Best Wife EDC Gun?

[Dante1983]

380 ez is pretty popular for the ladies. I fired on awhile back. I’d carry it. It’s smooth, easy to rack.

 

[wcd]

A Well clearly the answer should be a thing that starts with a 4. But seriously just let her find her own way, be there to support her and that is all you need to do. My wife started out with a SR 22. No grief from me just support and range time together. Now she switches between her SR 9 c and her Smith and Wesson ez rack.

 

[Robert L]

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?

My wife prefers a 357 with a 7" barrel for home issues. Anywhere else it's a Charter Arm 22 mag. Lightweight, good power and easy to handle. Will do a lot more than **** off a bad guy.

 

[Mij]

Yep, no reason to carry or even be in the same room with a J frame. They quit making them 100 years ago. They haven’t sold one in about the same time. Modern self defense ammo is worthless in 38 spc.

If it’s not the latest and greatest auto made, your gonna die. Every time.

Signed:
An old fudd on life support.

make it whatever color you want.

edit to add I just saw the date of OP, still feel the same way.

 

[Amishman44]

A Well clearly the answer should be a thing that starts with a 4. But seriously just let her find her own way, be there to support her and that is all you need to do. My wife started out with a SR 22. No grief from me just support and range time together. Now she switches between her SR 9 c and her Smith and Wesson ez rack.

My wife started out with a Beretta 84 Cheetah in .380 acp...which she absolutely LOVED shooting!
Traded it for a Glock 26 with a pinky extension (BIG mistake...we both wish she still had the Beretta!)
I, then, picked up an older, 6-shot, 4" Ruger SP101 in .22lr and she really developed her skills with a .22 revolver. Best handgun I ever picked up because so many, including my kids, have learned to shoot safely and with a high degree of success with it, which is exactly what you want a rookie shooter to have!
She went through several pistols after that (Glock, Springfield XDM, HK P2000SK, etc.), and is now back with a Beretta, albeit a 92FS, for her personal pistol, as she still shoots a Beretta best.

 

[wcd]

My wife started out with a Beretta 84 Cheetah in .380 acp...which she absolutely LOVED shooting!
Traded it for a Glock 26 with a pinky extension (BIG mistake...we both wish she still had the Beretta!)
I, then, picked up an older, 6-shot, 4" Ruger SP101 in .22lr and she really developed her skills with a .22 revolver. Best handgun I ever picked up because so many, including my kids, have learned to shoot safely and with a high degree of success with it, which is exactly what you want a rookie shooter to have!
She went through several pistols after that (Glock, Springfield XDM, HK P2000SK, etc.), and is now back with a Beretta, albeit a 92FS, for her personal pistol, as she still shoots a Beretta best.

For many it’s hard to beat a 92 series. I have a 92G in which for me performs almost as well as my 1911.

 

[Amishman44]

For many it’s hard to beat a 92 series. I have a 92G in which for me performs almost as well as my 1911.

I have a 92-D Centurian DAO...and I love it!

 

[TiminMishawaka]

My wife is comfortable with the Ruger LCR 327 Federal Magnum loaded up with 32 S&W long.

 

[MarylandTacomaRider]

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?

I definitely want to buy a glock 43 for my fiancé once we’re married!

 

[tcecil88]

I have a 92-D Centurian DAO...and I love it!

My wife shot my 96D way better than I did.

 

[Amishman44]

My wife shot my 96D way better than I did.

Get her a CX-4 in .40 S&W to go with it...
Matching caliber and magazines...
Can't beat a nice combo package...

 

[tcecil88]

My wife actually likes/shoots the S&W EZ .380 really well. I'm going to have her shoot the EZ9 and see how she likes that.

 

[thopson]

I carry a p365xl most days. Best thing to
do, take your wife to a range and let her try different guns or to a female instructor who has guns she can try (me). We gals have different likes and dislikes than our husbands. Don't buy her a gun without her having input. . Happy wife - happy life.

 

[Jzim]

I

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.

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.

I’ll second this. I bought my wife the EZ380 and she loves it. I got hers before the EZ9 came out otherwise we prob wouldn’t have went with the 9mm. She also likes my g19 but it’s a little tough for her to operate.

 

[mousegun87]

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?

Let her try something with softer recoil. 9mm or 380. Glock 43x or 48, Shield EZ or Equalizer are good models to consider for 9mm. The EZ and Equalizer will be easier to rack the slide.

 

[EthanJ]

My wife started with an M&P 22 compact and recently upgraded to a Ruger Security 380 Lite Rack. She is recoil sensitive but used that 22 to get used to handguns. Now she can handle 380 and she is a really good shot from 7 yards.

 

[EthanJ]

Also to add to it, my wife can carry a larger gun more easily than me because she has a couple options I don't. One is the purse. Now whether purse carry is ideal or not people can debate, but she has a purse designed for carry and it's a decent system. The gun draws from the side and she has no issue with compact rather than subcompact or micro guns in there. Secondly, she is colder natured and wears a jacket most of the year, so she can even OTB carry a bigger gun than I and keep it concealed.

For women shooters, I generally think don't go revolver because more felt recoil heavy double action triggers generally worse sights and low capacity. I also say get a bigger gun to soak up recoil and 380 isn't all that bad if you can't handle 9. 15 rounds of 380 beats 6 of 38, in my mind.

 

[Leadeye]

For small 38 special guns, 148 grain HBWC ammo is a good choice. The gardener uses those in her Detective Special and can hit quite well whereas +P stuff has just the opposite effect. While some might take me to task for the low power of this type of ammo, it still cuts a good hole.

 

[hhi7410]

My daughter has same 642 I got it for her
I do reload target light load for her to practice and last Indy 500 show I picked up
351pd 22mag for my wife to use she will unjoy more with 22mag over 38spc

 

[bwillits]

Several people have already mentioned in but the S&W EZ is a great starting point. Of course in an ideal situation she’d hit a range and try a bunch but from my experience, a ton of women really enjoy the EZ. The firearm itself was designed for women and those with arthritis as it’s incredibly easy to rack (much different than a P938 or Glock 42/43). I’m a fan of the 9mm due to ammo cost, ballistics, and many find it less snappy than a 380.