Smaller 9mm

[Brad]

On the way to visit the daughter my wife and I stopped at Brownells. She took a liking to many of the smaller 1911 "style" 9 mm and 380 handguns.
Anyone have experience with any of them? Not interested in a little pocket pistol or Anything like that. Just something smaller than a full size 1911 and with less recoil too.
I prefer 9mm as I'm set up for that cartridge but a 380 isn't a big deal.

 

[RBHarter]

I fell in love with a PPKS when I loaned a divorcee lady some money on it to relocate . She came up with the money back on it ...... Anyway nice pistol 15 yr ago .
Mind you I have big palms and fat fingers a large glove always has to much finger and I can't get a medium on over my knuckles .
I like the FEG HP9 . It is a Browning Hi Power built in Hungry on the FN tooling the Nazis took to the Western Front .
The one available to me will feed everything that sticks out of case over .15 . Seriously it feeds a 148 WC .
I'm partial to an XD40 also , if the 9mm is on the same frame it too would be a good choice also . I would avoid the 1st generation S&W polymer frame midsize . Nasty whippy little beasts .

 

[fiver]

I looked at some single stack 9mm-1911 pistols a while back.
the wife wanted a Kimber.
we got a Para-ord but in a double stack, I actually prefer it to the CZ just a little bit [I'm pretty sure it's the trigger]
but I like thick/longer gripped pistols.

if you decide on a .380 and want some brass let me know.
I don't have one but have a few hundred once fired cases kicking around here.

 

[Longone]

If you live near a range that rents various handguns you may want to spend some time looking and handling them and then take whichever one's she like into the range. Her preference will most likely show in the range.

 

[Brad]

Nice thing about Brownells is that the handguns are all out where you can handle them. The smaller 1911s fit her hands better.
Will need to look hard at the Tulsa show.

 

[Gary]

My wife wanted something that didn't kick much cause she has arthritis in her wrists and we decided on a Kahr 380; couldn't hit a pie plate at 7 yds; then went for the Ruger LCP, much more accurate, but wasn't what she really felt comfortable with; then went for the Glock 42 (very nice firearm), still the gun (because of her wrists) was very difficult to rack the slide; Bersa Thunder, same problem. BTW, she tried everyone of the guns before purchase, so the conclusion is that the Arthritis is getting worse. Now we are on the trail of a Ruger LCR in 9mm and she likes the fit in her hand(s) and the DAO trigger is fairly easy for her to manipulate.
So, of the entire lot of pistols, the only ones we still have are the Bersa Thunder in .380 and the Glock 42; both are fine weapons and they are now MINE!!
P.S. One of the best single stack 9mm's (the one I personally carry as deep conceal) IMO is the Ruger LC9s Pro.

 

[9.3X62AL]

Like Fiver, the little bitty guns don't fit my hands worth a flop. I run a Glock 29 (sub-compact 10mm) with the Pearce mag baseplates having a short finger hook, and these give my gun hand's little finger something to hold on to--barely. The Glock 19/23 is a MUCH better hand fit, though. The Glock's principal concealment problem is the square, blocky slide profile--the the tiny 29 is no better than the 20 or the 19/23. The 42 and 43 are slightly more narrow, but not a lot more so.

 

[freebullet]

Been around that block numerous times.

1. P938
2. P238
3. Pps9
4. Xds9
5. Charter pitbull 9

Hard to go wrong with any of those.

She is welcome to try our 938/238 anytime.

 

[Intheshop]

Helwan copy of '51 Berretta.Very well kept secret.FEG HP clone is nice as well.

 

[Pistolero]

My wife's carry gun is a SIG P238, which is a "mini 1911" styling wise, but is actually a Star design,
sold for a few decades as Star Model S. Owes much to the Star Model B, too.

Here is an apparent bargain. http://www.gunbroker.com/item/634197708

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/634058405

Some time in the early 90s, IIRC, Colt glommed onto the design when Star folded, sold as
the Government .380, IIRC. This birthed the Mustang (Commander) and then the Mustang Lite.
Then, Colt, in their infinite ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, dropped the .380 models
just as the CCW boom was getting wound up. SIG picked up the re-orphaned design, making them
better than Colt did, too, and about 25 different versions. Now Kimber has a copy, too.
the truth. Most are going for smallest size now. If you find one of the older Colt Government
.380s, it would probably be a good choice, bigger version (think 5" steel 1911 vs lt wt Commander) and
all steel. AFAIK SIG only makes the smallest versions, but they are
well made - and you pay for it.

I think Browning is making a .380 which is a smaller 1911 design. I believe it is a real
1911 design, although scaled down.
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/635386602

The Llamas .380 1911 style are fun, but IMO, the quality is pretty marginal, at best.

Here is a Colt
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/634110757



Bill