Suggestions for my wife...

L

ljhj45

New member
and no revolvers. Hey, that was her idea, not mine. I was going to the gun shop looking for a handgun to pack along on my first hunting season coming up this fall, so she decides to come along so that I don't get spend happy and over shoot my $300 budget. To my surprise and delight the store is family owned and the wife was there. They got to talking and the next thing I know, my wife is looking at a 39 series ladysmith 9mm and trying on some of the holster/purses the store had in stock. Now I know that * & * are kind of out of favor, but it is hard to explain that to her, especially since she was SO scared of handguns. It finally took another woman to get across the point that I have been trying to for years. So my question is this; since she will be accompaning me on my next trip to the range next weekend, what are some other 9mm single stack, slim, med. frame, DA handguns with a manual safety/decocker, that is close to the ladysmith she can try out before we make the purchase. Oh, and just in case you are wondering, the ladysmith was used selling for $350, and the holster/purse she wants $85, totaling over $435. It's funny how she easily overshot the original budget without a second thought, but I'm not going to say anything about it to her! I'm just glad that my best pal will be joining me at the range now.
 
This may not be the right answer for you, but it's a thought. We bought a DAO pistol for my wife, and she hated it. The trigger was way too heavy for her to shoot it well. She could only fire about 10 rounds and her finger would get tired. Range trips were a ral challenge. She wound up trying every supposed "lady's" pistol and found the same trigger on all of them, more or less. She had shot my 1911, and she loved the trigger on that, but the .45 was a little too powerful to begin with. I got on the web and went to every quality manufacturer's site and compiled the info on over 20 guns that fit the bill (had to be at least 9mm, auto, easy trigger of some type, light, small) and put it all together for her, and said, "Circle the ones you want to look at." I had included all the weights, capacities, trigger type and weight, warrantee info, size, you name it...she came back with the short list and we went to the store. She wound up with a Springfiels Armory Ultra-Compact V-10. She loves the gun, and even though it's a .45, the ports really help. She loves to go to the range with me now! Glocks are another possibility, but my wife didn't like the crepy trigger, but it was light enough.
 
The only other one I can think of right now is the Beretta Type-M. It's a single-stack, DA/SA 9mm with a safety-decocker, 8+1 round capacity.

I wouldn't buy Sh*t & Willie guns, not only for their politics, but also because I think they're totally overpriced for a gun that's not nearly as nice as others in the same price range; I have never been impressed with them. The Beretta is much nicer in handling, accuracy, and reliability IMHO. It is more expensive, though, but definitely worth it.

Look into some gun instructional courses for your wife as well as shooting clubs and programs that are geared towards women. There are also some gun-related sites on the web geared towards women. The other thing is, I'd suggest against carrying the gun in a purse. It may be stylish but it won't be easily available when you need it and it's very easy to lose; lose the purse=lose the gun.

If possible, have your wife shoot different guns. I wouldn't discount a revolver as they're much easier to operate and you don't have the problems of racking the slide.
 
Except for your safety requirement a SIG 239 would seem to be perfect. Maybe look at a Mak (Hell buy two at the price)?

Or a Walther P5 or P5 Compact if you can find one.

[This message has been edited by AndABeer (edited July 19, 2000).]
 
Look at a Sig 228, or if she has small hands, a Sig 225. Great quality, reliability, and my daughter loves hers.
 
The FEG Hi-Power clone is a double stack but yet as slim as the Smith 39. It is a single action but as Frontsight said the long DA pull can become tiring. You might have her try it.

------------------
Gunslinger
 
I bought a used "Ladysmith" auto for my girlfriend (almost a year ago), and have to say that it was an excellent purchase. She liked almost everything about it; the way it looked, the way it shot, the weight, etc...

She has not practised enough to become really good with it. I would rather she had gone with a revolver, but as I own a number of automatics, she thought she should have the same. But she has agreed to start shooting more.

If you are looking at used, is there a problem with buying the model 39??

Casey
 
I bought a Kahr K9 for my girlfriend and it fit her just right. She could shoot the thing, but she hated trying to load the magazine and she had a real problem with breaking it down to clean. I refuse to clean her guns. If someone wants to shoot they need to take care of their equipment. Anyway, I always cleaned her gun and she always complained about her thumb. I know that you can get magazine loaders. She ended up with a gun that she can load, shoot and clean. All these aspects are easy for her. You don't want one, but she likes her Ruger SP101. BTW: She really likes my P7M8, but she can't break it down and it still hurts her thumb..and it hurts my thumb to load the damn magazine! I'm selling the Kahr K9 in nickle. It has been used very little and is a great gun. If interested please Email me. BTW: Amy is 4'9" and very small boned. Oops 4'91/2". Sorry Amy..
 
My bride has carried an HKP7PSP or M8 for about a dozen years now. She is 5'3". The recoil spring tension makes it difficult to break down but who cares. A used P7 will cost about $600. Given your budget constraints I would choose the SIG239 in 9mm.
I have worked on many S&W autos and I would not want one (.22s and M52s excepted.)Good luck and congratulations on her conversion to shooting.
 
I'd recommend a Glock 19. Used ones around my area go for $350-425. Trigger is a little easier to learn than DA revolver and they are known for working and not breaking.

My $.02 worth.
 
Both the 39 and 59 models had reliability (jamming) problems in the extreme, so that could be the most expensive semi in the shop. Personally, I would continue to seek alternative recommendations. In fact, I believe it was with those S&W's that the term "jammamatic" was coined.
 
ljhj45,

you are referring to the S&W 3913LS, correct? The 3913 series has been very reliable and accurate. I purch 1 from a member here not to long ago for $375 (as new condition). Sold it shortly thereafter and purch a Walther 5. Nothing wrong with the smith as I was just looking for something different.

I'd recommend:

•Sigs- P225 or 239
•S&W 3913/3913LS/3913TSW used
•Walther P5 or P5C

•Browning Hi-Power... if she's skittish about c&l carry, maybe take a look at the SFS syetem Cylinder and Slide has developed.
 
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