GF looking for a small every day gun

[Creedmoor]

Do you pick out her bra’s?

What you like in a bra is probably not what she wants in a bra. Take her to a good gun range with nice selection of (bra’s) guns and let her try them on herself.

Ive been known to on occasion to get gifts from the lingerie store.
What I wouldn't do is pick her firearms or means of carry.

 

[Topper80]

GF looking for a small gun for purse and holster. Pocket 380 maybe? Suggestions and reviews. Thanks

She definitely will make the final decision. I was asking incase any of you had a few that were great or stay clear of
Thanks for all the input

 

[KellyinAvon]

I'll also add, of the 5 (so far) women close to me in my life that carry - none, zero, zip carry a lightweight, small-frame revolver.

They do, however, tend to gravitate toward smaller autos for carry due to the constraints of women's fashion, but absent that constraint, they all prefer larger autos (they're just not as easily concealed by current women's fashion). They all also have some formal training.

YMMV.

A very good point here. Based on my vast experience of living life and being married: women are significantly more fashionable than men. I know, I know, in other news water is wet.

With that said @Topper80 INGOers will almost always recommend on-body carry. A good compromise is a (no kidding) drop-leg purse from Hiding Hilda. My wife got one after a Mom with a toddler who had a stroller and multiple Mom-bags. Attached to the body at the waist, Velcro to hold the holster in place.

 

[Topper80]

Yep. All good questions. What's her experience level? How big are her hands? It is a handgun after all. If she's done some shooting, what does she like?

Do not simply throw it in a purse without the appropriate holster (or use a purpose built purse). It's a disaster waiting to happen (to say nothing about all the risks and disadvantages of off-body carry). If one is going to carry off-body in a purse, do it properly or don't do it at all (my opinion of course).

Just a few of many examples that could be cited:

A Critical (but often overlooked) Holster Function

Written by: Greg Ellifritz While reading my news feeds in the past few weeks, I've seen accounts of a couple preventable accidental shootings. I'd really prefer to see that my readers and students learn

www.activeresponsetraining.net

She's in jail after dropping purse — because gun inside it went off

The gun she was carrying inside her bag discharged and hit a woman in the leg.

www.usatoday.com

Woman drops purse in Starbucks, accidentally shoots friend with handgun

A Florida woman dropped her purse on the ground as she waited for coffee at Starbucks — and ended up accidentally shooting her best friend in the leg. Pamela Beck, 51, from Pinellas Park, is …

www.nydailynews.com

Woman, 80, shot in leg when gun falls out of her purse

What was supposed to be a regular trip to the dollar store for 80-year-old Bernice Hightower changed when her gun fell out of her purse.

www.clickondetroit.com

Police: Gun in purse accidentally fires, injures two at eatery

A gun accidentally fired through a purse and injured two women eating inside a local eatery on Sunday, according to a Summerville police report.

www.postandcourier.com

She is a great shot, actually.
She grew up with guns. Her dad taught all his kids how use, clean and respect firearms. She has just recently showed interest in carrying one.

 

[Creedmoor]

A very good point here. Based on my vast experience of living life and being married: women are significantly more fashionable than men. I know, I know, in other news water is wet.

With that said @Topper80 INGOers will almost always recommend on-body carry. A good compromise is a (no kidding) drop-leg purse from Hiding Hilda. My wife got one after a Mom with a toddler who had a stroller and multiple Mom-bags. Attached to the body at the waist, Velcro to hold the holster in place.

My girl uses a few lol purses, here are a few of many. Her carry is a G3C.

 

[MrNewVegas]

P365X, the smallest most reliable pistol that most people can get a full grip on IMHO. Optics are easy for newbies to pick up (it's all they know so no "learning curve" ) and the optic makes slide manipulation easy.

This is exactly what I was gonna say...I have the 365xl and it just disappears any way its been carried I have one I carry appendix and bought my sister one that she carries in a holstered style purse...small slim and 12 + 1 capacity makes it a great carry gun

 

[littletommy]

When I worked at the range, women would always come in wanting to rent something small, thinking it would be more manageable. They were almost always disappointed with their choices.

The only “small” guns that ever made the cut, were the G43 and the p365. Everything else was brought back after a few rounds because “it’s terrible to shoot”.

As has already been said, take her somewhere and let her choose.

 

[NHT3]

Teaching a newbie to shoot a 2" 38 revolver is about as easy as teaching a dog to do cartwheels. She will have to "dress around" a gun if she wants to armed with something effective. As others have said, as big as she's comfortable with and let her make the final decision.

 

[Bigtanker]

She is a great shot, actually.
She grew up with guns. Her dad taught all his kids how use, clean and respect firearms. She has just recently showed interest in carrying one.

That is good to hear.

I would still suggest some self defense training, which should include some law of when you can and can't use your gun.

The subcompact pistol market is flooded with options. Good options. Right now the Sig P365 is probably the king. But try and find as many different models as you guys can to shoot before buying. Some ranges have rentals you try out. Let her shoot them all and make a decision.

 

[Mgderf]

I agree that she should make the final decision, and I only suggest this because the O.P. said she is comfortable with firearms.
I suggest you have her check out a Bersa Thunder.
They come in both .380acp and 9mm.
I like them because they are all steel.

The Argentina police used to use them.
Don't know if they still do or not.

 

[littletommy]

Teaching a newbie to shoot a 2" 38 revolver is about as easy as teaching a dog to do cartwheels. She will have to "dress around" a gun if she wants to armed with something effective. As others have said, as big as she's comfortable with and let her make the final decision.

We had a lady come in once and specifically ask to rent our 6” GP100, with a box of.38 special ammo. I took the gun out to the range for her and her husband, and helped them get started. She fired maybe 3 rounds out of it, set it down on the bench, and turned to her husband and said “that’s what I want”! He kinda looked at me and then at her and said “but you can’t carry that everywhere you go”, and she said “THAT IS WHAT I WANT”.

We ordered one for her. Somewhere out there is a lady packing a GP100 with 6” barrel, and she’s probably upgraded to.357 rounds by now, she was a pretty good shot!

 

[bwframe]

I'm gonna be the chauvinist prick here. It is always said to let the new to carrying decide what they want. How smart is that? Why would we not guide them in their decision to avoid them from making bad and or dangerous choices?

The title of this thread points to a small gun. That's a bad idea for anyone new to carrying for defense.

Help them out and put them on the right course. Schedule and send them to a class (or three) with your backup G19, holster, belt and mags. Send them with a pistol that wont require regripping after every shot. One that's a training/carry/LEO standard that they or their instructors won't have to struggle with making work in inexperienced hands.

The significant other can make her own decision on a firearm purchase later, when she is educated enough to not need advice.


.

 

[OkieGirl]

She definitely will make the final decision. I was asking incase any of you had a few that were great or stay clear of
Thanks for all the input

Ahhh...ok, well then I wasn't very helpful with my first reply. LOL, let me try again...I'd stay away from the .380's if at all possible. Most are so small framed that they are really hard to shoot accurately and hold comfortably. I purchased a Ruger LCP .380 years ago that I was just sure I needed. Then I shot it once and hated it. It scared me, so I put it in the safe for a couple years before I sold it. I've personally had great success with the M&P 9c and/or Shield. I carry the Shield more often b/c it's easier to conceal (single stack) but I actually shoot the 9c (double stack) better.

I've recently picked up a Kimber Micro 9 and that thing is sooo easy to conceal! I carry IWB and can tuck it into most elastic waist banded yoga pants or stretch legging type pants easily without needing a belt. I haven't had enough range time with it yet to permanently switch from my Shield but I'm working on building competency with it to do just that. It's a thin frame with a soft leather holster and laser sights...if it were a shoe it would be a strappy red stiletto!

She's picking a great time to look in the market. There are a lot of options that are midsized and run well. Happy hunting and again, congratulations! LOL, now she'll have a gun habit that you aren't having to apologize for...

 

[BigRed]

 

[Creedmoor]

View attachment 221408

Trapper Jim would be Proud.

 

[GranolaFacility]

It seems to me that if a woman is going to carry in a purse, she must use a dedicated purse. There absolutely MUST be a dedicated compartment that can maintain the gun in a position where a firing grip can be established quickly. There is no such thing as fishing around for a loose gun in a purse under duress. As others have pointed out, it must be in a holster to be safe, and a holstered loose gun will take even more time to get a hold of. A concealed carry purse is really the only option here. So the answer is whatever the biggest gun is that can fit safely in the concealed carry purse. Some purses are quite large. At that point, why not get a concealed carry purse big enough for a full size gun? The bigger the frame, the more of its own recoil it will absorb, and the easier it will be to shoot.

 

[Topper80]

Ahhh...ok, well then I wasn't very helpful with my first reply. LOL, let me try again...I'd stay away from the .380's if at all possible. Most are so small framed that they are really hard to shoot accurately and hold comfortably. I purchased a Ruger LCP .380 years ago that I was just sure I needed. Then I shot it once and hated it. It scared me, so I put it in the safe for a couple years before I sold it. I've personally had great success with the M&P 9c and/or Shield. I carry the Shield more often b/c it's easier to conceal (single stack) but I actually shoot the 9c (double stack) better.

I've recently picked up a Kimber Micro 9 and that thing is sooo easy to conceal! I carry IWB and can tuck it into most elastic waist banded yoga pants or stretch legging type pants easily without needing a belt. I haven't had enough range time with it yet to permanently switch from my Shield but I'm working on building competency with it to do just that. It's a thin frame with a soft leather holster and laser sights...if it were a shoe it would be a strappy red stiletto!

She's picking a great time to look in the market. There are a lot of options that are midsized and run well. Happy hunting and again, congratulations! LOL, now she'll have a gun habit that you aren't having to apologize for...

Thanks again

 

[indyjohn]

It's a thin frame with a soft leather holster and laser sights...if it were a shoe it would be a strappy red stiletto!

Me like. The firearm or the shoe.

 

[Leadeye]

The gardener's barbecue gun, she EDC's a S&W Model 49.

 

[Leadeye]

View attachment 221410

View attachment 221411

Me like. The firearm or the shoe.

Wearing shoes like that the gardener would be taller than I am.