Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Recommendation for handgun to teach the wife & oldest daughter

My wife has expressed interest in learning to shoot a pistol and I want to include my 15 yr old daughter in this as well. I admit when it comes to hand guns I am challenged and need advice. My wife does no shooting or hunting so she is truly a �green horn�. My daughter shoots rifles very well and hunts when she can but has no experience with hand guns. I was thinking of getting them a quality .22LR to learn on then move them up to something a little bigger for personal protection once they are confident in their shooting ability. What .22�s should I look at and then what should they graduate too?

any .22 revolver would work fine,S&W,Ruger,Taurus.have them handle them and see what fits thier hands.

C_ROY;

.32H&R Magnum.

Here's why:

You start with the .32S&Ws. They are quieter and recoil less than even the .22LRs. Seriously.

Then, you move up the power scale once they've gotten the hang of the trigger, sights, etc., and know that the revolver won't hurt them... to the .32S&W Longs. A bit more report, and just enough going on in their hands to let them know it's there. Easy step up, and a fun one.

Then, once they've gotten that, go to the .32H&R Magnums. About .38Spcl report and recoil, so they know it's something a good bit more powerful, but in the same revolver they're used to so they transition smoothly.

I used exactly that progression for my wife, and it worked like a charm.

Where in NC are you, again?

What ADK4Rick said. While it is possible to start someone like that out with a good, say .357, using the mildest wadcutters, a good .22 is never a mistake. In the end, they will shoot it more simply due to the cheap and plentiful ammo available. And that's what makes a good pistol shot, lots of practice. E

Guys I was thinking a semi-auto would be the way to go since these types of handguns seem so popular. I was looking at the pink digital camo Walther P-22. Why the revolver recommendation?

Thanks

Revolvers are just about indestructible; jams are nearly unheard of; ammunition sensitivity is nil; practicality is very high.

It's the most basic of basics to learn on; from there you can go to the semi-autos, but simplicity in training is key, and the revolver has it all over the semis in simplicity.

+1 what VA said,learn to walk before you run.

The new hammerli trailslide,best $400 22 pistol hands down.You cant beat it for twice the price.the barrel & the frame are one piece.Get one befor they go way up.

Even with proper instruction, after a good shot newbies sometimes like to turn around excitedly with firearm in hand, finger on trigger, saying, "look, I hit it! I hit it!" Not good under any circumstances but worse when they are holding a semi-auto with a 4 pound pull that they forgot reloaded itself automatically. Semi-autos also lend themselves to impatience (or more fun) and snapping out multiple shots instead of carefully aimed ones.

Not a criticism of the particular folks involved but just a general observation of teaching people to shoot.

Now you could always load the semi-auto one round at a time, that would be a viable option.

VA has it nailed IMHO and the .32 H&R will make a decent SD piece once mastered.

Check with the ladies first. My wife won't shoot a semi-auto. Why not? Because she's a woman and doesn't really need a better reason. But she's not afraid of revolvers at all.

Not saying this will apply to your wife & daughter but it might save you some trouble by just keeping them apprised of what you're thinking along the way.

C ROY

I have a SIG P220 Single Action in 22LR. A standard size semiauto to practice on and train with. It cost $500.

For an additional $400 SIG will send me drop in parts kit to covert it to .45 ACP.

So for $900 I can shot either caliber. I think of it as owning two SIGs for $900.

Based on over 30 years of experience as a police and civilian firearms instructor, my recommendation is to take them to a well stocked gun shop and let them handle various sizes and types of handguns to see what they like, and what they can handle.

I've seen quite a few women struggling with handguns that their significant others thought were ideal for them...but if she can't pull back the slide with authority and confidence or handle the recoil, she shouldn't be using that 1911 .45 with +P ammo that Hubby thought would be perfect. They usually end up finishing the class with a S&W .22 revolver that I always bring just for such occasions.

If I were the sales clerk, I would try to guide them towards something like a 3" S&W J-Frame DA revolver in .22 LR (a "Kit Gun") and/or the same thing in .357 Mag., with the idea of using .38 Spl. ammo.

As long as it is a choice that makes reasonable sense from the standpoint of safety, ergonomics and functionality, it is much better to let them pick the weapon. Even if the only reason they choose it is because it is "cute", they are more likely to take ownership and participate wholeheartedly in the process if they had a voice in selecting the handgun.

An S&W K-Frame .22 followed by an S&W K-Frame .38 Special. The .38 gives you a big range of options from target wadcutters for low recoil practice, up to very hot Buffalo Bore self defense loads, and everything in between. If it's for home defense, and not carry, lean towards a four inch barrel. Improves shootability and power.

Revolvers are super simple to operate. When the SHTF, you want something that's easy to operate at every level. That's the beauty of the double action revolver. If your wife and daughter were gun nuts, and just loved to shoot and fool with guns, then I'd say you could look into the semiauto of your choice. Otherwise it's the revolver, hands down. When it comes to life saving equipment, you want to KISS (keep it simple, stupid). That's because your IQ tends to dramatically drop when you're confronted with a sudden life threatening situation and you make mistakes that you would never make in practice. Therefore you want to minimize the range of possible mistakes. The double action revolver does just that.

Agree with the Smith K frame 22 followed with the Smith K frame 38spl. That is the route I took with both my girls and it worked out quite well. Semi auto's can be complicated and, at times, finiky. Simple is good.

What is the difference between a "K" frame & a "J" frame S&W?

a K frame is a medium and a J is a small frame

I've been carrying concealed and shooting handguns of all types for over 30 years. In my judgment, the J-Frame is an expert's gun. Most people seem to intuit that, "Since this person has a very small amount of experience with handguns, he/she needs a very small revolver." This thinking doesn't stand up to a moment's clear headed scrutiny. Let me repeat: A J-Frame is an expert's gun. Not easy to shoot under the most favorable of circumstances. The ideal frame size for a combat revolver is the S&W K-Frame. J-Frames are cute to look at and hold, and are easy to carry, but they are a bitch to master. If you're buying a handgun for a novice who's not already a gun nut, the last revolver you want to introduce them to is a J-Frame S&W ... that is, unless it's a .22 Kit Gun. Those are awesome, but they too are special purpose guns.

Ruger Mk II...........get a trigger job done on it & it'll be perfect for what you want.

The rimfire ammo is way easier to find & cheaper to buy than any centerfire stuff.

Or there was a nice Hi-Standard for sale recently in the classifieds but that'll be more $$$$.

MM