New lady shooters

Hi all
Allot of my wifes friends are wanting to get a ccw or get into shooting but have never shot before so I volunteered to help them out with range time, my
guns , training ect:. Most of the ladies have said they are afraid of guns and I have been talking with them and they want to go out to the range,but I
went to my gun locker and I have nothing but big calibers nothing less than a 40SW . I don't want to scare them off from shooting by handing them a large caliber gun to fire, so I desided for the sake of my wifes friends I would go buy another gun on friday as I explained to my wife its for her friends :image035: so im trying to decide on gun and caliber I'm thinking SR22 , a .380 or 38 snub any suggestions ?

I do the same for a lot of friends and neighbors. I love getting new people into shooting and creating new 2nd amendment supporters. I personally have found if you want to get them started and ensure they feel very good about the first shots they take do not scare them in any way. This being said I use a .22 Sig Mosquito or my 22 Ruger six gun. Gets them used to what a gun is and how it works. Once a new person realizes guns do not bite or shoot by themselves they start to like shooting and can be advanced to other calibers. Did the same with my wife and boys and they all had great 1st experiences.

Of course almost everyone quickly wants to get right at the big calibers once comfortable. Once you enjoy shooting, the bigger the bang the better. At least at the range and in the woods. :image035:

Thats what I was thinking also bigdog I was looking at the sr22 online and it seemed a good choice and the sig mosquito as well !!

My brother just bought the SR 22 for his 13 y/o daughter to learn to shoot with. It is an amazing gun. His whole family likes to shoot it. I have to admit it is really a nice one and the adjustable grip sleeve is really cool. Can not go wrong with it and the cost of 22's are always a plus.

SR22, no question. Do them a favor and explain the rules, let them handle the weapons, etc, in a safe location away from the range. Go on a quiet night, and/or outside range. Make that first visit as stress free as it can be and you're more likely to make a few new gun enthusiasts. :)

The friends (about 6) that my wife has introduced to shooting has all loved to shoot my XD45 and the SW 22A, in that order.

I started with my snub nose 38 special but I really like my ruger .22 mark II for target practice. I am a small woman and it was great to see myself week after week getting better. After a few months I could put 5 in the center with my Taurus snub nose 38 special.

New shooters are new shooters, whether they're 7 years old or 70.

With that said - .22s and reactive targets! Make it fun! :smile:
Cornered Cat - Having Fun with New Shooters
Cornered Cat - Taking a New Shooter to the Range

I'd stay away from the small frame, lightweight guns larger than .380. Lightweight .38 snubs have too much recoil and are frustratingly hard to hit with.

One of my favorite range guns is a S&W 620 (.357) with light load .38s. Longer barreled, heavier gun + light loads = easy hits and no noticeable recoil.
Can be shot single action if trigger finger strength is lacking. No issues with limp-wristing, clearing failures, etc... revolvers build confidence.

Good luck to the ladies, and kudos to you for taking them!

I think I will go with a 22 pistol the sr22 is my first choice . They are emailing me also wanting to bring there parents I guess you are never to old to learn to shoot ! I have already given them homework on the 4 basic rules to gun safety . I am covering the guns and ammo I will break into my stockpile..lol but have asked them to cover there own range fees . and I want this to be enjoyable experience . One of the ladies is from Greenville and her daughter was just attacked by a pedophile who exposed himself to her at a Micheals store ! he was arrested after her husband chased him down and went hand to hand until the police arrived . So she wants her CCW but has never fired a gun I suggested a basic hand gun course to start at a local gun store , but also would be glad to give her my time and knowledge to help .

I also have a Ruger GP100 maybe I will get some 38 loads for it as well. Good Idea MrsHB.

Started my wife and daughter both on a Browning Buckmark. They couldn't get enough and now both have SA XDM 9'S

Awesome. A .22 is a great start - if you were planning on one anyway. If you reload and have any full/medium sized revolvers (or were planning to get one), you can always load a bunch of light loads to begin with. I would stay away from short sight radius guns and bring large targets - make it impossible for them to not succeed; all hits count. Remember, for (most) women it's more a social event or will become one as soon as they get comfortable - watch the muzzle control. Sorry, just something I've noticed in the past. Think about a good dry fire session beforehand including all operations relating to the guns.

A friend who does pistol permit classes back east says he starts women out with a .22 pistol, but by the end of their range time most of the women are interested in the bigger-caliber stuff. Not knocking the .22 idea, but I think a full-size .38 revolver is a really good addition to the mix. In at least two courses I've been in, there was a woman new to shooting who showed up with a snub and couldn't hit squat with it. I'd leave the snubs at home when your lady friends are still in the early familiarization stages.

I second the notion of starting them with a .22. The Walther P22 is a good one to start on, as well.

I'm a female and highly suggest starting them out with the .22 if they are afraid. I have a .38 and a .380, both are pretty snappy!

I was a little intimidated years ago when I first started shooting, but now I'm eying a .45 and pretty excited about it!