Handguns for small hands?

[sailor723]

My wife has actually expressed an interest in getting into shooting. She is quite small (5"1") and has very small hands, She tried holding my 3 pistols today (Buck Mark, Grand Power K100 and Browning HP) and found them all big and heavy....surprisingly the BHP felt best to her. I'm wondering what might be a good 'small' gun for her to try? Probably .22 so i was thinking Browning 1911 (3/4 scale if I recall) or maybe a Beretta 70 or 71. Thoughts?

 

[Dexter Morgan]

Without any shadow of a doubt;

Get the Browning 1911-22.

It resembles a normal 1911. But they shrunk the whole gun to a 75% scale.

Women love it.

 

[BCRider]

She sounds like a perfect candidate for the Browning "1433.35".....

A lot of the ladies find the all metal guns to be heavy initially. But I've seen a lot of them suddenly convert to believers after they shot a 9mm 1911 full size gun after shooting some light plastic 9's. So you might find that she lays claim on your Browning HP at some point.

 

[gnmontey]

Norc M93

M

 

[Kevt28]

Sig mosquito

 

[gwesson]

My "SWMBO" is 5'4" with small hands. Her choice? - a full-size 1911 - The 1911 single-stackers have a narrow butt, and it being SAO the trigger is right there. Let your wife try a full-size 1911, especially if you handload - you can equip it with a 12# recoil spring and roll some 'soft' ones for her so the recoil won't be too heavy.

SWMBO's other pistol is a 9mm HK P30L, and it's given her shall we say, "challenges"... She was very happy with how light it is - right up until she started shooting it. It jumps-around, and try as she might she ends-up limp-wristing it so it won't shoot where she wants; she can harden her wrists and shoot about six rounds accurately before she's finished for the night. And because it's got polygonal rifling, I have to use jacketed bullets for it and I can't load them 'soft' or the action won't cycle.

So another vote here for a full-steel pistol for her - and try to get her a SAO, it really shortens how far she has to reach for the trigger.

 

[superted]

GSG 1911 .22 - can't beat it for the $$$$$ - light - no recoil - ammo cheap - can shoot enough to get comfortable - perfect for an introduction into hangunning and an easy step up to 1911 either .45 or 9mm.

 

[Armored Metal]

My wife has small hands and loves my S&W mod 66 with Uncle Mikes rubber grips. She shoots it in double action and doesn't miss. She also likes 1911s.

You never know until your wife tries for herself. Good luck and merry shopping

 

[WRH]

The Beretta 71 would be a great choice. Very nice for smaller hands. I only sold mine because it was too petite for me and the wife wasn't interested in it.

Are you completely ruling out revolvers? My wife likes the Ruger Single Ten that I bought her. With the slim 'Gunfighter' grips it fits her small hands really well.

All this being said, take her out and let her pick one. Definitely worth it IMHO.

 

[handofzeus]

Ruger Redhawk .44 with the old rubber/rosewood grips.I LOVE THOSE GRIPS!!!

 

[TriggerTime]

When she's ready for centrefire, let her try a Tokarev. It fits my 5' 4'' sister's hand very nicely, where she struggles to get her hand around a 1911 comfortably.
Plus you're not out a pile of money if she loses interest...

 

[HIGHRPM]

My wife holds my Ruger SR9 and she is 5'2" and about 115 #s. She loves it. Her only issue is she is real weak and can't work the slide well, but that will come with practice. For a .22, she loves both the Sig Mosquito and the Ruger SR22, but the Rugers barrel is too short for Canada.

 

[Nine]

Ruger 22/45. Tons of fun and a lot of shooting for cheap. Get a 500 round box for $25.


Cripes, look at the new "Lite" model...

 

[Jason23]

Another vote for the SR9 and also, in my wife's case, an M&P 9 with the small backstrap.

 

[silverfoxdj]

Sig mosquito

Perish the thought..

 

[pisces-guy]

Ruger SR9 pistol and Ruger SP-101 .357 with Hogue grips installed...

 

[3strokes]

GSG 1911 .22 - can't beat it for the $$$$$ - light - no recoil - ammo cheap - can shoot enough to get comfortable - perfect for an introduction into hangunning and an easy step up to 1911 either .45 or 9mm.

+ it takes 99% of 1911 grips. Some are thick, with thumb rest and are contoured and some are thin.

 

[Can Can]

Beretta Neos..........hands down.

No pun intended.

Paul

 

[Lee Enfield]

J-frame or SP101 .357/.38Special

BHP is kind of a standard "fits almost everyone" auto pistol.

The thing you have to be aware of is: does she have the hand strength to grip and cycle the slide?

A lot of women are not able to do it without pointing the muzzle at their weak elbow.

 

[tseheather]

I have been shooting a H&K P2000 with the small strap on the back for years. My hands are small and I am 5' tall. I have used this gun for tactical classes and have totally kept up with the big boys.