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What was your wife/girlfriend's first CCW?

Rockrivr1

Rockrivr1

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So my wife is about to get her unrestricted LTC and to my surprise she wants to start carrying a gun in her pocketbook. She has only really shot 22lr out of an SR-22 so I'm thinking either a small J-Frame revolver in 38 SP or something in 380 as she's recoil shy would be a good place to start.

So wondering what your wife's or girlfriend's first CCW was? I'm sure some are into guns and got themselves right into 9mm and up. For those that were not really that big of a gun person, what did they start with?

Thanks
 
My girlfriend refused to listen to my advice when we went shopping Her first carry gun was a Ruger sp101 in .357. After trying out a bunch of carry options she decided it was like carrying a brick around. She went back a few weeks later and got a smith 642 in 38+p.
Sometimes she’ll still carry the sp101when shes out in the woods with the dog.
 
It's a tough call because small framed guns tend to be snappy and generally unpleasant to shoot.
The good thing about a carry gun is that comfort and high round count is not really an issue. Although practices is key and if she doesnt like the idea of shooting it because it might hurt, she might not carry it.
Revolvers are nice because they are small and uncomplicated, 38S is good, better than nothing. I wouldn't get an airweight frame though. Good grips and frame weight are pros. I'd stay away from .357
Glock like 42/43 are also uncomplicated and can be pocket/purse carried with a kydex trigger guard. They also are more intuitive to grip and point in my opinion. That would be my first choice.
Shields and P939/238's are also fine.
 
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G34

seriously
The GF was working a charity event in a not so great neighborhood and wanted protection. Its the gun she has the most time behind and is the most confident with. It happened to be winter and hiding it under a long coat was not a problem.

The point of this is: small guns can be hard to shoot well. People, especially women, often want tiny guns to carry. They need to be comfortable and confident with whatever it is they have available.
 
What about the new .380 shield. Probably a lot more shootable than a mini j frame and with more rounds on top of it.

The 9mm shield is pretty shootable too. Trying out any of the other single stack 9mms is a good idea.
 
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SJan said:
G34

seriously
The GF was working a charity event in a not so great neighborhood and wanted protection. Its the gun she has the most time behind and is the most confident with. It happened to be winter and hiding it under a long coat was not a problem.

The point of this is: small guns can be hard to shoot well. People, especially women, often want tiny guns to carry. They need to be comfortable and confident with whatever it is they have available.
Click to expand...
This.
Bigger is better.
BTW i've found my Sig P320 subcompact to be a supremely good and comfortable shooter. Better than the G26 for double stack compacts.
 
Everybody says "get a small frame .38 revolver for her first gun"; and that's just what I did for my wife. And it's a BAD choice. Small frame revolvers have a lot of recoil. They're painful to shoot for a newbie.

My wife's got a number of small handguns now. A couple of them I actually like. S&W's bodyguard isn't a bad carry gun. She's also got an HonorGuard which is a 9mm that I *really* like. My wife likes that one a lot too, it's really worth taking a look at.

She's got a SigP232 that I don't like much, that she likes a lot. I dislike it because of the magazine release, it's a lot like the Ruger Mark II & III. But it's easy to shoot and is DA/SA with a decocker.

She's also got a Sig 238 which is basically a tiny 1911. I like that a lot, but don't recommend it because the manual of arms is complex for a newbie - especially if you're digging in a purse for it.
 
Mine got a bodyguard, she ended up not liking it when she went shooting and the laser was clumsy to use. Sold it off shortly afterwards.
 
allen-1 said:
Everybody says "get a small frame .38 revolver for her first gun"; and that's just what I did for my wife. And it's a BAD choice. Small frame revolvers have a lot of recoil. They're painful to shoot for a newbie.
Click to expand...

For an easier to handle small frame 38", j-frame in other words, please try the SW 640, if you like same form factor as the 642/442 (but heavier stainless vs alloy of course). Even though .357 can still just shoot the .38. Worth thinking about
 
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Her first was a G30S which she traded for my Shield .45. She hates my P938 and the .38 airweight we tried at the range. Most girls she knows carry a Shield 9. Whatever she gets try to talk her into carrying on her person.
 
Mine hasn't started carrying yet, however the plan she has is to go with a G43 IWB (likely AIWB) when she does feel comfortable.
 
My ex-girlfriend’s first and only CCW was the phone number for 911.

Also, what are the nuances of purse carry in terms of “under direct control?” I was at the grocery store last night and there was a purse sitting in the top of a carriage, while the owner was 10 feet away staring at the hummus display.
 
Believe it or not a Colt Lawman 2" .357
It fit her hand perfectly and she was damn good with the thing.
Her brother fired one shot out of it and went , Nope.
 
After she tried a few semi autos my wife liked the G19. So that's what we got.

Problem is, and this one is my fault because I should have run through everything when she tried it and I didn't, she can barely rack the slide. She's very small with limited upper body strength. So, we are back looking. A small revolver doesn't seem like the answer because of limited capacity and because of the recoil of small frame revolvers (mentioned previously in this thread). So, I'm watching this thread and hopefully we will find a carry solution for her.
 
Sig P238.

You can rack the slide with the safety on. My wife has bad hands, and it's easier to rack the slide than most others. She doesn't really carry it. Primarily for home protection for her.
 
Salyeica said:
Also, what are the nuances of purse carry in terms of “under direct control?” I was at the grocery store last night and there was a purse sitting in the top of a carriage, while the owner was 10 feet away staring at the hummus display.
Click to expand...

The nuance is that if there is a gun there and LE ever finds out she'll face illegal storage charges and likely take a PP plea deal. I see dumb women leave purses open usually in carts in every store I go in and they walk away many feet away. I guess that they never heard of anyone stealing a purse or a wallet out of a purse. You can't fix stupid!!
 
To OP:

Let her try a number of small handguns and see what works for her. Don't do the shopping for her. There is a very old thread here by Mike Nastek on his experience buying guns for his SO. I know Mike and his SO and have taken a 3 day defensive handgun course with both of them. She's no slouch with a gun . . . but just because a guy thinks "this will work" doesn't mean that it will work for the woman.
 
Glock 43. 9mm was the smallest round I would buy and she was comfortable shooting it. A good friend also found it in a color that matched her Jeep so that was an easy sell.
 
My wife has bodyguard 380 she is proficient with it and says it fits her hand well
I can’t shoot it worth a dam but that’s what makes world go around
 
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Rockrivr1 said:
So my wife is about to get her unrestricted LTC and to my surprise she wants to start carrying a gun in her pocketbook. She has only really shot 22lr out of an SR-22 so I'm thinking either a small J-Frame revolver in 38 SP or something in 380 as she's recoil shy would be a good place to start.

So wondering what your wife's or girlfriend's first CCW was? I'm sure some are into guns and got themselves right into 9mm and up. For those that were not really that big of a gun person, what did they start with?

Thanks
Click to expand...

As a woman I really like the shield in 9mm. I have carried 1911s, glock 26, M&P in 9mm and a Sig 239. I really like how easy the shield conceals and it's light. It's not bad on recoil and the slide isn't difficult like some firearms. I would take her to the range if I was up there but you likely can find someone to lend her one or rent one.
 
G43, and she has access to anything in the safe...it is well stocked
 
My wife has a Ruger LCR 38 sp.
Even with the Hogue grip cushioning the recoil, it's a little much for her.
I think a 380 S&W Bodyguard would be more right for her.
But she like her revolver.
 
PennyPincher said:
As a woman I really like the shield in 9mm. I have carried 1911s, glock 26, M&P in 9mm and a Sig 239. I really like how easy the shield conceals and it's light. It's not bad on recoil and the slide isn't difficult like some firearms. I would take her to the range if I was up there but you likely can find someone to lend her one or rent one.
Click to expand...
My wife has a hard time with racking the slide. But she likes firing my Shield 9mm.
 
This S&W 3913TSW was my wife's first handgun. She had it refinished, Trijicon night sights installed and custom grips added a few months ago. She also has a Ruger LC9s, a S&W Bodyguard, a S&W 642 Pro, etc. She used the 3913 in several courses at the S&W Academy when civilians could still attend them. I try to stay on her good side.

SW 3913.jpg
 

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