Trying to find a Gun for the Gf

Maverick9110e said:

Her biggest issues are size and MUZZLE FLIP not recoil. She like shooting a 1911 full size 45 (who doesnt? lol) but she doesnt like shooting a 9mm or similar due to the flip on the barrel. She likes a 45 because of the push vs flip type of recoil. She is interested in a 380 caliber, she really liked the Walther PK380, and was all set to get it until she realized how goofy (in her mind) the thumb safey was.

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Ok, I've had a Walther .380 ACP, and can attest it's flip is sharper and more pronounced than my full-size 9mm, even when I'm running my strongest loads through the latter.

...its just to akward for her to have it push up to fire rather then a normal 1911 style thumb safety.

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So you're looking for a normal 1911 style thumb safety...

She liked the pk380 again mostly due to the size, and the ease of racking the slide.

...

The other thing is due to our budget constraints somewhere around $450 is the max. I've thought about an M&P compact in a 9mm with a ported barrell to reduce the flip but it goes out of the price range with the $175 barrell. lol. Thanks for the help!

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I love my CZ 85 B, but if you're looking for less bulk, consider the 9mm CZ 75 Compact, or the .40 S&W CZ P07. For an even more compact firearm, consider the .32 Auto CZ 83.

See here for the full line.

Best bet, if you're considering a CZ, contact CZ-USA, ask for a neaby dealer that deals in them a lot, and take a look. The key, however, is to take your time, try out a lot of different models, both CZ and other brands, then sit and stew on things for a while. You can always go back and purchase what she really wants, later.

Whatever you do, don't push her towards one thing or another! For this to be a true gift, it'll have to be her decision. Support her, answer her questions, but let it be her choice.

Good luck!

Well exactly, she just really liked the walther, the fit of it. No ranges around here had one to try. I'll look more into those CZ's with her though.

The other thing i thought was what about a 1911 in a 9mm caliber? Para makes some compact (commander size) ones that seem appealing. The heft with the smaller caliber.

Though They Are 9mm...

...the XD Subcompact (or new XDm Compact) in 9mm have very little muzzle flip/felt recoil. Small enough to carry, heavy enough to make recoil a non-issue, simple to operate (no manual safety), accurate and dependable 24/7. My wife has one. The woman next door tried it, liked it and bought it. The woman across the road tried it, liked it and bought it. They have all shot a .45 1911 and liked it, but none wanted to actually carry it.

I would go G26 over the XD subcompact. It's lighter, lower bore-axis. and you get an extra 1/2" of barrel length even though the total slide length is the same. The XD is almost 1/2 lb heavier, which makes a big difference when you carry it on your ankle.

Revolver is even a better choice.. goes bank everytime, and if you happen to get a bad round, you just pull the trigger again without having to clear it. Women sometimes have difficulty working the slide on a semi-auto. A revolver is a much simpler platform to learn.

George Mann said:

For the record, I carry a Sig P220 Carry(.45acp). This gun has stout muzzle-flip, and requires a firm wrist and steady aim.

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Really? My Sig P220 is the smoothest handgun I have ever shot. I never thought that it had excessive muzzle flip.

*Edit* my P220 is the full size though.

AFPVet said:

Really? My Sig P220 is the smoothest handgun I have ever shot. I never thought that it had excessive muzzle flip.

*Edit* my P220 is the full size though.

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+1 my Sigs are fun to shoot and don't have muzzle flip. I have both full size, carry and stainless models.

I love my PK380.

Just went through this with my wife...

After MONTHS of me trying to figure out what she would enjoy, carry and use, I gave up and took her to the gun shop and told her - "handle every gun in here until you narrow it down or they kick you out. I'll be out back on the range". She had the following criteria;

- Small comfortable grip (for her small hands)
- Lite and easy to hold at arms length
- Has a slide she can rack (well, that's every one of my Sigs off the list...)
- Trigger is close where she can reach it properly, and without too long and hard a pull
- Controls fall nicely to her small hands and are easy to operate
- Low preceived recoil (talk about a conflict with 1 & 2 above...)
- Low preceived muzzle rise
- Controlable for her - quick target acquisition.

So, with that in mind, that day she narrowed it down to 5 choices:

- P22
- PK380 (what is it about women and these Walthers? I must admit, they sure feel nice in the hand though)
- M&P (in 9mm)
- Kahr K9
- Bersa Thunder (380)

We then proceeded to rent each of these for her and she put 100 rounds each down the pipe over the course of a few weeks.

In the end she ranked them like this:

1) P22 (she bought it for "plinking" - she loves this thing and I must admit, it is fun and cheep to shoot.)
2) M&P (she bought it, carries it and shoots it like dead-eye Dick)
3) PK380 (she liked it, but said it was too "snappy" compaired to the M&P)
4) K9 (she was on the fence on this one...)
5) Thunder (did not like the way it felt to her, no idea why and I, knowing my place, did not press it)

At the end of the day, these decissions are so personal, she or anyone, has to decide on their own - all I could do was stand by and let it happen. If it were up to me she would have had a Sig 229 in 357SIG months ago... But alas, she hates the way ALL Sigs and Glocks feel in her hand and she would not even shoot them.

This probably does not help much, but I sure feel for you going through this... Good luck and be safe!

Maverick9110e said:

to tiny, thats in that micro gun category. Just doesnt fit well.

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Just because the girl is small, doesn't mean the gun should be.

I hate shooting my Kel Tek P-3AT. And I test-fired .50 BMG bolt rifles for 5 years.

Tiny guns have tiny handles. Tiny handles hurt. Often women find a tiny gun less intimidating, but then the pain of shooting it puts them off entirely. Bigger guns are usually more pleasant to shoot, for a number of reasons.

I often describe shooting my P-3AT as "holding on to the blade of a knife and pulling the trigger." It's painful. I never, ever shoot that thing for fun. I have 1000 rounds for it, I doubt I will use them up in my lifetime.

My Mom hijacked my Glock 31. Go figure. She's shot it 4x more than I have!

I think a Glock makes a good choice for Women. They're intimidated by guns for whatever reason. Glocks are simple and low-maintenance, so they can focus on the part that counts. They have a nice, large, ergonomic grip/handle that spreads out the recoil. A G20 is more pleasant to shoot than a 1911 Delta Elite 10mm. In .357 sig, .40S&W, or 9mm; even more so. They're reliable. They're also cheap. For all the reasons that you would raise an eyebrow to Cops having them, those same facts make them the ideal beginner's/fraidy-cat's handgun. Unfortunately, most women are afraid of guns, so this applies to them.

I've had a Glock 26 for a few months now... I'm a smaller fella, and in my hands, it's a nice carry gun. Yup, the grip is short, even I can't get my pinky finger on it, but it's a nice gun. Need adjustable sights for it though, the factory ones keep me low and left at about 15-20 yards... but for self defence I doubt it would matter, in short/close contact type situation. I would think twice about taking a longer shot if the need would arise. However, the OP states that his G/F doesn't like the muzzle flip, and I seem to get that out of the G26, noticabley more than when shooting my Glock 17.

I also have a Walther P22, it is about the same size and weight of the G26, but I like how it feels. Wish the Glock felt like the P22... Really like the P22... great for out on the farm, carry it when brush hogging with the tractor, kicks up snakes and such... and great for general plinking.

All the newbies who've shot my FNH FNP9 get this big grin on their faces, even my wife loves to shoot it. It's a very civilized piece IMO with manageable muzzle rise and recoil. I think FNH even has a promo going on right now on FNP series. Mine was OTD for $490 including 8% sales tax.

Done....

Have her try a Walther PP. Longer barrel than the PPK, excellent workmanship and accuracy. Get one in .32acp and it'll run around $300 to $400 or so. Very easy to carry and has a safety decocker/hammer. Remember, the first rule of any gunfight is 'bring a gun'. Start 'em with a small gun that's easy to carry all day long.

ixtow said:

Tiny guns have tiny handles. Tiny handles hurt. Often women find a tiny gun less intimidating, but then the pain of shooting it puts them off entirely. Bigger guns are usually more pleasant to shoot, for a number of reasons.

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I concur. My old Walther PPK .380 ACP kicked like a mule, but my full-framed 9mm is very smooth.

Have you looked at the Bul Cherokee yet? Compact 9mm that gets the job done.

Maverick9110e said:

She is interested in a 380 caliber, she really liked the Walther PK380, and was all set to get it until she realized how goofy (in her mind) the thumb safey was.

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Would she consider using a classic Walther PPK or Beretta m1934 (based loosely on it)? Though both old, you can find many in good working condition, and they have amazing durabilty/lifespan if taken good care of. They're both .380, small-sized but not micro, 8 round cap., safety is a flip-forward thumb switch over the trigger, single-action that could be carried safety off and need definite manual cocking before firing, so using the safety isn't necessarily a necessity (I would be more comfortable carrying one of these chambered safety-off than a new ruger 380 DA w/o manual safety). Generally within your price range too $300-500.
Just an idea, but I'm big fan of more classic guns and styles.