When non-shooting friends ask me what gun they should buy, I always try to get them to go to the range with me and "start" by using my .22 first, before discussing the pros and cons of revolvers vs autos, DA vs SA, etc...
It is an introduction, but is one morning with the .22 really enough to effectively instill the rudiments of hand gunning?
I'm thinking it isn't and it would be better to shoot a .22 for several weeks or months before graduating to a center fire.
Or maybe not.
This is really a discussion concerning what handgun skills you are able to train with a 22LR and if it should be a prerequisite for centerfire handguns in the context of those who have never shot anything previously.
So what can you train for using a 22LR:
Safety
Action manipulation
Sight alignment
Trigger control
Misfires/Clearing/Reloading
Mag changes
Etc.
What can't you train for using a 22LR:
Recoil
While there is no downside to starting a new shooter off with 22LR, as long as the recoil is not excessive, there is not a NEED to first graduate from rimfire in order to advance to centerfire. Full size 9mm's, 357's shooting 38's, compact framed (not subcompact) 380's and 32autos, and other relatively low recoil centerfire handguns are used to train handgun skills without recoil being a major factor FOR ADULTS.
Cost is a motivation too. If a new shooter is purchasing a first handgun, they might not want to purchase two guns (22LR, plus centerfire caliber X). A lot of ammo can be purchased with the cost of the 22LR handgun. As long as the recoil of the centerfire handgun does not keep a new shooter from practicing, they will gain familiarity with just the one handgun and not need to "learn two different trigger pulls" - haha.
The simplest way to train a new shooter who literally shows up with their centerfire in the factory box and a couple of boxes of ammo is to go through the safety protocol. Then have them learn the action with an empty handgun. See how the slide stop works; see what proper sight alignment should look like; dry fire and go through all the things in the top list.
Then, when you're ready for live fire, just load one cartridge in the mag.
Let them get used to the recoil without the fear of giving an instruction, them saying, "What?" and immediately muzzle flashing you.
Then load two in the mag and fire them. Then load five. Then a super slow mag change with five each.
Don't get me wrong, 22LR has advantages of ammo cost, teaching recoil sensitive shooters, etc. However, 22LR cannot teach recoil recovery and if recoil is not an overwhelming detriment to learning the basics, then it is not absolutely necessary. So IMHO, 22LR as a precursor to centerfire handguns is beneficial, but not necessary.
