My wife finally agreed to go to the range with me and my son, and had a great time. She was very comfortable with .22 rifles (and a great shot!) but did not like the recoil on my 9mm handgun. She decided she wants to get her own handgun, and applied for her FID and P2P. Her short list of handguns in .22 - M&P22, Mosquito, SR22 and a Sig P226. This is by looks alone - she hasn't tried any of them yet. She wants to rent each of these to see which is the best fit for her, which i think is a great idea. I have been tasked with finding them. I see from the ranges that have their rental inventories online that most are available - except the P226. I've only shot at range 14, and they don't have any rentals. Does anyone know of a place to rent that firearm (or all of them) in .22? I also want to make sure that whatever range we go to she feels safe and comfortable at. We don't mind driving to find it NJ or PA.

 

thanks,

joe

If you want the full size Sig I believe that is the 229. Heritage Guild in Easton PA has a very decent rental selection. I'm not 100% on their rental inventory but you could try giving them a call.

I would also recommend looking at a Ruger SR2.  I have one that my wife and kids love. 

Try RTSP. They have a pretty good rental selection of .22 handguns.

 

Here is their current list but they may have more.

 

H&R Sportsman 9 Shot (Revolver)

Ruger SR-22

GSG 1911-22

Beretta Neos

Browning BuckMark Camper

Ruger Mark II

Sig Sauer Mosquito

Smith & Wesson 22-A

Smith & Wesson M&P22

Smith & Wesson Model 617

Taurus Tracker

Umarex Colt Gold Cup

we have a M&P22..  wife loves it..  good size, still light to hold, and light to shoot..  and the slide racks quite easily (which is good for my weak-ass wife)..  dont know that you can go real wrong with any of them though

Try RTSP. They have a pretty good rental selection of .22 handguns.

 

Here is their current list but they may have more.

 

H&R Sportsman 9 Shot (Revolver)

Ruger SR-22

GSG 1911-22

Beretta Neos

Browning BuckMark Camper

Ruger Mark II

Sig Sauer Mosquito

Smith & Wesson 22-A

Smith & Wesson M&P22

Smith & Wesson Model 617

Taurus Tracker

Umarex Colt Gold Cup

 

Based on that list, I would schedule a trip to RTSP.  That's going to get you the largest selection of 22 cal handguns right there.  I have not checked what Woodland Park Range has available for rent in 22LR...

 

As an aside, which 9mm handgun did she shoot?  Perhaps if she shot something a bit larger than what you have, it might soak up more recoil and she won't be as disappointed with it?  I find the 92FS, though large in the hand, to soak up the 9mm recoil quite well.

My vote goes for the sig 22 classic. Of course she needs to shoot it and decide for herself but having the option at a later date when she "does" enjoy the recoil of a 9mm or larger a simple x-change kit gets her a new toy for much less than a another gun.

 I have the 40cal kit and with just a couple of extra barrels I can shoot 22, 9mm, 357 sig, and 40 all with the same frame. 

Ruger sr22 is relaible

 

Mosquito is finicky with ammo

 

the sexy PPQ M2 22 is coming soon with 12rd mags

My wife followed the same track and bought the Sig p226 classic in .22lr about 8 months ago. She absolutely loves the gun, and as stated in multiple threads on the forum, decided after a couple of months of shooting about 100 rounds a week that she would like to try my CZ 9mm, which she did and also liked a lot  despite her original dislike for the recoil before she bought her 22. She now loves her sig conversion and the ability to switch back and forth within seconds (literally seconds) and recently, when questioned by me said if she could only have one or the other it would now be the 9mm. 

She has also found that my 357 and 38 are "not bad at all", so I always advise buying a convertible 22 as a woman's first gun. The added advantage is that you can add extra calibers without all the p2p bs. By the way we rented a 45 and she now likes that baby too.

Soo, I am a member at Heritage in Easton and we would be more than happy to set up a meet up with you so she could try my wifes Sig and anything else we have including a Browning Buckmark 22 for comparison. She will also readily share her experiences and thoughts which seems to carry more weight with the women than a husbands advice.

Let me know

Gun For Hire in Woodland Park (rental list here) is a clean, modern range. Go on a week night (they're open until 9 or 10) to avoid the Saturday/Sunday crowds. As for recoil, some good points discussed in a thread about the 22/45 (here).

 

Suggestion? Letting her buy whatever 22, for whatever reason, with zero input from you. Then (by coincidence) you should pick up a center fire version of the same. You can figure out the rest. Good luck.

Based on that list, I would schedule a trip to RTSP.  That's going to get you the largest selection of 22 cal handguns right there.  I have not checked what Woodland Park Range has available for rent in 22LR...

 

As an aside, which 9mm handgun did she shoot?  Perhaps if she shot something a bit larger than what you have, it might soak up more recoil and she won't be as disappointed with it?  I find the 92FS, though large in the hand, to soak up the 9mm recoil quite well.

Dan,

RTSP looks like the place to go, we will definitely take a ride up there.  The handgun she tried was my XDm 9mm 4.5 - part of the reason i went with that was because it seemed 'low recoil', hoping my wife and son would get interested. 

 

 

My wife followed the same track and bought the Sig p226 classic in .22lr about 8 months ago. She absolutely loves the gun, and as stated in multiple threads on the forum, decided after a couple of months of shooting about 100 rounds a week that she would like to try my CZ 9mm, which she did and also liked a lot  despite her original dislike for the recoil before she bought her 22. She now loves her sig conversion and the ability to switch back and forth within seconds (literally seconds) and recently, when questioned by me said if she could only have one or the other it would now be the 9mm. 

She has also found that my 357 and 38 are "not bad at all", so I always advise buying a convertible 22 as a woman's first gun. The added advantage is that you can add extra calibers without all the p2p bs. By the way we rented a 45 and she now likes that baby too.

Soo, I am a member at Heritage in Easton and we would be more than happy to set up a meet up with you so she could try my wifes Sig and anything else we have including a Browning Buckmark 22 for comparison. She will also readily share her experiences and thoughts which seems to carry more weight with the women than a husbands advice.

Let me know

sof,

That sounds great. We will happily take you up on your offer. I think a more experienced person, especially another woman, would help her make the decision. Let me know when it would be good for you.

 

thanks,

joe

Dan,

RTSP looks like the place to go, we will definitely take a ride up there.  The handgun she tried was my XDm 9mm 4.5 - part of the reason i went with that was because it seemed 'low recoil', hoping my wife and son would get interested. 

 

 

sof,

That sounds great. We will happily take you up on your offer. I think a more experienced person, especially another woman, would help her make the decision. Let me know when it would be good for you.

 

thanks,

joe

We go almost every Monday morning. Thursday after 2:30 is usually good as well. Let us know. By the way, eventually she should try my CZ.  Due to its weight, it has very low recoil even less than most other 9mm. But, I'd wait on that, slow and steady wins the race.

Sof actually Joe

Tuesday is ladies day at HG. 1/2 price range & gun rental, 10% off ammo. We go then. The M&P 22 had problems with ejecting. She loved the SR22 enough that one of my first two P2P will be used on a purple one. The other will most likely go for the new Remington R51 for me.

As long as she's checking out guns, and she likes .22s, have her try a revolver. S&W 617 is my choice, but there are many others.

Like A couple others posted, Try to figure just what her interest level is or may advance too.  That will lead you both in the right direction as far as platform goes.  If she seems to be wanting to go up the ladder of calibers, Then I would suggest the P226 in 22, then add A X-change kit.   If she just wants to linger with the 22 then let her decide.  Or let her get what 22 she wants and if it leads elsewhere just start shopping again for A centerfire for her.

If I were you I'd show her the Sig offer of buy-one get-one free on some of their 1911 models.  You get a new Tacops, she gets her .22.

 

Sounds like a win-win to me...

The M&P 22 had problems with ejecting.

Sorry to hear you had trouble with the M&P 22.  I have fired probably over a thousand rounds through mine without a single non-ammo related problem..  Mine has been very reliable. 

May have needed cleaning. It was a range rental. But we both found the SR22 to "fit" better.

probably..  they dont clean them nearly as much as they should..  but fair play anyway, if you found one you liked, all that matters!