Hello all. It's been a while since I've posted.

I'm wanting to buy a semi-auto for my wife. She'll probably only use it two or three times a year. She has an over/under now, and we're trying to get something that doesn't kick as much so we thought we'd get her a semi-auto.

I certainly don't look at my guns as investments, but I always try to buy guns that will somewhat hold their value so I don't feel bad trading if something isn't being used much. Point being the o/u we sell will essentially pay for the semi. We don't own a ton of guns, just enough to cover our needs. And I hate having stuff in the closet that collects dust and never gets used. The max I'll spend is $2k.

What do you guys think is best for what we're after? I really like the looks of the Fabarm's but am not familiar with them & my ignorance of the brand makes me think it wouldn't hold it's value.

Thanks.

You've omitted information regarding the gauge, weight of gun and ammunition your wife is shooting now. Also, does the gun fit her reasonably well. When my wife started shooting she found that lighter, slower loads were lower recoil in a fixed breech gun than standard loads in the semi-auto I bought her. She gave the semi-auto to her adult son and now shoots a light 20 gauge SxS with standard 7/8 ounce 1200 fps loads with no complaints - about 2,500 to 3,000 of them a year.

I'd look at lower recoil ammunition first. If you do buy another gun the only ones that hold value are those that you buy used.

Let HER make the final pick, after shooting some. But don't overlook the Beretta A400 Xcel (if she likes the styling). It will shoot with the best of the gas guns.

good luck, garrisonjoe

Thanks, guys. She has a 12ga and that's what we'll get next.

We don't shoot enough to worry about the type of ammo. Most of the time either the event or someone in the group provides the ammo. We're just just "social" shooters. And we won't go actually shoot any, I don't know of anyone local who has a ton of guns available to shoot.

I guess I was really asking more of a financial question if Fabarm is respected and will likely hold value like Beretta's, et al. But she likes the blue of the A400 also. A guy we shot with once had one of them and she really like the color. But she likes the Syren with the purple accents - that's what I'm really afraid of loosing it's value though.

Thanks again for the responses. I think garrisonjoe's recommendation for the xcel is probably best for what we're after.

Fabarms Syren is probably your best bet. They are made for women.

The Beretta A400 with a Kickoff and one once loads will have no recoil at all.

I am sure she will like shooting it.

Good luck.

Syren L4s is a good gun, Cosmetically much nicer than the A400, and most likely fits better. The A400 LOP can’t be adjusted very much, big the Syren starts out shorter and can be lengthened if necessary.

My wife picked the Beretta a400 xplor. Good looking gun. She found it like new used at the local gunshop. She was shooting 1 oz loads and those were ok for her but I loaded some 7/8 oz and she likes those better. Have you thought instead of selling the O/U getting her some 7/8 oz loads to try first ?

To actually answer the question you posed Fabarm is well respected just not a high volume gun. They do well on the used market at sites like Gunbroker.com. they are fewer and far between to find used but keep an eye out for a Sryen on gunbroker and you will see their used pricing is not taking a big hot compared to new.

Do you choose her shoes for here as well? Shooting what ammo you get given is the same, and as for choosing a gun for her?

Years ago I got a Beretta 391 youth model for my first ex-wife...

...I thought it was a pretty fair trade

Why not 7/8 ounce ammo in the gun she has?

I prefer a woman......

Thanks a bunch. We went with the Syren.

To everyone discussing the ammo. I completely understand and I'm sure you are correct. But to us, the burden of sourcing specific ammo and not using the standard ammo provided that everyone else is using is not worth the hassle. My wife just wants a gun she thinks is pretty and doesn't bruise her shoulder.

Obviously we are not serious shooters. Just go out a few times a year for fun. Where we live there's a fair amount of these type of shooters.

You may not want the "hassle" of not using the same ammo as everyone else but if "everyone else" furnishes heavy and fast ammo that Syren is going to knock the snot out of your wife.

Recoil is more directly correlated to ammunition than firearm. If "everyone else" furnishes heavy loads your wife may find her shoulder bruised even with the new gun.

Why spend $2K on a new gun when a $60 - $85 flat of low recoil ammo would last her a long time and be pleasant to shoot?

Bingo, we have a winner

As others have said make sure the gun fits her and pickup some low recoil ammo.

Is low recoil ammo even available these days?

Right now you get what you can and can't be too picky. The place i most recently bought in bulk from doesn't have much selection but they did have low recoil 12ga shells. Seems the majority of shooters are too macho for the low recoil stuff so it was basically all they had left.