Sin-ster
GM of 4 Letter Outbursts
No wonder I just saw this thread-- it's ancient.
Here's my experience with the LCR, and that of my girlfriend for whom it was originally intended.
Let's start off by saying the Hogue grips make a lot of difference. Mine came with the CT's, which turned out to be just fine as the LCR is now my BUG. However, for an inexperienced female shooter, the trade off is arguably not worth it. Suffice it to say, the thing is not pleasant to shoot in any sort of volume-- especially if you toss in some +p's for the sake of realism.
J frame snubbies are light; scandium frames are lighter; the LCR is lighter still. My girlfriend adores my 92F/S; adores the P226; enjoys the G17; tolerates the G22; doesn't mind the M&P .45. But 50 rounds through the LCR, and she's ready to call it quits.
Within its category, this little Ruger is awesome. I'm not much of a wheel gunner, but the trigger on this thing is very sweet-- and has gotten a lot of praise in all of the right circles. It's got a great shape and low weight, so carrying the puppy is easy as pie. Most J-frame holsters will fit it, although those with "tighter tolerances" choke on some part of the frame-- the trigger guard, IIRC. Its well built, the fit and finish is typical of Ruger (superb), and the mechanics in general are as smooth as butter. Accurate as the day is long t'boot!
But I'd advise against it, for the "little lady" in your life-- especially with the CT grips. While a revolver isn't a bad idea as a first gun, a featherweight snubby almost certainly is. I also advise against the polymer subcompacts in many situations, especially in calibers bigger than 9mm-- OR in the size of the KelTec/LCP pocket guns. Provided she's willing and able to learn and practice manipulations, it's hard to go wrong with the G19. If the grip doesn't suit her, look into the M&P and XD line as well. For those uncomfortable with even 9mm recoil, the Walther PK380 is an excellent option-- great ergonomics, well constructed and the single easiest slide to manipulate that I've ever seen. If compact/concealable isn't a concern, "bigger is better" for a first time shooter-- and "heavy can be helpful" as well. With my girlfriend, we found the lighter the gun got, the less pleasant it was to shoot; reducing the grip duplicated or compounded this problem. Note that the G19 was an exception, as there was plenty of real estate to give a "full sized" feel; the G26 was borderline, but feasible with a grip extension-- although the increased muzzle flip was definitely an issue.
I learned two "lessons" that I think are valuable to share when shopping for a pistol intended for a lady friend.
1) Take her with you!
Ultimately, it's her comfort with the weapon that matters the most. Provided the weapon she likes is of sufficient quality, her opinion should count VASTLY more than yours-- unless she starts oogling custom 1911's, Sigs or HK's of course!
2) Let her shoot as many firearms as possible.
While it might not seem that shooting your AR can be valuable in this process, ANY firearms exposure is helpful. Using a gun as easy to work and with such gentle recoil as an AR-15, you can establish a benchmark by which to measure her tolerances. If she gets flustered over the charging handle/ping pong paddle use on your AR, but giggles when she touches off a 45-70, perhaps a .44 Mag is in her future?
Here's my experience with the LCR, and that of my girlfriend for whom it was originally intended.
Let's start off by saying the Hogue grips make a lot of difference. Mine came with the CT's, which turned out to be just fine as the LCR is now my BUG. However, for an inexperienced female shooter, the trade off is arguably not worth it. Suffice it to say, the thing is not pleasant to shoot in any sort of volume-- especially if you toss in some +p's for the sake of realism.
J frame snubbies are light; scandium frames are lighter; the LCR is lighter still. My girlfriend adores my 92F/S; adores the P226; enjoys the G17; tolerates the G22; doesn't mind the M&P .45. But 50 rounds through the LCR, and she's ready to call it quits.
Within its category, this little Ruger is awesome. I'm not much of a wheel gunner, but the trigger on this thing is very sweet-- and has gotten a lot of praise in all of the right circles. It's got a great shape and low weight, so carrying the puppy is easy as pie. Most J-frame holsters will fit it, although those with "tighter tolerances" choke on some part of the frame-- the trigger guard, IIRC. Its well built, the fit and finish is typical of Ruger (superb), and the mechanics in general are as smooth as butter. Accurate as the day is long t'boot!
But I'd advise against it, for the "little lady" in your life-- especially with the CT grips. While a revolver isn't a bad idea as a first gun, a featherweight snubby almost certainly is. I also advise against the polymer subcompacts in many situations, especially in calibers bigger than 9mm-- OR in the size of the KelTec/LCP pocket guns. Provided she's willing and able to learn and practice manipulations, it's hard to go wrong with the G19. If the grip doesn't suit her, look into the M&P and XD line as well. For those uncomfortable with even 9mm recoil, the Walther PK380 is an excellent option-- great ergonomics, well constructed and the single easiest slide to manipulate that I've ever seen. If compact/concealable isn't a concern, "bigger is better" for a first time shooter-- and "heavy can be helpful" as well. With my girlfriend, we found the lighter the gun got, the less pleasant it was to shoot; reducing the grip duplicated or compounded this problem. Note that the G19 was an exception, as there was plenty of real estate to give a "full sized" feel; the G26 was borderline, but feasible with a grip extension-- although the increased muzzle flip was definitely an issue.
I learned two "lessons" that I think are valuable to share when shopping for a pistol intended for a lady friend.
1) Take her with you!
Ultimately, it's her comfort with the weapon that matters the most. Provided the weapon she likes is of sufficient quality, her opinion should count VASTLY more than yours-- unless she starts oogling custom 1911's, Sigs or HK's of course!
2) Let her shoot as many firearms as possible.
While it might not seem that shooting your AR can be valuable in this process, ANY firearms exposure is helpful. Using a gun as easy to work and with such gentle recoil as an AR-15, you can establish a benchmark by which to measure her tolerances. If she gets flustered over the charging handle/ping pong paddle use on your AR, but giggles when she touches off a 45-70, perhaps a .44 Mag is in her future?
