5 shot 38 special?

[dennishoddy]

This is definitely good advice.

Some points to add that I've seen are those that tend to be afraid of guns will pick the smallest one they see like an airweight .38 snub. They think it won't be as loud and kick as much. Then they go shoot and unknowingly find out it's the worst possible choice they could have made (hard recoil, hard to hit with without lots of practice) and they get turned off to shooting in general. The .38 snub has a lot of reasons for lasting as long in the marketplace as they have which have been touched on here already. In today's world with multiple attackers I'd strongly push her towards a compact doublestack 9mm semi auto like a M&P 9c, Glock 19, baby glock, etc. They are just easier to get proficient with, more pleasant to shoot, hold more ammo which is usually cheaper AND actually more powerful than a .38 Special. All of those are good things...

I got my Sister lined up with CC last year, and went with her to buy a gun. Talked her into the M&P 9 double stack. Her hands are small, and she never shot it well.
Unbelievably, she went on her own to H&H, rented a Ruger LCP W/finger extension , and loved it. She also carries a very small purse, similar to a clutch. Said she was better on target with the LCP vs the M&P, and now she carries the gun vs leaving it in the car as it was too big and heavy for her purse. Who would have thought?

 

[Shadowrider]

I got my Sister lined up with CC last year, and went with her to buy a gun. Talked her into the M&P 9 double stack. Her hands are small, and she never shot it well.
Unbelievably, she went on her own to H&H, rented a Ruger LCP W/finger extension , and loved it. She also carries a very small purse, similar to a clutch. Said she was better on target with the LCP vs the M&P, and now she carries the gun vs leaving it in the car as it was too big and heavy for her purse. Who would have thought?

Sounds like your sister is listening to good advice or making good decisions on her own. I took my daughter to pick out a gun and we went up to H&H and rented a bunch of them. I had Shannon work with her a little bit thinking another gal might get through to her better than I. She landed on a M&P full size! Everything was nope, nope, nope, I want the M&P. Now if I could just get her to take a TDSA class and carry the damn thing. But she does like shooting it.

 

[dennishoddy]

Working on my wifes CC paperwork so she can't carry yet. Hopefully by the time she goes to class and shoots, she will be comfortable with shooting. Like most new shooters, they don't want to in front of anybody because they think they will be embarrassed. I can assure her that what I've seen with one range session, she has nothing to hang her head about.

 

[BroMalik]

It would be a good choice.

Here is video of a woman using a revolver to drive out burglars from her home.

That house stinks with all them cats.

 

[Hobbes]

That house stinks with all them cats.

LOL
I don't doubt it.

 

[chr_edw]

Easy to carry hard to shoot well without quite a bit of practice.

 

[reade]

A friend of mine's wife has little arm strength due to chemo treatments for cancer. He bought her a .38 special as she can't rack a 9mm slide too good. Anyway, we went out shooting and she was having a time trying to hit with the .38 so I let her try a Glock 42. She did so much better with it so we let her load and rack it, I showed her to use the overhand method and that worked so well for her he had to trade the .38 for a 42. I am aware the .38 would have more stopping power but if it doesn't hit it will never stop. At least now she has a better chance of hitting what she's aiming at. YMMV

 

[twoguns?]

That house stinks with all them cats.

Shooting is poor, reloading under stress is a fine motor skills........as a second gun. Maybe?

 

[druryj]

I have a very nice 642 J-Frame; got it from a sadly deceased long-time member here quite a while back. He worked in a LGS and had a professional trigger job done on it to smooth the trigger out and it is a great little carry gun. My wife finds it easy to handle and shoot, and keeps it near in the house. I still carry it occasionally and can shoot it pretty well now, but it does take practice to get that heavy DA trigger pull down pat. I can recommend the 442/642 revolvers with enthusiasm. At right around 16 oz loaded, it's darn easy to carry.

 

[bubbaokie]

You guys need to let the wifey try a S&W J frame in 32 Mag. My wife carries one of these and loves it. She is 5 foot nuthin and weighs in at about 110. She has been shooting and hunting for about 45 years. She is a firm believer in the little revolvers....when things get touchy "most" women would have a hard time with the slides on a semi-auto.
K.I.S.S.