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First Gun?

1K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  '75scout 
#1 ·
Hey Guys n Gals
I'm looking for a first gun for my wife. She has recently shot one of my .45's and my 9mm and enjoyed shooting. I know that neither of these is a beginners gun so I'm looking for a .22. My wife does like an auto pistol rather than a revolver. Since this is her first gun it will also be her carry gun until she is ready to move up in power somewhat. I know a .22 is anemic for this purpose but she needs to start somewhere and a .22 is better than no gun at all. Considering the items mentioned above could you make suggestions as to carry ammo, I've seen some hi velocity 22lr cartridges advertised as well as high vel HP but not sure of a HP for a 22, high velocity or not.

Here is what I'm considering for the gun itself:
http://www.waltheramerica.com/firearms/p22.cfm

Comments or suggestions please.


Thanks,
George
 
#2 ·
George,

The Walther P22 is a great gun. I have one and love it. However for someone just starting out it is a little difficult to maintain. I've got it down now, but it took me a while to master stripping it and reassembling it properly.

If she is dead set on a .22 I would suggest a .22 revolver like the S&W 317 (8-shot) (pricey), Taurus 941 22MAGNUM (8-shot) revolver, or the Taurus 94 22LR (9-shot) revolver.

If she is set on an auto try the Beretta Bobcat or if you can talk her into a .32 the Tomcat is an excellent weapon. They are easy to shoot and maintain, and the barrel tips up for easy loading.
 
#3 ·
well a .22 is pretty cheap practice....
but she needs to carry it too...
You have no choice but to buy two guns!

I carry a .32 Kel-tec to work. It's all I can manage to carry in my line of work without rubbing the butt into someones side. My girly thinks it's boring to shoot! She likes 9mm. but my .40 makes her complain. Maybe a .380 would keep your lady interested without tiring her out. Bersa makes a pretty cheap, reliable, and compact .380 thunder-something-or-other. I would jump at the chance to get a lady shooting. I don't think enough get the bug. Oh, I know. Take her to the range and let her rent a couple that she likes the looks of. My girl is pretty particulair with her guns(like I'm not).
 
#4 ·
Is your 45 a 1911? If so you could get 22 conversion kit. Let her get used to the weapon she would have if she needed it and then after she is more comforatable remove the kit. Sort of a training wheels option.

CZ also has a 22 version the Kadet. Fits on the 75 series frame. This gives the option of 9mm as well.

CZ Kadet (entire weapon)
http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=34

CZ Kadet (conversion kit)
http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=35

CZ 75 B
http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=29
 
#5 ·
Not only is my wife getting into shooting but she's the one that buys my gun's and alot of ammo, she bought the rest for me as gifts, only one I bought was the P-64.

She is particular in what she likes, we might consider the Sig Mosquito also but I've heard of trigger problems with it. She does like small and auto and two tone.

This gun will serve a dual purpose, plinking and carry, at least at first until she feels comfortable moving up to a .380.

The area we're in is suburban, almost rural and low crime and we don't frequent places, at least she don't, where there is a high probability of a crime. A .22 should suffice for fun and some protection at least for a few months to a year until she is ready for the next step.
 
#6 ·
I have a friend that has a small Walther and he loves it.

OTOH,I have owned Rugers for a long time and love them. I feel that the Rugers(the 512 series and the 22/45's) would be more accurate and a little more for your money.

Also, I train lots of women in the use of a defensive handgun, starting with a 5 1/2" 22/45. I feel that weapons safety and general sight useage is easily taught using the Ruger line. The Rugers are generally bigger(in frame) than the Walthers,and they weight more. This could be a plus or a minus,depending what your wife wanted to shoot/carry in a centerfire pistol. -------
 
#7 ·
Suggestion - adequate better than anemic

I know a .22 is anemic for this purpose but she needs to start somewhere and a .22 is better than no gun at all.
I have watched several women begin shooting handguns for the first time, and have observed that most of them can very quickly adapt to a .38 special revolver or 9mm semiauto, often in the first range session. These calibers really don't recoil much in a gun of sufficient weight. While a .22 is a good thing to have for cheap practice at the range, I'd tend to go directly to a gun adequate for carry and have her become familiar with that.

You said your wife likes semiautos instead of revolvers. I went through this cycle with my own wife and decided that an aluminum framed, single stack compact 9mm would be the best bet for her. It would have enough weight to handle the caliber easily (25 ounces or so), yet have a small enough grip and trigger reach to fit her hand. And it would be small enough to conceal. The two candidates I came up with were Sig P239 and S&W 3913:



 
#8 ·
My wife can shoot anything she wants to. But she is not strong enough to pull the trigger on a .38 revolver for more than about 5 times in succession. She has had a S&W 637 .38 revolver, a Bersa .380, a KelTec P11, and a Bersa Ultra Compact 9. I have now sold all but the Bersa .380. The revolver problem is noted above. She absolutely hated the trigger on the KelTec. She liked the Bersa UC9 very much, but did not like the grip and no Hogues available. So now she has decided, what I have been expecting for over a month, that she likes my SIG P239 9mm with Hogues better than her Bersa UC9. I have just sold it and am in the market for another SIG P239 in 9mm for her.

There are more factors than the grips, but the non-availability of a soft rubber grip like the Hogues was the final determining factor in her decision. The other was that she started comparing the weight of her Bersa against my P239. She compared them with loaded mags in and with only a round in the chamber and decided that the difference in weight was not enough to bother with. After that the Hogues moved the balance to the P239. So in a week or so we will be a 3 SIG family.

Pogo2, when my wife was looking for a 9mm she handled the S&W 3913 and immediately handed it back to the clerk and move to look at something else. There was something about the balance or the weight distribution that she was not comfortable with.

The P239 is a great shooting, extremely reliable, accurate, tough, and not too heavy pistol. I carry one everyday. And hopefully within a week or so my wife will be carrying one everyday as well. So .45ACP, if your wife tries a P239 you may have the solution. Not an low cost pistol, but one that should last longer than you do. The quality is impeccable.
 
#9 ·
+1 for pogo's comments. My wife was afraid of anything larger than .22. In two weeks time she was shooting a kahr 9mm. She finally settled on a Glock 26 and she loves it. She comes to me now wanting to know when were going to go shoot.!

J.S.
 
#10 ·
Thanks for the advice:smile:

I think I'll start with the Walther P22 then have her graduate to the Sig239. Two votes here for the 239 and we both like the looks and I've heard plenty about Sig's quality and in an actual "real " carry pistol I want her to have something high quality.

How does the Sig compare to Glock and their legendary reliability?

BTW, If Cabela's has the Walther or can get it, I'll also get a $75 gift card for spending the money, that's plenty of .22 ammo to practice :smile:
 
#14 ·
As far as reliability - they are both top quality performers. You should not have a problem with either one. Some people just dont like polymer frame guns which I can respect, but the Glock does offer some advantages IMO. The Glock requires very little maintenance, and if you buy her a G26 you have 10 +1 capacity (I think) and the G-26 will also take the 15 round mags of the G-19. Thats a great amount of compact firepower for CCW.:smile:
 
#11 ·
If I was going to get my wife her first pistol, I would get her a S&W Mod. 640. She would be able to practice with .38spl. then load it with either .38 +P or .357 mag when carrying. The revolver is more simplistic in operation so less prone to malfunctions. The Mod. 640 is a J frame so is relatively small, and being hammerless little chance of accidential discharge or snagging on clothing.

If I was thinking of get my wife a .22 LR to carry, it would be to save myself the cost of a divorce, and set myself up for a winfall on collecting her life insurance policy.
 
#12 ·
How do Sigs compare to Glocks huh? Well some of the Glocks design is modeled after the Sig. And IMO the Sig quality is better than Glocks. Both are great but Sigs are in a different league. There is also a Sig 232 that is a lightweight 380 styled after a Waltrher PPK.

As for 22s I'd suggest buying a Ruger MK II or a 22/45. With the shortest barrel length, 2" I think, the Ruger could work as a carry piece until she moves up in caliber. Especially the 22/45 because it has a polymer frame. Other than that I'd say go with a Browning buckmark. I've heard of more problems with the Walthers and some problems with the Sig Mosquito.
 
#13 ·
232

Don't forget about the SIG 232. I have seen them as cheap as $420.00 new. It is a great .380, very reliable and easy to maintain. The first time my wife shot one, she loved it. So much in fact, I eneded up buying her one for her first concealed carry when she got her permit.. Just my $.02
 
#15 ·
The G-26 will Take the 33 round G-18 Mags. Not that thats really practical, but nonetheless. One thing I like about Glocks is the fact that most parts are interchangeable. You can ever take the barrel out of a 19 and use it in a 26. A 17 barrel will work in a 19. This way if you are in the field or a SHTF senario is you have a 26 or 19 and your barrel gets damaged (which is highly unlikely) you could exchange it for the next size up if you can't find the same length.

I also like the cheap mags. But IMO Sigs are just as easy to maintain as Glocks and Sigs are a little easier and safer to field strip.
 
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