Recommend a pistol for my in-laws:

My in-laws have recently become interested in buying and training a handgun. I'm trying to decide what kind of pistol to train them on. They both are in good shape and won't have trouble pulling the trigger on most handguns. All I have in my safe are M&P40's and 1911's though and I'm thinking thats a little too much recoil for them. I'm leaning toward a medium-frame S&W in .38 special, a 9mm S&W M&P, or Shield for them. Recoil will be a concern so I don't want to stray from the two calibers I listed. Any other thoughts on any other brands or platforms of pistols. I will teach them the basics and get them confortable with a platform. Then they are signing up for a series of defense classes afterwards. Thanks.

First post FTW! Well done, sir.

In all seriousness. I personal recommendation is a Glock full size or smiler pistol. Getting somebody a small pistol like the shield or small pocket pistol can turn people off towards shooting.

If they're new to handguns, keep it simple. K-frame .38 is easy to shoot, reliable. Easy to see if it's loaded and not wondering if there is one in the chamber.

Many feel Glock is the only gun out there and it's the best for everyone. FWIW, my primary gun is a S&W 686. My wife is not a gun person.
Didn't want to have to work a slide. She sees the shells in the cylinder, point and pull the trigger.

I don't recommend you selecting a firearm for anyone but yourself. Don't mean that to sound like a wise guy, but it is true. Take them to a range that rents guns, ask friends, co workers, anyone you know with different types of guns to allow them to try them. If you were closer to me I would open my safe and let them choose which ones to try. I have done this for several members on different forums. Once they start shooting different handguns the right gun for them will become more clear. If I had to narrow it down I would say revolvers, semi autos without safeties like Glocks, Sig's etc........ But they really need to make the final choice. I was so happy when my wife finally decided to get her CC permit. I was sure the perfect gun for her would be the Sig P232SL, plus I always wanted one any way. So I went and bought one. She hated it!!!! Limp wristing galore, hard for her to load due to her nails, and blah, blah, blah, in the end she wanted a J Frame 38 special. She now carries a model 60 and actually likes to shoot it. I am just happy that she has something more than a tube of lipstick to defend herself if the need should arise.

Since you didn't mention that it will be for CCW, go big. I'd go with a 4" Ruger GP100 and shoot .38Special. Very low recoil, which is important when teaching beginners. That would make a good home-defense handgun, too.

Bawhahahaha, right. No, I'm blessed, they are actually pretty cool. I've taken my father in-law shooting once and he liked the M&P40 mid-size. I think a 9mm M&P mid-size would be light recoiling and a good semi-auto for them to try. I'm thinking they will like a J or K frame S&W in .38 special but, they will ultimately decide. I'm just gathering ideas of what pistols I should advise them try at the range that has a large selection of pistols to rent. I should have mentioned this in my first post, the pistol is for CCW and home defense. All of you have given good advice, keep em' coming.

Those are two completely different roles for people.

I carry a Glock 17 that size pistol would double as a HD and CCW but most people wont CC a Glock 17. I would not use a Glock 26 as a home defense gun though.

A home defense gun can have all the luxuries a CCW pistol dosnt have. Like being larger/heaver and easier to control, longer sight radius, higher mag capacity, and ability to attach a light. It can be heavy and larger because you are not carrying it everywhere.

A CCW pistol is going to be lighter, smaller, lower capacity and usually has less "stoping power". This is just my o2 YMMV.

A gun that can fit both roles adequately would be a compact like a Glock 19(I know I know).

How about an M&P9c? It would work great as a ccw, and with a full size M&P 9 magazine be perfect for home defense.

Handguns are entirely too personal a thing for YOU to decide for them, let alone strangers on a web forum. They need to handle and shoot a lot of different guns. If they are new to shooting, they need to be introduced to .22lr first and develop the fundamentals there before even touching center fire handguns. If their interest in handguns is for home defense, set them straight and get them squared away with a shotgun or rifle. Handguns are ONLY good for carrying.

Sorry for that one, OP. I jumped on the title scrolling active topics. Just realized it wasn't GD. Situational awareness = FAIL.

On topic - just went through a similiar process with my wife and in-laws. All had little to no prior pistol exposure. FIL is a big bird hunter so shotguns are his thing. He bought a Beretta 92F without seeing or handling one ('cause his buddy said he should) and doesn't like it so he doesn't shoot it. MIL was not too gungho about the idea to begin with and is now really turned off because she didn't like it either. 92 didn't fit her tiny hands at all.

Wife was success. A little too much so maybe.. I took her to the fun shop with the largest selection nearby and just let her shop for what felt the best in hand. Only parameter was 9mm. I failed here too. I should have put a price limit. what did she like? HK, Kimber, Wilson, SA, etc. I seriously thought there was going to be a 3 year old like tantrum when we couldn't get her the Springfield EMP. She went with the M&P.

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