Choosing a Beginner Handgun

[hotrodder636]

I picked up an M&P 22 for my wife a couple years ago because she wanted a .22 to shoot when she was not shooting her P30. Feel and controls similar to the centerfire models. She likes it and enjoys shooting it. The funny part is that it has turned into one of my favorite guns to shoot, moreso than my Roger Mk II and my VP9.

Actually a .22 got me thinking about this subject. The last few years when I have had time to shoot I spend most of it teaching my kids on a .22 rifle. I have owned a Glock conversion for a long time, but it never ran quite good enough and I have not had both the time and motivation (at the same time) to work on it until recently. Thinking about getting a frame for it is what got me here, if I decide say to go to an M&P then getting the M&P .22 would make more sense.

I'm not trying to overthink this, just make sure I'm not handicapping them with my Glock perspective.

[sbui]

As for your beginner handgun, and this is just opinion from a guy who worked at a range for 5 years straight.

If you are starting off static position, this is the thing that you have to try with new shooters. We always preach fundamentals, grip, stance, sight picture, trigger pull, and all that. That is in a standing position. This is also for auto loaders type guns. As we start to do the shooting and moving, all the basics kick in, and plus more stress, and then we learn about the "front sight"!

So with that said, this is what I usually do with new shooters when I worked at a range. Who were not sure what kind of pistol they wanted, we would first do an exercise in grip. I would have them show me first how they were going to hold the pistol from their own knowledge, even if they didn't know. From there would teach them a modified combat hand grip style, not tea cupping, or holding the wrist, and no index finger on trigger guard like the movies.

After that would tell the customers to put different guns in their hands, gripping them like that was shown, and let them give me the description of what the gun feels like. Keeping, "Its heavy" out of the equation of comfortable pistol. You should get feedback, like on Glocks, its boxy, on the PPQ's or Vp9's, man it feels comfortable. Then from there we would narrow it down to 2-3 pistols. Then I would have the customer, close their eyes and grip the different guns again, remember at this point its about the grip and the feel of the pistol in their hands. With eyes closed, I would put different pistols in their hands, using the 2-3 different pistols they chose. Then let them tell me which one is the most comfortable. Then they would choose it, from that point after pistol choice, we would work on the stance, sight picture, and trigger pull.

I would say this would help the majority of the people who wanted to "learn" how to shoot. Let the beginner choose the pistol that is most comfortable in their hands, not yours, and then start teaching them grip and the fundamentals. 22 pistols like the P22 and ruger SR 22, and the Ruger Mark series are great pistols to start with just basics also, and for little hands those are the best. Majority of "shooters" don't feel like spending the money on a 22 to learn and then go to centerfire. Just what I've seen in the everyday business of range and firearm sales.

I could go on for hours about "shooting" in the range!

[LMT Shooter]

Why? When are they no longer a "new shooter" for purposes of that safety usage?

Because I want a new shooter to have the idea ingrained in them, right off the bat, to use a manual safety. OP said a newbie with no experience. In this day, a lot of pistols have no manual safety, but the things taught to newbies are very likely to their first steps to a rifle or shotgun later on, and almost every single one of those w/o an exposed hammer that I know of will have a manual safety. I am way more comfy with the idea of a shooter transitioning from the use of a manual safety to using a gun w/o one than vise versa. I also may not be the sole source of instruction for the newbie, and if I've only shown them a Glock, and they go shoot with someone else who uses a Ruger 22/45, I see a potential problem.

But, I have no doubt that you are more experienced at this than I am.

To your second question, I'm not sure, other than it's gonna be a judgement call for the trainer. Newbies must be taught that there are a lot of different control/operating systems out there, and that they MUST know how to properly use the firearm when they move on to new guns.

[Warp]

Can't beat the Model 18 .22 for this--or anything else. A revolver will also let you do "skip loading" AKA "ball and dummy". Load one round, skip two chambers, and load the last two rounds side by side. That gives you a 50% chance of a live round coming up. When you hit an empty chamber you get instant feedback on how your trigger pull and follow-through was. Dirt cheap and tremendously effective. My other old favorites are a Colt .22 conversion unit (choose your ammo carefully; that "floating chamber" plugs up solid with some ammo... And I too like the old Ruger .22 autos.

A nice old .38 Special, even a Model 10, is ok too. Just use wadcutters or lightly loaded ammo. They'll shoot right along with anything out there; probably better.

That works with semi autos too, just use a snap cap or dummy round.

Or, on a VP9, just load a spent piece of brass (or three) into the magazine randomly. It will feed perfectly but go click instead of bang.

Because I want a new shooter to have the idea ingrained in them, right off the bat, to use a manual safety. OP said a newbie with no experience. In this day, a lot of pistols have no manual safety, but the things taught to newbies are very likely to their first steps to a rifle or shotgun later on, and almost every single one of those w/o an exposed hammer that I know of will have a manual safety. I am way more comfy with the idea of a shooter transitioning from the use of a manual safety to using a gun w/o one than vise versa. I also may not be the sole source of instruction for the newbie, and if I've only shown them a Glock, and they go shoot with someone else who uses a Ruger 22/45, I see a potential problem.

But, I have no doubt that you are more experienced at this than I am.

To your second question, I'm not sure, other than it's gonna be a judgement call for the trainer. Newbies must be taught that there are a lot of different control/operating systems out there, and that they MUST know how to properly use the firearm when they move on to new guns.

Do you teach them about a da/sa with decocker?

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I don't look at as rimfire vs center, more that starting off with 22lr to get the basics and ensure that you aren't building in any recoil issues and then move to centerfire(not40, which I think is the 'snappiest') and learn recoil management- and then go back to 22lr to work up repetitions. With my son we do about a 4:1 Rimfire to centerfire. Mainly done with M&P 22 and 9FS. Started with a 22/45 because I had it. Let him work around with 38 snubby and a 45ACP 2011 to understand the envelope of firearms.

[Hop]

I'll jump in here since I've been instructing for a few years now with this org: https://www.reveresriders.org/

We teach several beginner classes per year & let shooters start out with their own guns and switch them into .22 LR loaners if they are not progressing during class.

One of my own guns that I let new shooters try is a Ruger .327 Federal Magnum revolver. Reason is I can start them with SUPER light recoiling 32 S&W, then 32 S&W Long, then start stepping them up to 32 H&R (self defense worthy) Magnum and finally the little hot rod round, .327 Federal Magnum. All 4 calibers are shot out of this same exact pistol.

My daughter does fine with a 6 shot .327 Fed Mag LCR double action only pistol loaded with 32 H&R for self defense.

[LMT Shooter]

Do you teach them about a da/sa with decocker?

I carry a SIG P226 at work, keep it at home bedside, and have a P228 for carry. But I do not recommend the da/sa system to new shooters. I think it's the hardest system to learn, but I stick with it because I've been using it for decades, I'm familiar with it. If a new shooter insisted on using it, I'd help them learn it. I work as a part time instructor for a small department where you buy your own weapon, and I've seen the transition from a pistol with no safety/decocker to a pistol with a safety/decocker give folks problems. It was new & unfamiliar to them, and required multiple admonitions to the shooter to ensure proper use of the pistol. I'd rather they were trying &/or wanting to use a nonexistent safety, or decocker, than vise versa.

The last part where you quoted me I wrote "they MUST know how to properly use the firearm when they move on to new guns." I may not be the one to help them learn later on with that new gun, so I stress the importance of knowing how to use different ones. But in general I see a newbie as someone talking their first steps into the gun world and I want to instill in them good habits for later on.

My gut feeling is that there are probably more guns with a safety or decocker than without. Does this sound like horseshit?

[Warp]

I carry a SIG P226 at work, keep it at home bedside, and have a P228 for carry. But I do not recommend the da/sa system to new shooters. I think it's the hardest system to learn, but I stick with it because I've been using it for decades, I'm familiar with it. If a new shooter insisted on using it, I'd help them learn it. I work as a part time instructor for a small department where you buy your own weapon, and I've seen the transition from a pistol with no safety/decocker to a pistol with a safety/decocker give folks problems. It was new & unfamiliar to them, and required multiple admonitions to the shooter to ensure proper use of the pistol. I'd rather they were trying &/or wanting to use a nonexistent safety, or decocker, than vise versa.

The last part where you quoted me I wrote "they MUST know how to properly use the firearm when they move on to new guns." I may not be the one to help them learn later on with that new gun, so I stress the importance of knowing how to use different ones. But in general I see a newbie as someone talking their first steps into the gun world and I want to instill in them good habits for later on.

My gut feeling is that there are probably more guns with a safety or decocker than without. Does this sound like horseshit?

More "guns" with a safety or decocker than without, out there in existence or out there in the US, probably so, since long guns generally need them and a fair amount of handguns have them. But I suspect most handguns a new shooter is likely to come across today will not have a manual safety or decocker.

[Talon167]

22 is a good start. After trying a myriad of different pistols, both my mom and my wife ending up buying M&P9s. My mom was equally interested in a P30 LEM but it was a little more than she was willing to spend.

Ultimately, my mom ended up selling her M&P to me for $1 because she just couldn't get used to 9mm and didn't have the strength to manipulate the slide comfortably. So she ended up with an M&P22.

[LMT Shooter]

More "guns" with a safety or decocker than without, out there in existence or out there in the US, probably so, since long guns generally need them and a fair amount of handguns have them. But I suspect most handguns a new shooter is likely to come across today will not have a manual safety or decocker.

Long guns, as I said earlier and you seem to agree, almost always have a manual safety, hence I like newbie to know this on day one. Handguns do not always have safety or decocker, but a lot still do. I can't say definitively that you're wrong about "most," but my gut says if you are correct, it isn't a huge difference, unless the numbers are for new gun sales, then I would agree 100%. I can't think of a manufacturer other than Glock that doesn't have a model with a safety or decocker. Kahr, too, I think.