Starting Caliber ?

I

ice monkey

New member
When I first got “into” shooting handguns I was handed a Glock 9mm at the range to rent and told it would be a great start! I hated the thing! Moreover, I thought the recoil on it was over the top LOL!! I finally settled on a Sig P232 in .380 and learned to shoot the thing – well. My friends called me a girlie-man!

Today I can put more lead on target than most of my friends who have been shooting for years with that thing. Moreover, as time has progressed, I can now do it with larger calibers like say my .357 mag Ruger. Shooting .357’s no less – no doubt because I learned good habbits from my little .380.

There is nothing remarkable about my shooting – I just practiced allot – and could with my little .380 due to the low recoil. I am glad I learnt and started off with a “lesser” caliber and I am glad I took the ribbing about what a “girlie-man” I was for getting a .380 … a full size .380 no less.

With the exceptions of my friends who think starting with a 9mm is the absolute min, I note a lot of guys here say to start with a .22. I get that as practice is REALLY cheap and flinching isn’t a problem (or shouldn’t be). But I am thinking maybe a full size .32 (of which I can’t name one) or .380 (like my Sig or maybe the Beretta) may be a better choice. You get the pop and push, but not excessively!

A friend of mine wants to get into shooting and he’s looking to me for advice on where to start – you think a full size .380 would be a better place to start than a .22? I kind of do!
 
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I personally did not become a good pistol shot until I practiced Bullseye with a
22. Agai, inexpensive amoo, low recoil and mizzle flash, etc. Nowadays I recommend a full size auto with a 22 Conversion unit-the CZ with its Kadet unit, or a Browning HP or M1911 with a Ciener unit.
 
Nowadays I recommend a full size auto with a 22 Conversion unit-the CZ with its Kadet unit, or a Browning HP or M1911 with a Ciener unit.
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That's a good idea! Why didn't I think of that lol! :) Thanks. Having said that, I still think there is something to a handgun that kicks and bangs a bit more than a .22 to transition from ...
 
Not everyone has to start with a .22 but .22 allows almost everyone to practice without worry of recoil, etc and at a much lower cost than any centerfire.
9mm/.38 -- depends on the person learning. If the person does not get intimidated by the noise and the recoil and/or ammo cost is not an issue, then 9mm maybe a better start. Difficult to learn to manage recoil when the recoil is not there.
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When I am with newbies, I always start with a .22. Depending on how they perform and how they feel, then we moved up to a 9mm or a .38.
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If you ask me an adult new shooter should start with whatever is at hand. If he/she lives in an area where you can't rent guns at the local range and has no gun owner friends willing to help them out then I'd say start light. You can never go wrong by shooting as many .22 as possible. ( IMHO .32 is the solution to a problem that doesn't exist. So is the .25. Anything those can do can be done better by a .22 or a .380.)

In your friends case I'd say let him shoot up a box of .380 in your gun for starters. If you get the willies about someone else shooting your gun then have him rent one at a range.
 
FWIW – after a bit of research - conversion kits are NOT cheap! The kit plus the handgun makes getting into hand gunning that way an over 1K proposition easy! Glocks are seemingly the cheapest way to go but only if you can find one (the conversion kit that is)!

I am sure when he hears that he’ll just shoot mine and figure out what he wants! Shooting really is becoming a hobby or those that can … sigh :confused:.
 
I like shooting my .22lr rifles more then any of my larger bore ones, but for a starter pistol a decent .32 with a barrel bigger then 2" is a good idea. I like your point about some recoil being instructive. I had to learn to shoot on a 45 1911(The military was the first time I ever shot a pistol) and I had a very hard time qualifying with it.
 
As always it depends on the person. Everyone is going to have a different tolerance of recoil and they are all going to have platforms that they like and dislike. The key is finding a platform they like in a caliber that they can tolerate, and letting them practice to the point where they are comfortable with their gun/caliber and learn all the basics of shooting. Then you can let them branch out into different guns and calibers.

In my case, the first handgun I ever shot was a .22, but I could handle a larger caliber comfortably. The first handgun I bought myself was a 1911 in .45 ACP, and I love shooting it. Ammo is expensive, so I do shoot more .22's out of a Buckmark than anything else, but I still love going out and practicing with my .45 because I find it a joy to shoot.
 
IMO, 9mm out of a full-sized pistol is fine. I recommend .22LR due to price.
You can shoot 5 times as much .22 for the money, vs. 9mm.
 
Just in case nobody has mentioned it, :p a .22 will let a beginner learn good habits and get in lots and lots of practice . . . for cheap.
 
As always it depends on the person. Everyone is going to have a different tolerance of recoil and they are all going to have platforms that they like and dislike.
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Very true.

And keep in mind that as for the Glock 9mm, Glock ergonomics are really hit or miss for a lot of people. Perhaps more so than other platforms. They don't fit my hand right at all, concequently the felt recoil (to me) of a 9mm Glock is greater than a .45 ACP 1911 or even a medium frame .357 Magnum revolver. Those guns fit my hand better and feel more natural, so the recoil forces are spread out more evenly and the felt recoil is less (for me). Others may be different.

So you might try renting/handling other 9mms / centerfires some day. I don't have a problem with .380s, but the ammo is still kinda hard to come by in my area, even after the big ammo panic of 2009.
 
My second handgun out of a couple dozen is a CZ 75BD. It still gets used the most at the range.

Too bad you don't reload, power/recoil factors can be greatly reduced by adjusting powder charges.
 
Another vote for .22. I started with one, still have it Beretta 70S, so I didn't develop any bad habits...well many. Plus it's so cheap to shoot, the newbie can shoot 1K's of rounds for next to nothing compared to even 38's or 9mm.
Other than a .22, 38 wadcutters in a 357 is another good choice. Low recoil and when you're ready, the platform you'd want for a bigger bang.
 
Some that you may want to consider.
The 32 Auto is made by Kel-Tech, and good SD ammo can be had.
The 380 Acp in a number of guns.
The 38 Special/357 Mag. mat be the ideal choice. especially in a k or L frame.
The 9mm in Springfield XDM may work well. They are very popular, and I don't know anyone who dislikes theirs.

See if you can try some out by borrowing or renting, then you will have a good idea. Best, Eagle
 
All merits of the various cartridges aside, your friend can't learn to shoot if (s)he can't find or afford ammunition for the purpose.

.380 ammo is fairly expensive and can be harder to find than some of the more common cartridges, and .32 anything is no better in either aspect.

.22 LR ammo is the absolute cheapest and most available ammo you'll buy. Lots of folks started shooting handguns with a .22, including me, and most never out-grow it. After some ~35 years of shooting, I still love shooting rimfires.

A Ruger MK series or a Browning Buckmark can be had at a very reasonable price, and with proper care the gun will last a lifetime and more. I can think of no better way for a new shooter to learn proper shooting habits and skills.

Daryl
 
From a cost stand point, either .22lr or a 9mm are your two best choices. The .22lr really wins hands down but for those who want to start with some thing bigger, the 9mm is the cheapest way to go.

Personally, I'd push a new shooter towards a .22lr. It allows a lot of a practice time with a smaller out lay of cash. It also allows them to hone their skill without dealing with much recoil.

A .380 by the way is a bit expensive and from SD standpoint can be questionable. If you suggest a .380 you'd be better off suggesting a 9mm.
 
I "still" start off with a 22 at the range and then move up the caliber scale. It let the shooter get familiar with shooting a gun (the basics) without worrying about recoil or the loud "bang". I think it's better to pepper the "target" with 22s than "blow" the target down by a passing larger caliber bullet.
 
In my opinion! Walther p22 is the way to go. Small enough for younger people large enough for an adult. And cheap so most can afford one. Teach them good safety first with an unloaded gun. tell them about site picture grip ect. Then move to live fire! That's the way I teach. And everyone is diff. Just use what works best for you and who u are takeing to thr range. Sometimes it is best to rent diff guns to see what he or she is comfy with

Good shooting!!!
 
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