Best Wife EDC Gun?

[Southsider24]

My wife currently has a S&W 642 Air weight revolver in 38sp for her carry gun. When she shoots it, she has trouble accuracy issues, possibly due to anticipating the recoil. Would a smaller caliber be better, or just more practice? What do your wives carry and like?

 

[Bigtanker]

A different gun. The 642 is a gun for experienced shooters.

In general, the smaller the gun the harder it is to shoot well, especially in a decent self defense caliber. You don't get to pick her gun. She does.

Take her to Kodiak range off of Ireland in South Bend and have her try some different pistols. Try a S&W EZ in 9mm or 380. A G**** 42, a S&W Shield or whatever else she seems to like.

 

[Cameramonkey]

What BT said. She needs to shoot various guns to see what works for her. Find a range with a rental wall and have her try various guns.

Guns are like running shoes. One brand does NOT fit all. Gotta try them on and go for a "run" to know for sure what feels/shoots the best.

 

[MCgrease08]

This topic comes up all the time, so there should be lots of previous threads with a variety of suggestions.

In general people (i.e. husbands) think they should get their woman a tiny gun because she has small hands. This is almost always the wrong approach. Small, lightweight guns with short barrels and minimalist sites are hard to shoot and feel like high fiving a brick wall. That adds up to accuracy problems for most shooters, not just women.

Heavy, full sized guns with real sights and longer site radius will mitigate recoil much better and allow for a better accuracy.

Don't push the carry aspect yet. Let her build a foundation of skills and get comfortable and confident with a compact or even full sized gun. Then start thinking about how she might want to carry. But let her pick. Don't choose for her like most guys try to do.

 

[Dean C.]

God I HATE when new shooters are given a J Frame as their first gun. Seriously those guns suck major ass in literally every way physically imaginable with the exception of the fudds on life support in the corner screaming "they never jam".

As others have said take her to a range with a good rental selection let her actually feel the different guns and trigger pulls and take they one she likes most to the range. Then just buy they one she likes best.

My wife does not CCW but she picked out a Walther Q4 SF for her nightstand gun, feels good in her hand, minimal recoil and very easy to shoot. Even mitigated issues racking the slide by teaching her how to run the slide using the optic.

 

[gregkl]

Yup, + whatever on the J-Frames. I really like Smith revolvers and I even had a 442 for awhile.

It had no practical purpose for me. Uncomfortable to shoot, didn't carry any better than my Shield( I don't pocket carry which is supposedly a benefit for it) and I didn't enjoy shooting it. The last item is important to me. I enjoy shooting my Shield and therefore I have become fairly proficient with it.

My wife doesn't carry. Doesn't want it. I'm cool with that. When we go to the range, she prefers to shoot rimfire. Occasionally she will shoot my M&P 2.0 Compact, but she isn't crazy about it.

My sister-in-law has a M&P 380EZ. She went from a small Glock to it and she really likes it. Felt recoil is not bad and the slide is EZ to rack.

 

[Expat]

Obviously you need to take a firmer hand and explain she will shoot it and enjoy it

Just kidding. My wife never had any interest in carrying but she loved going to the range and shooting when we were younger. Her favorite for shooting a 1911 government model in .45. And no, she was not a big woman. When we married, she was 5'3" 105 lbs. But she was a farm girl that thought she could whip most people's ass.

 

[Fixer]

I feel most small frame lightweight revolvers are more suited for Back up and work best at close range almost contact shooting situations. I just picked up a Walther PPQ for my 17 year old daughter and she loves the feel and how easy it is to manipulate. The wife picked up a Glock 43X and it is a great gun for smaller hands without being too small that recoil becomes an issue. Both of them prefer a thin handgun with around a 4" barrel for EDC. We had a Kimber Micro9 and neither of them liked that gun. The ergonomics were off and it was just too small to shoot well or practice with.
Like stated above, try to find a range that rents guns and have her shoot a variety to see what feels right and she can shoot well.

 

[mom45]

I have a 642 airweight and carry it around the yard or as a backup gun, but it is snappy for sure. I prefer my .45 semi autos and those are my main carry guns. I learned to shoot a .45 when I was about 12 so that is what I am used to shooting the most.

I agree with the others. Let her try other guns and see what she shoots well. The 642 is attractive to carry because it is light and easy to conceal, but she needs to be able to shoot accurately with it as well.

 

[DRob]

Well, here I go again. The best thing you can do is get her training from SOMEBODY ELSE! Preferably a woman.

 

[NHT3]

No one I know can shoot a 2" J frame well.. Good advice above about going to the range and trying several.

 

[BJHay]

My wife generally carries a Springfield XDS. It's a single stack with a grip safety.

She claims women benefit more from a grip safety because they're more likely to change clothes/holsters multiple times each day. The grip safety gives here added security during the extra handing.

Ditto on the comments by others. Don't even try to pick a gun for your wife. She needs to go the range, perhaps with an instructor (not her husband) and try different guns. You might give her some suggestions on guns to try but I would stop there.

 

[mr_kravmaga]

My wife currently has a S&W 642 Air weight revolver in 38sp for her carry gun. When she shoots it, she has trouble accuracy issues, possibly due to anticipating the recoil. Would a smaller caliber be better, or just more practice? What do your wives carry and like?

For me, it was about getting my girlfriend to "want to" want a gun. My experience has been that most women don't understand what a determined man is capable of. They think they know, but they don't really know.

I started by doing free online courses with her in the history of our constitution and why our bill of rights are there. We made dinner and watched it on the tv. She loved it as it helped her explain herself politically to her family and "friends". Then I took her to some legal classes (I went with her). She got to see law enforcement training civilians. (That made her warm and fuzzy). I then took her to the range with her kids with 22's (outdoor ranges like Atterbury during the weekday when noone was there). Then it progressed into conversations with neighbors. We went shooting together, like couples. So instead of it being "you gotta have a gun to defend yourself!", it became more social for her and fun.

Now she has a Sig P365 (She went to the gun store and bought it on her own without me!) and she bought a 642PC cause she likes revolvers. She likes 1911's too. At this point she shoots everything I own including my 44 mag superblackhawk and my AR10 in 308. She likes the recoil and sound now, and thinks its funny. She's like, "holy **** this things bad ass!" It wasn't that way in the beginning, but persistence and patience pays off.

Long story short, I believe the key is to make them feel good about guns. They're never gonna be into guns like we are; but if they legitimately enjoy socializing with gun owners over their stupid coworker idiot acquaintances, and they figure out that it's the brainwashing of our culture that causes the uneasiness around the guns, then the more likely it is that they will be on board with shooting and training more regularly and then they'll carry cause they believe its the right thing to do. Take her to NRA dinners and gun shows. Take her where other females are going to be. Encourage without being forceful or fearful. The more you soften her up, the better.

3 things to remember:

1. They can't feel stupid or embarrassed about handling and shooting a gun.
2. It needs to be socially normal.
3. They need to believe that individual self defense, gun ownership, responsibility and training is seen as morally right and good.

It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that individuals alone make choices. Individuals choose to join groups. Individuals that make choices need to be dealt with individually. Individuals determine their path in life. Freedom. This is our system. Mature people understand this.

 

[22LRFan]

It all depends on their interest and willingness to train. My wife is not into guns whatsoever. It doesn't matter how bad things get with social issues in this country. It doesn't matter if bad things happen to people she loves, she just isn't that into guns. She will never be willing to take the time and effort to shoot my bigger guns well enough for carry. She does enjoy shooting my 22s and is extremely accurate with them. I don't try and jam a peg into a round hole. She carries a little 22 and is proficient and comfortable with it. Thats enough for me. Find a gun she enjoys shooting and is willing to carry. If its a small caliber, so be it. Just my .02

 

[tomcat13]

Some Good Points above-especially pertaining to a Range Visit & shooting different weapons.
I also made the mistake of starting the Better Half with a Lil Revolver (38Spl w/2" bbl) & she Quickly was Frustrated by Inaccuracy.
In answer to 1 of your Questions, here's what My Wife currently totes & is Proficient.
Ruger LCRX w/3" bbl (amazing how much an extra inch of tube improves Accuracy)

 

[snapping turtle]

Wife is now wanting to carry. She has LTC already. Works in a well know hood like area. Going to Highsmith to range time. She can get whatever she wants. Sounds like she wants more of an off body carry. says her purse is always with her.

I have
smith mod 60
smith mod 66 2 1/2 (and a rossi truck gun copy)
smith 5906 9 mm
sig 226 9mm
sig 229. 40/357 sig
walther PPK/s 380 (limited ammo)
smith model 29
a few 22 target pistols.

with the range guns they have I hope she finds something she is comfortable with. A year valentines night at the range.

 

[Biggredchev]

I let mine pick out her own carry gun. She acts like shes 6’8 with a barret but she’s actually 5’nothin, 110lbs, with a Kimber Micro 9. When shes gun shopping I just let her find something she likes, if its something she probably wont like or might be problematic ill let her know. Practice makes proficiency.

 

[gregkl]

Wife is now wanting to carry. She has LTC already. Works in a well know hood like area. Going to Highsmith to range time. She can get whatever she wants. Sounds like she wants more of an off body carry. says her purse is always with her.

I have
smith mod 60
smith mod 66 2 1/2 (and a rossi truck gun copy)
smith 5906 9 mm
sig 226 9mm
sig 229. 40/357 sig
walther PPK/s 380 (limited ammo)
smith model 29
a few 22 target pistols.

with the range guns they have I hope she finds something she is comfortable with. A year valentines night at the range.

Heck, that Model 29 is perfect for her! load up some hot 240 grainers and let it rip!

 

[Lee11b]

Smith and Wesson 9mm or 380 EZ. I got my wife a 9mm EZ, she loves it!!! Easy to load, rack the slide, recoil seems EZ for her. I got her a Performance Center one. They do have the cut-outs in the slide and barrel for less recoil.

 

[Refrigerator27]

As people have said, its really a matter of what she is willing to train with and carry. My wife loves her Colt Trooper in 38/357 however its nearly a 3 lb gun and she doesnt want that weight in her purse etc. Also shoots Beretta 92 variants however its a rather larger gun. My wife currently likes the cz p10c however that could change if she doesn't practice and then one day decides "I don't like how this shoots because I dont shoot it often."

Would encourage you to find an instructor, preferably female, for her if she's willing.