Looking for a good EDC for a small woman.

Check out the RM380

My mother is in her late 60's and isn't as strong as she used to be. We recently went shopping for her carry gun. She was looking for a small 380 semi-auto. After trying several different brands she settled on the RM380 for a couple of reasons that might help the OP decide which direction to go. First and foremost is that she can actually rack the slide. It was the ONLY one she could work properly. Second was that the trigger was manageable, unlike some of the revolvers, who's triggers were to far forward of the grip for her to get her trigger finger in position, the RM380's was in just the right spot. Third it needed to be small enough for her to conceal. Those reasons made up her mind for her.

There are some drawbacks too. The most noticeable being the muzzle blast.....if you ever have to use that gun indoors it's gonna be rough. Also the guns recoil is noticeable. It's not objectionable.....The gun just reminds you how small and light it is when you pull the trigger. The trigger pull is quite long. Being a hammer fired, double action only pistol it's just the nature of the beast.

I like the gun too.....that thing just works and is pretty easy to field strip. It's pretty accurate too.
 
The only thing a 5' woman could/would carry on-body is something small- like a Keltec P32 or a NAA mini revolver.
My recommendation is the Keltec. I carry one. Use the belt clip for IWB carry.
Even the P32 is probably too large for her to pocket carry.
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Good point Bill. We do probably need to consider the cw380 that is a 380 and shoots like a bigger gun. Also, a j frame or xds size gun can be worked in owb with a good holster, fashionable vest or long untucked shirt. The key is a good holster. A woman's hip shape and front to back thickness are not well accounted for in many holsters.
 
After this thread and a whole bunch of lurking, I have to say this is now one of my favorite forums. Yall are great.

Me and the old lady have started reading the cornered cat, and this next weekend we are heading to a range around here that had the vast majority of yalls suggestions for rent, managed to luck into that somehow.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and such.
 
TX is replete with excellent trainers, besides getting a gun - try to find a good intro to handgun shooting and basic tactics course in the area.

Depending on your time scale - www.krtraining.com - down 290 does a great intro job. There are good folks in Houston but I've trained with them personally.

Pax's site is a great place to start.
 
I am a 5'2" woman who is not as strong as I used to be. Tiny guns for small woman are silly. You need a gun with some weight to reduce recoil. If a gun just goes big BANG and is so snappy you don't want to take it to the range to practice, it is not worth having. I followed advice and bought a S+W 38 airweight revolver as my first gun. I still love the little revolver- maybe mostly nostalgia. I currently carry concealed a mid-size CZ75 P-01 9mm. It is easy to conceal with a bellyband carried in front, or under the arm, or on the hips-front or side. There are a number of options in ways to carry that remain concealed. I also carry a Beretta Nano 9 mm or sometimes the revolver depending on concealment needs for my clothing..

Confining the "little lady" to a tiny gun is the first knee-jerk reaction for men and does a disservice to women who need as much protection or more than the men. Sometimes more, because we are often seen as easy targets who can't fight back.

Spend some time with the internet sites designed and written for women. The Cornered Cat, as mentioned, is an excellent start. Some of the main forums have sections set aside for women, though well meaning men seem to crowd out others and women seem to mostly just read. "The Well Armed Woman" is another good site. It also has videos of holsters and how to use them, designed specifically for women's concealed carry. "Armed and Feminine" is another fine site.

Someone above gave great advice. Find a woman NRA instructor. There are lots of them now. They understand how racking a pistol can be difficult and can show a student how to deal with this effectively. We don't have to use brute force. Men do because they have it. Women often have to use their heads instead of muscle strength to deal. If hand strength alone set the requirements for handgun use, many of us would be relegated to blowing darts.

Small women can handle large guns. Hand size comes into play with the size of the grip. For example I sold my Glock 23 because I could never fit my hand around the grip properly. The CZ steel and aluminum guns fit beautifully in my woman's medium hand.

I didn't write this to argue with anyone about the merits of the wee single stack .380s or tiny 9mms. I did it to postulate that a snappy, hard to shoot tiny gun may not be the best or pleasantest gun to shoot. Men prefer larger smoother shooting guns and so do women who actually shoot them.
 
I didn't write this to argue with anyone about the merits of the wee single stack .380s or tiny 9mms. I did it to postulate that a snappy, hard to shoot tiny gun may not be the best or pleasantest gun to shoot. Men prefer larger smoother shooting guns and so do women who actually shoot them.
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I concur^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I have to ask why isn't the wife choosing her own gun????? She will know best what fits in her hand comfortably. Shouldn't she determine whats "too heavy"??
I correlate the buying of a gun for the wife/girlfriend like buying them a pair of shoes as a surprise:eek::eek: Oh honey what were you thinking??? My feet aren't that BIG:eek:
 
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