Inexpensive .22 semi pistol for beginner?

[teknoid]

I took my wife to the range for the first time today. She had a blast, but unfortunately, she couldn't hit a target very often. I got her stance and grip straightened out, and it helped some.

The problem was flinching, and I couldn't seem to get her past it. I took every handgun I had, except for a .45 (Semi and revolver). She fired nothing but .38 standard and 9mm WWB. I'm thinking I need to pick up a decent .22 semi-auto for her to plink with. I believe that will help her overcome the anticipation factor.

I noticed the wheel guns gave her more of a problem, unless fired SA. I really don't want to blow a lot of cash on this, but I know it's worth it if I do. She's no weakling, and I think she'll have fun with .357's once she gets past this issue.

Any suggestions? I haven't had a short gun in .22 for a very long time.

 

[-v-]

The Beretta U22 Neo's can be had fairly inexpensively ($200-$300) and from all I have heard, the are fairly reliable.

 

[preachertim]

Ruger 22/45 . Mine is great . 3000 plus and no hiccup at all.Best of all got it for 247$

 

[AJM]

I have a Beretta Neos that I picked up new for $250. I really like the feel of it and have had no problems with it.

 

[gtmerkley]

Might I sugust a Calico

 

[RyanM]

Ruger autos can be had for under $200, used. And I think around $200-$250 new, depending on the exact model, for the basic ones.

Get a Volquartsen exact edge extractor for it. They're only like $10. The Ruger extractor will wear out after a couple bricks, and doesn't extract too well to begin with, but a Volquartsen extractor will extract a hippo, if you can manage to jam one into the chamber.

If you want just about the lightest .22 ever, get a .22/45 and put a PacLite upper receiver on it. You can usually sell the old upper for about $100.

 

[kansas45]

Look at the S&W 22A. Good pistol, around $250.00 or so.

 

[teknoid]

I've never heard of a Calico, but the other two I was pondering. Bud's has both the Neos and 22/45 for roughly the same price (~$225). That would be a small price to pay, if it gets the wife shooting more.

I'm lucky in a lot of ways, and one of those is that she's never been "gun shy". She was the one who asked to learn. I was glad she had fun, and overjoyed at the reason. I travel a bit, and it'd be nice if she could hit something. It's either that, or a good shotgun.

Now, once she gets the hang of it, I'll have to work on getting her to get her CCDW...

 

[yakkingallover]

+1 on the 22a, my girlfriend loves hers and if I go to the range without her it is in my range bag. It is simply a great gun on so many levels.

 

[VARifleman]

A used ruger mark II, as it does not have that stupid magazine disconnect unsafety.

 

[22-rimfire]

Ruger Mark II or III with 5.5" bull barrel. I believe they call it the govenment model.

 

[cbrgator]

Walther P22 or Sig Mosquito

 

[Lady with a Gun]

I like the Ruger Mk II, but in the competition version with the slab-sided barrel. That makes it rather expensive, especially after putting a Volquartsen accurizing package in it.

 

[burningsquirrels]

walther p22. works, looks, smells, and tastes like a centerfire. i trained my fiance with it, now i graduated her to a fullsize CZ SP-01.

 

[VPLthrneck]

Ruger Mark II or III with 5.5" bull barrel. I believe they call it the govenment model.

Ditto. Although they call it a target model, however you might have to ask for the bull barrel version as the regular target model has a narrow tapered barrel. That makes it a little cheaper, but the bull barrel has better balance.

 

[Guillermo]

Browning Buckmark is an outstanding buy. About 200 bucks new.
Accurate, well made and fun as an open bar with a slip-n-slide

 

[burningsquirrels]

an open bar with a slip-n-slide

i'm going to have to remember that one lol

 

[Wire]

I hate shooting my Walther P22. It's prone to misfires and isn't very accurate. I do love the magazine release.

 

[Confederate]

I dunno, it might be better to try her with a revolver. Mastering a revolver is like mastering a clutch on a car. Once she gets that pull, hang and fire down, she'll be able to shoot a revolver or an auto, much like a driver who's mastered standard transmissions can drive any car.

Revolvers also can be practiced with at home (albeit with a different caliber). Autos really can't to the same extent. When she gets to where she can pull the trigger to the point where the hammer just hangs there waiting for the extra power to send it crashing down on the firing pin, she'll be able to shoot with just about anything. Also, while at the range, leaving a round or two out of her cylinder will be a good way to show her the extent to which she's flinching.

Oh, and while practicing at home with the revolver, have her close her eyes and see if she can "feel" the way the hammer works.

Anyway, them's my two cents.

 

[burningsquirrels]

funny, i got about 10k rounds through our walther p22 since we bought it in March, and i just keep feeding it $12 walmart ammo. it took a thousand to loosen it up though. we use it to shoot pins thursday night at 25 to 35 feet.

 

[poet]

Ruger Mark II or Mark III, depending upon what you can find.

 

[Holloman]

I have an older S&W M422- never fail, seen them around $80 used. Great balance as well.

 

[Disaster]

+1 on Beretta Neos. Got thousands of rounds through one. Accurate. Reliable.

 

[bensdad]

I can't believe it took this long for someone to say, "LET HER PICK IT OUT!!!"

You can tell her that bensdad, evil genius and owner of a whopping THREE .22 autos, has a S&W 22a, a Browning Buckmark and a Hi Standard HD Military. I would recommend any of those to a first-time buyer. They all run great and are more accurate than I need them to be.

S&W - hand-filling, easy take-down
Browning - good ergo, feels more "solid" than the S&W
Hi Standard - kinda spendy, best trigger of the three

 

[3KillerBs]

Take her to the gun shop and make sure she holds A Ruger Mark III, a Ruger .22/45, a Browning Buckmark, a S&W .22A, and whatever .22 revolvers may be found (we're over 2 months now on trying to find a .22 revolver for my DD -- I don't know where the inexpensive, used ones people swear are widely available are hiding but its not in central NC).

It also seems to me that you can addat least $50-100 to the "You can get them for, ..." prices people quote. My used-but-like-new Mark III Hunter that still had everything a new one comes with was $350 for the stainless version with the 6 7/8" barrel.