Truer words were never spoken, Grant.
"There there, honey. I’ll select the right gun for you. Or maybe I’ll ask some guys on the internet…they’ll likely know what’s best for you."
I vote Shield… Hands down… FWIW… Ron
+1 on the Shield. Every women that I have taken shooting preferred the Shield in 9mm. The grip on the shield works very well for people with small hands and all of the controls are easy to use and it is easy to rack the slide for someone with limited strength.
Indeed… It works equally well with large hands. I’ve been carrying mine for almost a year now. The last few months in a Raven Concealment Phantom… I’ve probably ran about a thousand through it and it’s never failed. Ron
My vote goes to a j-frame… Especially for CCW. Just pull the trigger and you’ve got guaranteed rounds into the BG. Easy to train with and easy to maintain. For defensive use, you’d be hard pressed to find a better one especially if she isn’t an avid shooter.
Just because I recommend a revolver doesn’t mean there aren’t good examples of autoloaders. I’d recommend against a 1911 style although it’ll shoot great, a single action isn’t the best idea for a woman that doesn’t shoot often.
Very well said, especially about how the 1911 relates to inexperienced shooters. My personal vote would be a Glock 19 or a Glock 26. I have gotten several of my friends upset with me by letting their girlfriends or wives shoot my Glocks and they’ve fallen in love with them.
I found that many women have problems with the very long trigger pull of the J frame along with the heavier recoil of the J frame vs a M&P Shield. I think the 1911 is a terrible choice for women shooters not so much because of the single action but due to difficulty physically racking the slide along with the weight.
Same advice I would give to a guy who is new to shooting. Rent and shoot a lot of guns. Take some basic classes at a range where you can rent something for the class. Rent and shoot more guns. Make your decision after you have some experience. Right now she doesn’t have any knowledge or experience to base her decision on. And if she chooses X because it feels right in my hand and X is for instance an XDS .45, she’s probably going to be in for one rude I hate this gun moment. If she has a flinch problem with a 9mm shield, she’s really going to have one after shooting a sub compact .45.
Also, let’s be honest here, hitting where you’re aiming makes shooting more fun. The basic classes will get her started in the right direction and in the process make shooting more enjoyable for her. Being a beginner and frustrated because she can’t hit the target is not going to make her want to keep shooting, it’s going to get the gun thrown into safe and left there.
I bought my wife the Bodyguard (and I have one also) under the idea that it’s going to fit her small hand, not kick hard and she’d actually CARRY it (the BEST gun there is, is the one she has on her when she needs it)…
Because the Bodyguard is a full double-action trigger, it’s a LONG trigger pull, and she tends to pull it., or softhands it and gets a stoppage (she’s now locking her wrists better and seems to have eliminated that problem). She also shoots my G19, which she enjoys shooting a LOT more than the BG, but she won’t carry it in her purse or concealed (too big for her); it has never jammed on her.
I’d say you need to do some more looking, or find a way to try them out before buying, unless you want to buy/sell a few til you find what she will CARRY.
Remember that “J-frame” is a family of guns, not a gun. There can be a lot of difference between the steel, airweight, and scandiums. Good or bad choices in grips and ammunition also weigh in. Add an Apex carry kit to the J, and the trigger is very manageable.
When one of my wee ones was ~8 or so, one of his favorites was a 3" model 60 with some longer grips and a box of 148 HBWCs. If an 8 year old can shoot it…
I think the 1911 is a terrible choice for women shooters not so much because of the single action but due to difficulty physically racking the slide along with the weight.
Operating the slide is much more about technique than anything, and few are genuinely unable to do it. Weight of the gun can be a factor, but is usually overestimated.
I’ve never shot a shield before, but if it’s anything like an m&p, then i can see why she can’t hit anything with it.
You might want to take a look at the walther pps. I’ve got one in .40 and they also come in 9mm. Very nice striker fired trigger right out of the box.
My vote would be the Shield. For me it comes down to a few factors.
The P238, while a great gun, it may be too complicated for a new shooters or inexperienced shooters. I wouldn’t throw a SAO gun into the mix. YMMV
The Bodyguard has been solid but unlike the P238, it has a pretty stout recoil and I know a few women and even guys that complain about the recoil management. A good choice as a pocket or secondary firearm but as a primary carry I have a hard time recommending one.
The XDS has been getting good words about it but like the .380 models, I think the recoil management may be a little stout. I would definitely shoot them before deciding to go that route.
I think the Shield wins for me. 9mm recoil management is easier and the grip size is comfortable. I wouldn’t get hung up on issues that a rental was experiencing. You don’t go to Hertz to test drive a car do you?
That is just my 2 lincolns
I think the Shield wins for me. 9mm recoil management is easier and the grip size is comfortable.
Recoil in the XDs was very agreeable. The Shield as well. They’re about the same.
I wouldn’t get hung up on issues that a rental was experiencing. You don’t go to Hertz to test drive a car do you?
Actually, I do. If I’m serious about a vehicle, want to spend some time with it, and still be able to walk away I’ll rent one. It gives me a better idea of what I might expect after some miles and wear and tear.
A range rental gun can be very informative, for the same reasons.
Yeah, guess I’ve never thought of it that way.
I have only shot an XDS once. It was having light strikes occasionally but when it ran, I found the recoil to be pretty stout but that’s just me. I’ll be honest and say my trigger time with .45 platforms is pretty limited so my standing may be biased.
That’s a lot of useful info that you guys posted. I’d reply back with individual quotes, but I think my phone would explode, so I’ll try to cover some things…
It seems like the sig P238 is overly complicated for a new shooter, and it has issues, so I think I’ll rule that out.
The M&P Shield seems to have mixed reviews, and if I buy one post recall, she may be okay with it.
The XDS in 45 is questionable, still. She shoots my G21SF, but I think the short .45 will be rougher on her.
If Glock made a single stack 9mm, I don’t even think I’d have created this post. I think I’ll work on a G19 or 26 for her and set it up at the range next time. On a Gen 4 G19, do you think the smallest grip config is a noticeable enough when compared to a Gen 3 G19? The grip thickness if her biggest complaint. Thanks!
Single stack 9mm…gotta circle back to the PPS. She should try to grip one. That pistol has not had any Shield-like issues that I’ve seen or read about, or experienced. I liked my wife’s enough that I bought one for myself, for summer and snowmobiling.
TS - the Gen4 isn’t less “thick,” but it’s smaller front to rear, so the overall “feel” of the grip is that it’s “slimmer.” I’d also have an M&P9c available if you wanted to give her a breadth of options.
If she shoots your 21SF then she should have no issue with any of the Gen 4 9’s.
The 21SF is the night stand gun. The pistol we’re shopping for is for her ccw. The 21sf is too big for her to conceal, or else I think she’d rock it!
She loves 1911s, but she a very novice shooter so I don’t think she’d do as well with maintaining and operating it. She picks one up every time we go into a shop, not knowing the difference between it and others.
I’ve thought about the Walther PPS, but haven’t gone back into the shop. How soft does it shoot?
It shoots very well, and is comparable recoil-wise to the Shield. It feels more like a full size soft recoil than a snappy small 9mm such as the kel-tec and so on. It’s a nice little gun.