Guns for HD duty??

[Goat Herder]

My wife and I had some discussion on HD pistol and what she would use when I am not home. After trying out a few semi-auto pistols of various sizes, we came to the conclusion that anything involving a magazine and racking the slide is too much for my wife. DA/SA, decoder, hammer, one in the chamber, etc all are just too much information for her. Not to mention that she doesn't have enough strength to rack the slide and comfortably/confidently manipulate the pistol's functions.

That is, until we tried a revolver in .38 Special at the range the other day (S&W Lady Smith and Ruger SP101). She really like how simple it is where you can just pick it up and shoot. The revolver is always "loaded" always ready. You can easily pop open the cylinder to check the ammo. It's what my wife would feel confident around. Something for the OP to consider.

EDIT: both revolvers we tried can handle 357 Magnum and 38 Special. Perfect for him and her.

 

[just dan]

i've thought about this a lot...

i've a .357, but don't like it for HD; i've got kids in the house, that thing goes through even my thick plaster walls like a hot knife through butter.

i've an early CZ 75 (pre-b) that i can happily rely upon with my and my family's lives. t's never far from my side. 9mm may not be the "most effective" round... but it's the one i'm the most proficient with... and i've personally shot at least 10k rounds through this exact pistol... stationary and moving targets, competitions, etc. if i could only have one gun, this would be it. (nevermind the part where it's a 3lb chunk of steel)

but the wife? she can't shoot it for bubblegum. no desire to practice with it. none.
we tried different things... everything else in the safe...
then came the 16GA. i dont want to be on the business end of that thing when shes handling it, because damn she's good with it.

 

[Solomon]

Out of those options I'd definitely go with the Sig SP2022 in 9mm. Very underrated guns. Also I believe CDNN has them for $399 right now.

 

[jimbash]

dan i know you dont like the 357 for HD but you can always drop down to 38 sp loads for it and if you feel like it will still go thru the walls then use air safe or glaser safety slugs in it. both are designed so there is no over penetration. and since your wife cant shoot the cz for bubble gum im almost willing to bet she could handle the 357 with the 38's in it.

 

[just dan]

that 357, with .38spc in it... almost have to double check to see if it fired... can hardly feel a thing at all. i'd have thought she would be ok with it, but wasnt her thing.

the thing with that... it has 6 rounds. 6 that are about as effective as the CZ with 17 rounds.
when we're camping, though... hot .357 loads and its under my pillow.

 

[mjbskwim]

Three cheap guns, and a 1911. This isn't really a list of guns I'd go with personally, and I would focus less on trying to stash 4 guns throughout the house. Instead think about other security to give you time and stash one or two in appropriate locations.
Look at- Glock, Springfield XD/XDM, Sig P226/229, S&W M&P, etc.

Three cheap guns,

My first thought.
Never buy a gun because it's cheap. Always save up for a better gun. Or buy a glock.

Has your wife shot a 40 cal? Some don't like the 40 because it's too snappy? ( I shoot 45s and 10mm so it doesn't bother me much) so maybe take her to rent one first.

I would also have to question the logic of stashing guns everywhere instead of having one on her person..?

But it should be the one she likes best and shoots the best.

 

[Spad]

The Sig 2022/9mm. You can get it with night sights, has different changeable grips. I have one,under rated pistol right now.Great quality. Super low price.You cannot go wrong...Spad

 

[hillbilli]

my ati 1911 broke both an ejector and an extractor in the first 600 rds.. so yeah I would be leery of that.. my xd's, glock, and kahr have been reliable.. and sigs are not a bad thing. Folks like the secret service and seals that can buy anything buy sigs..