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- Jan 16, 2023
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Wife considering Smith & Wesson SD40
- Thread starter ensoniqman
- Start date
Nothing wrong with the sd9. 40 has snappier recoil. Today's 9mm is more than capable of putting down attackers with correct shot placement. To me the 40 s&w is a cartridge that makes unfamiliar shooters have problems with putting accurate shots on target quickly. I'm a m&p fan though
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2021
- Messages
- 8
IMO, ...if she \ both of you truly wants it to a "home defense" type firearm,
then get a 12 gauge, pump shotgun with a collapsable stock AND an FN 509
in the 9mm. The FN's; IMO, are some the best & reliable firearms on the
planet.
After you purchase your desired firearms, I strongly encourage you both
to go out to a firing range REGULARLY and get used to your selections.
Firearms aren't much use if someone doesn't know how to operate them,
clean them and be able to actually use them if a home invasion actually
occurs. Familiarity and being comfortable with using the firearm against
someone is utmost important. If you or the wifey aren't familiar and
comfortable with actually using a firearm on someone, ...then,
RESPECTFULLY ASKING, ...what's the point of owning them ?
then get a 12 gauge, pump shotgun with a collapsable stock AND an FN 509
in the 9mm. The FN's; IMO, are some the best & reliable firearms on the
planet.
After you purchase your desired firearms, I strongly encourage you both
to go out to a firing range REGULARLY and get used to your selections.
Firearms aren't much use if someone doesn't know how to operate them,
clean them and be able to actually use them if a home invasion actually
occurs. Familiarity and being comfortable with using the firearm against
someone is utmost important. If you or the wifey aren't familiar and
comfortable with actually using a firearm on someone, ...then,
RESPECTFULLY ASKING, ...what's the point of owning them ?
While my side arm of choice is a mp 2.0 9mm for such things that go bump in the night. I also have the Remington 870 Police along with it. A little bag of some sort made for holding 25 rounds of 12 guage . All fit in elastic nylon loops. Shot gun has three rounds attached to it.
I have several handguns readily available.
I choose a Ruger P90 DC (.45 acp) as my go to at bedside
An AR-15 is hanging in my bedroom closet at the ready too.
There is currently a .380 mouse gun, sitting on the end table, next to me.
I choose a Ruger P90 DC (.45 acp) as my go to at bedside
An AR-15 is hanging in my bedroom closet at the ready too.
There is currently a .380 mouse gun, sitting on the end table, next to me.
Wow.
A lot of rabbit trails here and experience. Thanks for more ideas.
Pont of clarification: I'm a CCW and have & use two different calibers, 22lr and 9mm.
I occasionally take her range shooting with me. She is small frame 5'-4", midlife age and small hands. Does not always like the 9mm (PX4 with rotating barrel), does ok with the 22. Hates my Rem 870. She can also handle a 22lr rifle just fine.
As for the revolver idea, we are now leaning towards that. A senior lady friend of ours from church lives on a ranch by herself and uses a Ruger .38 as her EDC. At this point, we'll be talking to her and maybe plan for a range day out on her ranch trying that revolver.
Good observations by many here, point and shoot for close proximity. Our long master bedroom to hallway is about 7 yards...so could be the ideal choice, being it will be a nightstand gun.
And some days I work out of the county and get home later than she is. We've had strangers drive in our driveway before. And one trespasser caught on our security camera (reported with photo to law enforcement).
Thanks again for the suggestions.
To be continued....
A lot of rabbit trails here and experience. Thanks for more ideas.
Pont of clarification: I'm a CCW and have & use two different calibers, 22lr and 9mm.
I occasionally take her range shooting with me. She is small frame 5'-4", midlife age and small hands. Does not always like the 9mm (PX4 with rotating barrel), does ok with the 22. Hates my Rem 870. She can also handle a 22lr rifle just fine.
As for the revolver idea, we are now leaning towards that. A senior lady friend of ours from church lives on a ranch by herself and uses a Ruger .38 as her EDC. At this point, we'll be talking to her and maybe plan for a range day out on her ranch trying that revolver.
Good observations by many here, point and shoot for close proximity. Our long master bedroom to hallway is about 7 yards...so could be the ideal choice, being it will be a nightstand gun.
And some days I work out of the county and get home later than she is. We've had strangers drive in our driveway before. And one trespasser caught on our security camera (reported with photo to law enforcement).
Thanks again for the suggestions.
To be continued....
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I have a Canik METE SFT. It is a wonderful weapon, but out of the box trigger pull is 3.5 lbs. I find that too light for carry. I used to have a first gen M+P Shield. I really liked that too. My understanding is that the current models are even better. ALWAYS make sure she can rack the slide, especially in high stress situations with sweaty hands. Good luck!
Nightstand. Not carry.
Handgun, not rifle, not shotgun.
So, don’t get a really compact carry gun. Get a full to midsize handgun.
Recoil on small revolvers, even in .38, can be a lot. If she likes a revolver - make it a decent size, like a Ruger GP-100, and load it with .38 for practice and .357 for defense.
The Ruger LCP revolvers are quite small, and easy to conceal but can be difficult for those with weaker hands to shoot.
This is true of all small revolvers. It’s also true of guns like the M&P Shield. They’re hard to shoot.
Their larger siblings are much easier to shoot. Again, nightstand, not carry.
Handgun, not rifle, not shotgun.
So, don’t get a really compact carry gun. Get a full to midsize handgun.
Recoil on small revolvers, even in .38, can be a lot. If she likes a revolver - make it a decent size, like a Ruger GP-100, and load it with .38 for practice and .357 for defense.
The Ruger LCP revolvers are quite small, and easy to conceal but can be difficult for those with weaker hands to shoot.
This is true of all small revolvers. It’s also true of guns like the M&P Shield. They’re hard to shoot.
Their larger siblings are much easier to shoot. Again, nightstand, not carry.
For my wife/mom, even occasional stoppages during practice sessions would likely get inside their head. I'd rather them not even have that on their radar. Since it's a house gun and size/weight aren't a real consideration...
I change my vote. 4" revolver. Solid argument for several calibers, but efficiency of practice is a thing. You can buy some pretty soft shooting 38spl cowboy rounds. Perhaps you can find something in 9mm (or have one converted) for efficiency of your ammo supply. You could also start with 22 and work up to 22mag rather than creating a recoil sensitive shooter by starting with too much, too soon.
I'd stay away from the lighter weight models. S&W L frame (686 or 586), Ruger GP, older Dan Wesson, Kimber, etc.
I have an older Taurus model 66 (6") in the collection as well as a Model 14. I could see my small wife getting comfortable with those with enough time and my light 38spl reloads.
I change my vote. 4" revolver. Solid argument for several calibers, but efficiency of practice is a thing. You can buy some pretty soft shooting 38spl cowboy rounds. Perhaps you can find something in 9mm (or have one converted) for efficiency of your ammo supply. You could also start with 22 and work up to 22mag rather than creating a recoil sensitive shooter by starting with too much, too soon.
I'd stay away from the lighter weight models. S&W L frame (686 or 586), Ruger GP, older Dan Wesson, Kimber, etc.
I have an older Taurus model 66 (6") in the collection as well as a Model 14. I could see my small wife getting comfortable with those with enough time and my light 38spl reloads.
You’ll figure it out. And I ask you to think about it in her eyes and mindset under tremendous stress. And scared ****less. If you can get her to at least lightly train with an Auto and she can rack the slide then an auto 100% …. Lighter recoil and higher ammo count. But if that’s in question, IMO a revolver covers a lot of mistakes that can happen under duress. The negative is low round capacity and recoil is more stout. I meant to also say the Ruger SP01 5 shot .357 should be looked at. It’s got weight and can be had in a bobbed hammer. DOA . No safety lock . Seen where SW is making models without them these days. I put a hogue rubber grip on my Ruger SP01. She recoils like a baby. 38’s. Also I deleted the safety lock on the Smith It was a kit that came with the plug
Happy shopping. Wardawg.
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Since it is nightstand duty, go with a full size something. Snub nose revolvers require practice on a frequent basis to stay proficient. Look for an exposed hammer and 3inch barrel. The Ruger SP-101 is an excellent choice. If going with the LCR models they make a 3 inch barrel version and the trigger is very comfortable. Shoot .38 special (non +P) and she will be able to handle it well.
If going with a semi-auto pistol, full size once again. Most female shooters like less felt recoil. Resist the urge to go with a short barrel. Anything that a smaller frame female can get her hand around will be good. Remember, many times a handgun will be used one hand only shooting. Its just the way it is. Don't hang a bunch of crap on the gun, it makes it harder to shoot effectively. That being said, the red dot sight and a small flashlight attached at the rail is hard to beat. If I were going Glock for this gun, look at the slim line series.
Good luck and get her what she says fits her hand. Then do some shooting at least once every two weeks for 5-6 months.
If going with a semi-auto pistol, full size once again. Most female shooters like less felt recoil. Resist the urge to go with a short barrel. Anything that a smaller frame female can get her hand around will be good. Remember, many times a handgun will be used one hand only shooting. Its just the way it is. Don't hang a bunch of crap on the gun, it makes it harder to shoot effectively. That being said, the red dot sight and a small flashlight attached at the rail is hard to beat. If I were going Glock for this gun, look at the slim line series.
Good luck and get her what she says fits her hand. Then do some shooting at least once every two weeks for 5-6 months.
I have a 638-3 too.
You might want to be calling ahead before you get home, lol.
I don't think it's been said yet, why not have her go to the range and see if they have one for her to rent first?
As a nightstand gun, I'd pick up a Glock 19 and call it a day. Small enough for my little hands, light enough to hold up for long periods of time, and big enough to absorb the recoil without getting a full size. Ugly enough to not want to modify it, aftermarket options up the wazoo if you do want to modify it, and it works if you neglect it for years.
As a nightstand gun, I'd pick up a Glock 19 and call it a day. Small enough for my little hands, light enough to hold up for long periods of time, and big enough to absorb the recoil without getting a full size. Ugly enough to not want to modify it, aftermarket options up the wazoo if you do want to modify it, and it works if you neglect it for years.
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We shot a Glock 19 (brother in-laws) a couple of years ago at the range. She seemed to feel ok with it, and even her mother shot a few rounds with it. May have to revisit that idea.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
Geez, I thought I was the only one that felt this way. Have plenty of the ugly guns, but love shooting my M&Ps more
.My wife has no interest in shooting as a hobby, nor does she do well with "complexities" that she has to remember to do as with an auto. She also has not much upper body or hand strength and limp wrists most 9mms of mine she has shot. Under stress, it's gonna be point and shoot. My first carry pistol that I was issued 42 years ago fits the bill and she not only likes it, but can handle/shoot it pretty well. I'd say we are way ahead of the game with this choice for her.
One thing to bear in mind if choosing a used G19 is the Gen 3s, 4s, and 5s are in high demand right now due to Glock's change to the V/Gen 6. If bargain hunting for a solid mid size auto, you can get good deals on the M&P 2.0s, Caniks, and even the RXM.
Is that a M64?Geez, I thought I was the only one that felt this way. Have plenty of the ugly guns, but love shooting my M&Ps more
My wife has no interest in shooting as a hobby, nor does she do well with "complexities" that she has to remember to do as with an auto. She also has not much upper body or hand strength and limp wrists most 9mms of mine she has shot. Under stress, it's gonna be point and shoot. My first carry pistol that I was issued 42 years ago fits the bill and she not only likes it, but can handle/shoot it pretty well. I'd say we are way ahead of the game with this choice for her.
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One thing to bear in mind if choosing a used G19 is the Gen 3s, 4s, and 5s are in high demand right now due to Glock's change to the V/Gen 6. If bargain hunting for a solid mid size auto, you can get good deals on the M&P 2.0s, Caniks, and even the RXM.
I still say that a revolver is the best fit for someone with diminished hand strength.
There is no fooling around with the slide.
A big heavy relatively slow round is perfect for indoors.
There is no fooling around with the slide.
A big heavy relatively slow round is perfect for indoors.
Yep. 64-3. Well gone through and, uh, tuned a bit.
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