Suggestions on a .22 for my spouse . . .

B

bedbugbilly

New member
This subject has probably been posted many times but I am looking for some suggestions on a .22 for my wife . . .

We've been married 40 years and it wasn't until last year when she came with myself and a lady friend of ourse to the shooting range that I could get her to try shooting. Our lady friend has a .380 Sig which my wife doesn't like - too noisy, kicks too much and she doesn't like the shells flying all over . . . I should also mention that my wife will never CC.

I have a nice Ruger Super Bearcat that I've been having her shoot (I have shot SA for years) and she likes it but in watching her shoot it, I think she gets a little frustrated in loading the cylinder and in ejecting the spent casings with the ejector rod - if you've ever shot a Bearcat you know they are small and compact - kind of a miniature Colt SAA clone.

So . . . I've been thinking about getting her something that will be more "user friendly" as far as ease of loading, etc.

At first, I was thinking of maybe one of the Ruger .22 semi-autos - I've never shot one though. A couple of questions on them - do the casings fly back at you as they eject and what is the trigger pull like? I don't want something that has a reall light trigger pull - by that, I mean that with very little pressure a round could be squeezed off accidently down range.

I had a Bersa .380 and traded it off as I didn't like the trigger pull on it after the first DA shot when it then automatically cocked - it was just too light for my liking. I'm wondering if the little .22 semi-auto that Bersa makes Again, do any of you have one of these and if so, do the ejected casings fly back at you and if the hammer is cocked, how light is the trigger pull? My Bersa .280 CC threw casings all over the place - sometimes down my shirt. I had no problems with the quality, etc. - I just didn't want to carry it for CC due to the light trigger pull after the first initial DA round was fired.

I'm experienced at shooting and know that a person will adapt to the trigger pull - just keep in mind that my wife is an inexperienced shooter and I would rather that she have something with a little stiffer trigger pull for safety purposes.

I was thinking that maybe one of the semi-autos would be easier for her to load the clips, etc. and she would spend more time shooting and less time getting frustrated.

If a semi-auto isn't the answer, I'm also considering the Ruger SP101 .22. I haven't had the opportunity to handle or shoot one but I'm thinking that the swing-out cylinder and ejector would be easier for her to load and eject. It could be shot either SA or DA. I am hoping that I can maybe rent one at the range for her to try as well as maybe one of the Ruger or Bersa semi auto .22s.

She is gradually getting more comfortable in shooting the 22 Super Bearcat that I have and she loves to punch holes in paper - I just want her to be able to enjoy trips to the range and have something that will work well for her and not cause frustration in regards to getting a hot casing down her blouse or problems in ejecting a tight casing. I guess that I'm just looking for a pistol that she will like to use and that she feels is "hers" - if that makes any sense to those of you who have tried to get their spouses interested in shooting.

Suggestions please and if any of you women have thoughts on it, please chime in as your opinions are welcome and would be very helpful. Thanks.
 
I have a Smith & Wesson Model 317 AirLite .22 double action revolver. It is an 8 shot with a swing out cylinder. Unloaded it weighs about 9.9 ounces. It has a 3 inch barrel with adjustable sights. My wife enjoys shooting it. One reason is because there are no empty cases flying around. I like it too because I can carry it in a holster on my hip and I can't even feel that it is there. It doesn't interfere with anything I am doing whether working or hiking or just wandering the woods.
 
Have her try on the Ruger MkIII, Browning Buckmark, and Beretta Neos.

Those are 3 of the better semis.

I don't know anything about the SP101 .22, probably a good gun. I do know about the S&W 617 and that's a great gun.
Have your wife try those out as well.
 
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Wow some of this sounds like what I started doing last year about this time. After shooting for over 30 years my wife started to go to the range with me. Then I made a huge mistake (I didn't know it at the time). She took hold of my Kimber 1911 and started hitting exactly what she was aiming at, I was shocked not only with her success but what came out of her mouth next. "I want my own gun"

How do you answer that? I said sure and the hunt for her pistol began. It didn't take me long to realize the best gun I could get her is the one she wanted to buy. So I backed off and offered to play devils advocate. I just wanted her to make the best choice for her and not come home with a piece of junk that she wouldn't be able to enjoy.

She looked at everything from 22 to 45. She also learned about the cost of shooting and she began to quickly understand that she would need a lot of practice to get good with whatever she picked.

So with me asking a lot of questions that she answered and MANY trips to different LGS's, she made her choice. We went from I want a Kimber like yours to her buying a Buckmark for herself and now she is thinking of a 9mm Kimber when she improves her skills some more.

To sum it up I think I won this one. More guns and a happy wife.:D
 
I personally also love the Browning buckmark but for her to be happy I'd take her to a gun store that has a indoor shooting range. They will usually let her try out a very large variety of handguns to see how they point for her, how the feel I'n her hand and if they just work for her or not. What someone may suggest and what she may feel comfortable may be different. Just make sure she'll be happy with it.
 
My wife loves her Buckmark Micro.

Yes - it does spit empty shells.

A high neck of some kind is recommended. My wife nearly turned the Buckmark on me the day she took an empty down her neck and started doing the branded boobie dance.
I stomped my foot and clapped my hands keeping time with her dancing.

She was not amused..... ;)
 
I have the same issues ... my wife will never carry but enjoys shooting my Smith 22a at the range and is an excellent shot at SD range 7-15 yds with that gun.

But for a nightstand gun for her, I don't think I'd trust a .22lr ... I have had pretty steady failures to fire with that round over the years in three different guns ...

A thought I've been having concerns the new Kel-Tec PMR-30, which holds a ton of .22 magnum, a far more (imho) reliable and dangerous round, especially with the new Gold Dot and 45.gr Hornady Critical Defense rounds now available ... They're kinda scarce, but I think that's the direction I'm heading towards ...
 
My wife likes my four inch, bull barrel Rugger 22/45 (MK II era). It compact enough, but still very accurate and reliable. That being said, I'd like to get her a Bersa Thunder .22, as it is a bit different from most .22's and more like a centerfire pistol. She does shoot my CZ Kadet, but its a pretty large handgun. The downsized Browning 1911 .22 is also a consideration, but they are pretty pricey.
 
My GF likes her Beretta Bobcat. The tip-up barrel makes it easy to operate and carry in pocket or purse. Hers doesn't like cheap ammo, but is 100% with MiniMags, Stingers, Velocitors. That thing is LOUD with Stingers, sounds like a real gun. :D
 
Ruger just announced an 8 shot LCR 22. I am waiting for a 22 magnum to version, and that will be the gun my wife will go to.
 
My wife thought she wanted a full sized .22lr revolver so we got her a Taurus 990 Tracker. She was wrong.
Nothing wrong with the gun but it was just too big for her.

I gave her her money back for it and we got her a Buckmark Micro 4". I already have a Ruger MKII 5 1/2" so she wanted something different.

She loves the Browning so I won't end up with it.

I don't know anything about the newer Rugers but I've owned a bunch of MKIs and IIs and can highly recommend the older Rugers and it looks like the Buckmark line is good also.

The Buckmarks will be hard to cycle if they aren't already cocked if they are all like hers.
 
The 9 shot 22lr Taurus revolvers use the same HKS speedloader as the old 9 shot Harrington and Richard revolvers. So that revolver and a half dozen speed loaders can keep her busy for awhile.
 
Another revolver choice would be a Charter Arms Pathfinder. Probably a little less costly than the Ruger SP101, or anything in a S&W revolver.
The advantage with one of the semi-autos mentioned would be the option of buying a couple spare magazines. Although somewhat pricey, they could be loaded before you go to the range leaving less frustration in loading the gun when she is actually shooting.
 
My wife of 24 yrs just recently started warming up to my hobby more as of late, so recently I brought home a Walther P22 for her. The grip is small and fits her hands nicely. Though I dont care for the manual of arms (safety and mag release), she considers it "hers" and in the grand scheme of things, means a lot. ;)
 
For a semi-auto I would recommend a Bersa Thunder 22

For a revolver I can recommend the 4" Charter Arms Pathfinder

I have personal experience with both of these handguns,,,
All of it has been very positive in nature.

Aarond
 
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