Wife considering Smith & Wesson SD40

[ensoniqman]

Considering a S&W SD40 or SD9 for wifey.

Anyone have experience with this one? She's not big on a lot of recoil.

We see it's on sale at various places now for around $300.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Definitely do not get the 40, she will not like the recoil.

There’s nothing wrong with the SD9, but the M&P 9 is the more mainstream product with much greater support. You can find them used for reasonable prices. Both the 1.0 and 2.0 are great.

The Ruger RXM or Security 9 might be a good option as well. Any Canik would work well too.

 

[mdtn952]

Agree....9mm....and Canik likely just as good as S&W.

 

[ensoniqman]

We also have considered the RXM.

Thanks for the recommendations.

 

[John Galt]

First gun, not a regular shooter. Unless she like shooting your 9mm get her a 22 and let her enjoy shooting.

 

[johnmyster]

Even back in 2018, the SD series was a second-class oddball product from S&W.

Get a M&P 2.0 9mm, specifically the 4.0" barrel "compact" version and be done with it. Or a 22. Does S&W still make a shield size 22? I have one of the original M&P 22's (full size, uses walther internals) and it's great to have around for all the "not big shooters" and still fits in common carry holsters for the M&P series.

 

[dubber09]

.380 may be another caliber to consider for a lady. She absolutely needs to handle all short list choices and ideally to shoot with all of them to see what works for her. Grip size and shape, safety activation/deactivation, racking and mag changes as well as sights are all very important. If she cannot hold it right or cannot see or quickly align sights then it may not be a good one for her.
If the gun is for self defense then .22 is not the gun.

 

[ensoniqman]

Yes, it's for home defense. This is not for EDC.

She does not like shotguns...so would prefer a pistol. Maybe .380 like you said.

 

[John Galt]

Yes, it's for home defense. This is not for EDC.

She does not like shotguns...so would prefer a pistol. Maybe .380 like you said.

On the left is a great shooting and super easy to rack Walther PD380 that shoots 380ACP and on the right is a Walther P22 that shoots 22’s. Your wife would love shooting either one and I’ll bet you will too if you can get past the “ladies gun” mindset.

No intruder wants to see either pointed their way at night by a shooter who is not going to flinch when it goes boom. Isn’t that priority #1 for a home defense gun, something the shooter can comfortably handle?

 

[SShooterZ]

Take a look at AIMSurplus. They typically have 9MM M&Ps for a great price which is nice for a new shooter and if she doesn't like it, you can sell it without a loss or probably at a profit.

 

[Elkins45]

There’s nothing wrong with the SD series at all, but at that price point I would also consider the Ruger Security 9. At one time the vastly superior CZ P10C could be had for just a few dollars more, but I’m not sure that’s still the case. Even many Glock fanboys grudgingly admit the P10C is an improvement over the Glock 19.

Ammo is cheaper and more plentiful for 9mm than 40.

Edit to add: the S&W and the Ruger I mentioned are definitely budget guns. The CZ is a top tier gun that just happens to be sold at a near-budget price.

 

[Hall]

Take a look at AIMSurplus.

Beat me to it, but at the moment, according to their website, they have exactly ZERO M&P9s available (LEO trades, I mean).

 

[Hohn]

There’s nothing wrong with the SD series at all, but at that price point I would also consider the Ruger Security 9. At one time the vastly superior CZ P10C could be had for just a few dollars more, but I’m not sure that’s still the case. Even many Glock fanboys grudgingly admit the P10C is an improvement over the Glock 19.

Ammo is cheaper and more plentiful for 9mm than 40.

Edit to add: the S&W and the Ruger I mentioned are definitely budget guns. The CZ is a top tier gun that just happens to be sold at a near-budget price.

It took me awhile to get there, but I carry the P10S and haven't looked back. I can hit at 25y with this thing like it's a much larger pistol, but it's about halfway between a G19 and a G26 while still holding 12 rds. SUPERB pistol.

FOr me it was Glock-->Sig--CZ P-07 (stolen)--> P10S.

 

[Hohn]

Another pistol that does not get enough love is the Beretta PX4 Storm. The smoothness of the cycling and the reduction in recoil is notable. It's not my cup of tea personally, but I had to admit its a heck of a shooter with very low recoil/muzzle flip.

Just like the PPQ in 9mm seems to feel like a 40SW, the PX4 has the opposite effect-- if feels more like shooting .380.

For a lady who might not have robust recoil management training in, the PX4 certainly deserves to be on your short list to try.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

There are many, many good 9mm pistols out. The constraints of OP limit them quite a bit.

Women’s hands are smaller, and what works for most men often doesn’t work for them.

The S&W options tend to be favored by women, at least in my experience. The Shield EZ might be another option, although it is more difficult and less pleasant to shoot than an M&P.

The PDP F series is a much more expensive option specifically designed for female hands. The HK VP9 is another much more expensive option that often works well for women.

The key is to find something that fits. If she feels good with the SD9, get it. If the RXM fits better, spend the extra money. If an M&P compact with a small backstrap works best, it’s the clear winner, etc.

 

[rstsco]

Does the Sig P365XL get any love around here?

Although a .380 can make a loud bang in a confined space, its "efficiency" isn't going to be as good as a 9mm.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Does the Sig P365XL get any love around here?

Although a .380 can make a loud bang in a confined space, its "efficiency" isn't going to be as good as a 9mm.

Sig doesn’t deserve business at this point if you ask me. The p365 is fine-ish but better for carry than home and range use.

 

[Elkins45]

For small hands there’s no gun that fits better than a Kahr, and they are often aggressively priced.

 

[tblt44]

Get the 9

 

[Passport1]

S&W Airweight 642 .38 special revolver. Fits any feminine hand perfectly. Comfortable and easy to conceal in a hand bag. Not as complicated as a semi-auto. Has a double action trigger, internal hammer, nothing to get snagged in an emergency situation.