Best Portland Area LGS For A Woman To Look At Handguns

[3MTA3]

Yet more 114 fallout... My female cousin is looking for pistols tomorrow to make a purchase before the December 7th deadline*. It's been a while since I took Mrs. 3M out shopping and the best place we went from the female perspective (OC Fred Meyer) no longer sells guns.

The places I mentioned were Northwest Armory for selection and Curt's even though they don't have a huge inventory. Mainly I want a place where she can find another female behind the counter so she won't have to deal with the male attitude I've heard many women complain about, plus the tendency of sales staff talking to her boyfriend instead of her.

I've advised that she avoid Kieth's as she won't get sales assistance and the sheithole place we all love on Foster.

I've already advised her on making sure it fir her hand, that she can rack the slide easily, etc..

I can't go with her so she is handicapped by her boyfriend who will try to talk into a Desert Eagle or whatever cool gun he used last on Call of Duty.

I need recommendations on places she can go where she will be listened to and get decent assistance. Thank you!




* the conversation went like
Her: So when does this crap law go into effect? January?
Me: December 8th, so after December 7th it will be a cluster. Without an injunction it will be a minimum of 6 months, and probably longer.
Her: If I wait how hard is it?
Me: Two day training course that you have to pay for then pay all the fees on top of. Then you wait however long they want before approval.
Her: I'm buying a gun tomorrow...

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[Lilhigbee]

Try Advance Firearm & Training in Gresham. Good shop, good selection, talk to Alicia.
https://greshamgunshop.com

 

[TTSX]

Hate to say it, she may be at the mercy of whatever's on the shelf, regardless of what Mr macho suggests

 

[3MTA3]

Hate to say it, she may be at the mercy of whatever's on the shelf, regardless of what Mr macho suggests

That's quite likely. I did tell her about a couple of pistols to look at. We do have a plan B that will get her a pistol in time to start the BGC before the 8th, but she wouldn't be able to try it out.

I'm 95% sure that an M&P Shield EZ will meet her needs, but want her to at least try it and several others like a P365 in that aprox size range.

I really wish I could have talked her into starting this sooner, but she had some things to deal with before she could turn her attention here.

 

[SouthernGirl]

I am a chapter leader for Armed Women of America and teach women regularly how to shoot handguns. Most will choose either the Shield 9 EZ or the Sig 365. Both are excellent. I don't know any ranges in your area that rents firearms. Sherwood has Threat Dynamics and several firearms to rent. I would be happy to help you any way I can.

 

[spookshack]

Safefire in Camas has rentals.

Range Rental Program – SafeFire

www.shootatsafefire.com

 

[Mikej]

In my experience with Wifey. Her having never really handled or shot a gun. Definitely don't get a mouse gun for a first gun. I'd say if the gal in question here has smaller "Girl Hands" even the Shield could be a little small and snappy in 9mm. Certainly .40 is too much. Much easier to handle a gun that might be a little big than a gun that's a little small.

 

[3MTA3]

I am a chapter leader for Armed Women of America and teach women regularly how to shoot handguns. Most will choose either the Shield 9 EZ or the Sig 365. Both are excellent. I don't know any ranges in your area that rents firearms. Sherwood has Threat Dynamics and several firearms to rent. I would be happy to help you any way I can.

Wow! Thank you! Those are the exact two I told her to take a look at, but to be open to anything that fits well and is easy enough for her to operate. Her hands are not very strong so I went over that the EZ was designed specifically to be easy to charge and operate.

I plan to hook her up with Threat Dynamics for some defense training later. She is relocating from Multnomah County to Clackamas in the next few months so will have a much easier time getting her carry permit.

 

[3MTA3]

In my experience with Wifey. Her having never really handled or shot a gun. Definitely don't get a mouse gun for a first gun. I'd say if the gal in question here has smaller "Girl Hands" even the Shield could be a little small and snappy in 9mm. Certainly .40 is too much. Much easier to handle a gun that might be a little big than a gun that's a little small.

Sage advice, there. My wife and I both have Shield 9's as our carry guns. For us they are comfortable to shoot, and for some reason have less felt recoil than our full size version. I think it's the lower barrel with respect to the grip reducing the leverage.

When she gets her carry permit she is likely to use a purse holster, so she does have some latitude on size. There are also some slightly larger models in the EZ line.

 

[Unicykle]

I know nobody likes Keith's but that's about the only place you're going to find a selection right now. I know the cool factor is low but don't disregard revolvers there are some decent Smith and Wesson 22 revolvers that hold eight maybe 10 I can't remember rounds. It's an extremely shootable pistol and caliber for women they tend to have very small grips which fit women's hands you got no slide to mess with you got no safety to mess with

 

[WillametteWill]

Wow! Thank you! Those are the exact two I told her to take a look at, but to be open to anything that fits well and is easy enough for her to operate. Her hands are not very strong so I went over that the EZ was designed specifically to be easy to charge and operate.

I plan to hook her up with Threat Dynamics for some defense training later. She is relocating from Multnomah County to Clackamas in the next few months so will have a much easier time getting her carry permit.

In my best Joe Pesci, My Cousin Vinny, impression, "She is smart, and cute too." I might be biased since we are married. Good on you for helping your cousin. She will benefit from your advice. And yes, keep her away from most Call of Duty gold guns and little revolvers.

 

[DirectDrive]

Safefire in Camas has rentals.

Range Rental Program – SafeFire

www.shootatsafefire.com

This is the first place that I'd take her.
Let her open a rental ticket and try the various pistols/revolvers.
Then hit the gun shops when she knows what she wants.

My wife did this, even took a class.
After an extended try-out period she liked Glock G43 best and shot G43 best.

 

[OldPewPews]

This is the first place that I'd take her.
Let her open a rental ticket and try the various pistols/revolvers.
Then hit the gun shops when she knows what she wants.

3rd recommendation for SafeFire. The rental fee is one time and you can try out a gun, take it back to the desk and swap it for another, rinse and repeat as many times as you like at no extra cost. (You do have to purchase their ammo though.)

It's a very well set up, professionally-managed range and I've never experienced anything other than great service/treatment from the desk staff and the RSOs.

 

[spookshack]

I did the rental recently and a box of 50rds was $24.95. All in all, still way cheaper to test out several guns vs buying one and finding out that you don't like it.

I already had a good idea about the Sig P365XL but glad I rented it any way. It confirmed my initial thoughts on buying one.

 

[ValleyAR]

smith and wesson mp ez, call it done.

super 'EZ' and perfect for my lady (she loves hers and carries in her Fossill purse) has manual safety.

nwarmory is picked dry. Cabelas has lots but prepare to wait

SW M&P9 SHIELD EZ PRTD SLVR TS, 13225

www.nwarmory.com

https://www.cabelas.com/SearchDisplay#q=ez&f%5Bretailstoreinventory%5D=S459

 

[3MTA3]

smith and wesson mp ez, call it done.

super 'EZ' and perfect for my lady (she loves hers and carries in her Fossill purse) has manual safety.

nwarmory is picked dry. Cabelas has lots but prepare to wait

SW M&P9 SHIELD EZ PRTD SLVR TS, 13225

www.nwarmory.com

https://www.cabelas.com/SearchDisplay#q=ez&f%5Bretailstoreinventory%5D=S459

Thanks for the info! I figured as such and did mention the larger EZ as well.

 

[DirectDrive]

smith and wesson mp ez, call it done.

super 'EZ' and perfect for my lady (she loves hers and carries in her Fossill purse) has manual safety.

nwarmory is picked dry. Cabelas has lots but prepare to wait

SW M&P9 SHIELD EZ PRTD SLVR TS, 13225

www.nwarmory.com

https://www.cabelas.com/SearchDisplay#q=ez&f%5Bretailstoreinventory%5D=S459

No, that's what you don't want to do.
"The Man" picks for the "lady".
It is cultural, lots of us do it, but it is folly.

Turn the women loose to do their own "picking" for best results.
It helps get them more involved with shooting activities and the prospect of concealed carry.
The wife would come home from SafeFire with all of her targets to show me and all labeled with the different models of guns.
This went on for several weeks.....she enjoyed the rental program at SafeFire.
My wife shot the EZ (rental) extensively and turned out that she liked the Glock G43 better.
The "Tryout List"
G43
S&W EZ (9mm/380)
P365
P238
P938
LC9s
G19
She is petite and had no trouble racking the G43 slide.
The EZ's slide is easier to rack, no doubt.

Not recommending the G43, just that there are plenty of different handguns to try out.

 

[3MTA3]

No, that's what you don't want to do.
"The Man" picks for the "lady".
It is cultural, lots of us do it, but it is folly.

Turn the women loose to do their own "picking" for best results.
It helps get them more involved with shooting activities and the prospect of concealed carry.
The wife would come home from SafeFire with all of her targets to show me and all labeled with the different models of guns.
This went on for several weeks.....she enjoyed the rental program at SafeFire.
My wife shot the EZ (rental) extensively and turned out that she liked the Glock G43 better.
The "Tryout List"
G43
S&W EZ (9mm/380)
P365
P238
P938
LC9s
G19
She is petite and had no trouble racking the G43 slide.
The EZ's slide is easier to rack, no doubt.

Not recommending the G43, just that there are plenty of different handguns to try out.

Time is the problem, otherwise I would take her to some rental places like that. Because she has fairly weak hands due to a medical condition the ability to easily charge the pistol would be a high priority for her. We have also talked revolvers, but she wants easy concealment.

I'd LOVE to see an injunction soon and slow down the train a bit. All firearms are a compromise you just need to find the one with the fewest big ones.

 

[ValleyAR]

No, that's what you don't want to do.
"The Man" picks for the "lady".
It is cultural, lots of us do it, but it is folly.

sorry i didnt elaborate, for what its worth my lady found and picked the EZ herself.

and my assumptions are a lot of women will like this firearm because of size, ease of use, and safety features. and sure, shes gotta try it on in the store first.

For me (from first hand experience) its easy to recommend this to try out for a first time female firearm purchase instead of listing a sea of gun options during a gun rush.

also from my lady, "glocks are ugly" lol.

 

[nwslopoke]

Don't overlook BiMart. Can't vouch for each one. My local stores have a lot of women running the counter.