Well I was close. I figured either top center or left end or right end

Speaking of-- are the guys on the left end and the right end your left and right hand man?

Hows buisness with the drought and all?

 

Been there done that HA HA HA
On one phone with a Vendor and on the other with the customer

Or on one phone conducting business and the wife on the other phone making sure I'm conducting business

 

I'm currently looking for a .380 for Tara, I think it's perfect size for her to feel comfortable without too much recoil to make her weary of using it.

 

About should have gone under in 2011 but to hardheadedness. Impossible to sell tractors & mowers when there is no green grass.
Bill

 

Your logic is sound - that was the handgun I had my wife first shoot (and for the same reason). I've only got one .380 bought back in 1981 before they fell out of favor only to come back years later and regain a lot of their lost popularity (thanks to some manufacturers such as Ruger, Kel-Tec, Kahr and a few others). I've got a Sterling Arms Model 400 MkII (long out of production now) but a sweet little shooter (do a Google 'Images' search). My only complaint is that .380 ammo is too expensive for what it is. I keep mine loaded for home defense (HD) with Gold Dots or Hornaby hollow points so it's good to go.

Someone asked for 1911 recommendations; I've got a .45 which is a great shooting gun. It's a S&W Model 108282 Stainless Steel (satin finish) but it's a full sized 5" barrel - deadly accurate (pardon the pun). I think S&W does their typically fantastic job on their line of 1911s. But then again, I'm just not sure you can go wrong with virtually anyone's Model 1911. Just keep in mind, they're canons and not for the faint of heart!

Probably more practicable is the 9mm caliber; not as much recoil as a 45, very popular round (you can find the ammo anywhere) and it's a very economically priced ammunition. Several different styles and makes of gun use this popular NATO round - so it's going to be "on the scene" virtually forever. Lots of popular styles of 9mm out there - including some 1911 style guns - lots of different manufacturers (almost all make a 9mm). The 9mm I use the most is my Glock Model 19.

Other guns I've got experience with are a small Baretta Model 21A {Bobcat, .22 cal} with CT Laseer - a blast to shoot (pun intended); an old Taurus Model 82 revolver loaded with .38 Spcl Hornaby's Self Defense rounds (it's the one I keep by my bed); another S&W revolver, a Model 686 (357 magnum & can obviously shoot .38 Spcl+P ammo too). That's enough for now w/o getting into my long guns (Texas is a great gun state in which to live: Come and Take It).

 

[quote=Houston Cowgirl;11226071
BUT, I can list mine - I just bought myself a S&W Bodyguard 38 spc. 5 shot with a laser. Nice compact little gun that fits in a purse. No hammer so you can't get that caught on anything. Nifty little protector. [/quote]

Nice choice. Do you carry a speed loader in case something bad happens and you need to reaload?


Careful. They're like Lays potato chips. Bet you can't have only one. Being made in Texas is just a bonus.


Better in low light or dark than during daylight. It's got a friggin laser. How do you think it shoots? The wife has a charter arms 38 with crimson trace grips. Snubbies aren't great at long range, but they are great at self defense, especially with the laser grips.

The little 380 pocket pistols I've fired feel like they have more kick than a full size 45. I'd suggest you let Tara fire a few different types of weapons and see what she likes. The little bitty 380's or 9mm's seem to be worse. The 5 shot 38 is a great little pistol without much recoil, but my wife's favorite is her Browning Hi-Power in 9mm.

 

Chris
Thats a nice looking gun right there. My wife really liked the 38 revolver over the 9mm. The 9mm she has kicks too much just like you said. But that one there is a beauty.

But I am pretty sure she wants a revolver again.

 

What 9mm did she have Rock? When it comes to recoil, size matters.

 

Actually I think that theres something wrong with that gun. Its just too random on the shot pattern.

Its a Taurus Millennium Pro 111.

Im gonna get rid if it and get her something else. She was just more comfortable with the revolver and the closed hammer would make her more comfortable toting around. So thats what were looking at. However your wifes gun looks sweet. Does she CHL with it?

 

I think a wheel gun is easier for a woman. I was carrying a S&W 44 Mag for a bit and it's WAY too big. Then I carried a 9Mil but don't care for the automatics. Recoil and kick don't bother me - weight for me is the issue. If I have to shoot someone I don't care what I have as long as it stops them. But to haul it around in your purse all the time is another story.

I didn't get a reloader but have thought about. I just got the gun so haven't even shot it yet. But it's loaded with hollow points and in my purse. I'll let you know what I think of it when I fire it.

 

I'll start by saying I'm a fan of JMB and tend to have a preference towards his designs, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but at the same time, I've fired more weapons than many due to the time I spent working for my uncle. 22 shorts are the smallest I've shot and 81mm is the largest I've personally shot, unless you count radio transmissions then we can get into 155mm and air support

Anyway, I've always felt the 1911 and the Hi-Power more naturally point toward the target and just feel right when shooting them. Dropping below a 4 1/4" barrel seems to have a drastic impact on felt recoil with a semi-auto pistol. Also, the smaller the grip, the worse the felt recoil.

The Hi-Power is a full size pistol and harder to carry if someone has a smaller frame. The 38 special my wife has is one of the airweight types and easy to carry, doesn't have bad recoil, but for some reason she just doesn't like to shoot it as much. I'm thinking sights have a lot to do with it.

If we're going to get into a carry question, the simple answer is anything carried is better than the one left at home. Often times this means having one pistol that is fun to shoot at the range and another that might not be as enjoyable, but is easy to carry and always around. If she ever gets in the situation that she needs the pistol, felt recoil or it shooting a little off won't really matter much when the SHTF.

If she likes the idea of a lightweight revolver, don't be scared of that. It's a good choice and easy to carry. The Hi-Power (practical model) my wife has is a nice pistol, as it some of the 1911 style 9mm you can get now, but both of those are single action pistols. Some newer hi-powers can be purchased as DA/SA, but all the traditional styles are SA, which means they are typically carried condition one, which is something not everyone is comfortable doing.

The Hi-Power still makes for a great pistol to have even if you don't carry it. My wife qualified for her CHL with mine, and was pretty much never going to give it back till we got her one of her own.

 

Tara has fired between a .22LR pistol and my 45 colt DA Revolver... I think .380 would fall in between that Right??. She just thinks after firing that .22LR that it's just to "soft" but that was the first piece she has EVER shot and then mine was the 2nd.

 

Of course the more I take her to shoot the more she will feel comfortable with anything, But her saying shes was scared to shoot mine meant there is a chance at hesitation when it would be necessary, and that's never good.

 

Depends on the 45 and the 380 I guess. I think the Sig P238 / Colt Mustang in 380 has worse felt recoil than a 1911 lightweight commander in 45. If your colt 45 DA is a full size pistol, then the "kick" on the 380 will be much more. The "push back" will be more from the 45, but it's typically the "kick" that folks worry about.

Typically a larger size pistol in 9mm or one of the snub nose 38's are easier to shoot than the little 380's. A lot of that has to do with the size of the grip.

Many ranges have rental pistols. I'd suggest you both go and try out some different things so everyone has a better idea of what each one feels like before you buy. But again, fun to shoot and easy to carry are not always the same thing.

 

I've shot the 380 before, i can't remember the brand I've shot the 357 S&W also, and a taurus 9mm, and the 45 ACP. So I wouldn't say I am a complete stranger to fire arms, Still have a lot to learn, but the idea of them having rentals to shoot, I never knew that, that's an awesome idea. You're right about the carry vs. fun to shoot also. I wanted to get her the snub nose 38 but she didn't like the "look" of it. it's beginning to seem like maybe she need (like me) some mo edumacation in it. HA HA HA Either way I'm not getting her anything til I know she feels comfortable with it, and has had more time on the range also. She was a decent shot once she got the fear out of the way of even having a pistol in her hands in the first place, of course showing her things like this, no wonder i have her afraid to try a higher caliber piece
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