I was looking at a 642 just before stuff hit the fan. It didn’t have the lock. Local store hasn’t had any in stock for a while. I should have grabbed it.
Pistol for a Wife
- Thread starter ackvil
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I was looking at a 642 just before stuff hit the fan. It didn’t have the lock. Local store hasn’t had any in stock for a while. I should have grabbed it.
A quick google seems to show that .327 Mag is a harder hitter than .38 +P. Is this correct? I don’t mind a little more recoil.My wife is slowly moving towards getting her CCW. Ease of use, recoil, & ammo availability have been my main concerns. Am seriously considering a revolver in .327 Magnum as it chambers .32 S&W short/long & .32 H&R Magnum also. Her being able to practice with low power ammo and build up her skill set then ease into Magnums seems like a good idea. The S&W 632 is built on the J-frame and 6 rounds and rounds that fit it are available everywhere -
.32 S&W Long, .32 H&R Magnum, .327 Magnum -
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- #103
Well, I signed my wife up for a gun course. Three hours of classroom and one hour on the range. It is for beginners who know nothing about guns. It should be interesting because my daughter-in-law will go, too. She is originally from the Philippines and actually is afraid of guns. My stepson thought it would be good for her. She is 4'10" tall and weighs 90 pounds.
I checked at four different ranges and three other organizations and every concealed carry course was booked up until the end of September.
I checked at four different ranges and three other organizations and every concealed carry course was booked up until the end of September.
I think they will have fun together. I have 4 daughters. You probably guessed it, the wife wouldn’t keep her hands off of me.
anywho, my second to the youngest is only 4’9” and weighs about the same as your DIL and I can tell you, that lil’ thing, turns into an aggressive little dynamo when she picks up a gun.
She ain’t scared of a gun for sure. In fact, when She’s at the range, I gotta make sure her target is the only thing she wrecks shop on.
The wife likes shooting the Browning Hi Power over my other autos & revolvers. For a full size it fits medium hands very well and handles 9mm like a dream.
My advice is to let her pick it out. Give her some direction and advice, but let the final decision be hers. Many years ago, my ex wife, who had never fired a gun of any kind, expressed an interest in learning how to shoot. I went out and bought a Ruger SP-101 in .327 Federal for her to use. The pistol being capable of firing .32 short, .32 long, .32 H&R Magnum along with the .327 cartridge, my thought was she could start out on the milder rounds and work up to the more powerful ones using the same gun. Proud of myself, I brought the revolver home, showed it to her and said that was hers to use. She immediately replied “I don’t want a fu**ing round gun! I want a square one!” Lesson learned.
I almost bought the Browning instead of my Walther but the difficulty of reassembly after cleaning made me think twice. I love 1911s but they can be a pain to put back together. Everyone I know with a 1911 always says they can be a pain to put back together the first time.
My Walther is stupid easy to clean and reassemble.
What Walther do you pack? I packed a PPS for years. I still have the gun, it’s awesome. But my wife’s CCP is outstanding!
PPQ 9mm with a 5" barrel. I love it. It's such a fun, easy gun to shoot.
Id still love to have a 1911 and a .38 revolver but I can't fund fault with the Walther.
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Beautiful
The best S&W revolvers were made before 1982. Pinned barrel where it threads into frame. Recessed cylinder for the rimmmed cartridges.
A K frame S&W chambered in .38 Special is very good kit.
A K frame S&W chambered in .38 Special is very good kit.
Lots of truth to this one. But be careful what you wish for!
Mrs. Columbo loves her S&W. It means business to her. She’s a serious, mature lady. And she did vet it before deciding on it. Unless it’s a designated duty carry, the carrier should have the deciding vote. They’re the one whose life may be on the line with it.
But every time I take her to a LGS, without fail, Mrs. Columbo beelines to the pistol case. And then squeals with glee like a little girl at the pink Glock. I suspect she likes it.
And I suspect if she didn’t have her Smith, and I wandered off long enough, she might just buy it. Even the mature, serious ones can be impulsive that way.
Imagine being a big bad guy, and being sent to the great beyond, by a little old Italian lady, who took you down ... with a pink gun.
Felt recoil will depend on the frame and the gun. But the former will usually have more recoil than the latter, all else being equal.
Some elements of that comparison echo that between 9mm and 45 acp. The .327 Magnum is a much higher velocity load, and nominally presents a much higher energy rating at the muzzle. Better penetration. But a .38 +P round is a substantially more massive slug, and is usually going to give you better expansion in a defensive round. So pick your poison. They are both sufficiently lethal in a short-range PD/HD firearm, IMO.
Wise guys will tell you the .327 are for hands that can’t afford a .357 Magnum. But that’s just pistol envy. I’ve leaned towards the 38 spl just out of habit, and ammo accessibility. Choose what feels, and fires, best to your hand.
One other thing about recoil and felt recoil. There is a world of difference between the two depending on the type of handgun. Felt recoil is going to be a greater consideration with a revolver vs. a semi-automatic. The latter will consume a portion of the discharge energy cycling the slide. Depending on how massive that slide (and its recoil spring tension) is, an otherwise high energy load can wind up presenting a mitigated felt recoil to the shooter. A judicious grip choice can also go a long way with some models.
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Thanks. I will probably just stick with the original plan for the 642. It is easier to get my hands on. 38 +P ammo is probably cheaper, two, though that was a very minor consideration in my mind. My main goal is protection.
This exact same thing happened here - my teeny tiny wife, who up until now has been deathly afraid of firearms and wouldn't consider using one, does a complete 180 and now wants to learn to shoot and have a pistol that she can handle.
So I get out my S&W Model 10 - she can barely get her tiny T-Rex hands around the grip, and can't pull the trigger in DA. Same thing with my .38sp snubby. She can't rack the slide on any of my semi-autos, and the idea of her trying to clear a jam in an emergency situation gives me the willies. Coordinated she ain't. I felt, and she agreed, that some type of small revolver would be the best option for her.
So off to the gun shops we go. One lady instructor at one range/shop trys to interest her in a S&W EZ - she couldn't rack the slide. The only handgun she could easily operate was a Ruger LCR .327 which unfortunately (or fortunately, as it turned out) was on hold for another customer. She could sort-of handle a lightweight .38, but the recoil would have knocked her into the next room.
SO, I start my online search, and and after a few false starts I snapped this up:
Charter Arms Undercoverette .32 H&R Magnum, new, for a shade over 3 bills. The listing showed it as the 5-round model that Charter phased out earlier this year, so imagine my delight when I opened the cylinder:
It was the latest 6-shot model. Ammo is a little steep and not easy to find, but I plan on reloading for it. I picked up several boxes of .32 S&W Long wadcutters to get her started. She can operate it without difficulty and the recoil is next to nothing. As others have mentioned, new-shooter classes are filling up but she was able to register for one in October. I really thought she'd back out of it; she's really gunshy - but she's determined not to become a victim.
So I get out my S&W Model 10 - she can barely get her tiny T-Rex hands around the grip, and can't pull the trigger in DA. Same thing with my .38sp snubby. She can't rack the slide on any of my semi-autos, and the idea of her trying to clear a jam in an emergency situation gives me the willies. Coordinated she ain't. I felt, and she agreed, that some type of small revolver would be the best option for her.
So off to the gun shops we go. One lady instructor at one range/shop trys to interest her in a S&W EZ - she couldn't rack the slide. The only handgun she could easily operate was a Ruger LCR .327 which unfortunately (or fortunately, as it turned out) was on hold for another customer. She could sort-of handle a lightweight .38, but the recoil would have knocked her into the next room.
SO, I start my online search, and and after a few false starts I snapped this up:
Charter Arms Undercoverette .32 H&R Magnum, new, for a shade over 3 bills. The listing showed it as the 5-round model that Charter phased out earlier this year, so imagine my delight when I opened the cylinder:
It was the latest 6-shot model. Ammo is a little steep and not easy to find, but I plan on reloading for it. I picked up several boxes of .32 S&W Long wadcutters to get her started. She can operate it without difficulty and the recoil is next to nothing. As others have mentioned, new-shooter classes are filling up but she was able to register for one in October. I really thought she'd back out of it; she's really gunshy - but she's determined not to become a victim.
Once she gets comfortable with it I think she'll be happy. I often carry my Undercover but have been thinking about the Undercoverette. 32 is about my favorite caliber.
- Thread starter
- #119
Well, I signed my wife up for a 101 Shooting Course. 3 hours of class instruction and 1 hour on the range. It is a lady's class taught by a lady.
