Gun Suggestions for the Wife?

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TCummings

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My wife loves the XDM9 3.8" compact, so much so that there arent any other guns in my collection that she will pick up when we go to the range. She likes the 3.8" compact cause it still feels like a good size handgun to her, but it is still small enough that when she is done with her CCW stuff she can pretty much carry it wherever she would want.
 

aestus

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If my 4' 8", 12yr old cousin can rack the slide on my Glock 23, then just about any normal adult woman should be able to. The problem is that most men teach women the incorrect way to rack the slide. I like to call this the "hollywood" rack. This is done by using primarily your thumb and index finger to hold the back of the slide and with the gun pointed down and out, the slide is pulled back like a slingshot. The problem with this method is that it requires a lot of arm strength on the weak hand and fingers and is not very efficient.

A better way for women or children to rack the slide is to hold the gun towards the center of the chest close to the body (nozzle pointed in safe direction to the side.) So if you're holding the gun with the right hand, the gun will be pointed to the left. With the weak hand, grab the back of the slide with the entire hand. Using both arms and chest muscles, you're going to push the gun hand towards the left and your weak hand towards the right while gripping the slide. This will use your chest and arms to rack the slide and will make it much easier, since there is more strength in the chest and arms than just your fingers.

Usually in the second method I just described, some women still struggle because they have the gun pointed out in front of them and then try to rack the slide with just the weak hand grasping the slide and pulling towards their body. If they insist on doing it this way, they can make it easier if they push out with the gun, while simultaneously pulling with their weak hand to rack the slide. Again, it's not as good as pointing the gun sideways and using your arm and chest muscles to do it, but it is easier than trying to slingshot it with 2 fingers or with your hand.
 

jhat

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Light weight 357 wheel gun loaded with 38 +P. Goes bang every time and she can always run 357 mags if she so desires.
 

jhat

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A woman carrying a chambered striker style pistol (Glock, XDM) loose in her purse is an invitation for bad things to happen. If it's in a holster in her purse, whats the point. Fights over and she's dead before she clears leather. If she's going to carry in her purse,wheel gun is the way to go or a double action auto. Otherwise she can carry what she likes in a proper belt holster.
 
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noslogto

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I would stay away from the light weight 38s. My wife shot my S&W 442 and hated it. Too much snap...

If weight is no problem, then any steel revolver would probably work.

For auto's I like the Sig. P239 or S&W M&P compact in 9mm. It has changeable backstraps to fit the size of your hand.

Of course this is just my experience.
 

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