Question for the Ladies

E

EdInk

New member
This is not the usual what should I buy my wife/gf thread. My fiancé has handled and liked all these guns. My question is mainly what one you would pick based on the corresponding reason. Repeat she has handled them all and like them all fine. The gun will be mainly for punching paper and ONE of the gifts I will probably give her as wedding present.

S&W M&P 9mm (Breast Cancer Edition): She likes this gun because she can operate the slide (couldn't do it in my XD), has TINY hands (base of palm to top middle finger MAYBE 5" and a size 5 1/2 ring size) and the adjustable backstraps fit well. Also her mother (who has passed) had breast cancer and she is big on anything with a pink ribbon. (This is probably what I'm leanng toward the most.)

The second is my mom (and they get along well) has a Kahr MK9 that she has had for about 5 years. My fiancé likes my CW9 but the recoil is too snappy out of the polymer frame. My mom said she may be willing to give her this gun. Kind of a welcome to the family (officially) type deal. My concern is that my girlfriend would rather have something new than passed down. I would probably have her married name engraved on the slide. (I think it beats the heck out of mongrammed towels and alot girls seem to dig seeing their married name.)

She is a definitely a bit of a sissy girl and it took me forever to get past the "pretty gun" thing. (First thing she wanted was a Taurus .25 with pink pearl grips:barf:) She also liked the 642 with pink Hogue bantam grips but I explained that it is the same as my 442 which has too stiff a trigger for her to pull.

I have no problem buying a "pretty" gun bit it must
be from a good manufacturer and be a good model.

So, my question is based on the info given which would you ladies prefer as a gift? I'm also open to suggestions of other models if their is something that you just love (but I've got to get her to handle it first).

Lastly, I can't ask her because it will ruin the surprise.

Please help.

-EdInk

P.S. A third choice is to just buy myself another gun and let her enjoy the happiness she gets from watching ME be happy. (Just kidding)
 
Well not being a woman, and never wishing to play the role of one I will answer from my experience in dealing with the opposite sex and handguns. I have found revolvers to be the most user friendly for females that have limited firearm experience and especially those that don't intend to train.

Why, because a revolver is always ready, no slide to worry about and one can tell easily if it is loaded. Also they are simple to unload verses a semi where I have seen people rack the slide to empty the chamber and THEN DROP the MAGAZINE.:eek:

If you must pick from the listed options I would opt for the M&P, but I bought one and had a horrendous experience with FTF's and accuracy as the whole barrel was massive tool marks as well as the chamber and the extractor was defective. My M&P had to go back twice and it still wasn't right. Through research I found out this was more common with the M&P than I expected having owned numerous 3rd generation S&W's that were flawless.

The revolver's only drawback is capacity and sometimes size and weight, but for most females who carry a duffel bag AKA purse concealment isn't usually an issue. The drawback is fast access, many woman carry an arsenal of makeup, and personal hygiene material that can bury a gun. I also don't like fanny packs as many can be ripped off or removed from the body by a thief as can purses. I prefer an over the shoulder type bag for female carry as it is much harder to remove involuntarily.
 
The triggers are too stiff on the revolvers as I said in the OP. Please stop recommending them. Pick from the options given. Better yet get your wife/gf to read the OP and answer. It's more about which gift would be "sweeter" and I've given up trying to figure out how women's minds work regarding things like that.
 
Answering on an emotional level:

Based on what you said, I think the Breast Cancer Edition of the M&P is the safe choice. The Kahr might be even better, as a "welcome to the family" thing, esp with engraving ... but it's chancy. It'd be either the best idea ever, or true suck. No middle ground there.

Basically, what you've just presented is a choice between a solid two-base hit, or a pop fly that could turn into a home run.

Of firearms you didn't present, I'd look at a Kahr T9 with pretty wood grips (small enough for her hands, and a very pretty gun in its own right), and an EMP (beautiful gun great for small hands, but best if she's going to become a real shooter rather than a sometimes plinker).

pax
 
EdInk said:
The triggers are too stiff on the revolvers as I said in the OP. Please stop recommending them.
Click to expand...

Thats funny, I never saw anything in the OP about not recommending revolvers. Maybe if you don't want people to recommend revolvers then put in the OP "don't recommend revolvers" :rolleyes:
 
Sorry if I wasn't clear about that she liked the LOOK of the 642 with pink Hogue bantam grips but when I told her it is the same
gun as my 442 that she can't pull they trigger on it was scratched from the list. Sorry if that wasn't made clear enough. And thank you LADIES for your input regarding the sentimental logic that was in question.

And while a revolver is simple to load and operate it is harder to shoot well than an auto. Perhaps an all steel DA/SA service style would work well for a some people. (However, not in my case because it is too big for her to grip.)


I never understood why you would recommend one of the toughest guns to shoot well (a lightweight snub revolver) for an inexperienced small statured person with weak hand strength. It makes about as much sense as giving a kid who's only driven the automatic family sedan, the keys to a 6 speed manual roadster and expect them not to grind the gears and stall out.
 
I've owned revolvers with smooth trigger pulls that weren't too heavy for a woman, my wife carry's a S&W model 19 and has no problem at all, and she's 5ft 4 inch's and average strength. Yes there are some revolvers that have excessive weight triggers and some are not smooth which compounds the problem. A trigger can be worked on by a competent smith also. As a former range officer, I just have seen too many people male and female make the mistake of thinking they cleared their semi auto weapon when they didn't.

Geez, buy her a gripper and have her exercise those pinkies.:D If you must opt for one of the semi's you mentioned I would want to be absolutely positive she can rack the slide without difficulty. Semi's can jam due to limp wristing and I have seen it TOO many times to know its not a myth.
 
I never understood why you would recommend one of the toughest guns to shoot well (a lightweight snub revolver) for an inexperienced small statured person with weak hand strength. It makes about as much sense as giving a kid who's only driven the automatic family sedan, the keys to a 6 speed manual roadster and expect them not to grind the gears and stall out.
Click to expand...

Preach that. :cool: (Sure would be nice if we could lay that old canard to rest once & for all...)

Should've added above that the two guns I recommended are both fairly soft recoil for the size, being all steel. Yes, that means they're heavy for the size too.

Everything's a trade off...

pax
 
Yeah the T9 would be a good choice and I thought about that but the mk9 would be practically free and the m&p costs less than the T9. The low recoil is big thing. That's why she likes the two guns. The EMP would be nice but I don't see her shooting more than a box or two every couple months.

The one previous poster kinda nailed the situation with one being a guaranteed base hit and the other being a risky but possible homerun.
 
I never understood why you would recommend one of the toughest guns to shoot well (a lightweight snub revolver) for an inexperienced small statured person with weak hand strength. It makes about as much sense as giving a kid who's only driven the automatic family sedan, the keys to a 6 speed manual roadster and expect them not to grind the gears and stall out.
Click to expand...
That one always astounds me too. They're a great choice right up until the point where they actually have to be shot...
 
EdInk,

Yeah, I understand about the price -- almost didn't suggest either one as the prices are definitely up there.

If that weren't the case, you might also try her on a Sig P238. That's a .380, not a 9mm, but they sure are pretty guns and definitely work for smaller hands. I've had one eye on the rainbow ti version ever since I drooled on one at SHOT Show... *sighs wistfully*

pax
 
My wifes mom passed from breast cancer too and has the same pink ribbon infactuation (not a bad thing).

Pick: The M&P JG model.

If they made it in the compact size she would have it. I told her I could get the 9c engraved with the pink ribbon and she said thats not the same.

I think pax nailed it i post 6
 
The Sig 238 would be cool but it's in .380acp. I can barely scrap up enough ammo for my LCP. I think another .380 would be like adopting a special
needs child that can barely pay their current bills. Kind of a good intentions pave the way to hell situation.

(I can see it now "Why did you buy me a gun, that you can't find ammo to shoot? You have all these guns that YOU can shoot but I can't shoot MINE! No, I don't want to shoot YOURS I want to shoot MINE. No, I don't want ANOTHER gun. I like the ONE you gave me.)

Of course that could be used an excuse to start reloading my own practice ammo. :D But honestly I just don't see myself getting into it. I shoot mostly 9mm and .38 so ammo isn't too bad.
 
I'm totally impartial here.

My friend has fired my old J-frame, Sig 220, CZ 75b 9mm, CZ Kadet 22 and Kahr K9.

Her favorite? The Sig 45ACP. "It's a BIG BULLET, a real gun!". :p

But otherwise she likes the K9 and Kadet just as much. Oddly enough, the K9 has this magical ability to fit large and small hands equally well. The CW9 you mentioned is the same size.

She absolutely hates the J-frame. "It hurts my fingers and recoils too much".
 
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