Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire I let my wife shoot the 9mm and .380 today

Ain’t going to happen.

The Ruger LC9s 9mm kicked too much for her (I knew it would) and she had trouble with the loooong trigger pull on the LCP .380 - even with the Rossi trigger upgrade. Didn’t like the kick from the .380 either.

Looks like either the Glock G44 .22 caliber or the Walther PPQ .22 caliber. I might look at a .22 revolver but she’s already tested the trigger pull (no ammo) on the Glock. She still likes that one.

She’s concerned whether it will stop a perp - I told her with 10 shots + 1 in the chamber - to keep shooting until he’s on the ground.

That or a Beretta 25 ACP are your best moves at this point.

11 CCI stingers is going to be better than her hands.

Get her something she can get her hands around, and with a little weight to it. It will make a difference for her.

The worst kicking pistol I have is Walther PPK knoock off, the FEG in 9x18. That think is just not at all pleasant to shoot.

Glock 19 is a whole different story.

M&P® 380 SHIELD™ EZ®

There's a 9mm version as well.

Wifey has a 9mm Glock, she likes it. She shoots 40’s and 45’s some, but loves that 9mm.

I really think the 380EZ is worth a test drive.

The LCP 380 she dislikes is small and light, a lot more felt recoil. The added size/weight of the 380EZ will make it feel much softer.

It would cost a whole lot less to go to gun shop with in-door range and let her rent different types and calibers to try out. IMO

agreed. might have been a better idea to start her on a .22, then graduate to .380 JMO

How about a revolver in .22 Magnum?

This a carry gun or a home defense or house gun? My wife was the same as yours...

She's got a KelTec PMR30 on her side of the bed. One of the funnest pistols I've ever shot. 25+ of 40 grain .22 Magnum softpoints. I've done some tests with them. I wouldn't want to be shot by them...

The 380 Auto version is smaller to the tune of 4.5 oz. as well, and sorta cheap now that there's a 9mm version - $339 at SOS.

The LCP 380 weighs 9 oz.

S&W 380EZ weighs 18 oz.

Bersa Thunder 380 weighs 23 oz.


There's a reason the LCP isn't a lot of fun to shoot. The heavier pistols are easier to hit with, have better ballistics, and felt recoil is much less, while significantly improving stopping power over a 22 rimfire.

Just food for thought....
Don't know about the rest of you, but I've had way too many misfires with rimfire rounds to ever trust one for self defense. One of those WAS a self defense situation that could have gone very badly for me and mine.
Every 22 I've owned (well in excess of 20...Remington, Winchester, Browning, High Standard, Colt, S & W, etc.) has occasionally misfired. The only misfires I've seen with centerfire ammo occurred over 50 years ago when I first started reloading and those were due to sloppy handling and seating of primers.
With a little practice and proper training, a 38 special revolver can be easily mastered by just about anyone as can most mid sized/full size 9 mm and locked breach 380 autos. A far better path, IMHO, to consider than ANY rimfire.

Try different ammo. The "Hornady Lite"will have less kick ammo.

Beretta 84/85

Get her a Ruger MKII or MKIV.
If you're going with a 22 you need all the barrel you can get.

A revolver solves the .22 rimfire "misfire" potential. Just pull the trigger again. As for the "excessive felt recoil" issue, a .25ACP has the same felt recoil as a .22 rimfire, the same effectiveness, and the tip-up barreled Beretta 950 Jetfire simplifies the loading.

Look at a Walther PK 380...easiest slide to operate anywhere and with enough weight to absorb more of the recoil. When the store was open we sold a ton of them to women.

Tell her, to take it from an old paramedic who has worked hundreds of gunshot wounds.
The .22 will kill the bad guy. Hit him in the torso, either belly, or upper chest two or three times he won't be there to testify in court, he will be in the graveyard.