Need recommendations for -

[Greyman50]

Needs firearm familiarization and basic marksmanship classes before anything. Then as Tom posted a trip to a range with 22 revolver rental and lots of shooting. IMHO a older Mdl.10 4” barrel would be fine for his first pistol.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

For a really long time I have recommended 22LR for new shooters.
Yes, it can be unreliable. I’ve had FTF’s lately.
But don’t recall have two in a row!
And Revolvers are usually easier for newbies than Autos.

 

[rwsmith]

I have 'J' frames, but honestly I don't count on them for SD. My regular 9mm Shield, my 9mm Shield EZ (that I'm sitting on right now), my Sig 250 (bedside) and a 'K' frame model 10 in the drawer are there for either of us. Missus Smiff has a .380 Shield EZ that she is good with that stays close to her, also. If that ain't enough, I've got several 3rd Gen Smiths I can call on as well as some heavier stuff.

 

[jstert]

anyone with gray hair probably learned to shoot with a 22lr rifle way back when. i still think a 22lr rifle is an excellent choice especially if one has access to an outdoor shooting venue.

only 22lr firearms offer lots of practice that is easy on both wallet and body.

if a rifle simply isnt on the table then i suggest a top end 22lr handgun but not a double action revolver as trigger pulls are stiff.

a ruger super wrangler single action revolver is super intuitive, and offers both 22lr for pleasant training and 22wmr for barking protection.

if i wanted my choice to be a ccw too then i suggest a ruger sr22 or s&w m&p compact 22lr pistol. both are handy, reliable, easy to fieldstrip (always crucial to proper gun ownership), gateways to larger caliber pistol siblings.

my first and only ccw and home defense piece for 25 years in then antigun locales was a steel taurus m85 38sp snubbie with thicker pachmayr grips. for an occasional shooter a 38sp revolver is tops, easily customize it with grips and ammo choices to suit your tolerances.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

A friend just got his carry license and has asked me to recommend a small, simple handgun. Given the fact that he needs to learn how to shoot and practice regularly …

Beretta 25 ACP with a tip up barrel.

For some people the KISS Principle is the best thing. Most people don’t become a Gun Enthusiast with the first handgun.

 

[Thaddeus Beauregard]

The problem with .25 ACP is terrible ammo selection, poor bullet expansion, and poor terminal performance. I would never depend on it to protect my life. It's certainly better than nothing, but 9mm, .45, .38/.357 are your best choices for a CCW given the realities of today's ammo availability and bullet technology. Even .380 is far superior to .25.

 

[Mike LaNier]

Opinions are like oral cavities (mouths); everybody has one, so here's mine: You were talking about a carry gun for a friend. As an octogenarian with small hands, I think reducing recoil is a good thing, and yet a carry gun should be, well, 'carry-able'. Most of the comments here stress good training and I would heartily agree. Having said that, I would recommend a small revolver in .32 H&R Mag. (yeah, I know, 'mouse gun'). I've carried 1911s, K and N frame Smiths, and somehow these days I gravitate to the .32 H&R. Light, small, and doesn't require me to wear suspenders to keep my pants up. .327 Federal is also a good choice, but more noise and recoil and ammo is sketchy.
Trying various guns and calibers is vital; you never know what will work best for you. My oldest daughter, about 110 lbs and small hands, carries and shoots a Star PD in .45ACP; the middle daughter is happy with a Glock 19, You never know!

 

[KenTheHunter]

A revolver for someone new to learn shooting basics (site picture, trigger control, etc, is ok. But,I would not recommend a snub nose revolver. As has been mentioned they are difficult to master and even then difficult to shoot well due to the very short site radius and recoil. There are so many striker fired "wonder nines" available today that are much easier to shoot and really are not that difficult to learn to use. Other than loading a magazine and wracking a slide the triggers feel much like a double action revolver. I've taught young nieces, nephews, and my own wife and daughter how to safely and efficiently operate semi-automatic pistols. SA/DA pistols such as the 1911, CZ75, etc. require a little more training because of the manual safeties or decockers.

A model 18 or 17

 

[cowboy94916]

Since concealed carry was only a dream, when i came of age and open carry was allowable, I started my handguning with a Ruger Single six for bunny hunting. Soon after I saw this gorgeous Colt Diamondback 22 2.5" and learned how difficult it was to shoot a short sight radius and double action. About the time I thought I had it down pat, I found out what i didn't know. I had bought a m-17 and started to shoot bullseye and learned just how bad a shot i was. Those 22's allowed me to learn at a price I could afford and it took a bit of learning I must say.
Only after I learned to shoot those,did i move on to a 27-2 6" and a 25-2 6.5". Those lead to handloading to afford enough ammo to become proficient enough for bullseye. After that, I started practical pistol and learned how to shoot double action fast and accurate enough to shoot pins.
To make this long story shorter I highly recommend a good 22 revolver shoot the hell out of it and then find a similar centerfire from the same manufacturer and learn to reload. Either that or be wealthy enough to buy at least 50 rounds of factory centerfire for practice a week till your good.
M-18 and m-15 great combo. Or 617 and 686. Or start with a 63 and J frame 38. Owned them all and depends on what fits your needs.

 

[Bozz10mm]

S&W M&P .22 Compact. Virtually the same size as a Shield 2.0.

Edit: Never mind, you're looking for revolvers.

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

Apparently not with .22 Magnum, from what I understand.
I think the magnum has a thicker rim with more priming compound, and thus more forgiving of less than optimum firing pin protrusion issues which plague many handguns in .22 LR caliber.
What say you guys who have the S&W .22 Magnum revolvers?

I have a 351C model, DAO. very light and easy to conceal, 7 rounds. If you buy good self defense ammo it would be rare that you have a FTF. But it is not a beginner's gun. Because of the ammo they have a very heavy trigger pull. Which means you need to have a strong trigger finger and a firm grip to keep from moving the weapon during the pull. That it's an Air Lite model makes it that much harder to hold steady. 1.8" barrel does the rest toward low expectations. That said they can be quite accurate out to any reasonable distance. Training and practice is key.

A 4" K frame .22 is the way to learn revolvers. And buying ammo by the case. Then going to a J frame if wanting that carry option. One thing about a .22 mag revolver, you have to be intentionally stupid to shoot yourself in the ass with one. Unlike those striker fired guns it's the trigger pull that protects you. Did I mention how heavy the pull is?

 

[Lou_NC]

How about a 63 or 317 with 3" barrel and adjustable sights? Teach basic gun handling first, then basic marksmanship using single action. Then as skills progress, introduce double action and more rapid firing. 8 rounds of stingers from a 317 should discourage a bad guy, and it carries like a feather.

 

[bananaman]

I had 2 Model 36's in the past, a 3" no dash, and a 2". I am not a terrible shot or anything but could not become accurate at all with them. My son has the 2" RB. Then I discovered the the beauty of a Model 10-5, 2". What a difference. It is not a beauty, but much better for me! Bob

 

[Muffin Man]

I like revolvers, but I would recommend a Glock 19 gen 5 to your friend as his first gun. Yeah, it isn’t as simple as a revolver, but it isn’t complex either. If had to choose one gun for my home defense and carry gun, it would be a Glock 19. After that, everything else is extra imo.

 

[Phenix]

I have a 351C model, DAO. very light and easy to conceal, 7 rounds. If you buy good self defense ammo it would be rare that you have a FTF. But it is not a beginner's gun. Because of the ammo they have a very heavy trigger pull. Which means you need to have a strong trigger finger and a firm grip to keep from moving the weapon during the pull. That it's an Air Lite model makes it that much harder to hold steady. 1.8" barrel does the rest toward low expectations. That said they can be quite accurate out to any reasonable distance. Training and practice is key.

A 4" K frame .22 is the way to learn revolvers. And buying ammo by the case. Then going to a J frame if wanting that carry option. One thing about a .22 mag revolver, you have to be intentionally stupid to shoot yourself in the ass with one. Unlike those striker fired guns it's the trigger pull that protects you. Did I mention how heavy the pull is?

I am a BIG .22 Magnum fan, but only in a rifle.
I have fired a couple of .22 Magnum revolvers, but they belonged to someone else.
I have stayed away from owning a rimfire magnum handgun myself because the published, and shooting websites that actually do chronographing show velocities only 100 or so above what .22 LR loads will do.
And then there is the noise. There’s something about the sound frequency of the .22 Magnum revolver muzzle blast that just kills my ear drums on the extremely rare occasion that I fire any gun without good hearing protection. The .22 Magnum in a handgun hurts me worse than any .38 Special, 9mm, or .45 ACP loads I have ever fired.
I already have some tinnitus, and sensitivity to certain loud noises that actually cause me pain, especially in my left ear. Too many years of being exposed to gunfire and Army helicopter turbine engine noise. Even with the best available hearing protection, sometimes those precautions are not quite good enough.
Or maybe I am just a wuss