Concealable Handgun For My Wife?

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samefly

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Looking for a concealable handgun for my spouse. I'm considering one of the three:

Walther PPK/S (she likes the look and that it has an external safety)
Kahr P380
Ruger LCP

However I was wondering if there was an option in a .40 S&W that is just as small as the .380 models? The reason I ask is because I have a Glock 23 and it would be great to be able to shoot the same rounds. Most of the 9mm/.40S&W subcompacts I've come across are all bigger than the .380s.

Any recommendations or feedback is much appreciated.
 
Get what she can operate. I'm dealing through that right now with my wife. I'm sure someone else will post the link but find "The Cornered Cat" so she can spend some time reading up.
 
Gun for wife

I agree, get the gun she wants. AND start with a 9mm or 38 for recoil purposes. My wife thought she wanted a semiautomatic( I bought her a .32 PPK clone) and then decided it was too complicated and now wants a revolver. The first gun I gave her was a Charter Arms .22 mag and she did not like the feel of it. I bought the .32 acp because of the recoil factor. She was OK with the recoil of the standard ball ammo. I then bought some Reed ammo and loaded two clips with it. Wife did not know that I gave her .38 special type power. I figured she would not notice if she was firing in fear or ange.
 
Greybeard said:
You got that right! And, after she shoots a few, I bet it won't be a .40.

My ex-wife's favorite gun was a S&W .460 with full power handloads. I sure do miss that gun... :cuss:
 
^^What they said. Make sure that she can operate every aspect of the firearm. My mother picked her own gun and she decided on a .38 S&W J-frame for EDC because it was simple. She didn't like having to mess around with a slide, safety, hammer, etc. Though that was before she had arthritis. Now we're looking for a .32 HR magnum j-frame for her. She likes to shoot but the recoil is hard on her hands.
 
She may not like the LCP either. The .380 kicks a little in that platform. Let her try it out first.
 
Appreciate the quick replies and insight. Guess I'll keep it to the .380 options. She's not thrilled about guns in general so I was hoping to narrow the search down to a few good options for her to choose from (sometimes too many options can be overwhelming - try looking for a new pc or tv). Despite that she's starting to see what the difference can be in having one and not needing it and not having one and really needing it. She's also signing up for a gun safety training class so I'm sure that will help a lot.

From quality to reliability what do you all think of the three options so far?
 
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How will she conceal it? I might add a Taurus PT138 or PT738 to that list. The 138 is a double stack on the Millennium Pro platform, it's slightly larger and heavier than the PT738 but is still very compact and should recoil less. Both have external safeties.
 
I suggest buying about 10 different pistols. Some snubbies, small automatics, a couple full-size 1911's, etc. Take her to the range, let her try them out and pick the one she wants. You keep the rest.
 
My wife USED to have a Taurus M85 ( a lightweight 5- shot snubby in .38 spcl). I brought home a Ruger LCR (.38 model). She picked it up and IMMEDIATELY proclaimed that it was now HERS. 'Nuff said.
 
Take a look at a Colt Government or Commander Liteweight in .380. My daughter settled on the Colt as it was much easier for her to rack the slide on the Colt than the PP she first tried.
 
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When I was in your shoes we spent the afternoon at a range that rents handguns and she got to try several pistols that were on our long list of possibles.

She ended up falling in love with a SP101.
I was very happy with this since that is the handgun I was leaning towards myself but I feel much better about the whole affair from having stepped back and I said to her "Try them all out and let me know which one you like, we can afford anything that works best for you."
 
Buy whatever YOU want. Then when she goes back for the one she wants, you already have yours. :evil:
 
^+1. (Though, frankly, I'm not sure I'd want any of the three in the OP.)
However I was wondering if there was an option in a .40 S&W that is just as small as the .380 models?
Sure. Walther PPS. However, I haven't heard a single good thing about putting that round in a pistol that small and light.
 
For small .380's, I love the Sig P238. It has a manual safety and shoots accurately with very soft recoil.

For her though, have her try several guns. I personally introduce new shooters/female shooters to a Glock 19 when we step up to centerfire rounds.
 
Here we go,

Tiny guns are not good guns for beginners. They are shorter, which makes them more difficult to aim well. They have less mass, which means they don't soak up recoil as well. They have a shorter grip, which makes them harder to control. The tendency in this business is to steer beginner females to little guns, because their appearance is less intimidating. And a sob-comp in .40 is NOT a rookie gun.

If you let her shoot a variety of guns, in different sizes and calibers, she will likely find that she prefers a more conventional compact like a Kahr or Glock.
 
My wife's favorite guns are a Ruger Vaquero 45LC (for fun), a Beretta PX4 9mm (which she carries sometimes), and a Draco AK (again for fun). While she may not be typical, it goes to show that you never know what they'll love. They must work their way through to find pieces that they enjoy (just like we do). She always says "the smaller the girl, the bigger the gun". Another thing, I never understood "my gun" and "her gun". All of the guns in our house are "our" guns. She shoots all of them, just like I do. She carries some, depending on what she is doing/where she is going the same as me. Just like putting a belt on.
 
I'm considering one of the three:

Walther PPK/S (she likes the look and that it has an external safety)
Kahr P380
Ruger LCP

The ruger lcp is hard to shoot compared to the other two options.

However I was wondering if there was an option in a .40 S&W that is just as small as the .380 models?

Almost as small, Kahr PM40. But she may find the recoil challenging.

Does it really have to be a tiny gun?

Be sure that this is her decision and she gets something she knows she will shoot well.

My wife's weapon of choice is the S&W M&P9 compact. Small but not too small and in our favorite caliber: 9mm. BTW the LCP got a thumbs down from my wife after the first 3 shots with it.
 
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