need opinions on 2 handguns

I have a berreta tomcat .32 acp and i love it. Had no problems, it is very safe, concealable, and packed with 7+1 Horday Customs I would put my life behind it. As far as your jennings, look deep down in your heart (and at other user responces) and the answer will be clear!! :)

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when the govenment comes for you weapons, give them the ammo first
 
My wife does not like any of the pistols I have but she loves her S&W Ladysmith Model 60 .357.

Shes says the recoil from my pistols is too much(most are 9mm) but she has no problem with the revolver.

Let me say that she has only fired .38 plus P loads not .357 magnum loads but still better then a .25,much better.

A revolver is less complex and a better choice for a women if it is going to be a purse gun.
Dave
 
I'll also vote for the Beretta Tomcat (AKA 3032). A girl I used to live with liked mine best of the guns I had at the time. I agree with Kernel that the Sig 232 is a very fine gun, but the recoil is pretty snappy. There's a good chance that you can find a Tomcat used for a fair price if the new prices are out of your reach. It's too bad you didn't come here first, eh? But do try out the Jennings. Perhaps there have been some improvements since the time that opinions like the above were formed. After all, you will take a substantial loss if you trade it in. But absolutely don't let that fact stop you from getting your wife a quality, reliable firearm if the J doesn't work out. Please let us know how it turns out.
 
hi xeper,
i concur with the general feeling here- i'd lose the jennings unless it shoots reliably (unlikely), and your wife happens to love it.

if recoil is the main issue, i'd look at .22 lr. its the easiest to shoot, cheap as hell (which means more shooting practice!), and probably has similar defensive capabilities as the 25 (if not better!) i don't consider either caliber an adequate defensive round, but if the choice is b/t .22lr and no gun, i choose .22lr. (there are a lot of 10 shot 22 revolvers out there)

if size is the issue, there are a host of other guns out there that will probably fit your wife's hand very well w/o the caliber limitations. the first few that come to mind are .38 special revolvers, and the kahr k9/mk9 series.

if cost is the primary issue, i'd look at used .38 special revolvers.

regarding the .380 suggestions, i have yet to shoot a .380 that had an real substantial difference in kick from a regular 9mm. while i admit the majority of the .380's i've shot have been straight blow-back ppk types (these kick a lot), i don't see any benefit in purchasing a .380 when kahr, keltec and glock all offer 9mm guns that are no bigger than most .380s. but again, i'm no .380 expert, so i'm open to comments based on you .380 lovers out there.

if cost, recoil or size are not issues for the wife, then get her a real gun- a 45.
;)
joe


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www.skdtac.com
tactical accessories for self-defense and le
 
Most of the advice I have seen with females in general has bottomed out with "get a revolver, unless you just LOVE automatics".

With that in mind, I would recommend a hammerless job (or at least a shrouded hammer to prevent snags inside a purse) in .357 magnum loaded with .38 +P's. Heavier frame will aid with the recoil, and .38 +P still packs nearly the whallop of a full-load .357 magnum.

FWIW, but get her SOMETHING besides that Jennings!
 
I've never shot a Beretta Tomcat but it seems to be what you're looking for: small and lightweight in .32ACP. Be aware though, that the small round may have more than expected recoil because of its lightweight and less than complete gripping area. As mentioned above, a PPK or PPK/s in .32 should be easy shooting if you don't mind the larger size. If you want to go the revolver route, I feel the recoil/muzzle flip of a snub .38 special may be too great for your wife considering she didn't like the Sigma. You might consider the .32 H&R magnum in a Smith and Wesson or Ruger SP101 revolver. You won't get the punch of a .38 special +P but you get an extra round in the cylinder and I believe it performs better than .32ACP. Does anyone out there have more info on the subject?
 
I had a Jennings .25 a while back and its ok for tin can plinker out in the country but that's about it. It's kind of big and a little heavy for its caliber, you can't carry it cocked and locked safely, she would have to chamber a round if she needed to use it and it won't feed hollow points, which probably wouldn't expand anyway. Listen to the advice given and get her quality firearm in a larger caliber. I wouldn't even give my ex-wife a Jennings for self-defense.
 
For about $150 you can get a new 380acp Russian Makarov. It is an excellent knockoff of the Walther ppk and very reliable. The Jennings is a true "Saturday night special". Forget about it!
 
yeah, i hope to get to the range shortly and try the little sucker out. nobody seems to think it'll be worth a crap though. by the number of people opposed to the jennings, (in fact, NO ONE has said anything good about it), i am expecting a POS at the range. if that turns out to be the case, (which by the great number of jennings-haters out there i'm sure it will), we'll shop it together and see what she likes. the range nearest us rents guns in all calibres including full-automatics, so i'm sure we'll find something. thanks for all the input guys. the day i posted this topic was the day i registered for TFL. as such, i purchased the jennings before getting any input from someone other than the gun dealer. in the future i will come here if i'm uncertain. thanks again.

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power to pokemon,

xeper1
 
When the firing pin on my Beretta broke, I got a J-22 to carry whilst it was in the shop. (it turned out to be 7 months because the smith just let it sit on the shelf.) SO I got real familiar with the Jennings in 22 caliber. If you only put 5 rounds in the clip,it did work. The sights aren't that bad either. So, your gun might at least function. There are still lots of good reasons no to carry one though. Safety is far too small to be safe. Carrying it with a loaded chameber is dangerous. So is keeping it unloaded! In my pursuit of the perfect carry gun I bought:

Beretta 25 double action
NAA Guardian
Glock 27
West German PPK/S 380.

The ppk/s has a lot going for it. If you need somethiong tiny get the NAA. Some like the Kel-Tech 32. Don't have one can't say.

The MAK is a good gun, but it is on the big size.

Merry Christmas
 
I agree, the Jennings is junk. I also agree that you should get something more than a .32 ACp, but I have been in your shoes before. I had a girlfriend who would happily shoot a .22, .25, or .32, but anything more was not comfortable or fun, so I got her a Walther PP in .32 ACP. Dr. David Avery in McKinney, Tx has NIB stainless steel Walther PPK's in .32 ACP for $309. That is nearly $100 less than the .380 version and sounds like it might be just what you are looking for.
 
Jennings quality control seems to vary quite a bit, I have seen some of their ,22 and .25 oistols that worked very wel an others that were junk. If I were buying a gun for my wife I wouldn't take a chance, I would reccomend a Walther or a beretta.
 
If the range has one, get her to try out the Kel-Tec. I don't own one, but know a handful of people who do and every single one of them has had nothing but positive things to say about that little gun.
 
I had a Jennings .25acp. It functioned reliably, but it was a .25acp and it wasn't safe to carry with a round in the chamber. My sister gave it to me after her boyfriend gave it to her. I fired 200 rounds through it. I had one failure to feed and two stovepipe malfunctions. It was only good for 4-5" groups at 25 feet. Total POS for defense, lots of fun on soda cans at ten feet. I gave it back to her when she broke up with her boyfriend. Told her to tell him it was a great gun for selfdefense. (I NEVER liked that guy!) If you can find the funds, I suggest you get a Kahr E9/K9 for your wife.

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May your lead always hit center mass and your brass always land in your range bag.

~Blades~
 
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