Opinions & Suggestions Requested

[Larrytpdx]

Giving it more thought, kieep the 9mm and, if she has reason to be concerned about animals, she should carry it in a cross chest holster so she can get to it very quickly and take full advantage of having a high capacity magazine.

 

[PDX1953]

She's in CA so she's limited to 10 +1 and she's buying a drop leg holster. Her boobs would get in the way of a chest holster. Not trying to be funny - it's just the truth.

 

[Larrytpdx]

Her boobs would get in the way of a chest holster. Not trying to be funny - it's just the truth.

Not a bad problem to have.

 

[Joe13]

I'm footing the bill so I'm not going to let her see my Nighthawk Custom

Just saw that

Glock 9mm maybe?

 

[PDX1953]

Just saw that

Glock 9mm maybe?

Glock something most likely - maybe a Sig but CA doesn't allow Gen 4 Glocks. Apparently Glock refused to microstamp the chambers, firing pins or whatever other area some idiot politician came up with.

 

[PaulB47]

She's had operations on both wrists so they're not as as strong as a 50 y.o. woman's might be and her reason for a larger caliber is because there have been occasional sightings of cougars & black bears.

So she can't take recoil? The question that remains, is if she can handle weight. Because, the way to reduce recoil is to add weight...

A good heavy 9mm pistol (e.g. CZ75) stoked with reduced loads should do the job. Recoil spring should be reduced. Or go with a big heavy revolver and shoot light loads - e.g. a big steel Smith 629 (or even better, a Dan Wesson 744) shooting light .44 Spl or even .44 Russian loads. Finally she might look at that Chiappa Rhino which must take the twist out of the recoil pretty well.

My Dan Wesson, with the 8" barrel on it, shoots full power .44 mag loads like a small gun shoots .22LR...

 

[pietro beretta]

I have half a dozen friends in Chico that want to know how the heck your buddy in Oroville got a CCW... or you didn't say she had a permit, you simply said she likes to carry an S&W while hiking..

 

[PDX1953]

So she can't take recoil? The question that remains, is if she can handle weight. Because, the way to reduce recoil is to add weight...

A good heavy 9mm pistol (e.g. CZ75) stoked with reduced loads should do the job. Recoil spring should be reduced. Or go with a big heavy revolver and shoot light loads - e.g. a big Smith steel 629 (or even better, a Dan Wesson 744) shooting light .44 Spl or even .44 Russian loads. Finally she might look at that Chiappa Rhino which must take the twist out of the recoil pretty well.

Yes - she can handle the weight and that's one of the avenues we're exploring. She isn't fond of revolvers because the most they'll hold is 8 rounds. She lives in CA so she's limited to 10 +1 in a pistol and swapping mags would be faster than a speedloader.

The first time I saw a Chiappa was on a TV show & some woman spy carried it (Covert Affairs?). I thought it was a joke but when I actually looked into it the design makes sense. They're not cheap but they are unique.

I found a range in Chico - about an hour from her place. They run a special on Monday & Thursday evenings from 5 - 8. You buy a box of their very overpriced ammo - $30 min. for a box of .40 cal - & they let you shoot any of their guns & don't charge any range time. A box of .45's is a bit under $50 but considering the total investment it's not a bad way to figure out what you like & don't like. It's certainly less expensive than buying a gun you end up hating. I'll probably be in her area in mid-April so we can go shopping then.

 

[PDX1953]

I have half a dozen friends in Chico that want to know how the heck your buddy in Oroville got a CCW... or you didn't say she had a permit, you simply said she likes to carry an S&W while hiking..

She doesn't have a CCW but they're being handed out right & left now in most areas of CA. My son lives in Sacramento & his Sheriff OK's them all the time. I'd think the Butte County Sheriff would do the same unless he's a real jerk. It's not cheap and/or easy to get the first one but once you jump thru all of the hoops they shouldn't have a problem.

I lived in Sacramento from Dec. '82 - May -'93 & carried illegally all the time. It's the only place I've ever pointed a gun at someone & when the mouth & his three buddies heard the hammer cock & saw the muzzle they decided to go somewhere else - quickly.

 

[Hook686]

If the 'Scandium & Titanium S&W .44 mag' is a 329PD, it works nicely with .44 Special. Light, easy to shoot recoil much like a .357 magnum low recoil. If she can hold a heavier gun the 629 Classic 6-1/2" is even easier on recoil. I think the .44 Special superior to the .40 S&W, or the .45acp.

 

[NWGlockgal]

I've heard the same opinions about the 'snap' vs. 'push' and will discuss it with her. A 10mm would be too big and although she could get an 8-round .357 she wants to be able to reload quickly if required and is more comfortable with a pistol.

I just discovered an indoor range with rental guns about 45 minutes from her house. She's quite comfortable with handguns so I'm going to suggest she try .40 & .45 full size Glocks. Being in CA she's limited to 10 rd magazines +1 in the chamber so that has to be figured into the mix as well. If I install a TacRack on a Glock it'll take some of the stress off her wrists. She'll wear a drop-leg holster while hiking & if she gets her CHL she'll probably carry her current 9mm.

I appreciate your thoughts & comments.

I have arthritis so I usually don't shoot anything beyond a 9mm.
However, I prefer .45 over .40 when I do "go big"
Less painful and easier to control.
I would suggest-and I can't believe I'm saying this-not to get a Glock.
Get something with some more weight to it, a steel not a polymer frame.
I recently shot both a Glock 21 and an old S&W 1911PD. The Glock was
not pleasant to shoot. The 1911 was great...it didn't seem much different
from shooting a 9mm.

 

[KeepnitReel]

I'm surprised no ones mentioned anything about good porting. My buddy has the Springfield V10 45 subcompact. It's amazing the recoil on that pistol in such a small frame. I would think the strength she has in the horizontal recoil is extremely strong and that's all that pistol has is straight back recoil.

I might be completely wrong and the guys here are extremely knowledgeable, but when I shoot my SW 40 and then shoot his 45 --------- night and day. Flash issues at night I can understand could be a issues, but I just close my eyes and shoot anyways.

 

[PDX1953]

If the 'Scandium & Titanium S&W .44 mag' is a 329PD, it works nicely with .44 Special. Light, easy to shoot recoil much like a .357 magnum low recoil. If she can hold a heavier gun the 629 Classic 6-1/2" is even easier on recoil. I think the .44 Special superior to the .40 S&W, or the .45acp.

It's a Scandium & Titanium .44 Mag 329 PC model that was ported & has an engraved mainspring. It's one of 270 that have been recalled due to the possibility of the frame breaking in half so I'm trying to get it for the "oddities" portion of my collection but it won't be fired by her or anyone else. The photo is of a 329 PD but the affected 329 PC's break in about the same place.

 

[Hook686]

It's a Scandium & Titanium .44 Mag 329 PC model that was ported & has an engraved mainspring. It's one of 270 that have been recalled due to the possibility of the frame breaking in half so I'm trying to get it for the "oddities" portion of my collection but it won't be fired by her or anyone else. The photo is of a 329 PD but the affected 329 PC's break in about the same place.

View attachment 280117

The Performance Center puts out some very nice hand guns. 1 of 270 ... I can understand your wanting it. It must have some significant collector value. I have the 329 and am not a collector. It sure shoots .44 Specials very nicely. Good luck on adding this to your collection.

 

[Scott F]

That is because they couldn't handle 44 magnum rounds but 44 spl is a low pressure round and would be fine to shoot.

SAAMI specs have 44 mag @ 36,000psi vs. 44 spl @ 15,500psi.

This! She already has it and knows how to shoot it. The 44 Spl will do the job on and cougar and even though it would no be my first choice for a bear with the right bullet I would no hesitate to use it.

 

[clearconscience]

I would go with a heavy frame .357.
The .357 in a heavier frame should have a lot of recoil and a good amount of stopping power. With black bears your likely to scare them away just being noisy, shooting a 9mm will usually scare them away.

If you see a cougar it's probably on top of you chomping on your head so the caliber may not matter.

 

[GeorgeMasonFan]

Lots of great advice here. I have faced a similar situation and live in the mountains of Southern Oregon and Mom and Dad live near by. Mom won't carry a 9mm because she thinks it's too small to do anything, she saw a Kimber .45 Dad bought and ran down to buy one because she believed she had to have that small little .45. She doesn't get the fact that she's far more dangerous to innocent people because she can't control the BIG gun she wanted but being a product of the 60's she won't let reason and logic get in her way...

I wish you luck...