.22LR Handguns - Talk to Me

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I will agree that the S&W 22a is a good starter pistol, but it still has to fill a role. I almost bought one, but changed my mind simply because the 22a, while a fine gun, did not fit a role for me. I went with a compact 9mm for carry instead, and am perfectly happy with my choice. It's all about the role this gun is going to fulfill for your GF.

Let her pick it out. Let her try out all sorts of .22s, and let her pick the gun that will suit her needs.
 
Don't forget to let her try a Bersa/firestorm 22. Less than $300 and very reliable . If you can't find one so she can handle it have her try the 380 which is the same size.

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Berreta u22 neos

Amazing gun for around $200. It was my first gun and I never had a problem with it. Also it can't be any more simple to break down. It's probably one of the best starter pistols IMO
 
I think most of the P22 problems were with the longer barrel model. I have the short barrel version and it has been very good. It likes cci mini mags best but I have run a lot of Rem gold and federal bulk through it. My next vote would be for the Bersa 22 if you can find one. The one thing about the P22 is she can move up to the 380 and have the same basic platform. Also if the momma aint happy, no one will be. Let her pick what she wants.
 
My favorite small 22 for a starter shooter (or an old hand) is the Beretta 70S. If you can find one. Very acurate, totally dependable and easy to shoot & break down. I prefer single action guns with hammers for new (& old) shooters for safety. I have one I've carried as a kit gun on hunting trips for 40 yrs. My wife borrowed it to shoot Ptarmigan in Alaska for dinner & refused to give it back until I found one for her.:mad: I've probably put more meat on the table with that gun than all my rifles combined. They can be hard to find, but well worth it.
Greg
 
Sure like my Browning Buckmark Camper. Great stock trigger, excellent ergos for me, and very accurate. I've owned a couple Ruger Mks but the Browning is a superior pistol to me. I use mine for Bullseye shooting at my gun club and can say it's competitive with some pretty expensive target .22s. Easy to take down and clean too.
 
As this thead indicates, there are many choices ... and some are better than others. But the bottom line is that she should be the one to make the final decision. IMO, she should test-drive a handful of reliable candidates and then select the one that best fits her hand and eye, regardless of what anyone here thinks of her final choice.
 
My preteen daughters were started on .22 revolvers and .22 autos. They did okay with the S&W J frame revolvers, models 34 and 63, both with 4" barrels. The M63 is the stainless version of the M34. Both are excellent guns that have a wide variety of aftermarket grips available to fit the gun to the shooter. They also have a Colt Peacemaker and Colt New Frontier, both in .22. The Peacemaker has fixed sights and the New Frontier is the same gun with adjustable sights. They like the Llama .22 best of all for its fit and firepower. It is a scaled down 1911 design in .22 cal that is about the same size as a PPK.
This year we are moving up to custom .38 cal model 60s (pre-lock of course)with custom 3" underlug barrels and adjustable sights and stock Kahr K9s.
 
I used to sell those Bersa .22s in my shop.
Sold a bunch, never had a complaint.
The Wife would probably like one just fine.

Most women I have shot with do not care for the larger .22 handguns.

My wife LOVES these two .22s
S&W 317 Kit Gun.
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Walther PP .22
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Neither of these are "Cheap" guns, both will cost you $600+
 
I took my Fiance 9mm shopping today and she went off the board with what she finalized on. So agree with let her pick. I did check out a Browning and it is a nice unit. It was $430 compared to my 22A $300. I would own a Browning too if the take-down is as simple as the 22A. The Browning has a real nice grip.
 
I've got a Walther P22 that we've shot the crap out of and it is still running good. Not really keeping count due to the number of people who shoot it but the number is high and the gun looks and works great.
 
Consider yourself lucky Kiln.
Thd experience of most shooters with that gun is not positive, myself included.

One inexpensive handgun that tends to get favorably reviews from the folks that own one, myself included, are the S&W 422/622 series.

My wife likes shooting these guns but much prefers the previous ones I showed, probably because she has expensive tastes and knows what I paid for the guns more than actual performance differences.:rolleyes:

Out of production for just over ten years now, these guns can be found on the used market for around $200

Much better than the P22.
Matter of fact I bought my first one to replace an absolute dog P22 I had.
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If the P22 breaks and Walther won't cover it (don't know their policy on used guns but doubt they'll fix it) I'll just replace the broken part and then get rid of it to help fund a Ruger or Buckmark. I almost bought the Ruger for the same price but the P22 was a bit more comfortable for me.

I am wondering if the P22 was mostly plagued by early model problems or did they persist even into the later guns? Just curious no real knowledge about this myself.
 
From what I hear it is persistent.
Walther today isn't the Walther of yesterday though I have a certain fondness for the P99 9mm pistols.
 
Been there done that. The P22 is made out of zinc and plastic. It will have problems when your round count goes up, even if it is reliable initially.

Accuracy ranges from miserable to mediocre. The reasons for that are the trigger (miserable), the sight radius (too short), and the weight, which is simply too light to give you solid hold.

Get the Ruger or the Buckmark.
 
My experiences are the same as Kodiak with my P22. After a few thousand rounds I really saw wear on the slide rails and it got more finicky then. Also the rear sight just plain sucks and was loose right out of the box.
 
How'bout a S&W Model 41? Or a High Standard 106? Or the Beretta?
 
My wife loves her P22. I get so tired of reading all the hate it gets. If properly maintained and fed decent ammo you'll have no issues with it. Ergonomically speaking it is going to be tough to beat for a new female shooter.
 
918v said:
How'bout a S&W Model 41? Or a High Standard 106? Or the Beretta?
Click to expand...
"How'bout a S&W Model 41? Or a High Standard 106? Or the Beretta?"

Now you're talking :)
None of the new guns even come close to those old 22 classics. That's what I shoot, Colt MT woodsman, Browning Medalist, High std olympic & citation, hammerli 208, Walther GSP, Smith 41, etc etc. Great guns that seem to never wear out. I have some from the 60's that have had hundreds of thousands shot through them that are still going strong.
Greg
 
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