Having taught a bunch of gals to shoot, here’s what I have found time and again:
Too many guys think that women “can’t handle recoil.” Not true.
Women can handle plenty of recoil IF THE GUN FITS THEM.
And there’s the rub.
If you’re looking at handguns, go into a gun store and start handling a lot of guns. Don’t pay attention to semi vs. revolver, caliber or anything else at first. Find what fits YOUR hands.
Now, try to maximize what you can find that fits your hands.
I also strongly recommend to NOT outfit women with a super-light handgun or rifle. This obsession with the super-light handgun or rifle has a double edge: If you don’t have the mass in the firearm, the “equal and opposite reaction” has to find a home somewhere — and when the mass isn’t in the firearm itself, the part of the shooter in direct contact with the firearm is going to have to absorb the recoil’s kinetic energy.
ie, these “featherweight” and “titanium” handguns, or the super-light composite handguns — they kick like a mule because there’s no mass in the gun itself to take the recoil. So don’t get sold into something super-light — because if you’re a) female, b) 61, c) have small hands, I’m guessing you’re not going to have a whole lot of mass on your bones you want to put into absorbing recoil because the firearm won’t do it.
There are MANY fine stainless weapons out there now. It is the only way I’d recommend going now. Lower maintenance is only the first reason. They’re also good if you’re in a high humidity environment or live near the shore where you have salt in the air from the ocean, or you need to take the weapon with you and you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, etc.
Thanks! I am going to this place to take classes. Really close to my home:
Don’t know if they will put high pressure sales on me but I will definately put my hands on many of them for the feel then and will go stainless as I have a home in Washington State as well as here in San Diego.
I guess I can rent a gun for practice to see how I like it. Guess you buy a bucket of bullets at a time for practice.
Thanks again!
Excellent info. Gun shops always try to push that lightweight S&W. It’s miserable to shoot. I would rather have the same gun with more weight. The lighter is good for carry, but not fun to shoot, that’s for sure.
Great Post!! Should be very useful to the ladies.