Small hands

STW · April 20, 2012, 12:44 PM

My wife has small hands.
Small.
She chose an M&P9 when she purchased a semi because it had the best combination of grip diameter and trigger reach.
However, she has since discovered, during an intermediate level handgun class, that the grip/trigger is just a tad much for her one handed. She can compensate just enough with a two handed grip to do well by shifting her strong hand a bit. No leeway one-handed.
So, now she wants a new gun.
We've gone to the local stores and "tried on" the usual, major brand, suspects. Nothing we've found is any better than what she now has.
Anyone have suggestions that may not be stocked locally or other alternatives that may solve this dilemma.

WVsig · April 20, 2012, 12:55 PM

I would check out the some single stacks 9mms like the S&W 3913, 1911 in 9mm or something in the Kahr Line.

Another double stack alternative might be the Browning Hi Power. It has a double stack mag but has a short length of pull which works well for those with smaller fingers.

5RWill · April 20, 2012, 01:01 PM

I have tiny hands as well. I agree single stack 9mm in 1911 with thin grips should do the trick.

jimbob86 · April 20, 2012, 01:01 PM

Sprinfield's EMP is about the shortest trigger reach that I know of in 9mm.

Safety is ambi, as well, so weak hand drills are no problem.

Slide release can be done w/ trigger finger.

tahunua001 · April 20, 2012, 01:05 PM

well I would normally recommend a 1911 for small handed people first, 9mm 1911s are usually pretty expensive compared to 45 offerings so if budget is an issue that may be a bit prohibitive. I am pretty happy with my SR9C which is alright for my above average sized hands with the larger backstrap but without it feels tiny, that may be a good one to consider. you could try an LC9 but the trigger travel is apparently quite long. you might also try a CZ75 or a walther p99 but other than those I'm not sure of many others.

I would recommend against anything with kahr stamped on the side but that's due to bad experiences

WVsig · April 20, 2012, 01:22 PM

Quote:

well I would normally recommend a 1911 for small handed people first, 9mm 1911s are usually pretty expensive compared to 45 offerings so if budget is an issue that may be a bit prohibitive. I am pretty happy with my SR9C which is alright for my above average sized hands with the larger backstrap but without it feels tiny, that may be a good one to consider. you could try an LC9 but the trigger travel is apparently quite long. you might also try a CZ75 or a walther p99 but other than those I'm not sure of many others.

I would recommend against anything with kahr stamped on the side but that's due to bad experiences

Not all 1911s in 9mm are expensive. STI and RIA can be hand for $650 and sub $500 respectively.

The 75B is not a good gun for people with small hands. IMHO there is not a worse double stack 9mm than the 75B for people with small hands unless you want to shoot it exclusively in SA mode then it has an avg length of pull. If the M&P9 is too big than the 75B will be too big. That said the P01, PCR and 75 Compact have a different trigger design which can work with smaller hands but if M&P is too big these might not work either.

2 others to consider are the Browning DBA which is hard to find and mags are expensive but it has a very short length of pull and the Sig P225 which is very nice single stack Sig which can be found for about $400 if you are willing to buy the P6 police trade ins.

Kahrs are really a love them or hate them choice. I have a CW9 which cost me $350 and has never failed me. It is my summer carry and it shoots like a dream that does not mean everyone will or does. YMMV

GoBoilers! · April 20, 2012, 03:06 PM

Has she tried the XD? I have short sausage fingers and I LOVE the grip on the XD. It has a small circumference so I can reach the trigger and the mag release (opposite side) both at the same time. And I like the fact that the mag release is amibi too, since I like to do weak hand drills and I can also drop the mag with my trigger finger of right hand if needed.

I don't know if the newer XDm has the grips that change out, but if they do, that would make it even better by using the flattest insert on back of grip.

So, if she hasn't yet tried an XD, give it a look.
---
GB!

Dragline45 · April 20, 2012, 03:08 PM

Have her try the Ruger SR9C. It is a double stack but much slimmer than the M&P

jimbob86 · April 20, 2012, 03:16 PM

+1 on the sR9c. My brother has one, and he has stubby fingers.

I've shot his gun, and liked it.

Martowski · April 20, 2012, 10:56 PM

Check out the mid-size (T9, CM/CW9) offerings from Kahr. May not fit the bill but definitely should work for smaller hands.

labhound · April 21, 2012, 01:01 AM

The SR9/9c has a slim grip but it is still rather long front to back at the top for a woman's small hands. My wife has the same problem with our SR9 that your wife has with her M&P, she has to slightly rotate her strong hand to properly reach the trigger and it causes the frame to beat on her thumb knuckle when she fires the gun. She now has a Beretta Cheetah model 85 (single stack .380 acp) that is a perfect fit for her hand.

vyse.04 · April 21, 2012, 01:22 AM

Quote:

We've gone to the local stores and "tried on" the usual, major brand, suspects. Nothing we've found is any better than what she now has.

Are you looking at double stacks or single stacks? IMO the M&P is a front runner for the polymer double stacks in terms of grip sizes. For single stacks, I would look at the Kahr CW9, which is SIMILAR in size (meaning compact) with a slimmer profile. However you said she tried the usual major brands, so maybe that includes Kahr. If so, she may want to try one of the .380s.

Master Blaster 2 · April 21, 2012, 01:41 PM

Small hands do not need small guns

CW Go to This link:
http://gunnuts.net/2011/07/15/small-...ed-small-guns/

CWKahrFan · April 21, 2012, 04:46 PM

Any of the Kahr 9's... I love my CW9 and it's been 100% reliable since out-of-box... Smooth accurate shooter. But all the similar-size single-stack 9's out now have generally good reps too... Ruger LC9, Walther PPS, Bersa BP CC 9, and likely the new S&W Shield will have too after a few months of proven track record.

WVsig · April 21, 2012, 05:38 PM

Master blaster that pic is meaningless because it does not illustrate how much of her trigger finger she can get on the trigger with a proper grip.

I understand the point you are trying to make but that picture does not help make your point. I can properly grip any gun if I do not take into account my trigger finger but that does not mean it fits me or that I can shoot it well.

Catfishman · April 21, 2012, 05:42 PM

I'm not sure there is a 9mm gun well designed for a very small woman's hand. There is a world of difference in a small man's hand and a small woman's hand.

Having to use a two hand grip may be a reality for her.

Master Blaster 2 · April 21, 2012, 07:38 PM

KyJim · April 21, 2012, 11:28 PM

Let's back up a second on the M&P 9. Did she try it without any of the grip inserts? It feels a little different but it may be an option.

I'm partial to 1911s and, as WVsig mentioned, they make some that are not terribly expensive. You can also put on thin grips and a shorter trigger to help with the trigger reach. While a lot of 9mm pistols have grip frames with a smaller circumference than the 1911s, they all seem to have a trigger set further from the frame. That means trigger reach is generally no better.

Obviously, the best thing she can do is handle some pistols and see which one fits her hand the best.

austinr09 · April 21, 2012, 11:48 PM

have her try a taurus pt111 millenium pro. I just got one on a trade and it has the smallest double stack grip i have ever held. 12 rounds too. I just got a kahr too and it has a much thicker grip with the same capacity. both sweet guns.

Dan-O · April 21, 2012, 11:58 PM

"There's only two things in the world that scare me. Nuclear war.....and carnies. Circus folk. Small hands....[they] smell like cabbage."

pacerdude · April 22, 2012, 12:31 AM

My mom is very petite, so she also as small hands. It may not be an ideal option for "stopping" power but her favorite pistol is her Ruger Mark II target pistol. It fits her hand well and she can hit anything with it. When asking her if she feels comfortable with a .22 she replies that she would rather put 10 rounds of .22 in someones chest than only a couple of rounds of a larger caliber. Then again she also likes her revolver, but the Ruger is her bedside gun.

Another option with more "stopping" power would be a revolver with smaller or thinner grips, and yes I know this is the semi-auto forum, haha. However my mom is also quite a good shot with her S&W model 649 .38spl. YMMV

TheNocturnus · April 22, 2012, 01:06 AM

My wife has tiny hands as well. She calls them "baby hands" lol. She has a hard time reaching the trigger on most of my guns. She actually told me the other day that she eventually wants a gun of her own.

I can't even get her to go to the range, probably because she can't comfortably shoot any of the guns we have.

Have her try one of the pocket .380's or 9mm. Here are some to look at:

Ruger LCP
Kel Tec P3AT
Kel Tec P32
Kel Tec PF9
Bersa BP9cc
Kahr CM9
S&W Model 642 (or similar snubby revolver)

STW · April 23, 2012, 12:10 PM

I probably should have been more clear.
My wife owns four handguns.
Her first handgun, over 30 years ago, was a Single Six. No grip problem there.
Her next was an SP101. Again, she can handle the grip just fine.
Her first semi was the M&P9. I used a CZ-75 Semi-compact that I owned as partial trade for the M&P since it was hopeless for her to ever reach the trigger on the CZ and I didn't shoot it much. (The online dealer told me I was getting a CZ compact and didn't realize the semi-compact and the compact are two different guns until I pointed it out. The dealer I traded it to also labeled it a compact in his case, despite the imprint on the slide, since the semi-compact is not a cataloged item.)
Lastly, she got a Firestorm .380. It's made by Bersa but, at the time, the Firestorm had better sights and a better grip. I see Bersa has since changed to be more like the Firestorm. Again the grips are not a problem for her hand size.

Thanks for the suggestions. Now I need to figure how we can try some of these on without paying to order them in. I don't want to have a special collection in the safe of guns that don't fit.

loose_holster_dan · April 23, 2012, 12:48 PM

if you decide to go the sti 9mm 1911 route, i have one for sale

not even 50rnds thru it. trying to thin the herd a bit.
i have big hands, so it's awkward for me. the grips that come on it are extra thin. none of my other 1911's feel so thin.

Tactical Jackalope · April 23, 2012, 01:35 PM

^^^^ lol yeah Dan...you are 6'6 it's gonna happen

Anyways OP I'm 6'2 and have big hands..My SIG P226 e2 has the newer grips which was meant for people with small hands actually. Yet fits great with me..

However..took my ex girlfriend (not the recent ex, the one before her) and her hands are small also. She shot just fine and actually mentioned how the gun fits her hands so well.

she didn't like the Glocks or even the PX4 storm as much.

And she hated my 1911

edit: @ Dan, PM sent.

April 20, 2012, 12:44 PM	#1
STW Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2002 Location: Montana Posts: 147	Small hands My wife has small hands. Small. She chose an M&P9 when she purchased a semi because it had the best combination of grip diameter and trigger reach. However, she has since discovered, during an intermediate level handgun class, that the grip/trigger is just a tad much for her one handed. She can compensate just enough with a two handed grip to do well by shifting her strong hand a bit. No leeway one-handed. So, now she wants a new gun. We've gone to the local stores and "tried on" the usual, major brand, suspects. Nothing we've found is any better than what she now has. Anyone have suggestions that may not be stocked locally or other alternatives that may solve this dilemma. __________________ "What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter." - Terry Pratchett

April 20, 2012, 12:55 PM	#2
WVsig Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2010 Location: NC Posts: 5,309	I would check out the some single stacks 9mms like the S&W 3913, 1911 in 9mm or something in the Kahr Line. Another double stack alternative might be the Browning Hi Power. It has a double stack mag but has a short length of pull which works well for those with smaller fingers. __________________ -The right to be left alone is the most comprehensive of rights, and the right most valued by free people.-Louis Brandeis -Its a tool box... I don't care you put the tools in for the job that's all... -Sam from Ronin -It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. -Aristotle

April 20, 2012, 01:01 PM	#3
5RWill Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2008 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,654	I have tiny hands as well. I agree single stack 9mm in 1911 with thin grips should do the trick. __________________ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me."

April 20, 2012, 01:05 PM	#5
tahunua001 Senior Member Join Date: July 21, 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 7,839	well I would normally recommend a 1911 for small handed people first, 9mm 1911s are usually pretty expensive compared to 45 offerings so if budget is an issue that may be a bit prohibitive. I am pretty happy with my SR9C which is alright for my above average sized hands with the larger backstrap but without it feels tiny, that may be a good one to consider. you could try an LC9 but the trigger travel is apparently quite long. you might also try a CZ75 or a walther p99 but other than those I'm not sure of many others. I would recommend against anything with kahr stamped on the side but that's due to bad experiences __________________ ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar. I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

April 20, 2012, 03:06 PM	#7
GoBoilers! Member Join Date: January 21, 2009 Location: N. Indiana Posts: 21	SA XD? Has she tried the XD? I have short sausage fingers and I LOVE the grip on the XD. It has a small circumference so I can reach the trigger and the mag release (opposite side) both at the same time. And I like the fact that the mag release is amibi too, since I like to do weak hand drills and I can also drop the mag with my trigger finger of right hand if needed. I don't know if the newer XDm has the grips that change out, but if they do, that would make it even better by using the flattest insert on back of grip. So, if she hasn't yet tried an XD, give it a look. --- GB!

April 20, 2012, 01:01 PM	#4
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	Sprinfield's EMP is about the shortest trigger reach that I know of in 9mm. Safety is ambi, as well, so weak hand drills are no problem. Slide release can be done w/ trigger finger.

April 20, 2012, 03:08 PM	#8
Dragline45 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2010 Posts: 3,513	Have her try the Ruger SR9C. It is a double stack but much slimmer than the M&P

April 20, 2012, 03:16 PM	#9
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	+1 on the sR9c. My brother has one, and he has stubby fingers. I've shot his gun, and liked it.

April 20, 2012, 10:56 PM	#10
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2000 Location: Texas (By Way of Illinois) Posts: 1,376	Check out the mid-size (T9, CM/CW9) offerings from Kahr. May not fit the bill but definitely should work for smaller hands. __________________ Midwestern Ramblings (my amateur firearms blog): http://martowski.wordpress.com/

April 21, 2012, 01:01 AM	#11
labhound Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 2010 Posts: 363	The SR9/9c has a slim grip but it is still rather long front to back at the top for a woman's small hands. My wife has the same problem with our SR9 that your wife has with her M&P, she has to slightly rotate her strong hand to properly reach the trigger and it causes the frame to beat on her thumb knuckle when she fires the gun. She now has a Beretta Cheetah model 85 (single stack .380 acp) that is a perfect fit for her hand. Last edited by labhound; April 21, 2012 at 01:45 AM.

April 21, 2012, 01:41 PM	#13
Master Blaster 2 Junior member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Posts: 895	Small hands do not need small guns CW Go to This link: http://gunnuts.net/2011/07/15/small-...ed-small-guns/ Last edited by Master Blaster 2; April 21, 2012 at 07:43 PM.

April 21, 2012, 04:46 PM	#14
CWKahrFan Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2010 Posts: 2,016	Any of the Kahr 9's... I love my CW9 and it's been 100% reliable since out-of-box... Smooth accurate shooter. But all the similar-size single-stack 9's out now have generally good reps too... Ruger LC9, Walther PPS, Bersa BP CC 9, and likely the new S&W Shield will have too after a few months of proven track record. __________________ What did Mrs. Bullet say to Mr. Bullet? ... "We're having a BeeBee!"... IF THE SHOE FITS, WEAR IT!... IF THE GUN FITS, SHOOT IT! "Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it."

April 21, 2012, 05:38 PM	#15
WVsig Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2010 Location: NC Posts: 5,309	Master blaster that pic is meaningless because it does not illustrate how much of her trigger finger she can get on the trigger with a proper grip. I understand the point you are trying to make but that picture does not help make your point. I can properly grip any gun if I do not take into account my trigger finger but that does not mean it fits me or that I can shoot it well. __________________ -The right to be left alone is the most comprehensive of rights, and the right most valued by free people.-Louis Brandeis -Its a tool box... I don't care you put the tools in for the job that's all... -Sam from Ronin -It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. -Aristotle

April 21, 2012, 05:42 PM	#16
Catfishman Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2009 Location: Mississippi Posts: 727	I'm not sure there is a 9mm gun well designed for a very small woman's hand. There is a world of difference in a small man's hand and a small woman's hand. Having to use a two hand grip may be a reality for her.

April 21, 2012, 07:38 PM	#17
Master Blaster 2 Junior member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Posts: 895

April 21, 2012, 11:28 PM	#18
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	Let's back up a second on the M&P 9. Did she try it without any of the grip inserts? It feels a little different but it may be an option. I'm partial to 1911s and, as WVsig mentioned, they make some that are not terribly expensive. You can also put on thin grips and a shorter trigger to help with the trigger reach. While a lot of 9mm pistols have grip frames with a smaller circumference than the 1911s, they all seem to have a trigger set further from the frame. That means trigger reach is generally no better. Obviously, the best thing she can do is handle some pistols and see which one fits her hand the best.

April 21, 2012, 11:48 PM	#19
austinr09 Member Join Date: April 2, 2012 Posts: 75	have her try a taurus pt111 millenium pro. I just got one on a trade and it has the smallest double stack grip i have ever held. 12 rounds too. I just got a kahr too and it has a much thicker grip with the same capacity. both sweet guns.

April 21, 2012, 11:58 PM	#20
Dan-O Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2011 Location: Northern Colorado Posts: 969	"There's only two things in the world that scare me. Nuclear war.....and carnies. Circus folk. Small hands....[they] smell like cabbage."

April 22, 2012, 12:31 AM	#21
pacerdude Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 607	My mom is very petite, so she also as small hands. It may not be an ideal option for "stopping" power but her favorite pistol is her Ruger Mark II target pistol. It fits her hand well and she can hit anything with it. When asking her if she feels comfortable with a .22 she replies that she would rather put 10 rounds of .22 in someones chest than only a couple of rounds of a larger caliber. Then again she also likes her revolver, but the Ruger is her bedside gun. Another option with more "stopping" power would be a revolver with smaller or thinner grips, and yes I know this is the semi-auto forum, haha. However my mom is also quite a good shot with her S&W model 649 .38spl. YMMV __________________ Let not a man guard his dignity, but let his dignity guard him. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

April 22, 2012, 01:06 AM	#22
TheNocturnus Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,097	My wife has tiny hands as well. She calls them "baby hands" lol. She has a hard time reaching the trigger on most of my guns. She actually told me the other day that she eventually wants a gun of her own. I can't even get her to go to the range, probably because she can't comfortably shoot any of the guns we have. Have her try one of the pocket .380's or 9mm. Here are some to look at: Ruger LCP Kel Tec P3AT Kel Tec P32 Kel Tec PF9 Bersa BP9cc Kahr CM9 S&W Model 642 (or similar snubby revolver) __________________ My EDC: Gun Wallet Brain (Use this one the most)

April 23, 2012, 12:10 PM	#23
STW Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2002 Location: Montana Posts: 147	I probably should have been more clear. My wife owns four handguns. Her first handgun, over 30 years ago, was a Single Six. No grip problem there. Her next was an SP101. Again, she can handle the grip just fine. Her first semi was the M&P9. I used a CZ-75 Semi-compact that I owned as partial trade for the M&P since it was hopeless for her to ever reach the trigger on the CZ and I didn't shoot it much. (The online dealer told me I was getting a CZ compact and didn't realize the semi-compact and the compact are two different guns until I pointed it out. The dealer I traded it to also labeled it a compact in his case, despite the imprint on the slide, since the semi-compact is not a cataloged item.) Lastly, she got a Firestorm .380. It's made by Bersa but, at the time, the Firestorm had better sights and a better grip. I see Bersa has since changed to be more like the Firestorm. Again the grips are not a problem for her hand size. Thanks for the suggestions. Now I need to figure how we can try some of these on without paying to order them in. I don't want to have a special collection in the safe of guns that don't fit. __________________ "What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter." - Terry Pratchett

April 23, 2012, 12:48 PM	#24
loose_holster_dan Senior Member Join Date: April 5, 2011 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 2,461	if you decide to go the sti 9mm 1911 route, i have one for sale not even 50rnds thru it. trying to thin the herd a bit. i have big hands, so it's awkward for me. the grips that come on it are extra thin. none of my other 1911's feel so thin. __________________ Favorite range gun for the money - CZ 75B or STI Spartan V 9mm Go-to carry setup - Walther PPS or PPQ in FIST kydex holster 1AK Favorite semi-auto design - HK P7 "A Sig is like a lightsaber - not as clumsy or random as a Glock."

April 23, 2012, 01:35 PM	#25
Tactical Jackalope Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2010 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 6,429	^^^^ lol yeah Dan...you are 6'6 it's gonna happen Anyways OP I'm 6'2 and have big hands..My SIG P226 e2 has the newer grips which was meant for people with small hands actually. Yet fits great with me.. However..took my ex girlfriend (not the recent ex, the one before her) and her hands are small also. She shot just fine and actually mentioned how the gun fits her hands so well. she didn't like the Glocks or even the PX4 storm as much. And she hated my 1911 edit: @ Dan, PM sent.