.22 for training the wife

[jay1313g]

I've thought about getting a .22 to train the wife and kids (teenagers) with. I've always been partial to the Ruger. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Jay

[Moped]

I've thought about getting a .22 to train the wife and kids (teenagers) with. I've always been partial to the Ruger. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Jay

Ruger autos are excellent choices for a first automatic. I have a Mark II Target model with a bull barrel that shoots better than I do! I also like their single action revolvers, though I don't have one. If your looking for a double action revolver, then a Taurus might be the cheapest best route to go. A smith would be better, but it will also cost you more. A Taurus is a good balance of quality and price.

[Luckyforward]

I own a Smith & Wesson Model 18 in .22 Long Rifle. I love this gun, especially if you put large grips on it. Have used it to teach my wife how to shoot.

[bubbadavis]

The first gun my wife shot was my Model 18. She had no problem with it at all. On the other hand, she didn't like my Browning Hi-Power (.40 S&W) very much!

[jay1313g]

I took the wife shooting a couple of weeks ago and she didn't care much for my Warthog. I told her that she would be OK with anything because a small, light framed. .45 like the Warthog was about as bad as it could get. (Excluding 50 caliber and other oddities.) She likes to shoot .22 rifles and will make a smooth transition to pistols once I get her something to learn on that has less "bite".

[analog_kidd]

I have the ruger .22 and love it, so does the wife. Very accurate. The only bad thing about it is it is very difficult to field strip. I usually clean it the best I can with Q-Tips through the ejection port.

[nightrunner]

i have taught a female friend of mine with my ruger 22-45 and the gun is so accurate that it doesnt discourage her and its quiet and recoil is manageable

[Guest rufusgooch]

Get her a ruger 380 lcp. Then move her up to a Bersa ultra compact 9mm 10+1. She may stay with the lcp. Great pocket/purse gun; at 15 ft. If you teach her on a 22, she may feel a 22 is all she needs. A 22 will NOT protect her. A 380 with cor bon will.

[Guest Mugster]

I've been down this road. The sig mosquito looks like and the controls also mimic a full sized sig. It also makes pretty clear the difference between single and double action. Lighter and smaller than other .22's. I think its a good choice for beginning handgunners in general. It's an accurate little sucker too, I've had alot of fun shooting it. I also acquired a browning .22 buckmark. Extremely nice pistol...I love it. Too heavy for my better half.

Steel j-framed sized revolvers are about the best you can do to move up once past a .22 I think, for a small handed person. Run it with winchester ball...thats about the mildest shooting load i've found. Small automatics are fairly problematic. Although sig has a little .380 that'll run pretty good, it probably costs an arm and a leg. The old PPK is pretty nice. I'm sure there are others.

Dry firing 3-4 times before you go to the range helps more than anything to include locking the slide back and inserting/dropping magazines. Don't dry fire right before you go. Do it a couple times like the preceeding week. If you shoot much at all it toughens your skin. Non-shooters can get blisters on thumbs in as little as 2-3 slide lockbacks.

Get them on an armalite as soon as possible once they run 50 rounds through a .22 if you have one. Everybody likes shooting .223, and a smallish m4 clone is lightweight enough to have fun with if you use mild ammo off the bench. It gets people used to the bark and concussion of centerfire pistol, imo. "Well I shot that ghastly army rifle, this is just a little popgun kinda attitude" develops.

[Guest jdavis]

I started mine on a 9 shot taurus revolver she wanted to move up to an auto after shooting it about 100 rounds she didnt like loading it, so i put her on a walther p22 she liked it and shot it quite well, now she target shoots with a smith 22a and is looking to get a 9mm for her cc gun after she gets her permit, i dont think she would have ever shot if it hadnt been for the 22s, when she was younger ger older brother talked her into shooting his 44mag and it terrified her she thought no matter what she shot it was going to bite her like it did. (i guess he thought it would be funny)

[Guest jcramin]

I started my family on a old Ruger Standard and a Browning Buckmark. My wife quickly moved up to a .45 1911 and got her carry permit using a new Kimber 1911 I bought her. My youngest son who was 12 quickly moved up to shooting my 9mm then next trip shot my .45LC Cowboy gun and now wants to start shooting my 1911 next. My daughter who is 7 likes shooting her pink Cricket .22 rifle still, but she said next trip she wants to try my 9mm.

[Guest JPH]

wife and kids??? I also train w/ the 22's

[analog_kidd]

wife and kids??? I also train w/ the 22's

I agree. I never go to the range without the .22. It helps with aim and control, plus it helps extend my range time without breaking my ammo budget.

[Guest Brian@GunDepot]

Best .22 pistols in my opinion:

-Ruger Mark III 22/45 (my pick)

-Beretta Neos

-Smith 22a

-Walther P22

-Browning Buckmark

-SigSauer Mosquito (ammo picky)

For the money, Phoenix Arms makes a .22 pistol ~160 that is a great deal.

[wjh2657]

Ruger MKII/MKIII are always a good bet. I carried a MK1 50 years ago as my holster gun when trapping muskrat in Ohio. I have always had a variant ever since. I currently have a Ruger MKII 50th Anniversary edition, but with wood target stocks. Simple, rugged and accurate to boot. I'm primarily a wheelgun guy but with a .22 you are going to want the extra ammo capacity for plinking fun. Ruger MKs have never let me down!

[Guest AeroEngrSoftDevMBA]

What about the P22?

I'm wanting something to train my wife as well, but I want a gun that looks more like a "real" gun. To be honest, I think a lot of 22's out there are just plain ugly.

I like the look of the P22 the best, and the Sig Mosquito next. But I've read all over the web that people think they are both pieces of junk. Other than those 2 I don't like the look of much else. The P22 was junk early on I've read, but are the recent production P22's okay?

I'd probably end up with a Smith 22A if I can't find some better reviews of the 2 already mentioned.

[molonlabetn]

The ugly .22lr semi-autos do tend to work a whole lot better, no question about it. The Mosquito and P22 are good for suppressing, but that's about it... and even if I wanted a suppressed .22, I'd look long and hard, first, at an integrally suppressed Ruger MKII upper.

[Guest tlondon]

I am teaching my daughter (teenager) to shoot using a browning buckmark. She seems to like using this one and is not afraid of it. After the first shot, she grinned, looked at me and said "that was cool." First time ever to shoot and all rounds hit the paper.

[Guest JPH]

-SigSauer Mosquito (ammo picky)

true that - but it does help me w/ my malfunction training

[R1100R]

You left out High Standard and a Ruger Single Six in 22/22mag. I have had a HS for over thirty years and my other 22 auto will never stand up to it.

[big mo]

I bought my son(6yrs) at the time, now (9yrs) a Walther P22 and a Ruger 22/45. He also has a 10-22 rifle, he's doing well with all 3. As a matter of fact he's shooting the Browning HI Power 9mm and doing a good job now. Of course he does not have access to them, they stay in the safe. As of late the wife has jumped on our bandwagon. And she's enjoying the P22. She carrys a SW Air-lite .38....Good luck with your purchase.

[jay1313g]

I did make a visit to Sportsman's Warehouse this week and picked up a Ruger MK III 22/45 with the 5 1/2 inch barrel. I'm waiting for her to be in a good mood before I present it. (Not that wives can be moody.) If I never post again, know that I appreciated all of your feedback!

[Guest gcrookston]

I've thought about getting a .22 to train the wife and kids (teenagers) with. I've always been partial to the Ruger. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Jay

Jay, I just traded a MkIII to HeroGear down in Winchester that has less than 100 rounds through it since new. It's a slab side bull barrel. Same type as I tought my wife and children to shoot handguns with... Weight distribution is about the same as a 1911 and is an excellent entry into the larger pistols...