Help me pick a pistol for my girlfriend!!! Opinion time!

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The last thing you want to do is pick a pistol for your girlfriend. Take her to a range that rents pistols. Invite some of your friends along, and have them bring their pistols with them. Bring plenty of ammo. Turn her loose and let let her make the choice for herself.
 
The opinion that matters the most is your girlfriend's.

You should be open to the possibility that she won't like either one. My wife prefers blued guns while I prefer stainless. She likes single-action designs while I tend to buy DA/SA designs nearly exclusively for myself.

I do my best to provide input so she won't choose something that I know is poor quality or a really bad fit for her, but ultimately it's her decision.
 
If you pick one out for her, pick one without sharp edges so it doesn't hurt as much when she shoves it into one of your orifices. Don't try picking out shoes or purses for her, either. Just provide the cash, moral support... and input only when asked for it. Please. Cornered Cat.
 
Wife and I went through 2 pistols before we came across something she liked. Which were commonly recommended for women or new shooters. BG 380 and Kel-tec P3AT. Settled on NAA mini and a Taurus .327 Federal. Can never predict what someone's favorite firearm is going to be until the go to the range.
 
We won't choose for you, and you shouldn't choose for her.

If she is carrying it, she gets to choose it. Support her choice, get her into an NRA women's pistol class, and let her enjoy.

(And don't forget to pay for her).
 
I recently posted a similiar question about helping choosing a handgun for my wife. I took some heat because my wife has some physical disabilities which rules out semi-auto handgun. Unfortunately there are a lot of members who do not understand dealing with disabilities and that the semi-automatic is not the only choice for self-defense.

Another poster called me liar and could not believe that my wife did not cringe in fear, the word he used was "terrified", when she succcessfully fought off a mugger.

I finally asked for the thread to be closed after the name calling started. While there is some merit to letting your partner choose a handgun to her liking it does not mean standing back with your mouth shut while a gun clerk talks her into buying something that you know will not be a choice she will be happy with.
 
While there is some merit to letting your partner choose a handgun to her liking it does not mean standing back with your mouth shut while a gun clerk talks her into buying something that you know will not be a choice she will be happy with.
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Which is why you take her to a range and let her rent a few things to see what she will like. I personally would not even choose a gun for my best friend unless I had shot with him a lot and knew his preferences in firearms. I would give him the same advice that I give those looking to buy a gun for a significant other. Go to a range, let them try things out to see what they can and can't handle, and what they do and don't like, and then let them go pick their own gun.

Don't stand idly by while a gun clerk tries to tell them something else if they already have their mind made up, or try to tell them something stupid, but take a step back and let your wife/gf choose something that they like.
 
So I have a little dilemma. I am torn between two pistols, I plan on letting my girlfriend carry it.
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Wow..... just.... wow. You two been together long? :rolleyes:

I'll agree with everything already posted; AND I'LL ADD that you should let her fire all kinds of pistols and revolvers. Maybe you can help her out with the reality of KD charts, what works and what doesn't; but SHE will know what she can and more importantly WILL carry. When I first started dating this girl (daughter of a rock-solid "Brady laws are too lax" Liberal), I took her out and we devestated 20-30 paper targets with a couple of .22LR carbines.

NO this is NOT where I'm going, just read on.

About halfway through I realized that I was firing my Dad's old Single-shot Savage continuously, because she had snagged a box of rounds and was reloading and firing my Marlin continuously. Oh she shot both; she just preferred the Marlin!

10 years later and now my wife and while at the range with me; she grabbed ahold of a SA-WEEET S&W Model 15 revolver that I bought for a song at a Murphy's Gunshow.
"I like this .357; how about you go find yourself another one?" :what:

4" barrel, square butt wrapped up in a WOOD Monogrip, which I put on it so I had something to wrap my long fingers around. She can hold it just fine; she now buys purses with extra-long inside pockets; takes out the zipper and installs velcro for a faster presentation. Another side pocket holds a couple of old Comp III speedloaders. And she's gooooooooood.

Three pieces of advice:
1.) "CorneredCat.com" - It didn't exist back during these experiences with my wife of now 30 years. Kathy says she never met a "Mama Bear"; I sleep with the mother of my three children every night.
2.) Let your GF do her own research (you can help her out, just don't say "You want/need THIS) and find what
A) Works in an SD situation
B) Works FOR HER in an SD situation.
And 3.) Be prepared to be bested now-and-then when you're on the range with her.

And one more...
4.) I see you're in AZ. If you ever happen to be in either of the "back parking lots" of the hospital in Yuma late night/early morning, and you see a blonde walking out in nurse's scrubs and carrying a big purse; assume a non-chalant, almost submissive stance and POLITELY say "Good Evening". Else you may experience the result of a woman that doesn't like to be "called out" for work in the middle of the night; but DOES LIKE having picked out her own SD weapon.

Just Sayin'
 
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The range rental is a great idea IF there is one in your city and IF they have a good selection of rental guns. This is where having a couple of well-armed gun buddies can also help a lot with shooting a variety of handguns.

One problem ladies have the men usually don't is women's clothing styles make concealed carry more difficult. Close fitting ladies clothes that show off their figure, which most men appreciate, don't lend themselves well to packing heat.

But the common suggestion just to turn your wife over to someone behind the gun counter who is probably only being paid minimium wage or little above, has unknown real world gun experience and like some members on this forum that don't understand disabilities is just foolish.
 
1) One problem ladies have the men usually don't is women's clothing styles make concealed carry more difficult. Close fitting ladies clothes that show off their figure, which most men appreciate, don't lend themselves well to packing heat.

2) But the common suggestion just to turn your wife over to someone behind the gun counter who is probably only being paid minimum wage or little above, has unknown real world gun experience and like some members on this forum that don't understand disabilities is just foolish.
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1) Agreed ;)
2) Agreed even more
 
BSA1 said:
But the common suggestion just to turn your wife over to someone behind the gun counter who is probably only being paid minimium wage or little above, has unknown real world gun experience and like some members on this forum that don't understand disabilities is just foolish.
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Nobody here has EVER suggested that to you.
 
and that aforementioned thread by BSA was pretty decent ( much like this one) till he got very prickly and said some things.

he has a chip his shoulder
but the sound advice is to let her find what worked
I would suggest that BEFORE you go to the effort you make sure that she is willing and able to carry, and doesn't have some idea like "I'll just pull and wave it around and scare them off..."
 
Well, now that we've totally overwhelmed the OP with the vociferous opinions that IT MUST BE HER CHOICE NOT HIS ...

... I agree with y'all ...

(I choose ONE gun for my wife ... once ... two months later, when I was allowed back in my own bedroom ... I gave her a thousand bucks and sent her to gun school ... She has since relieved me of a SIG P-228, a S&W M&P-9C, a S&W Airweight and a few other guns I used to have ... she sometimes lets me shoot them, though.)
 
But the common suggestion just to turn your wife over to someone behind the gun counter who is probably only being paid minimium wage or little above, has unknown real world gun experience and like some members on this forum that don't understand disabilities is just foolish.
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Nope - no one said that where I can see. However, getting her a training class after reading Kathy's Cornered Cat and having a decent "pro" add his advice to what she reads IS a good move
 
Everyone has given good suggestions, go to a range that rents guns and try a BUNCH. Also, if she's not familiar with shooting, please start her with a .22 to get her confidence up before moving up. And try to stay away from the compacts at least at first until she starts to get used to recoil.

Gun feel is very personal and women especially can sometimes be sensitive to how a gun feels or recoils. They also tend to have smaller hands so that can be an issue as well. Just let her decide and don't pressure her on anything in particular.
 
I got my GF a single stack Russian Makarov. It delivers a better round than a .380 but still has extremely manageable recoil while remaining compact enough for her to carry comfortably. Its also an extremely reliable gun and there are decent SD loads out there. I don't care for the reload mechanism but in reality fast mag changes are not a concern for my GF.

A compact .38 is another good option especially for people who will not invest a whole lot of time to practicing.
 
Seems like the OP doesn't have the nads to return. He took quite a beating, which he deserved.
 
Heh, I was just wondering if he'd been back to reap what he had sown ...

On a somewhat topical line, my youngest daughter (she's a small lass), to whom I'd been force-feeding semi-autos for years, has demonstrated an affinity for, and ability to shoot well, DA revolvers. Strangely (to me), her pistol of choice is a Ruger LC9 with its egregiously long trigger pull ... Lesson for the day: never TELL a female what gun she wants, or what gun YOU think would suit her best ...
 
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