.22 Handgun for Step-Daughter

[superjoe76]

An official Red Ryder Carbine Action 200 Shot Range Model Air Rifle is pretty quiet!!

I have never shot a P22 before, but have heard them at the range and they arent too loud.

 

[45fan]

Yup, sounds like a suppressor would be ideal for her situation. Unfortunately the tax stamp alone would be almost over your budget. Something that might be worth looknig into would be a longer barreled 38 special, with a sub-sonic load. A 22 could work, but the hotter loads that would be more effective would be fast enough to have a supersonic "crack" instead of just the muzzle blast. A less than wonderful .38 would still be better than the best .22 loads.

 

[IMakeGum]

Why not also consider signing her up for the NRA basic pistol course? She'll have the training she'll need to be comfortable with the larger (and better) home defense calibers.....
She should really put whatever gun it is that she is going to own in her hands before you actually buy it for her....if it is not comfortable in her hands, it doesn't matter who coaxes her or who teaches her. She won't want to shoot it....
just my 2 cents....

p.s. after taking the basic pistol class myself, I am a strong recommender of it. I came away from it a much MUCH better shooter....and I feel confident in picking up any hand gun and shooting it. I'd even try a .50 cal if i could get my hands on one.

 

[barrelmaker_2002]

This is a rather unique situation as you need a gun that is a .22, easy to use and to be owned by someone who may not practice very much since every range trip could be a nightmare. All for $300.

Given these criteria, simplicity is key. A Walther P22 is a semi-obvious choice, but I do not feel like it is a good choice in this situation. The primary reason is if she has to use it under stress and it jams....well that could end badly and the P22 does have a rep for being a bit finicky. Second, a DA/SA trigger is simply not a good idea in these circumstances. You have to practice the transition from the DA first shot to the SA second shot, otherwise under stress the second shot will usually go quite badly off target. I will also say the mag release on the P22 is crap. Really.

There are a couple 1911 .22 pistols that may work, but this sort of pistol also violates my simplicity recommendation. You have to take the safety off to shoot it. That is something to practice and even though you can practice that w/o shooting, you have not convinced me she will do so diligently. And for the record, I am sure she is wonderful, but she does not sound like a gun person. Plus, it is a semi-auto .22 and I have issues with using such a gun for self defense regardless of who is shooting it. More on that next.

The ISSC 22 intrigues me, though I have never shot one. It is similar to a Glock, so it is definitely simple. It is also in the right price range. However, someone on these forums once said that using a semi-auto .22 for self defense is never a good idea. And I sort of, pretty much, about 99% agree with him. My semi-auto .22 pistol (a Buckmark) has some sort of malfunction at least every 200 rounds and the the various SA .22 pistols owned by the shooting club I volunteer with have issues more frequently than that. My Glock 19, with about 1000 rounds through it? Never. The Glock 26 I used to own with 750 through it? Once. I shoot at least 10-15 bricks of .22 ammo every year and my experience has consistently been that rimfire cartridges are simply not as reliable and shooting them out of a semi-auto exacerbates this.

So what I recommend is a .22LR revolver with a steel frame and a 4" or so barrel (the frame will tame the recoil and the longer barrel will keep the noise down a bit). Preferably one with more than 6 round capacity, but that is a nice to have since most self defense shootings average about 5 rounds (and most cases of a handgun used in self defense result in zero rounds being fired). A .22LR revolver is simple, very unlikely to jam and if it does not go bang...pull the trigger again. Reloads could be tricky, but the chance of needing one is pretty low and the need for simplicity is more important.

So at your price point, the Taurus model 94 and the Charter Arms Pathfinder are pretty much your choices. Now I have no experience with either gun, but they are really the only ones that meet all your criteria and mine for that matter. So if you do end up going this route, you should take the gun to the range with a .22 LR bulk pack and break it in with about 500 rounds just to shake it down and see if it has any issues. Then give it a thorough cleaning, some top quality lube and give it to her to put in the nightstand. I would tell you to have her to do the shakedown shoot, but I cannot see that happening. Also, if she does not shoot regularly, make sure she either replaces the ammo every couple of months, just to be on the safe side. Ammo can go bad. Not likely, but possible.

Another point - I will say that given more cash, an S&W revolver in .22 LR is a gun I do have experience with and I recommend them wholeheartedly.

Anyway, good luck!

Finally, I will say that I would make the same recommendation if you were talking about a stepson. If someone has the noise issue you described and thus is not likely to practice often and will only shoot a .22, their gender is simply irrelevant.

 

[SEIndSAM]

Thank you all for the recommendations. She wasn't supposed to come home this weekend, but surprised us by showing up yesterday (with laundry in hand). This gave me another opportunity to go through her options.

After discussing the problem with her, we are going shopping for a decent .22 revolver, and if I have to put a little more cash into the deal I will.

Again, thanks for all of the advice.

 

[three50seven]

I'd stay away from a 22 mag if noise is an issue. A short barreled revolver in 22 mag would be just as loud as a 38, maybe louder.

 

[CSORuger]

Take a look at a Walther p22. Light weight and easy to use. You can use 22LF, hollow points. or standard 22LF round nose. Check local firearm stores most carry them.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I have a P22 and it has been flawless. It does however, not like standard velocity ammo much. CCI mini-mags work well though. I also have a Rossi .22 magnum revolver. It has a 4" barrel and the recoil is light, but you have a little more punch over the .22LR. My favorite .22 pistol is my Buckmark though, it is dead nuts accurate.

 

[Roadie]

I would reccommend the Walther P22. They are smaller and would fit into most womens hands very easily. They come with two backstraps. I have had very few issues with mine once I broke it in. I got mine for my 11 year old son and it fits in his hands nicely and he is very accurate with it.

^this^

Can be had for $200 or less used, and they run better after being broken in anyway. Win/Win

 

[crispy]

BTW, I'm not affiliated in any way, but Indy Gun Safety has the really cool (for a girl) digital pink camo P22's in stock right now.

My daughter liked them but we're not in the .22 market.

 

[NickJ]

I grew up on a P22, and loved it. I have 2 of them, and have never had any serious problems with them. They are my inexpensive shooters!

 

[BulkAmmo]

Good luck finding a suitable revolver for her.

I agree that for home defense a rimfire in semi auto wouldn't be my first choice. I do have a S&W 22A and Ruger MKII that feed 100% with the plastic box CCI (mini-mag, standards,etc) and the Wolf Gold ammo. As long as you use the right ammo you could use a semi auto.

__________________
bulk 22 ammo

 

[gdkaiser]

Ruger MKIII series might be the best lower report than a revolver the gas excaping at the cylinders is going to add to the noise rugers like the 2245 are a good weapon and would give her 10 rounds... might be the better choice due to small caliber.

 

[Delmar]

A Charter Arms 22 revolver would carry in a purse real nice!

For home defense, wouldn't it be better to teach her the virtues of a long gun? My daughter wife and daughter don't mind the recoil of my 9mm carbine at all.

 

[sgreen3]

The Walther P22, would have to get my vote

 

[navarre1095]

I bought a Beretta NEOS for my daughter to shoot. It is well made and was only $269.00

 

[Donnelly]

So what I recommend is a .22LR revolver with a steel frame and a 4" or so barrel (the frame will tame the recoil and the longer barrel will keep the noise down a bit). Preferably one with more than 6 round capacity, but that is a nice to have since most self defense shootings average about 5 rounds (and most cases of a handgun used in self defense result in zero rounds being fired). A .22LR revolver is simple, very unlikely to jam and if it does not go bang...pull the trigger again. Reloads could be tricky, but the chance of needing one is pretty low and the need for simplicity is more important.

So at your price point, the Taurus model 94 and the Charter Arms Pathfinder are pretty much your choices. Now I have no experience with either gun, but they are really the only ones that meet all your criteria...

I second this, except I might be OK with the idea of the snubnose .22 Taurus 94. It might be a slight bit louder than the 4 inch model, but at arms length the noise difference will be mostly negligible.

 

[duffman0286]

i vote pistol model of the .22 1919 may have to shorten the barrel of this one a littlehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9M3de5mISY&feature=related