lady's carry gun -- suggestions please?

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A behemoth like me can tote anything smaller than a box of Wheaties and do OK, but smaller folks can't.

I've fit someladies out with carry weapons. By and large, the smaller weapons are much harder to shoot, just easier to tote concealed.

If you prefer a revolver,and many women do, the little J frame S&W works fine. I recommend the 3 inch bbl, better sight radius and a little less flash in low light. The Airweight versions are super light and unobtrusive.Just remember that even mild 38 loads recoil like heavy ones in super light weapons.

As for autos, there's a messa good'uns, and some garbage out there. Some of the PPK clones and copies give good service in a small package, considering the limitations of the 380 cartridge.

A caveat, whatever you choose, run plenty of ammo through it both to establish whether it's reliable and for practice.

Finally, any time it's a good idea to carry a gun, it's a better idea to carry two.

Good luck and be safe...
 
Women will like the lightweight Ti multi-alloy from Taurus(38 spec +P), as it packs enough punch, is easily concealable, and easy to shoot(little muzzle flip).
 
FWIW, my wife prefers the S&W Model 10 or 12 with 2- or 3-inch barrel. Her revolver has to have a round butt--the square butt version is too large for her to grip comfortably.

I suspect she'd like a SIG P232 pretty well, except that, in her view, the control levers of autos add needless complexity to the basic firearm.

In sum, she doesn't like shooting a gun that's large or heavy to hold, or a cartridge with stiff recoil, or a mechanism with much complexity--these things just aren't for her. She sticks to the basics. So in the end, her choice comes down to personal preference, as in fact it does for each of us. :)
 
Mrs. Sbryce,

There's a retired Army nurse in our area who carries a .45 Colt Officer's model. Her opinion is, "Why carry less when I can use this effectively?" She's about 5'4", weighs maybe 120 and is in her 70s. And she's good!

Whatever you do, do NOT let some man convince you to buy "a little gun for the little lady"! (grin) I don't think *Mr.* Sbryce would let that happen!

Many of the smaller guns like the Walther PPK are difficult to use for *some* people with small hands. The small slide can be hard to grip and if your palm gets into the ejection port it can draw blood.

I suggest you ask folks if you can shoot their gun (let them shoot yours, give 'em ammo, whatever) and try every handgun you can find before you commit your money, time, effort and training into something that turns out to be unpleasant or impractical for you.

You are 100% right about holsters. Women usually require a different holster than us "fat boys". With wider hips, smaller waists and higher belt lines the grip or hammer ends up digging right into most ladies' ribs with a strong side carry - especially if you carry inside the waistband (IWB).

If you are carrying on the belt (outside your britches) there are holsters made for the beautifully built which angle the grip away from the ribs. You might ask a female LEO for advice there. She also might be able to help you with an "off-duty" rig.

IMO, SOB holsters are properly named! Can't sit comfortably and require too much movement and arc for me to be comfortable drawing from behind me. If it works for you, use it.

You might consider a cross-draw holster. Some women find that works.

One of my students found a belly-band worn up high (just beneath her breasts) let her carry a full-sized government model with ease. But she was fairly tall (probably 5'9" or 5'10"), fairly slim and, um, well-endowed. I spoke to her recently and she still carries that .45 (been a couple years now).

I'm not fond of purse, briefcase, satchel, etc. carries! You can have your gun taken from you just when you might need it most.

So, I suggest you keep on doing what you're doing! Get all the opinions and ideas you can. Try all the different guns that you can. Then find out what works for *you*!

You might even end up using more than one method and/or firearm depending upon what you want to wear. For example, when my wife and I go to the theater, I wear a smaller .45 (under my left armpit) than I wear to the mall in cold weather (in or on my belt) - different concealment opportunities and needs....

I recommend you use the biggest gun (caliber) you can use safely, effectively, and efficiently - including concealment, of course.

The good news is you can spend a lot of time trying different handguns. :D

Have fun and good luck!

[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited November 09, 1999).]
 
Mr sbryce here.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Whatever you do, do NOT let some man convince you to buy "a little gun for the little lady"! (grin) I don't think *Mr.* Sbryce would let that happen! [/quote]

No, he won't. But this is her decision. She has to live with it. She wants something small enough that she will really carry it, but big enough that it will do its job should it ever be necessary.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I recommend you use the biggest gun (caliber) you can use safely, effectively, and efficiently - including concealment, of course. [/quote]

She won't carry smaller that 9mm and isn't intimidated by .45.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>The good news is you can spend a lot of time trying different handguns. [/quote]

Maybe. Due to UPS's new policy, gun prices are expected to skyrocket here the first week of December. The guns she is looking at are already in the $500 range.


[This message has been edited by sbryce (edited November 12, 1999).]
 
Mrs B,

I wanted to "Amen" what Dennis said about not letting a man push you into getting a smaller caliber and/or frame. Not that revolvers ain't good, but I prefer to primarily carry an auto. My revolver is just my backup gun. (I definitely am a believer of the "carry-more-than-one-gun-school-of-thought"). If you can handle a .45, CARRY IT! I like the 9mm best thus far, I am the most accurate with that round, so that's what I will carry.

FWIW, I am a fairly tall woman, 5'9" and about 150 lbs, so definitely not petite by any means. I find that the smaller frame guns are hard to handle. I once got the meat of my hand chewed up by a Colt Defender when it got caught in the slide, still have a nice scar on the palm of my hand.

For an alternate carry method, I plan on ordering an Active Body Holster, their URL is http://www.politesociety.com. I also have a fanny pack for whenever I am wearing beltless shorts/britches.

AKJ Concealco is also an affordable, high-quality holster company in my experience http://www.members.aol.com/concealco/home.html. (no I don't work for them and am not receiving kickbacks from them) just a good co. IMO.

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"Liberty or death, What we so proudly hail... Once you provoke Her, rattling of Her tail- Never begins it, NEVER- But once engaged never surrenders, showing the fangs of rage. DON'T TREAD ON ME!!
 
Oh - my wife is running a Springfield V-10 now... She traded in her Kahr when I traded in my PPK/S. Now we only have to buy 1 ammo type. Very Nice.

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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
Mr. & Mrs. Sbryce,

(Big grin!) As an aside: I think the two of you are very lucky! ;)

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I don't have the resources to buy guns "to try". So I visit the range when I know others will be there. I get to trade firearms for a few minutes with lots of folks.

A few years ago, my experience was limited to revolvers and full-size .45s (and the PPK). Then I became more active and friendly folks would switch guns for a couple minutes.

That's how I got snared into Tupperware... er, I mean, Glocks! :D

My problem is that I "like" most handguns. If I ever win the lottery we'll need a bigger house just for the "gun room"! :)

Best of luck finding what's works best for you.
 
HK P7M8. It has a small grip (when cocked) and it chambers the 9mm round (powerfull enough to kill who you need to kill). This gun can be safely carried in a holster, waistband or purse. It's expensive, as somebody will surely note, but it is as good as it gets right now.

GHB
 
The new TI taurus revolvers in 44 special or 45 colt shoot a big bullet and are < 20 oz.

With triton QS, glaser rounds, Corbon or winchester silvertips (may not all be availabile for 45 colt), one can get speeds over 1000 fps, very adequate for self-defense, and not excessive recoil.

These guns will fit in your pocket.
 
We shouldn't let the whole sexist issue get in the way of common sense here, it does elsewhere but I like to think this place is something of a sanctuary from PC'ness.

Many men shoot smaller calibers for CCW just as much as women, I know a lot who carry .22LR, .25ACP and .32 ACP simply because carrying anything bigger is too uncomfortable, let's not beat around the bush here, carrying a lump of metal around all day is not anyones idea of fun. These people operate on the sensible principle that the most important thing in a hostile situation is to have a gun and not a specific size or caliber of gun. It's a view that I find a lot of sense in, although as with most things, life isn't always that straightforward. It is worth remembering that of the estimated 2.1 million annual defensive uses of pistols by law abiding Americans, 99.9% (actual) result in no shots being fired. Possession and subsequent presentation of a firearm is therefore the priority, and if this can be best achieved for you with a smaller weapon then that is your most sensible choice. The old Jeff Cooper joke about carriers of .22LR autos needing to be able to hit a ping pong ball bouncing at 7 yards is a rib splitter for blowhards but the .22LR also has the highest caliber body count year on year in handguns.
Your choice.

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Mike H
 
I'd recommend a smith and wesson "airweight" 38 or centennial in 357 (i think thats a 649 in 357)

Its small, holds 5 shots and the shrouded hammer breaks up its outline. Can be carried almost anywhere on the body, and has a serious punch. (i'd opt for colts magnum carry for the extra round and the more comfortable grip, but it depends on the size of your hands)

If you are concerned about SOB carry.. well then carry it somewhere else. IWB, or shoulder holster/pocket holster. or inside the purse (provided you buy a purse DESIGNED for carry)

My 2¢

Dr.Rob
 
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sbryce,
Good idea on getting the same caliber guns. Not a very good idea with a SOB holster. Why? I saw a guy who fell on his 1911 compact when he was walking backwards (long story). He fell on his butt then continued to fall the rest of the way, hitting his 1911. Needless to say it hurt like heck. Lucky that it was a light fall.
Crossdraw is a good idea if it fits you (need a good holster for that). This is how I carry my firearm and I find it faster than side draw.
As for the handguns just check my last reply, also add (if you can afford it, I know I can't) the great HK P7 M8 or M13.
Lastly, please post a picture of the two of you so that if ever I find myself looking too long at your wife I will make it a point to stop and get the heck out of there! :)

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RONIN - samurai with no masters
 
I realize I'm jumping in here rather late in the game but I'd really like to suggest you try to seek out a Wlather P5 Compact (9mm).

My wife, fairly petite, went through about 4 different handguns for her CCW before she fell in love with the P5. I have yet to find another 9mm gun that I would consider to be a better CCW.

Very slim design, no safety, bobbed hammer, dual purpose decocker/slide release (that is flush with the slide!), and about at long a a "compact 1911". The gun is designed so that even if dropped it will not fire. It requires the trigger to be pulled all the way through OR that hammer to be cocked back in single action style, for the firing pin to engage.

It is also a tack driver due to the front and rear barrel guides which maintain the barrel's position within the slide to the exact same position after firing a shot. These pistols are very difficult to find but well worth the search and $$.

My .02

CMOS

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Join GOA, NRA, LEAA and vote.
 
Mrs. sbryce here.

Wow!! I thank you all very very much for your responses! What a lot of nice, helpful people!! I especially appreciate the comments on how to carry, as I'm even less knowledgeable about that than the guns themselves. I'm thinking about an IWB on the back somewhere because I have small children whom I need to carry or at least pick up briefly.

I carry my babies in a sling which has a hard plastic ring that I put about at my shoulder blade. I have sat through church (on padded pews) many hours this way. I just sit up straight like ladies did years ago. (I understand that it used to be totally improper for a true lady to ever let her back touch the back of a chair.) I figured I'd simply do the same when carrying a gun instead of--or in addition to!--a baby. Maybe it would finally get me to use good posture! (sigh) The only time I manage to stand or sit straight is when pregnant or carrying an infant--am forced into proper posture or my back hurts. We have 5 children ages 9 and under, so you can see why I think of the baby stuff.

Dennis, why do you think the two of us are very lucky??

I went to a gun store the other day--without a baby!--and wore my thumb raw trying slide releases and safeties of a variety of guns. I didn't see all the makes and models suggested above, but they showed me a Smith & Wesson Chief Special, CS 9, in 9 mm which felt good to me. I'm going to keep looking, but does anyone have any pros or cons on the S & W CS9?

Thanks again for y'all's time and suggestions.
 
Mrs Bryce,

The CS9 is gaining something of a reputation for good reliability but poor accuracy.

Regards,

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Mike H
 
Mrs. Sbryce - I have been lurking on this board for a few days after finding it and just now registered. Having read through this thread and read your last remarks about the CS9 Smith and Wesson, please allow me to suggest also that you look at one of the 39xx series of Smith and Wessons. They are a step up in size from the CS9, having 3.5 inch barrels and 8 round magazines, except for the "tactical" series which have a shortened grip frame and utilize 7 round magazines. The Model 908 is the blued steel "economy" version. The 3913 is the stainless, ambidextrous safety, regular version. The 3913LS is the tapered dustcover, single-side safety "LadySmith" version. The 3953 (my favorite) is stainless, double-action only "slick-slide" version. All of them are excellent, very slim, light-weight, reliable and accurate pistols. Oh yeah, they are 9mm. Whatever you finally select, good luck to you.

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Lazarus
 
BMC

my "turning heads" comment was not to suggest that she could make <insert name of favorite actress/supermodel> jealous, but to suggest that her figure is such that she coud probably hide a gun in a belly band hoster as suggested by Dennis. (It guess she didn't quite agree with me about that. She edited the comment out of my post.)

Anyway, what's important is that she turned my head 13 years ago.

Pics are here:
http://www.coastlink.com/users/sbryce/family/family.htm
 
Dear Sir,
I hope you, or your wife, were not offended in some way by my remark. I meant it in jest and had no malicious intent whatsoever.
I have just seen a picture of your family and wish you all the best life has to offer.
Again, my apologies if I have unintentionally stepped on someones feelings.
 
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