The Women's Revolver Myth Might Finally Be Dead

[Mongo59]

I spend a sick number of hours in my LGS and the most surprising thing to me is the number of women who can't rack the slide on an automatic. Here in the southern part of the state we have some good corn fed females but they still act like pulling the slide should be an event in a 'strong man' competition.

If they can't even load a Sig, then it is time to pull out a revolver. I thought something was wrong with the first women I saw having problems but it just kept happening.

I am not saying that they couldn't eventually train their way up, but I AM saying the whole revolver thing is not a myth..

 

[DadSmith]

I spend a sick number of hours in my LGS and the most surprising thing to me is the number of women who can't rack the slide on an automatic. Here in the southern part of the state we have some good corn fed females but they still act like pulling the slide should be an event in a 'strong man' competition.

If they can't even load a Sig, then it is time to pull out a revolver. I thought something was wrong with the first women I saw having problems but it just kept happening.

I am not saying that they couldn't eventually train their way up, but I AM saying the whole revolver thing is not a myth..

In my mother's case it's age with weakness in her hands. Thus a trigger job and me reloading ammunition she can handle and hit with. She can hit a torso at 7 yards with her 38 snub nose. That will get the job done if she can do the same in a bad situation. I'd like to find some 200gr hard cast bullets for it and load it up on the light side. That should still give her good penetration on the bad guy.

 

[Leo]

I did instruction for the First shots program in Lafayette. After the beginner course, many wanted instruction on a gun they bought or one they want to buy. Many of the very small semiautos of any brands were not a good fit, at least when they started.

It had nothing to do with the shooters intellect, or gender. It was simply a strength issue. Small semiautos do not tolerate a limp wrist. When the pistol jams up, is when the problem starts. They just really have no where to grab when you need to rack and restart it. Because you only have fingertip area to grab, it takes a lot of strength. I have had 6'2", 250 lb men that could not clear reliably clear a jam in a little semi auto. If you cannot do it in the range with an instructor, success is unlikely in a stress situation.

Everyone can run a revolver.

 

[DadSmith]

I did instruction for the First shots program in Lafayette. After the beginner course, many wanted instruction on a gun they bought or one they want to buy. Many of the very small semiautos of any brands were not a good fit, at least when they started.

It had nothing to do with the shooters intellect, or gender. It was simply a strength issue. Small semiautos do not tolerate a limp wrist. When the pistol jams up, is when the problem starts. They just really have no where to grab when you need to rack and restart it. Because you only have fingertip area to grab, it takes a lot of strength. I have had 6'2", 250 lb men that could not clear reliably clear a jam in a little semi auto. If you cannot do it in the range with an instructor, success is unlikely in a stress situation.

Everyone can run a revolver.

My dad is a big man but he's up there in years. He has given up on his 1911 45acp FS because he cannot operate the slide anymore. So I had a Ruger lcrx laying around in the safe. I had him come over and we shot it about 35rds he liked it, and he now carries it everyday. He isn't weak he still cuts, splits wood, works on roofs, crawls under houses and works on plumbing. Very active for 78 years old. He just doesn't have the hand strength to operate the slide. He also carries a Phoenix arms 22lr in his pocket. He can operate that yet. He actually likes that little cheap pistol. It's pretty accurate and it likes good HV ammunition. With that it functions flawlessly so far.

 

[Ark]

It had nothing to do with the shooters intellect, or gender. It was simply a strength issue. Small semiautos do not tolerate a limp wrist. When the pistol jams up, is when the problem starts. They just really have no where to grab when you need to rack and restart it. Because you only have fingertip area to grab, it takes a lot of strength. I have had 6'2", 250 lb men that could not clear reliably clear a jam in a little semi auto. If you cannot do it in the range with an instructor, success is unlikely in a stress situation.

Were you exclusively teaching people to slingshot with their arms fully extended? Even I have trouble pinching the slide with my thumb and forefinger. I bring the gun in closer for leverage, rotate it about 45 degrees around the barrel axis (still pointed downrange), come over the top and use the heel of my hand and all four fingers to engage as much surface area on the slide serrations as possible.

I know some shy away from over-the-top racking for new shooters because of the tendency to drag the muzzle around to the left (for a righty), but it's quite easy to do while still pointing straight downrange if you just rotate the gun a little. Did you still have people struggling with slides with that technique?

 

[KG1]

Were you exclusively teaching people to slingshot with their arms fully extended? Even I have trouble pinching the slide with my thumb and forefinger. I bring the gun in closer for leverage, rotate it about 45 degrees around the barrel axis (still pointed downrange), come over the top and use the heel of my hand and all four fingers to engage as much surface area on the slide serrations as possible.

I know some shy away from over-the-top racking for new shooters because of the tendency to drag the muzzle around to the left (for a righty), but it's quite easy to do while still pointing straight downrange if you just rotate the gun a little. Did you still have people struggling with slides with that technique?

This along with the push/pull slide racking technique I find to be much easier. You pull the slide back with your off hand and release while simultaneously pushing forward on the frame while you are griping it firmly with the other hand.

Most people that struggle just hold onto the firearm and try rack it by pulling it back using only the fore finger and the thumb. You get a better grip on the slide using the over hand technique and more leverage if you actively push/pull using both hands in one motion. You actually have more strength by pushing rather than pulling alone.

Here is an example of using your over the top grip along with the push/pull technique. As you can see she doesn't appear to be a very large person demonstrating it.

 

[TheJoker]

That myth was busted for me about 15 years ago by my very savvy fiance, Kathy. The first time I took her to the range to shoot a very nice S&W Model 60 that'd chosen for her first gun. I showed her how to operate it. She fired 5 shots, put it down and said: 'That's too complicated, I want to shoot THAT[pointing at my nickle S&W Model 39]'. The following week, I traded the Model 60 for a nice Model 3913 Lady Smith and shes been rocking semi-autos ever since. Recently, I got on a cowboy gun kick and bought her a Uberti Lightning. She wasn't impressed. She still doesn't like revolvers. My advice to anyone considering a pistol for a lady is to go rent a dozen different types and LET HER DECIDE!

 

[MrSmitty]

A co-worker asked me what gun he should buy for home defense, someone had tried to pry open a screen in their home, and his wife was freaked out. I first told him to look at shoguns for home defense, but he said his wife wanted a handgun because they had a small safe to put it in. I recommended Shields, Rugers, and Rock Island revolvers, because neither one have ever owned a gun, and would probably never shoot it much...(even though I told him first thing, get the gun and take a training class) I recommended full size semi's also because he said his wife was a big girl (his words) He still hasn't bought one yet though....

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

My wife has torn into several gun store employees/owners for going straight to talking about revolvers without bothering to ask her what she is interested in...

I stand back and watch the fireworks happen...and the employee loses a sale.

 

[GIJEW]

The men who think that women can't operate semi autos, think they can't drive either. Fortunately, women gun owners aren't a novelty anymore, and that's passe.

People don't seem to realize that buying a gun is a bit like buying shoes--you have to find the one that fits, and they don't know or consider all the variables involved. Neither do they get that 'feels good in their hand at the display case' doesn't necessarily mean they'll shoot it well.
I worked/taught at a gun shop for awhile and repeatedly saw women gravitating to small semi autos without considering the stiff recoil springs or men asking "what should I buy my wife?".
Likewise, I've had would be new gun owners--men--ask "what should I buy?"

 

[russc2542]

I spend a sick number of hours in my LGS and the most surprising thing to me is the number of women who can't rack the slide on an automatic. Here in the southern part of the state we have some good corn fed females but they still act like pulling the slide should be an event in a 'strong man' competition.

If they can't even load a Sig, then it is time to pull out a revolver. I thought something was wrong with the first women I saw having problems but it just kept happening.

I am not saying that they couldn't eventually train their way up, but I AM saying the whole revolver thing is not a myth..

Technique. They're usually shown the hardest way (or none at all) so they slingshot like they see in the movies. It's also a new motion they aren't used to. I was wrenching on a buddy's van (adding a 6" lift to a 1-ton ford van). I was wrenching the tie rod adjusters around and having a hard time of it since I'm a mechanic turned computer driver just getting over surgery so muscles turned to jello and I figured his gym-every-day mr workout muscles might get further... he couldn't even move the wrench.

A heavy slide is easier for small hands to operate than a heavy trigger. My wife can cycle every gun we have because she learned the right technique but struggles with a trigger over 6lbs (accuracy drops bad) and can't pull a 10lb DA with one finger because she flat out doesn't have the hand strength. Haven't yet met someone I haven't been able to teach to rack a slide.

 

[Leo]

The common theme in this thread is all the women that are enthusiasts with a lot of trigger time that want to continue to shoot recreationally as well. That puts them in a totally different class.

Just because they can does not mean the average non shooting sports purchaser can, man or woman.

On the thread about the ER room shooting on this site, a full grown, uniformed man limp wristed and jammed his pistol, and then fumbled the clearing while under pressure. A man with a uniform and a badge, surely has training. Techniques are great when well trained, and retrained How many people who only want a firearm "just in case" spend much, if any time training? Of the ones who trained at all, how many will keep up training at a regular basis? It takes some seriously ingrained training to overcome a high stress situation.

It is a rare day when I take a non shooting couple to the range with me, that either of them can actually handle the firearm, no matter what glowing reviews that pistol got from all the enthusiast gun websites.

I certainly would never restrict anyone from buying whatever they want, if they ask, I'll give them my opinion, and they can make up their own minds.

 

[led4thehed2]

Good, a tiny .38 is a bad choice for any first-time gun buyer. With so many small, quality 9mms these days a J frame should be a hard sell. In the right hands a little .38 can be very accurate, but it took me a LOT of training to get there.

 

[DRob]

" A man with a uniform and a badge, surely has training. " Yes, he/she does have training but only enough to cover his/her employer's liability. The idea that LEOs are all "gun guys" is a total myth and many, if not most, of them only shoot as often as the department requires. At least during my 26 years experience.

 

[Snapdragon]

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Likewise, I've had would be new gun owners--men--ask "what should I buy?"

You recommended the 500 S&W Magnum, right?

 

[KG1]

You recommended the 500 S&W Magnum, right?

Hell Yeah!!!

 

[sharpetop]

Smith And Wesson addressed the heavy revolver trigger pull and the heavy slide pull on semi autos by introducing the EZ series. It's also very easy to take down for cleaning.

My ex-wife went from a S&W 642 to a S&W .380 EZ and loves it! She's got arthritis and couldn't pull the trigger on the 642 and couldn't rack the slides on any of my semi autos. I bought her the .380 EZ and all is well!

 

[Timjoebillybob]

I recommend revolvers for those that won't go shooting.
So, simple is better.
Man, woman, doesn't matter.

Pretty much. If they aren't going to put in the time training, especially practicing failure drills a revolver is better. Man or woman.

My sister in law loved her 686-3, it was ported and had pachmayr grips. She could shoot it with full power 357 magnum without a problem, but preferred .38s for range. A semi wouldn't have been good for her because she practiced very little. The other one practiced more and liked a 1911.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

My advice to anyone considering a pistol for a lady is to go rent a dozen different types and LET HER DECIDE!

That's good advice for any new shooter, man or woman.