Pistol for my wife 9mm compact or 380

[TeacherMan]

For valentines day I want to get my wife a pistol for her purse. She doesn't carry a large purse and is only about 120 pounds. Which one would you pick. I know the 9mm has more power but the 380 would be more concealable in her purse. Which would you get, and what model.

thanks

[Huntbear]

I would look at the Walther's and the mini Glocks.  Both are great guns, in either caliber, for her.

[docsven]

Get a compact .45 and buy her a bigger purse...or the 9mm

[markts]

Mywifes purse is 120lbs too Mark

[Huntbear]

Mywifes purse is 120lbs too Mark

Now that is funny!!!!!   

[rasbo]

none of those for my wife,38 air weight no thumb...wont fail.no thinking involved in a fight or flight situation,point and pull....... good luck,love to see the women packing...

[Hunterman]

I like the .380. Thats what my carries. On her hip and NOT in her purse. If some punk comes up and steals her purse,,they also have her gun..Not good..Teach her to keep the gun out of her purse,not a good idea..

Hunterman(Tony)

[Shootmoore]

Rule #1  ~ Get what she will carry the most often.

Rule #2  ~ Get the one that she will enjoy using which ='s becoming proficient in its use.  One must practice with a carry gun, because under stress one will fall back on training.  No training ='s who knows what will happen.

That being said, I would suggest the G26.  For the size difference it is minimal.  Accuracy is much greater, it also handles better in my opinion and more enjoyable to shoot.  While it is heavier G26 about 26.7 oz loaded vs about 11.7 oz loaded it is holding a better round. 

Here is a couple of visual comparisons to size.







Shootmoore

[runamuk]

......I figure any pistol is better than nothing.....maybe I am wrong...but I am not thinking I would enjoy shooting a .45 just watching people shoot them makes me wince....I don't want to carry something I wont practice with...I'd rather learn to shoot something small well 

Mywifes purse is 120lbs too Mark

Now that is funny!!!!!   

you two are funny 

[Shootmoore]

I like the .380. Thats what my carries. On her hip and NOT in her purse. If some punk comes up and steals her purse,,they also have her gun..Not good..Teach her to keep the gun out of her purse,not a good idea..

Hunterman(Tony)

This is also good advise right here.  What is the target of a thief towards a female?  Now I am talking a thief not a perv or something else.  Its the purse, why keep your self defense on something that can be taken away?  Learn to carry on your person if at all possible.

Shootmoore

[ICEMAN]

none of those for my wife,38 air weight no thumb...wont fail.no thinking involved in a fight or flight situation,point and pull....... good luck,love to see the women packing...

I agree. Get a smith airweight, no muss no fuss. Aim and shoot.

[TeacherMan]

It all started when a lady my wife knows got held up at one of her favorite coffee stands and the lady pulled out her 9mm and put it in the kids face. Made Krem 2 in Spokane. The kid took off and the cops got him. She really likes the look of a semi auto. I have the M&P 40 and she likes it but its to big for her. She has a 4.5 ring size to let you know how small her hands are, lol. She got a new ring for Valentiens also  Any way I like the 9mm better but I want her to carry it, I know she would always have the little 380 on her. She doesn't like a revolver, looks, but what ever, I just want her to carry it.

[huntnphool]

My wife carries a .380 and loves it.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=156317802

[Buckmark]

If small, concealable, carry and .380 are what it needs to be then the Ruger LCP or even the Kel-Tec P-3AT fit the bill.
But rember, these guns are designed to be carried with the chamber empty, especially if carried inside a purse.
If you can talk to her about it the small frame revolvers (j-frames, air weights) are really the easiest to carry and use for most women, easy to load, unload and fire...
There could be a time that you may only have 1 free hand and only be able to pull and shoot.
The small frame type .380's are designed as backup guns, that can be drawn if needed and racked for use.

[hillbilli]

well if your woman doesnt like the revolvers, then the .38's are out. would like to recommend a 9mm, ammo availability, practice ammo price, more power than .380, etc. -but the choice of gun is more important for her in those two calibers than the choice of caliber. if you get a kel or ruger lcp (10 oz /.380) she'll barely be able to get 2 fingers on the gun, and it will kick. A mid size .380 like the bersa thunder- wont kick much and she'll be able to get all her fingers on it. if you get a superlight very small 9.. like the smallest kahr, kel-tec, or the new walther- again it may be so small and light for a 9- that the recoil and her grip on it arent user friendly. a slightly larger, but still compact 9-(i have a kahr k-9) is a good middle ground. the glock 26, or the springfield xd sub- are the same length and height as the kahr, but thicker, and she may have to put the little grip extension on the mag to get her whole hand on it. (not neccisarily a bad thing) both are pretty user friendly. Ideally go someplace where she can handle and shoot the different one, and see what she likes and shoots well- as thts the reall deciding factor, or should be. if you were out towards whidbey island she could shoot my xd sub or k9 to see what she thought.