Best guns for a shooter with small hands

[PumpGunGuy]

My full grown daughter (all 5 feet of her) is interested in shooting USPSA with me. I'm thrilled, and looking for a good gun for her. She has tiny hands. Currently she is using a Kimber 1911 9mm that has thin grips. It's OK, but I wonder if there is a better choice. I know you can have Glocks reshaped. Does anyone have experience with a similar problem? What has and hasn't worked?

Thanks,

Rick

[Cy Soto]

My full grown daughter (all 5 feet of her) is interested in shooting USPSA with me. I'm thrilled, and looking for a good gun for her. She has tiny hands. Currently she is using a Kimber 1911 9mm that has thin grips. It's OK, but I wonder if there is a better choice. I know you can have Glocks reshaped. Does anyone have experience with a similar problem? What has and hasn't worked?

Thanks,

Rick

Hello Rick and Welcome to the Forum!

My wife is 5'1" and she also has small hands. After trying many different guns she finally settled on an M&P 40 with the small grip insert. This configuration fits hers hands very nicely and the .40 caliber allows her to shoot 40 minor with a lighter recoil feel than I can get out of my 9mm.

Edited to add:

A 1911 in a 9mm such as the Kimber she is already shooting is also a great gun. You could try installing a shorter trigger if she wants a slimmer feel to this platform.

Edited February 14, 2010 by Cy Soto

[open17]

Stick with the Kimber. My wife has TINY hands, and her favorite is a Colt 1911 9mm.

Thin grips

Flat mainspring housing

Short trigger

Right side mag release--currently a S&A, probably going to a Mitchell She can't reach

the mag release easily with her thumb---dumps the mags with her trigger finger.

Low pad thumb safety (Brownell's 340-100-044)

A little skateboard tape on the front strap

.090 Dawson FO front with a Champion adjustable rear

11 lb recoil spring, 17 lb mainspring, bunch of Wilson ETM mags

147 gr MG over a bit of N320----sweet little gun.

[FranDoc]

This question pops up periodically. Run an Advanced Search using the term "small hands" (in quotes).

If she'd like to try something other than a 1911, go to a range that rents guns, or show up at a match, ask the question, and see who offers to loan his/her gun for a trial shoot.

Personal bias -- I shoot a .40 Caspian high-cap. The different grip profile works for me.

[Aglifter]

My sister-in-law shoots an XD in 9MM. My mother, of all the crazy things, shoots an M-92 -- which I don't understand

[caspian guy]

For a double stack 1911 a caspian works well for small hands. A cz75 with thin grips also works pretty well. Also the m&p with the correct backstrap is a good option.

[G-ManBart]

The 1911 isn't a bad choice, but I suspect the front to back measurement is larger than the front to back of a Smith M&P 9/40/.357....the 1911 is sized (front to back) for the longer .45acp/38 Super OAL.

My wife is 5'2" and 105lbs and has tiny hands. She shoots a 1911 well, but picked up my M&P Pro and was just tearing it up. After about three magazines into a 2" knot at 10yds I asked her how she liked it. Her reply "this is a wussy gun, anybody could shoot it".

[CocoBolo]

First the Kimber 1911, did you put a short trigger in it for her? Also a right side mag release will help.

My wife likes her CZ75 a lot and I'm not talking SP01 just a 75B with a 15# main spring and the Angus Hobdell competiton hammer. Just a production thought.

In the double stack areana I find the Caspian and Tanfoglio both to be Bertha Butt guns. Yep, you heard me right they are heavy. I prefer the STI/SVI platform with a Roupe Grip keeping the overall weight down.

My 3 grown daughters all prefer my STI Briley Presdente open gun. Youngest one turns 20 tomorrow. They chose it over the heavier open gun even though it has more recoil because its easy for them drive, 3 or 4 ounces makes a difference. They all love going to the range when they come to town to visit, as do the husbands and boy friends, ahrg.

[PumpGunGuy]

Thanks for the input. I have an M&P Pro that she is not fond of, but that may change. The short trigger is a good idea. I'm trying to make it easy for her to like. The rental idea is appealing, but the nearest such range is probably 5-700 miles away.

Rick

[twodownzero]

Stick with the Kimber. My wife has TINY hands, and her favorite is a Colt 1911 9mm.

Thin grips

Flat mainspring housing

Short trigger

Right side mag release--currently a S&A, probably going to a Mitchell She can't reach

the mag release easily with her thumb---dumps the mags with her trigger finger.

Low pad thumb safety (Brownell's 340-100-044)

A little skateboard tape on the front strap

.090 Dawson FO front with a Champion adjustable rear

11 lb recoil spring, 17 lb mainspring, bunch of Wilson ETM mags

147 gr MG over a bit of N320----sweet little gun.

That sounds like the perfect gun for a lady. I'd replace the N320 with Solo 1000 and rock it.

The 1911 isn't a bad choice, but I suspect the front to back measurement is larger than the front to back of a Smith M&P 9/40/.357....the 1911 is sized (front to back) for the longer .45acp/38 Super OAL.

My wife is 5'2" and 105lbs and has tiny hands. She shoots a 1911 well, but picked up my M&P Pro and was just tearing it up. After about three magazines into a 2" knot at 10yds I asked her how she liked it. Her reply "this is a wussy gun, anybody could shoot it".

My girlfrind can tear up the target with my Pro, too...but she's 5'7". Her hands are still smaller than mine though..and I doubt she'd be comfortable in a 2011 or some other kind of fat double stack.

I don't think anything can beat the feel of a 1911 for really small hands, but the M&P is probably the closest I've found to duplicate that feel in a double stack.

[G-ManBart]

I'd replace the N320 with Solo 1000 and rock it.

I'm doing comparison testing between N320 and Solo 1000 right now. The S1000 is good, but I'm gettingly slightly better accuracy and definitely better consistency with the N320 (still working on it). The big issue with S1000 is the revers temperature sensitivity, which is sort of a pain. For the price it's a great choice, I'm just not convinced it's quite as good or better.

My girlfrind can tear up the target with my Pro, too...but she's 5'7". Her hands are still smaller than mine though..and I doubt she'd be comfortable in a 2011 or some other kind of fat double stack.

I don't think anything can beat the feel of a 1911 for really small hands, but the M&P is probably the closest I've found to duplicate that feel in a double stack.

I've seen some pretty small women shoot a 2011 (Matt Cheely's fiance', for example). You just have to really contour the grip and cut down a few areas and it's doable. More than anything it's probably just a matter of getting used to it. If someone would make a 2011 style frame designed around the OAL of 9mm/40 it would be the bees knees for small hands! R,

[twodownzero]

I agree on both accounts. As a broke college student, I'm lucky to be able to afford to shoot at all, so one 8 lb jug of S1000 has become my go-to. Vit is expensive stuff! I'm sure it's great, but my only past experience has been with Hodgdon, Winchester, Alliant, and Accurate powders (that I remember, I'm sure I'm forgetting at least another good one). S1000 has been really great, and I think it'll end up replacing Hodgdon's Clays for me entirely because it loads 9mm, .40, and .45 really well.

I know Matt Cheely has a bad ass grip reduction process. I just might do that to mine. It's already had some reduction but more can be even better.

I swear that most handgun manufacturers have some really screwed up concept of the size of the human hand. Most guns are way too big for the majority of shooters, especially Beretta, Sig, and Glock (especially the 20/21). Fortunately the newer pistols coming on the market are much more ergonomic. I'd say that has been the biggest advancement in pistol designs in the last 10 years or so.

And, of course, JMB had it right 100 years ago with his skinny gun!

[chirpy]

I have small hands and short thumbs (which require a special thumb safety) for a man. I have little trouble shooting a Para P14 worked over with checkering and skateboard tape on portions of the factory grips. The choices are many for a small handed person. Make sure she tries as many as possible and picks something she is comfortable with.

Good luck and stay safe,

Richard

[Tiny Warrior]

I've seen some pretty small women shoot a 2011 (Matt Cheely's fiance', for example). You just have to really contour the grip and cut down a few areas and it's doable. More than anything it's probably just a matter of getting used to it. If someone would make a 2011 style frame designed around the OAL of 9mm/40 it would be the bees knees for small hands! R,

Yea, I don't have any issue shooting my Open gun with small hands. Matt cut it so that it fits well.

It took a bit to get used to going from a CZ with thin aluminum grips, but it's no problem now.

[TonyT]

My full grown daughter (all 5 feet of her) is interested in shooting USPSA with me. I'm thrilled, and looking for a good gun for her. She has tiny hands. Currently she is using a Kimber 1911 9mm that has thin grips. It's OK, but I wonder if there is a better choice. I know you can have Glocks reshaped. Does anyone have experience with a similar problem? What has and hasn't worked?

Thanks,

Rick

Rick,

Have you considered the Kahr T-9?

It is slimmer than either a 1911 or M&P.

It has a very unique trigger system which most closely resembles a very light smooth double action revolver trigger.

Very accurate and easy to control since it is an all stainless steel gun.

If you were in the SW MI area you could have her try mine.

[Eric Scher]

How about that...

A question that I actually can have some useful input on.

I would say that although it's not the most convenient solution, there is NO substitute for going to a gun store that's large enough to have a big pistol selection, and simply "trying them on for size".

When you find the right one your hand will "know" and will tell you so.

[cnote]

The CZ75B, even with the slim grips, is a stretch to the trigger in DA,just a shorter stretch than the rubber factory Its just that the gun feels so ergonomic when you pick it up, you can't help but like it.

[Flexmoney]

Rick,

Have you considered the Kahr T-9?

It is slimmer than either a 1911 or M&P.

It has a very unique trigger system which most closely resembles a very light smooth double action revolver trigger.

Very accurate and easy to control since it is an all stainless steel gun.

If you were in the SW MI area you could have her try mine.

Tony,

If we get a chance to meet up at a match, I'd like to try that T9 out. Looks like it has the weight and general size of a Glock 17, but with the nice slim single-stack platform. With 8+1 rounds of 9mm...it might be a neat gun to play with.

[G-ManBart]

Tony,

If we get a chance to meet up at a match, I'd like to try that T9 out. Looks like it has the weight and general size of a Glock 17, but with the nice slim single-stack platform. With 8+1 rounds of 9mm...it might be a neat gun to play with.

The K9, while smaller than the T9 by half an inch in most dimensions, and one less round in the mag, also has a very nice feel to it. My wife liked the size, and it's heavy enough to be pretty mild....I'm keeping an eye out for a good deal on one. R,

[DoubleDelta]

My wife is 5 foot nothing and shoots a glock 19 which she seems to think is smaller around than a G17. She picked it after looking at it and an XD. I thought for sure the XD was smaller around, but she liked the G19.

[Pezco]

The new Gen 4 Glocks with the small back strap is a good kit.

[Bob Hostetter]

My daughter shoots a XD with a short action trigger job that moves the trigger face back about 1/4" for Production, L-10, and IDPA. She uses an early small framed EAA Witness for Open. Both are about perfect for small hands.

[Vlad]

Another one for the M&P crowd. My wife is 5ft tall and not only does she like the feel of the gun with the small grip, but she shoots it better then anything else she's tried. She's buying her own soon, so I don't have to swap grip inserts on mine anymore. 

[jdewberr]

My wife does not shoot competition but thru trial & error we've found she does well with single stack pistols.

--

Joe

[seeds76]

I have very small hands too and trust me, I've looked into most of my options. The best options that work well for me are the following for a range gun and matches:

1. XDm (with the smallest grip option)

2. 1911 Kimber Custom II (with the thinnest grips and a short trigger)

3. M&P (with the thinnest grips)