Training my female friend to shoot last week. Purchase suggestions

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  • inchrisin

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    I got to the range last Saturday to help teach a female friend how to shoot. She's in her late 50s and and I found out at the range that she has a little pain in her hands. I worked her through my handguns anyway because that's what was available. I wasn't as concerned in finding the perfect gun for her as much as just It was her first time shooting and I wanted to get her a little bit comfy with getting a gun in her hands safely and working through the paces. I have a 357 J frame that we shot some 125gr 38s out of and a S&W M&P Shield 9mm that we shot 124gr out of.

    A couple of things I need help with:

    She wasn't able to work the slide on the Shield. Ok, cool. I was able to chamber her first shot of the mag and let her ride it home. It got me thinking that I don't have a lot of trouble there and I need some advice if she wants to keep looking at semi autos. I'm thinking we need to move into a midsized gun to get the recoil spring to loosen up a bit. I also don't know if the recoil spring on a da/sa is any softer than that of a striker fire like mine. Any thoughts?

    With the J frame revolver, she was able to cock the hammer and fire sa fine. All you do is breathe and the gun fires. I encouraged her to keep with the da. it's a 12 pound pull on the Model 60. I'm thinking that we can stick with a small to midsized J or K frame. Are the da only triggers ALWAYS lighter? Something like the S&W 640 catches my eye.

    Anyway, thoughts on top of mine and other gun suggestions are certainly appreciated. I want her to touch a few more guns and get a little more range time in before she buy something. She's got her LTCH and I can only slow her down so much before she buys something. :)
     

    Kutnupe14

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    I got to the range last Saturday to help teach a female friend how to shoot. She's in her late 50s and and I found out at the range that she has a little pain in her hands. I worked her through my handguns anyway because that's what was available. I wasn't as concerned in finding the perfect gun for her as much as just It was her first time shooting and I wanted to get her a little bit comfy with getting a gun in her hands safely and working through the paces. I have a 357 J frame that we shot some 125gr 38s out of and a S&W M&P Shield 9mm that we shot 124gr out of.

    A couple of things I need help with:

    She wasn't able to work the slide on the Shield. Ok, cool. I was able to chamber her first shot of the mag and let her ride it home. It got me thinking that I don't have a lot of trouble there and I need some advice if she wants to keep looking at semi autos. I'm thinking we need to move into a midsized gun to get the recoil spring to loosen up a bit. I also don't know if the recoil spring on a da/sa is any softer than that of a striker fire like mine. Any thoughts?

    With the J frame revolver, she was able to cock the hammer and fire sa fine. All you do is breathe and the gun fires. I encouraged her to keep with the da. it's a 12 pound pull on the Model 60. I'm thinking that we can stick with a small to midsized J or K frame. Are the da only triggers ALWAYS lighter? Something like the S&W 640 catches my eye.

    Anyway, thoughts on top of mine and other gun suggestions are certainly appreciated. I want her to touch a few more guns and get a little more range time in before she buy something. She's got her LTCH and I can only slow her down so much before she buys something. :)

    Yes she can. My mother is weaker than branch water, older than your friend, and she also complained about not being able to work a slide. Now she can rack a G22 slide like a pro... it's all her mind, typically due to being afraid of the firearm. It's just my opinion, but in my experience people that can't rack a slide, aren't too weak, just a little timid.
     
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    mcapo

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    Yes she can. My mother is weaker than branch water, older than your friend, and she also complained about not being able to work a slide. Now she can rack a G22 slide like a pro... it's all her mind, typically due to being afraid of the firearm. It's just my opinion, but in my experience people that can't rack a slide, aren't too weak, just a little timid.

    I am assuming this is for CCW/self defense?

    Don't disagree with Kutnupe though I do think the slides on the Shields can be a little stiff. Try a Sig P938 or a Kimber Micro 9 (not solo IMHO) though SA triggers are complex in a self defense situation. There are just too many viable options in a 4" and under semi auto to even begin listing.

    Model 60 Smith comes to mind as a wheel gun option though if someone has "weak" hands, I would suggest something a little larger. K frame revolver or even a M&P 2.0 Compact. It's all about comfort so, as a new shooter, she will be willing to shoot enough to become and stay proficient. The 640 is a nice snubby. I wouldn't suggest an Airweight unless she is really comfort with the recoil in a light weight revolver. Just as an example, my wife has carpal tunnel issues and arthritis in her hands. She doesn't like shooting small frame firearms but is comfortable with a 686 Smith or a full size single stack auto. Don't even let her get her old T/C out - she'll embarrass all the men who think women can't shoot...

    One question for women (yes; I'll accept a sexist retort here...) is how do they intend to carry/conceal a firearm? Throwing a gun in the bottom of a purse, is not an acceptable answer....muzzle is pointed who knows where with various items poking and prodding into various mechanical places. Once a method of safe and readily accessible carry is established, then you can determine the maximum weight and size.

    FYI: Sand Burr Ranch can make that 12 pound trigger feel like slicing butter on a hot August day.

    Gun shop with a rental counter and/or friends with guns are good starting places.
     

    wtburnette

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    Gun shop with a rental counter and/or friends with guns are good starting places.

    This. Point Blank, either in Carmel or Greenwood, has a great selection of rental guns. Plenty of things for her to try to see if she can find something that works well for her. I don't disagree completely with Kutnupe, but the Shield and a few other semi-autos are stiff enough, I can see women with weak/painful hands not being able to rack them. Yes, part of the problem was likely technique, but there are plenty of guns better suited to them. Small guns like the Shield aren't the best choice anyway as they are too snappy for a lot of women. A compact or full size semi-auto work be better. I would pick a revolver, but there are a few semi-autos that have slides that are very easy to work. Leads back to a range with plenty of rental guns so she can try a bunch out to find what works best for her ;)
     

    halfmileharry

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    Yes she can. My mother is weaker than branch water, older than your friend, and she also complained about not being able to work a slide. Now she can rack a G22 slide like a pro... it's all her mind, typically due to being afraid of the firearm. It's just my opinion, but in my experience people that can't rack a slide, aren't too weak, just a little timid.
    I went through the same thing with a friend in her early 60s. Scared to death of ANY gun but she still wanted to get one. She had her LTCH long before she ever fired a shot.
    She couldn't pull the slide, couldn't hold the gun, couldn't keep her eyes open, yadda yadda yadda. Even swept a couple of sales clerks when looking at guns. I busted her ass good on that one. Figured we'd get the 4 rules drilled in her long before she fired the first shot.
    It took a few trips to gun shops looking at different types of weapons to familiarize her a bit.
    Her very first shot ever went into the ceiling at the range. FEAR of a weapon. I loaded a dozen or so mags with one round to see how she'd do.
    She found out the danger in a gun is in the handler. By the end of the range trip she was putting every round in a 3" group at 10 yards, safety etiquette was excellent, and now she's the proud owner of a half dozen semi handguns (including pink, pale blue, and purple 938) and one Ruger .44mag revolver "cause it's badazz"
    Her EDC now is a Glock 19c. She's good with it.
    My mom WAS the same way. She couldn't work the slide on a worn out Glock 17 I picked up for her. I bought it for the capacity.
    After a couple of trips in the back yard she can hit man size targets in the torso area consistently. She CAN rack the slide with ease or could have before she fell and broke her wrist and thumb and a couple other fractures causing her discomfort when she sits.
    As Kut says... It's mostly mental.
     

    IndyDave1776

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    It sounds to me like you can either try to work through the mindset issues racking a slide or go with a Model 60 after a good smith has lightened the trigger.
     

    Brandon

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    Took my mom shooting before her birthday to figure out what she could work easily. She wasn't able to work the slide with the Shield or any other firearm I had. She did however like my revolver. Her only complaint is that it was heavy. She got a S&W BG38 for her bday.

    The fiance loves her Shield 9mm.
     

    2A_Tom

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    I would say, work on the slide racking with a pistol loaded with snap caps. *CAUTION REMOVE ALL LIVE AMMO* and magazines for that pistol from the area you are working.

    In the case of defensive carry there will always be one in the chamber, so racking slide only comes into the picture for reloads.
     

    Areoflyer09

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    The one that has surprised me with how easy it is to rack is the Witness Pavona and it’s quite pleasurable to shoot. My wife has the purple framed but it comes in several colors and black. Not the easiest thing to find in a store though.
     

    Ed B

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    My wife went thru this same topic when she was learning to shoot. Not only was it very hard for her to rack the slide on my Glock, she felt the trigger was also too heavy to be accurate. After doing lots of shopping and trials, she settled on the Sig P-238. After lots of practice, she loves the size, trigger, and has no problem racking it. Her second gun is also another P-238, "so she didn't have to learn another gun!" It was her idea that she had a backup in case of the first one failing and I can't disagree with her thinking.
     

    inchrisin

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    My wife went thru this same topic when she was learning to shoot. Not only was it very hard for her to rack the slide on my Glock, she felt the trigger was also too heavy to be accurate. After doing lots of shopping and trials, she settled on the Sig P-238. After lots of practice, she loves the size, trigger, and has no problem racking it. Her second gun is also another P-238, "so she didn't have to learn another gun!" It was her idea that she had a backup in case of the first one failing and I can't disagree with her thinking.

    Interchangeable mags. :)
     

    throttletony

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    If I remember the Walther CCP was designed to have a much lighter slide racking weight.
    Some of the Walther/Bersa fixed barrel designs have easier slides. (hell, maybe even Hi-points might be easier to rack)

    If she can open a gallon of milk, she should have the hand strength to rack a slide. BUT SHE SHOULD GET/USE WHAT SHE WANTS. If she finds out that she can run the slide and still prefers a revolver, then that's just fine. I love revolvers and I think they are a good option
     

    inchrisin

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    Thanks for the tips so far. I'll have her keep working with the Shield slide that's been cleared. It'd be helpful to hear more people say a few words about what's working for their female friends or wives for an EDC. I'll be encouraging her to get this gun on a belt.
     

    OurDee

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    My Mother-n-Law likes .38 Special. IWB. Wife likes Kimber in .380. Keeps it in a belly band holster inside the waste band of her clothes. She couldn't rack my XDS in .45, but has no problem with a P227. Her 9mm stays in the safe "too heavy". She tried my .357 for a while but said it too was too heavy. I was looking at a pico for my wife when she grabbed the Kimber. She hits what she aims at with the Kimber. So, I'm not argueing.
     

    Bigtanker

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    My wife found that a full size (5" gov model) 1911 in 9mm is REAL easy to rack the slide. Especially if you cock the hammer first. It also has some weight behind it so recoil is very light. As mentioned above, the Witness Pavona is also very easy to work. My wife and I tried one out at our LSG. Decent trigger too.
     

    Brad69

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    .500 S&W seems appropriate!


    Really I always go back to a J,K,L frame Smith or clones with a mild .38 SWC.
    Easy to shoot and hard to mess up in a panic situation.
    Colt Detective would be nice but pricey.
    Autos are fine if a person wants to put the effort in training and practice.
    Revolvers ease of operation and simplicity seem to imply more confidence in new and infrequent shooters.
    In my opinion?
     
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    Areoflyer09

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    My wife found that a full size (5" gov model) 1911 in 9mm is REAL easy to rack the slide. Especially if you cock the hammer first. It also has some weight behind it so recoil is very light. As mentioned above, the Witness Pavona is also very easy to work. My wife and I tried one out at our LSG. Decent trigger too.

    I’m happily surprised by the Pavona. Given the price, I expected it either have a terrible trigger or issues. Shocking hers has neither. The trigger is right around 7lbs in DA and around 4lbs in SA. Long travel, but it’s smoother than expected and should get better.

    I’d buy one for myself before several other DA/SA options that I’ve tried.
     
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