Recommend a 38 for CCW for my wife?

[BigD_in_FL]

Let's face it females aren't going to dress around a firearm...that's just the way it is.

A lot of us guys don't either, which is why we pocket carry. I am not changing out my entire wardrobe to carry a gun

[jim8115]

"Let's face it females aren't going to dress around a firearm...that's just the way it is. "

Depends on the woman, My wife has altered her wardrobe to accommodate carrying her 686 +

[pax]

Yeah. I guess it probably depends on the woman. Women are actually – who knew? – individuals. Go figure!

pax

[Cheapshooter]

It should be her choice. But I highly recommend her looking at the Ruger LCR.

[kutz]

Check out the Ruger LCRs

[lefteye]

Pax:

Women are actually – who knew? – individuals. Go figure!

No .... ! Two daughters, neither blonde (ha), one athlete, both singers, one dental hygienist, one PhD in special ed, one father-in-law with zero guns, one father-in-law with many guns (including $14,000 bench rest rifles) and his own 300 yard range, live several hundred miles apart. BUT, they really care for each other, their parents, in-laws and families, and especially their sister's children.

Oh . . . she should try several and make her own choice.

[zxcvbob]

DON'T pick something out for her. Make 2 or 3 suggestions and then back off and let her decide -- and if she doesn't like any of your suggestions and picks something else that's okay.

Here's my suggestion: a steel-framed Lady Smith or a Ruger LCR. She can use target wadcutter ammo for the best "punch-to-recoil" ratio if she doesn't like 158 grain soft lead HP's or 125 grain +P JHP's. (they make me flinch too if I shoot too many in a session, even with a heavy steel revolver)

[Teirst]

Don't worry, I am going to let her pick out her own gun, I won't be buying something and just handing it to her.

Right now the top of the list are a .357 LCR (because it is a bit heavier than the 38...which she would use to should most likely exclusively 38's in) and a Smith and wesson model 36. I wanted her to take a look at a non air weight J frame.

Right now we are having a hell of a time finding either gun in stock anywhere, we are looking for used and around central texas it seems like everything is already been cleaned out. Also still looking for an SP101

So if anyone knows where there is pawn shop or something that has a 357 LCR, some old smiths, and an SP101 in stock around austin let me know :3

[Garycw]

The .357 LCR with 38 spl Rnds sounds like a excellent choice. My wife isn't into racking slides, safety's etc.

[Andy Blozinski]

You might want to try a gun show. The main purpose in choosing this venue is that you are more likely to find multiple different models for her to handle and compare. Possibly even on the same table. I'm not fond of buying a gun from gun shows because I like to support the locals, but that doesn't mean you can't shop and make your selection there. Then..gun shows are actually pretty good to buy things like holsters where you can try lots of them on.

[billvau]

I know a young lady who was recently given a LCR. I personally use gold dot 135 +p short barrel 38s in my snub, but they do have a fair kick. This girl is a beginner with no experience with guns. Any suggestions on ammo for her?

[Sgt.Fathead]

I've owned many an SP101 and am a Ruger fanatic but my J frame pocket carry choice is the S&W 442. The 642 is fine as well. Good luck!

[Dragonheart2]

As a long time shooter and instructor all I can say is, guys don't pick out a gun for your wife or girlfriend. How would you like it if she went out and picked a vehicle for you to drive and said this is what I like? A gun for self defense is a personal choice that is best determined by how it fits the hand and how well it can be used. Find a range that will let you try several different handguns. Try to convince her the marketing ploy of what's cute or pretty in pink may not be the best choice, this is a tool that might be called for to save her butt, so reliability and accuracy are the primary concerns. If she cannot use it well then having a gun is a danger to herself and everyone else. A short barrel revolver is a difficult handgun to master in the best of circumstances.

[kymasabe]

Yup, I said it. Forget about a S&W, save your money, buy a new Charter Arms instead. Buy one of their Lite models, come with or without hammer spur and in about a dozen different colors, including a model called the Pink Lady.
DO NOT USE +P in a Charter Arms. I use Hornady defense ammo in mine, works great. The Charter is also available in .32 H&R Magnum which is a nice potent round with less recoil than a .38.
You'll find that Charter's point naturally, are as light as Airweight S&W's, and cost alot less, money saved you can use for ammo or range time. Made in USA and lifetime warranty. I own 3. I trust my life to one everyday as my carry gun, while my S&W model 36 snub revolver rests in a drawer, waiting for it's next owner.

[Teirst]

So we ended up with something we never expected....

Taurus 617....357 magnum

The gun won't be carried for at least 6+ months while we apply for our CHL's and I found a hell of a deal ($200) for what appears to be a VERY good condition gun.

I did the revolver checks. Good looking shiny bore, does not look like it has ever been opened, safety bar works correctly, no "shake" (other than the saftey bar), good lock up and VERY little wiggle once it is locked.

My thought process that okay'd the gun is that it will be almost exclusively used with 38 special and with the weight of the gun (like 28 ounces) it should be a great learner for my wife who is a little recoil shy.

Once she gets better with it and actually gets her carry permit I will buy her something like a s&w 642 to actually toss in her purse.

The reason the gun was so cheap (or so I was told) is that the guy flat out needed money for bills. He posted it locally originally for $300 and has been price dropping for the last week, this morning he posted for $200 and said that it had to go today so I took him up on it.

[BigD_in_FL]

There are many companies who make purses with compartments designed for concealed carrying of a handgun. Many of those also have a wire sewn into the strap so it can't be sliced with a knife in a purse snatch attempt.

[pax]

If she's going to carry in a purse, she needs a purse designed for concealed carry. A well designed holstered purse will hold the gun in a known orientation so when she grabs for the gun she will always get the grip and not the muzzle. It also makes it much faster to access the gun when she needs it, and keeps the trigger and entire trigger guard well-protected.

Why is protecting the trigger important? Because this: news story.

Originally Posted by from news story

Police say a Florida woman could face criminal charges after a gun in her purse went off accidentally ...shooting her friend in the leg.

... [Two women] had stopped for coffee and [one of the women] dropped her purse while she was paying.

A .25-caliber handgun in the purse discharged, hitting [the other woman] in the leg.

(Similar news story, different event, can be found here.)

As far as reinforced straps go, I am NOT a fan. They are a nice feature ... theoretically. Back in real life, purse snatchings are violent crimes, and a certain number of women are dragged to their deaths by their purse straps every year. The typical way this works is in a parking lot: woman walking along, purse carried crossbody or on one shoulder. Car cruises past at slow speed. Passenger reaches out the window, grabs the bag, and driver hits the gas. End of story.

More mundane circumstances, walking down the street, criminal comes up with a knife to cut the purse strap — strap does not cut. Now we have a violent criminal with a knife at bad breath distance, and you cannot let go of the purse because it’s across your body with a reinforced strap. What happens next?

Realistically: Are you honestly willing to sacrifice your life to protect the firearm you carry to protect your life?

You can find more info about choosing a carry purse here, here, and here.

Or listen to the ProArms Podcast on the subject here.

Hope this helps.

pax

[skeeter]

The SW 642 or SW 342 is a very wise choice but my wife had some difficulty pulling the trigger sometimes so I replaced spring with the lighter Wollf springs which has yet to give a misfire. The other choice is the Ruger 38SP. When she first practices I would and did use wadcutters and a Crimson Trace laser grip. Later we used some +P ammo.

I am very much against small autos for women as it is easy to have them jam from limp wirsting or just jamming anyway. Small and large auto need a firm grip and even then can jam. I never had a revolver jam and I have been shooting a looong time.

Then there is the issue of forgetting a round is in the chamber when you take the mag out. I lost my best friend because he forgot there was a round in the chamber when he was cleaning his 22LR. Revolvers are simple and always work and easy to make safe.

[Nick_C_S]

First of all, if you got your wife out to the range, you're way ahead of me :-(

I just wanted to put this in: If she's going to purse carry, why not toss around the idea of something slightly larger - like a Smith 64? . . . A little more weight/less recoil; a little more barrel length/more velocity; a 6th round.

[JERRYS.]

as personal as the decision is, what has your wife been carrying or is willing to carry? a light weight J frame kicks plenty with standard defensive rounds.

my wife has small hands and her house gun is a model 60 loaded with 110gr. federal loads. the recoil is minimal and the CT grip gives her plenty of comfortable purchase and confidence. for ccw she carries a LWS32 in her pocket. I cannot recommend purse carry for anyone.

[PawPaw]

We just went through this last year, as several of the ladies in the family decided to get permits. One daughter-in-law likes the steel Model 60. She tried an Airweight and found the recoil too snappy, so she went with the Model 60. Those few extra ounces make the difference for her.

Another daughter-in-law went with the LCR, but then she decided she'd like to try a small auto, so she's carrying my son's LC9. Go figure

My wife started out with an Airweight, but she's got tiny hands and even the smallest grips were too big. After looking for a little while, she settled on a Colt I-frame Pocket Positive in .32 SW Long. She likes that little pistol a lot, and now that Buffalo Bore has started making SD ammo in that caliber, I bought some and stoked it for her. She likes the little I-frame and now I've got my Airweight back.

It should he HER choice. Give her several options and let her choose.

[Kirby8604]

The .38 Ruger LCR is an awesome ccw in my opinion.

[SFsc616171]

1. View this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOVWwOahGf8

2. Then view this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p69ZDopQfJ8

3. Now, for the last, I promise!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYbfVGK-vRs

It is her life, her choice, but pleeeeeez, don't go "for cute"!!!

Have fun, share the popcorn, talk it out.

[Garycw]

Thanks for the Vids SF. She'll enjoy watching. I even learned a little about speed loaders.

[Ferretboy]

My Fiancee carries a Charter Arms Lavender Lady, 5 shot .38 spec. Its compact but even I can get a good grip on it.