Woman's handgun?

Art3 said:

Taking CCW (because, MD) and gender out of the equation, I think this is a great gun someone who doesn't know if they want to be a gun person:
https://ruger.com/products/sp101/specSheets/5771.html

The grip is small enough for my wife's little lady-paws, yet, somehow, my meathooks can still hold onto it just fine. With a 4" barrel and real sights, .38 special loads can offer economical comfort and success at the range when you want to shoot, while .357 magnum gives confidence when you need to shoot. Honestly, .357 mag isn't really that unpleasant to shoot out of it anyway.

If the owner decides that maybe they do want to become a gun person () and expand into other firearms, it can still always pull duty in a nightstand safe. Being robustly Ruger, it isn't going to wear out.

As to pretty...well, I think it is. It's shiny Women are like crows; they like shiny things.

Click to expand...

I like the SP101 although I don't personally have one....and it's not super light. But I think if the person (woman or not) decides to eventually shoot full bore 357, the recoil will be higher than a larger frame gun. These are also most often encountered with shorter barrels. The shorter barrels will decrease the effectiveness of the magnum rounds as well as have a shorter sight radius. The relatively longer barrel length of the one you picture might make it a decent choice. Also, the SP101 is a 5 shot. Gotta say, it is 'purdy'. And perhaps the small grip will have an appeal that mitigated the otherwise small frame size. Also like that the version you pictured has the fully adjustable sights.

Biggfoot44 said:

You might be thinking of a GP100 , that's an SP101 pictured .

Click to expand...

The SP101 with the 4" full-rib barrel is definitely bludgeon-able (and it's a little nose-heavy.)

My wife liked my Sig P229 so much that she bought one! This was after having rented about ten other handguns to try. As stated before, have her try out several handguns.

Since my wife can't/won't carry, she likes a simple S&W model 10 small grip and 4 inch heavy barrel loaded with standard pressure 158grn for the nightstand.

My woman is practical.

1. Read these, and have her do the same:

The American Rifleman Ladies Pistol Project

Click to expand...

Results: American Rifleman Ladies Pistol Project II—Concealed Carry Pistols

Click to expand...

goose4 said:

Right For You: Ladies Pistol Project 3 Results (NRA American Rifleman Magazine)

Click to expand...

2: Take her to a range that rents pistols, and try out as many Glock 9mm pistols as they have (or have her try yours if you own a sufficient number of Glocks). G19, G17, or G45 are the top candidates. It needs to fit her hands, and those all have soft recoil for anyone with reasonable hand strength.

3: Go on eBay (or to your preferred holstersmith) and buy a pink kydex holster that fully covers the trigger guard. Even if she doesn't carry on a belt, the holster can function as a trigger cover/case on a nightstand, in a drawer, in a purse, etc. And, the pink kydex will make the whole thing pretty.

*4. If she has grip/strength issues, consider one of the Vickers (or other) slide rackers that replace the rear slide cover plate with one that sticks out just a bit. (* I haven't tested this idea out extensively, but some secondhand reports lead me to want to try it out)

My observation from the above articles: women, unswayed by marketing, machismo, or movies, but rather experience manipulating and firing pistols, consistently picked the handgun that a large percentage highly-trained armed professionals carry - the Glock 19. How about that.

Interesting so far, keep 'em coming!

Mrs Biggfoot favorite handgun - S&W M57

Biggfootette favorite handgun - S&W M66 2.5in


So don't assume , or fall into cliched sterotypes . Of course both of them started shooting young .
( Biggfootette has the opposite of the cliche, being the young woman dealing with non-shooting guys .)

Biggfoot44 said:

Mrs Biggfoot favorite handgun - S&W M57

Biggfootette favorite handgun - S&W M66 2.5in


So don't assume , or fall into cliched sterotypes . Of course both of them started shooting young .
( Biggfootette has the opposite of the cliche, being the young woman dealing with non-shooting guys .)

Click to expand...

I know a petite little lady that shoots a .44 desert eagle and loves it.

Anyone have any experience with the Kimber Saphire Ultra II?

Slim said:

1. Read these, and have her do the same:

2: Take her to a range that rents pistols, and try out as many Glock 9mm pistols as they have (or have her try yours if you own a sufficient number of Glocks). G19, G17, or G45 are the top candidates. It needs to fit her hands, and those all have soft recoil for anyone with reasonable hand strength.

3: Go on eBay (or to your preferred holstersmith) and buy a pink kydex holster that fully covers the trigger guard. Even if she doesn't carry on a belt, the holster can function as a trigger cover/case on a nightstand, in a drawer, in a purse, etc. And, the pink kydex will make the whole thing pretty.

*4. If she has grip/strength issues, consider one of the Vickers (or other) slide rackers that replace the rear slide cover plate with one that sticks out just a bit. (* I haven't tested this idea out extensively, but some secondhand reports lead me to want to try it out)

My observation from the above articles: women, unswayed by marketing, machismo, or movies, but rather experience manipulating and firing pistols, consistently picked the handgun that a large percentage highly-trained armed professionals carry - the Glock 19. How about that.

Click to expand...

My wife bought a minimalist trigger guard witha cord...in shocking pink...for her glock 43 for purse carry. Besides style, easy to find in the bottom of a large bag. Good thought!

Zorros said:

My wife bought a minimalist trigger guard witha cord...in shocking pink...for her glock 43 for purse carry. Besides style, easy to find in the bottom of a large bag. Good thought!

Click to expand...

I have a yellow Raven Concealment Systems Vanguard for the same reason. Well, the latter reason.

I’d worry more about what fits her hand, is comfortable for her, and what she shoots well. Whatever that is, it can always be Cerakoted in a color she likes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

sxs said:

I like the SP101 although I don't personally have one....and it's not super light. But I think if the person (woman or not) decides to eventually shoot full bore 357, the recoil will be higher than a larger frame gun. These are also most often encountered with shorter barrels. The shorter barrels will decrease the effectiveness of the magnum rounds as well as have a shorter sight radius. The relatively longer barrel length of the one you picture might make it a decent choice. Also, the SP101 is a 5 shot. Gotta say, it is 'purdy'. And perhaps the small grip will have an appeal that mitigated the otherwise small frame size. Also like that the version you pictured has the fully adjustable sights.

Click to expand...

Without the barrel and sights, it's just a snubby (a heavy one, at that), which I certainly would not recommend as a first and potentially only gun. If a new shooter can't have a good time hitting their target because they are trying to use a snappy recoiling snubby with fixed carry sights, I suspect they are less likely to become an old shooter than someone having fun and success. I have both the version pictured and the snubby (just too lazy to take my own pics).

I bought the snubby many years ago because...well...for whatever reason I had an itch to fill that hole in the collection (hmm...that sounds like another recent thread). I had originally been looking at a Taurus (), but invested a little extra in the Ruger because it fit my hand so much better. I've never had notions of CCW while I'm still in MD, but I've stuck it in my pocket a few times as discrete company around the farm when there's been potential trouble brewing. It fits great in an otherwise empty pants pocket...but it is just too heavy. An LCR is on the wish list to solve that. Shooting the snubby is fun with .38, but .357 definitely turns it into another animal. It isn't intolerable, but I have to readjust my grip after every shot and the fireball and concussion could very easily turn a new/timid shooter.

The 4 inch pictured (I think it's actually 4 point something-something inch barrel) is absolutely a pleasure in .38. There is enough report and recoil to let you know it isn't a .22lr, but, especially shooting outside, it really shouldn't scare even the newest of shooters. In .357, yeah, it let's you know it means business, and I wouldn't start off a newbie with .357 as their first shot ever...but it really isn't that bad.

As was mentioned, sure, it's nose heavy, but that helps tame the recoil. I think of it as a scaled down version of my 6" GP100. It was also mentioned that it is available in .327 Fed as a six shot version. That would definitely rectify what I consider its only real shortcoming (5 rnd capacity), but I just don't know if it is worth the trade off for ammo cost and future availability for someone who is not intending to be a "gun person." If I was going to carry, I would definitely consider it...but...I AM a gun person (and would stockpile enough ammo to keep it running for the rest of my life).

Ruger used to offer a fully engraved snubby model. It's too bad they didn't on this version...that would really up the "purdy"

It's 4.2in , to meet the minimum bbl length for Canada .

And in general I agree about small frame snubs . But the SP101 straddles the fence between catagories . With standard vel .38spl , the recoil is fairly modest . Before the current Canada friendly model , I endorsed the 3 1/16 inch model .

dist1646 said:

Anyone have any experience with the Kimber Saphire Ultra II?

Click to expand...

I have a Kimber Micro 9 Desert Night and a Micro Raptor 380. Both slides are very easy to rack and both guns have been flawless for me.

A pink or sky blue berreta nano or pico.

My wife chose, and shoots accurately, a Ruger LCR in .38 Spc +P. Double action trigger pull >10 lbs. I've shot it several times with 158 gr. +Ps and am amazed that recoil is minimal.

beretta_maven said:

I have a Kimber Micro 9 Desert Night and a Micro Raptor 380. Both slides are very easy to rack and both guns have been flawless for me.

Click to expand...

Good to know, thanks. I know someone who likes the sapphire color. They are not cheap!

Wife's Taurus Ultra-lite

Think I am going to start her off with one of my S&W model 18 revolvers. Then move her up to one of the model 15's. I let some of the ladies from WOT shoot them and they all wanted to know where they could buy one. They just don't make them like that anymore. Once she is hitting the target consistently, we'll try the semi auto's. Going to do some looking at several shops to see what they have in stock, keeping mind the suggestions made here but, not limited to them. Of course, additional suggestions are appreciated.