New gun owner - Walther P22?

[nullvalu]

So, I'm going to purchase my first handgun in the next couple of weeks. I'm looking for something that will be fun & easy to learn to shoot, and something that my wife could handle as well. Call it a bonding experience, she's never fired a gun before. So I really like the Walther P22, I think this would be a good and relatively inexpensive pistol to learn with. My co-worker is really into guns (former Marine), and thinks the P22 would be good, or recommends looking into a Ruger.

So, what does the forum suggest? Walther P22 or Ruger?

 

[maeqFREEDOMfree]

both are great guns and .22 ammo is VERY easy to come by and very inexpensive. If i was given the option of one or the other, i'd go with the cheaper gun. personally, i think either would be a good choice have fun!

 

[Cleaner44]

I suggest something a bit heavier like 9mm or 40 s&w.

 

[maeqFREEDOMfree]

I suggest something a bit heavier like 9mm or 40 s&w.

i'd second that if you're keeping self defense in mind. but if you're just looking for a gun you can shoot, a 22 is pretty cheap to operate.

 

[MarcS]

The P22's i have used have been a bit picky with ammo. That being said they are pretty neat and the supressor packages i have seen for the are super cool.

Let me give my suggestion for something that may suit you quite well if you have the money.

Advantage Arms makes a stellar 22 conversion kit for glock pistols. If you, say, purchace a Glock 19 and the conversion kit, you can learn to shoot on cheap 22's then step up to a 9mm without changing your manual of arms since the gun will fit and function exactly the same as normal with the kit installed.

I use mine to train new shooters and it is dead reliable using cheap wal-mart bulk 22's.

 

[Maz2331]

That sounds like a good starter piece to learn with, and .22 ammo is cheap enough that you can really practice with it enough to get good. Pistol shooting is all about timing, feel, and trigger control which take a little while to really get the hang of.

After getting "good" with the .22 is the time to move up to the 9mm/40/10mm/45 class.

Besides, a good .22 is just a lot of fun to shoot.

 

[maeqFREEDOMfree]

The P22's i have used have been a bit picky with ammo. That being said they are pretty neat and the supressor packages i have seen for the are super cool.

Let me give my suggestion for something that may suit you quite well if you have the money.

Advantage Arms makes a stellar 22 conversion kit for glock pistols. If you, say, purchace a Glock 19 and the conversion kit, you can learn to shoot on cheap 22's then step up to a 9mm without changing your manual of arms since the gun will fit and function exactly the same as normal with the kit installed.

I use mine to train new shooters and it is dead reliable using cheap wal-mart bulk 22's.

this is a great idea... two birds, 1 stone and all. learn to shoot for cheap and have protection when you need it without having to buy another gun (although getting a new gun is a great feeling lol)

 

[1000-points-of-fright]

The P22 is a great gun. It's comfortable and fun to shoot. I've never had a problem with mine.

The Glock 22 conversion is a good idea... if you like Glocks. I don't. They're ugly and too finicky about how you hold them. Some might say "then learn how to hold them". What if I'm injured or taken by surprise? If for some reason I use bad technique on my first shot, I want to be able to get off subsequent shots. If I limp wrist a Glock, I'd have to spend precious time clearing a jam in order to shoot again.

Sorry, didn't mean to go off on an anti-Glock rant.

In summation... Walther P22 A-OK Joe!!

 

[youngbuck]

Sig Sauer just came out with some competition for the P22, so I'd check that out too.

 

[Maz2331]

The P22 is a great gun. It's comfortable and fun to shoot. I've never had a problem with mine.

The Glock 22 conversion is a good idea... if you like Glocks. I don't. They're ugly and too finicky about how you hold them. Some might say "then learn how to hold them". What if I'm injured or taken by surprise? If for some reason I use bad technique on my first shot, I want to be able to get off subsequent shots. If I limp wrist a Glock, I'd have to spend precious time clearing a jam in order to shoot again.

Sorry, didn't mean to go off on an anti-Glock rant.

In summation... Walther P22 A-OK Joe!!

I have a 10mm Glock and can't jam it in any way shape or form, ever. Even empty cases in the middle of a magazine feed just fine, and it always cycles regardless of the hold.

Maybe lower recoil rounds like 9mm may have a problem with not being held tightly, but something heavy like the 10 has enough snap to cycle the slide and toss brass 15 feet.

 

[Doktor_Jeep]

Well if it's simply an entry level gun for target practice, and practice one must, then a .22 is a great gun to start out with and the ammo is cheap.

I can say the Walther is a good quality product however for a starter it might be too expensive. Walther is a good name in guns and sought out by those looking for that quality.

For a beginner it may be better to start out with the best beginner .22 in the world: the Ruger.

There are many Ruger pistols in .22 and I won't list them all here. I would like to suggest a Ruger 22/45 with a bull barrel. It has very low recoil and the grip angle is the same as a 1911. I used to have one and everybody who used it spoke highly of it.

You can get one for under $300 yet for some reason magazines are getting pricey.

 

[1000-points-of-fright]

I can say the Walther is a good quality product however for a starter it might be too expensive. Walther is a good name in guns and sought out by those looking for that quality.

For a beginner it may be better to start out with the best beginner .22 in the world: the Ruger.

There are many Ruger pistols in .22 and I won't list them all here. I would like to suggest a Ruger 22/45 with a bull barrel. It has very low recoil and the grip angle is the same as a 1911. I used to have one and everybody who used it spoke highly of it.

You can get one for under $300 yet for some reason magazines are getting pricey.

You can get a new Walther P22 for around $250.

 

[SWATH]

The p22 with a suppressor is cooler than I can describe to you in words. I've shot one in my friends basement into a cardboard box filled with stacks of old magazines. It sounds like a blowgun, or the sound of shooting a really hard spit wad out of a straw. The bullet striking the stack of magazines sounds like hitting them with a baseball bat.

I also have a Ruger MkII which is very well made but is more suited for target shooting. I am also looking for a p22 myself.

 

[nullvalu]

Also... My wife doesn't really want to have a gun in the house. I have told her all about the combination safes but she's still not really interested. I completely understand where she's coming from.. We have 3 small kids.. But I think it would be more than fine locked up in a combination safe. Any ideas on how to win her over? Can someone recommend a good (small) combination safe? Something that could fit in a nightstand drawer would be perfect.

I want to tell her that if I'm going to get one I should get it before March 18 because after that the supreme court may outlaw guns.

 

[pcosmar]

Several available. you might want to check different types.
here are some.
http://www.safesrus.com/handgun-safes.html
http://www.safetysafeguards.com/
http://www.gunvault.com/

 

[MarcS]

The P22 is a great gun. It's comfortable and fun to shoot. I've never had a problem with mine.

The Glock 22 conversion is a good idea... if you like Glocks. I don't. They're ugly and too finicky about how you hold them. Some might say "then learn how to hold them". What if I'm injured or taken by surprise? If for some reason I use bad technique on my first shot, I want to be able to get off subsequent shots. If I limp wrist a Glock, I'd have to spend precious time clearing a jam in order to shoot again.

Holding my G19 with only my thumb and my middle and index finger on the trigger, i can't make it jam. I don't know what you have done to yours...oh, wait, i do: you've never owned one.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. They take so little effort to hold correctly you should never have a limp wristing problem.

 

[SWATH]

Tell her the irony in letting strangers with guns guard her money in the bank or her children at school, but not letting her own husband guard her and her childern with one.

 

[nullvalu]

Tell her the irony in letting strangers with guns guard her money in the bank or her children at school, but not letting her own husband guard her and her childern with one.

hmm. good point.

 

[Dr.3D]

Converting my Glock 37 to use 22lr ammo.

After reading about using a 22lr for practice, I decided to get the 22lr conversion kit for my Glock 37. When it arrives, I'll be able to practice a lot more without having to pay the huge prices for the 45 GAP ammo I usually use. I hope the kit is as good as those who have rated it say it is.

Here is the web site I ordered it from:
http://glockstore.com/pgroup_descri...rsion+Kit/?return=?tpl=index&category_id=349&

 

[Original_Intent]

I have never had a .22 handgun, but really like my Ruger 9mm.

.22 definitely rocks for the cheap ammo. It may not have the stopping power of bigger guns, so just get good enough with it to put their eyes out. I think a .22 can make a fine self defense weapon, and you don't have to worry about having your carpets and walls cleaned afterwards.