Guns for womenfolk

[Aglifter]

As an aside, since my Boston Terrier is driving me nuts w. it at the moment-- dogs really love those "Kong" toys.

I'm thinking about getting Mom a pistol for Mother's Day -- I'd like to get something for my Grandmother as well, but I think her arthritis is too bad in her hands to operate a gun -- and Mennonite women in her generation didn't handle them  (It was considered borderline shocking that my Grandfather taught Mom to use a rifle..)

Mom has a 92F, or rather, the Taurus version of one, which she shoots quite well, but she can't operate it too well -- she has had some difficulty in the past cycling the slide, clearing jams, etc -- so I'm leaning toward an airweight J frame, but I'd like a less bulky gun -- trying to find a way around any excuses she might have to leave it at home.  (Currently she puts her 9MM in her purse if she thinks she's worried, but usually just carries Mace.  

So I guess what I'm looking for is a light gun w. low recoil, simple to operate, and not too bulky

[MountainMan]

I've thought that the .32 Beretta with the tip up barrel would be a nice gun for a women who would have problems pulling back the slide.  Just load the mag - tip up the barrel and put in a shell and it is ready - to unload tip up barrel and take out the shell - never a need to pull the slide.  You can get this in .25, .32, .380 - don't think you can get the tip up barrel in 9mm but I could be wrong.

As you said there is also the J-frames.

[R9SCarry]

Brad - I transitioned my Bonnie last year from M85 snub (which she did not like a whole lot) to a Bersa Thunder in .380.

What a difference!  Got one for a lady friend of ours too and made it three when I bought my step daughter one for her 21st.  Really very fine guns IMO - eat ammo well and not too huge tho heavier and bigger than some of course.

The ladies shoot these well and Bonnie has hers as a purse gun - tho keep working on her to use a belt so I can get her a decent holster for carry!

[Richard S]

Brad:

My wife is somewhat "recoil averse," so this is what she carries:

[theirishguard]

Try a S&W model 60 in either .38 special or 9mm.
Tom

[Rocnerd]

I bought my wife a S&W model 60 and soon after a PPK which she likes better.  The slide is easy to pull back and it is small and slim with a fairly light recoil.  

[MountainMan]

Richard - were did you get those grips for the Seecamp - are they ivory or a polymer.

Dave

[DDGator]

Although there is clearly some opinion here otherwise, I have found women to prefer revolvers.  There is a very simple manual of arms, no safety, easy to tell if its loaded at a glance, no moving slide, no brass flying about.

A model 60 with .38 loads should be fine.  If weight is an issue, go to an airweight gun with a ligher load -- like .32 H&R Magnum.

Of course, I am thinking carry gun.  If its just a house gun, you could go up a size to a K-Frame and have a very pleasant shooting .38.

[theirishguard]

the wheel gun is the best answer for a person that has no experience with guns and it points better also. The tip up bbl pistols seem great but when needed most the bbl will tip up and the round will be on the floor.
Tom

[Richard S]

Richard - were did you get those grips for the Seecamp - are they ivory or a polymer.

Dave

Dave:

AJAX Custom Grips made them for me about eight years ago from some pre-ban African elephant ivory they had at the time.

[Richard S]

Here is the "brace" of very portable revolvers which Joyce carried before she adopted the Seecamp:

 

[MountainMan]

Looks like you and RJ go way back Richard.

As far as the ivory - you can take the man out of Africa but not Africa out of the man.

[Richard S]

Dave:

Yes, I'm one of RJ's long-term fans.  He has always made holsters for the sheer joy of doing it.  I started trying to spread the word a few years ago that people should get a Hedley holster while he was still in the mood to make them.  If you own one, you own a work of art in leather.

[RJ HEDLEY]

Richard is as good of a friend as a man needs.  We do go back a few years.  

[Fud]

the wheel gun is the best answer for a person that has no experience with guns and it points better also.

I don't know if I agree with that. I was shooting autoloaders for almost two decades before I shot my first revolver and even now, several years later, I still find autoloaders to point better.