need help looking for gun for the wife

[Ethan83]

What everyone else said. Bigger gun. Steel/alloy frame instead of polymer. Try something like a Hi-Power perhaps. If she's interested in a revolver, a full size .357 like a Ruger GP100 loaded with .38s is a total pussycat. But be aware the double action trigger pull on a revolver is much much more difficult to master than any semiauto, single or double action.

 

[grayson71]

How about a steel framed semi-auto with a threaded barrel and a supressor?

Would shooting at an outdoor range like Hap Baker or AGC reduce the sound?

Does she shoot with plugs and a hard shell earmuff?

She usually shoots doubled up indoor and with just he custom plugs outside. we are going to try some heavier 9mms and see how that goes.

 

[Marauder]

I would recommend a CZ 75 to try, all steel frame and slide.

 

[omegared24]

I don't believe she is going to feel a real difference between most full size 9mm's. Much of it is simply the thought for most people. She has felt the recoil, heard the noise and reacts to it knowing she is shooting it. We have all done it in the past to some extent.

The only way for her her to get over it is practice. Get her a gun she "thinks" she likes so she will be more willing to shoot. My personal opinion is if she can't get over the recoil and she likes a .22 then get that for her. If that is what she likes and feels comfortable with then so be it.

 

[krashmania]

she does use a pair of gloves when she shoots. she likes them because they help her grip, but the flinching at the recoil continues..

Do they have padding?

Sent from my VS910 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Topher]

Sounds a bit crazy but find a range that allows rapid fire.
I had a class where a woman could not get over the flinch and recoil.

I tried an experiment and it work. I load up a heavy gun with slow ammo.
May have been my 1911...

Make sure she can handle the gun safely and let her go to town.
She must be a willing participant and not hesitant at all.

This worked for my student after about 3 mag dumps the recoil was no big deal.

This may not work for everyone and make sure it can be done safely.

Chris

 

[mopar92]

All steel target .357 loaded with soft .38s. At the range have her aim and hold the gun and YOU pull the trigger. She'll learn to deal with the recoil and shouldn't flinch. Also snap caps. And modified Russian roulette. Load 1 live round and five empty shells. After loading spin cylinder and pull the trigger, she won't know when it'll fire and therefore her mind won't know whether to flinch or not.

 

[SIU317]

I'm going to go in a different direction here.....all of the above (changing weapons, different loads, gloves, etc) are all viable options but from what you wrote it seems the anticipation of the round firing and the flinching due to fear of the larger round and anticipated recoil are of primary concern here. It's a mental issue, not so much a physical limitation. Muscle memory and solid fundamentals are key in shooting a handgun.....dipping as one squeezes the trigger and/ or flinching are common beginner mistakes. From what you wrote your wife is competent firing the Sig in .22 and not a beginner so I'll assume her fundamentals are solid. So, to overcome the mental aspect here I would suggest going to a range and renting a common 9mm that is easy to use like a Glock 17 or 19.....and take dummy 9mm rounds with you. Have your wife dry fire the 9mm several times to get a feel for the trigger pull and grip so that she's comfy with it. I like to take a casing and put it at the barrel of the gun next to the front sight so that the person shooting can see if they can squeeze the trigger without it falling off. If they can hold it steady while simulating aiming and firing then they're ready for the next step - try one round at a time firing, using both live and dummy rounds, interchanging them so that she doesn't know what she's firing. Obviously when she fires the dummy both of you will see if she dips and you can correct it as needed. Once she feels good doing that and improvement is noted slowly mix in a magazine containing both live and dummy rounds and then you can see how the progress is going. This will reinforce doing the same thing over and over, regardless of the status of the round in the chamber. The more comfortable she gets and the more confidence she builds the better she'll be. I've done this numerous times with associates I've taken shooting and it works miracles. Best of luck to you and your wife and happy holidays : ) - J

 

[SIU317]

All steel target .357 loaded with soft .38s. At the range have her aim and hold the gun and YOU pull the trigger. She'll learn to deal with the recoil and shouldn't flinch. Also snap caps. And modified Russian roulette. Load 1 live round and five empty shells. After loading spin cylinder and pull the trigger, she won't know when it'll fire and therefore her mind won't know whether to flinch or not.

sorry, didn't mean to steal Mopar's thunder....I started writing my post and then stepped away and didn't realize he had posted something very similar to what I said before I finished. His ideas are good too.

 

[mopar92]

sorry, didn't mean to steal Mopar's thunder....I started writing my post and then stepped away and didn't realize he had posted something very similar to what I said before I finished. His ideas are good too.

Sokay. My thunder can't be stolen.

 

[Baumer]

I think the a 1911 is worth a try. I've been going down this same road with my wife. She started small with Kahr P9 but the recoil was a bit much and she had problems working the slide due to spring weight. She then went to a S&W revolver and that worked well but you have the issue of the DA/SA trigger.

Her favorite gun to shoot is a bowling pin match gun that I've had for about 20 years. Essentially it's a Colt .45acp 1991 soft sprung with a compensator. It's not very practical with the comp and a 2 lb trigger, but at least she knows a 1911 works well for her. For Christmas I bought her an STI Trojan in 9mm. With the same 1911 ergo's, weight, and a 12 lb spring I think it'll be a winner.

Worst case, I've got a new production class gun

 

[BlueHeeler]

I am going the opposite way of bigger is better. When I seriously started shooting pistols I was a lot like you wife, although less attractive. I knew the fundamentals, but I could not apply them on a center fire.

I learned the ways on a Ruger Mark II. That pistol taught me trigger control and recoil indifference. As a result, shooting any caliber became simple because I have the muscle memory of shooting accurately.

 

[Intercooler]

Rule #1 is she picks. Rule #2 is you take her to a rental place and let her try as many as it takes to get THE ONE.

Revolver in .38 Special may work
Possibly a 3rd Gen S&W 9mm but doubt you can rent one


More ammo and train into a 9mm.

 

[Minuteman]

Try snap caps.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=686375

 

[grayson71]

sorry, didn't mean to steal Mopar's thunder....I started writing my post and then stepped away and didn't realize he had posted something very similar to what I said before I finished. His ideas are good too.

Thanks to both of you, we have tried putting snaps mixed into the mags and she still flinches, i think you may be right with the anticipation, we thought going back to basics with a .22 would help her to refine her fundementals, but so far, the problem still exsists. She doesn't fear the .22. i think there maybe an element of fear with the 9mm in terms of the recoil. She has shot my G19, HK USP, and a M&P 9mm, same problem with all of them. this may just be a time and practice issue. she really wants to fix this problem, she is the type of person that wants to excel at everything she does

 

[Tactics]

My wife loves the 5.7 It is light on recoil, high on capacity and single action only. Everything about it makes it the perfect pistol for her. I love it too, I just hate the cost of ammo.

 

[Big country]

Try a revolver. My girlfriend is about the same size and loves the S&W 686. Load it with .38 and the recoil is minimal. The frame eats most of it up. Her first shot with one was a bullseye. Its just a fun gun to shoot, plus you can load it with .357 for yourself.

 

[Baccusboy]

Bersa Thunder .32

Very, very little recoil, and with Fiocchi XTP rounds you get 14" of penetration and about .47 expansion.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

Since you have a USP already, have you considered a HK P2000? When you field strip the P2000, you will see a white plastic "washer" (I don't know what else to call it) that slides freely on the spring/guide rod assembly. That washer looking thing is part of the recoil reduction system on the P2000. I swear the P2000 in .40S&W has less recoil than a Ruger P85 9mm. If you can get your hands on a P2000 in 9mm, strip it down and see if the washer is on the spring/guide rod, if it is have her try the P2000 in 9mm. As an added bonus the mags the P2000 uses are the same ones the USP Compact uses too, so now you can get a new pistol for yourself if she really takes to the P2000 in 9mm.

 

[salopez]

I was in a similar situation with my wife...4' 11'

she originaly picked out a keltec p3at .380 as her first gun. tiny, light, and heavy spring. all added to a hell of a kick. she is a good shot with it, but did not enjoy it.

she fell in love with my taurus 917 (beretta 92) due to the lighter kick and full grip. she also enjoyed shooting a very snappy .40 that i have.

she wound up going to a taurs mil pro .32 nice double stack compact gun with very tollerable recoil.

you might want to try something in a 32 or even a 25 to step her up.