Subcompact for wife?

[Bugflipper]

Hello,
I would like to get a new cc for the wife. She currently is using a j frame 38 snubby. I was thinking a baby glock in 40. I really don't know what all is out there though.She is quite competent with my pistols, up to 45 acp in full size. This would be a purse gun, but  needs to be very compact. She is familiar with Beretta's, Glock's, 1911's, High Power's and Springfield XD's. There shouldn't be a problem with transition to other brands.
Thanks

[dbriannelson]

Anything wrong with the J-Frame .38?  How about a J-Frame .357?  Compact, light, easy to use while stressed, durable, repairable, and you can even get pink grips (should she be of the pink persuasion).  No stovepipes, jams, levers and buttons, safeties, or parts that can get separated from the handgun.  And a cartridge with an excellent reputation for stopping people.

Or do you just think she wants something different?

-Don

[Mikey]

bugflipper - if she wants something different, get her a pink Beretta (good thought Don), because there is absolutely nothing wrong with the j-frame snubby and it fits the criteria for a compact purse gun, and she is competent with it.

If you are concerned about the effectiveness of the caliber then review the thread in this forum on ammo for 38 snubnoses and that should help you further decide if this is an actual 'need' or a desire for something different. 

Don't let me fool you though - if she wanta another gun then let her get two and ya better get'm now while the gettin' is good..............JMTCW.

[Bugflipper]

The problem is she has been shooting my baby glock in 40. Running through a standard LEO qualifying coarse she scores 100 on a Q target. With the snubby she can't hit much beyond 10 yards(never did the coarse with the snubby). Actually she stole the smith from me 10 or so years ago. She WONT steal my glock, we'll just have to get her a new pistol.
Thanks Guys
BTW a hello kitty AR would go with the pink pistols so they can accessorize.

[Mikey]

"With the snubby she can't hit beyond 10 yds" but she scores 100 on a qualifying target? 

Bugflipper:  Check the grips on the snubby - many of the j-frames, factory 'custom' or otherwise, come with incredibly small and very ineffective grip panels that are of almost no use what so ever, except for concealment.

My first snubbies, years and years ago, wore a lot of tennis racquet grip tape on the handle so I could grasp the darn thing.  Later on we had folks like Hogue and Pachmyer who improved the situation greatly.

My M38 and my M37 are great snubbies, now that they have worn Pachmyers since I got them. 

The boot grips on my M38 were so bad the gun would (1) not come to hand and I could hit with it at defensive ranges and (2) would rotate in my hand, necessitating a re-grip, to bring it on target.  It wasn't even fun to plink with, until I got my Pachmyers and all that changed.  Now I can grab for the gun and feel it right in my hand; in a defensive draw and fire all shots are immediate and directly on target.  The Pachmyers were the perfect cure for the problem. 

If your wife has the grip capability (hand size) to properly grasp and hold the other handguns you have mentioned then I believe her/your only concern for that snubby is a proper set of grips.  And once you have tended to that need then you can set up a 'singing target' (metal plate that makes noise when ya hit it) at the 100 yd line and see how many cylinders of ammo it takes her to make it sing........just a thought.....

[Bugflipper]

Thanks Mikey,
Your right it does have the tiny wood grips on it. I used to carry it as a back up and never hit much with it either. We only had to put 5 in a silhouette at 5 yards to qualify a back up.
Good Info

[williamlayton]

Sig 239--in the caliber of choice.
Blessings

[slim rem 7]

 ordinaryly i wouldn t recommend an kel tec unless a person accepted that it takes some real learning to operate..but if shes that familar with guns . the p3at will take a good defence rnd and my choice the 95 grn flat nose..9 mill be a possibly better choice especialy a sig.. no auto is gonna be real dependable if its swimming in whats in the bottum of my sweet ladies purse..that situation the snubby is the surest thing she can get.. now the good thing about the p3at kel tec is you cant even tell its there,even if you build up the grip like i had to ,in order to shoot it accurately.. never limp wrist it an very little lube or you throw the action off..do that an shes as dependable as my sig..at least mine is,and my experience has made me come to believe nearly all these .p3at problems are operator lack of knowledge.. fine little gun that has its place..good luck..

[Bugflipper]

 She uses conceal carry purses, or pocket holster attached to inside of traditional purse. I explained to her long ago the pistol needs to always be in a central location for quick access or it is useless. She has a glock 22 in glove box and para ordinance lda 14 on nightstand. She is very familiar with autos. I did have a keltec when they first came out, trigger was way to heavy. Did they fix that?
 Thanks guys, keep them coming.

[slim rem 7]

no that triggers still a long trip..thats one reason why i prefer my snubby.ive alway cocked a gun before i shot it..trigger doesn t
 affect accuracy that way,, near as much..truely these little lite compacts are a trade off .. ive learned to shoot mine ..but i would have never got use to that little grip so i fixed it so i could hit pretty well.
if she just won t have a snubby ,,id look a 9mil sig or that para over real hard..so many fellas recommend them ,they must be worth looking at.. my smith 60 ended the hunt for me tho. good luck now

[michael c]

Have you looked at the Walther PPS?  Flat, striker-fired 9mm with adjustable grip.  Basically a flat P99 Compact, which is the best compact/subcompact I've ever owned.  If the width on the baby glocks is too much, the PPS is a great compromise on width without any compromise on quality.  My P99C absolutely refuses to choke on anything, and I'm well over 7000 rounds.

I will say that the Keltec PF9 trigger is better than the old Keltec triggers.  Not great, but nothing like the old p11 triggers.  I have a PF9, and although I'd prefer a Walther PPS, the Keltec PF9 is not a bad gun.  Just get a newly manufactured one... like any early production, the first few had some teething problems. 

[slim rem 7]

 wish she would trade me her snubby for my little kel tec but mines got some cosmetic damage from when it got dropped so ill probably keep it until i cant shoot anymore..