whats a good hand gun to learn on?

I tend to recommend the Sig Mosquito to people who want to familiarize themselves with a first pistol.

The Mosquito is basically a .22LR version of the Sig P226, but with an extra safety. In the Coast Guard, you'll be shooting a Sig P229-DAK. The 229 is a fairly close variant of the 226.

It won't translate perfectly, but the Mosquito is what I tend to recommend to people anyway - the fact that you'll have to qualify with a 229 just makes it that much more logical.

If you have zero handgun experience, nothing beats starting with a 22LR. I know you don't get the recoil of a good defensive round, but at this stage there are far more important aspects. You need to learn safe handling, proper aim techniques, proper cleaning of a firearm, and just the overall feel of the gun in your hands. A 22 is all of that and ammo is dirt cheap so you can afford to get in lots and lots of practice. Once you have the 22 down, you can ramp up to the round you plan to keep as an everyday defensive round; be it 9mm, .40S&W, .45, etc. Then you can take what you learned with the 22 and add the recoil management and followup shots to it.

You will find that you will still pull out the ole pop-gun and go target shooting more than you would think.

There are several good starter 22s out there, but the Walther P22 and Sig Mosquito are probably the best for those that plan on going bigger.

If you prefer revolvers, start with the Ruger Single Six in 22WMR and then step up to the Ruger GP100 in .357Mag (also shoots 38 Specials).

Anyone wishing to learn to shoot properly and to be accurate with a handgun should start with a .22 and only a .22. Recoil is very light and ammo is quite cheap so you can shoot a lot. It is also important to get proper training from the start so you learn to shoot properly from the beginning. It is much easier to learn the proper way to shoot than it is to unlearn improper habits such as jerking the trigger and flinching. I also recommend a revolver over a semi-auto handgun for starters. They are prone to fewer problems and they can be loaded so that the shooter never knows when the gun will fire. This is an important training aid when learning not to flinch. The way you do it is to have someone else load the cylinder for the shooter. Do this out of the shooter's sight to they will not know how many rounds you have put in the cylinder nor what order they are in. You then hand the gun to the shooter and let them fire at a target. If they are flinching, it will be very noticeable when they "fire" an empty chamber. Soon, they will be treating every shot as an empty chamber and will be holding steady and not flinching or jerking the trigger. You cannot do this with a semi-auto handgun.

First, learn to shoot what you are going to keep around your house or use for protection. When I first went and got my concealed carry license I trained on a Taurus PT145 .45 cal semi-auto. The gun is light and the recoil is not as bad as most .45's. Taurus did a great job with this gun. But anyways I am babbling here.

The best thing you could do would be to take your wife to a gun shop that has an indoor shooting range. Some of them let you rent specific guns to practice with. Let your wife feel each gun and stand back and let her decide what feels right for her. The gun should be comfortable and her hand wrapped comfortably around the grip she should be able to curl her trigger finger onto the trigger without having to stretch to reach it. I say this because allot of women let their man choose the gun and it doesn’t fit their hand, then they don’t feel comfortable shooting it and loose interest.

As for caliber .45 is the way to go but can be expensive to practice with. A box of 50 bullets can run anywhere from 17.00 up to 60.00 depending on the type you get. Myself I like to practice with a 230 grain FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) bullet which gives me close to the true feel of the kick I will get from the bullets I keep in the gun when I am not practicing.

If you’re looking for something inexpensive then a .380 would be the way to go. They have some bullets out now that are excellent for protection and just as lethal as some of the higher caliber bullets. But, if the situation ever presents itself that you shoot someone who is drugged up on something like pcp all a .380 might do is piss them off.

I hope this helps and honestly buy what you are going to be comfortable with, not what is affordable. You wont' regret your decision even if it costs you a little more to target practice with it.

P.S. If you take the time and both of you go through a shooting class you will shoot better and waste less ammo at the target range.

Good luck!

a good cartridge to learn on would be a 22lr because like others said u do not develop flinches as easy. but if u r looking to upgrade after shooting a while u a should get a full size 1911 style or a glock in 9mm 10mm 40S&W 45ACP etc. because they make 22lr conversion uppers that u slide onto the existing frame. u should pick one that fits your hand

Either a Revolver or a Semi-Automatic in a 22 caliber.* A Ruger Mark III Model 22/45 with Bull barrel Target Pistol in a semi.* A S&W Revolver with a 4 or 6 inch barrel in whatever Model in it you like.*

A Ruger .22LR hands down.

It's cheap, accurate, reliable, hundreds and thousands of various aftermarket modifications available, you can find them in large quantities new and used in all 50 states. That and even with the insane ammo prices to day you can easily afford a box of 500 rounds for 20-25$. Take that to a range, fire it all off in one sitting, rinse, repeat. You'll learn that gun inside out and before you know it you'll be a great shot.

well for the price I would say a 9mm glock unless you feel comfortable with jumping in the deep end and getting accustomed to a nice warm 45. I don't care what anybody says, a 9mm can't do the job of a 45, I am sorry. I just prefer it. Also a price on a glock is great. I am fetching a glock 21 for like $511 w/out shipping added (like $18). So if this seems to interest you, check out this site:

http://www.topglock.com/index.html

I like them cuz they are dependable and affordable.

Probably the best first handgun (and especially if you'll be learning along with your wife) will be a .22.

Not only is .22LR very economical for frequent shooting, but the recoil and report is minimal and you'll learn the basics of marksmanship with less tendency to develop a flinch when pulling the trigger.

An excellent choice for your first .22 hand gun is the Ruger Mark III 22/45 (Model # KP512MKIII - stainless, adj. sight, 5 1/2" barrel). They are affordable if you shop around, and the stainless model stands up to weather and heavy use. They are exceptionally well-made, accurate and reliable. They are also supplied with a Weaver type scope mount if you choose to experiment with optical sights.

Springfield XD-9