Have You Had Any Contact With This ......

[JohnHenry]

I'm looking for a .45 acp for my daughter .... I don't have any worries
about her "limp wristing" a .45 , my only concern is will the small
back-strap allow the frame to sit well in her hand . She's +/- 5 ft. 5 in.
in height , carrys about 110#.
If you've had contact with this model I'd really appreciate hearing your
comments

Smith & Wesson’s New M&P Compact .45 ACP

[carver]

While I have no experience with this particular hand gun, here is a good write up on it. http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/201...45acp-compact/

[MSGT-R]

If I was able to fire a 45 well enough to be on the MAG-46 Rifle/Pistol Team back in the 80's, she can fire a 45 too. I am female, 5'1", and back then, I weighed about 110 (now I weigh about 130).

If she's "limp wristing", teach her the proper grip and stance.

[Hammerslagger]

Many persons then to wonder if a female will be able to handle the recoil of many firearms commonly used by males. In almost all cases the answer is "YES".

Perhaps my favorite example, of the above, is that of the late Mrs. Kristen Sergel, who is the mother of the current head of the Dramatic Publishing Company near Chicago. She was initially taught to shoot with a .22 RF. Then, at about age 19 and 120# on a petite 5'4" frame she was given a Win. 70 Magnum in .375 H&H and told nothing of its ferocious reputation for recoil. By age 22, she had killed over 50 large and dangerous game animals (mostly with it) including the African Big 5 twice over. {She seemed to prefer .577 Nitro Express for Cape Buffalo, in thick cover.}

In a 1948 "American Rifleman" article that she wrote, she remarked that she had a low opinion of the manliness of men who claimed that only big and strong men could tolerate the .375 H&H's recoil, because she was neither a big nor very strong person and had fired her rifle over 2000 times and bagged many animals with it.

[carver]

My daughter could outshoot me with my .44mag when she was 13! I tell women all the time that the best gun for them is the one that fits their hand best. It has nothing to do with caliber.

[JohnHenry]

I'm looking for a semi-auto .45 ACP for my 30 year old daughter . I'm not
worried about her "limp wristing" anything she shoots .... my concern is the
butt being to large for her small hands . Have you got any recommendations ( for or against ) this model ? The idea of switching the
back strap on the butt looks interesting .... if it works .

Smith & Wesson’s New M&P Compact .45 ACP

Any comments would be appreciated .

[steve4102]

No, personal contact here. I think all 45's should say 1911 on them.

[time2shoot]

Originally Posted by steve4102

No, personal contact here. I think all 45's should say 1911 on them.

Mine do.

[JohnHenry]

*grin* ..... including revolvers ?

[steve4102]

Originally Posted by JohnHenry

*grin* ..... including revolvers ?

Ha, got me, I should had said 45 ACP.

[JohnHenry]

Oh .... You've got a revolver that's marked .45 ACP ?
I've never seen one of those ..... but, they do exist ;
http://www.taurususa.com/product-det...ategory=Pistol

[time2shoot]

Originally Posted by JohnHenry

*grin* ..... including revolvers ?

ok you win.

[4tsmith]

take her to a gun store that likes to sell guns and let her decide by handling the gun.
Let her decide the fit and balance,don't be afraid to ask them to change the back straps.(I'm trying to say patient,customer friendly)

Maybe it's just my perception but many women seem to have hands that although small are longer in the fingers than a mans hands.It seems that they have less trouble with trigger reach than the girth of the grip.
The 45acp is a different issue.Some people who swear by 40,45,don't like them in a light weight platform.
Try a few rental guns if you can and let her be the judge.

[JohnHenry]

I should provide a bit more detail .... started daughter on hand-guns when she was 8 yrs. .... revolver and semi- .... to teach her the basics . She asks to go shooting with me any time she comes home ( she lives in N.C. , I live in southern Mich. ) so it's not very often.
She has good physical strength .... teachs post-surgical re-hab , so I have no worries about that portion of shooting.

My only real concern is that changing the grip position on some guns changes the entire balance and recoil dynamic .... and, she's not been able to locate a N.I.B. to try out.
So, my question .... "Have you had any contact with this make & model , with the smallest grip installed ?"

[BillM]

Originally Posted by JohnHenry

Oh .... You've got a revolver that's marked .45 ACP ?
I've never seen one of those ..... but, they do exist ;

Duh. S&W mdl 1917, coming up on 100 yrs old. S&W 1950, model 1955,
model 25, model 26, model 625 are ALL 45 ACP revolvers.

[gdmoody]

JohnHenry, why don't you look into the Sig Sauer P250 in .45 ACP. The P250 has a Polymer grip assembly that can be changed. They come in full size, compact, and sub-compact and then to further accommodate, they have three different grip sizes, small, medium, and large. You pretty much have endless combinations to find one that will fit.

Which ever one you choose, it normally comes with the medium handgrip. Of course the small or large grip is extra money but when I bought mine, they were only $34.00 each. I have a P250 compact in .45ACP and have the medium handgrip. I also have a .40 cal with an extra slide assembly in 9mm. I can change the slide assembly in less than ten seconds and go from a 9 to a 40.

I have attached a couple of pictures. The first one is the trigger mechanism of the P250, it is the actually gun since it is the serial numbered part. Every other part is assembled around it. The second picture shows the slide (barrel removed) and the grip assembly apart from the gun. Slide/barrel assembly and grip assemblies come in different sizes and calibers to create a gun that will fit most any hand.

AND, it's a Sig Sauer so you know they shoot good, the only problem that I had with mine is getting used to a striker fired pistol.


EDIT: Oh Yeah, the P250 is not all that expensive for a Sig, they didn't go over very well, so the prices are usually very good. Sig people just didn't like the thought of Sig producing a "plastic" gun!!

[smraerif]

HK45c

[pkcgbifaid]

JohnHenry,

I have handled and shot the M&P 45 in compact version. I don't know how much this will mean to you, but the shape of the grip makes it feel much smaller than a Glock or Springfield XD in the same chambering. Recoil was no worse than you would expect out of any 45 polymer frame gun. I thought it pointed pretty naturally and that was regardless of which grip was on it. Be aware that the "compact" M&P 45 still has a 4 inch barrel, so the overall size of the gun is not very "compact" if that is what she is looking for.

That being said, the suggestion to take your daughter to a gun shop where she can actually feel the gun in her hand is a good one. Better yet, if you have a local range that will rent guns that has one would be even better. Try several. While I am not a fan of the feel of the XD, the XDm feels much better to me. I have not yet felt the XDs, but being a single stack it may be more to your daughter's liking if size is a concern.

Good luck with the search.

[aa1911]

if you have about $2k, Nighthawk lady custom is pretty rockin'

[MSGT-R]

2K??? Wow, all you need is a weapon that is reliable and shoots straight. Most 1911s will do that for a fraction of the price. So will Browning Hi Powers.

[Old Guy]

If she is looking for a slim 45 I would look at the Springfield XDS. It is 5 + 1 which gives you the round count of a revolver, but it is less than one inch wide.