22LR vs 9mm for the handgun newb

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djmay71

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YES- I've searched the forum- can't seem to find anything specific, and I'm quite sure that this subject has been beaten to death.

Looking to purchase my first handgun within the next month.
Only problem is, the two I've brought it down to- the Kel Tec PLR 22 and the Ruger SR9- one is .22LR and the other 9mm.

Also note that this gun would pull double duty as a fun plinker, as well as teach basic handgun techniques. Now I think I know what everyone is going to say- "The PLR22 shouldn't be considered a handgun!". Why am I considering it? Not only for the tacticool appeal, but as a .22LR I can plink all day at the range for $20. As for 9mm- it would be an economical centrefire choice- although I'm not 100% sure if my local ammo source carries 9mm, but if not, I'd just place a bulk 9mm order with Ryan @ SFRC (The Ammo Source).

So either choice fits the bill- but I have the feeling that someday I'll have the hankering for a .45ACP or a .357, and I'd like the transition from beginner pistol to intermediate pistol to be a smooth one.
 
Get the .22LR because it's gonna see the most use! This is my go-to teaching gun for wife, kids, newbies, co-worker NDP teachers, and all those people you wanna build a positive relationship with! The .22LR pistol is a no-brainer and yes, we shoot thousands of .22 LR out of them for cheap! Muscle memory is your objective and I'm a big advocate of conversion kits and / or dedicated .22LR pistols.

That being said, I do own 9mm platforms in Browning HP and STI 1911 single stack Spartan. They don't get shot a whole lot, just a few hundred rounds here and there.

Your .22LR is your ace-in-the-hole. Pick wisely and ensure you buy a few spare magazines. My next fav .22LR pistol is the Ruger 22-45 in any of their formats because they are accurate (more accurate than I can ever hold it) and they can be had with MANY spare magazines for cheap. :D

Cheers and keep us posted on what you get!

Barney
 
You posted this in the pistol section, you desired goal is to learn the basics of handguns therefore the only choice (of the two, as there are better) is the Ruger.
 
for one thing, they're right - it's a rifle without a buttstock, not a pistol- it'll teach you NOTHING about the way a pistol handles, even if the controls are in the same place-so why not get a 22 top end for your ruger, and switch back and forth as needed?- or get one that does- as for 9mm, it's HIGHLY UNUSUAL that a gunstore won't carry rounds- that and 45acp are the most common, along with 45acp, just like 38/357- in short,get your 9mm , get a CONVERSION KIT for the ruger, and FORGET THE KEl-tec-if you can't get a conversion kit for the ruger, find one that does switch, like a sig, or a 1911 or something- be prepard that the conversion kit can or will cost as much as a dedicated 22
 
What he said. Get a 9mm ie CZ or Sig, then a 22 conversion kit, if you really want it. A .22lr pistol gets real borning real fast, the Ruger pistols anyway, these things are too damn accurate, LOL.


t-star said:
for one thing, they're right - it's a rifle without a buttstock, not a pistol- it'll teach you NOTHING about the way a pistol handles, even if the controls are in the same place-so why not get a 22 top end for your ruger, and switch back and forth as needed?- or get one that does- as for 9mm, it's HIGHLY UNUSUAL that a gunstore won't carry rounds- that and 45acp are the most common, along with 45acp, just like 38/357- in short,get your 9mm , get a CONVERSION KIT for the ruger, and FORGET THE KEl-tec-if you can't get a conversion kit for the ruger, find one that does switch, like a sig, or a 1911 or something- be prepard that the conversion kit can or will cost as much as a dedicated 22
Click to expand...
 
I don't know what a Ruger SR9 is, but I think most people would suggest you start with a .22 handgun. The basic Ruger .22 with a 5" or 6" barrel would be fine. Takedown is kind of a pain, but they're good guns. Hi-Standard, Colt, Smith & Wesson, as well as several other companies make basic .22 handguns that are all quite good. My two cents worth is to pick a handgun that fits your hand well, has a five- or six-inch barrel and will function with standard .22 LR cartridges. Once you're consistently able to hit what you aim at with that gun, you ought to be able to transition pretty well to anything else. There will be people who will tell you to skip the .22 and go directly to the heavier calibers. It's your choice, or course, but if it were me starting out, knowing what I know after shooting for fifty years, I'd start with a good quality, basic .22.
 
For a first handgun, a .22 is a good choice, but not necessarily the Kel-Tec.IMO
Why not get a more conventional .22 and get the Kel-Tec, later?
But get what feels good to you, and what you want to shoot.
Better to enjoy what you're shooting, and look cool, than to shoot well, and be miserable!lol
 
Both! :D
I taught a lady friend of mine with my Buckmark. Within 2 minutes she was shooting a huge hole in the target and told me she was getting bored with it.
Just stupid accurate.

9 millimeter will add an element of complexity with recoil management.
 
I have never seen the point of starting people on .22s.

If you happen to like .22s, I have nothing against them. I think they are potentially a useful training tool if you understand their limitations...my preference is for a conversion kit for an existing firearm so the trigger is exactly the same as on your real gun.

I have an AA kit for my G17, for example.

But I don't have a ton of use for .22 pistols generally. I find them a little boring to shoot, and if you spend all your time on .22s, you don't learn to manage recoil properly.

Of course you can get pretty good on trigger press, and sight alignment, and all that...but that's all pretty easy anyway. I have generally had the experience that most people, in the space of an afternoon, can learn to slow-fire very tight groups with a bit of instruction. It's recoil management that seems to be the sticking point for most shooters I see.
 
Well some people say don't bother with the .22, but they must be rich. If I had all the money in the world I would shoot .45 acp all day, but I am not so .22 is the way to go to get the most trigger time. More shooting = more practice = better shooter.

As someone already mentioned, a conversion kit will cost the same as a whole .22 gun.

Also the kel tec is not really a handgun, more of a short barrel rifle with no stock, so it's not much use as a pistol trainer
 
i dont think what calibre has a ton of bearing on how much fun you have shooting.

shooting a rack of plates as fast as possible is just as fun in 9mm as .22 and shooting a target at 10m slowly is just as boring in 9mm as in .22

.22 just makes it cheaper so you can do it more often
 
I started with a 9mm, second gun was a .44mag :cool: eventually few guns down the road I got a .22 Norinco -my reasonining was cheapest gun in a cheapest caliber I can shoot. It worked great, but I kinda decided to get a GSG 1911 on a whim and sold the M93 (GF wasn't happy btw, apperently it was her gun). I now have 2 other .22's in the safe and start every range session with one of them. It's kinda like working out; you start light and work your way up. Just makes sence, you also save on ammo. I like the *idea* of a convertion kit but they cost more than most 22 guns, so I don't see the point.
 
djmay71 said:
SR9 it is. Sending a msg to Wolverine, who has it listed at $470. Anyone know were a person might be able to get aftermarket magazines for this?
Click to expand...

Picked one up myself a couple months ago. Very under-rated gun IMO. Only complaint I have so far is the trigger is a little gritty and If you have long fingers (which I don't) you might find it a little to slim.

Wantsalls has the extra mags for you.;)
 
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