CCW Gun for Left-Handed Wife w/Small Hands

[DrDavidM]

My wife is a small handed lefty. We spent quite a bit of time searching for the right handgun for her. She isn't even interested in firing my P3at. It has a pretty big recoil for a little gun. We looked for a Charter Arms (now Charter 2000). They are making a left handed 38 snub nose. She was new to firearms at the time and I thought the simplicity of the revolver would be better for her. I also thought she would have difficulty with a right handed revolver. We couldn't find one of the leftys. She ended up with a Taurus 38 snub nose. She can manipulate the revolver quite well considering it is designed for right handed people. She then decided she needed a pistol too. We spent a lot of time in the gun store as I stood back and watched. She would ask "what do you think about this one?" I would say it doesn't matter what I think. She ended up with a Springfield XD9 subcompact. It has an ambidextrous magazine release which helped sway her decision. She also has a little trouble racking the slide on some pistols, so make sure your wife is comfortable with the handgun of her choice.

[PascalFleischman]

While wearing a dress, a "belly band" might work, but I'd go with an inner thigh rig. As long as your dress isn't too revealing, you should have no problem concealing with the thigh rig.


gf

I just had all sorts of sexy thoughts at that one....short dress, with the muzzle of a 1911 showing through......

Ahem...anyway, Bersa makes a very affordable, yet quite reliable, .380 Thunder.

[ecocks]

that, as DrDavidM pointed out, a smaller auto has heavier felt recoil due to the shorter travel distance of the slide. I still suggest a small, alloy metal revolver is a strong candidate. The grip will be easier and you can drop down to .32 and still have a decent chance to stop someone while she is learning. I did notice that you can't get the Ladysmith in .32, thought they made that model/caliber combination. Try a S&W Model 31, Charter Arms and Taurus. Also, Bersa and CZ made some automatics in .32 ACP as well.

[netentity]

Unfortunately southpaw pistols are few and far between. Even on pistols that have ambi controls, the brass still ejects to up and to the right. My dad is a lefty and that's his biggest complaint when shooting pistol is the brass ejects towards his head, not away from him. The only pistols you can feasibly modify to be 100% lefty are 1911s. Best choice is a revolver.

[kwo51]

keltec makes a lanyard for the 380 and 32 that allows purse carry .Gun will come out of bag if bag is pulled away. It will be hanging on your arm ready to deploy I have been told that 1911 was build for leftys

[SouldustPro]

Thanks so much to everyone for your input, especially the ladies. I've found a Charter Arms South Paw on Gunbroker.com for less than $350. I think I'll get one just for her to have anyway. I also found that the Smith & Wesson M&P Subcompact 9 has an ambi mag release and more importantly, an ambi slide release, along with the changeable backstrap. She liked the feel of the HK P2000 SK. It also has an ambi slide release, but a funky magazine release in the trigger guard. And at their selling price, she's going to have to help out with the bill. :-) If Sig made a DAO P232, that might be ideal. I may get one for me and let her have it if she wants it. ;)