I've been getting into a lot of discussions lately with husbands, both police officers and ordinary citizens, who want to buy guns for their wives. Please note, I'm using husbands and wives loosely here, it could just as well be significant other or other close family members, such as daughters, sisters, etc. The fact is that people are definitely feeling more vulnerable at this point in time and the reasons are mounting. In our area, for example, there has been a dramatic increase in home invasions and burglaries. This has also been complicated by some recent severe flooding that has brought out people acting suspiciously like prospective looters, who are showing up in areas isolated by high waters.
The types of crimes may vary from area to area, but one universal concern is that financial cuts have thinned the Thin Blue Line severely, and people are realizing that they may well have to look out for themselves. Officers know better than anyone the kind of crimes being committed and how handicapped they are in proactively protecting the public. As a result, police officers have been expressing increasing concern for the safety of their loved ones while they are at work. Admittedly, their families don't always share their concern, so are not motivated to have a firearm for personal protection. In other cases, it is the family member who is initiating the purchase of a gun. Whatever the motivation, the trend is building.
I feel I should go on record at this point as saying that firearms ownership is not for everyone. If you are not sufficiently motivated to accept the responsibilities related to safety, training and the consequences of the potential use of a gun for self defense, you should not be a gun owner. I mention that because there have been a number of cases where hubby has come into the store without his wife, or his wife has been present, but clearly uninterested in the whole activity. As far as I'm concerned, this is not a ho-hum situation and the purchase of any firearm should not be taken lightly.
Guys, if she doesn't want a gun, work on her motivation before you insist that she have one anyway. For those who are serious the conversation frequently begins this way: I want a gun for my wife. I'd like something small and lightweight, that doesn't have much recoil and isn't too expensive. Sometimes they add: I don't want to spend too much money, 'cause hell, she'll probably never shoot it anyway. Okay, so we all approach this in our own way. But telling me you don't put much faith in your wife's interest or motivation, as well as telling me it isn't worth spending too much money to protect her life, just isn't getting us off on the right foot.
I love it when men come in the door with their wives and say: Give her whatever one she wants. I want her to be comfortable with it. And, believe it or not, that happens frequently. I won't bore you with the stories, but there have been a couple of instances recently in our shop where the husband wasn't even involved in the discussion until the selection was made. However, you do need some criteria for making a selection, so lets use the stereotypical woman's gun requirements to examine what you should be thinking about when selecting a gun. Remember the list from above? Small, light, little or no recoil and not very expensive.
SMALL
Small seems to always lead the list. Mostly this comes from the fact that women generally have smaller hands than men. What is important, however, is the size of their hands in relation to the gun, not to their husband's hands. Another reason for small is that people think small is more portable, easier to stash in a pocket or purse or just stick in a drawer somewhere. Well, small is sometimes better if you plan on carrying it, but there are problems with small that relate to how effectively you can shoot the gun. There is such a thing as too small for proper grip, sight alignment and the capacity and effectiveness of the gun's ammunition. Proper grip and proper trigger reach are essential elements of safe and accurate shooting.
Small is not automatically the best choice for anyone, including women. In fact, one of the most popular guns for women, based on grip size and trigger reach, is John Browning's venerable 1911 style pistol. Oh, I like that! is often the first response when someone with average to small hands first picks up what is seen by many as the ultimate man's gun. You must approach this with an open mind and try the different options. Otherwise, you might be missing that special feel of a tool that truly fits the task at hand.
LIGHT
Likewise, light seems like a good idea for those who are just planning to carry the gun around. It quickly becomes a bad idea when you start shooting the gun. In fact, the number one complaint from women who have purchased (or been given) such a gun is that it hurts too much to shoot. I carry a S&W Model 342 revolver in my pocket every day, that got there because I stumbled upon it, very slightly used, at a gun shop owned by a particularly knowledgeable and ethical dealer. He had taken it in on trade from a couple who had bought it for the wife, because another dealer had sold them on the advantages of light. After firing two rounds out of this ultra-lightweight gun, she refused to shoot it any more. The husband fired the other three rounds in the cylinder and also refused to shoot it any more. The dealer who sold it to them refused to make the situation right, so the gun ended up with my dealer friend, who got them into a more appropriate gun.
The recoil of a lightweight gun, particularly a revolver, can be anywhere from unpleasant to brutally painful, at least in any effective self defense cartridge. Such a gun will never be shot enough to become proficient in its safe and accurate use. Light comes with a price... beyond the one on the tag.
LITTLE OR NO RECOIL
While a key component of recoil is the weight of the gun, the really important thing is the effectiveness of the ammunition it fires. There are no effective self defense calibers that don't have definite recoil. Some, obviously, are worse in that regard than others. It goes with the territory. Small, light guns with little or no recoil are usually in small calibers and small cartridges. Such guns and ammo certainly have killed people or stopped violent attacks; just not reliably.
You have to find the balance between the weight of the gun, the ammunition it shoots and the ability of the operator. Many people I see have problems with recoil simply because they were never instructed adequately in the importance of a proper, strong grip and an effective power stance. This firm platform helps the body absorb and dissipate recoil, allowing shooters to manage a more powerful gun through proper technique. There are a few people who do have some physical limitations that don't allow for this, thus causing discomfort, pain and ineffective control of the gun. But most of the people I talk with who have such problems are still more capable than they realize, given proper instruction.
NOT EXPENSIVE
For some people, inexpensive is a virtue all its own. I'm not advocating that you waste money, but for the most part in the firearms world, you do get what you pay for. A good gun dealer should be able to explain the importance of the value of a gun, not just the price. There are perfectly serviceable guns out there that are a good value. None of them are cheap. There certainly are expensive guns that are not necessarily a good value. You have to expect to pay a fair price for the sort of gun that you can trust to protect your loved ones life. In the case of my wife, I'd buy her any gun she chooses as her gun. She will be committed to her selection and make the effort to use it safely and effectively. My wife is worth whatever that gun costs.
I guess you've figured out by now that I don't think these are the best criteria for making such an important purchase. I'll discuss the factors that I think are important in my June column: A Gun For My Wife, Pt 2.
