that might be the all the difference in the world.
 
Thomme said:
Eagleks, care to explain to use why a Shotgun is better than a handgun for someone to use to home defense, other than the classic "clunk-clunk" noise? It could be that his wife has NEVER used a shotgun, or that they don't have a shotgun, or that their home is smaller and doesn't facilitate the use of long arms.
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Sure, no problem. First, I don't believe in the "clunk, clunk" theory. IF I need a gun, there will be a "bang bang" sound.

I'ld have a shorter barrel shotgun. If his wife is not accustomed to guns, a shotgun is easy to operate and usually doesn't FTF, FTE, nor have mag or other issues. They don't have to be an expert shooter, and aiming isn't a big issue for a person that is not as highly practiced or competent with handguns. But, they are quite effective.

People tend to 'panic', adrenaline up, etc. in a bad situation. A shotgun being easy to operate and shoot makes it less likely to 1) miss, 2) even if they miss 'may' have the effect to scare the attacker off, 3) be less likely to have malfunctions, 4) does not require being a highly accurate shooter in a high stress situation. 5) if there is more than one person, has more chance of doing more damage, quicker, in a mutiple attacker situation.

However, they may require more mudding all of the little holes in the wall afterwards.

I have a dble barrel sitting there, and would be even my first choice. The handgun is if I need more than 2 shots from the shotgun.
 
"Here come da Judge"

Haven't seen it mentioned so I'll throw it into the mix. Have you thought about the Taurus Judge? Never shot one so don't know anything about trigger pulll, but might be a viable option.
 
Haven't considered the Judge.

Primary constraints are hand strength and portability. It will do her no good if she can't pull the trigger, nor if she's on the other side of the house from a shotgun.

While a .22 Woodsman might be well within her capabilities, the .32 S&W provides a more reliable cartridge as well as the ability to keep shooting without having to clear a dud cartridge, should that occur, however unlikely. While it is underpowered for SD, it's better than a pair of scissors, or a stone axe.
 
No need to. The Judge would be a good weapon if you have a rattlesnake infestation; it might be fun to try and shoot some clay targets with it. On the other hand, it's a over-sized, ungainly revolver and has no advantages for self defense. I agree with those who call it a gimmick gun.
 
FrankenMauser said:
Every .32 S&W Long wadcutter load I have come across has been low velocity. A LRN load might be a better choice.
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That's a valid concern, but if we look at some comparative numbers (as .32 S&W Long terminal ballistics test results are hard to come by), I think that the wadcutter from S&B that I referenced earlier, to take one example, would penetrate effectively. S&B lists its muzzle velocity as 735 fps, and according to the following data, bullets with similar diameters and velocities can penetrate to depths that are widely considered to be effective against human targets:

http://www.brassfetcher.com/index_files/Page820.htm

While S&B's published velocity was measured with a 6" barrel and the load would be somewhat slower out of a shorter-barreled gun (assuming that bob.a's gun has a shorter barrel), I think that the difference would be more than made up for by the bullet's larger mass of 100 grains, in comparison to the 85, 73, and 60 grain bullets in the calibrated gelatin tests referenced above. The LRN load may indeed penetrate more deeply, but I doubt that it would be more effective overall than the wadcutter.

sognky said:
Haven't seen it mentioned so I'll throw it into the mix. Have you thought about the Taurus Judge? Never shot one so don't know anything about trigger pulll, but might be a viable option.
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I'm not saying that the Judge wouldn't be effective and viable as an option for personal defense, but why would such a compromised design be preferable to the many other suggestions made in this thread, specifically for the intended shooter?
 
for home defense a shot gun is the best gun (IMO)

not only can you be a little less accurate but the pump action is very intimidating.

I have a Taurus Judge and I like it a lot but I would not use it for defense unless it was all I had at hand.
 
When we go to the range, I have my wife shoot a few rounds in each gun we bring. Not just the guns she likes. The way I explained it to her is... If she ever has to pick up and use my NAA Guardian, she needs to have it in her head, that the trigger is going to be heavier than the M&P9mm.

None of them do any good without practice.

Mike
 
A used G26 is the one my girlfriend likes. As well as my p-64. The DA pull on the p-64 would not be ideal for most due to the incredably heavy first DA pull. In SA it is extremly light. My girlfriend is a tiny lil' lady of 5 ft 3in. Maybe 95 or so pounds. She now carrries a used G26. She started with a Bersa Thunder 9mm UC. She can work the slide on my M&P now. When it was new there was not a chance, She had to use both index fingers on a S&W Sigma that a friend of ours owns, she hit with it very well, she just said it was uncomfortable. She carries the G26 now.
 
Women are tougher than we give them credit for.

I agree with the posters here who tell you not to baby your wife when it comes to shooting a particular firearm. While I wouldn't recommend this gun as the primary defense weapon for my own wife, she surprised me when she took my Texas Defender from me at a farm where I practice and cocked it and fired it with no whining about the recoil or the trigger pull or anything.

She fired pretty close to 75 rounds though it the first day she shot it. Including .410 000 buck and the .45 silver tip ammo I carry in it. I have said in other threads that the trigger pull and cocking the hammer softens up after about 50 rounds or so in a new gun so it wasn't all that bad to shoot really. I was most impressed with the fact that she wasn't intimidated by the report or the recoil at all.

She has since chosen for her own defense gun a .44 bulldog she picked out at a local pawn shop. Take your wife out and let her shoot ANYTHING she wants and don't plant fear in her mind by incessantly warning her about the things YOU feel might intimidate her. My wife actually told me to shut up and let her shoot the damn things. She told me that if the gun didn't "bark" loud and "kick with authority", she whouldn't feel like it would do the job.

Most women who are serious about a gun for defense want something that they feel would be able to protect them when needed. They are tougher than we "macho" men give them credit for being.
 
bob.a said:
While it is underpowered for SD, it's better than a pair of scissors,
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All handgun calibers are underpowered, and are only effective given good shot placement and sufficient penetration. I think that with non-expanding bullets .32 S&W Long can get sufficient penetration to be effective against humans, and the rest is up to what gets hit. In terms of relative scale, a 100 grain bullet is quite adequate versus the target, and in this caliber has decent sectional density. For a handgun caliber, it is only underpowered if the shooter can handle more, but if she can't, then it can get the job done (even .22 LR can, although load selection is far more critical).

bob.a said:
or a stone axe.
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If one were strong enough to wield it and close enough to strike, I wouldn't be so sure. :)
 
chaplain tom said:
Take your wife out and let her shoot ANYTHING she wants and don't plant fear in her mind by incessantly warning her about the things YOU feel might intimidate her.
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While I think it's a good idea to let beginners shoot every caliber even on day one when looking for a defensive weapon for immediate use, I do not think it is overly cautious to warn them repeatedly that heavy calibers will kick pretty hard and suddenly, especially if they've never shot before. If they can handle it, then fine, but I'd rather have them be slightly intimidated at first (which they'll usually get over quickly enough) than overconfident. In fact, I go as far as to load only a single cartridge when they're taking their first shot in a much heavier caliber than they're used to. Usually there are no problems whether the shooter is male or female or large or small, but different people react differently when shooting for the first time, and it pays to be cautious.

chaplain tom said:
My wife actually told me to shut up and let her shoot the damn things.
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No offense intended, but if your wife is a bit macho with guns around you, then she'd probably learn better from somebody else. My sister is like that with me (most common among siblings due to natural rivalry, but it can happen between couples, too), and despite the vast disparity in our levels of training, she won't listen to me. I think that I'm still more intimidated by guns than she ever was, which is why I've trained so furiously to get better, while she's become complacent. Granted, she doesn't have the same keen interest that I have in firearms in general, but you should hear her talk whenever she shoots a tighter group than I do, taking forever sometimes to do it (in my view, defensive shooting is about speed with accuracy in every aspect). The result of a real gunfight between us--purely hypothetical of course--would be very different indeed at this point (not bragging--I'm just that much faster than I was as a beginner, and that took work and the constant realization of my own shortcomings).

chaplain tom said:
She told me that if the gun didn't "bark" loud and "kick with authority", she whouldn't feel like it would do the job.
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That's alright, but I wish that my defensive pistol didn't make a sound and didn't kick at all. :)

chaplain tom said:
Most women who are serious about a gun for defense want something that they feel would be able to protect them when needed. They are tougher than we "macho" men give them credit for being.
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It depends on the individual, male or female. Looking back at myself as a beginner (which wasn't all that long ago purely in terms of time) who had an immediate need for a defensive firearm, and knowing what I know now, I probably would have chosen a heavier gun in a lighter caliber to start out with--maybe even a .22 LR revolver because I could shoot it better than a .38 Special back then. I can shoot almost anything now, but I'm not ashamed to admit that .40 S&W in a polymer-framed handgun was too much for me back then. I could shoot it accurately or I could shoot it fast, but not both at the same time to the point where it maximized my effectiveness, at least for a good while. I had believed that there was a greater difference in per-round effectiveness between the various calibers than I do now, having realized that shot placement and penetration are what matter the most, and that "stopping power" is a myth.

This is not just about me, but is relevant to the topic of this thread, I think. If you want or need a defensive weapon now, then use whatever you can shoot the best for now (even .22 LR can be effective with the right loads, the CCI Velocitor probably being the most versatile across different weapons), and then move up in caliber (if you care to) when your skills have improved significantly.
 
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Well, from what I've read thus far, it sounds as if you wife is probably the most comfortable with the S&W .32. If that's the case and you're not looking to buy another gun, that's the gun I think she's probably best served with (I also recommend wadcutters be loaded in it).

Now, if you're looking to buy another gun for her, you might want to have her handle (and shoot if possible) a S&W K-Frame .38 such as the models 10, 64, 14, 15, or 67 or even a K-Frame .357 Magnum like the models 13, 19, 65, or 66. K-Frames typically have better triggers than J-Frames like your M60 because their heavier hammers don't require as stiff a mainspring to reliably ignite primers. The afforementioned guns all have steel frames and weight 30+ oz so recoil with standard pressure .38 Specials is usually quite mild. However, .38 Special +P and .357 Magnum (if you buy a .357 Magnum gun) offer excellent terminal performance. The nice thing about a .38 Special or .357 Magnum revolver is that you can start out with very mild loadings with little recoil such as 148grn HBWC and work your wife up to more powerful ammo as she feels comfortable without having to buy another gun.
 
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