22 auto for my G/F to use

[LegalAlien]

Hi Folks - hope I can get some input here. I am considering getting a 22 cal semi for my g/f and had my research narrowed down to the following:-
- Browning Buckmark Micro
- Walther P22 - but with a recent post about slide failure I think that is a NO
- Beretta Neo

I am leaning towards the Browning Micro due to size - I have not taken her to a gun shop to let her handle one yet, but she has 'petite' hands and I get the feeling that this gun will be a nice fit for her. She has not fired or handled a gun yet, but has now started showing some interest in my gun - Beretta 92FS - not handled it yet, but just talked about 'maybe' having to find out how a gun works and shoots. . . . .. . so . .. I am slowly getting her used to the idea . . . and who knows. . .maybe soon I will have someone joining me at the range!!!

The double stacked 92 grip is comfortable in my big hands, but I am pretty sure that it will too big for her. I am not worried about any recoil issues,should she be interested in firing the 92, but . time will tell

 

[Black Majik]

Good on you for getting her into shooting, and a .22 to boot. I'd recommend either the Browning or Beretta, the P22 is spotty on reliability.

Of course, best is to have her handle as many .22 pistols as she can and let her pick it out in the end.

Good luck!

 

[Soybomb]

If you want her to shoot with you and enjoy it, take her to the gun store and let her pick her own gun. You'd want to pick your own.

 

[Geno]

I agree with having her go to the gun store and try the various pistols. While the fit is important, fit alone is not enough. She may find two different pistols equally comfortable, but find one far more attractive. Whatever her rationale for her choice, the more she likes the firearm, hopefully the more she will want to go with you and use it. JMHO.

Best of luck!

Doc2005

 

[LegalAlien]

I would definitely want her to handle and actually pick her own gun, but, if possible I would want to her to look at a certain range of guns . . . and not maybe 'fall in love' with some 'inferior' gun . .. .. . I want to use my 'vast experience' (jk) to guide her

 

[Geno]

I personally like the Ruger Mark II and Mark III. The Mark II is no longer made, but from time-to-time (like I did today) you can locate a pre-owned, unfired Mark II.

Good luck!

Doc2005

 

[LeonCarr]

Take her to a gun range that rents guns and let her not only handle one, but shoot one as well. You might find out she wants something more powerful than a .22 .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[oklahoma caveman]

+1 for the markII

 

[BridgeWalker]

I have not taken her to a gun shop to let her handle one yet

...and let her pick it out in the end

...let her pick her own gun

...that rents guns and let her not only handle one, but shoot one as well

Do you guys all hang out with underage women or something? Last time I checked, a woman was actually allowed to handle, pick out, and shoot guns all by her pretty little self.

A child would need you to "let" her do these things. A woman really doesn't.

And you all wonder why it's so hard to get women involved in shooting.
:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

Sorry, I'm overtired tonight. I generally try not to let this stuff get to me...

Seriously though. If you want to enjoy a hobby with this woman, don't "allow" her inch by inch into your manly activities a little at a time. You indicate that you actually do not possess a vast experience. Why not learn with her, instead of driving both of you nuts trying to keep one step ahead so you can teach her?

If a man has a lot of experience and the woman wants to know, then that's a fine teaching arrangement. Guys coming online to get some clue of what to "let" their womenfolk do and when and with which weapon so that you can maintain the illusion of being one step ahead is just silly.

Try this on: "Hey hon, I bet you'd like a .22. I dunno exactly what's out there, wanna go to gun show and we can poke around? Wanna join THR and read some threads about .22s? Hey, I'm free Saturday, let's go to the range and rent some .22s. I want to know what's out there so I can buy you the right gift.

/rant

Ok, ya gotta admit, it got a little nicer by the end.

 

[Black Majik]

Do you guys all hang out with underage women or something? Last time I checked, a woman was actually allowed to handle, pick out, and shoot guns all by her pretty little self.

A child would need you to "let" her do these things. A woman really doesn't.

And you all wonder why it's so hard to get women involved in shooting.


Sorry, I'm overtired tonight. I generally try not to let this stuff get to me...

Seriously though. If you want to enjoy a hobby with this woman, don't "allow" her inch by inch into your manly activities a little at a time. You indicate that you actually do not possess a vast experience. Why not learn with her, instead of driving both of you nuts trying to keep one step ahead so you can teach her?

If a man has a lot of experience and the woman wants to know, then that's a fine teaching arrangement. Guys coming online to get some clue of what to "let" their womenfolk do and when and with which weapon so that you can maintain the illusion of being one step ahead is just silly.

Try this on: "Hey hon, I bet you'd like a .22. I dunno exactly what's out there, wanna go to gun show and we can poke around? Wanna join THR and read some threads about .22s? Hey, I'm free Saturday, let's go to the range and rent some .22s. I want to know what's out there so I can buy you the right gift.

/rant

Ok, ya gotta admit, it got a little nicer by the end

Are you serious? Wow, nice post.

We are just giving recommendations to the poster. Our women doesn't need our permission to do anything, they don't need to ask permission whether they can handle a firearm, or are we letting our ego get in the way.

The recommendation to have the woman pick out the pistol is so that she enjoys the pistol she picks. You just took all our posts out of context. Way to take the high road on this one.

 

[BridgeWalker]

You just took all our posts out of context.

No, I really didn't. Words have meanings. If you all didn't mean "let" you wouldn't all (well most, a few have actually noticed that women are adults)have used the word "let".

I'm sure no one was thinking consciously about giving her permission to play with his hobby jut a bit, just enough to be one step behind.

I'm equally sure that that is what your words indicated and that that is how it actually plays out the vast majority of the time. I've seen it in person, I've seen it those silly youtube vids people post of taking the girl out to the range. I've seen it here on THR and on other gun forums.

And there is no doubt in my mind that it hasn't even occured to you that you are doing it.

Which is fine.

But then there's a thread, or say fifteen, every week wondering why the wife hates guns. Hm...wonder why that might be.

 

[Soybomb]

Do you guys all hang out with underage women or something? Last time I checked, a woman was actually allowed to handle, pick out, and shoot guns all by her pretty little self.

A child would need you to "let" her do these things.

I think you're reading too much into the posts. In this sense the "let" refers to having someone someone to pick out their own gift, an unusual occurrence. It is in no way an indication of her being treated like a child, property, weak or incapable any more than your proposed "wanna join thr" implies that the woman is too weak minded to come up the idea on her own and needs to be spoonfed suggestions on how to learn.

If you wanted to buy your boyfriend new shoes and someone said "thats a personal fit item, you can't really pick those for someone else, let him pick the pair that fits him best" would you find that to be a statement that implies he is a child being given permission?

 

[BridgeWalker]

Soybomb, if this was isolated to this thread alone, I would agree with you.

If it was isolated to the mention of choosing the specific gun to buy, I might also agree with you, because of the conventions of gift giving.

But this nomenclature shows up nearly daily, sometimes multiple times daily. It is pervasive, and not just the nomenclature, but the attitude that goes along with it.

I've gotten it from a couple people, who incidentally, I no longer shoot with. I've seen it foisted upon many other women. Heck, when I met up with sometone to swap some gear he was shocked to learn that I'm married and that my husband lets me do gun-related things on my own. It is appallingly pervasive in the gun culture.

And this thread, in its quiet and subtle way, is perpetuating it. Until I started spending a lot of time in gun-related places irl and online, I had never experienced this bizarre over-solicitousness for women. And it's a real pita.

Yeah, it can make sense in the context of a gift. No, I'm not saying this is the greatest evil visited upon women ever.

All I'm saying is that words have meaning, and that if you didn't mean "let" you wouldn't say let. Once again, a guy is trying to get information on something he doesn't know much about so that he can then go teach his girlfriend.

Look, I'm not the sexism police. Honest. It just bugs me that it's so durned hard to find women to shoot with. And mostly, it's because of stuff like this. I applaud the OP for his good intentions. But, the culture is so twisted. Women are begged to join, pleaded to participate. And when we do, we are invariably assumed to be incapable, in need of a nice manly man to help us out. It's freakin' irritating. But that's fine. I'm not the sexism police.

It's just awfully frustrating watching you guys shoot yourselves in the foot day after day. I'm gonna go watch a movie now. I'm usually pretty good about letting this stuff go. Sorry, ya caught me on an off night. It's finals week and I'm tired and irritated.

 

[Constantine-p89]

Get her a 38

 

[Soybomb]

It's finals week

I somewhat recall that feeling

Part of it is probably that 95% of these threads seem to be about gifts and they're trying to pick the gun that is most likely to get their lady friend interested in shooting with them. They want to feel like the read up and know exactly what she'll love so she'll be sure to love shooting. There certainly can be some gender issues too though of guns being the man's domain and he wants to seem like the all knowing macho guru. I think that is more for the guys that already know what she needs though and doesn't apply to people telling him that she needs to pick her own gun.

Ymmv and all that, enjoy your movie, good luck on the finals

 

[GunTech]

Best bang for the Buck is probably the Ruger MkII or MkIII. The P22 is a fun little gun, but is a plinker, and lacks accuracy and is finicky about ammo. If you can find a Trailside, it's a great little auto. My personal auto of choice is my S&W model 41, but she'd have to be one hell of a GF to rate a 41.

What about a revolver? S&W 617 is a great handgun, and if you find a model 34 or 63, most women I know think they're great - just the thing for someone with small hands.

 

[MustangHowie]

My wife started with a Ruger MKII 22/45 ( she liked the grip angle and mag release over my MKII) and then a Taurus PT99 then a Kimber Custom II and also has a Desert Eagle 44mag. She also has others in the same calibers. She started small and moved up and she picked all of her own guns.

Revolvers are a little different, she started with a 22 moved to .357 and doesn't want to try 44mag. Her choice, though I have offered to let her try my 44mag revolvers.

She did the same with rifles. Ruger 10/22 then a Ruger Mini 14 and a Ruger Mini 30 and finally an Imbel FAL.

 

[AdamSean]

My girlfriend would have slapped me if I got her a 22. She happens to like shooting a 9mm. She liked me Taurus pt111 Millenium Pro and loves my Kahr PM9.

 

[larryw]

After years of "discussion" my wife finally agreed to learn to shoot; luckily there was a lady instructor teaching a class local. I, being the wise and experienced shooter, sent her to the class with a 22.

She called halfway through the class and asked me what I shot.

That night she came home with a bunch of targets with 1/2" holes in the middle and a receipt for her very own 45. She lets me clean it after skunking me at the range.

Bottom line: unless you're comfortable buying her a purse unaided, don't think you can decide which handgun she wants or needs. Take her to the store, and get out of the way.

 

[pablo45]

I got mine a Walther and it has been great. I shoot it more than she does. I love it and it has not had one failure.

 

[Pilot]

My wife wanted to buy a gun for herself. We went to a few gun stores to view what was available. Of course she looked at a lot of semi-autos, but in the end she chose a S&W revolver which has turned out to be a good choice.

 

[LegalAlien]

Clarification

WOW . . . this thread almost got hijacked and degenerated into some kind of sexist slammer session. A lot of assumptions were being made, based on my original post - and I am partlyto blame for not disclosing all information.

Let me clarify a couple of issues:-

1. We are in a committed domestic partnership relationship. We are both mature adults, my significant other is in her late 40's and I am in my late 50's.
We are a sharing 'equal opportunity partnership' and best of friends. I am not some male chauvinis pig that wil dictate to her what she should use or buy. She is a strong gal that can make up her own mind.
We ask each other's opinions when we are not sure, or do not have the knowledge about a subject or issue. In this particular instance, she asked my advice about might work best for her, in the event that my 92FS was too big for her to use comfortably.

2. I might have underplayed my firearm knowledge. Truth be told, I am just not very familiar with all the available makes, models and reliability of handguns in the US, but my general firearm knowledge and experience is fairly comprehensive.
I grew up in South Africa, hunting with a variety of guns.
- wild doves and pigeons with pellet guns, .22short and 22lr
- tarentaal, wilde pou, steenbok, klipspringer, dassie, meerkat (google them ) with 22lr. We hunted for meat, and we used to go for head shots where possible to not damage the carcas.
- bushbuck with .222 Hornet
- assisted in herd management and culling impala and kudu with 30.06
I did my stint in SA military
- achieved sniper qualification with SA version of FN FAL with 7.62 Nato out to 600m with open sights. - no scope. I was expert in 7.62 ballistics and characteristics - but don't aske me now - that is more than 40 yrs ago
- qualified with automatic heavy barrel version of the FAL and also with beltfed full auto light machine gun
- qualified with 9mm Uzzi
- Qualified squad leader on WWII era Vickers .303 mauser water cooled heavy machine gun.
I also went thru my macho stage and owned a 4" barrel .357 magnum revolver and was forced killed an aggressive baboon with it on a hike.
I owned a .45ACP, but found the recoil unacceptable.
Controlled, well-placed fire to me, is more effective than brute force.
I have epxerience with the penetration power and damage that a wide variety of ammo can make - not on humans, and I believe a few well placed .22's (ie head shots) are just as effective in stopping a BG, as .45 to centre body (that might be wearing body armor).

I am not interested in .25,.32, .38 etc - those or less common calibres and more difficult to obtain and more expensive that .22lr or 9mm.
I was really inquiring about reliability and handling of some of the .22 semi's that I have read about to get some personal experience feedback from owners and did not expect sexist rant - and I am sorry if my original post created a misconception.

I see the .22 handgun as a starting point for my significant other (and we have discussed it) and if she is comfortable, we will also try out the 9mm. Even my FN5.7 is there for experimenting with, but I am afraid that she might fall in love that that gun and then I have to get another

Thanks for the positive input and comments regarding my original question. It is appreciated


I know

 

[Vito_Corleone]

Take her to a shop and LET her pick out the one she likes best.

(that's what I did)

 

[tinygnat219]

Legalalien,

Good point on the P22. It's complete garbage. Very ammo finicky, and with the one I owned it had a tendency to jam on just about every round.

 

[Clipper]

- bushbuck with .222 Hornet

???

achieved sniper qualification with SA version of FN FAL with 7.62 Nato out to 600m with open sights. - no scope.

Haven't we all...

Qualified squad leader on WWII era Vickers .303 mauser water cooled heavy machine gun.

I also went thru my macho stage and owned a 4" barrel .357 magnum revolver and was forced killed an aggressive baboon with it on a hike.

oooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOhh!


And now you're in Florida, but don't know (or haven't bothered to find out) what you can get...BS