What Gun For My Daughters/Wife/Me?

I learned to shoot a handgun with a Ruger single six. A single action 22 revolver is a great way to learn the fundementals. It is fun and easy to shoot well. It is also easy for a young shooter to be safe.

I think a lever action rifle is hard to beat for teaching riflery. Again, it is easy to shoot, fun to shoot, and the exposed hammer makes it intuitive for a young shooter to understand what is going on.
 
Another vote for the full sized revolver with light .38 loads. In a GP100 they won't complain of recoil. It's safer to handle and it's easy to see if it's unloaded or not.
 
I really don't understand why people endorse a certain weapon, or even a certain subset of weapons, for people they don't know.

We don't know the OP's family as far as hand size, hand and upper body strength, athleticism, mechanical aptitude, sensitivity to noise... So how can we properly advise that Firearm A is better than Firearm B.

Again, check out http://corneredcat.com. Find a nearby LGS/range that has rental guns and instructors. You may find a one-size-fits-all for your family; you might equally likely find that you need two (or more) different platforms to accommodate varying physical or psychological characteristics between family members.
 
My kids start shooting at the age of 4 with an air rifle. They learn the basics and at 5 if they show themselves to be capable enough I graduate them to a NEF .22lr single shot rifle. Afterwards they go to a 10/22.

At age 8 I introduce them to a handgun which is my beloved and trusty Ruger Single Six .22lr. They learn trigger control and aim with that while shooting off rests. By the time they're 9 they've graduated to shooting off hand with the revolver.

After that I typically will start them out with a Bersa .380. I sold the last one I had to a friend because he loved it so much but will replace it by the time my next child is ready for it. Its an all metal handgun - good replica of a Walther PPKS. Low recoil, good ergonomics and single stack mag makes for a grip that is easy for small hands to hold.

After the .380 I'll graduate them to a 9mm and if they want to continue on they go to a .45acp and eventually they'll be shooting a .44mag revolver if they so choose.

That's in handguns. Rifles and shotguns are another thread lol.

My wife came from an anti-gun family and it took me quite some time to get her to the point she's at now. She started with a my Single Six as well. Now she's an avid shooter and after all that progression she is in love with the 1911 platform - and a .45acp lady. She has shot the .44mag and will shoot it again but that's not her go to gun. My 13 yr old daughter stopped with handguns at the 9mm and is now focusing on getting proficient with her AR. My other kids are younger - my next youngest is 8 and he's just getting started with the Single Six.

I didn't make any suggestions but I hope this long post will help you somewhat.
 
I'll cast a vote for #6.

how about a 22-250? or something like that, on a savage bolt action with a scope should come close to your budget. if not you could drop the scope. accurate and would allow for hunting... just a thought.
 
If you are looking for a fun gun for the two youngest it would be difficult to beat a Ruger MKII or MK III. Also look into the Ruger Single Six. For the 19 year old (who may be in or considering college) a good 2-4 inch barreled 38 Special or 357 Magnum (loaded with 38 Specials) would not be to shabby. She could keep it for personal protection as well as target shooting. For rifles there have been many good ones already listed here but another to consider is the Beretta CX4 Storm Carbine. In 9mm it is fun to shoot and capable for personal defense. Good luck.
 
I'll echo the "get what they want" sentiment. Take them to a range that has some good options lined up and find what they like.

That being said, the Bersa Thunder .380 and Walther PK380 are both great low recoil options with great ergonomics that are easy to rack. Both have 9mm options that you can graduate to.

When I failed at trying to choose a gun for my wife (twice) the Bersa is what she chose and loves to shoot. And for $400 I got one with a CT grip.
 
Re: the bersa. I enjoy shooting it as much as she does. I liked it so much I couldnt help but pick up a thunder 9 for myself.

Sorry for the third post in 5 minutes
 
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My daughter recently got a Beretta PX4 Compact 9mm. The rotating barrel makes it exceptionally soft shooting. Since you are looking for a defensive caliber but want to mitigate recoil as much as possible, it is worth looking at. Be aware that the subcombact PX4 lacks the rotating barrel feature. We got my daughter's pistol for a bit under $500 OTD, so it was a good value, too.
 
Can only speak about my granddaughters

When my granddaughters come to visit and we go shooting I take the 22lr pistols and rifles. They warm up on the 22s, they them shoot my 9mm XD9 and maybe the 38s model 60 3" barrel 0r the 642. I have a couple M1 carbines they love to shoot soft recoil. and if they want the old 20 gage single shot. The 22 helps them learn the basic and get comfortable with shooting, the 9 mm is a step up recoil is not to bad. Some times changing the grips can help with recoil. I want my kids to enjoy shooting and I want them to learn the proper grips and stances. and getting them the shot something that is to long or to heavy can recreate problems.
 
After reading TheCorneredCat.com, take them all to a gun range that rents guns and let them all try a variety to see what THEY like.......a unique concept, I know, to let them pick out their guns, but it works well that way
 
I am going to play devil's advocate for just a minute.....

How many of us were able to choose our own first firearm when we were taught, particularly those of us who were taught to shoot when we were children ?

I know I was not... I learned to shoot the rifles, shotguns, and pistols that my Dad, Uncles, and Grandfather had available.... An Ithica 20 gage that did not fit, an H&R 22 revolver with a crappy DA trigger (but a great SA trigger), A Single Six 22 revolver, a Daisy BB gun, a Marlin 60 22 rifle, a remington 700 in 270 that did not fit, a single shot stevens rifle with a really bad trigger.

One of the shooting skills that I leaned as a kid was too adjust and adapt to the weapon that was in my hands. I learned to shoot rifles with heavy creepy gritty triggers. I can shoot just about any pistol I pick up, regardless of grip angle, trigger, "ergos", etc. I have a buddy who learned to shoot later in life, and he learned on a high-end 1911. Now he just can't shoot any pistol that does not have a perfect trigger and perfect "ergos".
 
I have shot hundreds of squirrels and rabbits with a 22 rifle because I like to eat them and make head shots which does not waste any meat also I do not like biting down on a shotgun pellet if you do not find all of them when cleaning game..

That being said I recommend a shotgun,,,most importantly one of your daughters has indicated she wants one, two taking shots at squirrels up in trees is safer with a shotgun if you miss, three easier to hit running rabbits, four you can shoot slugs for deer or use the shotgun with shotshells for pheasants and quail or ducks and geese, five you can shoot trap and skeet, and last a shotgun with buckshot is a great home self defense tool.

For the ladies probably a 20 guage is best, and I would recommend a good semi auto with a good recoil pad to soften recoil.

You are one lucky guy with all the women in your family who love to shoot and hunt!
 
A new Ruger SP101 with a 4" barrel might be an option with light .38 loads. It's about 10 ounces lighter than a full frame, but shoots just about as easy as a S&W 686. I bought one just because it should work for me and my small handed, small framed wife. I like it a lot, she still hasn't shot it (or anything else yet).
 
AR

If you are willing to do some minor assembly you could get yourself into an AR for close to $500. The best part about it is it will fit all of them as it has an adjustable stock and they will never out grow it. The ammo is cheap and you can take it hunting. Every beginner I take out shooting especially ladies LOVE the AR.
 
My wife, daughter in law and the youngest son's girlfriend are regulars with me and the boys at the range. I also help teach hunter safety and regularly take some of my firearms on range day for the new shooters to try. The guns the females in the family like to shoot most and the ones that new shooters ask to shoot again the most(besides the 10/22) are handgun caliber carbines and L-Frame revolvers. The medium frame revolvers are popular with the girls and new shooters cause they are simple and have enough heft that when shot with mild .357s or standard .38s have little recoil. They are also easy to load, easy to tell if they are loaded and when combined with barrel lengths of 4,5 or 6 inches balance well and can be easily shot off bags or rests. Youths with weak hands/fingers and women with fingernails have a hard time loading mags for bottom feeders.(altho they like to empty them if someone else loads them) :rolleyes: My .357 levers and the 77/.357 carbine are probably the most popular, with the .44 levers and 77/44 coming in next. They are relatively easy to load, accurate even for new shooters and again when used with mild loads, are easy on the shoulder. They leave large, easy to see holes in targets and also give enough bang so that it feels like they are shooting a "big" gun.
 
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