Hello, I am interested in purchasing my first gun. I have not been through the permit process yet since I want to figure out what I want and get the money together within the 90 day window. I really like the look of a revolver and the ammo price of a 22. There are so many calibers that it is hard for me to figure out if I could afford to shoot a lot of bullets at a bigger caliber. I want to range shoot and have something for home protection.

 

Any suggestions?

Your best bet is to go to a range like Shore shot in Lakewood or RTSP in north jersey and rent a few guns. The way a gun fits in your hand is going to have alot to do with what you decide to purchase.

 

If you end up not beng able to find what you are looking at as a rental, just make it known here and im sure someone will offer to let you shoot theirs.

 

Welcome to the forum.

+1 on going to a range to try some out.. Not sure where you are located at but Shore Shot is a great place with a great staff. You can go there and theyll run you through the basics real quick and have at it. Start with a .22 and if you feel the recoil is tolerable, move on up to the 9mm and rent a few they got. Well worth the time and effort... I went there a while back and tried out 4-5 .40's until I found the one I wanted to buy. Its all about what you are comfortable firing...

 

http://www.shoreshotpistolrange.com/

 

Looking further into it.. if you are looking to buy a gun for target practice a .22 isnt a bad deal..if you are looking for more a home defense.. 9mm and up is what you should be looking into.

You have some amazing ranges in your area. Where I live you either buy it or know someone that has one to try it out. A 22 is always a fun handgun to shoot. Every time we go shooting we take a 22. A revolver may not be as accurate depending on how you pull the trigger. Have fun choosing your handgun.

Hello, I am interested in purchasing my first gun. I have not been through the permit process yet since I want to figure out what I want and get the money together within the 90 day window. I really like the look of a revolver and the ammo price of a 22. There are so many calibers that it is hard for me to figure out if I could afford to shoot a lot of bullets at a bigger caliber. I want to range shoot and have something for home protection.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Well, maybe a .22 revolver.

 

As for something for range use AND self-defense, you may want to consider getting a 9mm for that. I'd say buy something tried and true in .22 like a Marlin model 60 or a Ruger 10/22, then get a handgun in 9mm for range use and self-defense. But like everyone else has said, go to a range that rents and try before you buy.

I always recommend revolvers for new female shooters. Where do you live?

As others have said a 22 revolver is a great first gun.

They are cheap to feed and a lot of fun.

 

A 22 might not be the best for home defense.

Rent a few different guns and find the one that

 

you are comfortable with and can shoot well.

A well placed 22 round is better than a

44 magnum miss in a HD situation.

 

Best thing is to put in for more than 1 permit

with your FID application.

So if you find more than 1 you like you can get

them.

A .357 style revolver gives you a versatile option with regards to ammo type. You can use .38 wad cutter rounds which are less expensive and have much reduced recoil, .38 special rounds which offer good accuracy and all around use, and .357 magnum for self defense (if you wanted to go that route).

 

 

Look for a Smith & Wesson 686 or Ruger SP101 type (there are lots of different styles, barrel lengths, etc)

Beautiful guns with form and function.

 

This seems like the best choice given your wants. I would go rent them or find a friend who has them to make sure you can be comfortable with them.

 

Good luck!

 

 

 

I would also say you need something bigger than .22 for home defense. To keep costs down, maybe something that offers a .22 conversion kit.

I would also say you need something bigger than .22 for home defense. To keep costs down, maybe something that offers a .22 conversion kit.

 

You know I was thinking about this for a bit after I posted but came to a different conclusion. If she does in fact decide she is most comfortable with a 22, that 22 is a whole lot better than nothing at all, or another weapon she doesn't feel comfortable with.

As others have said a 22 revolver is a great first gun.

They are cheap to feed and a lot of fun.

 

A 22 might not be the best for home defense.

Rent a few different guns and find the one that

 

you are comfortable with and can shoot well.

A well placed 22 round is better than a

44 magnum miss in a HD situation.

 

Best thing is to put in for more than 1 permit

with your FID application.

So if you find more than 1 you like you can get

them.

 

+1

You know I was thinking about this for a bit after I posted but came to a different conclusion. If she does in fact decide she is most comfortable with a 22, that 22 is a whole lot better than nothing at all, or another weapon she doesn't feel comfortable with.

 

There are a ton of soft-shooting 9mms. Most people are "comfortable" with .22's because they have negligible recoil. Some people skip over 9mm and .40 and go straight to .45 because (depending on the gun) there's less noticeable recoil than some other calibers.

First off Mindy where are you located. While I say Shore Shot is a fantastic place to go and try out different guns and if you mention you are from the forum, you also get a discount. However if Lakewood isn't convenient, maybe someone in your area might be willing to let you try some of their guns.

 

Also you say your just going through the permit process, but do you have any gun handling experience?

A mid-sized S&W revolver such as a Model 586 or 686 with 4" barrel will do fine for home defense. But I still recommend a .22 as a trainer. That's what my family started with over 36 years ago, a K-Frame .22 S&W with 4" barrel.

 

Just a thought:

 

You should buy guns that you can hit with, and fit you well & suit a purpose, not merely for their looks. So like everybody is saying, try some out via renting or with a friend. You will find revolvers used in the single-action mode (manually cocking the hammer back with a thumb) to be very accurate and with easy sight alignment. Every woman that ever shot one of my revolvers always hit what they were aiming at, from 8-80 years old!

 

As a NRA Instructor I can point you to things that I know work for lots of women. Getting to visit various ranges and trying several guns is just the tip of the iceberg. May I recommend you attend a NRA First Steps or Basic Pistol Class. You'll probably get a lot out of it and have fun & become more confident in your firearms handling skill set. I don't teach either of these, so this isn't a commercial for ME, just the concept of training. There are vendors here on this forum that will do the training or they can point you to others in your area.

 

One other thing to consider is getting a .22 trainer and a larger caliber gun that works the same, has the same safety, magazine style, sights, etc. and instead of a revolver, get something like the GSG .22 cal 1911-style gun and then graduate up to a STI Spartan in 9mm. Both are cheap to feed and together will cost less (or close to this number) than one brand new S&W revolver at retail. Now you have two guns that "feel" the same and almost work the same AND none of the double-action trigger pull problems mentioned earlier by others in this thread.

 

The trade-off is that the 1911-style semi-autos (or ANY semi-auto) require some disassembly to clean properly, where as the revolvers really don't. With the revolvers, all you need to do is to swing-out the cylinder and work from there to clean them. So you also need to decide how much you want to take things apart & put back together before you buy. That's why some of us recommend a revolver as a first gun, especially for women.

 

Welcome to this great hobby! It's nice to have some female perspective around here. We're all here ready to help, and can recommend some web sites to garner more info.

 

Dave

Hi Mindy ! Great to see another woman join here . There are a few of us I'm told

 

I'm new to gun ownership too . You'll find everyone here very helpful. If you are interested in a revolver check out this thread here where I asked for recommendations for a revolver. It is repleat with good info.

http://njgunforums.c...dations-please/

 

If you have never handled a gun before , definitely start with some lessons if you can swing it.I'm really glad the first time I fired a gun was under an instructor's guidance ( GFH) Best way to avoid having to fix a bad habit is to not grow one in the first place You would definitely benefit from having an instructor show you proper grip and stance right from the begininng.

 

Why a .22 ? If it is JUST cost I would personally , as a woman who would use my gun for HD if I had to , prefer at least a 9mm , and the ammo is adffordable. I have a Colt .45 and am looking to get a revolver in a few weeks.

 

My dad lives in Brick , I plan to do weekday trips to Shore Shot ( dropping the baby at Grandpa's ) in case you ever want to meet up ther.

 

Welcome!

Sandy

Good ideas here.............IMO........a revolver will be the easiest to learn and be comfortable with right out of the gate.....but.....IMO, you should be looking at a .38 Special.....no problem handling it and ammo costs vary from inexpensive to whatever load your lookin' for. Most women I have known get tired of the little .22 cal very quickly and look to move up soon after purchasing thier first handgun.

I reccomend the Lady Smith ............women seem to like it alot........Good Luck and always practice the rules of safe gun handling.

a lot of good suggestions here, I would like to repeat one.

if you have not gotten proper training in the use of a firearm go get it..

 

you will know the right handgun when you feel it.

 

there is a lot to consider,feel,reputation, price..

 

but YOU and only YOU must like it and be comfortable with it..

"No , Not Without Pete" Funny !

I always recommend starting off with a .22LR. Otherwise, you risk scaring off the person from firearms in general. Not sure how some of you can recommend a .357 revolver for a 1st time shooter. Nothing like making her never want to shoot another gun in the future. Get a .22LR 1st. There are hundreds to choose from. First decide on whether you want a revolver or semi-auto, then go from there. I personally like my Taurus 94 5" revolver. It holds 9-rounds and you can get speedloaders for them. The stock trigger is heavy, but a replacement spring can fix that a bit. With a revolver, there's less to go wrong, less to worry about, and a bit easier to clean. You'll run across many haters of the .22LR, especially when HD/SD is discussed, however none of those haters would ever let me shoot them with my .22LR weapons . Whatever to choose, good luck and welcome.

I always recommend starting off with a .22LR. Otherwise, you risk scaring off the person from firearms in general. Not sure how some of you can recommend a .357 revolver for a 1st time shooter. Nothing like making her never want to shoot another gun in the future. Get a .22LR 1st. There are hundreds to choose from. First decide on whether you want a revolver or semi-auto, then go from there. I personally like my Taurus 94 5" revolver. It holds 9-rounds and you can get speedloaders for them. The stock trigger is heavy, but a replacement spring can fix that a bit. With a revolver, there's less to go wrong, less to worry about, and a bit easier to clean. You'll run across many haters of the .22LR, especially when HD/SD is discussed, however none of those haters would ever let me shoot them with my .22LR weapons . Whatever to choose, good luck and welcome.

 

Don't pigeonhole anyone into a .22 because you don't know if they can "handle it" my gf is 5' tall and she started on a .45 and loves it. Read my post over and u recommended a .357 for the versatile rounds hou can use including. 38 wadcutters. If you've never shot one through a heavy framed gun there is almost no recoil to speak of. Give people more credit.

 

Edit*

Keepin it simple, 4 inch 38 special revolver. Or, if it's gotta be a semi auto Walther PK380 is a great gun and you can get a 22 to match it.

Don't pigeonhole anyone into a .22 because you don't know if they can "handle it" my gf is 5' tall and she started on a .45 and loves it. Read my post over and u recommended a .357 for the versatile rounds hour can use including. 38 wadcutters. If you've never shot one through a heavy framed gun there is almost no recoil to speak of. Give people more credit.

 

Edit*

 

 

I didn't initially see your reference to the wadcutters, so I apologize for that. Yes, I've shot a .357 from 4", 5" and 6" barrels. To say there is "almost no recoil" is ridiculous. To you, the recoil is probably controlled and manageable. Take a look at those videos where some punk-a** 16-year old gives his girlfriend something like that, with her not knowing what to expect and see the end result. More times than not, it's been injury and almost people getting shot. I will not "give people more credit" when I've seen what I've seen in the past. If you can shoot it fine, great for you. If your GF can do that same, hats off to her. I'm pleased that she is proficient. To suggest that someone start on a .357 round is irresponsible, in my opinion, but you did mention being able to start on the wadcutters and lesser .38 special round, so that's much better.

 

 

 

I didn't initially see your reference to the wadcutters, so I apologize for that. Yes, I've shot a .357 from 4", 5" and 6" barrels. To say there is "almost no recoil" is ridiculous. To you, the recoil is probably controlled and manageable. Take a look at those videos where some punk-a** 16-year old gives his girlfriend something like that, with her not knowing what to expect and see the end result. More times than not, it's been injury and almost people getting shot. I will not "give people more credit" when I've seen what I've seen in the past. If you can shoot it fine, great for you. If your GF can do that same, hats off to her. I'm pleased that she is proficient. To suggest that someone start on a .357 round is irresponsible, in my opinion, but you did mention being able to start on the wadcutters and lesser .38 special round, so that's much better.

 

I don't see anyone suggesting a .357 round exclusively. A .357 pistol has the ability to accept several different rounds and having. 357 rounds as self defense while practicing with .38 seems like solid advice to me. What is the problem there?

Btw the recoil comment I made was for wadcutters in a solid. 357 frame. I don't think you are reading my posts as I intend them.

I don't see anyone suggesting a .357 round exclusively. A .357 pistol has the ability to accept several different rounds and having. 357 rounds as self defense while practicing with .38 seems like solid advice to me. What is the problem there?

 

 

Stepping up from wadcutters, to .38 special, to .357 magnum is a nice progression. I certainly agree with that.

Btw the recoil comment I made was for wadcutters in a solid. 357 frame. I don't think you are reading my posts as I intend them.

 

 

You're probably right. Sorry about that.

My wife loves her S&W 686 revolver, 6" barrel, shooting .38 Special Wad Cutters. A little bit of a kick, you know you shot something, unlike a .22 where you wonder if it doing anything.....................

 

A 586 or 686, 4" barrel, can shoot a lOT of different types of ammo through it, Ruger has their own version too.

 

The semis are nice, but some people do not like the way you need to slide the action back to get the gun loaded for that first shot. You can pinch your hand if you have it in the wrong spot. Now, follow-up shots are nice in that they are now single action, very short pull on the trigger, unlike a revolver.

 

You can pull the hammer back on a revolver and shoot single action, but that takes time. If you get enough practice you won't need to pull the hammer back.

 

 

 

You're probably right. Sorry about that.

 

No worries. Just want to have the right info out there.

I'm a female who started with a .40, I now have a 9mm and 22 as well. I like the 22 but wouldn't rest my life on it in terms of self defense. Most of my female friends prefer my 9, personally I am most comfortable with my 40. If your thinking a 22 revolver though I have to recommend the ruger single six with the conversion to 22mag its a nice gun.

As a small female , I have to chime in here. I can't picture a grown person , man or woman , having that much trouble with a .9mm , .40 or .45 cal. , at least not the ones I have shot ..the .357 was fun I thought , and a bit snappy , yes but once you are use to shooting I find absolutely nothing about it that says "too big of a round ". Granted I've never shot a snubnose or anything , just my husband's 6 " 686.

 

When people say things like "start with a .22 or else they'll get scared off of guns" it would lead a woman or smaller guy to believe there is some kind of big recoil out of a .9mm or a say a .45 . Quite frankly , I found my husband's CZ 76 .40 cal to be the easiest to shoot and keep on target , hardly no recoil , and less recoil even than his .9mm PX4. Must be the frame and the ergonomics absorbing the recoil on the CZ ((shrug))