Female friendly beginner pistol?

D

Dammer

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Hey folks

I'm looking for suggestions for a beginner pistol that is female friendly, meaning not too heavy with a small grip.
Someone I spoke to at the range I recently joined recommended something with M2 in the name. I must sound like a big geek, but I am really green and doing my best to learn:redface:

Also, would anyone be able to suggest a good book on gun basics?

Thanks!:)
 
I don't know how small a grip you are looking for, but the Walther P22 has a fairly small but comfortable grip.
walther_p22_right_1200px.jpg


Also don't know what caliber you're looking for? My wife is short (5'3") with small hands, and she hates shooting any of my handguns except for the .22LR (Ruger 22/45). Aside from the grip size, she doesn't like the recoil.

*Edit: The Canadian version of the P22 will have a slightly longer barrel protruding in front of the slide.
 
Most often you will get a recommendation of various .22 semi-autos.

There is good reason to go to .22 for a new shooter. It's cheap to shoot and a lot are accurate. Recoil is minimal.

I don't know what your price range is or what you may be able to move to next but a good revolver is a great choice but one not often mentioned. It still surprises me how often new women shooters will shoot a semi-auto poorly but do quite well with a revolver. If you can get a S&W K frame revolver in .22lr or if you have a source for light reloads then one that shoots 38 Special ammo.
 
Thanks alot folks!

Price is definitely a factor. I'd rather spend more on a pistol once I have a firm foundation and know exactly what I want.
 
go for the used ruger mk 2, best bang for the buck. Possibley a smith revolver in 22, though that will be more. Taurus makes a nice 22 revolver as well for less money....
 
I notice Tradeexcanada has a High Standard Sentinel .22 revolver with 6" barrel for $150. These tend to be good shooters, I certainly like mine.
 
If you are talking about lite weight and smallest grip, I am afraid only Walther P22 will fit your need. However this gun is never a good gun in my book even newest generation is much better than the old one. Ruger 2245 is a very good gun but a little more heavy at 34 OZ, not as ###y look as P22. Anyhow we all like Ruger for a lot of reasons and you will know why later.

Trigun
 
I'll put a plug in for the Browning Buckmark .22. Available in lots of barrel configurations and grips. My wife liked shooting mine so I got her one with rosewood grips and a true-glow front site. While it's a lot nicer looking pistol than the standard, the rosewood grip is a little fatter.
 
Walther P22 :eek: stay away from them my wife shoots a Ruger Mark lll Hunter and like it
 
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what caliber do you want? .22LR? 9mm? .38spl?

if you want a .22 I'd recommend Buckmark or Norinco M93. If you want a 'real gun" look you can get Sig mosquito or Walther P22 -but they are both finicky about ammo. Taurus model 94 revolver is abother option if you want a revolver; it's pretty light has a small and IIRC holds 9 rounds in the cylinder.

For 9mm I would recommend M&P with a small backstrap.
 
...and pick up some gun buyers guide magazines. International News usually carries a number of gun magazines. It's a good way to familiarize yourself with what's out there as they list most models availabe along with price range info, calibers availabe, weight, finish etc.
 
Maple Leaf Pilgrim said:
Take her to a rental range and have her handle and shoot as wide a variety of firearms as possible. Then let her decide.
Click to expand...

I second this. If you have buddies that shoot, you could also have them bring along a variety of guns and head out for a famil session with them at your own range. I would also suggest that if she's never shot before, start with something light like a 22. The worst thing you can do a for a new shooter who may have some nervousness is to give him/her a cannon and scare the crap out of them. You want that first shot to be so enjoyable, that they want some more. Ease her into it and work up the spectrum, not vice versa.
 
I don't know if you meant you wanted gun knowledge basics, or gun-safety basics. Anyway, the safety basics can be viewed here:
http://www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca/safety-surete/safety_course_video_e.asp

The Ruger MK2 is nice, but a PIA to strip for a newbie.

If I had to recommend something for a new female shooter... I'd recommend the following if you can afford it:
Glock 17 with Advantage Arms .22lr conversion kit.

This is the way to go, light, easy maintenance, not complicated at all, when you feel comfortable you can move up to 9mm and always go back to the .22lr when you want to shoot cheap.

:)
 
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"...a PIA to strip for a newbie..." They're a PIA for anybody. Fortunately, there's no need to strip it for normal cleaning.
Male or female, makes no difference. How a handgun fits your hand is the most important thing. Go to a gun shop and try a few on for size. It needs to feel comfortable in the hand and the shooter needs to be able to easily reach the trigger. A bit too small can be fixed by changing the grips. Too big can be too, but that depends on the pistol.
The Ruger .22 fits most small hands relatively well. So does the Vostok if you can find one.
For a centrefire, forget any double action pistol. Most of them are far too big for small hands. Have a look at a Browning High Power if you're looking at a pistol. As daft as it sounds, a Colt Government Model or a copy of it will likely fit reasonably well too. Mind you, neither are the best thing for a new shooter. A .38 Special revolver would be better. Start with a .22 though.
 
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