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Conceal carry gun for wife, need opinions!

Here's a vote for an XDs 9mm, it has a decent amount of slide mass to dampen the recoil but it's still small enough to conceal.

My wife loves the 3.3" XDs 9mm and she hated the Glock 26 due to the snappy recoil. The XDs has much less felt recoil.
 
Sig P290RS 380.

No manual safety to deal with, DA trigger pull similar to revolver, light recoil spring = easy to rack, night sights, very calm shooter.
 
I'd recommend a Glock 42 or 43. Don't go with a PM9 unless she plans to spend a lot of time training, especially with the MA version. Then you have a safety to deal with, issues with the slide not locking back with a high thumbs-forward grip, and the potential to jam if you rack the slide incorrectly on an empty chamber. I love it and carry it regularly, but it requires more training IMO to become proficient than something like a Glock. Depends on how much time your wife is willing to put into training. The answer for my wife was "not enough", so now I carry the PM9 pretty regularly instead.
 
Mass-diver said:
I'd also consider getting her knife. If she gets into trouble chances are it's going to be at very close range. I remember doing clinically and tagging along with a visiting nurse, we went into some creepy houses.

I've been very happy with my spyderco civilian, and at contact distances, I'd rather have it than one of my pistols.

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After watching two seasons of Rome, knives scare me, I'd rather be shot.

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yanici said:
On any gun you buy, be sure that she can rack the slide. Some of the smaller semis have stout recoil springs. the Sig P238 is an exception and very easy to rack.
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The only subcompact my wife could rack was the BG380 (yuck). I think the G42 should be similar but she hasn't tried it. The Shield, no way.
 
StevieP said:
Sig P238. Great gun for concealed carry. Can "dress it up" with aftermarket grips. Great personal defense gun, and it's pretty fun at the range, too. Not too snappy.
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Another vote for the p238.It is very easy to conceal and is also fun to shoot at the range. The slide is very easy to rack and it goes bank every time you pull the trigger. I have both a 238 and a 938 and they are easy to shoot and accurate for a short barreled gun.
 
Another vote for the Sig P238. After trying my 938, the Shield, the Bodyguard 38, BG38 and Ruger LCR my wife was ready to give up on a small CC pistol. I thought she was going to end up with a .22. Finally talked her into trying the P238. She WANTED to hate it but was surprised at how soft it shot compared to other small pistols and loves it. P238 all the way.
 
I don't like to carry off body either, but if she does, size shouldn't be AS much an issue. I love my SIG 229 which is a little heavier to carry than those mentioned. I have a snub nose S&W but don't like the recoil, so my other go to is SIG P938.
 
SIG-owner said:
I don't like to carry off body either, but if she does, size shouldn't be AS much an issue. I love my SIG 229 which is a little heavier to carry than those mentioned. I have a snub nose S&W but don't like the recoil, so my other go to is SIG P938.
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If there's one thing I've never ever understood, it's "off body carry"...
My opinion = It shouldn't even be a passing thought/option/consideration.. My wife "was thinking of" carrying in her purse, til I convinced her otherwise... As much as an ankle rig isn't the wisest/safest option for CCW, I'd rather see someone do that than in a purse or anywhere else. After careful chat, my wife now carries IWB or pocket, depending on her wardrobe etc...
A thigh holster for a woman would be better than rummaging through a pocketbook/purse/fanny pack/belt pack etc...
"Excuse me, Mr. Mugger or Rapist.. Can you wait a second while I search/reach/rummage around (etc) for my gun?" (not to mention if it's a mugger, he might go for a snatch & grab for a woman's purse... and much to his surprise when he's successfully run several blocks away evading capture, lo and behold, as he's rummaging through her wallet and makeup etc, "wow, here's a nice little Glock also".
Plus, in Massachusetts, isn't off body carry technically a violation of the "direct control" provision that the BallBust Nazis make us adhere to in our beautiful Commonwealth?
 
Have her try the sig 238 nice straight shooter. night sights easy to rack and conceal . dependable real solid build.
 
Guys (and gals) All awesome info, thanks so much!...Shot a friends sp 101 today and at this point kinda leaning in that direction. As ive mentioned, she really likes shooting my 686, so it'll be an easy transition...Must say though, after seeing all the positive comments about the 238 I'm a bit curious to see if she'd like it. Might have to try one
 
If she's not going to pick her own gun she's not ready. It's just going to collect dust. Just buy another gun for yourself anyways, that's what this really is about. You don't have to validate it.

ETA: Off body carry sucks, if not well managed. IMHO this smells like this decision has not been well thought out. If she's not concerned enough to pester you about doing it, or not interested enough in it on her own, she's not
ready.

-Mike
 
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my wife is a nurse as well and has just put in for her permit to carry.
I have a shield 9mm and a 642 JFrame (and a FS.40 but that one is all mine)
My wife has a hard time racking the slide on my shield too and prefers the simplicity of the 642 (mine has a crimson laser on it too and she likes that) She shot an M&P .22C a while back and shot it really well, but I'd have to buy one used since they don't make a ma compliant one,
so I'm going to take her over to MFS and have her shoot the Ruger SR22 and the smaller Springfield so she has some more choices and let her make up her own mind. I don't really carry the 642 much anymore since I got the shield so if she decides she wants that one that's OK with me.
 
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kmanick said:
my wife is a nurse as well and has just put in for her permit to carry.
I have a shield 9mm and a 642 JFrame (and a FS.40 but that one is all mine)
My wife has a hard time racking the slide on my shield too and prefers the simplicity of the 642 (mine has a crimson laser on it too and she likes that) She shot an M&P .22C a while back and shot it really well, but I'd have to buy one used since they don't make a ma compliant one,
so I'm going to take her over to MFS and have her shoot the Ruger SR22 and the smaller Springfield so she has some more choices and let her make up her own mind. I don't really carry the 642 much anymore since I got the shield so if she decides she wants that one that's OK with me.
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I'd encourage the 642 (.38) carrying 22 is retarded IMO
 
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kmanick said:
my wife is a nurse as well and has just put in for her permit to carry.
I have a shield 9mm and a 642 JFrame (and a FS.40 but that one is all mine)
My wife has a hard time racking the slide on my shield too and prefers the simplicity of the 642 (mine has a crimson laser on it too and she likes that) She shot an M&P .22C a while back and shot it really well, but I'd have to buy one used since they don't make a ma compliant one,
so I'm going to take her over to MFS and have her shoot the Ruger SR22 and the smaller Springfield so she has some more choices and let her make up her own mind. I don't really carry the 642 much anymore since I got the shield so if she decides she wants that one that's OK with me.
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You know how unreliable 22 ammo can be. If you get a misfire with a semi auto you need to rack the slide to fire the next round. If you carry 22 for self defense, IMO, it should be in a revolver so that you only need to pull the trigger again to get a bang after a misfire.
 
drgrant said:
If she's not going to pick her own gun she's not ready. It's just going to collect dust. Just buy another gun for yourself anyways, that's what this really is about. You don't have to validate it.

ETA: Off body carry sucks, if not well managed. IMHO this smells like this decision has not been well thought out. If she's not concerned enough to pester you about doing it, or not interested enough in it on her own, she's not
ready.

-Mike
Click to expand...

Wise man right here...Ok ok, I admit, of course this was partially motivated by the idea of adding another one to the collection[grin]...So I finally had a serious conversation with her last night and at this point she has zero interest in carrying. So for now she's chose carry mace...maybe some day she'll come around to the idea.
 

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