.22 Revolver for the Wife

[TunnelRat]

All,
I'm relatively new to the shooting scene and my wife is even newer. She likes shooting, but she has very small hands and the recoil on larger calibers unnerves her. She's used a .22 revolver before, some Smith version, and enjoyed it very much. However I have tried to get her into .38 special and I don't think she feels comfortable enough at this point. Her complaints are that it can be hard for her to reach the trigger and more so the heavier calibers have too much recoil. I think if she shoots .22 for a while she would be able to handle it, but I don't want to force her at this point.

My problem is all the .22 revolvers I seem to be able to find are like $500 at local gun shops around me. While I want her to be able to go shooting with me, it's hard to swallow paying that for a .22 when I could get some nice .38 or even .357 for that price.

Do people know of any reasonably priced .22 revolvers for a beginner and where I might be able to acquire them if they are online?

Thanks,
-TR

 

[aarondhgraham]

Hello TunnelRat,,,

Yep, that's a common dilemma,,,
Revolvers are often quite expensive,,,
Especially since there aren't that many made in DA/SA.

You might consider a Charter Arms Target Pathfinder .22,,,
A lady friend of mine has one and it's a good performing revolver.

The trigger was a bit gritty at first,,,
But after a couple of hundred rounds of inexpensive bulk pack ammo,,,
It smoothed out very nicely and it's now a very slick DA trigger and a great SA trigger.

Buds Gun Shop has them for $342.00

One additional thought though,,,
You can buy a very nice .22 target semi-auto for less than $300.00

These are the 5 most common target style .22 pistols out there,,,
Any one of these 5 will give you many years of excellent performance.

I've not listed them in any order of preference.

Browning Buckmark = Great pistol but I found the grip to be funky.
Ruger 22/45 Mk II or MK III = Great pistol with a 1911-ish grip.
Beretta U22 NEOS = Great pistol with a very slender grip.
Ruger Mk II or MK III = Great pistol with a luger-ish grip.
S&W 22A = Great pistol with a very fat grip.

Any of these will serve you and your lady very well for many years,,,

They are all reliable firearms that aren't ammo picky,,,
Rather than sweat over which one is better,,,
Get the one that fits her hand the best.

Hope this helps,,,

Aarond

 

[glenncal1]

You might also want to have her try a .32 caliber revolver. If you get one chambered in .32H&R she can shoot .32 longs as well for a cheaper range practice and the magnums for SD. They are louder than a .22 but not much recoil (especially the longs). Smith makes a few models on the J frame that should fit her hand. I am not sure if the are in the current product line-up but the 431 (exposed hammer) and the 432 (shrouded hammer) were offered in .32 H&R

 

[22-rimfire]

My suggestion is to buy quality the first time around. In your particular case, I think the 3" S&W M63 may be a great match for you wife. Yeah, I know they're expensive.

You choices new for less expensive DA revolvers are the Taurus models M94 and the Raging Bull one that is relatively new, and Charter Arms Pathfinder. I can't or won't recommend the Taurus or Charter Arms revolvers. But I would like to shoot a Pathfinder to see how it does.

In single action, you have the great Ruger Single Six, and some offerings from Heritage and Uberti. I was eyeing up a Uberti single action a month or so ago. Seems like a pretty nice little revolver.

Used.... look for an H&R 999. Will have a very strong trigger, but many really like them since you can often buy really nice ones for under $250.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

How much does your wife shoot?

For less than 100 bucks you can get a Lee reloading press KIT that has everything except dies. Add a set of .38 Special dies, and you'll be all set up to load reduced-power loads for your wife to shoot for practice, and you'll both still have the .38 Special firearm available for use with full-power factory ammo for home defense.

The reloading equipment will cost you less than half what a sub-caliber revolver will cost, and in the long run it can give you a lot more flexibility as well as saving you a lot of money. I'd suggest the Lee Deluxe Turret Press kit. The turret offers a good compromise between a simple, single stage press and a full progressive press.

 

[stevieboy]

It's definitely worth the price to buy quality. A Smith and Wesson 617, for about $600 used, will not wear out in a lifetime of shooting, will outperform any other .22 lr revolver out there, and will be a superb platform to train for centerfire shooting. Throw in the fact that .22 ammo remains dirt cheap and you have a solid investment.

A number of years ago I purchased a used S & W 617 in order to teach my wife how to shoot. I paid $550 for it at a show, wondered if I'd paid too much, and never regretted the purchase for a minute. Not only did the gun teach my wife how to shoot but it taught ME how to shoot as well. Before buying this gun I saw myself as an experienced, indeed "expert" shooter. Putting thousands of rounds downrange with the 617 corrected numerous flaws in my shooting and, today, I'm a far better shooter than I was before I bought this gun.

In about five years my wife and I have put more than 50,000 rounds through my 617. The gun was made back in '93 and I bought it used, so there's no telling how many tens of thousands of rounds had gone downrange from it before I got it. It performs today as well as any brand new handgun performs. It is dead on accurate, has never malfunctioned, and continues to give my wife and me tons of fun.

Yes, it's well worth the price!

 

[micksis86]

I've got a smith and wesson model 17-3 and I can't fault it. It's a beautiful gun and very accurate. And with the wide range of grips available you'd be sure to find a set that suit your wife.

 

[Scorpion8]

Taurus 971 Tracker. The grip accomodates almost any hand, the gun is very accurate.

 

[cecILL]

You might look at some of the H&R revolvers. Well built and not pricey.

 

[pax]

Both Aarond and Stevieboy gave you some good advice.

From my perspective, there are few better firearms investments than quality guns for your favorite beginner to enjoy. Try not to think of this early purchase as "only" this or "just" that, but as a great way to woo your loved one into enjoying your hobby with you.

Truly, it makes good sense to take the time and invest the money to help her enjoy her early experiences with firearms. If she enjoys her early steps along that path, she's more likely to keep going than she will if you force her past that point to somewhere where she's not comfortable or happy -- especially if you do it just to save a few bucks. Invest in helping her enjoy the early part of the firearms journey, and you'll be able to walk together with her along that path for a lot of years to come.

pax

 

[44 AMP]

We get fooled by the low cost of .22 rifles and the fairly low cost of .22 semiauto pistols. It is much cheaper to make a .22 rifle than a centerfire one, with most designs, so we expect .22 revolvers to be priced the same way. And they aren't. Because .22 revolvers are made exactly the same way their centerfire cousins are.

And, because .22 DA revolvers are a niche market, compared to centerfires, there is no price break due to volume sales.

The best full size .22 DA that I know is the S&W Model 17 or 617. None finer, but expect to pay nearly what you would for a .44 Magnum, maybe even more. On the up side, by the time your great grandchildren are ready for it, it will still be working fine for them, if you take care of it.

If you can find one, a S&W "kit gun" is a very good small(er) DA .22, or the original "Ladysmith". But again, don't expect cheap.

The op didn't mention SA revolvers, but if they are under consideration, the Ruger Single Six, and the smaller Ruger Bearcat are fine guns, and considerably cheaper than DA S&Ws, even new.

 

[Clifford L. Hughes]

Tunnel Rat:

Nothing hinders getting a tyro into shooting more then cheap equipment that an experienced shooter would have trouble shooting. Failure to hit the target will discourage most tyros. A small gun like the J frame Smith's are hard to shoot accurately. Why not purchase a Smith K frame and both of you use it for practice. After an afternoon of shooting a .22, your wife might take four or five shots with a 38 Special thus paving the way for a larger caliber later.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired

 

[jhansman]

I paid about $450 for my Ruger Single Six and it is a ball to shoot. Double the fun with the extra .22mag cylinder it comes with, which is also easy on the recoil. The grip is just a tad too small for my hands, so for a woman it might be just right. Great looking, too.

 

[10 Beers]

I got this one used for $250. I could have bought the new Heritage die cast junk next to it in the case for $200 but this was a better deal to me.

Or maybe one of these.

 

[redlevel42]

I bought this S&W Model 34-1 from 1969 very reasonably this week. It showed up on a statewide s&s page, and I made an offer. To my surprise, the seller agreed. I didn't steal it, but I got a very good deal, considering I didn't have to pay sales tax. I consider these guns, along with the stainless Model 63, to be the best little .22 revovers available. I taught my daughter to shoot with a Model 63. There is nothing like being able to shoot a lot when you want to learn trigger control, sight alignment, etc.

 

[Smaug]

I agree with Aarond's post

I'd also add that you should keep your eyes peeled for a vintage S&W 22 revolver. They used to make a lot more models than they did in the past.

Maybe a used Ruger Bearcat or Single Six would also be fun.

The Single Six also has the option of 22 Magnum cylinder, which can be pressed into use as a defense round with the right ammo.

 

[bedbugbilly]

Everyone has their own preferences and as I've often been told - go with something that feels good in the hand. That being said . . .

I bought a used Ruger Super Bearcat a while back - one of the older models - just because I always wanted one. This past winter, a shooting friend and I convinced my wife to go to the range with us and try shooting. She had never shot before. My friend has a .380 Sig that she likes a lot but my wife was afraid of the noise and recoil. I set her up with the Bearcat and she loved it. It's small and the ideal size for a woman (or a child . . of a man who is like a child!). She quickly learned how to load it and empty the cylinder after shooting and she did really well with it.

There are a number of revolvers that fit well in a smaller hand - the Ruger Bearcat worked well for my wife and she liked it enough that I know she'll go shooting with us again.

 

[Chuck Dye]

I spent a fine afternoon next to a family of shooters one day, letting the kids try any of my guns they wished ('cept the .44 Redhawk .) The jewel of their collection was a Ruger SP101 .22LR with custom grips for the kids. The frame of the SP101 allows huge variation in custom grips, accommodating almost any sized hand. Not currently in production, used SP101s are hard to find in rimfire and not cheap, but I will pounce on the first I encounter.

 

[shootniron]

Just get her any one of the great revolvers suggested here.....and of course you will need a new S&W 625 JM in .45acp to teach her the proper way to shoot her new prize.

 

[Newton24b]

theres alotof decent made decent priced 22s on the market. Do NOT overlook charter arms or heritage for something good and solid. yes its not a sw or an investment piece but the thing is, if you intend to use something dont try to get an investment piece.
ie if you want to play baseball, dont use a ball and bat autographed by gehrig or dimagio.
nobody in 1880 said "gee mr gun dealer, is this here peacemaker going to appreciate in value so that my great grandkid in 2010 can sell it for 20,000?"

also at the same time, i bet custer and his crew woulda been happy to have the cheapest most undersirable semi auto rifle on the market today.