Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Which .22 auto pistol for a women?

I second the motion for a S&W M&P 22 compact. Super fun with a suppressor. Wife likes it so much, she claimed it as hers. She hates shooting anything over 22 cal.

Definitely need to get her to try one of these out. Lightweight, easy handling and lots of bangs.

What most men don't realize is that a lot of women have virtually no strength in their hands. I am opening jars all the time for Sweetness and I'm pretty amazed that she can't manage some of those herself. We sold her like new Browning Buckmark that her former late husband had bought for her because she could never rack the slide. Any cartridge, even a .22, going off inside a building is really loud and if a woman has confidence and will shoot a .22 and not something larger, all well and good. I laid several of my handguns out on a table once and told her to pick the one that she liked the best. She picked the smallest, lightest one which was a J frame .38 Special Titanium Airweight. Women are not always logical thinkers and letting them pick something, anything will be better than you picking something for them. I carry that little J frame myself, but when we went to the barber shop last week, I didn't want to leave that in the car or pocket carry it inside and asked her to put it in her purse. Nope, too big (!) and no room for it. See what I mean about that logical thinking?

With all the usual disclaimers about .22 rimfire for self defense, one thing in favor of the SR22 is that the double/single action provides an element of safety in that she can grab it and shoot without having to remember to push a safety off. Same as a double action revolver.

The trouble with most of the .22 revolvers on the market today is horrible (heavy) trigger pulls. Modifying the trigger reduces reliable ignition too.

Not a .22, but we settled on a S&W EZ .380. First semiauto with a slide my wife can rack.

Paul

I make my living behind the counter at a fairly large gun shop. I agree with Paul39, a S&W .380EZ is a better personal defense handgun than ANY .22lr handgun out there. YMMV

No, they just haven't been taught proper procedure. Just like putting a motorcycle onto a centerstand, it's all about technique, not strength.

It’s not subcompact but I like the Browning Buckmark.

Beretta 21A. Tip up barrel to load a round in the chamber - or load by slide. Single or double action. Light weight, and good for smaller hands.

https://www.beretta.com/en-us/21-a-bobcat/

A lot of good advice here already so if you’re set on a .22LR then there’s not much to add.

But if I can interject with just something else to consider, take a look at the Glock 42 in .380. It’s tiny, easy to manipulate, and uncomplicated. With a bit of practice she could be shooting it as well as any .22LR and have a much better defensive weapon at her disposal.

Having said that, the best gun to have when you really need one is the one you have with you at the time. So good luck with whatever you choose...

Paul my point was - let her choose - in whatever caliber.

Technique is important, but it can't overcome lack of strength in all cases.

There comes a point in life when a person loses strength, and I'm there, and I guarantee I know how to operate a pistol. I'm at an age where I associate with a lot of older folks and it is a universal problem, more so with the ladies.

Paul

This!

Give'em time...

I think the statement, "the one she likes" is the way to go.

And, renting different guns at a range with rounds fired makes good sense.

If they're not bought in, have confidence in and really like the gun, you've not accomplished much.

DF

Why not get her a short barreled rifle or shotgun? Shooting low recoil rounds a stage coach gun is a deadly weapon and easy to handle. I have a Benelli M1 Super 90 in 12 gauge that is short, light and low recoil. Alternative, an AR15 pistol or rifle has low recoil, light and deadly. Otherwise, look at a lever action rifle in a pistol caliber.

My wife loves her High Standard Sport King with the military grip shape, same as a 1911. She says it's like pointing her finger- - - -it shoots where she looks. Then I let her try my Ruger Blackhawk 6" stainless .357, and she likes it also. 10 rounds of good quality .22 ammo and a spare magazine handy would take the fight out of any varmint, 2 or 4-legged, that she's likely to encounter. Possums and armadillos around our place don't stand a chance, and she convinced a pickup load of drunk "deer hunters" to go bother somebody else early one morning when I was working out of town. It's amazing how fast somebody can sober up when they're confronted with the business end of a .22 pistol at a range of 6 inches!
Jerry

Some talk about the wife learning proper technique to rack pistol slides. From my experience finding a pistol for the wife, she has no interest in proper slide technique. It’s a non-starter. She had a 5 shot stubbie revolver, but couldn’t hit anything with it. Then the 380EZ came out and I got one for us. The slide is super easy, as is loading the magazine. Doesn’t matter. She won’t consider using it as a defense pistol. Like somebody said, there are too many moving parts. So there we were, with a revolver she couldn’t hit the ground with and a semi she won’t use. So we went shopping, and she decided that she wanted the poly frame, hidden hammer, S&W 38 special with the integrated red laser dot. She can shoot it pretty well at 10 yards and it’s real light. And she can handle the recoil.

And best of all, she’ll practice every now and then.

My Mom, who loved to walk in the woods, carried a 9 shot stainless 22lr revolver. Shot a snake or two with it.

S&W 63, 3 or 4”.

A lot of women limpwrist the 42 for some reason. My wife did hers and I know of a couple others personally, along with other reviews I've seen online.

Get her what she wants.

If strength is an issue, rack the slide for her. She’s gonna keep it loaded anyway, right?

Sheesh.



P

Get something slow to get off a second shot. That way when she misses you the first time, it will give you time to get away.