So my wife wants a gun now

[64MercurysRule]

Here is how this all started in Post #1:


You did not say she wanted a revolver (only that she likes the swing out cylinder and being able to see if it is loaded, more on this in a moment). 80 posts later you keep dribbling out key information like...

That would have been helpful to know from the beginning. If you have a Model 10 K frame (K and L use the same grips) the simple answer is to find (non-rubber, as we now know) that would help her finger placement. As @OldBroad44 noted, a round grip frame will likely be helpful in grip selection (great post by her btw). We don't have the benefit of knowing which 24 or so guns of yours she has tried out, so we are all shooting in the dark. Like @OldBroad44 my wife has a 686 2 1/2" that she likes, but it is not a carry gun for her. She is small and has small hands, but no idea how they compare to your wife's.

We are trying to help, but you are doling out important info very slowly, like she is already a shooter (this did not come across in the OP), that she is set against a semi-auto, etc.

How did we get here? A 226 is too large for my hands. Beautiful gun, but DA/SA, full-sized frame guns are not exactly kind to small hands.

I won't speak for others, but the OP came across to me that you were recommending getting a small revolver (for small hands) to a new shooter, "my wife isn't a gun person," which in my experience, almost always means some type of J Frame, 5 shot, small, light gun. The number of times I've seen men suggesting something like a beautiful short-barreled K or L frame or similar gun for a female significant other totals zero; my wife works part-time at a gun counter, and her total is zero as well. You may be the first, which is great.

Others are suggesting trying GP101s. It seems finding slim grips for either this or a round butt K Frame will be your best bet. Since you have a Model 10, you are halfway there. Sincerely, good luck with your her quest.

Sidenote: One of the most established trainers in the country with 50 years of training experience was handed a revolver that was checked for empty by the student, another instructor, and the main instructor. While demonstrating trigger press, he launched a round into the sky. Stainless gun, nickel casing. Visual and physically check chambers.


Sorry, but I'm not blessed with shooters that have unlimited funds and time to spend at the range. Yes, it may be an unbearable financial burden for a new shooter who is already investing in all the equipment needed to start shooting, joining a range/paying for range time, paying for classes (we conduct a free class in the foundations each month where we are), and all the other expenses. Some shooters don't have a gun yet, which they eventually plan to use for self-defense, and they are looking at sub-optimal quality choices. It is already a stretch when we recommend investing an extra $200 for something that will suit them better. It is not in the cards to recommend a few more hundred dollars for another gun.

But we have worked with countless new shooters that start with a 9mm and do fine.

Almost none of the shooters we work with are interested in being "the best shooter they can be" by punching paper with a .22. They want to have safe gun handling skills, be able to shoot a defensive caliber well, and be comfortable with their tool.

Enjoyed the insight . That is what gives this site life .

 

[Spitpatch]

Our goals (and motivations) are vastly different. Hence our methods as well.

 

[dangerranger60]

Now my wife isn't a gun person, but with there being a wolverine that visits my property and bears, and puma and such, she wants a gun. I am suggesting a revolver, (she likes the ease of seeing if it is loaded of swinging out a cylinder and you pull the trigger, it goes bang) but she has tiny hands. What's a good double action revolver for folks with really diminutive hands? Mine are small, but whereas I have fat, short fingers, hers are shorter and delicate. the S&W model to was a smidge too big.

My wife shoots a revolver best, that's what she likes best. But the only small revolver she would carry is a 22lr. in a larger gun she can shoot any ammo well. but the small guns are hard to hang on to and hard to aim.
She shoots a 3" J frame size 8 shot 22 or a 4" model 10 S&W in 38 spl. I had to replace the grips with a thinner Pachmayer to get them to fit her hands.
Modern Semi Autos are not made with replaceable grips to fit the gun to the shooter.
My wife also likes that by opening the cylinder she can make the gun safe. No slide to lock back and no chamber check. No mag springs to fight, and the failure drill is "Pull the trigger again!"
Let her shoot a few guns to see what she likes best. My wife can shoot most any gun , as long as someone else is loading mags, racking the slide and fixing any function problems. But when she has to do it herself, she reaches for a revolver. DR

 

[DunRanull]

I go with the rifle option, .30-30 maybe. An lotsa practice. Or MAYbe, a shotgun...

 

[BattleReadyBunny]

not sure if anyone mention

Lady Smiths?

 

[bcp]

Only once or twice have I seen mentioned a modern 32 or 30 caliber cartridge to fit between 38SP and 357 in power and recoil.

Bruce

 

[Tlock]

Bears are small and relatively rare around here. Puma and wolverines are more likely as the wolverine keeps showing up close in. I want to shoot it as it is plainly not afraid of people. but by my sighings I would wager it is around 35 pounds to 45 pounds. I'd like to get her up to .357. But at this point, something is better than nothing.

My wife wants a revolver and is recoil sensitive enough to think about follow up shots.

Guys, my wife has never ever before expressed interest in a gun. 9mm / .38spl is going to about top out her recoil comfort. .327 federal might be okay. I do plan on getting her up to .357.

Trap that sucker!

 

[Allshouse]

CHARTER ARMS are good reliable guns !! They are well priced and worth taking a look at

 

[OldBroad44]

Only once or twice have I seen mentioned a modern 32 or 30 caliber cartridge to fit between 38SP and 357 in power and recoil.

Bruce

The 38sp +P fits between .38sp and 357 mag. And .357 mag has commercial loads running from just barely above .28sp +P.

 

[OldBroad44]

CHARTER ARMS are good reliable guns !! They are well priced and worth taking a look at

My Charter Arms .44sp Bulldog fell to pieces on the third shot with my mild over the counter factory loads. The hammer and a few other parts fell out into the mud. And it kicked so hard the gun tried to twist out of my hands. Way worse than any of my .44 mags.

My Charter Arms Pathfinder .22 had a lackadaisical attitude about going boom when the trigger was pulled. It fired about half the time. The hammer strikes on the rounds that failed to fire were obviously shallow.

not sure if anyone mention

Lady Smiths?

Aaaarrrgh! Strictly a marketing ploy. And following all the stereotypes. The first ones were actually .22s. Many were J frames. Even lots of experienced shooters can't shoot them well. Myself included. All those I've seen have a dinky front sight and just a groove instead of a real back sight, let alone a full size adjustable sight so you can adjust the sights so you are hitting your point of aim with the ammo you use instead of having to remember that your gun fires your ammo an inch left and four inches high at 25 yards so since I am about 15 yards how high should I shoot? (About 2" is close enough. But its a whole lot easier if you can adjust your sight to point of aim.)

Most seem to have barrels only about 2" long. So much of the energy in the cartridge is wasted. And many have a shield around the hammer eliminating your ability to cock the hammer and fire in the much more accurate single action mode. If someone grabs and runs off with your kid you may need to shoot the kidnapperwithout hitting your kid. You'll need to be able to shoot more accurately than you are likely to be able to in double action. Yes, you can still draw a revolver loose in a pocket or purse without the hammer snagging by just resting your thumb on the hammer as you draw gun. But the exposed hammer is likely to foul if you try to fire the gun through a pocket or purse without drawing. But carrying a gun loose in a pocket or purse is suboptimal anyway. I figure I'm a lot more likely to need the accuracy at a distance than to need to fire through a pocket or purse. A dog might be trying to dismantle a neighborhood kid for example, way over there, beyond my double action range.

If SW really cared about guns for women beginners, they would have made the Ladysmiths all 4" K frame 357 mags with adjustable sights. And they would not have castrated the SA mode by removing access to the hammer.

Grrrrr. Grrrr. Somebody's bin baiting me.

 

[ma96782]

So my wife wants a gun now

THIS POST IS NOT POLITICAL. He is a real person and he is serious.

View: https://youtu.be/oOpj-BEPnSg?si=RNUnPsNMZrq3jvpF

Aloha, Mark

PS.....if it must be a handgun. Plan a trip (or several) with the wife to the Big Box or local gun store. Yup, I'd guess that she would want to see a good selection of choices.

BUT, if she starts to question...... WHY?

Just tell her it's like "shopping for shoes".

 

[Certaindeaf]

Barrel length? Would they ship to an Idaho FFL?

He doesn't want to ship.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I go with the rifle option, .30-30 maybe. An lotsa practice. Or MAYbe, a shotgun...

she is not going to carry a rifle or shotgun to work in the garden. She wants a revolver. I said in the first post, she likes the cylinder swinging out.

@Tlock any recommendations on how to trap a wolverine? I know nothing other than using box livetraps to catch skunks and feral cats.

Here is how this all started in Post #1:


You did not say she wanted a revolver (only that she likes the swing out cylinder and being able to see if it is loaded, more on this in a moment). 80 posts later you keep dribbling out key information like...

That would have been helpful to know from the beginning. If you have a Model 10 K frame (K and L use the same grips) the simple answer is to find (non-rubber, as we now know) that would help her finger placement. As @OldBroad44 noted, a round grip frame will likely be helpful in grip selection (great post by her btw). We don't have the benefit of knowing which 24 or so guns of yours she has tried out, so we are all shooting in the dark. Like @OldBroad44 my wife has a 686 2 1/2" that she likes, but it is not a carry gun for her. She is small and has small hands, but no idea how they compare to your wife's.

We are trying to help, but you are doling out important info very slowly, like she is already a shooter (this did not come across in the OP), that she is set against a semi-auto, etc.

How did we get here? A 226 is too large for my hands. Beautiful gun, but DA/SA, full-sized frame guns are not exactly kind to small hands.

I won't speak for others, but the OP came across to me that you were recommending getting a small revolver (for small hands) to a new shooter, "my wife isn't a gun person," which in my experience, almost always means some type of J Frame, 5 shot, small, light gun. The number of times I've seen men suggesting something like a beautiful short-barreled K or L frame or similar gun for a female significant other totals zero; my wife works part-time at a gun counter, and her total is zero as well. You may be the first, which is great.

Others are suggesting trying GP101s. It seems finding slim grips for either this or a round butt K Frame will be your best bet. Since you have a Model 10, you are halfway there. Sincerely, good luck with your her quest.

Sidenote: One of the most established trainers in the country with 50 years of training experience was handed a revolver that was checked for empty by the student, another instructor, and the main instructor. While demonstrating trigger press, he launched a round into the sky. Stainless gun, nickel casing. Visual and physically check chambers.


Sorry, but I'm not blessed with shooters that have unlimited funds and time to spend at the range. Yes, it may be an unbearable financial burden for a new shooter who is already investing in all the equipment needed to start shooting, joining a range/paying for range time, paying for classes (we conduct a free class in the foundations each month where we are), and all the other expenses. Some shooters don't have a gun yet, which they eventually plan to use for self-defense, and they are looking at sub-optimal quality choices. It is already a stretch when we recommend investing an extra $200 for something that will suit them better. It is not in the cards to recommend a few more hundred dollars for another gun.

But we have worked with countless new shooters that start with a 9mm and do fine.

Almost none of the shooters we work with are interested in being "the best shooter they can be" by punching paper with a .22. They want to have safe gun handling skills, be able to shoot a defensive caliber well, and be comfortable with their tool.

In post 1 I said she liked several revolver features and basically, with her having a higher comfort level with revolvers, that I was suggesting we go that route. I suggested the problem with the model 10 was the length from the trigger to the back of the grip. I know some old revolvers were built for a time when men had smaller hands as a general rule. My S&W model 1917 might work, though I am not sure I want to send that one out on garden duty. We want a medium to largish revolver, somewhere around the size of a model 10, but maybe with a shorter dimension from grip to trigger.

When I say my wife isn't a gun person, she has shot, knows a fair bit more than the general population, but doesn't nerd out on collecting antique weapons like I do.


Why would I consider a large semi auto? I have one on hand and the recoil is mild. The decocker on the side makes it have a double action initial trigger, which would make her more comfortable. Mine has a slim grip on it because I have some of the smallest hands you will ever see on an adult. Indeed I have met exactly one adult with shorter fingers and I am married to her. Indeed, if I did not consider a .380 too weak, I would try to convince her to go with my sig p230.

So my wife wants a gun now

THIS POST IS NOT POLITICAL. He is a real person and he is serious.

View: https://youtu.be/oOpj-BEPnSg?si=RNUnPsNMZrq3jvpF

Aloha, Mark

PS.....if it must be a handgun. Plan a trip (or several) with the wife to the Big Box or local gun store. Yup, I'd guess that she would want to see a good selection of choices.

BUT, if she starts to question...... WHY?

Just tell her it's like "shopping for shoes".

View attachment 1813203

I have a larger selection than most big box stores. I also tend to have a focus on early 20th century firearms. An era where hands were actually smaller.

And she wants a revolver that can fit in a chest holster. She doesn't want small to fit in a purse. She is not going to carry a shotgun while gardening. This is for critters that get ornery while gardening.

 

[Tlock]

she is not going to carry a rifle or shotgun to work in the garden. She wants a revolver. I said in the first post, she likes the cylinder swinging out.

@Tlock any recommendations on how to trap a wolverine? I know nothing other than using box livetraps to catch skunks and feral cats.

In post 1 I said she liked several revolver features and basically, with her having a higher comfort level with revolvers, that I was suggesting we go that route. I suggested the problem with the model 10 was the length from the trigger to the back of the grip. I know some old revolvers were built for a time when men had smaller hands as a general rule. My S&W model 1917 might work, though I am not sure I want to send that one out on garden duty. We want a medium to largish revolver, somewhere around the size of a model 10, but maybe with a shorter dimension from grip to trigger.

When I say my wife isn't a gun person, she has shot, knows a fair bit more than the general population, but doesn't nerd out on collecting antique weapons like I do.


Why would I consider a large semi auto? I have one on hand and the recoil is mild. The decocker on the side makes it have a double action initial trigger, which would make her more comfortable. Mine has a slim grip on it because I have some of the smallest hands you will ever see on an adult. Indeed I have met exactly one adult with shorter fingers and I am married to her. Indeed, if I did not consider a .380 too weak, I would try to convince her to go with my sig p230.

I have a larger selection than most big box stores. I also tend to have a focus on early 20th century firearms. An era where hands were actually smaller.

And she wants a revolver that can fit in a chest holster. She doesn't want small to fit in a purse. She is not going to carry a shotgun while gardening. This is for critters that get ornery while gardening.

I have never trapped one before, if I was gonna go about it(depending on state law) I'd try a square 5 gallon bucket with a conibear or a simple cubby set with a pretty strong leg hold trap. Bait of choice would be beaver meat. If he has a normal travel path you could blind set snares on his trail too

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Well according to Marvel comics....
Wolverine's weakness is something called a "Muramasa Blade"....you might want to try that...
Or just threaten to get rid of his yellow and blue spandex outfit....
Andy

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I have never trapped one before, if I was gonna go about it(depending on state law) I'd try a square 5 gallon bucket with a conibear or a simple cubby set with a pretty strong leg hold trap. Bait of choice would be beaver meat. If he has a normal travel path you could blind set snares on his trail too

I'll try to figure it out. Not sure I can get beaver meat, but rabbit should be doable. Maybe porcupine or squirrels as well

 

[Tlock]

I'll try to figure it out. Not sure I can get beaver meat, but rabbit should be doable. Maybe porcupine or squirrels as well

What state are you in?

 

[Wombat of Doom]

What state are you in?

Idaho

 

[OldBroad44]

I'll try to figure it out. Not sure I can get beaver meat, but rabbit should be doable. Maybe porcupine or squirrels as well

Beaver have a lot of fat. That might make beaver meat particularly enticing to bait a trap with. Rabbits have little fat. The scent of porcupine might bring back bad memories and warn the wolverine off. What about just a nice fatty chuck roast?

 

[Tlock]

Everything loves beaver! When there was alot a porcupines area my area every couger we killed had quills in them. Porcupine meat is great bait for cats and I think a big reason there are no porcupines left in my area.