Caliber for women
 

I know there are women that can probably shoot their butt off on any caliber. But I am looking for a good caliber for my wife she hasn't shot any pistols before and I am looking for a good introductory caliber and pistol for concealed carry.

I was going to look at that and the Walther P22

..............and why not.


shoots soft yet still delivers a good amount of energy.

Some women may require large caliber guns.........

I'd 2nd the vote on the .380, but really the 9mm is only a small step-up. Really depends on your wife's ability and proclivity to want to shoot. But, I also want to do a shout-out for the 9mm Makarov round.

The Makarov round is pretty close to the .380, just a hair bigger in diameter and a mere millemeter longer It's called a 9X18, and it's actual diameter is about
.363, as opposed to the .355 of the 9mm Luger and/or the .380 Bullet weights for the Makarov round are commonly found in 93, 95 and sometimes 100 grain pills, though Buffalo bullets does make some loaded ammo in a 115 grain ball ... pretty heavy for the Makarov. The ammo is pretty affordable, especially compared to .380 stuff, and not as hard to find as many think. Also, not being a 9mm or a .380 it doesn't sell out immediately. BUT, it is not a Wal-Mart round either.

There is a CZ-82 that has been available (used) on the net for the past year or so and it's becoming tougher since December. It has been affordable. You can buy one through your FFL, and with taxes, shipping, and your FFL transfer fee it will come out at just about $300.00 out the door. The CZ-82 is a 12+1 set-up in a very comfortable gun. If you wife's hands are small it might be a deal-breaker cuz the CZ-82 is a double stack ... but not overly big. My daughter-in-law is an average sized gal and she shoots my son's CZ-82 very well.

Try Widener's site to see if they stil have them in stock or back-order-able. You might find it on some other sites as well.

My wife either carries a .380 or a 9mm, but she was not a very good shot until she got hold of a .22 pistol and learned how to shoot. A few hundred rounds of .22 have made a world of difference.

My wife really took to my Ruger MkIII the first time out. She actually shot really well with it, with minimal coaching an no experience. However, I would not suggest using it for concealed carry by any means. I know people that carry a .22 for concealed carry, and it is better than nothing. However, I think if she is going to be serious about using it for CCW a .380 auto is a much better choice.

I would suggest taking her to a range that has guns for rent, and starting her out on a .22 for one shooting session. Next time rent a .380 auto and have her try that. The .380 in a pistol that fits her hands well should be very manageable.

I'm a fan of the Ruger MK lll myself, it will take a 1400 lb steer right to it's knees, but.......... that's hitting it in the brain. I have Ruger 22/45 22lr and would not be afraid to use that for self defense but....... you have to be in check and shoot to make them count. Pro side of that if you are in check you can place them shots as fast as lighting. Being on the lightside it may not be that great for someone under the influence of some drug.

I think if your using a 380 acp why not bump it to a 9mm it's got more thump and recoil and noise is not a lot different than a 9mm. 380's come in more pocket sized features though I will give it that. And maybe more fitting for a woman's hand.

I'm still pro revolver for inexperienced shooters. S&W 38 Spl. Ladysmith is not a bad self defense tool for women and men. It's pocket sized and as simplistic as it gets. Just point and pull the trigger mama. If you need more than six to back someone off or take them down your in trouble. Reloading is the downfall for using a revolver for self defense.

I love my Kimber 45acp, Mama is getting one in a compact model and lots of training. Her biggest complaint is remembering the functions but range time might cure that.

My wife started on a Kahr 9mm (CW9) as her carry conceal of choice. She also spends a lot of trigger time on her Walther P-22 and is starting to shoot a Kahr CW40 (.40 S&W) now...

My wife had never shot a handgun before (let alone a rifle) when she decided she wanted to start shooting and get her CCW.

First and foremost is finding a gun that fits her hands, if it isn't comfortable in her hands and doesn't fit well it will not be comfortable to shoot and she won't shoot it. Fit in hand and trigger pull is very important. So spend some time having her fondle a ton of options and narrow it down to the ones that feel good in her hands and fit her. We spent hours one day at a gun show where my wife handles probably 60 or more different handguns before narrowing it down to 3 that fit her...but the Kahr was far and above her top choice (and it's American made!). My wife has small hands and barely weighs 100 pounds and has little fingers...so reach to the trigger and pull were important, she really loved the trigger on the Kahr. That being said, she also really loves her P-22 and loves how it handles.

As someone else noted, don't ignore the wheel guns (my wife also has a lady smith in 38 that she likes to shoot...but she does carry the Kahr CW9)...and RR also points out a good option of the .380...I can say my wife and daughter (who is 8) both love to shoot my PPK in 380....bottom line, find a gun that fits her...go from there!

Yeah, forgot about the .38 special. A compact wheelgun that fits your wives hands is an excellent choice...

For hunting, your average .22wmr will suit fine, for defense against enraged hormonal women, a 12ga with buckshot and a sidearm in .45acp or larger may be a better choice!

All kidding aside, not many women that I have instructed have had issues with .38spcl's. A Walter ppk/s or bersa thunder in .380auto is a good choice as well, about avoid pocket pistols, as the recoil and trigger pull on these tends to be pretty severe. The Ruger Sp-101 makes a fine sidearm for a woman, nice small neck and grip for easier handling with small hands, light weight and low recoil with .38's make it a pleasure to shoot as well. My wife just started shooting a .44mag super red hawk this winter... But that's a little different story.

Oddly, I have had a few (a half dozen or so) women in my classes over the years comment that my old Ruger p-97 .45acp is very nice for them, as the extra weight and the balance of this pistol, coupled with the slow rolling recoil of the .45 seems much more agreeable than that of a Glock 17 or 19 9mm. The narrow grip is also fairly easy to manage, even with smaller hands.

Most importantly, a good .22lr is without a doubt the best handgun that anyone can own. When it comes to recoil and affordable practice, the 22lr just can't be beat. Foundation skills and confidence built while shooting a .22lr will convey directly to larger bore handguns, and will help a new handgunner beyond any other investment they might make.

I missed the concealed carry part!

Hiding pistols on women is tricky. Usually they're smaller framed and wear tighter clothing than man, which presents a unique challenge. The most woman friendly pocket pistol that I have seen off of the shelf is the SigSauer P-238. It requires a little more training/practice and discipline than other dao pocket pistols since it has a manual safety, but the action, trigger, handling, and especially the sights are second to none in its class.

Again, I'd put up the recommendation for the Ruger SP-101, but obviously in the short barrel format for cc. It's a little thicker to conceal in summer clothes, but it's a fantastic sidearm. My wife carries one as her primary with a p-238 as her secondary option if the 101 is to big to hide in her selected outfit.

For introductory caliber, it's hard to go wrong with a 22LR. Very little recoil and inexpensive ammo to practice and just have fun. I don't think I've ever seen anybody who didn't enjoy shooting a 22 and it's a great gun for training.

For the CCW part, you might consider having her shoot a few different calibers (22Mag, 25, 380 and 9mm) to see what caliber she feels comfortable shooting. I've had to train several women in LE and all of them were able to shoot a 40S&W with training. Some preferred the 40 and some preferred a 9mm which has a little less perceived recoil. There's obviously a difference in terminal ballistics between these calibers but she has to be willing to shoot the gun for it to be useful in a CCW incident.

On a side note, it would be a wise idea for her to have at least fired YOUR CCW gun a few times in case you get injured and she needs to use YOUR CCW gun to defend both of you. I hope it never happens but it's always wise to be prepared.

Once you know what caliber, you will probably end up with more than 1 pistol, depending on seasonal clothing (heavier in winter and lighter in summer), what method she's going to carry concealed (in her purse, on the belt, gun bag, etc.). Like most of us, she will probably find that she just prefers one pistol more than the others and uses that one the most. On the plus side, you will get to buy and shoot more guns. :biggrin:

How about a Ruger SP101 .357?

Can still sling .38 sp through it, and you have the option to step up to the .357 mag.

A 9mm would be more than enough. Not hard on the wrist either.

For first time shooters I always recommend a revolver. A 38spl is a great carry caliber.

But.... All of my friends wives that I show how to shoot love my S&W 22a-1 in 22lr.

Great revolver. My daughter-in-law shoots mine VERY WELL with both 38's AND .357's.

I consider the Charter Arms .32 H&R Mag ideal for purse carry. It's easy to shoot and approaches the .38+P in performance.

16 oz. Stainless Steel frame:
http://www.charterfirearms.com/produ...ette_73220.asp

12 oz. Aluminum frame:
http://www.charterfirearms.com/produ...y_HR_53240.asp

These models are 6 ¼ inches overall length, 4 ¼ “ H, 1 ¼” W, and about 25% smaller than a S&W J frame.

I learned how to shoot with a .22. But when I got my CPL, my husband bought me a Ladysmith, .357 mag. (Of course it will also shoot .38s.) I'm very small, four foot seven and 73 pounds, but it fits me okay.

Revolvers don't jam and if you get a dud, you just squeeze the trigger again. I'm not going into combat. If I'm attacked, I'm sure the five rounds it carries will be enough. (The key, as I've been taught, is shot placement.)

Concealed carry is not a problem. You just get a purse designed for carry. I can access it just as quickly as any guy could get to his. A girl can carry a purse while wearing a mini-skirt and a tank top.

kinna thinkin a stick with a bow on it , but i think a 380 will werk

My wife carries a 38 special most of the time but also owns and likes her 380 and SW Governor.

I might be a little late but i wanted to give you a womans perspective.

First I am 116 lbs, I have very weak wrists and small hands and I shoot the Taurus Millenium Pro 9mm. its a 12+1, has a Loaded Chamber Indicator, is slim enough for me to use with one hand (ejecting clip, turning safety on & off etc). Because it does hold 12+1 it adds just enough weight so that there is hardly any recoil. Its a very smooth action gun and I love it.

Hope that helps. Also if you have an Academy anywhere around you they tend to have them on sall efor $299 - not too bad.

Good luck finding ammo though :)

ok I guess i missed the concealed carry part too...for CC I like the Ruger LC9; 7+1, super light, and easy to operate. I have a .38 special too but id take a take my 9mm's over a revolver anyday. just my opinion though :)