What kind of handguns do you have?

[crazybull]

I recently got a new Springfield XD-40 for myself and a Walther P22 for my wife.  Both seem to shoot very well and the P22 is perfect for my wife.  After I get my FFL I'm planning on getting her something for CCW but since she's a very small woman it'll have to be something in a low cal. maybe a 380 or 38 special.  If anyone has any recommendations let me know so i can check em out.

[Ohio farms]

For my CCW I have a S&W 642 38 special revolver with a crimson trace lazer sight. It's a great gun for concealment, but not a lot of fun to shoot. Lots of felt recoil in your hand partly due to the light weight. My S&W 357 is much more comfortable to shoot. You pay a price for the lightweights, at least in revolvers. Might want to look at semi-autos rather than revolvers.
Dennis

[Wanderer]

crazybull,
If you're looking to get into a .45 cal for CCW, you should check out the Kimber CDP II. They're a little pricey, but it's an easy gun to fall in love with.

[mightyfofaad]

ORIGINAL: crazybull

I recently got a new Springfield XD-40 for myself and a Walther P22 for my wife.  Both seem to shoot very well and the P22 is perfect for my wife.  After I get my FFL I'm planning on getting her something for CCW butsince she's a very small woman it'll have to be something in a low cal. maybe a 380 or 38 special.  If anyone has any recommendations let me know so i can check em out.

Both the 380 & 38 are mid range pistols & ones I'd personally feel are minimal for self defense. However, both the 380 auto & 38 snub have a substantial kick, particularly for a smaller person just moving up to that caliber.

I have both among others variants. My 380 is the Walther PPK/S in S/S. Altho a heavy pistol for it's size, it has a good kick & anytime you loosen your grip, when it recycles, that serrated hammer will come back & take a nice bite out of the webbing between your thumb & fore finger; & that's with regular ammo. I usually use & would recommend Magtech's Golden +P series which is about 20% more powerful than regular ammo.

If you're looking to get a 38 snub nose, I would recommend an all steel model, like the Colt Detective Special. It's extra weight makes it much more controllable than the alloy variants; especially when fired in the single action mode.

Remember, 380 or 38, the smaller & lighter the gun, the more unpleasant your wife will find it. If too unpleasant, she won't want to use it. I don't know where you live, but in some states the gun shops with ranges will rent you a gun to try out. If she can try out the gun before you buy it, you can't go wrong. [:)]

[Wolfman]

ORIGINAL: mightyfofaad

ORIGINAL: crazybull

I recently got a new Springfield XD-40 for myself and a Walther P22 for my wife.  Both seem to shoot very well and the P22 is perfect for my wife.  After I get my FFL I'm planning on getting her something for CCW butsince she's a very small woman it'll have to be something in a low cal. maybe a 380 or 38 special.  If anyone has any recommendations let me know so i can check em out.

Both the 380 & 38 are mid range pistols & ones I'd personally feel are minimal for self defense. However, both the 380 auto & 38 snub have a substantial kick, particularly for a smaller person just moving up to that caliber.

I have both among others variants. My 380 is the Walther PPK/S in S/S. Altho a heavy pistol for it's size, it has a good kick & anytime you loosen your grip, when it recycles, that serrated hammer will come back & take a nice bite out of the webbing between your thumb & fore finger; & that's with regular ammo. I usually use & would recommend Magtech's Golden +P series which is about 20% more powerful than regular ammo.

If you're looking to get a 38 snub nose, I would recommend an all steel model, like the Colt Detective Special. It's extra weight makes it much more controllable than the alloy variants; especially when fired in the single action mode.

Remember, 380 or 38, the smaller & lighter the gun, the more unpleasant your wife will find it. If too unpleasant, she won't want to use it. I don't know where you live, but in some states the gun shops with ranges will rent you a gun to try out. If she can try out the gun before you buy it, you can't go wrong. [:)]

[font="Courier New"] Very good advice. I too use Magtech's +P ammo for the same reasons you do. However, although you'll find Magtech makes the more powerful .38, 380, 9mm, .44 & .45, if you check, you will find Cor-Bon makes the most powerful .40 ammo.[/font]

[D A Smith]

HIgh Standard .22 Bullseye Target semi-auto, Ruger single 6 (flat gate) .22lr only, both good for target shooting and small game hunting.  S&W Military&Police .38spl 4", S&W .32 Long snubnose self defense, small game hunting and PPC Target competetion (38spl.).  S&W Highway Patrolman .357 mag. with custom 8" barrel, hunting.  All these were my fathers except the .38 which was my Grandfathers and all passed down.  I added a S&W .357 Comat Magnum 4" and a S&W model 29 .44 magnum 6" used both to take whitetail deer.