Jeffbird, the wife has a snubby 5 shot Charter Arms and she can’t hit diddly with it. She’s been after me to sign us up for CC, which is why I bought the Beretta in the first place. She just doesn’t like handling/shooting it though she shoots it real well. We looked at Sigs, Rugers, and anything else I could think of and she rejected them all. Well, she can’t take the class with that snubby, so now she can use the 686 and i’ll use the Beretta.

The 686 is a nice pistol. The most important thing is that she feels comfortable with it and will learn to shoot double action. Buy a few speed loaders for it and have her practice shooting and reloading. fwiw - the Federal American Eagle 38 Special is decent practice ammo at a reasonable price. If you are near Austin, I am giving a LTC class Sunday.

so if I can find something that works for her mom will get a semi. just even more concerned with clearing jams also, that can be even more difficult. I am picking up dads revolver its a full size s&w and she says its too much
she has smaller ruger it is in 38 and she may end up with another if she would rather have that but she came to me asking for semi auto so I will try to help her out have a trip coming to take her out.

Move been buying the heck out of the monarch 38 special at academy. Been on Sale for over a month at $12.99/50. We’ve shot 400-500 rounds of it in the last few weeks. Shoots great.

Do you mean your sweet little Mom carried illegally for years? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

The best gun to carry is the gun you can best hit your target with.

God Bless our Momma's.

For the OP. Let your Mom play with as many as she can. Hope she finds something she'll like and shoot. Another option, and I know this isn't a caliber you mentioned, but maybe the Beretta Tomcat. Tip up barrel. Keep us posted and happy shopping!

I know several ladies that have always carried.

My wife's (not at 70 yet) firearm is the Bersa Thunder .380 (older model) she's tried dozens of other firearms in the past decades and always goes back to it. At the range she likes the lower gun blast and recoil of the .380 cartridge, the way it fits her hand, the double/single action. I had a trigger/action job 25 years ago or so, just to smooth it out a bit.



https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/

took mom out after a quick safety/ function orientation we hit the range just kinda went thru what I had brought some were small w too much recoil. she did really well w full size 1911, and did good w a couple polymer guns and her revolver
ultimately I advised her to work w what she has before we focus on learning another system. since she is comfortable w the revolver I would like to get her another revolver.

3 38s+p revolvers

I got a pmr30 for mine and she loves it. Extremely low recoil, light weight, 30 rnd capacity. Good luck

yep I was thinking pmr 30 too buddy has one gonna play w it soon

That’s actually a pretty great option.