my wife and the 22

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  • Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    A .22lr is an excellent *first* handgun . First handgun doesn't have to be only gun forever and ever.

    Get her an at least medium sized gun that fits her hand, and she Likes . Let her enjoy it, and learn basic through intermeadate marksmanship skills . Encourage her to continue to try different guns for the experience. Once she shoots well and is confident, there will be plenty of birthdays and christmases.

    In the meanwhile if need be for home defense a magdump of .22lr to center mass is better than harsh words or pepper spray. Also consider a Home Defense long gun, that she can shoot well.

    As far as ammo from a 4inch-ish handgun, the fragmentation and shallow penetration of Stingers or segmented vs 16-18 inch penetration of 40gr RN is a tossup. I'd use whatever 40gr rn or 36gr hp, on basis of reliability.

    I get the idea of some exposure to the noise as preperation for defensive, but a very little bit of that goes a long, long, way. In an crowded indoor range environment, use double protection, ie plugs and muffs. I like good electronic muffs, but in an indoor range with lots of other people firing, they aren't much help.
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    One .22 I'd recommend is a Ruger SR-22. When I teach HQL classes, we use one for live fire. It's a moderate size and I've had many ladies shoot it. My friend's wife also uses an SR-22 for defense and she loves it. If carrying is not an issue, you can't go wrong with a Ruger Mark III.


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    TexasBob

    Another day in Paradise
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 25, 2012
    2,485
    Space Coast
    My wife started out shooting a 9mm wasn't a fan, tried a .380 and after 50 rounds she wanted one, as she calls it her little Italian, I got her a Beretta Cheetah then a 22 revolver as a range tool she shots it but likes the .380 more which is fine with me. I spent a lot of time with her and she solid on handling it safely. The only rule we have agreed she will follow without question if she has to shot in her defense she will empty the mag.

    Wish I could get her to try shooting the 12 gauge :rolleyes: it a nice backup, as I would backup before she starts shooting.
     
    Last edited:

    judah7

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Mar 18, 2017
    691
    My wife started out shooting a 9mm wasn't a fan, tried a .380 and after 50 rounds she wanted one, as she calls it her little Italian, I got her a Beretta Cheetah then a 22 revolver as a range tool she shots it but likes the .380 more which is fine with me. I spent a lot of time with her and she solid on handling it safely. The only rule we have agreed she will follow without question if she has to shot in her defense she will empty the mag.

    Wish I could get her to try shooting the 12 gauge :rolleyes: it a nice backup, as I would backup before she starts shooting.

    My wife thought she liked shotguns until she actually shot one.
     

    judah7

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Mar 18, 2017
    691
    One .22 I'd recommend is a Ruger SR-22. When I teach HQL classes, we use one for live fire. It's a moderate size and I've had many ladies shoot it. My friend's wife also uses an SR-22 for defense and she loves it. If carrying is not an issue, you can't go wrong with a Ruger Mark III.


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    Yeah I'm going with the SR22, it's what she shot and loved so Ruger SR22 it is.
     

    gpfan

    Active Member
    Dec 6, 2014
    120
    Sykesville, MD
    She won't have any regrets with the SR22. It's an awesome gun! I've shot them before and finally decided to pick one up to round out my collection of .357mag (GP100), .38sp (INA Tiger), and 9mm (M&P9 & LC9s). I also picked up a SP101 in .22lr just because I'm a wheel gun kind of guy. Nothing wrong with .22lr in anything. They're fun to shoot which encourages practice...etc... like others have said in previous posts. Enjoy shooting together!
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I'm going to agree with the "git er a .22" crowd. If your wife has found a gun that SHE likes to shoot then buy it for her. She will think of it as HERS and take it shooting way more often then a gun her husband told her she should get. Be very happy she wants to shoot something and as time goes on she may find something in a larger caliber that she enjoys also. If the noise of the larger calibers is a problem then maybe more hearing protection? Ear plugs underneath of ear muffs is a possibility to cut down on noise.

    Absolutely. Let me also add, a .22 for HD is better than nothing for HD. I am pretty sure if someone is breaking in and they see a gun they aren't going to stop and evaluate if it is a 22 or not. They are going to get out of there.

    If they aren't then she is more likely to get more shots off faster with a 22 she is comfortable with than a 9mm she isn't. A 22lr minimag even from a pistol will penetrate just fine and also expand well. Yes, it is still a small hole, but one that can kill just fine. 2 22lr holes are probably more likely to kill someone than one 9mm hole.

    I'd rather use a 9mm for HD also, but you use what you are comfortable with. You are generally much more effective that way. Someday she is likely to move up.
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    Is the 410 superior to the 20 gauge?



    Superior, like our discussion of the .22, isn't the right word. The right word is "appropriate." If your wife is not comfortable above a .22, the chance of her being more comfortable with a .410 over a 20 gauge is significant. It has less recoil and is typically lighter. The .410 round I use is the Winchester PDX-1. It launches three copper disks and 12 copper BBs. Between 15 and 30 feet, it is highly effective. For her, the .410 may be more "appropriate."


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    judah7

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Mar 18, 2017
    691
    Superior, like our discussion of the .22, isn't the right word. The right word is "appropriate." If your wife is not comfortable above a .22, the chance of her being more comfortable with a .410 over a 20 gauge is significant. It has less recoil and is typically lighter. The .410 round I use is the Winchester PDX-1. It launches three copper disks and 12 copper BBs. Between 15 and 30 feet, it is highly effective. For her, the .410 may be more "appropriate."


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    Oh no I just wanted to know which one was superior for HD, I'm definitely not going to introduce her to shotguns after the 12 gauge she tried and never wanted to touch again lol. I'm hoping she enjoys my AR 15 though once I get it running but knowing her she'll probably want a AR22 as Well. lol

    Me personally I'm getting a 12 gauge soon.
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    Oh no I just wanted to know which one was superior for HD, I'm definitely not going to introduce her to shotguns after the 12 gauge she tried and never wanted to touch again lol. I'm hoping she enjoys my AR 15 though once I get it running but knowing her she'll probably want a AR22 as Well. lol



    Me personally I'm getting a 12 gauge soon.



    Ah. If you can get her to try a .410, and she likes it , the .410 is superior for HD to a .22.


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    cb51

    Active Member
    Superior, like our discussion of the .22, isn't the right word. The right word is "appropriate." If your wife is not comfortable above a .22, the chance of her being more comfortable with a .410 over a 20 gauge is significant. It has less recoil and is typically lighter. The .410 round I use is the Winchester PDX-1. It launches three copper disks and 12 copper BBs. Between 15 and 30 feet, it is highly effective. For her, the .410 may be more "appropriate."


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    Or, you can use the Winchester defense rounds that have like 5 pellets of 000 buckshot in each round. At close range, like across the bedroom range, it will be very effective.
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    Or, you can use the Winchester defense rounds that have like 5 pellets of 000 buckshot in each round. At close range, like across the bedroom range, it will be very effective.



    I have Fiocchi .410 in 3" with four 000 pellets. At 15-20 feet, that's just plain nasty.


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    judah7

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Mar 18, 2017
    691
    I will give it a shot, I'd much prefer her grabbing a shotgun load over the 22. If she likes it like you said. Hopefully the weight doesn't ruin it though. She's a extreme girly girl so anything too heavy is going to bother her unless it's something she loves. The 12 gauge she shot wasn't even heavy but the recoil and noise is what turned her off 100%
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    I will give it a shot, I'd much prefer her grabbing a shotgun load over the 22. If she likes it like you said. Hopefully the weight doesn't ruin it though. She's a extreme girly girl so anything too heavy is going to bother her unless it's something she loves. The 12 gauge she shot wasn't even heavy but the recoil and noise is what turned her off 100%



    Something like a Mossberg Cruiser in .410 might work for her. However, from everything you're saying, at this point, I'd just go with the SR-22 and let her get good with it. As she is exposed to the noise of the range and builds greater confidence in her pistol skills, she might warm up to a .410.


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    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I will give it a shot, I'd much prefer her grabbing a shotgun load over the 22. If she likes it like you said. Hopefully the weight doesn't ruin it though. She's a extreme girly girl so anything too heavy is going to bother her unless it's something she loves. The 12 gauge she shot wasn't even heavy but the recoil and noise is what turned her off 100%

    And that there is part of the problem. A light 12ga even with target shells DOES recoil really hard. At least for a small/lightly built person. My 20ga youth shotgun is a dream boat to carry around a just a hair over 5lbs with a 26" barrel. Even with low recoil shells...which have less than half the energy that the 12ga standard target shells I use in my Remington 870 knocked my almost 80lbs son all over the place shooting it. Didn't hurt him really, but he needs some pounds on him and using a .410 for awhile to get comfortable shooting a shotgun before moving back up to even low recoil 20ga.

    A heavier 20ga would have been harder for him to shoulder, but it would have pushed him less.

    I've watched plenty of women in the 90-130lbs range shooting 12ga standard loads for trap shooting. Even with gas guns it shoves them around noticeably more than the 170-230lbs guys I see out there shooting similar guns.

    Perspective and physics. I am not trying to say a woman can't fire a 12ga or be comfortable with one, but you have to keep in mind, your wife (I am assuming here) is smaller and a lot lighter than you are. What "doesn't kick hard" to you probably knocks her around.

    Sure, try a .410 shotgun with your wife at some point. At the same time, if the lady wants a 22lr, get her a 22lr. You have to start somewhere. Treat her like a little kid. In fact even big burly men you should treat like little kids. You start small and low power and work them up. The difference is, most likely, the bigger the person is the faster and probably further they will move up.

    I'd be damned exstatic if my wife were willing to go shooting with me no matter the caliber involved.

    On your AR, if muzzle blast bothers her, don't expect her to love it right away. In fact you might want to look at something like a linear comp/blast forwarder for it. It greatly reduces muzzle blast and noise for the shooter and those right around them, especially compared to an honest to goodness brake.

    I've got one on my AR-15 and AR pistol. The 16" upper I am starting to build will probably just live with an A2 as I'd like one option that is low in muzzle flash (my 20" isn't bad, but with the linear comp, it is still great muzzle flash than a 16" with an A2)
     

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