I'm going to take a first time shooter to the range, need pistol suggestions

I'm taking my 1911 with me, but I'll need a second gun for him:

Reeds rents guns: http://reedsindoorrange.com/range.html
The list is on the right there.

What is a good gun for new shooters, preferably with a safety. (I would like to avoid glocks as the glocks at reeds are VERY jam prone.)

The shooter is an adult.

Beretta 92 or any of the ruger 22's.

first of all, good job getting a new shooter out on the range!! personally i like to take a mix of wheel guns and semi auto's in both small and large calibers. reliable guns are a plus, so there first time out will be spent shooting and rather than practicing clearing jams :)

BHP
HK PM7
Glock 17

Wow, they have a nice selection of rental guns. The Beretta 92 FS is a nice soft shooting pistol. Sig 226 is also a good choice.

My first thought might be a 22cal. to learn the basics of pistol shooting without worrying about recoil. If he just wants to blast away at something, the above mentioned 9's are a good place to start.

If your thinking revolver, the GP100 would work.

Good luck, be safe.....

Hope he likes shooting and wants to be a shooter.

adult or not if they have no experience with a pistol I like to start at home. I go over some of the features of several pistols. My Sig mosquito is great as it has all the levers that my larger ones have and is very similar. I will always start them out with a 22 rimfire just to get the feel. If they are comfortable a quality 9mm is next, cost of ammunition being the largest consideration when choosing the 9mm. If they are still wanting more and I feel they are capable then the next trip we take some larger calibers, DA only, or even wheel guns if they prefer. Keep it safe and fun and don't get carried away with distance shots on the first few trips. Remember they have to crawl before they run.

I will follow the conventional wisdom of starting a new shooter with a .22. I suggest one of the Ruger .22s, preferably a 22/45, as it has similar grip angle and control locations to your 1911. The segue from the .22 to the 1911 does not necessarily have to be done in one session.

Yeah a 22 might be a good idea, I'm not sure how much recoil will bother him.

Don't the HK 45's have some recoil reduction?

S&W 617. Good gun to teach the basics on. Simple to use and IMHO nothing is more frustrating to a new shooter than not being able to hit the target accurately.

After that ask him/her what they want to try.

Shawn

After a detailed discussion on safety, gun handling, sight picture and trigger control, I like to start new shooters off with the Ruger 22/45.
Usually after they shoot about 5 to 15 magazines I move them on to a 38 or 9mm.

If possible, before going to the range sit down with the person for an hour or so and teach them sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control so throughly that they can teach it to you. It will pay off in the person immediately shooting fairly well,
like the new shoter below.

You mentioned your 1911. Don't rush the person into a bigger heavier kicking gun. But if they can handle it let them try it.
For instance,
I started this girl off with the Ruger 22/45. She shot about 50 rounds and did well.
I let her try the S&W J Frame. She liked it and did well, so she ran a bunch of rounds through it (she was even shooting on the move, 1st day).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/Lindsey.jpg

The second day I gave her a 45 Kimber and 4-5 magazines and told her if it's too much, we will go back to the 38 for a while. She did well.
So well in fact I asked her if she wanted to try the Texas concealed carry qualification course just for fun (50 timed shots at 3 yards, 7 yards and 15 yards).
She did great. Even though she had not yet shot at 15 yards, had never touched a gun before two days ago, hadn't shot timed fire and had only shot the 45 a few times, she shot 242/250.:)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/LindseyshootingCHL.jpg

In my experience the best starter for newbies is the Colt Peacemaker .22 single action, for four reasons.

1. It makes a great first impression, sets a good mood. On first sight, the scaled-down cowboy gun's nostalgic appearance replaces jitters with smiles. It's the polar opposite of intimidating - obviously it is a serious weapon but at the same time it just begs you to "come play, have fun!"

2. The old-style SAA grip is naturally comfortable for beginning shooters male or female, and the weapon has just enough heft to it so that improvements in basic aiming and breath control have easily-perceived results for the student.

3. "Manual everything" is the instructor's best friend. Nothing happens too fast and the weapon cannot outrun the student. Yet at the same time it needs lots of attention. For new shooters it's a considerable effort to keep that muzzle pointed in a safe direction and the trigger finger in the right place during the cumbersome processes of loading, reloading, unloading and cocking a SA revolver to fire.

4. Recoil is a non-issue, but even so it's simple to drill out flinching by sliding an empty case or two into the cylinder. Not an option with an auto.

A nice side benefit is that just by using the SA, students get a basic, self-apparent mechanical appreciation of how guns work that cannot be easily explained (without being a total bore). With that appreciation, students more quickly grasp the differences in advanced types and transition to them easily.

After a detailed discussion on safety, gun handling, sight picture and trigger control, I like to start new shooters off with the Ruger 22/45.
Usually after they shoot about 5 to 15 magazines I move them on to a 38 or 9mm.

If possible, before going to the range sit down with the person for an hour or so and teach them sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control so throughly that they can teach it to you. It will pay off in the person immediately shooting fairly well,
like the new shoter below.

Sounds like the ideal approach to me! If someone has shot long guns before and/or is not intimidated by firearms and recoil, then starting with a .38 or 9mm is reasonable. Starting with some kind of .22 is always the easiest and safest bet IMHO.

When I take someone new shooting I don't shoot, and focus on teaching the new shooter and ensuring they enjoy that 1st time.

The 22 is best for the introduction to shooting and I usually bring a variety of handguns with different sighting systems.

A red-dot shortens the learning curve by removing sight alignment, front sight focus, center hold, 6 o'clock hold, etc.
The shooter is way more likley to follow through as, with a red dot, they are already looking at the point of impact when the shot breaks and can see the effect of trigger pressure when the dot moves off target, during the "squeese".

Teach safety first then show the basic differences between handguns. Then explain the one he will be shooting to them. Then you are ready to head to the firing line. Make sure you have different types of hearing protection in case he doesn't like one or the other. Eye protection if he doesn't have glasses. Review the rules of the firing line again. Show them how to load then watch as he does it. Review what will happen when he pulls the trigger then watch that he does everything safely. Also I forgot remind him at the range being corrected for safety is not the end of the world its to make him safer with the gun.

Good Luck and enjoy! and congrats on getting someone new out there.

S&W 617. Good gun to teach the basics on. Simple to use and IMHO nothing is more frustrating to a new shooter than not being able to hit the target accurately.

I second that on philosophical grounds, plus it would be nice for him to try out a revolver.

4. Recoil is a non-issue, but even so it's simple to drill out flinching by sliding an empty case or two into the cylinder. Not an option with an auto.

Couldn't one use snap caps or dummy rounds for this purpose in autos?

Sure you can put a dummy round in an auto. Even if it feeds properly and you get the intended snap?

Then you have a closed action with a dummy chambered (which will need a good, solid rack to eject properly), and as soon as the student turns loose of that slide he/she has a fully ready to fire centerfire weapon in hand.

Nope. For teaching beginners, not an option.

.22 revolver will be the safest and easiest to teach and learn on.

A quality .22LR

When I take a newbie to the range, I start easy and work up. First a S&W 617, then a Browning Buckmark Camper (they love the bright, green, front sight), then a S&W .38 Special revolver, then a Beretta 92FS (if they have large hands), and finally a S&W .44 Special revolver.

It amazing how often they claim to like the .44 Special the best...

.22 revolver.

I still have a scar on my leg from a new shooter in the service with a .22 target pistol failing to pull the slide back to load the first round.

The sequence of events were:
Insert magazine
Aim
"click"
turn around with the gun pointing at the cement pad right between us
"Hey Sarge, it didn't shoot! SEE!"
pull the slide back
pull the trigger again

It shot that time!
And it all happened too fast for me to react before the bullet bounced off the concrete and shot me in the leg.

I believe a revolver is a much safer training gun until you can evaluate the new shooters awareness of muzzle control and trigger finger twitches!

rc

.22 revolver, 4" or 6" <-- first choice by a wide margin
.22 semiauto (like a Ruger Mk II)
.38 revolver, lightly loaded

CZ-82 would be good, but I didn't see it on the list. Accurate, ammo is cheap, less recoil than a "real" 9mm, never jams, and restrikable if it misfires just by pulling the trigger again.

A big heavy .45 Colt or .44 Special revolver might be fun with some "cowboy" ammo, but don't lead with it.

.22 to start and prevent them from learning flinches.

when stepping up to bigger calibers, if not a single action revolver, give your friend single rounds only until they know their grip, their response to recoil, and you don't have to worry about them shooting themselves on the recoil with a bad grip and a light trigger on a DA/DAO.