Author Topic: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?  (Read 7379 times)

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Offline terreythompson

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Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« on: August 08, 2017, 03:08:45 PM »
I'm looking for opinions on which CZ might be right for my wife. She's finally come around to the idea of learning how to shoot and I'd like her to have the best experience possible. She's kind of a featherweight (95 lbs soaking wet) and I'm worried that the handgun I already own (Desert Eagle .50 cal) is gonna be waaayy too much gun for her.

This wouldn't be for conceal and carry, just something she can keep by our bedside when I'm away for work, so the size really doesn't matter. I just wanna make sure it's got a lighter recoil than other guns. Ideally, I'd like her to have a piece with an easy magazine release and a smooth, comfortable grip.

Something smaller than a Beretta would probably be good, but I really don't know since I haven't bought a handgun in ages. I've been doing my homework online and I found this article of suggestions: https://gunnewsdaily.com/10-best-handguns-women/

Anyone here own any of these? She had her eye on the Glock 19 and I like that it says it's got a lightweight frame, but the S & W 66 looks more compact. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Offline tact

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Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2017, 03:20:25 PM »
Just my 2 cents......but I would recommend you let her try out an array of 9mm pistols.  There are places that'll let you rent.  If you don't have any close at least let her handle them before you buy.  I made a mistake in purchasing a pistol I thought my wife would like and it backfired.

Offline czfan12

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2017, 05:38:38 PM »
I agree with tact.  My local range has a day where you can rent multiple guns for a single price.  If you can find a range that offers that, let her shoot several, including some revolvers.

If she is interested in a CZ, I'd suggest she try a P-01 or PCR, and maybe a P-07.

Offline Earl Keese

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2017, 06:06:44 PM »
Just my 2 cents......but I would recommend you let her try out an array of 9mm pistols.  There are places that'll let you rent.  If you don't have any close at least let her handle them before you buy.  I made a mistake in purchasing a pistol I thought my wife would like and it backfired.
Only way to fly, let her pick. My wife settled on a G43 for carry and appropriated my P-07 for home defense. Originally she picked a S&W M&P 22C. Though it wasn't good for defense, it fit her hand and got her started. Eventually she built confidence and I sold the SW.

Offline Thisisit

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2017, 07:46:58 PM »
My wife is similar in size and is 64 years young.  All of home defense guns are all steel, full sized and hammer fired.  Her two favorites are CZ75 bd and a 1911 in 38 super.
The grips on both are terrific and fit her hand. The guns are large and heavy but they absorb the recoil and are comfortable to shoot.
I agree with renting one at a range especially the CZ as it is a much more affordable gun than a 38 super.
Good Luck.

Offline whitecap

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2017, 07:51:03 PM »
From your description of your wife I would not recommend starting her off with a 9mm. The recoil and noise is going to be more than she can handle and will very likely sour her on shooting forever. I started my wife on a 22 pistol, a P07, with the Kadet adapter mounted atop it. She shot very well and really surprised me. Even this size frame was large for her small hands. The recoil and noise were not not her complaint. She accompanied me to a well stocked gun shop where she had the opportunity to handle numerous 22 pistols. The Ruger SR 22 was her final choice. This is a hammer fired, DA/SA with a de-cocker and has an external safety. She is able to rack this pistol by herself which is critical to carrying or shooting. This alone was a significant confidence builder for her. It comes as a kit with 2 - 10 rnd. mags, back strap change, brush, cleaning swab holder and lock for @ $300.00. With the 22 LR self defense ammo available today, this is a very good candidate for a small shooter. She now accompanies me to the range on a regular basis. Let me tell you this is, "her gun", and she is very confident using it. I would not want to be down range when she would flipped off the safety. Good luck to you Sir in your quest.

Offline KOTOC-79

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2017, 08:00:40 PM »
I would suggest she try a PCR.


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Offline sleepyhead

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2017, 08:26:10 PM »
You really want her to try out them in person, too often husbands will buy something for their wife and they end up hating the experience. You have a huge advantage that you're wife is interested, so you should try as much as possible to cater to that. In your case if not carrying then lightness may actually be a hinderess, taken to an extreme and airlite .357 while very light is painful to shoot. A sp01 SAO while heavy has a nice short pull and isn't painful to shoot, and this may translate into more practice time. The above examples incorporate a cz, but really if this is going to be your wife's gun, she should have the final say.

Offline eastman

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2017, 11:04:30 PM »
I recommend she try a CZ 75 Compact (steel frame version with safety or aluminum alloy frame with decocker) and if that is a good fit, also get a Kadet II kit and start with .22LR.  The 75 Compact is a good fit for people with small hands.
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Offline Swamp ash

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2017, 11:12:16 PM »
My betrothed is also on the small side.  I bought her a Ruger 22/45 Lite that she really likes and shoots extremely well.  Like others above, the ease in which she can manipulate the controls, the light weight, etc. , make it enjoyable to her.

 he also really likes the PCR but HATES the full size steel 75.  I think it is too much mass with the slide slamming back and forth that bothers her.  She loves her Colt .357 Trooper, so the weight and recoil isn't the issue.

Renting at a the range is a great idea.
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Offline cntrydawwwg

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2017, 01:27:05 AM »
^^^^^^ All great suggestions.
    Bought my wife a Kadet 2 to go on my P01 when she started shooting. She loves it. Still hasn't shot enough to warm up to the .9mm.
   But loves shooting   
 .38's out of my .357. For now, if she was looking for a defense pistol, it'd be a snub revolver.
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Offline M1A4ME

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2017, 06:28:42 AM »
A steel framed Compact should absorb more recoil (due to the weight) than an aluminum framed Compact.

An aluminum frame compact would be lighter/easier to carry - if carrying it on your hip for a few hours is the intent.

Will you put a light on it?  If so, you'll need a pistol with a rail in front of the trigger guard.

Pretty sure she'll want one that fits her hand and feels good when holding/shooting it.  A gun show is a good place to pick up/hold different guns/grips to see how they feel to you.  Shooting them is important, if there's a place nearby where you can do that.

You can buy ammo like Federal or Winchester FMJ ammo that isn't as powerful as the 9MM ammo most folks carry/shoot for self defense.  It's not as expensive and it doesn't kick as much.  I've found the Federal FMJ ammo (115 grain) to be more accurate than the Winchester FMJ ammo, in my pistols.

The biggest complaint I see here on the forum about shooting a CZ is trigger bite.  You my find a pistol she really likes only to have a trigger that needs to be changed.  Not hard to change a trigger, so that shouldn't be a reason to get rid of a pistol if that happens to her.  You won't know if it does/doesn't till she shoots the pistol.

Some people don't mind recoil much at all.  First centerfire pistol my wife every shot (she was 19 years old, 5'5" tall and weighed about 108 lbs.) was a GI 1911A1 with hardball.  She out shot my buddy who was an alternate on the Bn. Combat Pistol Team (I was one of the 4 shooters and she'd gone to the range with us to practice).  After that morning he wouldn't go practice with me again till she realized what his problem was and stopped going with me when I went down to the indoor range at Ft. Belvoir. 

Don't be the guy that buys your wife what you think she'd like.  Buy her what she wants and realize that it might take more than one as she develops her skills.  My wife appropriated my XDM 3.8" 9MM because she liked how well she shot it.  Then she shot my P09 .40 S&W and wanted it as she shot it even better than the XDM.  Then she wanted my newest CZ 75 Compact 9MM because she shot it really well.  And I mostly let her have what she wants since the idea is for her to be able to use it, be confident of what she can do with it in case she needs to protect herself (or me) some day.

Good luck with it.  It's a journey, not a destination.
I just keep wasting time and money on other brands trying to find/make one shoot like my P07 and P09.  What is wrong with me?

Offline Tyerone

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2017, 06:34:59 AM »
My wife is similar in size and is 64 years young.  All of home defense guns are all steel, full sized and hammer fired.  Her two favorites are CZ75 bd and a 1911 in 38 super.
The grips on both are terrific and fit her hand. The guns are large and heavy but they absorb the recoil and are comfortable to shoot.
I agree with renting one at a range especially the CZ as it is a much more affordable gun than a 38 super.
Good Luck.

+1

9mm is capable of stopping an attack nicely.  A heavy all steel FS CZ will absorb recoil to help prevent pain.  Remind her not to jerk the trigge when the sights are aligned, but rather continually adjust sight picture while pressing the trigger.  Once she's good with not flinching a full size heavy 9mm, then consider trying a compact size more handy in getting out of the dresser drawer.

Range and defense CZs.  2 is better than 1!

I learned this the hard way, the wifes light weight .38 revolver is handy, but it actually kicks more than my full size 9mm cz Matte Stainless which is much more fun for her to shoot, practice, and build confidence.

Offline 1SOW

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2017, 01:05:00 PM »
Compact or full size 9mm for minimum recoil and easy point shooting.  If the need arises, point and shoot is likely.
Practice, practice practice.

Offline Smitty79

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Re: Best cz for home defense (for my wife)?
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2017, 05:10:22 AM »
Don't do the 22.  I know "little old ladies" who shoot full house 40 cal defensive loads.  The president of our local club is a grandmother, your wife's size.   She kicks my but in 3 gun, including using a 12 gauge.  Start her on a steel gun for first time out.   Make sure she has good ear protection.   Once she's ok with that let her try guns until she finds one she likes.   
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