Assistance with Wife's CCW (Slightly Unusual)

[DreadPirateMoyer]

So...not the usual request I hope, since there seems to be one of these threads a day on the internet. My wife and I have some special criteria for her CCW, but I'm fairly unfamiliar with the mouse gun market, so I was hoping you could help. Here's what we need, and it's making the job tough:

1. Reliable. If it chokes often or is finicky, we don't want it.
2. Light trigger pull. My wife has a medical condition that doesn't allow her to pull heavy triggers like on a revolver.
3. Light recoil. Same as above.
4. Manual safety. She may purse carry at times and we want every precaution for safety, and yes, I understand proper holsters and such will aid with this. Still want the safety.
5. Small. She is petite, so if she doesn't purse carry, we need it to actually conceal on her body. Even in the purse, the weight savings would be nice. Most 9mm pistols, even single stacks, fail this.

Any ideas?

So far, the only thing we could come up with is a Colt Mustang and its variants. If that's what we need, we're fine with it, but wanted to make sure we knew all the options. A Glock 42 would also be nice, but it fails 1 with all the problems it's had and also 4.

Much appreciated for any help you can provide. Want to do what I can to keep her optimally safe.

[The_Watcher]

Kel Tec PMR-30

[mojTX]

M&P shield

[zibby43]

I second the M&P Shield recommendation.

It wouldn't be my first choice (I got rid of mine because the front sight fell off the first time I shot it), but given the criteria (which really narrow your choices and eliminate some very reliable options), it should do nicely.

[FlyingHunter]

Take her to a range that allows rental of multiple firearms. Her hands will tell her what fits, feels, and points the best. Also, regarding purse carry: Either have a purpose built purse with a built in holster and access control and/or also make sure the firearm is in holster that covers the trigger, regardless of the safety design intrinsic in the firearm. Good luck.

[Diezel]

I would recommend the Sig p938. Both my girlfriend and I carry one and it is excellent. My girlfriend is extremely accurate with hers and says the recoil is manageable. You can also opt for hogue grips for added comfort. The Sig p238 in 380 is another option if she wants softer recoil. It should be similar to the colt mustang. Good luck.

[T2C]

The wife carries a Glock 42 in her clutch bag. A SAF-T-BLOK is used before it goes in her handbag. So far it's been reliable, but it's only had 500 rounds fired through it.

A Sig Sauer P238 fits most of the criteria you stated, except recoil is quite a bit more noticeable than the felt recoil of a Glock 42.

[Firefly]

Walther PPS.

[PD Sgt.]

I will also suggest a Shield. Drop in an Apex kit and you end up with a very decent trigger, it is easy to conceal and available with a safety (albeit a bit small, but it would be less likely to be swept off in purse carry).

[warpedcamshaft]

I'd recommend reading Claude Werner's blog/material and paying close attention to his insights on CCW for females and realistic expectations. Your question is actually not unusual, but instead is often not realistically represented in many forums or online discussions. Also, "Limatunes" is a good resource for this type of thing.

Off body carry is a bad idea for my wife... and I would rather see her have a tiny gun on her person than a larger one in a peripheral bag. Off body carry is not a bad thing by any means, but the user must be constantly vigilant and aware of the location of the bag. A momentary lapse in the location of the bag can result in tragedy if children are present, I've read about a half dozen cases of death or serious injury to children from off body carry. The individual responsible always says the same thing: "I only looked away for a second"

In the end, my recommendation would be to have your wife research the subject on her own and come to a decision based on realistic expectations and if possible demo'ing various guns. Choosing a firearm, a method of carry, and if one should carry is a very personal decision.