My woman stole my k98, so I think some personal choice is in there. And women "take" to guns the way guys "take" to blades. Haha. @Ganado-since we are discussing some gendered issues *fake stern expression* I find that most women feel about the same way you do about "arguing over opinions"...as a man, my experience is that we are arguing the important details of something that has a lot of misinformation on it, and a lot of the volume is there to confer credibility to the parts being disagreed over. Also gives clear talking points on where the roads part. Also, most of us don't like most of "those" guys either, 'cause they creepy even when they ain;t hitting on you. Haha.
I have guns. I carry a .38 revolver everyday. It is pink. It fits nicely in every purse I own. Is it my first choice? No but like I said, it fits in every purse. I carry a designer bag everyday. Coach (to name a designer purse/handbag brand) does not make a conceal carry purse but it does have large interior pockets so that I can put my revolver in there securely. Most would say get a specifically designed purse for concealed carry but I disagree. Women love purses, we collect them and can never have too many. I have weeded my collection down, now own 7 but they are what I like. I had to add Velcro to one bag to make things more secure. I have issues with the slides on the bigger caliber hand guns. After years of office work, carpel tunnel is an issue for me and many I know. My wrist strength is not even, one is weaker then the other and at times I cannot carry a cup of coffee because of wrist pain. Ergonomics was not a thing when I started working in data entry and now after years of improper wrist placement, I am paying the price. One other issue with the slides on the bigger handguns is that the children had issues with them. When I started purchasing handguns, I always asked myself, can the kids work them also. My children were younger and not as strong. I wanted every family member to be able to use every weapon, that was important to me. I do not know if others think that way but the children's safety is why I do what I do. I wanted the children to be able to protect themselves if I could not. Children can easily work a revolver but a grade school age child will have issues with a .357 slide. Please note, women suffer bone loss faster then men. Menopause and bone loss are connected. Smaller frame women are at a higher risk of osteoporosis, which will have a direct affect on whether they can work a slide on a larger hand gun. These are factors that need to be considered when purchasing a handgun. Some women may not have any issues and great for them. But one thing to think of when helping a female shop for a hand gun, ask yourself how many times do I have to help open a jar for her. Sounds silly but chances are high that her wrist strength will deteriorate. In my opinion a handgun is a long term purchase, so buy one that can be used for years easily.
Oh, now that is just plain blasphemy! Shopping for and buying new guns is half the fun! I think the problem here is a failure to conform with gender stereotypes. You, the female are being all practical, while me, the guy, just wants to shop!
If you ever want to consider a semi automatic handgun again, take a look at the Smith & Wesson M&P series. When my wife was shopping, one of the things I brought up with her was to make sure she could work the slide easily. This will sound stupid to some, but she is fanatical about her nails, and I knew that nail damage would discourage her from using the pistol to get practice and enjoyment. We also go lucky at out local Fred Meyers, who sells firearms , that they had two very experienced sales ladies working the counter when we stopped by to look.She eventually decided on a full size M&P 9, then later switched to an M&P Shield. Once we knew she was settled I sold my other pistols (except my TZ-75) and replaced them with M&P's that have the same safety option. This way the operation of each is identical, so in an emergency nobody has to adjust. We both carry 9mm Shields, the "nightstand" pistol is the full size 9, and we have an M&P 22 for training and plinking.
@chimo you have it all wrong, I have it on good authority that 'women shop' and men 'gather supplies'
I took my wife to a range that had a rental counter. She had her heart set on the Sig Sauer but after shooting it, she was not as interested. I had her try about 8 or 9 other types of 9mm and 380's and she loved the Shield and kept going back to it. She dislikes my .40 and .45's so I knew to keep her in a round she would enjoy. We ended up getting the Shield in 9MM and later another for me for my daily CC. She shoots the heck out it and is a happy with it, so mission accomplished.
There is no "if the Army" is switching to the Sig P320. That's a done deal and has been for about a month. And the 1911 was never intended to be a Marine wide replacement. They are rolling in a Colt M45A1 CQBP as the "new" MARSOC pistol, but Kimber was never on the board for that. The Marines were buying M9A1 for the replacement of older M9s in the inventory, but it remains to be seen if the Sig will replace them. But one of the criteria for the Army competition for the M9 replacement was it had to be "modular." And Sig included the varying grip/frame sizes as part of that package. So, if the Army (and USAF) goes through with the full package, they troops will have a pistol with varying sized frames that can "fit" their hand better.
I know. Most of what you've said I did, too; it's just that we say things differently. What I didn't think of is that the SIG P320 does, indeed, have an adjustable backstrap. Thank you for the reminder! Doesn't change anything I've said, though. As I've already mentioned: Jeff Cooper used to caution his students NOT to teach themselves to be dependent upon specific firearm features, or options. Cooper always used to say that a standardize pistol is best. Neither has my personal opinion on this changed — and, especially, not on a general-issue COMBAT pistol — a shooter is always going to be better off if he teaches himself to adjust to the handgun rather than the other way around. The men who taught me how to use firearms expected me to be able to pick up any gun I was handed, and perform well with it. It didn't matter if it was a Garand M1, an M1 carbine, an M14, an M16, an AK47, or an SKS. I had to demonstrate competence with all of them. This type of firearm adaptability was, somewhat, more difficult to accomplish with handguns. Why? Because, at the time I was learning, military handguns of the day came in two specific types: 1911 pattern and P35 semiautomatics, and S&W Model 10 revolvers. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that IT WAS A BIG STRETCH to have to switch from using a single-action 1911 pattern pistol to using a double-action revolver; but THAT is exactly what I, and many others like me, were expected to do; and the timeframe involved includes the Vietnam war. Let me be even more frank: I regard goofy pink, purple, blue, and teal colored guns; guns with things like 'gizmo sights', adjustable backstraps, and severely modified Browning lockup mechanisms on them to be symptomatic of the decadent and effete socio-political times in which we are, all, presently living. My generation would never have gone for any of these things; and there would have been NO MARKET for any of this stuff. I've read several times now that 'this thread has gone off track'; well, actually, no it hasn't. This entire topic, along with my several responses, is germane to what's been and is being discussed. If someone else wants to 'stick his fingers in his ears' or put 'intellectual blinders on', well, that's his business. Once upon a time, 'back in the day' I used to earn a very good living sorting out and correcting the (expensive) mistakes that other people had made; nor have I ever forgotten a remark one 'problem child' volunteered to me: 'At the time I made that mistake I honestly didn't realize it was a mistake; and, it only became a mistake AFTER I realized I was wrong!' It's true that they're only plastic backstraps; and, yes, SIG did throw them into the deal; but, as far as I'm concerned, adjustable backstraps on a pistol — any pistol — are about as useful as putting, 'tits on a bull' just in case he might need them. THE SIG P320 IS A COMBAT PISTOL. NO COMBAT PISTOL NEEDS AN ADJUSTABLE BACKSTRAP — PERIOD — AND I TRULY FEEL SORRY FOR ANY SOLDIER WHO THINKS THAT HE'S GOT TO HAVE ONE OF THESE CHEAP PLASTIC GIZMOS ON HIS PISTOL IN ORDER TO HANDLE IT WELL. IT'S INDIVIDUAL ALERTNESS, MINDSET, SKILL; AND, PERHAPS, 'THE WILL OF GOD' — NOT GIZMOS — THAT MAKE THE REAL DIFFERENCE IN WHO SURVIVES A CQB PISTOL GUNFIGHT, AND WHO DOES NOT. These things being said, and 'the cards laid out on the table' everyone is more than welcome to do whatever he wants. As long as I'm not one of the affected (or should I say 'infected') parties I truly don't care who uses what. OK!
Good to see a doggie that can color between the lines...and admit to being deviant. Lord knows when it comes to firearms, who better than the Army to give us the female perspective! Listen to your sistah, gals! See that...made my reply relevant to the thread...another win for the jugheads!
My wife loves her Charter Arms Undercover 38. She will not carry a self shucker and doesn't hate my Ruger Security Six. Her favorite rifle is my Rossi M59 .22 mag. and she is right at home with the Marlin 336 in 30-30. Just don't give her a shotgun. She can't stand the recoil and she says the barrels are to long.
You dont shoot 357s through it for practice all the time. Just get a feel for them occationally. You practice with 38s then carry with 357m. That way if you have to draw and fire you can worry about your sore hand after the adrenalin wears off and coroners are showing up.
