THE PERFECT BEGINNER PISTOL | PART 1
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
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Thanks for your suggestions and criteria for a beginner handgun. I would encourage you to continue with beginner rifle suggestions. I am big fan of early success for new shooters and using a reliable gun in .22 caliber with a red dot is a great way to start. I would even have the shooter sitting down with a braced position and target just a few feet away. Can't miss the target and reinforce good habits at the start. Start simple and build on success from there.
1:23 Doggo in the back! Love the 22lr update!
My first live fire I did for my ccw license was a .22 revolver. Easy to shoot, easy to sight in use proper techniques and no problem with racking slides or extras. Where I live, we have a shooting test that has to be done as well with the live fire drill for our ccw license at a local police academy. The shooting test uses a .38 revolver so learning on a .22 revolver made sense
I have a suppressed Ruger Mark IV with a dot. I love that thing! It comes with me on almost every range trip. I mounted the optic with the Lobos low profile mount, and it looks super clean.
My son’s girlfriend started with my stock S&W Victory. She absolutely loved shooting it. Very quickly she was able to load magazines and shoot it confidently. At the end of the session she had the target at 25 yards and was hitting bullseyes. She tried my 380, but immediately went back to the 22.
I like your Mark IV idea. Both of my kids and many of their friends took their first pistol shots with my Mark II. They’re great guns for beginners and both of my daughters still enjoy shooting mine to this day. It can also be a great gun to qualify with for a concealed permit.
I thought and did the same for bringing first time shooters to the range. I went with the FN502 .22, the Holosun HS 507K, and the silencer is the Erector from Q. I love it and so does everyone that shoots it. Next to my H&K SP5 (suppressed), it’s my most fun gun to shoot! Both are fantastic experiences for new shooters without ear pro and so little recoil, it’s just the best new shooter experience.
Smith and Wesson M&P 22 compact. That's what I use for new shooters. It looks and feels more like your regular handgun. Easy to mount a silencer, too.
Thankfully the 4 Canadian ladies had you there ! I've had similar experiences where I encountered new shooters and helped them out
Have both and like both. The TX22 has decent compatibility with pistol optics and comes with a variety of plates. The Ruger's picatinny rail either requires an adapter for picatinny or a direct mount plate.
My TX22 Competition has been extremely reliable and the 16 round magazines are a nice feature. Overall I think the TX22 will feel and work more like a centerfire pistol.
I bought a Ruger Mark IV for my daughter to shoot IPSC. The reliability is great as long as you have the right ammo. I tested about 6 different ammo and found the CCI works the most reliably for my gun. The gun itself is great. Easy to maintain. Easy to shoot. Can take a rail and suppressor. Tons of after-market upgrades available. The only negatives in my opinion are the grip angle and the magazines...quick reloads are pretty much out of the question. Other than those things, I would deffo recommend the Ruger. Good video.
I started with the Taurus tx22 competition. My sample of one has been super reliable with a wide variety of ammo. It has a threaded barrel but I have not put a suppressor on it. In addition to being reliable, mine is very accurate and it has been a fun gun to learn on. It gets my vote for your project.
I’d suggest the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 because the extra weight will make it softer to shoot. If you do get the Mark IV then I’d also recommend a Vorquartsen trigger, bolt stop release and safety. Make sure to look to see if the bolt stop and safety parts are made for the 22/45 or not because the parts are not interchangeable. From there I would recommend a Holosun ACSS reticle from Primary Arms. This red dot is easier for beginners. There are ruger mark IV dovetail mounting plate available if you don’t want to put on a picatinny rail. You lose the iron sights but I don’t think there’s sights high enough to see over the pic rail anyway. Since there’s no moving slide, there isn’t any stress on the dovetail mount. Good luck!
My 1st gun was a Ruger SR-22 paired with the Silent-SR suppressor. This was a perfect set-up for me & I've since taught several friends & family members (ages 8-80) with this combo with excellent results. Comfotable & easy to shoot, quiet as a kitten's whisper!! 💯🐱😊
This video is congruent with my experience. Lately I've been taking newbies shooting, and often the noise and recoil of even a Glock 17 is too much. Some can't even rack it. The best results come from my .22s, an M&P 15-22 and a GSG 1911. Neither is wholly intuitive, but both are pretty reliable (GSG with Mini-Mag). This is a great way to get into the fundamentals without the distractions that experienced shooters have learned to tune out.
Btw everyone loves the 15-22, it has the same manipulations as an AR, but weighs half as much and costs a fifth as much to shoot. A great bridge between dryfire and livefire, and really just a fun plinker. Plus you can shoot it on the pistol line and shoot steel at pistol distances.
For my granddaughter’s first foray into shooting i went with the Glock 44, with her being left handed it was a simple task to swap the mag release. Racking was a minor issue which was fixed by using a ‘ringed’ back plate. Secondary benefit 4:35 4:35 with this choice if she chooses to become an avid shooter/ Concealed carry it is the same size fit amf feel as a Glock 19. Minor drawback is lack of dot support, use an adapter plate or purchase a separate slide after market with the additional cost. Nice video thanks!
Can't wait to see more content on this! Especially on the Flow 22 Ti
I love my Taurus TX22C. It's been very reliable, the controls are simple, it's suppressor-ready and takes a 407K straight onto the slide (smaller window than the Comp, but cheaper and consistent with carry guns. The 507K ACSS reticle is also helpful for coaching). The TX22 Comp seems like a great choice.
I also first learned to shoot with a 4in Ruger Security Six from my granddad. That sucker weighed more than 2 pounds, so starting with .38 Shorts and gradually working my way up to .357 Mag, then back down to .38 Special, all in the same gun, really got me comfortable with recoil. Something like the 856 TORO would probably be great at this role (though .38 ammo was MUCH cheaper back then, and I wasn't worried about capacity or consistency with a carry gun at that time)
Taurus TX22 is a great pistol. Comes with a threaded barrel as well. Plus it's not as expensive as some of the more name brands.
FN502 Tactical is the best 22lr pistol IMO. Fully ambi, optics ready and a threaded barrel. 10 and 15 round mags, very reliable and works basically the same as larger caliber modern pistols. It’s in a class of its own when it comes to 22lr pistols.
I like this series of videos,it was a good idea.I am a new sub,and found your channel through another video of yours I just watched,you got some good video’s with some great information about the gun world.
I use a P226 with .22 conversion to teach people. Soft shooting and 100% reliable. That being said I shoot a 22/45 suppressed all the time and it's outstanding for this as well. Most folks have shot an airsoft gun or pellet gun and the suppressed shorty 22/45 feels very similar. The biggest benefit though is almost 100% of .22 ammo will be subsonic out of the 22/45
I started my wife on a small-frame Taurus M94 .22 revolver and then moved her up to an identical-framed and grips Taurus M85 in 38 special. The .38 actually shoots a little easier because of a lighter DA trigger once she was ready to move up to the greater recoil. The rimfire version needs a heavier hammer spring to ensure reliable ignition so it naturally has a heavier trigger pull.
I'm over here cheering the TX-22 Compact (not comp) because it's also great for just a trainer for regular polymer pistols. I can technically get a suppressor but I'm an apartment-dweller though I've been here long enough I could have gotten a suppressor.
But holy shit did Taurus deliver on this thing, one range trip where my buddy was trying to be polite and not hog range time and he wants to buy one, it's AWESOME.
I use a Ruger SR 22 to train people and it runs like a dream
My only complaint with the SR22 pistol is the safety. I don't mind it being a decocker but it operates upside down. I'm a 1911 shooter and a frame-mounted safety that's down for safe/decock is just wrong.
Frame mounted should be like the 1911. Push down to fire. Slide mounted should be like Walther PPK -Push up to fire.
I'd recommend the new Taurus TX22 TORO with the 22 rounds so you don't have to keep reloading and they get to have more fun plinking and learning the basics. It's suppressor ready and is light enough that a 10 year old can pick it up and immediately learn if you mount a red dot.
TX22 Comp owner here - love mine but you can’t go wrong with either choice. Cans on 22’s are stupid fun!
The teaching optic I like to use is a 407k with the ACSS reticle from Primary Arms.
A good beginner dot might be the 507K with the Vulcan reticle to help them more easily find the dot.
I've tried out the Sig P322, both with and without a suppressor, it's a great to teach people with a beginner gun.
I have a full-size Tx-22, not the competition version and the previous model of the Ruger: the Mark III. For the record, I love them both. I’ve heard good things about the Mark IV. However, the Tx 22 is more like a normal defensive hand gun. I’ve got a couple thousand rounds through the Tx22 and only 2 issues: both ammo related FTFs. I’d go with the Taurus.
300 blackout pistol with a can is what I use for beginners. Guaranteed smile even if it's a little pricey for me. Only complaint I get is that it's a bit of a heavy build (needs a lighter rail).
I have a TX22 Competition SCR. It’s a fun little pistol but it has not been super reliable. When new, it had feeding issues with most ammo. I found an ammo that fed well and that ammo has a rim that’s a tad short for the extractor, as long as a mag is in there, it’s usually ok but I get the occasional double feed and I use it in an all steel USPSA type match that makes it annoying to clear malfunctions on the clock and ruin your match. I think I worked out the feeding issues (cleaned the burrs off the insides of the mags and polished the feed ramp some) and may try to go back to CCI mini mags or other ammo to see if I can find one that will extract more reliably. Overall I like the pistol, the malfunctions aren’t constant and I’ve had entire matches without malfunctions. I have a bunch of Tandemkross parts on it that make it a little better to shoot and I picked up a cheap Swamp Fox Liberty to try out because it was so inexpensive, it has turned out to be a good little red dot (speaking of which, Taurus doesn’t use anything type of thread locker on the red dot mount that bolts to the barrel, so some heat resistant stuff- I used Rocksett is recommended). It is cool that the dot doesn’t reciprocate with the slide because it’s on the non-moving barrel, I knew that even a cheap dot should survive in that environment.
Those are great entry experience options, right up until you spring the $1500-ish price tag for those 22+suppressor+optic setups. Most new users will never get started with that barrier to entry.
The scope of this project is to create a beginner gun that I get to share with those who are trying out pistols for the first time. I wouldn't necessarily encourage a new gun owner to spend money on this kind of set up :)
I would agree that choosing a more economically priced pistol would be ideal for a beginner so that they had more coin available for ammo and most importantly, classes.
@@tessahbooth Very nice of you to make that sacrifice to bring new people into this space.
i got a tx22 Compact as my first pistol, its very fun and a great beginner gun. i tried the sr22 and i thought it was too small in my hands. tuarus has a new tx22 gen2 now that is basically the same as the compact but with a longer slide.
Oh and the ideal beginner gun was a 32 H&R magnum revolver firing 32 shorts. Great for trigger control and very easy to dry fire. Oh, and the 20 gauge Beretta Ultima for trap/skeet for my gf.
.327 Magnum allows for not only a good beginner's gun with really low-powered .32 loads but the magnum is just as good or better as .357 Magnum.
I love my Taurus tx22. But the grip is rather large for some users with smaller hands. So I landed up getting a Glock 44
My daughter is in her twenties, and she has asked me for the first time to take her shooting. One, I'm going to try to get her to get some training and support from someone other than me, as I feel that this is important (anyone with kids who have tried to teach them to drive can understand how parents teaching their kids isn't always the least stressful thing for both parties). I've shared your channel with her. My plan is to start with a .22 as well, so I have a bit of a similar project. I really wish that the G44 could be setup with an optic!
I started my girls on a ruger single six. The same one I started on. My granddaughter on a Walther P22.
Bb gun worked for me, started with cap guns actually. Graduated to a Glock 26.
the ruger is more of a target pistol, not bad, its just not a " standard" type of pistol.
Tx22 has a threaded barrel with adapter for a suppressor also. Love my tx22 compact
Taurus TX22 or SIG P322. Best .22s that still feel and function like real guns. I have both but prefer the P322. I have the older gen tx22 that isn’t optics ready.
Either one is a win.
I can vouch for the TX22 being reliable. I suppressed it and it works, but having two sets of threads on the barrel is annoying since both can come loose. I put loctite on the internal threads, but you can’t remove the barrel from the slide for cleaning. You can still clean each part of the gun, but it’s slightly annoying.
I own a taurus tx22 compact and love that thing. No failures. I would actually get the newer version of the normal full size taurus, and you can buy a trigger upgrade if you feel you need it. I don't think the competition model even has a better trigger than the normal one.
I have both the TX 22 compact and full size. They are both fantastic
Big fan of the Ruger MKIV 22/45 Lite. Just change out the trigger to a Volquartzen and you’re good to go.
My first time shooting was when I was 28 and I kinda hated it. I knew guns were loud but I didn't realize HOW loud they were. I was getting tunnel vision and my brain and nerves were freaking out.
Like 2 or 3 more sessions later and I was pretty comfortable (not good at it, just not feeling some crazy rush of adrenaline and anxiety lol). I can only afford like 50 rounds per trip, wish I got started back when I was 18 and had way more money lol.
Go with the ruger. Better gun, better company
I'm guessing the G48 is on the chopping block.
Any of the lighter weight Mark IV pistols with a dot on them would be a pretty good pistol for someone who's never shot one before. I see people struggle with defensive calibers in subcompact and micro pistols all the time and I wish they would just grab a .22 pistol and get in some trigger time with it before they move on to the bigger calibers. I want a Mark IV with a dot, mostly to play with my ego and feel like I'm super accurate, but also for when I want to introduce someone to pistols. For now I use my G44 - while the Glock sights aren't the easiest for a newbie, usually the reduced recoil and report of the .22 is enough to make the experience enjoyable and allows the new shooter to afford a little more attention span for learning.
It's been on my mind for awhile to get an M&P 22 Compact and a suppressor before my son gets old enough to shoot (he's only 1 now). Only issue with that gun is I don't think it is red dot compatible.
The Taurus with a suppressor got unreliable quickly from the back pressure.
I recommend the Ruger.
I’m guessing you’re dumping the Q5 SF.
TX22 TORO Gen2, not the competition. Suppressor ready without have to put adapter on it. Slightly heavier barrel adds just the right amount of weight to the very light gen1 and will not lead up as fast from heat.. It has the RMSc foot print so don't use the Holosun Comp. That optic is too wide for the frame. It has Glock dovetail if you want to use iron sights.
My boss has twin boys that are 4. About a month ago her sister got married and the boys were "security" for the wedding- they had their Nerf guns and walkie talkies. I told her if they wanted to try the real thing she could let me know. I have a Ruger 10/22 for just such an occasion; no 22lr pistol yet.
My guess is that you are going to part with the Q5
I took my daughter out to the range for the first time and she shot my stainless 9mm Bul Trophy Saw 1911 as her starter pistol .
P322
Try that one
Much as I'd like a can, I really don't want to pay the extra $200 tax stamp.
The gun that I give people if it's their first time is a Glock with a .22lr conversion kit from Advantage Arms , its optics ready and I can get a threaded barrel but I have astigmatism so I can't use red dots.
Yeah but the time to get one is now. Something tells me the five day wait from the ATF won’t last forever
@@donh1572I know it'll be a while but I will only get one if suppressors are removed from the NFA.
@@Razor-gx2dq my grandfather said the same thing when the NFA was passed. He passed away 20 years ago. I don’t think it’s going anywhere, anytime soon
I would say that the "ideal" beginner firearm depends a lot on what the person in question thinks they want a firearm to accomplish in their lives. Nor do I think that it is necessary to start someone on a .22 LR, especially not if their purpose is self-defense. Even small-framed women can competently handle the recoil of any common defensive pistol calibre, including .45 ACP. I'm not saying you should start someone on a .45 ACP, only that there's no need to scare off new shooters by automatically steering them to .22 LR.
Firearms are expensive, so telling someone they have to start on something small that really isn't suitable for self-defense, and telling them that they will have to spend several hundred dollars more on an internediate calibre weapon once they are used to a .22 LR, and then potentially needing to spend several hundred more on a weapon that is actually capable of defending them in the real world doesn't seem like a path to successful enjoyment, much less fulfilling the purpose of self-defense. Let's face it, most people coming to firearms as adults looking to defend themselves are doing so because they perceive a near-term threat.
The S&W Bodyguard 2.0 in .380 ACP is, I think, an excellent choice for a new shooter. It is very lightweight, small enough to be easily concealable even for a small woman, yet not so small that a large man will have difficult operating it, holds 10 or 12 +1 rounds, and is the lighest calibre that anyone should really ever consider for personal protection. Because of its locking breech design, it has much lighter recoil than earlier blockback design .380 ACP pistols, and virtually every accessory maker will support it because it is the newest kid on the block. Obviously, a Glock 42, SIG P365-380, or similar modern locking breech .380 ACP pistol will fit the bill as well. You can load modern personal protection ammunition like Hornady Critical Defense. If you could only afford one firearm, if you have an immediate need for self-defense, and you are a new shooter, one of these would be my choice.
Alternatively, a steel framed, medium frame .38 Special +P revolver. In the revolver world, .38 Special +P is really the lightest calibre anyone should consider for personal protection, you want a medium frame for shootability and recoil control, and you can start them out on standard pressure ammunition.
Dispense with the optics (and weapon lights). A new shooter should not be shooting in the dark or at anything far enough away for a red dot to make a significant difference, and it presents a greater expense and an obstacle to drawing the weapon. And forget a suppressor. That's an NFA item, to begin with, so add a $200 tax stamp and full background check to even get one. The hypothetical new shooter still needs to buy a cleaning kit, a safe storage and transport system, a holster, ammunition, hearing protection, eye protection, and might even need to redo their wardrobe to facilitate carry. Plus they will likley have to lay out money for firearms safety classes and fees to obtain a CCW permit.
The only time I would actually recommend a .22 LR is if the person's interests are primarily in target shooting or small game hunting.
Teach a lot of people on my P322 with SiCo Warlock.
After months of shooting by suppressed, my fiancé tried shooting unsuppressed and said “why can’t all pistols have a suppressor?”
Not a beginner…just want a gun for home protection and concealed carry. What gun and caliber would you recommend?
@@dry509 If you can’t do a dedicated home defense and concealed carry gun, then I’d recommend a 9mm pistol. The pistols I’d recommend depends on the size of person you are. Do you mind sharing your height, weight, and pant size?
@ Sure. Do you mind recommending for both scenarios… Dedicated home defense and concealed carry and just one gun for both? I am 5 feet 11 3/4, 195. pounds, 38×30 pants. Thanks in advance.
@ With your size you could probably conceal most of the popular carry guns on the market right now fairly comfortably. Consider the Shield 2.0, P365XL, and similarly sized pistols. If you felt like you needed to you could probably carry a Glock 19 or similarly sized pistol with some concealment coaching and a good holster/belt combination.
If you want your carry gun to double as a home defense gun then you will likely want to consider adding a weapon mounted light. I’m not a big fan of WML’s on carry guns, but they make a heck of a lot of sense on a home defense gun.
The world of dedicated home defense guns is absolutely huge. There are endless possibilities and endless budgets for that sort of project. I’d recommend going over to Lucky Gunner’s channel and consuming some of their home defense content.
@ Thank you for the feedback!
Ruger mark 4 ssh model with dead air mask HD holosun EPS
I cringe every time I hear some one wanting to buy a Taurus. I have a raging judge and the barrel split on me and Taurus wouldn't fix it. I would rather buy a Hipoint. As for the 22 discussion back in the day I ran a Walter P22 during the Ruger Rimfire competitions. I would trust that rimfire with my life. I ran all types of ammo and never had a issue. I also ran a suppressor on it for a bit and also never a issue. Only thing I would say with using a Walter P22 as the first gun to so someone how to shoot is the mag release is in the trigger guard which may have people thinking all mag releases are there.
Crazy that Canadian Special Forces didn't have any experiences shooting pistols
My guess is you're selling that first concealed carry gun you used to use.
WHAT!? No way, I love my Glock 42!
@@tessahbooth Nah, I think it’ll be one of the Sigs. Didn’t you acquire a Rose Gold P365? Those were $$$ if I recall. Should be enough to fund a tricked out .22lr. Y
F&N 502 in FDE...not black...with a suppressor and red dot....
Ruger Buck. It is far more likely that a beginner is going to find that pistol available in their local area than the Taurus. Plus why not start them with a company know for reliability than one that is um…not?
Taurus is now run by the old CEO of Walther. He did an amazing job with the tx-22. It outperforms most 22’s in reliability
@@donh1572 all true…and this is subjective but I don’t think their reputation has improved much, yet. It is I think a nit pick for sure. Pretty much everyone’s first gun is a bad decision.
Huxwurx 22 suppressor!?! I mean… sure, but since you already own Huxwurx doesn’t really mean anything. It’s not like the same muzzle adapter on a rifle or anything.
Hmm your hair is red on my tv
I mean, why? Just get a BB or pellet gun. 40 bucks and suuuper cheap to shoot. You can grow into a 9mm but you will outgrow a 22 in about an hour.