Wife to get New Semi-Auto (maybe)

[r1derbike]

My wife picked a Taurus 85 Ultra Lite for her nightstand, after many dozens of handguns she tried. She could not rack any semis we tried, even with coaching from instructors at the stores. She cannot fire the Taurus without pulling low because of its very stiff trigger. She did fine with a similar wheel gun at the range for test. Long story short, I scoured the LGSs for a semi that the owner of an LGS and myself finally found she may be able to rack; XDm 9c (compact). I dry fired the Taurus several thousands of times with spent cases, to break it in, which helped, but she cannot keep the pistol on target. May trade it in for the XDm and lose my ass, just so she has something she may shoot accurately. She is recoil sensitive too, and the .38 scared her somewhat.

Nobody is more frustrated than her. Purchased in April, put hogue grips on to get her finger closer to the trigger. There were no LCRs or Guardians to be seen for months here, but I've pulled the triggers on them, and they are light, and soft as butter. I have no trouble with the Taurus, but I'm not the owner who needs it. The other .38s would have been too light that, recoil would have turned her off.

I'll take her tomorrow to try it out. Not going down the path of trigger spring modification on the wheel gun because of legal issues, should it come to defensive protection.

 

[telpinaro]

Eesh, sounds exciting. I'd recommend the Chiappa Rhino thanks to the next-to-no recoil, but the trigger is on the heavy side. I have no issues, but my fingers are long so I can get a good hold on it. There are modifications (made by Chiappa) to make it a lot lighter, but the revolver is already very pricey ($900 range, if I hadn't just had a bunch of back pay from the 9/11 GI Bill I couldn't have gotten it)... If she doesn't like it, you'd wind up with a very nice gun that's fun to shoot! But, she'd be screwed. I did try a XDs, which I found very easy to rack, and honestly I do have my eye on a XDm for when I go for a full size... you know, in the next year or so when I can afford it. All the M&P variations I've tried were pretty easy for me too, especially once "broken in." Possibly if you know someone with semi-autos that she is interested in that have already been in use for quite a while, have her try racking those. If she likes anything, you can get it and then go shoot and rack the slide a few hundred times and she might be ok.

Good luck!

 

[telpinaro]

If it helps... I was in a defensive handgun class and got stuck using a Glock 26 (mine Rhino was being repaired and the instructor forgot my rental--M&P), and I actually wound up having to tape up my fingers half-way through the class because the work required for me to rack the slide was tearing my "delicate" (irritatingly dry and already abused) skin and I was actually bleeding! Ugh. I feel your wife's pain...

 

[Peggy Reist]

If it helps... I was in a defensive handgun class and got stuck using a Glock 26 (mine Rhino was being repaired and the instructor forgot my rental--M&P), and I actually wound up having to tape up my fingers half-way through the class because the work required for me to rack the slide was tearing my "delicate" (irritatingly dry and already abused) skin and I was actually bleeding! Ugh. I feel your wife's pain...

Glad to know that. That was on my short list of possible next guns. I'm small enough that I need a small gun. I don't wear a belt so it can't be very heavy.

For the OP, I'm sure the instructors have told her to push the gun rather than pull back on the slide. That makes it a lot easier. Other than that, I'm no help.

 

[telpinaro]

Glad to know that. That was on my short list of possible next guns. I'm small enough that I need a small gun. I don't wear a belt so it can't be very heavy.

For the OP, I'm sure the instructors have told her to push the gun rather than pull back on the slide. That makes it a lot easier. Other than that, I'm no help.

If it helps, my accuracy goes quite a ways downhill with it too, my grouping doubling in size. All shots were still in the correct area, but I don't trust it. It's just too wide for me; my hand has to shift sideways and it makes it difficult to keep it steady.

You're right about the slide rack, too... that's how I do it.

 

[wolf_fire]

Have you considered any of the .380 pocket guns? Their slides are extremely easy to rack. Some suggestions: Sig P238, Ruger LCP, Taurus TCP, Kel Tec .380. The first one is a 1911 design in a smaller package, the rest have no external safety.

 

[bowserb]

May I suggest asking around and find a good, maybe female, instructor -- not a store employee. Get lessons and preferably with different guns. Something is lacking here, and it sounds like a good teacher is what is most needed.


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[fxstchawg]

My wife had the same problems with trying out semis. Mine are all to hard for her to rack and after much experimentation trying out various models at the range and cruising the stores for fit and fell we finally bought Her a Sig p238. She loves it and her accuracy is right on the mark.

 

[khoggsc]

My wife currently owns a Ruger SP101 and has started with arthritis pain in her hands. She's concerned about recoil and the weight of the gun contributing to pain. We're considering replacing it with a pocket 380, possibly another Ruger or a Beretta Pico. Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

[bowserb]

My wife currently owns a Ruger SP101 and has started with arthritis pain in her hands. She's concerned about recoil and the weight of the gun contributing to pain. We're considering replacing it with a pocket 380, possibly another Ruger or a Beretta Pico. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Read the post right before yours. What they did is what your wife needs to do.

 

[dethell]

I just bought a Taurus 85 2" for my wife to use in home defense. She has always hated my autos because of the slide racking issue. She can't reliably rack any of my autos without scaring herself or scarring herself.

At a local shop the owner let her try out several wheel guns as well as smaller autos like the Taurus .380. While she could rack the .380 she hated the "plastic toy feel" and loved the heft if the Taurus 85 regular weight we ended up purchasing.

We haven't hit the range yet so I'm hoping she won't have any pull down issues. She previously fired and like a Ruger .357 shooting .38s so I'm hopeful this will work well.


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[POP CHARLIE]

My wife has carpul tunnel which makes any double action hand gun very hard for her to fire. I had her try a walther p22 , she loves it. I know the 22 doesn't have much knock down power, but she can put ten out of ten in a six inch circle at fifteen yards. With the p22 she is confident that she can protect herself.

 

[Bob R]

I would stay away from an Ultra Lite handgun for a Home Defense Gun for a woman. They are hard to shoot well, and No Fun to Practice with at all.
My wifes house gun is a 4 Inch 686 Power Custom Combat.
My daughter in laws house gun is a 4 Inch 64 Power Custom Combat
My neighbor gal up the road's house gun is a 4 Inch Model 10 with Wolff Springs in it.

All of them like revolvers much better than semi auto's. They also like the heavier 4 Inch all steel revolvers that soak up recoil. All 3 have Hogue Rubber Grips on their revolvers.
Airweight guns are great to conceal carry. For a house gun get something much more shootable.

Bob The Revolver Guy

 

[telpinaro]

I would stay away from an Ultra Lite handgun for a Home Defense Gun for a woman. They are hard to shoot well, and No Fun to Practice with at all.
My wifes house gun is a 4 Inch 686 Power Custom Combat.
My daughter in laws house gun is a 4 Inch 64 Power Custom Combat
My neighbor gal up the road's house gun is a 4 Inch Model 10 with Wolff Springs in it.

All of them like revolvers much better than semi auto's. They also like the heavier 4 Inch all steel revolvers that soak up recoil. All 3 have Hogue Rubber Grips on their revolvers.
Airweight guns are great to conceal carry. For a house gun get something much more shootable.

Bob The Revolver Guy

Depends on where she is with handgun acquisitions... If I'm starting out and can only afford one, I'll take the one I can carry with me. All depends on the situation and the person, of course. I'm not a fan of the airweights, myself, even for CC... though many people love them! I'd rather just get a better belt and carry something with some weight to it.

 

[POP CHARLIE]

My wife has carpul tunnel and had an awful time trying to shoot a double action 38 and recoil was also a problem. I got her a walther p22 and she loves it. I know a 22 is not the best hand gun for self defence, but she can put ten out of ten in a 6" circle at 15 yards and has no trouble working the slide or problem with recoil. Good luck with your quest for a hand gun for your wife and be safe.

 

[Rocketgeezer]

I may get static on this but I have found that in a lot of cases, the smallest girl can rack the toughest gun with training, buy your post I think you don't want a 22, or some other little gun? and may I ask? do you have something against Glocks, be it a 9mm 40 or 45, they are fairly easy guns to rack, and if you want the triggers can be lightened up a little more, agreed there is nor external safety, but honestly the main safety is between the shooters ears, we have or have had several semi autos, Glocks, 1911s, Taurus's, Rugers, Springers, and my little 100 lb wife can rack them all, she carrys a G-26 with a trigger job, and is dam good with it, but she is really just as good with her Colt defender 1911,

 

[bofh]

I don't get that slide racking issue either. If racking the slide is an issue, in most cases, it can be trained/practiced away. Only in rare, medically-related, cases, it is an issue.

Even if racking the slide is an issue, there are more intelligent ways around it, such as by using this: Slide Pull Charging Handle or this: Mako Group Glock Charging Handle FREE S&H FCH. Mako Group Weapon Accessories..

As for going to 22LR, just because racking the slide is an issue, DON'T. Consider a real-live self- or home-defense situation, it makes no sense to go from 380 Auto or 9mm down to 22LR, because you can't rack the slide. With a 22LR handgun, you typically have 11 rounds (one in the chamber and 10 in the magazine). A single-stack 380 Auto or 9mm has 7-9 rounds, while a double-stack has 11-20 rounds. 7-9 rounds of 380 Auto or 9mm have more capability of stopping a thread than 11 rounds of 22LR, and 11-20 rounds of 380 Auto or 9mm even more so.

In a real-live self- or home-defense situation, you need to rack the slide only for magazine changes, which are rare in the first place. Assuming the gun holds the slide open on the last round, this is easier than racking the slide when it is closed. Also, one may use the slide release lever and even install an easier-to-use slide release lever: https://www.glockmeister.com/Glock-Ext-Slide-Stop-Lever-G1718192223242526272831/productinfo/G7496. To further reduce the need for magazine changes, one may choose a larger-capacity double-stack 380 Auto or 9mm.

As for going to a revolver, just because racking the slide is an issue, DON'T. You will need to reload after 5-7 rounds. A double-stack 380 Auto or 9mm will give you more rounds in a smaller or equally sized package at the same weight.

Having said all this, choosing a firearm is a choice based on personal preferences, where a lot of factors are at play.