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handgun for recoil sensitive fiancee

10K views 32 replies 17 participants last post by  usmcj 
#1 ·
I'm looking for something for my fiancee to use when I am not around. I feel she should carry whether I am there or not but she doesn't. I'll work on that later. However, she has said she'll let me buy her a handgun as well as to take some classes and possibly get her CCW. She is very recoil sensitive so something like a .40 S&W or .45ACP will most likely be out of the question. She has shot my M&P 40 and while she liked the feel/weight of the gun as well as a friends Ruger P90 (this was too heavy), she did not like the recoil at all. Additionally she is just getting back into shooting after not having shot for over 15 yrs so she would prefer something easy to shoot, at least initially. She has a .38 Special revolver that was inherited, however, she's said that she does not really want to carry a revolver if/when she does.

What I need help with is what to have her look at initially? I won't have any say in the purchase other than handing over the cash to do so, therefore these are just my initial thoughts on what she might like. I realize that the smaller the gun the more felt recoil, but due to her small frame, I know she wouldn't be comfortable carrying a full size. Hence my suggestions below...

Some of what I was thinking were:

M&P9c
SR9c
M&P Bodyguard 380
Walther PPK
Sig P238
XD9c
Sig P250 Compact 9mm

Opinions on these for a recoil sensitive shooter? Any other suggestions? Most of these I can rent from a LGS, so she will definitely be trying before buying. I'd like to keep it around $500 give or take but will end up buying what SHE wants no matter the cost...LOL Reliability is probably most important for me. Safety, recoil, and then comfort in hand most important for her.
 
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#27 ·
I just got my wife, all 5'4 110 pounds of her, a Sig P229 SAS in 9mm. She likes mine in .40 but said it was a little heavy on recoil, but she likes a 92FS. I felt the larger frame had more to do with the lighter felt recoil than the caliber, but I'm game. Worst case, I get a new 9mm...

I don't know how you feel about the 92 FS, but my wife loves that gun and has carried it for years. She's carrying it right now, at least until Christmas. I personally don't like the safety but there's a lot of folks who do.

I have my doubts about the 9mm being much easier than the .40 so we'll see. The e2 (reduced reach) grips were a big sell as it fit her hand better. Tiny woman, tiny hands. If you think like me the Sig might be a good choice.

Hope that helps...
 
#29 · (Edited)
I don't know how you feel about the 92 FS, but my wife loves that gun and has carried it for years. She's carrying it right now, at least until Christmas. I personally don't like the safety but there's a lot of folks who do.
You have a very well armed wife in my opinion. There are much smaller and lighter pistols for carry but if things go wrong she's in very good company.
 
#31 ·
Have her try a 9mm and the .380, that should be suffice.
I haven't followed this since the beginning,but watch the 380s if this wasn't brought up earlier.380s tend to have more snap and hit than a 9,partly because the guns are generally small and the majority of them work off the blowback principle.If you want to look at 380s,look at the Sig 239 (I believe),Colt's new or old Mustang,and the like that operate off of the Browning locked breech design.That tames them down quite a bit.
 
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