Girlfriend Getting Her First! Need Suggestions!

[NJGunOwner81]

Okay, after coming to the range with me a few times and talking it over my girlfriend is finally making the move and getting her FID and handgun permit.

Once again, I would like some input on possibilities. Now, my GF is strictly going to be a recreational shooter and after shooting off my guns which fire 45ACP, 45 Colt, 410, and 22LR she decided that she has the most fun and accuracy with the 22.

Personally, I think the 22 is great for her because there is virtually no recoil and the ammo is dirt cheap when compared to something like 45ACP. Besides, she's not looking for a home defense gun or a gun to take in the Saudi Desert ... she's just looking to have a little fun with me plinking at the range.

I bought the 22 Conversion Kit for my Government size Kimber and while she likes the 22 she wanted something a little smaller and lighter. I was looking at the Walther P22 but before we commit to anything I'd like some input from you fine folks!

So the question: What do you recommend in a, less than full size, 22LR handgun? Gimme the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!!!

Once again THANK-YOU for your time & input!


Respectfully,

NJGunOwner81

 

[tasco 74]

it's hard to beat a ruger mkII target model for a fun gun..... you can also get slickemup parts from volquartsen's custom and lots of other venders.....


LIFE IS SHORT.....

 

[andrsnsm]

Browning Buckmarks are pretty nice too. I took my wife to the range and she shot my P22 but kept hitting the mag release when she fired it. She then shot my Bersa and liked it much better. Tried to get her to shoot my 9 and 45 but refused. I would stay away from the sig mosquito, they are finicky and don't like as many kinds of ammo as other semi-auto 22's.

 

[menacingsquirrel]

I got my girlfriend a p22 with a pink frame and she loves it. We've put about 600 rounds through in 2 weekends. Shoots federal bulk packs fine. Fun little gun.

 

[xXxplosive]

IMO......get her a Kahr CW9, great gun for women.....she will out grow that
.22 CAL in no time.

 

[jfrey]

Get her a Buck Mark .22 with a holographic sight for her first gun and then a Kahr CW9 for her second one(there surely will be a second one) and then you are on your own. Once she has the bug, there is no telling when it will end.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I start off new shooters with the Ruger 22/45, if they are old enough to hold it.

Everyone, without exception likes the gun.
The new shooters at my range have the choice of shooting many different guns and they still like the Ruger.



The gun is extremely reliable (the MK I or II anyhow, my MK III has given me a lot of trouble). The gun is accurate. It is also easy for weaker people to pull the slide.

I have a Browning Buckmark. Nice gun but due to the shape of the back of the slide many people have trouble pulling the slide.

 

[weregunner]

I agree with the go small caliber and start her out on the twenty-two rimfire first up to a point.

While I am sure your more than qualified to teach her how to shoot can I make a slight recommendation. Since husband and boyfriends do not always make the best instructors for any number of reasons there might be another way to go about this or in concert with your instructing her.

Have your girlfriend take a NRA and accredited basic gun or pistol course at one of the local shops or ranges. This could be a women only course, a one one course, or a regular class full of new shooters.

The first two suggestions for courses let here be in a relaxed atmosphere and let her learn at her pace.

The women and one on one courses if done well by the instructor will submit her to various types of guns and then again maybe only the one .22lrf caliber.

While I could have instructed the women in the family how to shoot I let others do the job. No tension, no pre-existing misconceptions or egos or anything else to get in the way.

While I had some input into the women's training I had to learn that others do it.

As to the gun to train with why not go with either the Browning Buckmark or the Ruger Mk II's pr MK III's.

Rugers .22lrf pistols have a bit more accuracy than other pistols of their price range. It's true to the point that in all the bullseye shooting in this part of the country the MK II's and MK III's are the guns of choice.

Granted, the much higher priced guns can more than hold their won. Usually. But the Rugers without any tweaking or with little tweaking and standard ammo have won the day for trophys and very tiny groups in the targets.

On the other hand the Buckmarks work well, too, and are just bit behind the Rugers in accuracy. Yet, these guns don't cost an arm and a leg.

If gilt edge accuracy isn't necessary then any of the polymer .22lrf pistols will fill the bill. If plinking or just for fun then any of the mentioned guns will do well.

Not to say the polyer guns from Beretta and the others can never equal the Rugers or Buckmarks, but experience hasn't show them to be of great accuracy as the norm.

If I'm wrong on the polymer .22lrf pistols I'm sure there will be any number of people who will set me straight on that.

I do know that the Rugers can be one hole wonders, or close to one hole wonders on paper with standard ammo or even high velocity loadings.

I have to admit to having a Ruger Mk III and a 22/45 Mk III.

The accuracy loads are CCI Standard (can we say cheap ),CCI Mini-Mags, and CCI Stingers. Since each gun is an entity unto itself other people may have different accuracy loads of their own.

The wife has a MK II and the daughter has a MK III.

 

[weregunner]

There are also the Taurus 94s ( I own 1. 5 inch barrel) to look at.
I had the gals use the single action to start things off and then went to the double action shooting later.

I also have a H&R 649 that works well for that as well.

 

[XxWINxX94]

I don't know what your price range is, or if you only want to get something thats brand new or something of that sort but here is my Smith & Wesson model 41. Its a .22LR semi-auto handgun with a bigger grip. Its kinda old-school compared to something newer like a Walther or Ruger. The picture is below

I also think that the Colt Woodsman .22LR would be an exellent pistol for recreational shooting. Its an old one, but its a good one.

 

[notbubba]

The Walther, Ruger & Browning are all fine picks

She needs to handle them and see which fits her the best.

I think the Walther is the only one you can get in pink, for some reson I like women shooting pink guns.

 

[DasFriek]

Get her a .22 thats to large to conceal,that way when she gets her permit she wont have any urge to carry a .22 for SD.
When that time comes i suggest 9mm.

 

[Jed Carter]

Dasfriek is right, get a full size "target" pistol, .22lr and most other rimmed cartridges do not feed 100% in pistols for CCDW. I like the Beretta 87 target for a .22 plinker but I'm a gun snob, A CZ 75B or BD with the .22 lr Kadet kit would make for 2 guns, 9mm and .22 from the same frame, grip may be too thick for a woman.

 

[TexasBill]

My wife has a Walther P22 and absolutely loves it. I had so much fun shooting hers, I bought one, as well and installed the larger backstrap that comes with the pistol. We shoot Remington Golden Bullets in the bulk pack and always have a couple of boxes on hand when we want to go to the range and just plink. My college-age daughter and 12-year-old son also like the P22. Each of the Walthers has had a few thousand rounds through it with just regular cleaning.

We did have to do some experimenting to find ammo that worked consistently but once we settled on the Remington cartridges the only time we have ever encountered a FTF/FTE was when a round failed to fire. CCI Minimags also work well. You might find other ammunition works well for you.

Later, if your lady wants something a little larger, there's the PK380, which is a slightly scaled-up P22 chambered for .380ACP.

 

[Foxtrot427]

Beretta u22 neos looks pretty fun. Never shot one haha.

Id see what the kel-tec PMR-30 has to offer when it comes out. Get a little more power with still almost no felt recoil.