Pistol for wife - which direction to go

[Tonk]

Now those who say the Smith & Wesson "Airweights" are not a good choice because people load them to hot are badmouthing a very good self-defense weapon! If your a man and can take the recoil fine and dandy but if your a women and can not, they simply load the pistol with .38-spl 125 grain bullets and be ready to rock N roll. A plan jane .38spl up close is far better than a hammer or baseball bat! 

The big problem for a lot of older women and young too, is pulling back the trigger on the double action  pistol and being able to hit the target. Most I have found will shoot a foot low for starters! Some double actions I have tested are in the 7 to 10 pound pull range and women just can NOT handle that while pulling back and yet keep the pistol on the target to hit their mark. Nothing wrong with a Lady Smith in .38-spl. as it was made for ladies in the first place.

The Glock slide is one of the friendliest to operate and yet the trigger pull if very manageable for just about anyone regardless of age or strength. This is why my wife carry's a Glock, she can everytime on the firing line, draw and fire her Glock .40 cal and hit the mark with the first shot. I feel this is very important, as you can not afford to give the Bad Guy a Free missed shot! The Glock also generates less felt recoil to the hand because of the way it is made. A big plus for women in that respect!!! 

[GH1]

I too am of the belief that people should pick out their own gun.  A gun that isn't comfortable to carry  gets left at home, and a gun that isn't comfortable to shoot results in no practice.  What you might try to do is schedule some range time with a few friends and as many different types of weapons as possible.  Many ranges offer rentals as well. A gun has to fit the shooter just like clothes do, and the only way to get a good fit is to try a few out.
GH1

[Merle]

Nor would I think any thing wrong with putting the laser grips on anything that is carried for self defense.

Badge54

+1 on this.
ANYONE who doesn't practice enough will benefit from lasers.
It's not limited to ladies.

 

[Merle]

When I carry in my purse it's usually my S&W 340PD which is loaded with both 38 & 357 in 125 grain bullets. (yes it's nasty in 357)
If I'm using a holster I carry my 60-7 Ladysmith.
Sometimes I use a 9mm Sig 239 but it's usually more weight than I care to haul around.
I prefer the light J frame, if I ever need to use it in a stressful situation I'll not notice the recoil anyway. I shoot enough to be good with any gun I choose to carry.
With revolvers it is often necessary to change the grip to one that fits the persons hand better. It allows them to shoot better with more accuracy.
I'd suggest getting more than one gun if there's more than one she likes. Go to the range often enough that she gets well acquainted with the guns and their operation. Practice practice and.............practice.
Any handgun in 22lr is a good way to get a lot of gun handling practice.

As far as having my purse grabbed, the only guy that ever tried it now knows better and crosses the street when he sees me. (being tall might be an advantage)

Sounds like you are pretty competent, but sad to say I don't see this very often in women - no offense intended.

My wife is 4'-11" on a good day, and weighs about 90 lbs. She won't practice nearly enough, so I have to worry about that too.
She wiil need all the help she can get if, God forbid, bad things happen.