Another "first handgun" thread

[jauslong 0]

Waiting patiently for my FID and P2P and I think I have a pretty good idea what my first purchase will be. Let me know your thoughts, experiences, suggestions, etc.

 

I've got two toddlers in the house and a wife who is willing to shoot a little bit, but not thrilled with the idea of a gun in the house with the kids around.

 

So far, we've agreed on a revolver that is stainless steel on the thinking that the gun will look different than the average toy gun and will be easy to recognize for the kids as NOT a toy.

 

I am leaning towards a Ruger Super Six Convertible 22 LR / 22 Mag for a few reasons:

 

1) I like that this is a single action. It feels safer to me. Of course I don't anticipate any time where the kids would have access to the gun, but if they did, they would have to know to cock the hammer before it could be fired. This seems like added safety to me. Am I wrong here?

 

2) I think my wife is more comfortable with a 22 and a revolver. She has little interest in going bigger or more modern. Her being comfortable is important in this process, so that counts for a lot.

 

3) I like that 22 LR ammo is practically free and not as loud. I intend to get a lot of practice out of this gun.

 

4) I like that the 22 Mag offers slightly more power. It offers my wife an opportunity to try something slightly bigger, and makes the gun somewhat more useable for home defense.

 

5) There is only enough in the budget for one gun this year. Getting the convertible as a first gun kind of feels like I'm actually getting two for one. Next purchase is likely a rifle.

 

6) This seems to me to be a very high quality gun.

 

So, first, how would I even go about trying this gun out before buying it? Or should I just go for it, with the idea that it probably wont be the last gun I'll ever get and will hopefully retain its value fairly well?

 

Are there any other guns that you'd recommend I look into instead? I have pretty big hands.

 

Anything in the above that you disagree with that might cause me to reconsider?

 

Thanks everybody for your help.

[BlueLineFish 615]

I would go with something in 9mm that you could get 22 conversion for. Or even better get something in 40 that then accepts 357 barrels, 9mm conversion barrels, and a 22 conversions. It's would be something like a sig 226 or 229 or a glock. 4 guns with one permit

[diamondd817 827]

22lr or mag are not the ideal self defense calibers. It is cheap and easy to shoot but I wouldn't trust life with it. Step up to a 38 special at least. A full size revolver shooting 38 special is very mild. Just my opinion.

 

Recommended: S&W 686+ 7 shot w/ 3" barrel

[RecessedFilter 222]

I wouldn't choose a gun based on the fact that your kids are going to think it looks different than their usual toy gun.

 

BlueLine is going in a good direction. I think 9mm is a good all-around round and you can get .22 conversions for most pistols. Most women can handle 9mm no problem. .22 is a good round for plinking but with how inexpensive .22 is, and most .22 pistols not being too much money, you could always get a seperate .22 for target practice. I would not suggest a .22 for home defense, but it's better than nothing.

 

If you REALLY want a revolver, check out .357's. You can shoot 38special out of them (good for the wife, not too much umphhh) and load up on defense. They also offer some revolvers in 9mm.

[RecessedFilter 222]

Also, if you're planning to have a gun in the home, it's really not an issue if you lock it up correctly and safely.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

I think it sounds like you have reasoned it out pretty well. I, too, don't buy the kid's visual differentiation, but, as you have said, they should never have access to it, without supervision, anyway.

 

Today's younger shooters (and by that I mean anyone 40 or under) are much enamored of centerfire semi-autos - and even those that know what a revolver is (easy there bubba - that was a little sarcasm), likely aren't very familiar with single actions - so it sounds like you have done your homework well.

 

If your wife is "ify" about shooting, the .22 to .22 mag may be the perfect intermediate step to an eventual centerfire. As for those that nay-say the .22 mag as a HD round - while it's certainly not ideal, ask them if they would like to be shot by one? It has become a more viable defensive round since two of the major ammo makers are now producing defensive rounds in that caliber. Hornady is the one - not sure if it is part of their Critical Defense line or not, and Speer is the other - they are producing .22 mag Gold Dots.

 

A lot can be learned with a S/A (better spell that out - already most of this board read that as "semi-auto), excuse me, single action. Things like breathing, grip and trigger control.

 

Really sounds like not a bad choice for a "first" to be shared by the both of you. If you had filled out your profile completely, we'd have a better idea in which part of the state you lived - I have a convertible that you'd be welcome to try - but who knows where you are?

 

If it were me, I'd go for the 4 5/8" barrel, adjustable sight, blued version. Kids don't play cowboys and Indians anymore, do they? Doubtful they may even recognize a single action as a gun

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[woodentoe 14]

I'm with Bob. Good choice. Great learner, and better than a sharp stick until you graduate to a more powerful round.

 

Your fundamentals will be easier to break down and learn with the light single action pull. I shoot my .38 revolver better than either of my semi autos. And, buying that revolver improved my shooting overall.

[jauslong 0]

Thanks everybody. These are all helpful.

 

I'm in West Orange but spend a lot of weekends out in Blairstown and Lake Hopatcong area. The bulk of my shooting will be in btown. I'm planning to move out there as soon as we find a house we like.

[Jon 264]

I agree with Bob, and I hate revolvers. I would have your wife try a larger revolver in .38spl though, as the recoil is next to nothing, and what my small new-to-guns wife prefers for HD.

[voyager9 3,434]

I would find a range that has rentals and have you and your wife try a few options. While they probably don't have 22 mag you'd find other revolvers: 22, 38 or 357 most likely.

 

When I tool my wife to the range she could handle but didn't like my 9mm semi-auto. She actually liked the 357 revolver shooting 38sp. The heft of the gun made it easier for her to handle.

[woodentoe 14]

also depends on the 9. a plastic fantastic in 9mm will snap harder than an all steel gun like a Beretta 92fs or a used S&W 5906 (which I love btw and will own someday)

[mcbethr 42]

You picked a fine first gun.

 

I'm not a revolver kind of guy, but I have a feeling that you are the exact person that revolvers were built for. It sounds like you are new to the sport and you want something more for fun than anything else.

 

If you are going to buy a gun for fun that can also be pressed into service as a SD revolver, you can't go wrong with what you picked. If you feel you need to move up in caliber later, you can always get buy-in from your wife and buy more pistols later. Be careful with her and shooting. She may turn into a monster and want her own guns.

 

Welcome to the sport. Have fun and be safe.

[Underdog 1,593]

Revolvers are usually more difficult for some to shoot because the hammer and the trigger can require quite a bit of strength. Since this is a single-action, it would have a light trigger pull, but you would still have to cock the hammer. And. although you will not have a lot of recoil with a .22, revolvers do not buffer that recoil too much, like the semi-automatic action and the polymer frames do. However, their heavier weight often does dampens the recoil a bit.

 

As for safety... A gun is a gun and your children should be taught to respect it and not given the opportunity to handle one. I think a double-action revolver would be safer, though, as it would be easier for you to visually check the cylinders. And, although the newer single-action revolvers have a firing pin block when not in use, if you get an older one, it would be unsafe leaving a round in the chamber, because if you drop it and bang it hard, the round could go off. That's why, especially with older single-action revolvers, the chamber lined up with the firing pin is kept empty while carrying it. For a range gun, though, that would pretty much be a moot point. .357s and even .38s would be more expensive to shoot than guns in the 9mm caliber. .22LR and .22WMR are not really adequate for self-defense, though. In a pinch, sure I'd use one, but as a dedicated defensive handgun, I would do as others suggest and get a 9mm. A positive for a revolver is its simplicity and the way it feels in your hands. But, you would want to master the double-action shooting with it. I would still prefer a defensive semi-auto handgun for my first one, and then branch out into something in .22LR. And, in my estimation, .22 revolvers are a pain to clean. If you want a practice gun, .22LR, I would check out the S&W M&P 22, however, I would get a polymer 9mm such as an S&W M&P 9 or Glock 19. Another option would be to check out the Ruger Blackhawk Convertible 9mm, .38, .357 in Single Action, or look for a 9mm revolver... Taurus 905, Ruger Speed Six, or Charter Arms.

[ChrisJM981 924]

Get a biometric safe. I'd say just take out the firing pin, but I'm a young shooter and prefer my polymer 9mm, so I'm not sure if you can do that with a wheelgun.

 

Good choice on the .22 I learned to shoot with a .22lr bolt action rifle. Learned how to properly shoot a pistol by purchasing a S&W 22A .22lr

 

Again... buy a safe!

[Midwest 28]

My brother in law had the Ruger .22 target pistol, it was fairly accurate and never jammed. Also there are some nice 8 shot .22 cal revolvers out there as well.

 

 

Then go a .38 special or .357 revolver for home defense. The Rossi five shot .38 special bought used, can be a good deal.