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The Annoyed Man wrote:Springfield XDS-9mm would be worth a look, if you're limiting yourself to single stack guns. If double stacks are under consideration, the XDM-9mm 3.8 Compact is an impressive gun, and very soft shooting.

Mrs. RRASH loves the 9mm 3.8 XDM. It is a great gun.

My advice would be to narrow down your selection to 3-4 options, go to a range that would rent these out to you, and make a date out of it. I know a 9mm is going to be better than a .380 on paper, but even that boils down to what gives her confidence - not only in accuracy and recoil management, but concealability, draw, clearing malfunctions, reloading, etc. If she isn't comfortable, she won't carry, and even a .32 is better than pepper spray.

ShootDontTalk wrote:I'm not sure about all the concern about racking the slide. Are you saying that racking the slide is going to be an integral part of her drawing the weapon when needed - carrying with an empty chamber? If so, I would recommend getting comfortable with a round in the chamber. The fine motor skill necessary to rack the slide will be one of the first casualties of the massive adrenaline dump in a crisis. Range time yes it can be a problem, but one that can be overcome with practice.

you've got to be able to reload, clear a problem, even occasionally empty it for a police officer.

Exactly Sew! I hung up a round in the kahr and after two tries she got the round out by pulling back the slide just enough after she dropped the mag. Problem solved right? Wrong! She couldn't get the slide all the way back to re-install the mag. She would be totally dependent on the slide locking back on the last round. If it did jam the gun would be useless if she couldn't clear the malfunction with the mag still in place. Once that slide goes foward it has a 20 pound factory spring. The first time I tried it I thought the gun was broke until my LGS said pull on it like you mean it and I got it back the second try but this was a loose gun with thousands of rounds threw it.

As for the xds she held but did not fire. I was thinking about the xds 9mm 4.0. Extra barrel length might tame it a little and still be easy to conceal. The xds is slightly smaller in height then the shield.Pps is to wide from front to back. She can barely grip and reach the trigger. Same for sig 290. Emp she likes but that is a winter carry option. To big same for xdm.

Love my Walther PPS. Easy to handle. Easy to take down and clean. No problems racking the slide (I'm a girl with some arthritis in my hands). I've had it 2 years and it's worked like a champ every time I've shot it.

Pps is a great gun! I rented it twice at my LGS. I could have easily bought the Pps over the shield but $125-150 difference and the fact that even though the grip seems the same to me it is not to my wife. I still might some day!
The grip on the Pps is similar to the sig 290 in the fact that they are both thin from side to side but a little thicker back to front in the grip then guns like kahr shield xds etc. While I never noticed it my wife picked up the Pps at the range even with the small back strap and sure enough it was evident. I am talking maybe.1-. 2 tenths at most but it made my wife's already short fingers not get enough contact with the trigger.

I think we are at the point where carry around a firearm is going to be more important then size if she stays with a 9mm and since the xds is. 2 tenths shorter in height then even my shield. So I think I am going to try and find her an xds 4.0 to shoot. This might be an option if she can deal with the
.7 tenths longer barrel in her shorts or pants.

It is not hard to find these guns to buy but it can be a challenge to find a range to rent. If any of you know a range on the north side of Houston that has an xds 4.0 in 9mm for rent let me know.

Also if any of you see the current unicorn for rent (Glock 42) in Houston let me know.

SewTexas wrote: you've got to be able to reload, clear a problem, even occasionally empty it for a police officer.

Well YMMV but I'm not going to be handling a loaded weapon in the presence of an officer. Too many chances of bad things happening. If he wants it removed from the holster and cleared, he can do it. His liability, not mine.

You have a slide release for reloading when the gun is empty and the slide is open. Even if you're not going to use the release, it takes less effort to pull the slide back so that the release lets go than a full cycle. Clearing yes.

All that aside. I have for many years encouraged anyone who has weaker hands and wrists to get a couple of exercise devices to build up hand and wrist strength. The only real viable alternative is a revolver. The simple fact is that auto loaders require stronger recoil springs for more powerful cartridges.

Good luck finding her something that will work for her.

CC Italian wrote:The first time I tried it I thought the gun was broke until my LGS said pull on it like you mean it and I got it back the second try but this was a loose gun with thousands of rounds threw it.

Is your wife holding the pistol pointing down range and using her off hand to pull back on the slide? If so, she needs to switch to holding it in front of her body near her chest and for a right handed shooter pointed toward the left. Her right hand pushes sharply toward her left side simultaneously with her left hand pushing the sharply toward her right side. It will make a huge difference in how easy it is to cycle the slide.

CC Italian wrote:Pps is a great gun! I rented it twice at my LGS. I could have easily bought the Pps over the shield but $125-150 difference and the fact that even though the grip seems the same to me it is not to my wife. I still might some day!
The grip on the Pps is similar to the sig 290 in the fact that they are both thin from side to side but a little thicker back to front in the grip then guns like kahr shield xds etc. While I never noticed it my wife picked up the Pps at the range even with the small back strap and sure enough it was evident. I am talking maybe.1-. 2 tenths at most but it made my wife's already short fingers not get enough contact with the trigger.

I think we are at the point where carry around a firearm is going to be more important then size if she stays with a 9mm and since the xds is. 2 tenths shorter in height then even my shield. So I think I am going to try and find her an xds 4.0 to shoot. This might be an option if she can deal with the
.7 tenths longer barrel in her shorts or pants.

It is not hard to find these guns to buy but it can be a challenge to find a range to rent. If any of you know a range on the north side of Houston that has an xds 4.0 in 9mm for rent let me know.

I live on the Northside. I go to Spring Guns and Ammo. They have almost every gun to rent and try. I am also small statue and I carry a Shield with no problems.

CC Italian wrote:Also if any of you see the current unicorn for rent (Glock 42) in Houston let me know.

Maybe you've shot one by now but Top Gun has one for rent.. I didn't shoot it but I held it as I am looking for a carry weapon for my SO as well... I admit I am a Glock fanboy, but the gun seems to have an identity crisis... although it is Glock's smallest offering, it is too large for a .380. If it was 9mm I would be all over it. I am going to look at a Beretta Nano, P928, and maybe a P238. I really don't want her carrying anything smaller than 9mm though if I can help it.

For some reason she loves to shoot my G22, and has tight groups with it, but obviously it is a bit to big for purse carry. Every subcompact weapon I've let her try, she either cant deal with the long DAO trigger or the grips hurt her hands (Kahrs). Let me know what works out for you!

Thanks, for the input. Spring guns and ammo is the place where most of the firearms were rented.

Your wife should try the Beretta BU9 Nano if she has the opportunity and hasn't done so already. It's a very easy-to-conceal 9mm micro-compact. And my favorite pocket-carry pistol. It also hides real well on your hip.

The Annoyed Man wrote:Springfield XDS-9mm would be worth a look, if you're limiting yourself to single stack guns. If double stacks are under consideration, the XDM-9mm 3.8 Compact is an impressive gun, and very soft shooting.

I agree completely, I have shot both in 9mm have small hands and have noticed little difference in recoil I normally shoot XDm 40 am small framed and very round I have no problems concealing it

If you are stilling considering a 380, although there has been a lot of bad press about the G42, I have a couple of them (newest production with all the changes) and that gun just flat our fits my hand like a glove and is a breeze to shoot. I tuck it in a Desantis Nemisis holster and tuck it in my purse or a Tommy pack. It's nice and light and it shoots like a dream. Out of 225 rounds thus far with various defensive ammo, I only had one failure to feed on the second round using PDX1 ammo (and I think it was my fault for being apprehensive on the very first round I shot). Anyway, no other issues the rest of the night.

Since your wife likes glocks she really should at least try the G42. If for no other reason than to rule it out. Yes, there are smaller 380s and there are smaller 9mms.....but she should give the G42 a test run. It's just very easy to hold and a nice soft shooter. I was actually amazed that I fell in love with the gun, and believe me, I have owned a bunch of small 9mms and a few other 380s.

We have had an opportunity to shoot all the major ones we would like except the LC380 and glock 42. She likes the shield and xds but they are a little bigger then she wants. Remember a Cm9 kahr is a full grip for her. It isn't the grip being to small but the light weight of some of these mini 9s is just to much recoil. The only 9mm that is small and comfortable for her to shoot is the mk9. It is just unfortunate that kahr has such strong springs. The LC9 she loved in the hand and was easy to work the slide. It was a little lighter and smaller then the shield but she hated the trigger and of course it recoiled more then the shield or xds so it is a no go. I tried the Nano several months back and she wouldn't go for it. To much recoil for her, plus it has no slide stop for her.

Ruger just announced a new striker fired LC9, maybe in a few months it will trickle down to the LC380 and then I think she would want it. I think she would love the g42 but she and I must admit I am leery about a Glock for her carry gun if she ever pocket carries. I have no problems carrying a glock in a hip holster and we both love their triggers but I am a little worried about that light trigger and no safety while in her front pocket.

I know it might be unfounded but I have never felt comfortable putting my Glock 27 (even though its to heavy) in my front pocket with a round in the chamber even with the desantis holster. Also, she has been shooting the shield more and is more accurate with it then the sig 238. So that has caused her to second guess the sig 238.

Like I said, she is in no hurry and is in love with the shield but wishes it was a little smaller. She keeps talking about the mk9 and how it was great even with the DAO trigger. Might give kahr a call and see what they say about a lighter spring. It probably will effect the reliability of the gun is my guess but I will check into it.