Suggestions needed for a first pistol for my kid sister...

[Guest JeepMonkey]

I've got a 15 year-old sister who is looking to get into shooting pistols. She is not new to firearms by any means...she sleeps with a tactical Mossberg 500 under her bed and can outshoot most of our male friends. I'm looking into getting her something that's more friendly to a 5'2", 100lb. high school freshman, and my revolvers just don't seem to fit that bill too well. I don't want to get her anything with less punch than a 9mm since it will end up being her carry weapon in about three years, but I want it to be something she can control and shoot easily. Right now I am looking at a Ruger KBSR9 but am open to any and all suggestions.

[Garufa]

Check out the Kahr CW9. It's moderately priced, easy to shoot, accurate, concealable and Wally-World sells ammo ridiculously cheap.

[PackinMama]

I agree with Garufa.....a Kahr CW9 is a good reliable gun, and it's slim and compact so it would probably fit her hand well.

[towerclimber37]

if it's going to be her carry pistol eventually...look at a keltek 9mm...if she wants an automatic...the Khar sounds good also..I've never heard a bad thing about either of those pistols..

both are relatively affordable...and reliable!

[Farman]

The Keltec P11 has a nasty trigger pull. My wife had to use two fingers to shoot it. Even went to keltec, they did a little work and put a trigger shoe on it still no good. Traded it in on a p3at. She loves this one. Score a 95 on hcp qualification.

[Guest JeepMonkey]

I've never shot or messed with the CW9 before. Sizewise, is it about Glock-sized?

[Curiousgb]

How is she going to carry at 18? I thought you had to be 21? What is her experience with pistols? Personally I would get her a Ruger MkII

Similar grip and controls to a 1911. And a great way to learn how to shoot a pistol. JMO

[nightrunner]

i also suggest a 22 pistol as a starter but if you have to use this one for CC later on either a 9mm or a .38 would be appropriate. but i doubt she could carry a medium frame revolver and i dont think she should start with a snub nose, so a compact 9mm seems logical. can she operate a slide on an automatic good?

whoever said 21 to carry is also correct. 18 to own the pistol but 21 to legally carry.

i would think that you would want something smaller than the ruger sr9 for concealed carry with her being as small as you say. like a Glock 26 or a Xd sub9 even the beretta px4 storm sub9

[Guest JeepMonkey]

She is going to do the same thing my g/f and I did and get non-resident CCP's from Maine and New Hampshire at 18. She's shot off a few air pistols and a lot of rifles and shotguns. I'm trying to stay with 9mm and up so she can have something to carry in a few years.

She can rack my g/f's Glock 26 without an issue but has never had the chance to shoot it. I'm looking at that and the XD's too, along with the .380 Ruger LCP.

Edited February 4, 2009 by JeepMonkey

[PackinMama]

I'd take her to a gun show or a LARGE gun dealer.....let her pick up and feel several different models and decide which one feels best. All the guns you mentioned are good choices.....but I'd still check out the 9mm Kahrs before you decide against them. The CW9 or the PM9 are thinner than the Glocks.....they might fit her better since she has small hands.

[Curiousgb]

Sorry I double posted. Too many pans in the fire.

Edited February 4, 2009 by Curiousgb

[Guest hustle]

Do you have anywhere to shoot at? I know she can't go to a range since she's so young, but it sounds like she needs to at least try a few guns. You should take her out with your g/f's gun and any other guns you can manage to scrounge up from your friends, and then see what she thinks. Most importantly though, have her try on your g/f's holster if she carries that gun. She might enjoy shooting a glock or xd, but it might be a pain in the butt to carry concealed if she's that little.

[RWF]

just based on my experince i would stay away from the glocks and most plastic guns. when my wife first tried to get into the sports she could not shoot a factory glock without stove piping about every 3 rd round. the XD worked better only once about 200 -300 rounds could be because of the smaller grip (?). she never had a problem with the beretta vertec series, when may youngest son started IDPA at 12 it was the same problem with stove piping and glock. the beretta would not stove pipe but he used 2 fingers for the first shot. the CZ 75B SA worked great, single action and no stove pipes, small grip.

[Mark@Sea]

JM, if you can hold off two months....

Come up to Kingsport, bring your kid sister. We'll ask other shooters to bring likely firearms for her to try.

I've got several .32ACP's and a .38 that might fit the bill... I don't own any 9 minimals, but I'm sure that some of the folks likely to show up do. Even a couple of compact .45's to try - you never know.

[Guest JeepMonkey]

JM, if you can hold off two months....

Come up to Kingsport, bring your kid sister. We'll ask other shooters to bring likely firearms for her to try.

I've got several .32ACP's and a .38 that might fit the bill... I don't own any 9 minimals, but I'm sure that some of the folks likely to show up do. Even a couple of compact .45's to try - you never know.

I greatly appreciate the offer, but she lives in eastern NC, so that probably wouldn't be able to happen. There is a gun show coming up in the summer when I will be back in NC that we're going to, so I'm going to be on the hunt for the guns that all y'all mentioned so she can get a good idea of how they feel for her.