I know this has been asked before but there is a little twist. After being together for 5 years the wife finally wants to learn to shoot.
Happy, I ran out and bought a Ruger SR22 thinking that would be a perfect little teaching gun. Good idea? Nope. Although she is in good shape and actually pretty strong, she has teeny tiny little thin weak fingers. She can't manage the double action pull. I am now thinking Glock with with .22lr conversion kit.
Any other ideas welcome. Thanks

I usually train new shooters with a Ruger Mark III, although the Mark IV seems a big improvement. They can be had with lightweight barrels, optics, whatever you want. The trigger weight is great, and they're a really fun gun.

I'd recommend one of the classic .22's with a single action trigger. The Browning buckmark is my favorite, but the rugers are very good too. Both have a very very light trigger. Have her pick up either and see which one fits her hand. The ruger 22/45 has a thin grip.

Start her off with a revolver 22 or.38spl. For auto's the new M&P EZ 380. That is what the wife is using now.

quote:

Originally posted by AVG:
Start her off with a revolver 22 or.38spl. For auto's the new M&P EZ 380. That is what the wife is using now.

This... Recently got one for my wife and it's a fantastic pistol for new shooters. The springs make racking the slide super easy and loading mags is also easy, there is a tab on the side to pull down and just slip the round in, no fighting the spring on a mag. Recoil is very minimal.

An elderly neighbor of mine with bad arthritis wants to check it out too.

Sounds like a good excuse to try a nice old 38 spl revolver . Good luck and have fun.

Lightweight 22LR semi of your choice.

.22 LR revolver?

I shoot my SR22 a lot. Have you checked the trigger pull on the double action? Compared to all my other double action only pistols it is pretty light. I wonder if there are other factors in play. Can she handle recoil at all?

Ruger Mark .22lr, any flavor.
Then revolver, Ruger, Smith, etc. SA on a revolver is about as easy it gets as far as trigger pull. Unless she'd have trouble pulling the hammer back, then nevermind.

If a P238 HD wouldn't do her well, then a Glock 42 or a 43 with the .22 kit should. You'll have the excuse of needing an extra to match hers.

I have always advocated the old classic single action target and trail guns like the Ruger mark series, old Colt woodsman and so on. One I own ( easily found pretty cheap and a great trainer)is a smith and Wesson 422. The modern combat trainer types tend to have at best so so triggers and no where near the accuracy of the old classics

Once they have learned the basics, a P250 is a great gun to learn trigger control with.

I always start folks with a 22 LR revolver with a good trigger pull. The only one in my stash that truly fits that bill is an old 3" Colt Cobra. Short of that, a 22 LR that can be shot SA if DA is intimidating.
Then on to a 22 LR semiautomatic. I tend to employ there a Beretta 70 S or Browning Buckmark.
Then onto something in 9mm (or possibly 38, depending on preferences and likely future choice). That 9mm is usually a Kahr K9, but could be another variety like Sig 226 or HiPower, depending upon hand size. Eventually, offer a Glock, depending on how things have gone.

I have been thinking of substituting a Ruger 22LR for step 2. Any thoughts about the wisdom of an SR22 vs MKIV 22/45 Lite for this role? (Or thoughts on the two in general for other purposes too? I am indeed jonesing for a Ruger 22...)

I start folks off with either my Ruger single six or Browning Buckmark semi auto pistol. Both have very nice triggers and both are pretty accurate.

Thanks for the replies. Instead of starting with the SR22, I am going to start her with the Ruger 22/45 since I already have one. Based on her handling a number of different guns that I have, I will try to move her up to either a glock 43 or a p320 compact with a small grip frame. Based on her finger strength (lack thereof) it looks like Revolvers or Da/Sa Autos are a no go.

Buckmark or Ruger 10/22. Learn the basics and then move on.

Maybe you need to put a few hundred rounds through the SR22. Break it in.

That's what I used to teach my granddaughters to shoot, and they started out really tiny.

Another vote for M&P 380 EZ: She will be able to use all of the controls including racking and loading mag. Has a good sight distance and good trigger, which will lead to success and delight with HER pistol.

At an NRA course, saw new shooter with EZ go from acceptable performance right off the bat to very good performance after a couple of boxes of ammo.

For the strength-limited shooter, the EZ is exactly right. That is a lot of present and potential shooters - all of whom we need.

I ALWAYS train a new young or female shooter on a Ruger Single six. They cannot shoot but one time before recocking.

I have seen someone shoot for the first time with an auto and pull the trigger and freak out and just keep pulling the trigger while no longer aiming at the target.

With the Single six, no kick accurate, easy trigger pull. Builds confidence and good shooting technique.
My wife graduated to a Colt Mustang and then to a Sig P-238 when the Mustang broke.