What is a good gun Caliber to start out with?

I'll slightly disagree with the .22 crowd, if only to keep it interesting.

If someone is interested only in a gun for self-defense, and that person has no intention of becoming an enthusiast, then a .357 revolver is a fine choice. This gun can be used to learn how to reliably hit a large, close target, first with .38s and later with .357s.

If, however, a person has even the slightest interest in taking up shooting as a hobby or sport, and/or has any desire to gain more skill than the "Hit the man target somewhere in the middle at 7 yards" level, then the .22 is the only game in town for a first gun.

I agree with the .22 also.
I have a few really nice guns and I'm considering a .22 now.
Ammo is cheap. Something like a Ruger MK-3 is affordable, and if she tires of it, someone will buy it. It would be fun to shoot a ton at the range.

I learned quite a bit about hunting, shooting and life and death with a Daisey BB gun. I probably shot a hundred lbs. of BB's before I ever touched a firearm. If she wants a 45 then by God she ought to buy one.

I also agree with the .22 if she really wants to learn how to shoot. I made the mistake of starting with a .40, and had my shots going low and left all the time. I've finally figured out how to hit the center of the target, but starting with a .22 would have helped with the learning curve.

try before you buy.

.22LR is cheap practice.

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That says it all perfectly!

The ideal? Find the type of gun that fits and the caliber they're comfortable shooting with and purchase a .22 conversion to go with it. Best of all worlds.

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Absolutely! I have a Ciener .22 unit for my .45 Commander and it is definitely the way to get familiar with trigger pull, sight picture, and grip without dealing with recoil all at the same time.

It's too bad it doesn't lock the slide back automatically on last round or the simulation would be complete. However, it does permit practicing locking the action open for inspection and "rolling chambered round into palm" drills, for those who routinely go from Condition 1 to Condition 3.

If your friend wants a handgun primarily for self-defense, and can only afford one gun at this time, then she should definitely pass on buying a .22. A quality .22 handgun costs several hundred dollars. She would also have to buy a holster, cleaning kit etc.

If she can only buy one gun, she should look at 9mm's, .40 cals and .45 ACP's. As other posters in this thread have already mentioned, she needs to find a range that rents guns, so she can rent and shoot several different models and calibers.

I recommend she give serious consideration to the Springfield Armory XD. Please share the following links with your friend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knt264inrCE

http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdoors.com/SPstory11.php

I started off with a 9mm Taurus PT-99 AFS years ago. Despite what others may think about Taurus, it was a great pistol to shoot. Fast forward to the present, I still like 9mm but I sold the Taurus and have a Glock 19 and 26 to enjoy now. Add a Advantage Arms .22lr conversion kit, you'll have two inexpensive ammo calibers to enjoy. 9mm is also a good defensive round to use.

+1 HSO

If the your friend can't hold onto the pistol she's not going to feel comfortable shooting it no matter what caliber. So finding something that fits well and that she can reach the slide release and decocker, mag release etc... is the most important part of getting a pistol. Caliber likes/dislikes can come later as she samples various pistols. Renting them as said above is a good way to go.

Michelle

If she plans on using the first gun as a self-defense tool, then I would go along with what she wants. Recoil isn't that bad. She may develop a flinch but that can be remedied with some training. Of course, ammo will be more expensive than, let's say, a 9mm and way more expensive than a .22.

If she's looking for a plinker, but still wants something decent for self-defense, then I'd push her towards a 9mm.

For strictly a range gun, I'd tell here to get a .22.

I would assume that she wants something for self-defense. Although it's never a bad idea to go try out some calibers first, I think that she could handle a .45.

IMO, if your friend has no or very little histiry with firearms, I would suggest .22 lr. Not only is it low cost, but the lack of recoil will help hone your friend's shooting technique as it will allow her to focus on aiming and hold and not have to give thought to recoil.

great advice has been given.

.22lr = cheap and easy to learn on.

Rent before you buy etc...

But since she will be a new shooter she will need to get practice. With practice comes a lot of shooting. So she will also need to look at ammo prices and factor that in.

She needs to look at a budget and see how much she can spend on a firearm and how much she can spend to shoot to get comfortable with it.