Pistol for my daughter


P

Pappy1

New member
I would like to hear from the ladies out there. I would like to get my daughter a pistol for her graduation. She will be graduating from college. She is not a very big person. Maybe 120 lbs or so. She has shot my glock 19 and seems to like it. She has small hands just like her dad but I love my glock. I was thinking of the MP shield by Smith and Wesson, since it is a single stack. I also thought about the Springfield XD® 3″ Sub-Compact 9mm. I do like the safety on the springfield. Both guns seem to have good reviews. I would like to hear from the ladies who may own either one of the weapons I mentions or others. I don't know if she will carry yet but at least she will be able to protect herself when she moves away from college.

Thanks Pat
 

Welcome to the forum..
While as a father, I understand your concern...I would not force a weapon on her, she may accept it but not wanting to hurt your feelings.. If it where my daughter, I would get her buy in first.. then if you feel she is ok with the purchase. then I would let her choose something she would like... I'm not a female.. just a father... my daughter use to love riding with me on my motorcycle.. use to love to go fishing and to the gun range...she now hates guns and has become very passive...although she knows I've been carrying for 50 years. She is not real happy about it. She respects my choice.. caliber is a consideration.. the bigger the better that she could handle... single stack is fine... but will she have access to a place to train in it use? The whole idea about having a weapon and also a license to carry is not to have the ability to kill someone, but the confidence that you / she has a chance to defend herself, instead of walking out the door everyday as a potential victim. So good luck in your research.. I've only offered a point of view.. OH one other thing... don't get her a girlie girl gun.. don't get her a pink gun or a cute gun...get her a gun that looks lethal.. not that a pink gun cant kill...its about having the mind set to take a life if necessary.
Bill aka ET
 
My wife is 5' 120 lbs. She carries my...her xds 45 3.3".

Hey older sister carries an MP40c that's been cerakoted yellow.

Both good guns for smaller hands. Your best bet would be for her to go shopping with you, so she can pick one out. Maybe she will like revolvers better.

Sent from my HTCONE using USA Carry mobile app
 
Let her choose the gun!!! While it may be nice to surprise her with a gun as a graduation gift, it is pointless if she doesn't feel comfortable shooting and carrying it. The S&W M&P Shield and the Springfield XDS are good guns, so is the Glock 19 (or its little brother, the Glock 26). There are a number of other options, such as the Ruger SR9c or the S&W M&P 9c. 9mm is a good starting point as it is a decent handgun caliber and practice ammo is cheap.

Think about gifting some self defense ammo, a good amount of target ammo, a decent holster, a quick-access handgun safe and potentially a training class as well. An annual range membership would be nice too. You want her to initially shoot the gun a lot, such that she becomes knowledgeable about the handgun and comfortable in operating it.

Since you brought up the issue of an external manual safety, understand that it is not a substitute for proper training and knowledge of safe handling of firearms.

Also make sure that she knows the basics of her state's self defense and deadly force laws.
 
Is she an experienced shooter? Why don't you take her to a few ranges where she can try different rental guns to get an idea about what she shoots well and feels comfortable with. Then, go shopping together.

I have found, the hard way, that some guns feel good in the hand and shoot like a dog on the range. If possible, find whatever she likes and let her TRY it. I love my CC guns but hubby isn't a fan. My hands are small. I prefer CZ and the Sig P938. A lot of ladies really like the P238 which is the .380 version. As for carrying it, there is always a way.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using USA Carry mobile app
 
E-T said:
Welcome to the forum..
While as a father, I understand your concern...I would not force a weapon on her, she may accept it but not wanting to hurt your feelings.. If it where my daughter, I would get her buy in first.. then if you feel she is ok with the purchase. then I would let her choose something she would like... I'm not a female.. just a father... my daughter use to love riding with me on my motorcycle.. use to love to go fishing and to the gun range...she now hates guns and has become very passive...although she knows I've been carrying for 50 years. She is not real happy about it. She respects my choice.. caliber is a consideration.. the bigger the better that she could handle... single stack is fine... but will she have access to a place to train in it use? The whole idea about having a weapon and also a license to carry is not to have the ability to kill someone, but the confidence that you / she has a chance to defend herself, instead of walking out the door everyday as a potential victim. So good luck in your research.. I've only offered a point of view.. OH one other thing... don't get her a girlie girl gun.. don't get her a pink gun or a cute gun...get her a gun that looks lethal.. not that a pink gun cant kill...its about having the mind set to take a life if necessary.
Bill aka ET
Click to expand...


Don't discount the girlie guns if that's what she likes. My first three guns were all black. The next one was purple. That's the one I carry every day. Not because it's purple, but because it's the easiest to shoot. And it makes the same size hole as my other 9mm.
 
Every element of defensive carry makes the total package work...No one wants to shoot anyone... a carry weapon is suppose to give you the confidence that you have a chance to defend yourself with the mind set that your weapon will do the job... by the very name, girlie gun, cute gun. etc... it diminishes( ever so slightly ) the presence of a lethal weapon.. some time in a threatening situation where A girl ( a small girl ) might be looked upont as a victim, and pulls out a girlie gun, and the bad guy laughs and causes the girlie girl to shoot the bad guy, and then the girlie girl has to deal with the fallout of a shooting for the rest of her life.. pull out a serious gun and the bad guy MIGHTthink twice....ask anyone if they would rather chase away a bad guy or have to shoot them, only a mature and sensible person would rather have the bad guy run away.. there is no doubt that if you have to use lethal force to save your life.. you will still pay for it for the rest of your life.. shooting someone is the very last resort. ordering them to run away comes before you pull the trigger. Very few bad guys are gong to come at you or her with guns a blazing.. they want something from you, and feel they might have the advantage, once you brandish a real weapon you take away the advantage
Just my opinion...
Bill aka ET
 
Along the way, take a look at Kahr Arms, as well. If you don't already know. They are designed to be light and slender. Very high quality firearms, with tight tolerances. Need to break them in for about 200 rounds, then they are thoroughly reliable. And right now, the prices are low: very low. Just pick one up in your hand, and you will see right away: they are ideal for carry. Perhaps your daughter would like a Kahr Arms product.
 
northstar19 said:
Along the way, take a look at Kahr Arms, as well. If you don't already know. They are designed to be light and slender. Very high quality firearms, with tight tolerances. Need to break them in for about 200 rounds, then they are thoroughly reliable. And right now, the prices are low: very low. Just pick one up in your hand, and you will see right away: they are ideal for carry. Perhaps your daughter would like a Kahr Arms product.
Click to expand...

Ironically enough, that's what my purple one is. It's a CW9 with a great trigger. Before buying it, I had held several other Kahrs and they all felt great. And yes, the manual even says "at least 200 rounds to break it in".
 
You have to go through Arizona process. Do you know Arizona's process? I'll look it up in a little bit unless someone else answers first.

Update: to me it looks like the training required for Wisconsin will suffice for Arizona.

http://www.azdps.gov/Services/Concealed_Weapons/Permits/Obtain/

I would contact the DPS to confirm...hopefully they have up to date and correct information...

Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) :: 2102 W Encanto BLVD, Phoenix, Arizona 85009-2847 :: (602)223-2000

Sent from my HTCONE using USA Carry mobile app
 
Peggy Reist said:
Ironically enough, that's what my purple one is. It's a CW9 with a great trigger. Before buying it, I had held several other Kahrs and they all felt great. And yes, the manual even says "at least 200 rounds to break it in".
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info. My daughter will be coming home soon for Christmas break. I have looked at the glock 380, springfield xd9. M@P shield. All look like good guns. I plan on taking her out to look and hold these guns and see what she likes. Next will be the shooting range. The choice will be hers to make. I also have a 38 revolver and I plan on letting her shoot that too. So many guns out there to chose from. Wish I could have them all.
 
Pappy1 said:
Thanks for all the info. My daughter will be coming home soon for Christmas break.
Click to expand...

Does your daughter reside in the same state as you? For the purposes of firearms transfers Federal law considers her a resident of the state she is attending college in, and if that is a different state than you reside in a firearm will have to be transferred to her through an FFL to comply with Federal law - which will be impossible to do if she is <21 years old and the firearm is other than a rifle or shotgun.
 
Find a place where she can try out several styles & calibers. Never buy a gun you haven't fired. I carry a Springfield XDs 9mm and also have the Sig 938. Ongoing training is critical, as well as reading everything she can about concealed carry and the necessary mindset. Seeking out shooting organizations such as the Well Armed Woman (thewellarmedwoman.com) can help make the journey more fun.
 
I'm 5'3" 100 lbs. bc of my size and my preference of clothes. I purse carry. So the plus side to that is I can carry a big gun. So I usually carry a M9. (In a separate zippered compartment.)

My fav. Carry pistol in a smaller purse is a Kahr Cm9 (it's identical to a pm9 but is a couple hundred bucks cheaper, with the main difference being it's conventional rifling rather than polygonal).

Best advice given- have her shoot before you buy.
 
Thanks for all the info. I plan on taking my daughter to the range and have her shoot some different pistols. Good sound advise. I don't know if she plans on applying for a ccw permit but at least she will have a gun to protect herself at her apartment or house when she finishes college. But maybe in time she can get her ccw permit
 
No doubt that her being young she will have plenty of friends around her that have no clue about gun safety. Be sure and help her with a good quick access storage solution for her at home. There are plenty of options out there these days.
 
I started my grandson reloading at the age of four and started lessons in gun handling and safety at the same time. I dont have a daughter or grand daughter but son or daughter training should be the same. When any of my freinds ask about hand guns I take them to a local range where they can try any hand gun they want.I'M GLI'm glad you are trying revolvers and semiautos , also try 22,380,38,9mm and 45s. I,m a fan of bigger is better as long as you can control your shots. Good luck and keep your daughter safe.
 
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