A Handgun for My Wife

[xtriggerman]

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2020 at 9:58 PM, Moped said:

I’m going to through the Ruger LC9S in 9mm. I have the Pro model and I love. So does my wife. They aren’t made anymore, but you still see them used. Ruger does still Make a version called the EC9S. The sights are cast as a part of the slide and finish is a matte type. They usually run around $250 or so. https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/52078/ruger+ec9s+9mm+312+black+7%2b1

If 9mm .38 pr .380 is just too much for her, check out .32ACP.  There are several pistols available out there in this nice little round. Starting with a Keltec P-32. I had one of these I pocket carried all the time. When my oldest got her HCP, but didn’t have a pistol to carry, I gave it to her and bought a Ruger LCP. I actually miss that P-32. It s a great little pistol. I have a friend that swears by a Beretta Tomcat .32. Nice looking pistol and well built. Usually runs around $450. Lastly, as mentioned before, there are a bunch of Beretta Police Trade-Ins that have brought into the Country lately. They are Model 81s and come with 1 12 round mag, but they have spare mags available for a nominal price. I’ve been wanting one of these for myself, to be honest.

When I had that little Keltec, I sorta fell in love with the .32 ACP round. I found it to be accurate and follow up shots were quick and easy. And at 9.6 oz that little Keltec was the perfect pocket carry. Just a tad lighter than the LCP, but with a lot less kick for such a small gun.
 

https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/15204/kel-tec+cnc+p-32+p-32+7%2b1+32+acp++27"

https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/25071/beretta+3032+tomcat+32+acp+inox+stainless

https://www.classicfirearms.com/beretta-mod-81-pistol-surplus-used-good-very-good/

One thing that needs mention when it comes to the sub compacts is with the availability of Lehigh bullets and now even Black hills makes a Honey Badger bullet similar to the Lehigh all copper bullets. The lehighs have a wide variety of reloading bullets at Midway or is loaded by Underwood. The all copper bullets are pretty much a revolutionary step in mouse gun SD. I was never one to suggest 32 ACP as a SD gun and cringed a bit with a 380 in that roll but these new bullets are game changers. Those small calibers simply don't have the moxy needed for violent tissue damage in many cases. A hollow point needs to expand and that expansion comes at a price of used bullet energy when theres little to be had in the first place. Imagine how much energy it would take you to put a 32 or 380 HP round in a hand press and squash it into a perfect mushroom. The energy you just used in the process is entirely wasted in effecting deeper penetration or cavity damage. The scalloped cuts on the all copper bullets lose none of their energy by necessitating a metal reconfiguration. The result is far more tissue damage and penetration. The youtube vidios all prove this out. I remember an all copper bullet that was tested in handgun defensive loads in a Gun Digest I have from the late 60's. It was of a pointed conical design and it was pretty devastating in the test media of the day. Problem was, those bullets were hand made on non CNC machines and simply were not cost effective for the market. That's all changed today. In light of all this, I'm waiting for my NAA 32  to come in so it can ride in a cell phone pouch I have. It will just fit with maybe a spare mag.  Thats my when I have pants on gun without ever fooling with it on and off. A security clip snaps on and off the belt on the leather cell pouch. I bought some 115g Lehigh bullets to load in my serious K40 Kahr when on treks.

[knoxrocks222]

My wife carries a glock 42, we have a range here at the house and she gets lots of practice with it. 

[nightrunner]

Not made anymore but the Browning BDA is a 380 and on the larger and heavier side. Beautiful gun, my uncle (retired army) carries one.

[bud]

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Edited December 24, 2020 by bud

[hipower]

On 5/27/2020 at 9:58 PM, Moped said:

I’m going to through the Ruger LC9S in 9mm. I have the Pro model and I love. So does my wife. They aren’t made anymore, but you still see them used. Ruger does still Make a version called the EC9S. The sights are cast as a part of the slide and finish is a matte type. They usually run around $250 or so. https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/52078/ruger+ec9s+9mm+312+black+7%2b1

If 9mm .38 pr .380 is just too much for her, check out .32ACP.  There are several pistols available out there in this nice little round. Starting with a Keltec P-32. I had one of these I pocket carried all the time. When my oldest got her HCP, but didn’t have a pistol to carry, I gave it to her and bought a Ruger LCP. I actually miss that P-32. It s a great little pistol. I have a friend that swears by a Beretta Tomcat .32. Nice looking pistol and well built. Usually runs around $450. Lastly, as mentioned before, there are a bunch of Beretta Police Trade-Ins that have brought into the Country lately. They are Model 81s and come with 1 12 round mag, but they have spare mags available for a nominal price. I’ve been wanting one of these for myself, to be honest.

When I had that little Keltec, I sorta fell in love with the .32 ACP round. I found it to be accurate and follow up shots were quick and easy. And at 9.6 oz that little Keltec was the perfect pocket carry. Just a tad lighter than the LCP, but with a lot less kick for such a small gun.
 

https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/15204/kel-tec+cnc+p-32+p-32+7%2b1+32+acp++27"

https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/25071/beretta+3032+tomcat+32+acp+inox+stainless

https://www.classicfirearms.com/beretta-mod-81-pistol-surplus-used-good-very-good/

Agree on the Keltec 32. I had one and sold it during the "it ain't enough gun" period I went thru. I'm regretting it more and more.

Never owned a Tomcat, but have the Beretta 81/84 from the CF sales. Nice guns, shoot well. Can be a bit "snappy" if having arthritis issues.

Also have and have owned since late 90s, a Browning BDA. Great little pistol. But some of the most felt recoil of any small pistol I own. Perhaps it's just me. IDK.

Doubt my comments really help, but just sending my own observations out. Good luck to you and your wife, sir, in finding the right handgun.

Last thought, I appreciate the comments on "wadcutters" from everyone. I remember my Dad shooting them during his competition days, in fact, I may even have a few boxes he loaded back in the 60s. I sorta kept them as keepsakes. 

I think I'll look into the wadcutters again, especially the 147 grains. Thanks all for the ideas.

Proof again that TGO is the best! Always recommendations and ideas for all ages.

[Moped]

My daughter was over to the house last night and she is looking for a new pistol.  When she finds what she wants, I'm getting the little Keltec P32 back . Then I'm going trade the LCP in for something else. Maybe I'll trade it in on a SDS Fatih .380 or a Bersa Thunder. 

[bersaguy]

45 minutes ago, Moped said:

My daughter was over to the house last night and she is looking for a new pistol.  When she finds what she wants, I'm getting the little Keltec P32 back . Then I'm going trade the LCP in for something else. Maybe I'll trade it in on a SDS Fatih .380 or a Bersa Thunder. 

You will love the Bersa Thunder in 380. Take it from a guy that has 4 of them...…... Just added my last one a little over 2 months ago and now have a safe house regardless of what ever room I am in. Now the only 380 I still want is an LCP and I will be done buying 380's.

Edited July 3, 2020 by bersaguy

[VolunteerJeff106]

On 7/4/2020 at 6:49 AM, bersaguy said:

You will love the Bersa Thunder in 380. Take it from a guy that has 4 of them...…... Just added my last one a little over 2 months ago and now have a safe house regardless of what ever room I am in. Now the only 380 I still want is an LCP and I will be done buying 380's.

Maybe, I keep grabbing lemons... But I've found every Bersa Thunder 380 I've picked up to be extremely unreliable. Honestly, if I was in the bidget range for a Bersa, I'd just save up the extra $75 and pick up an M&P Shield.

 

[bersaguy]

6 hours ago, VolunteerJeff106 said:

Maybe, I keep grabbing lemons... But I've found every Bersa Thunder 380 I've picked up to be extremely unreliable. Honestly, if I was in the bidget range for a Bersa, I'd just save up the extra $75 and pick up an M&P Shield.

 

I'm sorry you have had the issues with the Bersa's that you have had. I own 5 at the present time and I think 3 of them I have put over a 800+rounds down range with out an issue or FTFire or FTFeed and the other two I have sent at least 300 rounds down range with no issues. I carry one every time I go out away from the house with complete confidence.

[DaveTN]

9 hours ago, VolunteerJeff106 said:

Maybe, I keep grabbing lemons... But I've found every Bersa Thunder 380 I've picked up to be extremely unreliable. Honestly, if I was in the bidget range for a Bersa, I'd just save up the extra $75 and pick up an M&P Shield.

 

I believe the only way you can get a SHIELD in .380 is the “EZ”. They been having a bunch for problems with them. I assumed it was the .380 round, but they seem to be having the same issues with the “EZ 9”. Of course you can get a regular 9 in the SHIELD… or a .40.

[Defender]

What issues are people having with the Shield 9EZ?

[DaveTN]

17 minutes ago, Defender said:

What issues are people having with the Shield 9EZ?

Failure to feed, failure to eject. Same problems the .380 EZ has been plagued with.

 

[deerslayer]

I shot a USPSA match this weekend and squadded with an 11 or 12 year old kid who shot an 9EZ.  The thing ran like a sewing machine.  If it was easy to limp wrist, you would think this kid would have had trouble.  He didn't shoot for score and only had two magazines, so he shot the first 16 shots of a stage after everybody was done with the stage.  Man, if my dad had turned me loose with a 9mm handgun when I was that age, I would be a pro now...

[Dirtshooter]

I know this may be late, but if your wife likes a revolver which I think is the perfect cc weapon. Look at a 9mm revo and see if she likes it.

[hipower]

12 minutes ago, Dirtshooter said:

I know this may be late, but if your wife likes a revolver which I think is the perfect cc weapon. Look at a 9mm revo and see if she likes it.

I have to comment here. I have several revolvers chambered in 9mm. I like them. But...I find them much "snappier" than a a small pistol. Maybe it's just me, but that's my perception anyway.

I tried my wife with one, a Smith (647?) and a Glock 19. She did shoot the 19 well. Really hated the Smith. Said it hurt and that it was louder to her.

Just my take on this. You and others may agree or not. JMO

[chances R]

"They say", but that has not been my experience with 2 EZ in 9mm.  Ran perfectly.  New shooter one holed 5 shots at 5 yds with the last one shot.

[VolunteerJeff106]

Not a fan of revolvers as a CCW. I know I'm gonna get some hate on it, but honestly I prefer a 9mm semi-auto. And there's no way my wife needs to be handling a .40 or some J-frame. Too snappy.

[Swamp ash]

On 8/12/2020 at 4:40 PM, chances R said:

"They say", but that has not been my experience with 2 EZ in 9mm.  Ran perfectly.  New shooter one holed 5 shots at 5 yds with the last one shot.

Yep. I've shot the PC version

Very nice weapon; no problems and quite fun.