Need a recommendation for a handgun for a small woman.

ruger LC9s...if you want to go with a revolver go with a S&W 38 special or glock 43.

ETA: Sorry didnt read home defense. my suggestions are for CC

If for home defense only, a youth 20 gauge is your best option. I know you asked for a handgun, but she will find it much easier to shoot accurately with a shotgun.

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Is a small lady capable of shooting a 9mm or something larger?

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Absofrickenlutely. She will be much more capable of shooting a full sized 9mm than a tiny 380. Pretty much everyone hates shooting tiny 380s because they are no fun to shoot.

I'll copy and paste a bookmarked post I did about women's firearms. It'll give you a lot of information you're looking for:

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From myself and other reputable guys here, the most important thing to consider with the above statement is this:

Let her choose her own gun!

She's more likely to use it and be confident with it if it's something she chose herself. Of course you should only let her choose her own gun after she has tried a few different full sized guns to see what fits her best. But too many men will buy a handgun and just throw it in his wife's hand, "here, use this." This is a very bad way of going about it.

Now, with that being said, something else must be answered:

What does she plan to use it for? Home protection? Car gun? Carry gun?

And let me get this out of the way before I continue: for human targets, 9mm = 40 = 45 in terms of mythical "knockdown power." I choose 9mm because you get the most ammo in your magazine. On to the rest...

For any shooter, a larger gun (dimensionally, not caliber) is ALWAYS easier to shoot. A metal-framed full sized gun is even easier to shoot since it weighs more and negates one of the big barriers with new shooters (felt recoil). In this regard, weight isn't a terrible thing. But I always suggest a full sized 9mm to any new buyer regardless of the buyer's intended purpose. If he/she wants a smaller gun to carry he/she can get it later. But having the "base" for a good home defense handgun, i.e. full sized 9mm, is a great place to start. You get a full grip, a full length barrel, a large sight radius, more weight (less recoil), a lighter recoil spring (easier to rack), a full length rail (on the vast majority of them) and a larger magazine. These all make a full sized gun very easy to shoot. Add on a light under the rail (weight directly under the muzzle) and it will be even easier to shoot with less felt recoil.

Once the new shooter has mastered and trained well with a full sized handgun, he/she can work his/her way "up" to a smaller gun. The logic sounds backwards but it's quite basic actually. The smaller the gun, the sharper the recoil. Getting your wife a tiny 38 revolver may not be what's best for her because they are insanely difficult to shoot accurately. They make for a great belly gun but they have extremely long and heavy trigger pulls and have no sights to speak of. But, if she doesn't train often and learn to clear semi auto malfunctions or has difficulty with the controls, it may be easier. But anyone that tells you a woman cannot rack a slide is wrong. Yes, it is harder for them, but they are usually not using a proper racking method or the gun is tiny and has a stiff spring that takes practice to manipulate. Point your thumb toward your chest, gripping the slide behind the ejection port with the base of your palm and the tips of your fingers. Simultaneously grip the slide while pushing the gun from the grip of your hand on the slide. This will cause the slide to move all the way to the rear and slam forward on its own weight. This is the best way to properly rack a round into the chamber while utilizing large muscle groups (chest, shoulders) instead of isolating the forearms. Do not pull the slide back and then try to push it forward - it does not need your assistance. Allow the recoil spring to do the work.

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For carry guns, most people usually have a rotation of guns, myself included. But I would say the best place to start in terms of a carry gun would be a single stack 9mm. The old adage that you hear is, "carry the largest gun you can comfortably carry." For most people, a full sized, full-gripped, double stack handgun will become cumbersome to carry and eventually be left at home for most people. What's the good in a carry gun if it isn't on you? This is where a single stack 9mm comes in handy - thinness, lightweight, and maximum ammo for its size (versus 40 and 45). Yes, it is more difficult to shoot than a full sized gun and carries a smaller magazine, but its intended purpose is for carry. It is ideal for this role. Rather than having the same gun do everything, having a gun for each role is better, albeit a bit more expensive.

But, for women, their tighter-fitting clothing makes finding a carry gun more difficult. There are other carry methods for women but I still think the best for any person is inside-the-waistband carry. There are a lot of blogs that deal with women's carry (cornered cat, a girl and a gun, the well armed woman) and know more about the topic than I do. But I do know they can be successfully carried this way. "But what about purse carry?" you ask...

I have never been a big fan of off-body carry. While pocket carry and inside-the-waistband carry are the two best, purse carry allows the carrier to put a larger gun in a convenient carrying case. The problem is that the gun is not in your possession and is simply out in the open hidden in a container. There was a story recently of a baby accidentally shooting his/her mother in the head with a gun carried in a purse. While purse carrying is better than not carrying at all, it can be seen as worse with a risk like this. Plus if you've ever seen a purse snatching live or on video, they are EXTREMELY violent. Imagine trying to retain control of your weapon if you're being drug around by your purse strap. It's a lose-lose.

So there's my suggestion - a full sized 9mm. I would keep it simple and avoid some guns that have safeties since they require more training. But ultimately her preference will beat anything out. Finding a gun that has a thin grip taper will ultimately be the most comfortable for someone with smaller hands. A few good examples from the big-player manufacturers for a first 9mm are:

S&W M&P
Springfield XD
Glock 17/19
Ruger SR9
Sig P320
Walther PPQ
HK VP9
FN FNS9

If these make her arms tired from holding for too long, then getting a "compact" may be slightly better. "Compact" simply means that the grip and slide are shorter than a full sized gun. The gun itself is typically still somewhat large and will produce more recoil than a full sized gun. But they are still easy to handle. Of the ones I listed up there^, nearly all of them have a compact counterpart.

If you'd prefer she'd have something lighter-recoiling that is heavier, there are a few metal-framed handguns to consider. They have a few more controls than most polymer guns and are hammer-fired, meaning the hammer that strikes the firing pin is visible on the outside of the gun. Some have safeties and decockers that require a bit more training but can be learned:

Sig Sauer P226/228/229
Beretta 92/96
CZ 75/P01
1911

All of these can be had in 9mm. If you step up the cartridge to 40 or 45, expect a bit more felt recoil.

If she prefers the simplicity of a revolver, I would suggest:

Ruger GP100 (4 inch)
S&W 686P (4 inch)

These are great full sized 357 revolvers that shoot even softer with 38 specials. Again, these are not snub-nose revolvers. The triggers will be better, the grip will be larger and more comfortable, and they will have much better sights. Plus, they will be either 6 or 7 shot instead of 5 giving you more ammo for the fight. If she doesn't plan on carrying her revolver, get her something full sized. I cannot stress this enough.




Sorry to the OB for the length. I'm book marking this to use later since the question of getting the wife a handgun comes up often.

The infamous Bapple Wall of text

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agreed with bird shot

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Wrong, 00 Buck for the kill!

I disagree with the shotgun school of thought.

Pump-actions take alot more practice to use effectively under stress than an AR. The rate of fire is lower, the ergonomics are worse, the capacity is a hell of a lot lower. Or you get into guns like drum-fed Saiga 12's or tube-fed semi-autos which have a different set of issues, whereas an AR quickly and neatly solves all those problems.

So if it's a long gun, it should be an AR or generally equivalent rifle setup.

For pistols, full size guns may be a little more unwieldy than necessary for her. Something in the midsize market may feel better in-hand i.e. she may prefer a Glock 19 over a Glock 17 or Commander-size vs. full size 1911, M&P compact vs. full size M&P etc. Don't go smaller than that because the loss of size and weight will make the recoil unwieldy.

And finally if she has really small hands she may have trouble with many double stack designs. It's important that she tests whatever guns you're considering first.

I'm a Glock 19 fan but based solely on the information you posted I'd bet that she would like a M&P compact.

I'm gonna need pics to make an appropriate recommendation. Thanks.

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And finally if she has really small hands she may have trouble with many double stack designs.

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Honestly, most grips that are tapered make it easy for women to shoot. I've seen this numerous times in my classes. The most well-liked guns that women shoot in my classes are my M&P full size, and my girlfriend's VP9. Guns like a Glock 19/17, FN FNS9, FNX45, Springfield XD, or any gun without a grip taper will feel 2x4ish. The "grip taper" I'm referring to is that the width of the grip increases as you get father from the slide. So it will be slimmer closer to the slide than at the magwell. Here's what I mean (notice the VP9 is slimmer at the top and the Glock has the same width throughout the grip):

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A woman who isn't afraid to put a strong grip on the gun and goes to the range for a little practice shouldn't have any problems with a 9mm or .40.

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You make it seem like they need a gorilla grip to control a 9mm. The 40 may have brisk and snappy recoil but a full sized 9mm is a very soft-shooting gun. Practically anyone short of an infant or toddler can shoot one.

buckshot goes straight through drywall if little billie or susie is in the room across from you that buckshot will go straight into that room. drywall, for the most part, will stop bird shot

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buckshot goes straight through drywall if little billie or susie is in the room across from you that buckshot will go straight into that room. drywall, for the most part, will stop bird shot

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whats the point of shooting them if it's not going to quickly change their course of action. if a dude is on crack, bird shot will probably just piss him off.

Thats more risky than accidentally hitting someone in another room. In my opinion.