Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns For the wife.... 380 vs 9mm

was looking for something for the wife at home here...

she doesn't like the Ruger 5 shot pistol I picked up for her... she thinks it hurts her wrist after shooting it 10 times or so...
its chambered in 38 Special, and that comment was made after shooting 125 grain bullets in the lightest load in my load manuals.

Was looking at the Browning 1911-380 at the store this evening...

How effect is the round compared to a 9mm?

They also make it in a 22 LR, so would that be just as effective...

I know she wouldn't notice recoil under stress... but I also a big believer in practice and range time with a firearm..to gain familiarity until its second nature...

I don't need her not wanting to do so "because it hurts my wrist"

My wife like others lives in a glass bubble half the time.

Ruger SP101 in 327 Federal Mag. Practice with 32 H&R. Surpass the 38 special performance with 327 Mag. Six shots instead of five.

I can shoot 32 acp in my 327 Single Seven but it is not as reliable in the SP101 due to light primer strikes.

CZ82

She would be better off with a 22 she will shoot, than a bigger gun she won't shoot.

Was just thinking the same thing.

Seafire's wife had no trouble handling a k-frame and it's weight with 38 specials.

Thinking the wee bit heavy 82 with the 9x18 round may be just the ticket for lighter recoiling protection.

Did you get the wife an aluminum framed LCR? If so, they are rather light, only about 13-ounces, so everything you shoot out of it will have sharp recoil. For around the house, a steel lady smith J-frame is far easier to tame and shoot well, if wanting a pocket sized revolver. Even better, if for around the house, either a G43, or G19, depending on hand size, would have more mass and be much softer to shoot vs revolver.

A Glock and a good flashlight make for a good combo that would not be dreadful to manage like an LCR.

The 380 doesn't have the power of the 9mm by quite a ways. Because of the lighter weight guns, it will likely kick just as hard as the 9mm, though. That could be alleviated by using a heavier gun but the whole point of the 380 is it's small size and concealability. Nobody notices the recoil in an emergency situation.
The 380 is, however, much more powerful than a 22LR.

In an informal test of power and penetration, I shot a piece of metal plate with my .380 - and hollow points - that .22 LR "solids" from my longer barreled Ruger Standard had bounced off of. The .380 blew a bigger hole in the plate than my .44 mag with 300 gr Hard Cast did - at about 10 yards.

Generally, I agree with Gary, but unless she's fairly accomplished with semi's, I'd probably advise you to stick with a revolver as the primary path.

Maybe a M-60 or even a 4" M-10 as long as it's just for around the house. Non +P ammo too.

Of course, if she can handle the semi's & the size, the G-19 is much preferred.

JMHO.

MM

IMHO, a 380 vs 9mm in a defensive gun makes little difference. You aren't going to be shooting much more than 15 ft, or your going to have a hard time convincing a jury that it was self defence. I don't like a 22 for defence, cause I have an acquaintance that was shot 4 times in the sternum and once in the head by an angry wife before he could take it away from her and call the police.

I like the 327 in a revolver for the reasons stated above if that is what she prefers, but the little Glock (42 ?) in 380 is nice, as is the S&W shield. Both have a larger grip that seems to reduce the recoil, and doesn't weigh a lot. Lots of good options out there if you can get her intrested.

House gun or carry gun? Let's start there.

Pres. Reagan survived a .22 to the lung. He wouldn't have survived a 380 or 9mm.

I have been dealing with this issue for years. I am afraid there is no answer to your question.

The Glock 19 is what is available anymore.

I suppose a 22 version of the full size gun will get her practicing.

I'd go with others that suggested a slightly heavier J or K frame Smith. While there are a bunch of great semi-autos on the market these days there is still a very good argument to be made for a revolver as the best weapon for an occasional shooter.

Women do not like recoil, period, and they don't care much for heavy guns. When our club held "ladies only" handgun training we offered a variety of semi-autos and revolvers in various calibers for the women to try and almost to a one they chose the Smith J and K frame .38 Specials as their favorite. The grips fit their hands and the recoil was well within their acceptable limits. Load target wadcutters for practice and heavier loads for serious use.

The big thing, though, is to let her try several different guns in a store and pick the one she likes without much regard to caliber or trying to steer her toward what you like. There is excellent self defense ammo on the market in all calibers these days so as long as a .380, .38 or .9mm is put in the right place they all are going to be better than angry words.

You could get her two Ruger SP101's. One in .22 rimfire for practice and the other in .38 for self defense. It would result in lots of inexpensive practice and familiarity with the gun.

My wife's shoots our K frame 4" 38 spl S&Ws with non +P ammo and Springfield 1911 45 acp with 230 ball much better than several semiauto 380s or 9mms including the CZ 75 B. She says the 38s & 45 triggers are better, the recoil's less and since she's not carrying the weights not a problem.

Yep. A steel Model 10 would have been a far better choice for a house gun than a super lightweight LCR. Even hot .38 Special loads are a pleasure to shoot out of one.

What does your wife prefer?

Keltec .32 ACP. Only pistol my wife will shoot and feel comfortable with.

Beretta has a Tomcat .32 also.

Take her to a range that can rent a variety of guns, let her try a variety of them. Let her choose it, unless she picks something totally inappropriate...

Pat,

that isn't an option here in Hooterville, Southern Oregon.

I think it is the gun vs the round...

She liked the LCR for the weight or lack thereof...

She can shoot it, just not for very long.

Getting her a shooting glove for range time was suggested... which may not be a bad idea.