Single stack 9mm help for small hands.

[RiverRat]

I found this http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/?p=3357 with a section explaining proper grip measurement to your hand as while as other valid information. It might be of help.

My wife and I both have small hands and have both gone to 1911's with thin grips and short triggers from XD's. Now with the XDm and the S&P with exchangable grips it might not be the issue it was finding a fit. All said and done, I'm a 1911 guy and not going back. We have some 3"ers, Defender and New Agent, and they are fine pistols, but over time we both have increased barrel length to 4"ers for carry (the Mrs too). Accuracy improvements and controllability (recoil and reset on target) being easier with the longer bbls. The Mrs started with a 9mm, then a 40, then moved to .45 because while there is more recoil than a 9 or 40, it isn't snappy high velocity recoil like in the 9 and the 40. The "perceived" recoil of a .45acp over time is less.

I won't debate brands, but get the best you can for the money you have to spend. I am partial to Springfield's absolute no questions asked lifetime warranty, but have not had any trouble from Colts, STI, S&W, or Kimbers.

You need to try them all out and see what's best for you. Good luck in your quest.

[NOS]

Taurus 709 slim. My wife has small hands (probably not as small as yours does) however my 13 year old daughter shoots this gun just fine. It is 19oz. unloaded holds 7+1 and shoots very well. It has mixed reviews because a lot of people don't clean the gun before they take it to the range. Taurus packs a lot of grease in the slide. I have about 700 rounds or so in the gun with zero malfunctions, and am looking into another soon. Hope this helps

[glbedd53]

Why does G26ster keep wavin that new Defender in my face like that?

[mbw]

Take a look at the Springfield EMP in 9mm. It is the smallest and thinest 1911 pistol made. It was designed from scratch to be thinner than any other 1911. I do not remember how much they sell for but I think around $1000. They are starting to show up and I saw one the other day at Carter's in Spring.

Be warned though, small 1911's are sometimes hard to get to run right. Springfield has a great reputation for making things right though.

[mgood]

Take a look at the Springfield EMP in 9mm.

I was going to mention that earlier, but I went blank when I was trying to think of what it was called.

[foo.c]

I'll third the EMP recommendation. I have one and I love it.

[Dusty Harry]

CC,

I know this might seem counterintuitive at first from just looking at a picture of one, but I have found the 9mm HK P7 and PSP squeeze-cockers to be excellent guns for women, new shooters and those with small hands. Once the cocking lever on the front of the grip is squeezed to the firing position, the grip is quite thin and the excellent trigger is easily reached by shorter fingers. For those lacking a lot of upper body strength, the cocking mechanism is much more manageable than racking the slide back and forth on a full magazine. It also encourages keeping a good strong shooting grip. It is extremely safe to carry with a round in the chamber, yet it is quite possibly one of the fastest autos you can own when it comes to getting it out of a holster and putting a round onto a target.

The low centerline of the muzzle relative to your hand makes it one of the most natural pointing gun you can find for those just starting out, so I used it extensively when teaching women to shoot with great results. They are highly reliable, and extermely accurate by virtue of the fixed barrel and good sights. And, the weight of the steel construction really tames felt recoil. Finally It is (almost) stupid-proof in operation once you understand the cocking lever does pretty much all major functions except fire the gun.

Best of all, the market has really calmed down on these when you can find them. At one point right after HK quit making them, they were going for well over a grand, but these days its not unusual to pick a decent one up for $600-700. Just make sure it comes with extra mags, as those things are pricey, and the aftermarket ones are bad to the point of not being usable.

[Rex B]

Someone mentioned Star briefly. The Star Model B is essentially a 1911 in 9mm - . It looks and handles the same, but the frame and slide are both slightly thinner than a 1911, and it has no grip safety. This adds up to about 1/4" less circumference. They are also accurate and reliable. Best part is you can find nice ones under $300. I have two, and they are a joy to shoot.

You may also find a Star BM. same gun, except slightly smaller barrel and grip. "Officer" size, if you will.

As for the EMP, it's a great gun, but I'm not sure it's much of a range gun. It has a pretty short sight radius.
I have one, but I don't shoot it much.

[Embalmo]

I hate to throw this out there because its not a 9mm. but try sig p230, p232. wather ppk, ppk/s. in .380 all are small and somewhat on the heavy side.
a makarov in 9x18 is also not to bad to handle.

Bersa doesn't make a single stack 9 for some goofy reason, but if you wanna' try this guys suggestion, try the Bersa Thunder .380. It's 1/3 the price and from what I've read, often more reliable than the PPK.

Embalmo

[Embalmo]

Taurus 709 slim. My wife has small hands (probably not as small as yours does) however my 13 year old daughter shoots this gun just fine. It is 19oz. unloaded holds 7+1 and shoots very well. It has mixed reviews because a lot of people don't clean the gun before they take it to the range. Taurus packs a lot of grease in the slide. I have about 700 rounds or so in the gun with zero malfunctions, and am looking into another soon. Hope this helps

Hmm. I've always assumed the 709 Slim came with a stout kick. Though not a 9, my wife's Bersa .380 kicks like a water gun.

Embalmo

[CC Italian]

Ok, range report. Let’s just say the Smith and Wesson 908 is a really sweet gun. She shot it great, almost as good as me. It was far easier for her to shoot the 908 then a Bersa .380cc which is my backup or when I want something really small to carry instead of my Glock 27. That being said I could not shoot it anywhere near as accurate as my Glock 27, Bersa or even my 10mm. Recoil was light but it was hard to keep grouping small. I would hit the silhouette every time but I couldn't do consistent head shots or center mass groupings at 12 yards. The gun store said the gun had thousands and thousands of rounds and had been rebuilt before. So maybe it needed a little work? Also they were not the factory sights. I am wondering if it was not sighted in perfectly. Either way she could control it and put every round within the silhouette with her first time shooting a 9mm. I would say that’s not bad considering her only other experience was my bersa .380, of which she only shot 2 clips in the past because it jumped on her so much. I used Remington UMC 115 grain and Winchester white box 115 grain. The UMC was by far more accurate. Either way she liked the gun and wouldn't mind shooting it on a regular basis. It grew on her after 50 rounds of Remington. So I guess I am in the market for a 908.

[CC Italian]

The other thing I just thought about was the fact that the range is on an eroded hill. So the only way I can hit the target up close is to point down some when aiming. I have never shot down hill like that before unless with a rifle in a field. I had to arch my hand some when firing.

I also found a 908 online. They are asking $465. The gun store I just left said this was a fair price for such a gun "New In Box" even though they sold them for 440 when new. He said they are very hard to come by new and that they have not had one in stock for at least a year. What do you guys think?

[NOS]

Taurus 709 slim. My wife has small hands (probably not as small as yours does) however my 13 year old daughter shoots this gun just fine. It is 19oz. unloaded holds 7+1 and shoots very well. It has mixed reviews because a lot of people don't clean the gun before they take it to the range. Taurus packs a lot of grease in the slide. I have about 700 rounds or so in the gun with zero malfunctions, and am looking into another soon. Hope this helps

Hmm. I've always assumed the 709 Slim came with a stout kick. Though not a 9, my wife's Bersa .380 kicks like a water gun.

Embalmo

I haven't had any problems with my wife and daughter shooting it in terms of recoil. It tends to twist a little more than most because of how thin the gun is and the size of the grip. The twist is only noticeable if you are used to a full size or mid size pistol, and then it is very slight. My daughter went from a .22 S&W revolver to the PT709 with no problem (that was the first pistol above a .22 she ever shot). Grip and form are everything with a small pistol. Shoot it right and you won't have any problems. The slide is a little high compared to the grip so it takes a little longer to get a follow up shot, but not much longer. My wife shot my Glock 19 and then the Taurus, she said she couldn't feel much difference between the two in terms of felt recoil. It's been a great gun, and I want a new one in stainless now or maybe titanium if I can find one around here. If you have a chance to shoot one, I highly recommend doing so. You won't be disappointed.

[SecedeTX]

I carry the Kahr MK9 Elite everyday. It is the all stainless version of the Kahr that you were looking at in the store. It has been a very reliable, and is comfortable to shoot on a regular basis. I am not a big fan of the poly guns made by anyone (kahr, glock, springfield, etc) I just like metal in my guns...personal preference.

I own both Kimber and Kahr. My Kahr is very small and easily concealed, so I carry that more often. My Kimber (which is a really awesome gun...best I have ever shot) is a full frame, so I don't carry it much.

If you buy a Kahr, buy the full stainless MK9 Elite...you may have to search around. You really can't go wrong with a Kimber either. Fair warning on the Kahr though, it will have a breakin period. Out of the box, brand new...it was tight to begin with.

[CC Italian]

There is also a 908s (stainless model). It says it is "Like New" for $445. All of these can be found on Gunbroker. Search 908. What do you guys think? I have never bought off gunbroker. Any experiences?