First .22: Rifle or Pistol

I also normally would say a 22 rifle. The question posed is kind of difficult. The OP is not a child wanting to blow away a bulk pack of 22 ammo as quickly as possible. He wants other higher caliber handguns and they seem to be pistols (vs revolvers). So, I would suggest the OP look at the Ruger Mark III, 45/22.... both with a modest length heavy barrel (like 4.5-5") and begin shooting. It will be good practice for the 9mm, but not a substitute. There are fundamentals to learn first.

If the OP thinks he wants something smaller, I'd go with the Ruger SR22 pistol. It is well made and reliable. Start with the 22 LR and move to larger calibers as you are comfortable.

i have to disagree about 22 handgun training carrying over.
when i started bulls eye with a 22,, i had to shoot at 7 yards. increased by one yard at a time til i got to 25 n 50 yards.
when i got my first center fire i was able to get good scores at 25 yards after just a short time.

Getting good scores in bulls eye competition is completely different than training for self-defense.

Susieqz, which did you learn to shoot first the .22 or the centerfire ?

susieqz said:

i have to disagree about 22 handgun training carrying over.
when i started bulls eye with a 22,, i had to shoot at 7 yards. increased by one yard at a time til i got to 25 n 50 yards.
when i got my first center fire i was able to get good scores at 25 yards after just a short time.

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The way you phrased this would suggest to me a tremendous carry over from rimfire shooting to center fire. People also have higher accuracy/precision expectations with 22 over center fires due to less recoil.

i never worked hard until i got my 22/45. it was so much fun i got interested in shooting.
got 10 bunnies this year, 8 with this gun.
fun fun fun
a very great deal of carry over. i avoided bad habits like flinching.
jus a couple hundred rounds got me up to speed with my 38.
double action took a while because of the heavy trigger pull, but single action took
little time, both aimed n point shooting.
i'm not gonna say what i learned to do point shooting using a 22, as people think it impossible.

I got my first 22 rifle last year and I ended up with a Marlin XT-22 in stainless steel. I went with a bolt gun because I can use 22 short, long, or long rifle in the same gun. I can also use standard or high velocity rounds. Basically it will shoot just about any type of 22 ammo. I prefer tubular magazines over detachable.

I also considered the Ruger 10/22 (my brother has one), a Henry lever action (my mother has one) and a Marlin Model 60. All good guns that will last a lifetime.

In a handgun I would look at a Ruger Single Six (or Ten) or a Ruger Mark IV. Again, semi autos tend to be finicky on ammo while the revolver will work basically anything.

one good thing. when you first start training, you don't need match grade ammo.
you can use bulk, that's running about 6 cents/round.
you can afford lots of practice.

A couple of my favorites are:
1. S&W 15-22.
2. Ruger Takedown Heavy Barrel

susieqz said:

i never worked hard until i got my 22/45. it was so much fun i got interested in shooting.
got 10 bunnies this year, 8 with this gun.
fun fun fun
a very great deal of carry over. i avoided bad habits like flinching.
jus a couple hundred rounds got me up to speed with my 38.
double action took a while because of the heavy trigger pull, but single action took
little time, both aimed n point shooting.
i'm not gonna say what i learned to do point shooting using a 22, as people think it impossible.

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Rabbit hunting with a 22 is tremendous fun. As a young person we had beagles and as a family we hunted rabbits more than anything, For me, I started just liking the hunt as much as scoring and I found that shooting rabbits with a shotgun just go too easy for the most part, So, I switched to my 22 rifle. Didn't own a handgun back in those days. Learned point shooting with the 22 rifle and shot rabbits on the jump much like you might with a shotgun. It was great fun!!!! Later my three brothers all switched to 22 rifles for rabbit hunting and we began having 100 yd shots at rabbits with the 22 rifle and actually getting them. It really was fun and my Dad also began using his 22 rifle as he saw just how much fun we were having. Those were wonderful days! Dad is gone now, and those are some of my fondest memories of him (small game hunting).

My centerfire rifle shooting also had carry over with the 22 rifle on deer where I once shot a deer "from the hip" at close range running with my 243 win.... plop. Not something I recommend, but it happened.

I remember when you got your 38 revolver (as I recall) from your posts here.

susieqz said:

one good thing. when you first start training, you don't need match grade ammo.
you can use bulk, that's running about 6 cents/round.
you can afford lots of practice.

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I agree. Even if you have some misfires with bulk ammo, generally you aren't in a race to see how many rounds you can pop off. Of course, it's fun to do that too.

Most of my bulk or promotional 22 ammo that I have was purchased much below the $0.06/round figure. Now, you can spend a bit more at times. Regular CCI high speed 22LR can be gotten for around $0.08/round now. Price is coming down a bit from the $0.10/round. I never really considered CCI HS as "bulk" however. Considered it "better ammo". I shoot the standard velocity CCI stuff a fair amount.

22rim, it's great to know someone who can point shoot. i'm tired of hearing that it can't be done.

oooh, it snowed yesterday n i see bunny tracks all over. looks like i'll get another one.
i don't know how to hunt, but i'm real good at looking out the window.

TheNewShooter said:

I don't really have any plans to hunt, will be shooting mainly for sporting/self defense (I plan on getting a CCW). I am looking for something that I can train with pretty inexpensively (I understand 22lr is best for that), but also something that is good quality, that I will keep, and would be useful in a survival scenario/small game. In terms of training, building good habits, becoming a better shooter, is it recommended to get a pistol or rifle/carbine.

FWIW, if this works out, at some point I will be buying a 9mm pistol, then a 5.56 rifle.

Thanks

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This is one reason I recommended the S&W 15-22. Can be used for inexpensive training, is good quality, and would be useful for your stated survival / small game scenario.

I turned on a friend and his wife to the 15-22 as he just bought a farm and wanted:
1. Something both his wife and kids could use and learn on.
2. Needed something to dispatch muskrats in his 5-acre pond (his wife and kids have pretty much taken them all out).
3. Both his wife and kids are comfortable with it - a fair amount of plastic, but that results in lighter weight which is ideal for the wife and kids (along with the collapsible stock).
4. His wife keeps it by her bedside for protection - maybe not an ideal caliber, but she keeps it loaded with a 25-rd. magazine of CCI Stingers, which could ruin anybody's day!
5. The 15-22 is the ONLY .22 caliber AR clone that functions EXACTLY like an AR. As such, both his wife and kids can pick up his .556 AR and have at it with no learning curve AFA operation / shooting.

BTW - we got him the highly rated Bushnell TRS-25 red dot - the 15-22 and red dot combo means muskrats and small vermin / predators don't stand a chance!

You also have the option of the barrel already being threaded.
Hopefully in the near future silencers will come off the NFA's list - don't be surprised if you really want one if all the paperwork / wait times / tax stamp are eliminated!

I also just bought the Ruger Takedown Heavy Barrel, and have the same Bushnell TRS-25 red dot on it.
Makes for a neat, small package when taken apart.



One thing to note - sadly, it appears Bushnell has changed manufacturers for their highly regarded TRS-25 (based on Amazon reviews) so I don't know if the newer models are nearly as good as the previous generation. Check out the 1-star reviews, which about all cover the "new" model.
https://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Tro...ie=UTF8&qid=1482083230&sr=8-1&keywords=trs+25

Bluntly, you will master a 9mm by shooting 9mm. I've owned Ruger semi auto and revolver .22s, S&W revolver 22s and I've shot Walther, S&W, Colt & Beretta .22s. Even shooting the Beretta 92 with a .22 conversion didn't really help. Centerfire rounds down range did. The recoil, muzzle flash and blast, follow through and grip force are completely different from a .22. Only the trigger stroke, sight alignment and grip position are the same; and then only if you are using a conversion of your carry gun.
Pick your CCW then train with that.
If you want a small game getter, then a quality bolt action rifle with a quality scope is the way to go.

If you go handgun/pistol first, for defensive reasons, the already-mentioned SR-22 would be hard to beat in current production guns. The Bersa Thunder in .22 would certainly be a good contender. The other Rugers will do well if you are open to a single-action mechanism. My second pistol was my first one in .22, and it was a Ruger Mk-II Standard, purchased new in 1987. I still have it and it's always been almost "too easy" to shoot with.

I think others here have covered the 10/22 pretty well. I've had mine since 1986. A surprising value in .22LR autoloading rifles now is the Mossberg 702 Plinkster, a swift-handling and remarkably reliable and accurate carbine that runs south of $120 at Wal-Mart. Maybe after springing for one of these, you'd be able to get that handgun (in .22LR or in 9mm) even sooner.

Radagast said:

Bluntly, you will master a 9mm by shooting 9mm. I've owned Ruger semi auto and revolver .22s, S&W revolver 22s and I've shot Walther, S&W, Colt & Beretta .22s. Even shooting the Beretta 92 with a .22 conversion didn't really help. Centerfire rounds down range did. The recoil, muzzle flash and blast, follow through and grip force are completely different from a .22. Only the trigger stroke, sight alignment and grip position are the same; and then only if you are using a conversion of your carry gun.
Pick your CCW then train with that.
If you want a small game getter, then a quality bolt action rifle with a quality scope is the way to go.

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Shooting a 22 handgun also helps building confidence. But as I mentioned before, you only really "master" (as noted above) by shooting the actual gun and caliber and usually pretty frequently.

Semi-auto 22 rifles are also very effective for small game hunting.

For me personally, I'd go with a .22 pistol. Physically I resemble a 6'5" orangutan. I have difficulty sitting at a bench shooting a rifle. It's easier for me to just stand up and shoot, so pistol gets my vote. The Ruger mk series are my favorites. Going by what you're looking for, they are accurate, reliable and robust. They are also smaller than a .22 rifle, so it's easier to carry if you are moving around. The Ruger single six series would be a go-ahead as well.

50+ year shooter here have owned well over a hundred guns, I'd definitely go with a rifle for a first gun, assuming you have a decent place to shoot. I'd either find an older 10/22 or buy one of the various models of CZ 452. I've had my 1966 model 10/22 for about 45 years and I like it a lot, but I'd probably recommend the 452 unless you just think you want a semi-automatic instead of a bolt.

If it's a rifle pick a bolt, if you decide pistol pick a revolver as opposed to a semi-auto as it's much safer for you and those around you unless you shoot it every week.

For your needs as you stated them I'd recommend starting with a Beretta Neos or maybe a Browning Buckmark. A rimfire rifle is extremely fun to shoot but for your purposes I'd go with a pistol first. I have a Beretta Neos and it's very accurate and runs about $100 less than a Buckmark. I also have a Marlin Model 60. Extremely accurate with a heavy Micro Groove barrel and iron sights for $100 less than a 10/22.
When you are comfortable and ready to go centerfire you can still shoot your .22 and practice basic fundamentals.
My CCL qualifying was done with the Neos so after purchasing a carry/bedside .45 I then bought a Neos after 6 months or so. Shooting a rifle is a different thing. I think you'd enjoy shooting the Marlin Model 60 especially since they are in the $160 range. If you spend a bit less on .22 because it's the basis for moving up but buy a good basic gun you'll be well served.

I'd get a 22 handgun that you certainly like and not necessarily one that is inexpensive. If you are like me, you'll still own it 30 years from now, so you might as well get one you really want. I realize that there is a learning curve to choosing.

New Shooter,

Lots of great advice above. What I would add is: where do you plan to shoot? As mentioned above a pistol is much more easily concealed than a long gun. Do you have access to a range? For 10 years we owned a condo in a city known for an anti gun stance. (We owned it for my wife's work and our primary home was in a rural gun friendly area.) The hostile looks carrying cased long guns in and out of the building to the car were extraordinary interesting! Cities can be a problem.

When I was starting out I was trained on an S&W Model 63, and my first pistol purchase was a used Ruger MK 1 Standard. I still have it. Also as written above, whatever you purchase it most likely will not be your last gun. Shooting and guns are highly addictive!

Welcome to the gun culture and best wishes on your decision.

Start with a rifle.

It's much easier to learn to shoot the rifle. And once you are comfortable with the rifle, many of the fundamentals translate to the pistol.