Women and .380 pistols

[74novaman]

Specifically, pocket or small .380s. I'm not sure what gun store yokel is out there telling men that .380 is what they should buy as an "in home" defense gun for their wives/mothers/girlfriends, but he needs to be about the head once or twice.

I went to the range today and saw 2 women and their husband there with new Bersa .380s. They had a heck of a hard time shooting them (one of them to the point she was downright unsafe on the firing line at times, flagging other people. Thank goodness she barely had the hand strength to pull the trigger I guess!).

Why is it that we push guns that are snappy recoiling, light weight, long/hard trigger pull, etc on the women in our lives?

Now, I know lots of women can handle this type of gun just fine, but I can see that if this was a gals first time shooting a pistol, she wouldn't be too enamored of the idea in general and may never come back.

I wrote a long drawn out blog about it if anyone interested. If not, feel free to discuss the idea of pocket .380s for women here in the thread.

[WildBill]

Why is it that we push guns that are snappy recoiling, light weight, long/hard trigger pull, etc on the women in our lives?

I think there are two root causes: 1) they think that the .380s are small and cute and fit in a woman's smallish hands, and 2) they don't understand basic physics that a small light weight gun has greater recoil that a heavier gun. The long and hard trigger pulls are common on most "inexpensive" double-action .380s.

[JustMe]

And someone painted one pink & said it was for girls

[Jumping Frog]

Ironically, most people (men and women) find it easier to shoot a full-size 5" 1911.

[Oldgringo]

We've noticed, over the years and miles, some unwritten creed to the effect, "the smaller the RV, the bigger the dog/s".

Perhaps there should be a similar suggestion for women and pistols? Something on a graduated scale of .380 acp for 6' (+) women and .500 S&W for 5' (-) women. Those in between would shift upward or downward as appropriate between 9mm parabellum and .45 acp.

[Sidro]

When we take a new female shooter out we take several different calibers. My wife has a P238 and a Browning .380 for them to try, along with others(.38sp, .357 mag, .40 cal, .22-1911, 9mm, 357sig in a 1911, and her edc 3" bbl .45acp). Most lean toward the Browning or the XD .40cal after shooting all of them. We never tell them what is right for them, just let them decide on their own. The few that choose the .45acp invariably turn out to be the best shots and generally want the .380 just to play with. I never pick a gun for my wife, she tries them and tells me what to buy for her. Just my opinion but us guys should stay out of the choice decision and just furnish the cash.

[Heartland Patriot]

Specifically, pocket or small .380s. I'm not sure what gun store yokel is out there telling men that .380 is what they should buy as an "in home" defense gun for their wives/mothers/girlfriends, but he needs to be about the head once or twice.

I went to the range today and saw 2 women and their husband there with new Bersa .380s. They had a heck of a hard time shooting them (one of them to the point she was downright unsafe on the firing line at times, flagging other people. Thank goodness she barely had the hand strength to pull the trigger I guess!).

Why is it that we push guns that are snappy recoiling, light weight, long/hard trigger pull, etc on the women in our lives?

Now, I know lots of women can handle this type of gun just fine, but I can see that if this was a gals first time shooting a pistol, she wouldn't be too enamored of the idea in general and may never come back.

I wrote a long drawn out blog about it if anyone interested. If not, feel free to discuss the idea of pocket .380s for women here in the thread.

What model of Bersa was it? My wife likes the Bersa Thunder .380 we got for her; I just wish I could get her to go to the range more, but its not "her thing". It basically looks like a Walther PP (with some modifications), has a metal frame, and while the trigger pull isn't anything to brag about, I didn't think it was hideous, either. In fact, I found the trigger pull on the Walther P22 to be worse than the Bersa. Now, if you were talking about some of those tiny .380s like the Ruger LCP, then I would totally agree with you about weight vs. recoil.

[A-R]

FYI correction for your blog - Bersa is an aluminum frame, not polymer

But I agree it's not ideal gun for new shooter

[74novaman]

FYI correction for your blog - Bersa is an aluminum frame, not polymer

But I agree it's not ideal gun for new shooter

Dang it, thanks. I'll get that corrected.

And Sidro, great call on letting the girls pick what they want to shoot. If they LIKE they .380s, fine. But there seems to be much better options out there to "break in new shooters" to me.

[thenick_ttu]

My wife has a Ruger LCP that she picked out herself. She got to shoot her mother's before we bought her's. She liked the compact size and the fact that a belt clip can be added to the gun and is easily carried on person... but, she has admitted that she likes shooting my XD .40 a lot more than her LCP.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Another problem for most women with the majority of .380 ACP's is the difficulty racking the slide. It is not a locking breech pistol and the blow-back design requires a hefty recoil spring. Couple this with a small slide with a good percentage used for the ejection port, and there's little to grab.

I've taken a lot of women who are new to shooting to the range and very few truly like the .380. I've found that more experienced women shooters like the .380 better. The hands down favorite is a Commander length 1911 in .38 Super. Women love it!

Chas.

[CC Italian]

When I had my Bersa .380cc my better half couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with it. Granted she is very very tiny and the blowback operation made it to much for her. She absolutely loves her S&W 908s though and can shoot it better then I can! I think the main problem is when women conceal carry they have a much harder time concealing a full sub compact like a glock 26 or xd sub then men so they step down to single stack guns and the weight goes down with it and before you know it a 9mm and some of the .40s are easier to shoot by then.

Single stacks like 1911s, single stack smith 3rd gens, kahr k9 and t9 in 9mm or possible .45 is one of the best for many women I have met! Thin grip, has some weight but is still concealable. What is not to like?


Edit: But of all her guns her go to gun is still the Ruger SP-101 3 1/6 barrel in .32 H&R loaded with these http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l= ... tail&p=257

While not as potent as the 9mm it out does the .380 any day and still has pretty mild recoil with downright amazing accuracy! She can make all rounds stay in a tracing of a tuna fish can at 5-7 yards at a quick rate of fire!

[74novaman]

I think the main problem is when women conceal carry they have a much harder time concealing a full sub compact like a glock 26 or xd sub then men

I get that, but my whole rant was started by the fact someone sold an elderly couple (in their 70s) on the idea that her first and only handgun for defense around the house (not concealed carry) should be a small .380.

She couldn't rack the slide, could barely pull the trigger, and had trouble getting rounds on paper from 5 yards away. I'm not sure an easier to use gun would have fixed all that, but it certainly wouldn't have hurt her chances.

Just doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe gun stores in my area had too many Bersas on hand last few months so they've been pushing them hard, I don't know.

I believe that user "Justme" is female, but other than that its been all male input in this thread. I'm curious if our female members think I'm way off base here, or what their thoughts on good pistols for women/how they'd prefer to learn, etc.

[CC Italian]

Elderly, can't rack the slide and only around the house. Sounds like a job for a ruger sp101 or s&W model 10 imo. Model 10 is a little heavier and has a 4in barrel. If you can't rack the slide forget it, stay with a revolver!

[CC Italian]

Plus the model 10 holds six rounds and still has a small grip. My better half can shoot a model 10 with 38 special +p all day. FYI I know she also prefers the M&P over all other double stack polymers and that seems to be the case for many women. They love the M&P!