ccw recommendation for wife

Man,

I'm so with Absintheur and Infidelshootist on this one. Besides, soooo very many things can go wrong with a semi-auto that can't go wrong with a snubbie Centennial Smith (my 442 is brushed nickel finished, no corrosion issue - and the trigger pull gets smoother with each shot)...in fact, the only time I've seen a wheelgun go south (other than a squib reload induced failure) was with the old CCI aluminum case Blazer .357 Mag. ammo in a tight frame to cylinder gap Smith 586 - the primers popped loose after firing, binding the cylinder...

Semiautos on the other hand, and I love good ones, are (IMNSHO) prone to problems when carried by folks that don't shoot them alot...FWIW, my wife likes her Colt 'Detective Special' snubbie - the grip, frame, and cylinder are a little larger, but she likes the extra round and exposed hammer...she finds the single action hammer drop much easier than pulling through the double-action mode...
 
Last edited:
Is she REALLY going to carry it on her person, or will it be carried in a purse. If a purse, she can go bigger and heavier. If going for a small revolver, I'd go with a steel frame instead of an airweight. Easier recoil.
 
Absintheur said:
most defensive shooting are 3-4 rounds max, high capacity is not needed.
Click to expand...

Says who? Please cite your source for this stat.

(and if it's the FBI "shots fired" one, it's wrong!)

It is far easier to teach anyone to hit a human sized target center mass at 3-5 yards with a revolver than it is to teach the same plus all of the remedial drills necessary with a semi-auto.
Click to expand...

Jeff Cooper found that it took 25% longer to bring revolver shooters up to the same skill level as pistol shooters.

I would also point out that when police departments have changed from revolvers to semi autos their hit per shot ratio dropped by 70% on average .
Click to expand...

ALL departments dropped an average of 70% ?! Your source for this stat? This is contrary to reality.

.
 
Scott Free said:
Is she REALLY going to carry it on her person, or will it be carried in a purse. If a purse, she can go bigger and heavier. If going for a small revolver, I'd go with a steel frame instead of an airweight. Easier recoil.
Click to expand...

In my opinion (and the opinion of many others) I would steer your wife away from carrying it in her purse. As you well you carrying a gun is a responsibility and the gun should be on you and in your control at ALL times. Consider if the purse is snatched or something happens and she can not get in the purse. To many variables always better to keep it on yourself. Consider a semi auto any revolver that is suitable for ccw will be double action. There are many fine semi auto that have a nice easy trigger pull and are light plus the holds much more. Take her to ther local gun shop and rent a few guns she what she likes. Hope this helps.
 
though its not the optimal way to go a lot of women wanna carry in the purse, they dont wanna dress the way ya have to dress to edc a decent pistol, plain and simple, me and my wife went over that till i was blue in the face and it did no good she wasnt gonna change to an all pants ensemble. if nothing else she coulda beat them over the head with her purse i bet it weighed 25 lbs by the time it was all said and done lol.

at least she had one with her all the time and did know how to use it, also had puses with a good strap to deter snatching it, but i agree its not the best way to go, but it beats not having one at all i suppose.

my wife could always shoot a auto better than a revolver FWIW.

her favs? a SIG P225 and a kahr PM9 (the one i carry so much now). oh and she for sure had one whenever she left the house, imho she woulda busted a cap on your ass quicker than i would too lol, she was something else lol, and i sure miss her. the 1st time she went to shoot for her CCW there were 8 guys in her class and she was the only women, guess who had the only .45ACP in the class? yep, she had a SIG P220, and scored better than all but one guy lol not bad for a 5'2 105 lb'er imho..

and its a good thing if they will just listen to ya and look into having a gun, my girlfriend would never ever carry one, doesnt mind me carrying one, but she doesnt like them, and has -0- interest in trying them, when she was 10 or 11 her dad let her shoot a 4" bbl 29 S&W and it whacked her in the mouth and nose & dotted her eye, dad didnt tell her about that happening if ya had your elbows loose, thought it was "funny", he did bother to tell her brothers, go figure, but anyway she doesnt like them at all, so be glad your wife/girlfriend is open to talking about them and carrying one imho, good for them.
 
Last edited:
Several people have commented that if a semi-auto it is hard to get it running again.

Let's not lose sight of the fact that while it is far less common an occurance, revolvers also fail (for the sake of discussion lets leave the integral locks out, because that's another antpile we can kick over some other day-Michael Baine, a gun writer, has personally witnessed the issue, Mas won't buy one with the lock, and I personally have felt the lock partially engage when my wife and I were shooting my .38 airweight with +P Cor-Bon-not a heart warming moment).

When a semi-auto fails, it's usually [tap-rack-bang], or [tap-rack-click-unload-rack-reload-rack]. That's harder to type than it is to actually do by the way. Think about it. The semi-auto shooter already knows how to rack the slide, load a mag, unload a mag. That is really all there is to most every stoppage (with the exception of some 1911s that I have shot).

Now, if a revolver goes down, chances are pretty good that it is going to take a screwdriver and a dissasembly to get it running again - maybe even some new parts. Not something you can address on the firing line for sure, and certainly nothing you could address in a fight.

So, while it is true that a stoppage/failure is less likely, that stoppage on a revolver it going to be really bad.

Like Clint Smith says, "Two is one, one is none, three is better."

I like revolvers. I think they are great. Yes they are more reliable than a semi-auto (for the most part), but they also break (it's just a machine made my imperfect man). I just wanted to add a slightly different persepective to the reliabilty issue though.


ETA: just as a side note. My wife is not a weak person, but she has difficulty pulling the trigger sometimes at the range. She'll ask, "Is this broken? [Bang] Guess not."
 
Melvin-Purvis said:
Man,
*snip* she finds the single action hammer drop much easier than pulling through the double-action mode...
Click to expand...

That is a wonderful technique for target shooting and plinking, but please be aware that is severely frowned upon by instructors. That sets the stage for a negligent discharge if used in a self-defense situation. I think Mas calls in the "hair trigger" argument. He cites several cases where an officer was found guilty of manslaughter because the gun "went off" in the words of the officer. Even though it was arguably a life or death situation, the officer had not yet determined the threat was grave enough to use lethal force. Had he intentially pulled the trigger it would have been justifiable.

Granted, this case has some other complex issues surrounding it, but the simple fact is, I respect his, and Clint Smiths opinion, and they both say, not to go SA on a revolver in self defense.
 
David E said:
Says who? Please cite your source for this stat.

(and if it's the FBI "shots fired" one, it's wrong!)



Jeff Cooper found that it took 25% longer to bring revolver shooters up to the same skill level as pistol shooters.



ALL departments dropped an average of 70% ?! Your source for this stat? This is contrary to reality.

.
Click to expand...


A single action semi auto pistol like a 1911 or a safe action semi auto Glock are generally easier to shoot than revolvers for people without large strong hands.
Double/Single action pistols like a Berretta 92 is the hardest to shoot well.

I had my 16 year old niece shooting 2 inch groups at 10 yards in about 15 minutes the first time she ever shot.
Part was genetic,she didn't flinch,part was it was a custom 1911 with a 3 pound trigger pull,part was she didn't have bad habits and was willing learned proper technique.

Working as a shooting instructor for many years I was surprised at how many people were to weak to pull back the slide of a semi auto pistol or pull any trigger.
Teaching women and old people is different than teaching gun-ho young men.
I had to learn tricks for old people and some women so they could protect themselves.
They also all got a hand strengthener.
Your hands can never be too strong.
The Ivanko Super gripper is worth it's weight in gold if you need strong hands quick.
It's the only progressive gripper I know of.
 
p220c said:
That is a wonderful technique for target shooting and plinking, but please be aware that is severely frowned upon by instructors. That sets the stage for a negligent discharge if used in a self-defense situation. I think Mas calls in the "hair trigger" argument. He cites several cases where an officer was found guilty of manslaughter because the gun "went off" in the words of the officer. Even though it was arguably a life or death situation, the officer had not yet determined the threat was grave enough to use lethal force. Had he intentionally pulled the trigger it would have been justifiable.

Granted, this case has some other complex issues surrounding it, but the simple fact is, I respect his, and Clint Smiths opinion, and they both say, not to go SA on a revolver in self defense.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with you as long as your woman can actually pull the trigger in double action.
Many grandmothers can not.

One of the rules of safe gun handling is not to point the gun at anything you're not willing to destroy.
If you had hold a bad-guy at gunpoint in single action mode with a revolver because you were too weak to pull the trigger otherwise,make sure you aim slightly off target and make the bad-guy maintain his distance.
Many will try and close the gap on what they perceive as a weak target and take the gun away.
You only have a few seconds to gain physiological control before you start being judged if you're too weak mentally to pull the trigger.
A little old lady will be judged differently than a big tough man as far as "Fear for life" is concerned.
Old weak people should be taught to expect to be challanged if they pull a gun.
Don't pull it if you don't have the stones to use it.
 
p220c, I typically like your writing style and post content, so please take the following at face value, and with no animosity intended...

To wit: 'If I, my wife, or anyone else for that matter, feels threatened for their life or that of others to the degree that a defensive firearm is used, IMO, the very last thing that should go through that person's mind, at that time, is how the potential shooting outcome will be perceived.'

That threat will be dealt with using force until such time that it ceases to be a threat - period.

As always, YMMV ;)
 
Bond Arms Snake Slayer in 45 Long Colt and .410

American Arms Pug - a 5 shot .22 mag revolver
 
This was a simple question that has gotten way over complicated..

The stats and quotes by the experts are great but every situation and person is different.... It should be kept simple, reliable and hopefully fun for her to shoot. All the crap about short barrel pistols being hard to shoot accurately because of a short sight radius is just that.. If people read statements like that long enough they will convince themselves that it is true.
This is a defensive gun not a 100 yard target pistol.. Don't spend to much time reading the writings of some of the so called experts either or you will be more confused than by reading this thread. There are experts like Mas, Cooper and Smith who are not just blowin smoke up your skirt but I think you will find that these people focus more on the training and skill than arguing about revolvers and semi autos....

As far as the quote about police depts. having a 70% drop in qualifying after going to autos, I doubt that was every dept. That was the biggest reason they went to a 9mm., because a lot of these boneheads convinced themselves that a 45 acp. was to big a gun and they couldn't shoot it accurately..
There have been some very valid statements in this thread but don't make this any more difficult than it has to be, because the argument of revolver vs. semi auto will never end. Both have their strong and weak points, and both are mechanical devices that are man made and can fail at any time...
 
Melvin-Purvis said:
p220c, I typically like your writing style and post content, so please take the following at face value, and with no animosity intended...

To wit: 'If I, my wife, or anyone else for that matter, feels threatened for their life or that of others to the degree that a defensive firearm is used, IMO, the very last thing that should go through that person's mind, at that time, is how the potential shooting outcome will be perceived.'

That threat will be dealt with using force until such time that it ceases to be a threat - period.

As always, YMMV ;)
Click to expand...


Amen, bro!

You are so right, unless you survive everything else pretty moot.



Your comment that the defender should be focused on the threat/surviving the encounter and not the legal ramifications is spot on. You actually made the point that I was going for and got off track with various rabbit trails as I am so want to do.

I think we all know that if we find ourselves in the "gravest of extremes" we will do what we practice. That was what I meant point out when I was discussing that poster's wife practicing in SA mode on the revolver. That process would become engrained, and if the revolver was ever deployed, it would end up in SA mode since that was the normal thing to do. This might (emphasis on the might) give a prosocutor a leg to stand on. Odds are, it would be a good shoot, and the case would never see the inside of a court room. Of course this assumes that the DA isn't up for re-election, and that the area a pro-self-defense area. Stranger things have happened.

To the OP - sorry about the confusion this thread has produced.

Unfortunately, with the selection of a defensive firearm, there are no easy answers. The best gun for defense? Well, it's the one you have with you obviously; not the one in the safe. All of life is a comprimise, and nowhere is that more true than in the selection of a daily carried defensive arm. She really has to figure it out for herself and figure out what fits here needs best. This truly is a lifestyle change that is not for everyone. her willingness to change her wardrobe will probably play one of the largest roles in her available selection.

Let her enjoys this maddening process. I've been at it for almost a decade now, and I feel like I am just starting to learn and understand.
 
Last edited:
The discussion about revolver vs. auto is an old one and always gets hashed out in these types of threads.

Whatever you/she choose, make sure she becomes familiar with the manual of arms, make sure she understands the legal aspects of defensive carry, make sure she learns how to keep track of her weapon (folks new to this often wander off and leave their weapons un attended), and make sure she gets training and frequent opportunities to handle and fire her chosen weapon.

Concerning what kind of weapon - I kind of fall into the "Goldilocks" school of weapons philosophy. Not too big, not too small. Not too low powered, not too high powered. Not too complicated, not too simple.

Just because she's a woman, that's no reason to saddle her with a small weapon. It should be big enough for her to get a real grip on, and it should have decent capacity. The trigger should be consistent, and the sights should be good enough for her to attain a real sight picture.

Andy
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
The discussion about revolver vs. auto is an old one and always gets hashed out in these types of threads.

Whatever you/she choose, make sure she becomes familiar with the manual of arms, make sure she understands the legal aspects of defensive carry, make sure she learns how to keep track of her weapon (folks new to this often wander off and leave their weapons un attended), and make sure she gets training and frequent opportunities to handle and fire her chosen weapon.

Concerning what kind of weapon - I kind of fall into the "Goldilocks" school of weapons philosophy. Not too big, not too small. Not too low powered, not too high powered. Not too complicated, not too simple.

Just because she's a woman, that's no reason to saddle her with a small weapon. It should be big enough for her to get a real grip on, and it should have decent capacity. The trigger should be consistent, and the sights should be good enough for her to attain a real sight picture.

Andy
Click to expand...

I like the Goldilocks philosophy.. I needed a good laugh this morning :D

Absolutely don't assume because they are women they should have a little tiny gun.. My wife is only 5'4" 105 lbs. and she carrys an early Colt Commander LW 45acp or a Glock 36. She does like her 45's :D.
 
Absintheur said:
I disagree that the ".38 snubbie" is a professional's only defensive firearm. Ed Lovette, who is probably the foremost expert in the use of the snubnosed revolver also feels it is a very viable handgun for anyone for self defense. Several reasons for this. First the vast majority of self defense shooting occur in lest than 10 feet, many at less than 5. Target sights are not needed for this. Second, most defensive shooting are 3-4 rounds max, high capacity is not needed. Third, a enclosed hammer revolver like the S&W 340 or 642 can be fired from inside a coat pocket or even from inside a purse if needed. Fourth, if power to weight and ease of concealment is consider very few things equal J-Frame size revolver. Fifth, a semiauto may not fire if pressed against the attacker, a revolver will. If you consider how many times an attacker ends up on top of a woman on the ground you will understand why this is important. Sixth, ease of teaching. It is far easier to teach anyone to hit a human sized target center mass at 3-5 yards with a revolver than it is to teach the same plus all of the remedial drills necessary with a semi-auto.

I am not saying a small 9mm like the Ket-Tec PF-9 or the Kahr, or even larger framed semi-autos should not be considered. I am saying don't write off the snubbie as being useless to everyone but professionals because it is a very useful SD handgun for anyone.
Click to expand...


ed lovette?? charlie phillips told me to never believe a thing ed says lol.........
 
My wife has a Ruger 2" SP101 in 357mag. She usually carries it in a fanny pack. She loads it with the 38spc.+P 158gr HP. Recently she added Crimson Trace grips. She's pretty happy with it. She has not liked the greater recoil when shooting the lighter smaller S&W revolvers.
 
We went and looked at guns for her yesterday. She really liked the Kahr PM9. I have to say I liked it as well. I'm going to try and get one for her.
 
shootist16 said:
We went and looked at guns for her yesterday. She really liked the Kahr PM9. I have to say I liked it as well. I'm going to try and get one for her.
Click to expand...

PLEASE have her shoot one first !!!!

I suspect she'll change her mind.

.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top