Handguns for women

[Altitude sickness]

Costa is a great instructor

 

[Altitude sickness]

Situational awareness training is more valuable and practical than carrying and shooting proficiency.

 

[flying sailor]

All good advice in above posts. Some gun shops rent. try before you buy. I am taking a small church group to an indoor range where they can rent 3 handguns for 20.00 I will also loan some of mine. Just like test driving a car.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I'm still not much of a fan of the 9mm even with today's better ammo.

Can't really go wrong with either of those 2 calibers.

The action and number of available rounds in the firearm are a better debate:

Revolver vs (Semi) Automatic
Speed Loader vs magazine
Recoil isn't much of an issue with either; using moderate special defensive loads
Depends mainly on typical daily clothing and how the firearm is going to be carried.

 

[WildWill]

My mom carries a Walther P380 and my wife carries a sig 365 in 9mm both are great smaller frame semi autos. I'd stay away from snub nose 38 style harder to become proficient, less accurate, fewer shots, etc. Although something to be said about their reliability.

 

[Zinz]

the S&W M&P Shield E-Z slide, as well as their .9mm, two other popular handguns you could consider.

The S&W M&P Shield EZ lineup is hands down the easiest semi-auto to rack the slide. Available in .380 and 9mm, comes with extra mags and reversible mag release for left or right hand shooters.

SHIELD EZ | Smith & Wesson

Since 1852 we’ve been an industry leading manufacturer of pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shooting accessories. We continue to bring innovative firearms to market that meet the needs of every shooter and deliver on exceptional quality with a brand you’ve learned to trust.

www.smith-wesson.com

My brother's wives had trouble racking the slides of several semi-autos and then they fell in love with these Smiths. I've shot them and they are accurate, easy to handle, pistols. Definitely recommend them... easy price point, too.

Ed Z

 

[Dewald]

I assume Mieke is from South Africa or Namibia. Unfortunately it is more difficult here to get your hands on multiple handguns to try out. The average person is only allowed to own one handgun for self defence in SA. In order to own more you need to be a registered dedicated hunter and/or sport shooter, and then typically your other handguns will be more suited for range use ie IPSC, Three gun, or hunting handguns.

Added to that it takes a good 3-6 months to get the license for your firearm, so you really want to make the correct choice the first time.

The other factor here is that after sales service and availability of components are an issue for a number of brands like SIG, H&K, S&W etc. Glock and CZ are readily available, Taurus to a lessor extent.

Another thing to keep in mind is what handguns you may already have in the house. My wife opted for a Glock 26, even though a 43x would have felt more comfortable, but since I have a G19, and have spare magazines everywhere in the house and in the Land Cruiser it is nice to have the option of using them in the G26 as well. The 2021 KwaZulu-Natal riots made most of us think differently about what an adequate amount of ammunition means.

 

[Safari Dave]

As an NRA Handgun Instructor, I teach a few "ladies-only" handgun classes each year...


IMO -

- If the lady is not going to practice and will admit it (my wife, for example) - a .38 Special, double action revolver.

- If the lady will practice occasionally, and will learn all the functions of the pistol to the point that they can do everything in the dark without looking - A Smith & Wesson, M&P Series 9 EZ.

- If they are are pretty serious about being a good pistol shooter and have better than average grip and arm strength - A Sig Sauer 365 or a Glock 19.


- If they are very serious about being a good pistol shooter, will train and shoot frequently, and have better than average strength... whatever the heck they want! They will outshoot almost every man, because they will listen and learn from an instructor!

 

[Throwback]

As mentioned, the Shield EZ in 380 is worth a look. That is what I got my mom who is almost 80 now. Very easy to load and rack the slide. She can hit with it out to about 7 yards. A laser is something to consider imo as well.

Also, any training you can get them goes a long way. Many others have mentioned this too as its like buying the best plane that can fly supersonic but if you dont know what you are doing it never serve its purpose and very likely get you killed. Cheers

 

[uplander01]

Smith and Wesson 642 5 shot revolver, air weight 38spl.

 

[HankBuck]

Yes, let the lady decide which gun feels right to her. This is important. My wife can shoot my 1911 .45 ACP well but is comfortable with a 5 shot .38 Special revolver.

A Smith &Wesson Model 60, or for lighter weight, a 642 DAO, with a smooth trigger pull is essential. For some women, racking the slide of a semi auto can be difficult in a stressful situation.

For a semi-auto choice, the Smith & Wesson MP in .380 is a very good choice, very easy to rack the slide, change mags, and shoot accurately. The Mossberg semiauto equivalent is also an easy to handle pistol.

Personally, I don't prefer these, but the ergonomics are excellent.

The lady must feel confident to handle and shoot the pistol, whether it is a .22 Magnum pocket revolver, or a SIG P365. The Glock 43 is a good choice also.

@cajunchefray: good choice on the S&W model 60 — simple to operate and effective

 

[Jeff505]

I would also recommend a S&W 642 air weight for self defense. It is a hammerless 5 shot revolver. My wife and sister each have one. In a situation where it would actually be necessary to defend oneself, simpler is better. No safety just pull the trigger. A hammer can sometimes catch and delay the gun being brought to ready and a cocked hammer needs to be made safe if not fired. A crimson trace grip would be a good addition to this for both accuracy and safety.
Hornady makes a critical defense lite round, it has a fast expanding bullet, reduced powder charge that should not leave the body of a perpetrator. A missed shot in a house upon hitting drywall should be less then lethal on the other side.
Lots of good advise on this thread and some difference of option based on personal preferences. Good luck with your decision.

 

[cajunchefray]

I would also recommend a S&W 642 air weight for self defense. It is a hammerless 5 shot revolver. My wife and sister each have one. In a situation where it would actually be necessary to defend oneself, simpler is better. No safety just pull the trigger. A hammer can sometimes catch and delay the gun being brought to ready and a cocked hammer needs to be made safe if not fired. A crimson trace grip would be a good addition to this for both accuracy and safety.
Hornady makes a critical defense lite round, it has a fast expanding bullet, reduced powder charge that should not leave the body of a perpetrator. A missed shot in a house upon hitting drywall should be less then lethal on the other side.
Lots of good advise on this thread and some difference of option based on personal preferences. Good luck with your decision.

Crimson Trace Laser sight is a great upgrade. My wife wanted this for her.38 Special and we did. Our first time trying a laser sight , and damn, it really is an advantage within 5 yards.

The best part is it is easy for her to hit the target, and inspires confidence.

 

[Katy Darren]

I was looking for a pistol for my wife who'd mentioned she'd like one. I did some research and found an article that did a comparison of several and the Springfield Hellcat RDP ran away with it for a woman's carry. They like the compensator for reducing the snappiness a small 9 can have and the red dot for ease of hitting your target. I ended up getting the Springfield Hellcat OSP and added a different red dot, a Holosun green dot (because they'd sold out of their red dot plus got the more expensive green dot at the same price as the red dot). I intended to have her shoot it as a rental at a range but ran into a sale and went for it. Was a bit nervous if she'd really like it...

We went to a friends ranch and range last weekend and she loved it and was really getting accurate and quick at hitting the targets as we shot two sessions over two days, even doing some shooting and moving. I'm really happy with the purchase. The one slight issue is the Holosun doesn't allow to see the guns sights as back up like the ones that Springfield selected for the RDP do.

Edit to add, the compensator really does make a difference, it's much easier for her to shoot than my Sig P365.