Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 9mm vs 380 for lady

If a small, but not a tiny, auto is what's called for, and recoil sensitivity is any issue at all, she'll be far better off with a .380, especially if you don't go smaller than a Glock 42.

My daughter is looking at getting her concealed carry permit. She's been shooting since she was little ; God help someone who decides she's a target for any kind of crap..........

I've always liked a 9mm for concealed carry but thought I'd ask here. My concern is concealed carry in a small purse plus her size. She's 5 ft and 100 lbs. She shoots my 9s well and am lea IMG that direction for her.

Thoughts?

Whenever I hear purse I always think revolver, J frame 38 special Speer gold,135gr five shot, six, lightest gun she can handle.

There are purses designed for concealed carry. In those, something like a Glock 42 would work fine. Certainly shouldn't just be tossed into a regular purse, though, unless in a proper holster. But you're right that a revolver is a good choice for that due to the long, heavy, trigger pull.

Don't think that the .380 will have less recoil. Between the two cartridges, there is a difference in the size of the pistol, with the 9mm being a bit larger. So when all is considered, they end up having nearly identical recoil in pocket guns.

Whenever I hear purse I always think revolver, J frame 38 special Speer gold,135gr five shot, six, lightest gun she can handle.

a purse designed for the pistol would be fantastic, but I think a girl at her age would probably not go that route. This is why I say revolver, and I don't believe that her father would ever let her just dump a revolver in her purse without being in a holster. There's a lot going on inside of a purse a lot of things floating around to catch on a trigger.dirt and debris which are always floating around in a woman's purse :-)play havoc on semiautomatics even inside of a holster hence the revolver. At 5 foot and 100 pounds if she had a revolver with a heavy trigger pull she would most likely need to have a trigger job.

The 9mm is a LOT more cartridge than a 380, IMO, & if she's an experienced shooter, there's really no reason to go with a 380 & most of the only slightly larger 9's are more shootable than some of the really small 380's...........not a big fan of mouse guns.

MM

Hawk,

I think the G43 & 43 are the better comparison. And to me, the difference is muzzle blast, not actual recoil. The 9mm is louder so it seems more, but actual felt recoil is a wash...for me, in my hands. I've also found that the 43 is just more shootable since there's more grip area.