9mm suggestion sought

[CubReporter]

Well, gents, this is the first time I've ever had to ask for this kind of advice, but anything would be helpful.

SWMBO is interested in getting a 9mm pistol with some of her taxes next year. I think the price range we're looking at is $500 or less. Mostly, we'd keep it for home defense if needed, but we'll obviously spend some time on the range with it.

I've no experience in purchasing firearms. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Rockminer]

My suggestion would be to go to a range and rent some and try them out. I have a Smith And Wesson M & P 9mm and love it. Comes with interchangable backstraps so it will fit small hands. They are ultra reliable and have a rail for a light if you desire one. I paid right at 500 for mine. Its an LE model which means it comes with an extra magazine ( 3 total ).

 

[mongoose]

Honestly, since SWMBO is the one shopping just step aside. What works for my wife and she likes is nothing that I would own but it works for her. If she asked you to help the best thing you could do is start shopping locally and learn since you will have to make the purchase with a dealer no matter what your decision is.

 

[auk1124]

Honestly, since SWMBO is the one shopping just step aside. What works for my wife and she likes is nothing that I would own but it works for her.

+1. My wife turned down 9mm's in favor of a 38 Special revolver. And she is a far better shot with her 38 than I ever will be. I don't worry about her ability to defend herself a bit.

 

[Strider1967]

+1 on renting some different guns to see what feels right in her hands. I have owned a Ruger 9mm and loved it... now I have a M&P 40 from Smith & Wesson and prefer it. Each has had a very different feel. Most Women I know shoot 380 as it is smaller and less recoil. Whatever she chooses, she must become proficient with it if she is to use it for personal safety. A well placed round will stop any intruder.

 

[cb91710]

SWMBO can't handle the recoil from even a lightly loaded .38.
She has a hard time operating the action on most semi-autos.

Her ability to operate my 1911 gave hope... the longer barrel/slide, and heavier weight of the 92FS make both the recoil and slide effort acceptable.
She loves it.

 

[bakerbk73]

Of course someone will have to post one totally outside of your price range and tell you how perfect it is... well, that someone is me...

http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProductDetails/p938-rosewood.aspx

It's basically a 1911 on a cut down frame, my wife loves hers and with Sig, you know it's a keeper!

 

[OkieStubble]

My suggestion would be to go to a range and rent some and try them out.

Rockminer has given the absolute best advise. Choosing a brand and caliber of a handgun is a very simple ordeal when reading reviews of what people say they prefer. Then you purchase one that has gotten a great deal of consensus about quality, reliability and accuracy.

Several days later, you and the Mrs, excitedly head to the range to learn all you can about this great gun that you read about, researched, and spent your hard earned money on. And after a few rounds, shockingly, you realize this new gun of yours at the very best, isn't a good fit for one of you. At the worst, you realize it's not a good fit for either of you.

Think about this: If you purchase a gun, and walk out the door with it and turn around and sell it without ever firing a round, you will lose a 1/3 of it's value on the resale. If you shoot several boxes out of it just to find out it doesn't fit the needs for you or your wife, it's to heavy, or any of a number of things that might make that particular brand, model or caliber not work for one or both of you. It is now a used gun, not a new one, and you will only be able to sell it at a used price.

Just a few days earlier, you bought a $500 gun, find out you really need a different kind, and now, if you get $400 out of selling it, consider yourself lucky.
Firearms, especially handguns, are probably a more ymmv kind of thing than even shaving is. Your safety, or the safety of your loved ones won't ever depend on being clean shaven.

Take your time in the research of the gun (s) plural that you are considering. Then go to a range as Rockminer suggested and rent every gun from your list. shoot several hundred rounds from each of those guns. Then shoot them some more. Pay attention to the trigger pull, is it too heavy or light? While the pad of your finger reaches the trigger with ease does your wifes? A 15 pound pull for you might be a 30 lb trigger pull for her if she has small fingers.
Do the sights present themselves naturally for you when you point the gun? Do they for her? Can you both easily work the slide? Handload the magazines? Control the recoil? Muzzle rise? Can you both do a speed reload easily? What about a tactical reload? Administration reload? Clear malfunctions? Does it shoot low? Does it shoot high?

Take it from me. Make sure of your purchase, before your purchase. I have spent more money on firearms that I haven't wanted, than on the ones that I have.

 

[ackvil]

Another vote for going down to the gun range and let your SWMBO sample a few. Weight and feel are very important criteria which also are very personal. The last time I went down to a gun range there was a ladies tournament going on. The most popular 9 mm gun at the range that day was a Glock 19.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Going to a range and shoot a few different guns will help her to make a decision easier. My wife eventually settled on a H&K P30, one of the reasons was that this gun fits her perfectly and that the magazine release is on both sides, she is a lefty and it is much easier for her this way.

 

[tinashubby]

Couple of questions:
Do you have any other weapons, specifically handguns in the home that you use regularly? Are you thinking of 9mm for a particular reason?

If you aren't familiar with handguns, I would recommend a revolver to begin the experience. Much simpler to become comfortable with since they are lacking all of those levers and buttons- mag release, safety, slide release, take-down lever, and even possibly a grip safety. My wife has difficulty "racking" the slide on my 9mm, and hasn't fired it yet because of the perceived recoil she associates when watching me shoot it. She also would have diffficulty getting the last 3 or four rounds into the magazine, but has no problem loading and shooting .38 spcl.

Be sure to understand the laws in your area regarding storage of the weapon in your home.

Whatever you buy save enough money to purchase a safe, I cannot recommend that enough.

 

[CubReporter]

As always with every subject in these forums, the advice from you guys has been incredibly valuable. Maybe we'll spend a day off at a local range, try out a few and see what works. I have experience with rifles, just not with pistols. She doesn't have much experience with either. She *thinks* she wants a semi-auto, but we'll see once we give all of them a shot.

Again, thanks everyone!

 

[Luminose]

For self defense I prefer .40 or .45 but for a wife I'd say 9mm, .32 or .380 would be good choices for size and recoil.
You can go steel vs plastic and semi-auto vs revolver, even hammer vs pin-fire, single stack mag vs double stack.

The small internal hammer revolvers is easy to use and has almost no chance of jamming, S&W or Ruger are great.

But if she wants to go semi auto I'd say a 9mm, .32 or .380 in composite frame.
There are many options, Glock, S&W-M&P, Sprinfield XD, Kel-Tec, Kahr, H&K, Taurus, Etc.

If it was 9mm, while Glock and S&W are really good I can't say enough about the Springfield Arm XD handguns! The XD is a great gun, performance, accuracy & it just fits the had really well. I've tried all three and would buy another XD or XD(M) in a heartbeat. If she can handle a 9mm with no problems and likes it, I'd even think about trying out something in .40 unless you need the bullet capacity of the 9mm. The .40 will hit closer to a .45 but the recoil & size is closer to a 9mm. It's my personal favorite.

For a .32 or .380 I'd take a hard look at the guns made by Kel-Tec or Kahr Arms. Both are very good companies. The .380 is a bit heavier load mass wise while the .32 is a bit faster with a tad less recoil.

Remember whatever gun you get that they need to be broken in and you will want to toss a couple hundred rounds through it at the range. New guns commonly experience occasional jambs at first that clear right up after being used some. You don't want to need a brand new gun for defense and then have it jam on you.

Next get a good handgun safe that is fast to open like something from GunVault. A good cleaning kit will come in handy. I really like the cleaning kits & 1-step solutions made by Pro-Shot, and always buy some Rem Oil, it's great.

 

[vtguy22]

I love my Glocks, and Browning Hi-Power. You can get either used for well under $500. My only advice would be to test them, and clean them well. I've had one jam ever with a Glock, I bought it used, and immediately took it to the range. I don't think the cop that had owned it had ever cleaned it...

I have a Sig P238, it jams often, although less and less, so I think it's still getting broken in..

I'd weigh how you're going to use it before trading off to a small caliber. If it is for home defense, weight is less of a concern. And the higher the weight, the less recoil (usually anyway). If she plans to carry it, I'd agree a lower weight and lower caliber gun makes sense. My theory though is, if you don't plan to carry it, go with a shotgun...

 

[gruntedshaves]

HEY! I CAN HELP! lol. im a firearms instructor! To put it quite honestly, I don't think that type of caliber, or fire arm is best suitable for home defense. If you are looking for something she can toss about and get to in the middle of the night with the biggest fear factor, get her comfortable with a 16 gauge semiauto shotgun. itll be less kick then a 12 gauge, highly manageable for the miss, and can be had for well under 500 bones. If you prefer to still have a pistol, please remember that a very lightweight pistol were only meant for carrying concealed, and pricing back in the day. if you plan on keeping it at home, get a steel pistol. she'll need the weight for the muzzle flip. itll help with accuracy. also, 9mm really are meant to mame(yeah every bullet kills, but were talking stopping threats fast) I would suggest a 38 special, which can also use a .357. if that's too much juice. get a .45 acp semi. its not gonna kick as hard, but itll be like a baseball being thrown by a MLB pitcher to whatever youre hitting. I give these courses often, and would love to help you out on B&B. pm me contact me, ask questions here. whatever works for you.

 

[Rockminer]

The bottom line is she needs to be able to put rounds on target consistantly. if that means .22, 44 mag or anything in between. Couple of things;

1. Let her decide what feels good to her. I would let her handle as many different types as the store has.
2. Once she decides, Try and narrow it down to a few selections.
3. Then rent and try a couple, to see what she likes best after shooting them.
4. Caliber is irrelevant to shot placement. A well placed .22 if far more effective than a poorly placed .45
5. Todays +p 9mm ammo is just as good as .40 or .45 no matter what anyone tells you. Some would have you believe that a target shot in the exact same spot would laugh at you if it was a 9mm, and would be dead before hitting the ground with a .45. Doesn't happen like that in the real world.

You should strive to get her a firearm that is comforatable and one that she can shoot well. Get the highest caliber with the best accuracy. ( whatever caliber that is )

 

[Mick]

Not to try to derail your selection of a semi-auto for home defense

BUT.....

I would strongly recommend that you look into a DA revolver for a home defense hand gun

My reasoning is simple:

You will more than likely keep your automatic loaded but no round in the chamber. If you do keep a round chambered you will more than likely keep the safety on or the hammer released.

DA revolvers are always loaded, no need to rack them, they have no safety to take off and you do not need to **** them to fire

There are fewer steps required to use a DA revolver. Pick it up, point it, pull the trigger.

You may find that you need that fast response (hopefully you never will) and cutting down the steps in an emergency situation is far better than pulling the trigger on an un-chambered auto several times and hearing the heart wrenching click click click before you realize, oh yea, gotta chamber a round first or oh gee the safety is on, then having to grab it with both hands when you really don't have the time or mind set to think about these things.

A home invasion happens in a matter of seconds and if you need more time to think before you can react you are going to be on the wrong side of things.

I would recommend a very simple stainless steel S&W model 10 in 38 special with ramp type service sights. Very simple, only a notch sight, and being DA easy to use without thinking first. Far less maintenance required on a stainless gun than a blued steel one and more than likely it will sit for decades (hopefully forever) before you ever need to think about it

If you want to get a semi-auto to play around with at the range this is fine and loads of enjoyment, but for something you may need to rely on I would steer you in a different direction

 

[Champion of Capua]

I completely agree with Turtle. My wife can shoot a semi auto, but when the ....... hits the fan, I don't want her to have to think about what she needs to do with the gun, just squeeze.

 

[Luminose]

One more thing to add to Turtle & Champion's posts about having a round in the chamber and safety. A DA is good also if you go with a pin fire handgun there is no hammer so it isn't technically a SA or DA so their is no hammer safety, only possible a double trigger and grip safety.

I keep mine loaded with a round in the chamber without any worry about it accidentally going off.

A shotgun is the best home defense weapon but many people feel handguns are easier to handle.

You'll find many arguments online about bullet size. Bigger and more damage or smaller and less recoil for more accuracy. There is no right answer, you have to just find what fits you best.

 

[BigFoot]

Guys we are getting dangerously close to this heading into conceal carry territory. Lets keep the topic on what 9mm to buy.

That being said I will take a .357 any day. You can have the high velocity load or shoot the more manageable .38 special. Just remember you can shoot .38 special out of a .357 mag, but not vice versa.