Best all-around 22LR plinker for Dad, Mom & Daughter

[MrPhil]

Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle!

In case you're wondering, I voted for the 10/22. It is much easier for children to learn with a long gun. Easier to hold and aim. Trigger is much less of an issue. Easier to teach gun safety. More likely to give good performance from the start, thus building enthusiasm toward shooting in general. Plus, rifles are cheap.
So, in conclusion: Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle! Rifle!

 

[tbeb]

A double action revolver with an adjustable rear sight is a good choice. I recommend a Smith & Wesson Model 17 K-22 Masterpiece with a 6" barrel or Model 18 Combat Masterpiece with a 4" barrel. If you can find a nice one for $250.00 then grab it.

A semi- automatic rifle or pistol is not for a beginner!

 

[HarryRod]

The Ruger sp-101 is a great little gun in .22 It is a tad on the heavy side but if you are going to be using it for plinking and target only that will be fine.
You might also want to lookin into a p-22. I shot one for the first time the other day and those little things are tack drivers. Not too expensive either

 

[t driver]

I recently took my girlfriend's neice to the range for the first time. I took my 10/22 and Mark II for her to shoot. I probably wouldn't have taken the pistol, but my girlfriend took my .357 and I didn't want the neice to feel left out. She shot the rifle first, developed some confidence, and wanted to try the pistol. She did OK but wanted to go back to the rifle. She said she liked it better, but I suspect it was because she did much better with it.
It should be told both of these guns have some Volquartzen parts in them to improve the trigger pulls. The rifle showed the most improvement at a lesser cost.

 

[farscott]

For the autoloading handgun choice, I would go with the Ruger Mark II. It is a reliable and popular design that will serve you well. More importantly, your wife enjoyed shooting one. If she likes it, she will shoot it. I always try to let a shooter pick the gun rather than deciding what the shooter will like.

While the common wisdom says one should not start new shooters with an autoloader, it can be done with complete safety. I started with a Ruger Standard pistol at the age of six, but my father watched me like a hawk. The coach must be very attentive and must not allow the new shooter to shoot indiscriminately. The safety rules need to be well ingrained and constantly reinforced.

If you decide to get a lever-action rifle, the Marlin 39A, while a great choice, may be too heavy for your wife and daughter. The 39A has a 24" barrel, and I have noticed that inexperienced shooters fatigue quite quickly with it. I would recommend the Winchester 9422 or the Marlin 1897T (same action as 39A with a 20" octagon barrel) in a lever action. Both of these rifles are lighter than the 39A while being excellent rifles. The 9422 is quite reasonably priced, especially compared to the 1897T.

One of the hardest things for me to learn when exposing new shooters to the sport is what .22 LR to use and how to safely and successfully do it. Some things I have noted.

1) The lighter trigger pull and grip ergonomics of a semi-auto are appreciated by new shooters. I frequently use my S&W M41 with a red dot sight for introducing people to shooting because it is easy to shoot and the red dot gets people on target quickly. Having some initial success is important for new shooters. Once people are hooked, more formal instruction on trigger control, proper sighting, and breathing can be imparted.

2) Revolvers are comforting for new shooters due to the lack of external controls compared to an autoloader (no safeties or slide releases), but the trigger feel is not as popular as an autoloader. Revolvers, even those with small grips, may not be suitable for people with small hands or young children. Cocking the hammer for single-action firing can be an issue for children.

3) Loading magazines can be an issue, especially for people with longer fingernails. I try to load as many magazines as I can before shooting commences so I can keep my attention on the new shooter as opposed to reloading magazines.

4) The coach cannot allow himself/herself to get distracted. Novice shooters may violate safety rules, especially pointing the muzzle in unsafe directions when talking before/after a string of fire.

 

[sleepyhead]

Consider the ease of takedown and cleaning if choosing a semi-auto pistol. I have Buckmark, which is not too bad, but I have heard that Rugers are a real PITA to take down and clean. For new shooters, you want to teach them to clean it every time they shoot, and they will not shoot often if they are afraid of how hard it is to clean. This is a good argument for a revolver as a first handgun.

 

[yzguy]

as far as loading mags goes, this thing is awsome!!

http://www.1bad69.com/ruger/ultimatecliploader.htm



(I have nothing to do with them, I just like it!)