I worked with my wife for a LONG time over the years to get her to be a good shooter and feel confident to carry. We tried all manner of guns for her. She has graduated now to the S&W EZ in 9mm. She is confident, shoots pretty accurately, and wants to go practice when in the past not so much. That gun is not for everyone, but there is a segment of the population that can benefit from it. I think back to when my wife would not carry a gun, and I am thankful we are way past that point right now. She is becoming quite good with an AR now. Progress!
I bought my oldest daughter a G42 TALO. I bought my middle daughter an S&W M&P .380. I bought my youngest daughter an S&W M&P Compact .22. My wife has an S&W M10 Snubbie, an S&W M 12 Snubbie, an S&W 351PD, an S&W 351c, and a Ruger Lightweight Commander-type in 9mm. She also has a Colt Detective Special.
My wife will carry a Walther P22 or an old High Standard snub nosed 22, and is on a whole nother level with her marksmanship than me, but her fun gun is a Nagant revolver. "I don't see why people complain about the trigger," she says. She's a pretty awesome woman.
As a 58 y/o man with cervical neck, right shoulder, and hand strength issues, I can attest to the need for men with age/injury related issues to strongly consider the .380 round. I recently bought a P365 380 to use as a daily CCW to replace my P365 9mm. The difference in recoil and controllability is amazing. Modern .380 ammo choices like the Xtreme Defender in pistols like mentioned in this video are very effective self defense rounds. Having said that, I still prefer the 9mm round overall, but in larger pistols where the mass/weight of the pistol helps offset the higher recoil of the more powerful 9mm round. While I'll keep most of my 9mm pistol collection, there are excellent newer .380 choices that are great options. PS: Next on my "to buy" list is the Beretta 80X.
I agree on .380 but I had to give up on tiny guns. Rheumatoid arthritis, knuckle replacement surgery and XL gloves makes anything G19 or larger my go-to.
My mom has a lot of issues with her hands and wrists as well as back and shoulder issues so carrying a larger heavier gun was not good for her. I gave her my Smith & Wesson 9mm years ago and with her issues 9mm is the largest caliber she can control, but it's to the point that she couldn't carry it comfortablely so we talked about it and I recommended to her to get a Ruger LCP as her EDC so she got one and that's what she carries every day now. And I liked it so much that I put a LCP max on layaway a couple weeks after she bout her LCP.
THANK YOU for your honesty about snubnose DAs. I'm still waiting to see this mythical grandma who can't retract a 14lb recoil spring with the entire strength of her upper body, but can easily squeeze a 13lb trigger with her fingertip.
My wife choose the S&W .380 EZ. She loves its full size grip, and of course all the EZ features. She will probably upgrade to a .380 Equalizer, if / when S&W comes out with one! I would buy one too!
I think this video is a great resource for any woman looking to purchase her first handgun or even for those who are looking to upgrade. Thank you for sharing this valuable information
My wife says the grip safety helps with her form. Said it forces her to hold it correctly. She pocket carry’s the S&W Bodyguard, open carry the EZ 9 and ranges those plus a couple Glocks. Glocks are her least favorite.
We chose the 9mm Shield EZ for my wife. This was just before the Equalizer came out or we might have gone that route, but the EZ is a great little shooter. As you said, all the manipulation, racking, loading, recoil management, everything is made easier and makes it a great choice for inexperienced/less dexterous shooters. She absolutely loves it and shoots it well. I even like taking it for a spin when we have a range day. Great little gun. Her other favorite: my 1911 in .45 ACP. Go figure.
We got my wife a S&W M&P .380 EZ. She absolutely cannot pull the slide on my Walthers, Glocks or even the LCP. Plus it fits her hands very well. The grip safety is a negative but as long as it's properly gripped, you're good to go. My sister has a Sig 365 9mm but she's pretty strong so the slide is no problem.
I'm running into the same exact problem. My wife is having a hard time with the slide on my Glock. The EZ seems to be the one but it's a bit more expensive than I wanted to go. Do you have any other ideas? I may just have to postpone the purchase for a later date or perhaps a sale.
Thanks for a great video summary. My wife will soon be staying at our property out of town for a few days each week and will need her own firearm for home (condo) protection. After seeing this and your full review of the 80X Cheetah, we are leaning toward the Beretta for her. She prefers the reduced recoil of a 380 over my 9mm, but I did have some concerns after watching Chris Baker's video about how easily malfunctions can occur with some 380's if you have a poor/weak grip (which can happen when one is startled awake by an intruder at 2:00am). However, even after significant effort, he was simply unable to produce a single malfunction with the Cheetah. That gives me confidence that the 80X will give her reliable home/personal protection. Thanks again for all your great videos, which are consistently all about the product and not about the politics. I also like the blooper reel at the end. 🤣
If you're a first time buyer with weaker hands for whatever reason, stay away from the Sig P365 because there are still better options not mentioned here. If your near by gun store has a range, try the firearms before purchasing because this will determine if you would actually practice and carry it. The S&W EZ and Ruger Security have the easiest slides for 380 or 9mm, and 30 Super Carry (new caliber with S&W). But you don't have to limit yourself these calibers, my mom used to carry 22lr revolver which was better than nothing. These days Taurus, FN, Ruger, and Walther make decent reliable 22 pistols which are easy rack.
A couple of points. First, the magazines for the P365, especially when new, are extremely difficult to load until they are broken in. Worst case, you could lose a round of capacity. The second point is the 80x Cheetah is DA/SA, which could be difficult for those with hand challenges, exactly why you appropriately steered them away from the revolver. PDP-F is as you said a great choice, as are the SW's and the Rugers. JMHO.
I think the S&W Shield Plus is an excellent choice. The slide operates easily, no grip safety, 10 rd and 13 rd mags, option for night sight and optic ready, good trigger, all that for 4 bills, that's hard to beat in my opinion.
I want to say that everyone has a different view about guns. Some make think the recoil is bad, some may not. Some may like the grip, some may not. Dont take the word of someone, go to a range. You can rent different ones and find out for yourself what feels right for you! Good luck on your hunt!
I think we are on the cusp of a new evolution in 380 design and implementation. Not just for women, though I think their growing power in the market is driving it. But you look at the 80x offering near full size in the caliber. The SW, the Rugers (old and new), the 365-380, it’s an exciting time for 380.
I bought my wife the Walther pdp F 3.5. She had a Glock 43x and she likes this better. She can operate everything better. rack slide. release slide etc the ONLY thing this gun is larger than say a 43x or hellcat pro is the thickness. Otherwise pretty much same silhouette. Shorter trigger reach also that either of the others and more controllable than pretty much any of the others mentioned which is truly what is important. she had a EZ shield 9 and had issues with the grip safety and trigger not operating because of the way the grip safety fit into her hand it would not be depressed properly. the Walther fits her great and she is a smaller gal. smallness is not as critical and being able to control it well.
Nice video, my wife and I went out today looking for a good option for her, we put hands on a couple and ended up ordering a 380 EZ, I was pleased to see it recommended on your list. God bless you and yours.
Normalize not telling woman small guns are best for them. Any one who shoots even 50-100 rounds a year knows small handguns are the hardest to master. Use a gun you can carry and that you can actually train with!
@@TurboK24z yeah that goes without saying, my point is that just because it’s easier to conceal a smaller gun doesn’t mean it’s easier to shoot proficiently for the average or novice gun owner.
@@jayflo714 I’d suggest to anyone that dressing differently to conceal a bigger gun is smarter than trying to find a gun as small as possible to work with your current clothing style. That’s just me tho
I agree with you partially, the reason I would buy a smaller handgun for my partner is because while logically larger handguns are easier to be more accurate with, I want her to buy a pistol that she is comfortable with and not afraid of.
Tip up barrels are good when everything runs well. But if you have a bad round or a malfunction you still have to rake the slide. Just another suggestion
**Had an LCP, did not like it, as you said it's to snappy for comfort. **Sold it didn't regret selling it, but regretted buying it in the first place. **Bought an LCP Max that's a gun that should have came out with first. **Now I'm waiting for crimson Trace to bring out their green laser for it. **My sister bought one of the shield EZ's she likes it. **And her even buying a gun was a shock to me. **Trying to remember, somebody else brought out a clone of the Beretta model 84 cheetah, that's one that should probably be added to this list.
RE: .380s - My experience has been they are not only for the "recoil sensitive". Rather, all things being equal, no matter how well you shoot a 9mm you will shoot a .380 better.
My wife is finally to the point where she wants her own gun. She enjoys shooting but some guns just make her hands hurt. She has no problems racking the slide. It’s more the grip for her so we need to do some research. I was thinking the P365 380 or something similar. She wasn’t thrilled with the 380EZ.
My Smith and Wesson M&P shield is so hard to remove a live bullet. Took everything in me to slide it far enough back to remove it. I could not get the slide to lock in the open position and it's only been fired a handful of times and I bought it new. On the other hand I got a new Canik METE SFX and I love it. It's so lightweight and it's already got a scope on it. It came with a scope, holster, loader and all the tools to disassemble it. So much easier to slide open. It's a great gun for a woman.
Wes They better get a gun they can shoot first and foremost, not one they can't. If they can't shoot it they won't use it. If for concealing then both being able to shoot and conceal it apply.
@@allsmiles2938 My sisters don't conceal their revolvers. They use them as home and vehicle guns. Women with tiny body size carry tiny guns like a Colt Mustang or SIG P238 or P938. Men print also. I print badly. My sub compacts are a little on the larger size for me but barely okay. I mostly carry a micro P365 for size and capacity but if I can get away with concealing it I will carry my revolver but I think the revolver even being a small J frame is going to still be about as big as my sub compacts. Most folks I know that carry don't even worry about printing. They just print and nobody cares. Haha.
@RB M lol I guess cause our clothing is meant to fit tighter, but even wearing a slightly baggy tee still prints, and my 43x is pretty small too. Gonna look into the belly band and see if that helps.
We also have to remember one other, very important thing for the single ladies out there. They will need something that's easy to strip down for maintenance. I think that's something that's overlooked so often when a female buys a handgun. And now with RUclips's stupid rules, you can't even make a video to show how each gun comes apart.
I’m a first time shooter and I tried to rack my sons smith and Wesson and I could not do it the way you are doing it with your thumb in this video so I took my first class and she taught me to not use my thumb but to use the palm of my hand and the four fingers that way the arthritis in my hand was not a problem and I could do racking I could do the lockout I could do everything with it. I hope this helps somebody.
@@chrissewell1608 Exactly. The smaller the gun the harder it is to shoot and the heavier the recoil spring just to make it cycle properly without cracking the slide or frame.
Don, I am so glad that you started this with “NOT” recommending a J-frame (small revolver) for woman. Being in the business, you are dead right about women coming in and thinking that a small revolver is the best choice and, from experience, it is not! Trigger too heavy, recoil too stout and capacity too anemic!
Generally better to start with a K frame for a first revolver IMO. If a smaller frame then the 32s are probably a better choice but .38HBWCs are not bad
@@mkshffr4936 We’ll agree to disagree. Starting a new shooter off with a revolver is a very old school philosophy that just doesn’t really work. Double action triggers are just too heavy and too long for most shooters in general, let alone a new shooter. A proper semi auto “thumbs forward “ grip gives way more coverage, recoil management and comfort then a proper revolver grip AND, semi-autos suck about 30% of the recoil out of the round just by their actions alone.
@@cesarc.4230 I have one of those, it’s a great revolver BUT……..it is still a rim fire cartridge (inherently unreliable) and still a long reach and heavy pull, for most people!
It would be interesting to make a rig that could grip the slide and perhaps have a piece of chord attached such that you could use your trigger pull gauge to measure the racking force and compare different handguns.
My wife has the security 380 and its a 12+1 mag and a 15+1 mag it comes with its a great pistol for women or okd folk or people who just like a lite recoiling pistol. My 77year old father carries one now as well.
The Beretta is very nice. I wonder how the Taurus THC compares. My guess is not as reliable or well made but it would be interesting to see a head tobhead comparison. One thing to consider is that if you chose a Semi over a revolver the trade the need to master the DA trigger for the need to master the malfunction drills. The no free lunch principal always applies.
I have three sisters and two of them "chose" .38Spl. revolvers because they like them the best being simple with easy trigger pulls both DA and SA and they shoot them the best. Yes they do have snubbies and I agree they are snappy to shoot but that is what they chose. I know one of them cannot rack a slide on an autoloader and it doesn't matter which one. She has a hard time pulling some triggers also but not the snubbie she has now. She knows about the recoil but she would rather deal with the recoil than racking a slide. She will have recoil to control no matter what pistol she shoots anyway. Add all the hassle that goes with an autoloader. Round in the chamber, jams, manual safeties, racking the slide, mags, out of battery, and so on. I don't know what the third one carries. She is tight lipped. I know some women that are tiny in size and must use a micro pistol of some sort just to be able to conceal it. Even a SIG P365 is too big for some tiny women so they look at something like a Colt Mustang or SIG P238 or P938. I know my sister could not rack the slide on my P365 or any of my sub compacts even overhanded with both hands working. .22 rimfire is out of the question because of unreliable ignition and misfires unless that is all someone has. Thanks for sharing.
I agree with you on a lot of points. Under stress motor skills go out the window. I hate my .38 stubby I hate even shooting a box and I’m 230 pounds and built like a pitbull. A 32 long revolver would be my choice for women.
My wife can shoot a 9mm, but said the recoil was a bit much for her (smaller build, with small hands and wrists). She liked my Glock 23 (with 9mm conversion barrel), but grip was a little too large. My nephew had a Glock 42 he bought for his wife. I shot it, and thought my wife might like this pistol for her own. Bought her one for sale with an extra magazine for less than $350 out the door (including two boxes of ball ammo). She shot it, and was surprised at the difference in felt recoil from my Glock 48. She loves it, and since she first shot the pistol she’s always asking when I’d our next range session 😊. Glad she found a pistol that fits her hand that she can shoot well.
My girlfriend and I both have been shooting for less than a year and settled on .380 for our primary carry cartridge, though I have 9mm for the home defense weapon. It's light enough that she's not adverse to shooting it, and for me it's much easier to shoot fast at this point with my limited experience. We have a few of the ones on this list already... P365-380, Ruger Security 380, and soon the Beretta 80X. I want to try shooting a LCP Max to see how snappy it feels. I have a LCP II in .22 LR and it's a nice little pocket gun but I'm not 100% confident in it since I get light primer strikes on .22 sometimes. Since we stock .380 I think it would be a good addition.
I disagree with your assertion about airweight 38 revolvers. There isn’t a one size fits all solution. If someone is willing to put in the time and effort to learn the ins and outs of shooting, operating, cleaning a semi auto then great….but a lot of women simply aren’t going to put in that amount of work into a self defense firearms. For many women (my mom included) they want a self defense option that they can throw in a nightstand never clean, shoot, or worry about unless a rainy day comes when it’s necessary. Given that scenario a revolver is much more suited than a firearm with a bunch of buttons that you aren’t going to remember how to operate if you ever need to use it.
I’m sorry but I hate hate hate the iron sights that come standard on the Sig P365 380. So when pricing it, price in that you’ll either be upgrading those (plus paying to mount them), or adding a red dot sight.
Big advantage of the 80x is with double action you can carry it in a purse pocket without a holster. And just training with it a hammer fire is easier to get better with faster imo
Taurus G3C. 10 rds. of 9mm, great ergometrics, a great price point, and available everywhere. Don't let the female carriers settle for .380 unless absolutely necessary.
As an expierenced, Male, shooter & former LEO. My EDC gun is now the S&W Equalizer. Its full featured, compact & fairly light weight (w/ extra ammo, obviously heavier). I will enjoy my EZ racking, for years to come! & the red dot optic, light / laser is nice too! I ain't no sissyfied whinny pants about all the safetys either! 😢
Starters G3C/X,SD9VE and only after mastering those shall they 3.6 2.0 compact/G19 🤣and the ♉️G3/MCK 🎒was the best pdw for the ladies/elderly till the ban😒
I've seen a 12 year old girl rack a standard xd, a glock, and something elce with no problem at the range the other month. Women don't need lighter springs. They need to swing heavier kettlebells.
If you cannot get your spouse to help you prep, you may as well be alone and not have the burden to carry. I never thought I’d sounds so sour, but here I am.
Smaller hands, less capable hands, damaged hands, etc. - its' just not "women" that that may excel with, appreciate and/or need a different handgun choice.
I have a SIG 365 in .380. Use good quality FMJ ammo or Hornady personal defense round. Do NOT use SIG .380 hollow points as its large hollow point does NOT feed well in my 365. I had two stove pipes in every 10 rounds with the SIG personal defense hollow points. The 365 feeds the Hornady hollow points perfectly due to their cone shape and red plastic in nose of the bullet.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I worked with my wife for a LONG time over the years to get her to be a good shooter and feel confident to carry. We tried all manner of guns for her. She has graduated now to the S&W EZ in 9mm. She is confident, shoots pretty accurately, and wants to go practice when in the past not so much. That gun is not for everyone, but there is a segment of the population that can benefit from it. I think back to when my wife would not carry a gun, and I am thankful we are way past that point right now. She is becoming quite good with an AR now. Progress!
I bought my oldest daughter a G42 TALO. I bought my middle daughter an S&W M&P .380. I bought my youngest daughter an S&W M&P Compact .22. My wife has an S&W M10 Snubbie, an S&W M 12 Snubbie, an S&W 351PD, an S&W 351c, and a Ruger Lightweight Commander-type in 9mm. She also has a Colt Detective Special.
My mom at 75 still carrying a Glock 19.
Based asf
Nice
She Rocks!
😊 awe good
My grandpa is 83 carrying a S&W 38 revolver, don't mess with old ppl🔫😅
My wife will carry a Walther P22 or an old High Standard snub nosed 22, and is on a whole nother level with her marksmanship than me, but her fun gun is a Nagant revolver. "I don't see why people complain about the trigger," she says. She's a pretty awesome woman.
What ammo does she use in her Walther P22? I’m having trouble with mine with misfires. Thanks
As a 58 y/o man with cervical neck, right shoulder, and hand strength issues, I can attest to the need for men with age/injury related issues to strongly consider the .380 round. I recently bought a P365 380 to use as a daily CCW to replace my P365 9mm. The difference in recoil and controllability is amazing. Modern .380 ammo choices like the Xtreme Defender in pistols like mentioned in this video are very effective self defense rounds. Having said that, I still prefer the 9mm round overall, but in larger pistols where the mass/weight of the pistol helps offset the higher recoil of the more powerful 9mm round. While I'll keep most of my 9mm pistol collection, there are excellent newer .380 choices that are great options.
PS: Next on my "to buy" list is the Beretta 80X.
I agree on .380 but I had to give up on tiny guns. Rheumatoid arthritis, knuckle replacement surgery and XL gloves makes anything G19 or larger my go-to.
My mom has a lot of issues with her hands and wrists as well as back and shoulder issues so carrying a larger heavier gun was not good for her. I gave her my Smith & Wesson 9mm years ago and with her issues 9mm is the largest caliber she can control, but it's to the point that she couldn't carry it comfortablely so we talked about it and I recommended to her to get a Ruger LCP as her EDC so she got one and that's what she carries every day now. And I liked it so much that I put a LCP max on layaway a couple weeks after she bout her LCP.
THANK YOU for your honesty about snubnose DAs. I'm still waiting to see this mythical grandma who can't retract a 14lb recoil spring with the entire strength of her upper body, but can easily squeeze a 13lb trigger with her fingertip.
My thoughts been thinking this for awhile
That's because the sales man fooled them into buying a revolver. Revolvers now have probably been sitting there for YEARS
@@TurboK24z Sometimes they _really_ bolster their powers of illusion by making it pink!
My wife choose the S&W .380 EZ. She loves its full size grip, and of course all the EZ features. She will probably upgrade to a .380 Equalizer, if / when S&W comes out with one! I would buy one too!
I think this video is a great resource for any woman looking to purchase her first handgun or even for those who are looking to upgrade. Thank you for sharing this valuable information
My wife says the grip safety helps with her form. Said it forces her to hold it correctly. She pocket carry’s the S&W Bodyguard, open carry the EZ 9 and ranges those plus a couple Glocks. Glocks are her least favorite.
Sounds like your wife is a smart lady!
Great choices! I gave the EQUALIZER to my mother in law and my wife carries the Canik Mete MC9.
We chose the 9mm Shield EZ for my wife. This was just before the Equalizer came out or we might have gone that route, but the EZ is a great little shooter. As you said, all the manipulation, racking, loading, recoil management, everything is made easier and makes it a great choice for inexperienced/less dexterous shooters. She absolutely loves it and shoots it well. I even like taking it for a spin when we have a range day. Great little gun. Her other favorite: my 1911 in .45 ACP. Go figure.
😊
Thank you . I have gifted all the ladies in my life with the sig p938..beautiful weapon and very well made..
SA 938! My EDC for the past12 yr or so
We got my wife a S&W M&P .380 EZ. She absolutely cannot pull the slide on my Walthers, Glocks or even the LCP. Plus it fits her hands very well. The grip safety is a negative but as long as it's properly gripped, you're good to go. My sister has a Sig 365 9mm but she's pretty strong so the slide is no problem.
I'm running into the same exact problem. My wife is having a hard time with the slide on my Glock. The EZ seems to be the one but it's a bit more expensive than I wanted to go. Do you have any other ideas? I may just have to postpone the purchase for a later date or perhaps a sale.
Thanks for a great video summary. My wife will soon be staying at our property out of town for a few days each week and will need her own firearm for home (condo) protection. After seeing this and your full review of the 80X Cheetah, we are leaning toward the Beretta for her. She prefers the reduced recoil of a 380 over my 9mm, but I did have some concerns after watching Chris Baker's video about how easily malfunctions can occur with some 380's if you have a poor/weak grip (which can happen when one is startled awake by an intruder at 2:00am). However, even after significant effort, he was simply unable to produce a single malfunction with the Cheetah. That gives me confidence that the 80X will give her reliable home/personal protection.
Thanks again for all your great videos, which are consistently all about the product and not about the politics. I also like the blooper reel at the end. 🤣
EAA (Tangfolio) Witness Pavona is a nice shooting 9mm. Recomend it for women that have issues racking a slide, or those with arthritis.
If you're a first time buyer with weaker hands for whatever reason, stay away from the Sig P365 because there are still better options not mentioned here. If your near by gun store has a range, try the firearms before purchasing because this will determine if you would actually practice and carry it. The S&W EZ and Ruger Security have the easiest slides for 380 or 9mm, and 30 Super Carry (new caliber with S&W). But you don't have to limit yourself these calibers, my mom used to carry 22lr revolver which was better than nothing. These days Taurus, FN, Ruger, and Walther make decent reliable 22 pistols which are easy rack.
A couple of points. First, the magazines for the P365, especially when new, are extremely difficult to load until they are broken in. Worst case, you could lose a round of capacity. The second point is the 80x Cheetah is DA/SA, which could be difficult for those with hand challenges, exactly why you appropriately steered them away from the revolver. PDP-F is as you said a great choice, as are the SW's and the Rugers. JMHO.
Thanks for the information. I've been wanting to get a gun but wasn't sure what to buy. You gave me some good options.
I think the S&W Shield Plus is an excellent choice. The slide operates easily, no grip safety, 10 rd and 13 rd mags, option for night sight and optic ready, good trigger, all that for 4 bills, that's hard to beat in my opinion.
I want to say that everyone has a different view about guns. Some make think the recoil is bad, some may not. Some may like the grip, some may not. Dont take the word of someone, go to a range. You can rent different ones and find out for yourself what feels right for you! Good luck on your hunt!
I think we are on the cusp of a new evolution in 380 design and implementation. Not just for women, though I think their growing power in the market is driving it. But you look at the 80x offering near full size in the caliber. The SW, the Rugers (old and new), the 365-380, it’s an exciting time for 380.
I bought my wife the Walther pdp F 3.5. She had a Glock 43x and she likes this better. She can operate everything better. rack slide. release slide etc the ONLY thing this gun is larger than say a 43x or hellcat pro is the thickness. Otherwise pretty much same silhouette. Shorter trigger reach also that either of the others and more controllable than pretty much any of the others mentioned which is truly what is important. she had a EZ shield 9 and had issues with the grip safety and trigger not operating because of the way the grip safety fit into her hand it would not be depressed properly. the Walther fits her great and she is a smaller gal. smallness is not as critical and being able to control it well.
Nice video, my wife and I went out today looking for a good option for her, we put hands on a couple and ended up ordering a 380 EZ, I was pleased to see it recommended on your list. God bless you and yours.
Normalize not telling woman small guns are best for them. Any one who shoots even 50-100 rounds a year knows small handguns are the hardest to master. Use a gun you can carry and that you can actually train with!
Smaller framed guns are the easiest for them to conceal carry. Especially since women clothes are marketed to be tighter fitting.
@@TurboK24z yeah that goes without saying, my point is that just because it’s easier to conceal a smaller gun doesn’t mean it’s easier to shoot proficiently for the average or novice gun owner.
Nobody said they are easiest to shoot. For some people concealability is the most important thing
@@jayflo714 I’d suggest to anyone that dressing differently to conceal a bigger gun is smarter than trying to find a gun as small as possible to work with your current clothing style. That’s just me tho
I agree with you partially, the reason I would buy a smaller handgun for my partner is because while logically larger handguns are easier to be more accurate with, I want her to buy a pistol that she is comfortable with and not afraid of.
My pick is that new tilt barrel EAA Girsan pistol
Tip up barrels are good when everything runs well. But if you have a bad round or a malfunction you still have to rake the slide. Just another suggestion
**Had an LCP, did not like it, as you said it's to snappy for comfort.
**Sold it didn't regret selling it, but regretted buying it in the first place.
**Bought an LCP Max that's a gun that should have came out with first.
**Now I'm waiting for crimson Trace to bring out their green laser for it.
**My sister bought one of the shield EZ's she likes it.
**And her even buying a gun was a shock to me.
**Trying to remember, somebody else brought out a clone of the Beretta model 84 cheetah, that's one that should probably be added to this list.
Excellent choice of guns. Good job Sootch!
RE: .380s - My experience has been they are not only for the "recoil sensitive". Rather, all things being equal, no matter how well you shoot a 9mm you will shoot a .380 better.
💯👆 I sold my P938 and bought two P238's....I hated how SNAPPY 9mm is in a pocket pistol. Love the P238.
@@SunTzu119 I have the P238 as well. Fun to shoot. I like the added weight of metal on a gun that small.
My wife uses a Ruger EC9S and it works well for her. Great video
My wife is finally to the point where she wants her own gun. She enjoys shooting but some guns just make her hands hurt. She has no problems racking the slide. It’s more the grip for her so we need to do some research. I was thinking the P365 380 or something similar. She wasn’t thrilled with the 380EZ.
My wife carried a Bersa Firestorm for a while then she got her hands on a Smith & Wesson EZ 380, she loves it.
My Smith and Wesson M&P shield is so hard to remove a live bullet. Took everything in me to slide it far enough back to remove it. I could not get the slide to lock in the open position and it's only been fired a handful of times and I bought it new. On the other hand I got a new Canik METE SFX and I love it. It's so lightweight and it's already got a scope on it. It came with a scope, holster, loader and all the tools to disassemble it. So much easier to slide open. It's a great gun for a woman.
Looking forward to the CZ P365 @6:35 sounds like an interesting collaboration. 😂
Hey, if my Rami and P365XL had a baby, I'd be first in line. Bring it!
I think people should decide how they are going to conceal carry then select the handgun accordingly. Thanks for sharing.
Wes They better get a gun they can shoot first and foremost, not one they can't. If they can't shoot it they won't use it. If for concealing then both being able to shoot and conceal it apply.
Sucks for us women printing is an issue
@@allsmiles2938 My sisters don't conceal their revolvers. They use them as home and vehicle guns. Women with tiny body size carry tiny guns like a Colt Mustang or SIG P238 or P938. Men print also. I print badly. My sub compacts are a little on the larger size for me but barely okay. I mostly carry a micro P365 for size and capacity but if I can get away with concealing it I will carry my revolver but I think the revolver even being a small J frame is going to still be about as big as my sub compacts. Most folks I know that carry don't even worry about printing. They just print and nobody cares. Haha.
@RB M lol I guess cause our clothing is meant to fit tighter, but even wearing a slightly baggy tee still prints, and my 43x is pretty small too. Gonna look into the belly band and see if that helps.
@@rbm6184 If they can't find good way to carry it, they won't, or they will carry it in a purse. Not ideal. Both aspects are important.
We also have to remember one other, very important thing for the single ladies out there. They will need something that's easy to strip down for maintenance. I think that's something that's overlooked so often when a female buys a handgun.
And now with RUclips's stupid rules, you can't even make a video to show how each gun comes apart.
I’m a first time shooter and I tried to rack my sons smith and Wesson and I could not do it the way you are doing it with your thumb in this video so I took my first class and she taught me to not use my thumb but to use the palm of my hand and the four fingers that way the arthritis in my hand was not a problem and I could do racking I could do the lockout I could do everything with it. I hope this helps somebody.
While I’m not female I did appreciate this video I have smaller hands, and I find some guns very difficult to rack the slides on.
Usually the smaller the gun, the harder the recoil spring is! Now, you have better choices.
@@chrissewell1608 Exactly. The smaller the gun the harder it is to shoot and the heavier the recoil spring just to make it cycle properly without cracking the slide or frame.
My wife loves her canik mc9. 👍🏻🇺🇸🦅💥
That Beretta 80X is really very interesting! 🤔
I have the Sig .380 rainbow. It’s a nice little shooter!
Like the finish on those. Really eye catching
The best is the 1911 in 380
The rose gold one is really nice !
@@jordanpryor4771 true that
Don, I am so glad that you started this with “NOT” recommending a J-frame (small revolver) for woman. Being in the business, you are dead right about women coming in and thinking that a small revolver is the best choice and, from experience, it is not! Trigger too heavy, recoil too stout and capacity too anemic!
Generally better to start with a K frame for a first revolver IMO. If a smaller frame then the 32s are probably a better choice but .38HBWCs are not bad
@@mkshffr4936 We’ll agree to disagree. Starting a new shooter off with a revolver is a very old school philosophy that just doesn’t really work. Double action triggers are just too heavy and too long for most shooters in general, let alone a new shooter. A proper semi auto “thumbs forward “ grip gives way more coverage, recoil management and comfort then a proper revolver grip AND, semi-autos suck about 30% of the recoil out of the round just by their actions alone.
@Skeeter's Buzz What about Smith & Wesson model 351c? In 22 mag.
Unless they come in Pink! Then every woman needs one of those! 🙄
@@cesarc.4230 I have one of those, it’s a great revolver BUT……..it is still a rim fire cartridge (inherently unreliable) and still a long reach and heavy pull, for most people!
It would be interesting to make a rig that could grip the slide and perhaps have a piece of chord attached such that you could use your trigger pull gauge to measure the racking force and compare different handguns.
I am liking the bloopers!
My wife has the security 380 and its a 12+1 mag and a 15+1 mag it comes with its a great pistol for women or okd folk or people who just like a lite recoiling pistol. My 77year old father carries one now as well.
The Ruger LCR in 22LR is easy to shoot.
The Beretta is very nice. I wonder how the Taurus THC compares. My guess is not as reliable or well made but it would be interesting to see a head tobhead comparison.
One thing to consider is that if you chose a Semi over a revolver the trade the need to master the DA trigger for the need to master the malfunction drills. The no free lunch principal always applies.
P.S. would love to see a direct comparison of the new Cheetahs with the old.
Years ago my wife took over my s&w 411, which is a 3rd gen value priced 40 cal, i still have my 4006 though
Great job Don enjoyed your choices
Shield EZ in 380 for recoil sensitive... In 9 mm or the equalizer are my primary recommendations for anyone who has grip strength issues.
I have three sisters and two of them "chose" .38Spl. revolvers because they like them the best being simple with easy trigger pulls both DA and SA and they shoot them the best. Yes they do have snubbies and I agree they are snappy to shoot but that is what they chose. I know one of them cannot rack a slide on an autoloader and it doesn't matter which one. She has a hard time pulling some triggers also but not the snubbie she has now. She knows about the recoil but she would rather deal with the recoil than racking a slide. She will have recoil to control no matter what pistol she shoots anyway. Add all the hassle that goes with an autoloader. Round in the chamber, jams, manual safeties, racking the slide, mags, out of battery, and so on. I don't know what the third one carries. She is tight lipped. I know some women that are tiny in size and must use a micro pistol of some sort just to be able to conceal it. Even a SIG P365 is too big for some tiny women so they look at something like a Colt Mustang or SIG P238 or P938. I know my sister could not rack the slide on my P365 or any of my sub compacts even overhanded with both hands working. .22 rimfire is out of the question because of unreliable ignition and misfires unless that is all someone has. Thanks for sharing.
I agree with you on a lot of points. Under stress motor skills go out the window. I hate my .38 stubby I hate even shooting a box and I’m 230 pounds and built like a pitbull. A 32 long revolver would be my choice for women.
My wife can shoot a 9mm, but said the recoil was a bit much for her (smaller build, with small hands and wrists). She liked my Glock 23 (with 9mm conversion barrel), but grip was a little too large. My nephew had a Glock 42 he bought for his wife. I shot it, and thought my wife might like this pistol for her own. Bought her one for sale with an extra magazine for less than $350 out the door (including two boxes of ball ammo).
She shot it, and was surprised at the difference in felt recoil from my Glock 48. She loves it, and since she first shot the pistol she’s always asking when I’d our next range session 😊. Glad she found a pistol that fits her hand that she can shoot well.
Great review, thank you for sharing this informative video. Stay safe out there. 😊
My girlfriend and I both have been shooting for less than a year and settled on .380 for our primary carry cartridge, though I have 9mm for the home defense weapon.
It's light enough that she's not adverse to shooting it, and for me it's much easier to shoot fast at this point with my limited experience. We have a few of the ones on this list already... P365-380, Ruger Security 380, and soon the Beretta 80X. I want to try shooting a LCP Max to see how snappy it feels. I have a LCP II in .22 LR and it's a nice little pocket gun but I'm not 100% confident in it since I get light primer strikes on .22 sometimes. Since we stock .380 I think it would be a good addition.
How concealable is the Security .380 for your wife? Thinking about getting one for mine, but don’t know how good it’ll conceal w/ women clothes.
@@daejuan she hasn’t tried it, she just does the P365-380… when I can get her to carry lol.
Thank you for the information. I'm looking to purchase a gun for carry and home protection. I think we have to now.
Thank you for this video! I'm looking for a home defense firearm for my mother that is almost 70 and has limited hand strength
I disagree with your assertion about airweight 38 revolvers. There isn’t a one size fits all solution. If someone is willing to put in the time and effort to learn the ins and outs of shooting, operating, cleaning a semi auto then great….but a lot of women simply aren’t going to put in that amount of work into a self defense firearms. For many women (my mom included) they want a self defense option that they can throw in a nightstand never clean, shoot, or worry about unless a rainy day comes when it’s necessary. Given that scenario a revolver is much more suited than a firearm with a bunch of buttons that you aren’t going to remember how to operate if you ever need to use it.
Excelente description!!!
Thanks
Great overview brother!
Great video! TY!! ....looking for my daughter ...very informative! Thanks again.
I haven't gotten my 80X yet but other reviewers have shown that the first upward movement of the safety allows for Condition One carry.
My wife owns and carries everything from a 380 to her 1911 45. And she also has a G29
Hey Brother.
Thank you For doing
this Video on Mothers Day.
Really Informative...
God Bless.
My wife loves her fnx 45 tac. It’s one of her favorites.
The Ruger security 380 has a nice feel and seems like the best option for the price. Love the Walther
Thank you so much for the information ☺️
I’m sorry but I hate hate hate the iron sights that come standard on the Sig P365 380. So when pricing it, price in that you’ll either be upgrading those (plus paying to mount them), or adding a red dot sight.
Big advantage of the 80x is with double action you can carry it in a purse pocket without a holster. And just training with it a hammer fire is easier to get better with faster imo
Yes I love the revolver traditional
Lots of good choices!
Thank you very much 😊
Excellent video!!
Taurus G3C. 10 rds. of 9mm, great ergometrics, a great price point, and available everywhere. Don't let the female carriers settle for .380 unless absolutely necessary.
The Tisas Fatih 380 is half the price of the 80x. Worth an honorable mention
Thank you for making this video !!!
As an expierenced, Male, shooter & former LEO. My EDC gun is now the S&W Equalizer. Its full featured, compact & fairly light weight (w/ extra ammo, obviously heavier). I will enjoy my EZ racking, for years to come! & the red dot optic, light / laser is nice too!
I ain't no sissyfied whinny pants about all the safetys either! 😢
I would interject that you can get low recoil rounds for .38 special that are effective. I would still recommend a revolver for a beginner.
Great list. Wish the ruger max 9 got as much love as the lcp380.
What about Makarov in 9x18mm?
Makes a tear come to my eye when a little lady carrys its a must for a law abiding citizen in my opinion
CZ P365? That would be an extremely rare find 😂. I've made that mistake before. Thanks for the info, brother.
Great info.
Starters G3C/X,SD9VE and only after mastering those shall they 3.6 2.0 compact/G19 🤣and the ♉️G3/MCK 🎒was the best pdw for the ladies/elderly till the ban😒
I would not recommend a P365 9mm because that things is snappy
Great video, you guys do a great job! Hope yall have a wonderful weekend ❤
I've seen a 12 year old girl rack a standard xd, a glock, and something elce with no problem at the range the other month. Women don't need lighter springs. They need to swing heavier kettlebells.
You're a big fan of everything that shoots bullets for christ's sake.
Another good round is the 5.7, yes cost is an issue, but my wife loves to shoot it because of the lack of recoil.
I still can't believe that SIG discontinued the P238. They are ridiculously accurate and have almost no recoil.
I have one, and it's a sweet little gun.
If you cannot get your spouse to help you prep, you may as well be alone and not have the burden to carry. I never thought I’d sounds so sour, but here I am.
It's not her responsibility to protect your family its yours.
the new SCYY is the BEST! with copper solids!!
I like the S/W or the Ruger. Do you sale Theo?
You're awesome! Thank you, swf😊
The Beretta 380 and BDA 380 are great pieces. Not a fan of Ruger.
Why don't they make more magazines with the helper tabs?
@sootch00 can you do a review on the m&p metal? I'm surprised you having reviewed it yet.
Smaller hands, less capable hands, damaged hands, etc. - its' just not "women" that that may excel with, appreciate and/or need a different handgun choice.
Love my equalizer. Sweet with a red dot.
These guns are huge.
They're actually really small. I have a full size Ruger 9 mm, that's a big gun compared to these.
I have a SIG 365 in .380. Use good quality FMJ ammo or Hornady personal defense round. Do NOT use SIG .380 hollow points as its large hollow point does NOT feed well in my 365. I had two stove pipes in every 10 rounds with the SIG personal defense hollow points. The 365 feeds the Hornady hollow points perfectly due to their cone shape and red plastic in nose of the bullet.
You don’t recommend a 22 for edc / self defense for woman?