I need help selecting a revolver

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    rcm192

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    Have you actually shot that pistol with defensive loads? It's a horrible choice for someone with limited hand strength.

    Shooting Speer 100 gr Gold Dot & Double Tap 120 gr Hard Cast was not very pleasant. .327 Federal in any small frame revolver is one of the last choices I would ever recommend.

    Yes, of course anything magnum is going to have a heavier recoil than a non magnum load. That is actually why I mentioned the alternate compatible calibers that can be used with that platform per my original post. It provides some versatile options with more or less recoil.

    With that being said I have always favored the idea of a semi auto vs a revolver for a self defense application.
     
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    DAVE_M

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    Yes, of course anything magnum is going to have a heavier recoil than a non magnum load. That is actually why I mentioned the alternate compatible calibers that can be used with that platform per my original post. It provides some versatile options with more or less recoil.

    With that being said I have always favored the idea of a semi auto vs a revolver for a self defense application.

    To that point, why not select a firearm in a less harsh caliber from the start?

    I had the opportunity to shoot .32 H&R out of the .327 LCR, but just because you can... does it really mean you should? .38 Special ballistics from a snub suffer enough, .32 H&R isn't an improvement. At that point, why not just jump right down to a .22 WMR J frame or LCR? There is a point of diminishing returns with stepping down calibers to the maximum threshold in which someone can handle the firearm. At that point, you may as well step down to something guaranteed to be controlled.

    The M&P Shield EZ is a great niche pistol to fit this role, as is a .22 WMR J Frame/LCR.

    To add, for someone new to firearms and especially pistols, I am a firm believer in giving them the simplest .22lr pistol to shoot. Teach the basics and work your way up from there.
     
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    john17427

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    In our first year of marriage I tried to teach my wife to shoot a handgun. Needless to say it did not go well and I never brought the subject up again. Fast forward 30 years. She said she wanted a gun since I was traveling a good bit at the time. I bought her a Smith 617, let her start shooting that with minimal advice from me except around safety and operation of a revolver. When I would go out of town I'd load it with Velocitors and give her a really simple plan of action if someone broke in. I also signed her up for a women's class with Advantage. Like a lot of women, she's a good natural shooter and the instructor gave her the confidence to move up to 9mm. We bought a Shield and the rest is history. She has her own shooting bag, loader, etc, and "her" gun. We shoot together and I give her advice, but I will never "instruct" her, lol.
     

    Jasarii

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    You want to be looking into the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ .380 & 9mm. Both are designed for individuals with limited strength.

    This^^
    My mother had no history of shooting handguns and has limited hand strength. The M&P Shield EZ .380 ended up being a fantastic pistol model for her. Ease of operation/racking the slide and the milder recoil impulse of the .380 cartridge were key for her. She enjoys shooting that Shield EZ


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    southerncanuck

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    Ditch the idea of a revolver completely.

    You want to be looking into the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ .380 & 9mm. Both are designed for individuals with limited strength.

    Third vote for this. The EZ is designed specifically for the person you're shopping for. Got the EZ 380 for both the fiance and her mom they're an absolute treat to shoot. Unbelievably easy to load, rack and operate, and chambered in 380 it shoots as soft as melted butter.

    If you can't find one to test drive at a local range and want to make the trek to New Orleans, we can meet up at a range here and she's absolutely welcome to try mine out.
     
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    dwsonar

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    Ditch the idea of a revolver completely.

    You want to be looking into the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ .380 & 9mm. Both are designed for individuals with limited strength.

    While talking to the salesman at Cabelas, he told us the S&W EZ's have been recalled.
     

    dwsonar

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    Sorry I've been gone for a couple days. Thanks for all the input.
    To clear one thing up, we aren't new to shooting, but we're still inexperienced. Still learning. The wife is actually a good shot with my pistols.
    We went to the gun show in Gonzales sunday, so she had the chance to handle many to see what felt comfy. Every table that had one she reached for the Ruger LC9. Although she couldn't fire any, it helped narrow down what felt right.
    Ended up buying her a Kimber Micro9. Sh liked the feel and could rack the slide easily enough. I'm kind of hoping she doesn't like shooting it because I've wanted one for a couple years.
    If my memory doesn't fail me, I'll give an update when we get to the range.

    Thanks to all of you for sharing your wisdom.
     

    southerncanuck

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    While talking to the salesman at Cabelas, he told us the S&W EZ's have been recalled.

    Not incorrect, but a bit obtuse (on his part, not yours of course). There was a recall on EZ's manufactured between March and October 2020 for a defective hammer in a very small percentage of the units produced... 2 units out of everything they made in those 8 months had cracked hammers. You can check the serial number here, and S&W has guaranteed inspection and, if necessary, full replacement within 10 business days. Probably a very safe assumption that anything you see sitting on a shelf has been checked.
     
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    Jstudz220

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    Your heart seems to be in the right place, but I hope you don't mind me redirecting you somewhat.

    I've been going to shooting ranges on a weekly basis for almost two decades now. Almost every time I go, I see a husband earnestly trying to teach his wife how to shoot, usually with some small revolver or pocket pistol that they just bought for her. It almost never goes well, and the reason is pretty straightforward: most husbands aren't trained firearms instructors and have no idea how to teach proper shooting technique, and most of them chose the worst possible firearm for a novice student to start with. And again: this is all done with the best of intentions, but that doesn't mean that it will go well.

    I always recommend that a wife sign up for a day of instruction with a professional trainer—preferably someone that can provide a few different weapons for her to try. And, most importantly, someone that she's not related to. This should happen before the conversation of what gun to buy is even broached. There's a few reasons for this:

    * Being a good teacher requires two things: mastery of the skill being taught, and the very separate talent of knowing how to teach. I could regale you with horror stories of husbands teaching, saying, and doing stupid things at the range, but suffice to say that the job of teaching good marksmanship is better left to a paid professional. The emotional baggage of trying to learn from a loved one isn't worth it, and it will get in the way of her learning good technique.

    * The point you made about her not being able to rack a semi-automatic slide is probably wrong. Proper technique is to use the "over the top" method, where three or four fingers and the palm of one's hand are used to "cradle" the top of the slide, instead of "pinching" the back of the slide with the index finger and thumb. I've shown a lot of women how to do this over the years, and I can count on one hand the number of women who couldn't rack the slide on my Government sized 1911 after being shown the correct hand posture.

    * Snub-nosed revolvers are always an option for concealed carry and self-defense, but it's harder to manage the recoil with them. And my experience is that women struggle more with the weight of a double-action trigger—often 12 to 15 pounds—than they do with having to manipulate a slide. Most revolvers can be cocked for single action firing, but that comes with its own training and technique challenges.

    * All other things equal, a snub-nosed revolver will be less accurate than the same gun with a longer barrel. But that marginal difference in accuracy is usually going to be overshadowed by the inexperience of the shooter.

    * Guns like the Taurus Judge and the Smith & Wesson Governor (revolvers that chamber .410 shotgun shells) are also an option, but the recoil on them is pretty stout. And there's still the training challenge of single versus double action.

    * Lastly, and most importantly: choosing a gun for someone else is like trying on a pair of jeans for someone else. Professional training will go a long way towards giving her the knowledge and confidence to choose her own firearm.

    Most people overlook training because it's easier and more fun to shop for stuff at the local gun store. And it's easy to get lulled into something like the Taurus Judge because "aim is optional" with that sort of mini-shotgun. But please—for your wife's sake—encourage her to sign up for a class with a competent instructor, and let that training guide her decision about which firearm to purchase. Not only will she be a better and safer gun owner, but it'll help you maintain marital bliss and minimize the friction.

    Mike

    you make some very valid points here and I have to agree with all of them. I have taken my fair share of shooting courses in the military as well as civilian world. I consider myself to be somewhat of a better than average pistol shooter. Even with all of the experience I have real world and training when I try to teach my wife it just doesn’t go well. I have helped a handful of friends improve their shot with pistols as well as introducing a couple and teaching them the basics. With my wife as much as we love each other and get along it just doesn’t work out. On top of all that I’m by no means an expert and don’t know everything myself. I may be half decent for helping someone start out or leading them down the right path but not a professional. I think this is an all to common problem. To many men take the approach that they can teach their wives and it doesn’t work out well. Pistol selection is another big one. For some reason guys want to get their wives the smallest gun possible. I can maybe see why someone would think that’s a good idea in some instances but I can also see why it’s a terrible idea. Pistols are not the easiest guns to be accurate and effective with already. Add in a short barrel and little to no grip and it’s that much harder.
     

    RaleighReloader

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    you make some very valid points here and I have to agree with all of them. I have taken my fair share of shooting courses in the military as well as civilian world. I consider myself to be somewhat of a better than average pistol shooter. Even with all of the experience I have real world and training when I try to teach my wife it just doesn’t go well. I have helped a handful of friends improve their shot with pistols as well as introducing a couple and teaching them the basics. With my wife as much as we love each other and get along it just doesn’t work out. On top of all that I’m by no means an expert and don’t know everything myself. I may be half decent for helping someone start out or leading them down the right path but not a professional. I think this is an all to common problem. To many men take the approach that they can teach their wives and it doesn’t work out well. Pistol selection is another big one. For some reason guys want to get their wives the smallest gun possible. I can maybe see why someone would think that’s a good idea in some instances but I can also see why it’s a terrible idea. Pistols are not the easiest guns to be accurate and effective with already. Add in a short barrel and little to no grip and it’s that much harder.

    As I said before, I think it's all done with the best of intentions ... but that doesn't mean that it'll be successful.

    And yes -- I don't understand why people get the smallest possible gun for their wives. When my wife goes out, we bring a full frame S&W 617 for her—precisely because it's a large and heavy gun that absorbs the recoil from those little .22 rounds. And yes, it's probably not the ideal self-defense gun ... but woe be to the home intruder that confronts her, because she can handle that think like nobody's business.

    Mike
     

    DAVE_M

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    And yes -- I don't understand why people get the smallest possible gun for their wives.

    I don't understand it either. Some people believe smaller hands need smaller guns. They are wrong, but they still believe it.

    The OP ended up buying a Kimber Micro 9, which itself is tiny.
     

    john17427

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    While I wouldn’t want to be downrange of my wife with the shield, I’d rather that than her with the 617. I’m sure I’d catch all 10 rounds from that.
     

    RaleighReloader

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    Ended up buying her a Kimber Micro9. Sh liked the feel and could rack the slide easily enough. I'm kind of hoping she doesn't like shooting it because I've wanted one for a couple years.

    So you bought yourself a Kimber Micro9, vis-à-vis your wife. :-)

    I haven't owned a Kimber, but I owned a Sig P238 that is derived from the same gun as the Kimber (the Colt Mustang). I carried it for a few years and generally liked it until I shot the Glock 42. The 42 felt better in my hands, and I was shooting it more accurately, doing faster mag changes, and better tap-rack-bang drills with it. Five years later, the Glock 42 is still on my hip.

    Best of luck with the Micro9!

    Mike

    - - - Updated - - -

    I don't understand it either. Some people believe smaller hands need smaller guns. They are wrong, but they still believe it.

    Smaller guns can feel more comfortable in the hand. The problem is, how they feel at the counter of the local gun store is entirely different than how they feel at the range.

    Mike
     

    southerncanuck

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    “Guys, looking for an easy gun for the wife, maybe a snubbie.”

    “We recommend the EZ 380”

    “Cool, got the Kimber 9”

    “Shoulda got the 9 inch long 4 pound 22lr”
     

    hunt4570

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    How about a Ruger SP101? I got one for the wife, 38 is mild and she can step up to the 357 if she wants. its a small frame and easy to hold and is available in different length barrels. I got her the 4" it has adjustable sights and a little more weight to control the recoil... and it will double as a deer getter if needed.
     

    jkingrph

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    Honestly I am a S&W fan, thats the first handgun I can remember firing, bought myself a large 38 target revolver for college gradutaion 53 years ago, qualified with it in the USAF as an officer.

    Personally I would look for one of the K frame models with a 2" barrel. My father had one and sold it. Fantastic gun, grips large enough to hold comfortably , can conceal reasonably well especially in a purse for a lady, and it gives six shots. Load with mild 38 Special loads and it should be more comfortable than a small gun, such as the smaller 5 shot J frames. Whatever you do, don't get her an alloy frame. The weight of a steel frame gun will help tremendously with handling recoil... I have one of the ultra light J frame 38 specials and it hurts to shoot.
     

    DAVE_M

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    Smaller guns can feel more comfortable in the hand. The problem is, how they feel at the counter of the local gun store is entirely different than how they feel at the range.

    I concur, how a gun "feels" in the shop is not indicative of your ability to control said firearm or shoot it well.
     

    RaleighReloader

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    I do want to point out that she should be picking out her own weapon. And to do that, she will probably need some training so that she can make an educated choice for herself.

    Husbands picking guns for wives is rarely a good idea.

    Mike
     

    DAVE_M

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    I do want to point out that she should be picking out her own weapon. And to do that, she will probably need some training so that she can make an educated choice for herself.

    Husbands picking guns for wives is rarely a good idea.

    Mike

    That's also something we agree on.
     

    SirVive

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    My wife has the same challenge..

    Good morning.
    I'm looking for help selecting a revolver for my wife. She has limited finger and hand strength, and the semi=autos are too hard for her to operate the slide.
    I see many with about a 2 inch barrel. I know that will affect accuracy, but how much? It's going to be self defense/carry use, so I would expect any problems to be up close.
    The Judge? I've wanted one but never fired one. How is the recoil? Think she could handle it?

    Thanks for any help you can offer.
    After trying numerous semi autos and some revolvers we settled on the S&W 380 EZ. She has little hand and forearm strength but is able to handle the EZ slide. It is a good size, not to compact but not large. I also concur with the great advice of RaleighReloader as well for preparation and training.
     
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