Pistol for my injured wife

[spookshack]

Beretta 80X Cheetah

Ergonomically redesigned for modern day carry, the Beretta 80X Cheetah Pistols includes a smaller Vertec style grip profile, X-treme S Double/Single trigger, skeletonized hammer, a 13+1 round capacity, and comes optics-ready out of the box. Learn More Today!

www.beretta.com

 

[Member 53328]

Going with a smaller gun isn't going to deescalate the amount of felt recoil…. If anything it's gunna do the opposite.

Or

Learn/train to shoot with the non dominant hand.

 

[Joe13]

Ok…

Not a new shooter so has the basics down so that's a huge plus.

In a self defense situation she won't feel anything until later so I wouldn't think recoil should be as big of an issue as is being brought up.

Get her a .22lr version of whatever she decides to carry for practice and odds are greatly in her favor of never having to pull the trigger on a higher caliber CC model.

Just my 2¢

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Sig p365 380acp with the XL grip module and 12 round mags or Ruger Security-380.

 

[bpyycpyy]

I'd suggest trying reduced load 9mm's in the P365 or better yet if you reload (or know someone who does) make some reduced load cartridges to try. Experiment with some different powders as they might also provide a different felt experience.

 

[po18guy]

The pistol would be for CC.

If they made a compact 5.7 pistol that might be an option.
I have not gone the 22mag direction thinking a .380 would be good. I didn't think of a 32.
Light and with the least recoil as that's what is killing her elbow. She won't spend enough time behind it to be good enough to shoot with her left hand. So it's back to the drawing board.
She loves her kahr. She likes the s&w ez but it's too snappy. And she feels like she "has to have a manual safety) even tho she knows and I've talked her out of a safety on her other guns.
Oh, since shooting my X-macro she wants a red dot.

.380s are generally horrible to shoot. The nature of the blowback action makes the recoil very snappy. My only experience is with a Sig P230 and it was actually unpleasant to shoot. I still say .22 Magnum and Mozambique drills. Almost any shot, and many othewr types of strikes or blows to the head of a perp will disorient, if not disable, IME.

 

[Paolung]

The pistol would be for CC.

If they made a compact 5.7 pistol that might be an option.
I have not gone the 22mag direction thinking a .380 would be good. I didn't think of a 32.
Light and with the least recoil as that's what is killing her elbow. She won't spend enough time behind it to be good enough to shoot with her left hand. So it's back to the drawing board.
She loves her kahr. She likes the s&w ez but it's too snappy. And she feels like she "has to have a manual safety) even tho she knows and I've talked her out of a safety on her other guns.
Oh, since shooting my X-macro she wants a red dot.

I'm going to break with what a lot of other folks are saying here and suggest an SP101

Since the frame is a little heavier than those cutesy little "air weight" pocket guns, shooting .38 SPL through it shouldn't have bad recoil at all, and Winchester Ranger .38 isn't a bad performing defensive load to boot.

Hornady 110g Critical Defense looks decent too.

.38 Special and .357 Magnum Self-Defense Ammo Ballistics Test - LuckyGunner.com Labs

We conducted ballistics gelatin tests for 38 self-defense revolver loads in 38 Special and 357 Magnum. Here are the full results along with photos and video

www.luckygunner.com

 

[OrPackrat]

Was at the shop today, saw a cool 380 pistol from Girsan, it's a double stack smaller beretta 92 Style pistol with a flip up barrel.

I'm tempted...

 

[spookshack]

Was at the shop today, saw a cool 380 pistol from Girsan, it's a double stack smaller beretta 92 Style pistol with a flip up barrel.

I'm tempted...

This one perhaps?

 

[Hueco]

Why not a P365 in .380?

GunBroker.com - Error

Or just the exchange kit.

CAL-X KIT, P365-380, 3.1", BLACK

Everything you need to convert your P365 to shoot 380AUTO.

www.sigsauer.com

Was going to say this as well.

If she loves the p365 platform, get the components to swap it over to .380.

Icarus makes an aluminum frame for it if she ends up wanting something more substantial or wants more help in reducing the felt recoil further.

 

[Member 66129]

My wife isn't a new shooter. She loves her kahr and absolutely loves my sig p365macro. But the recoil of the 9mm kills her injured elbow. It hasn't been the same since an accident three years ago.
I'm looking at the lcp max for her. I carry a lcp when I don't carry the sig.

Any other good suggestions?
Ty

P365 w/ a PMMC comp will kick a lot less than the Macro, but it will be the same size.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Ruger LCR .38 and target wadcutters.

 

[MikeInOr]

.380s are generally horrible to shoot. The nature of the blowback action makes the recoil very snappy. My only experience is with a Sig P230 and it was actually unpleasant to shoot. I still say .22 Magnum and Mozambique drills. Almost any shot, and many othewr types of strikes or blows to the head of a perp will disorient, if not disable, IME.

I very much agree. Blowback pistols aren't very fun to shoot in any caliber. This is the beauty of the Browning 1911-380. It uses the 1911 locked breach design which tames the 380 cartridge down to 22mag levels. It is a fantastic pistol for anyone that has recoil issues!
They are expensive but still sell. There is a reason people are willing to pay a premium for them.
The Browning 1911-380 is also slim and light weight making it easy to carry.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Possibly something in 32 ACP?
There are lots of options from surplus European police pistols. Beretta, Walther, CZ.
32 ACP was good enough for European police and military from World War I all the way through the 1980s.
Just a thought, since it technically is powerful enough to stop a threat with a couple well-placed torso shots. But recoil is very light compared to 380 or 9 MM.

Beretta 81 is a solid choice Or you could go with the classics, like a colt 1903. 32acp is a significant drop in recoil and is what I would carry if injured. Also the guns from around the time of the great war are sized more for someone with smaller hands. (something I find useful)

I am a p365 carrier primarily, but I am also confident enough in my aim to feel safe with a .32
cz had the model 50 & 70 as well that are solid guns.

 

[Paolung]

I very much agree. Blowback pistols aren't very fun to shoot in any caliber. This is the beauty of the Browning 1911-380. It uses the 1911 locked breach design which tames the 380 cartridge down to 22mag levels. It is a fantastic pistol for anyone that has recoil issues!
They are expensive but still sell. There is a reason people are willing to pay a premium for them.
The Browning 1911-380 is also slim and light weight making it easy to carry.

It's on my list. If I was gonna snag a .380, this would be the one.

 

[elitejake]

I def am in the camp of small 380s are snappy. I carry a lcp and she said that wasn't bad. I have massive paws that most guns fit. But yes I'm thinking the form factor of a 365 with a comp in 380 might be a winner. The weak hand is not an option bc of a serous issue from child hood. I love my wife but dammit she came broken. It's some thing we have worked around and she can operate a pistol left handed, but not past touching distance.
The revolver and reduced loads will work. I have done that for her 38spl and her kahr. The reduced loads are a bugger in her kahr to run reliably. I just wish she liked the revolver more.
The size of pistols absolutely matter. The most soft shooting for her is my VP9. She likes it for the weight and recoil impulse.
Fortunately this problem is resolving itself like most problems, slowly. She has time to decide.

Thank you for all the reply's.

 

[huntpotter]

Beretta 81 is a solid choice Or you could go with the classics, like a colt 1903. 32acp is a significant drop in recoil and is what I would carry if injured. Also the guns from around the time of the great war are sized more for someone with smaller hands. (something I find useful)

I am a p365 carrier primarily, but I am also confident enough in my aim to feel safe with a .32
cz had the model 50 & 70 as well that are solid guns.

Walther PP or the Manhurin licensed PP, in .32 would be another good option. Solid, all steel, construction. Soft, shooting, and classy styling.

 

[Nutty4Guns]

Nvm, dumb joke

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

I def am in the camp of small 380s are snappy. I carry a lcp and she said that wasn't bad.

All women are different

 

[P7M13]

An acquaintance bought a 38 SW Ladysmith for his wife. We both shot two cylinders through it in a mini competition. We were both surprised at how soft the recoil was, and how accurate too.