Handgun for my wife

[The_Outlaw]

My wife shot my .40 yesterday. This was the first time she ever handled & fired a gun. She took my instructions well, took her time and had a 3" group about .5" off of bullseye at 7 yards. Now, I am considering a handgun for her to have for home protection. Her grandfather has a .25 semi-auto for her, but I thinks she needs a little more stopping power. I will probably go the semi-auto route. Any suggestions?

Home protection for the wife?
I would go with the following firearms for her;

Semi Auto Handgun = Glock 19 (9mm).
Revolver = Any reliable .38 special revolver with either a 2" or 4" barrel.
Long Gun = Nothing beats a good defensive 12 gauge pump action shotgun loaded -w- 00 buckshot i.m.h.o.

Have her practice & train with her firearm/s at least once per month for the first year.
Also get yourself a good guard dog for the homestead, guard dogs are probably the best alarm system that money can buy.

Good luck & stay safe.

[ArizonaNRAsupporter]

Home protection for the wife?
I would go with the following firearms for her;

Semi Auto Handgun = Glock 19 (9mm).
Revolver = Any reliable .38 special revolver with either a 2" or 4" barrel.
Long Gun = Nothing beats a good defensive 12 gauge pump action shotgun loaded -w- 00 buckshot i.m.h.o.

Have her practice & train with her firearm/s at least once per month for the first year.
Also get yourself a good guard dog for the homestead, guard dogs are probably the best alarm system that money can buy.

Good luck & stay safe.

The key is find something she is comfortable with. Go to a range, rent a few that fit her hands well, and shoot them. She needs to be able to grab it in a hurry, chamber one (if not carrying loaded) and hit the target. Any caliber will do better than no gun, but if she's good with a .38 or a 9mm go for it. If she wants something more aggresive, .357 sig and .40 are awesome calibers also. (.40 is cheaper to shoot than the .357 sig, but both are extremely effective). I also agree with Outlaw and his weapon suggestions.

In my mind, the scariest sound in the world would be hearing a pump-action shotgun cycled/cocked... especially in the dark when you have no idea where the sound is coming from. That in it-self, may be enough deterrence to have someone turn around and run like hell!

[NoviceSquared]

The LC9 is very nice for carry, but unless it's going to be a carry gun you can do better.

For a home defense gun, as has been stated, you can't beat a shotgun. If you're worried about recoil, get a 20 gauge with some nice padding.

[rodger]

Let her try the Ruger SR9C. It feels much like a 1911, but a very mild recoil. It is my conceal carry everyday all day long. Without getting into the debate about caliber, the SR9C is a 9mm, it is all about shot placement. It is the most accurate compact I have ever shot, with quick double and triple taps. I will never get rid of this one!

[cluznar]

Let her look at ALL the guns online, and also as many as possible in person. She might like a Bersa Thunder .380, or a Taurus Slim 9mm or a Ruger SR9c 9mm, but let her get the info on different guns. Also it might be important to make sure she is comfortable with safety features, or lack of. She needs to feel good about a gun and have confidence in it. Don't try and persuade her into your choice for her.

[arkie45]

Started my wife off with a PK380 because of the ease of racking the slide. Now, 6 months later, she has an M&P Shield 9mm and loves it.

[woodruff]

I agree with not choosing for her. My wife likes my XDM 40 but when we went shopping for her she chose the M&P 9. Said it felt better to her so she gets an M&P 9.

[cluznar]

Yeah something like a bersa Thunder .380 or one in .32 acp is a good start. SR9c is nice to as is the S&W M&P9c

[rbaker5150]

You should get her something very powerful, like a .357 or .44. You'd buy her the bigger diamond, right? So buy her the bigger gun!

I am kidding, of course. I took my wife gun shopping. She picked the LC9, which would not have been my pick if I was going to buy a gun for her. She loves that little gun, and it's not my fault for buying her a gun she doesn't like. Save yourself, let her choose.

[wolf_fire]

My wife shot my .40 yesterday. This was the first time she ever handled & fired a gun. She took my instructions well, took her time and had a 3" group about .5" off of bullseye at 7 yards. Now, I am considering a handgun for her to have for home protection. Her grandfather has a .25 semi-auto for her, but I thinks she needs a little more stopping power. I will probably go the semi-auto route. Any suggestions?

I have to echo what a lot of the folks have already said. Let HER pick our HER gun. Carrying a firearm is a very personal decision and like many, the particular firearm that you carry will probably change based on comfort, ease of use, etc. Be supportive, offer your input and experience, but ultimately let her make the decision.

My thoughts, based on my experience. Good luck to both you and her.