To me, all of those feel like bb guns........that being said, has she ever shot something a bit larger in caliber? I know they say that a .22 is a good starting firearm.....the first firearm my wife shot was a Beretta 92fs. Handled it well, didn't freak out on the recoil....now the proud owner of a Ruger SR40.

Well she has shot larger calibers, she loves the 357 magnum and she has shot a few 9mm, but we are trying to keep the cost low for our first time buying. We have 3 children so money is a little tight.

Originally Posted by 2ndaMANdment

Well she has shot larger calibers, she loves the 357 magnum and she has shot a few 9mm, but we are trying to keep the cost low for our first time buying. We have 3 children so money is a little tight.

What is it about the .357 round that she likes so much? It sounds as if both of you are new to firearms.

Originally Posted by paratrooper

What is it about the .357 round that she likes so much? It sounds as if both of you are new to firearms.

She liked the kick the .357 has. We are fairly new to firearms, I have done a lot of shooting, M1 garand being my favorite. But there really is a lot more to every thing I thought I knew about firearms.

I like the sr22 pistol and rifle myself the pistol has changable grips small and large it shoots great the rifle has the same action as the 10/22 and takes the same mags so parts are very easy to come buy and interchange from what I was told I was looking at the sw mp 15 22 also but have changed my mind to the ruger for that reason but my 223 will be a sw mp15 sport budget is holding me back but these are on my next to buy list my wife and I have sr9cs now

I would suggest the Ruger SR9 or SR9c for the 1st gun. They are very affordable (around $400), have mild recoil and are very accurate.

Thanks guys for the great feedback!

So I hear the walther is a little fussy with ammo and the sig mosquito only likes high end ammo, I haven't heard anything really negative about Ruger's SR22, is there anything negative I should know about it? Also with the Sig only using higher end ammo, would I be better off just going with something in a 9mm?

If cash is a problem, you'll probably buy a .22, then want something else........I would just bump up the caliber, watch the pennies........the Ruger SR9 or SR40 have all the safeties, and are reasonably priced......you can find bulk ammo on sale, and if you both shoot the same caliber, less costly.....357 ammo is not cheap.....my wife and I changed our firearms over to all .40 cal........shooting is not a cheap sport, but I feel you may get bored with .22 cal....the wife loves her SR40, fits like a glove.........right now, our ammo is 26 cents a shot...it adds up quickly, but I don't think it's breaking the bank.

yea i'd get the ruger SR22 - a great company
for the 9mm - the heavier the gun the less felt recoil so I'd look at the beretta 92fs or the ruger SR9
plenty of 9mm ammo out there and the cheapest of the centerfires

SR22p is a great pistol, they are easy to maintain and they will run flawlessly on just about any ammo. My Sr22 has went threw 1200 rounds without any problems and it is accurate and pleasant to shoot. It is a good idea to have at least six magazines for it because you can go threw a lot of ammo with them and it is hectic shooting with only 1 or 2 mags.

1st gun should always be something practical like a 9mm or a .40. Like the others have said, a Ruger SR9 or 40 is very cheap and very reliable for your purposes. Then get a .22

I agree with a lot of what has been said all ready I started my wife with a 9mm I had other options but she liked the way a Springfield xd fit her hand the best. She now loves to plink with a 22lr but has no problem with any caliber. I'm a big fan of compacts that can take a full sizes magazine that way if you decide to get a ccw permit later you already have a gun. Plus if you are getting one in a 22lr already another caliber would make sense one for practice and one for home defense.

What I would do is take your wife to some LGSs in your area and check out the models you are interested in. Another option would be you and your wife to go to your gun range and rent the ones you're interested in. Try them out to see which would be the best suited for both of you.

Good luck in your search and keep us posted.

Originally Posted by 2ndaMANdment

I am researching for a first gun for my wife. We are both getting guns but we don't have a lot of money to throw around, so we are going to start with 22lr. I am getting an M&P 15-22 rifle, but she wants a handgun, same caliber. She does not want a 22 revolver (down the road maybe a 357) and she thinks the mk series are ugly. Its pretty much narrowed down to sr22, walther p22, sig mosquito or mp22. Any opinions on these guns? Weight is not an issue, she wants to feel like she holding a gun, not a bb gun.

Since you're looking for a starter gun and will eventually want another, bigger in caliber, why not just start out with a nice, affordable 9mm. One of the members suggested the SR9c which would be a great gun. Since money is tight, why bother making yourself buy two guns? Start off with a comfortable 9mm to both learn with? I wouldn't even bother buying a .22 then perhaps trading it in because of the depreciation. OR if memory serves me correct, you can buy a full size Sig with the .22 conversation barrel. Sigs are pricey, but it could almost be like buying two guns?

Good luck and happy shooting!

Read the posts in this thread: First gun advice

Originally Posted by shamrock62

Since you're looking for a starter gun and will eventually want another, bigger in caliber, why not just start out with a nice, affordable 9mm. One of the members suggested the SR9c which would be a great gun. Since money is tight, why bother making yourself buy two guns? Start off with a comfortable 9mm to both learn with? I wouldn't even bother buying a .22 then perhaps trading it in because of the depreciation. OR if memory serves me correct, you can buy a full size Sig with the .22 conversation barrel. Sigs are pricey, but it could almost be like buying two guns?

Good luck and happy shooting!

I think the main reason I am stuck on .22lr is because of affordability an introduction to shooting for my kids not too far down the road.