Shotgun or 22 LR for a first personal gun ?

[Brycefowler922]

Just wondering which seemed better either a 20 gauge shotgun or some sort of customizable 22 for my wife's Birthday. Any thoughts?

 

[DRob]

Ruger 10/22

 

[Brycefowler922]

I thought about the 10 22 but she really likes the AR 15 platform so I was thinking maybe a AR15 style 22

 

[Mgderf]

.22 will be much easier to shoot and learn.
20ga will be much better for protection.

 

[DRob]

I thought about the 10 22 but she really likes the AR 15 platform so I was thinking maybe a AR15 style 22

Give her $$$ and step back!

 

[d.kaufman]

If you go with an ar platform for the 22 stay away from the mossberg 715t. They are garbage, at least the one i had was. Go with a S&W if you go with the 22 in ar platform

 

[Brycefowler922]

We do have a 12 gauge she shoots but doesn't like the kick so maybe a 20 would be better

 

[Brycefowler922]

Lol tried that last year and now we have a Sig p238 that she doesn't like

 

[TJ Kackowski]

Is your 12 gauge an autoloader? Not really important, just curious. Try some reduced loads for the 12 gauge. If she doesn't like the kick of a 12 gauge, she's not likely to care for the kick from a 20 gauge ... most beginners don't.

If she likes the AR platform (look), you might want to investigate the Ruger SR-22 rifle ( Ruger® SR-22® * Autoloading Rifle Models ). It's a standard 10/22 wrapped up in an AR blanket. This rifle weighs a ton and the factory Ruger sights are crap, but the 10/22 is a well vetted platform. If she ever gets tired of this look, the sky's the limit on making it look like something else.

 

[Hoosier45]

S&W 15-22

 

[nipprdog]

*******

 

[LP1]

What's the intended use? Learning to shoot, target practice, etc. - go 10/22. Home defense - 20ga.

 

[Brycefowler922]

She wants to just have her own gun to shoot a little but she never gives me a straight answer on what type. She always says "I don't know what do you like" but I'm much bigger than her and my taste in weapons is different

 

[Mgderf]

16ga's are soft shooters, but still effective.
.410's are great to learn with, and so much fun to shoot, but not really enough to be a self defense round in my opinion.
I guess you could use slugs.

 

[paperboy]

Depending on your budget, you could get both. For instance, a Ruger 10/22 can be had for under $200 new and say a Mossberg 12/20 gauge can be had for about $250.

 

[Floivanus]

Didn't one of the AR style 22s have an issue with out of battery discharge and uncontrollable auto fire? I would think about a $500 entry level AR with a $150 drop in 22lr conversion

 

[m82mike]

22lr by all means. Wait on the shotgun a few months.

 

[wcd]

Lever action Henry 22lr or 410 might be worth looking into.

 

[Restroyer]

If you go with an ar platform for the 22 stay away from the mossberg 715t. They are garbage, at least the one i had was. Go with a S&W if you go with the 22 in ar platform

I agree with this statement above. Mossberg .22LR 715t are garbage & S&W much better. I also have a GSG .22LR "AR" style which is super picky on ammo and would probably just frustrate her due jamming. Or you could get a combo gun. The Savage M42 is a .22LR / .410 shotgun combo which sells for around $400.

 

[Sniper 79]

Neither.

20ga kicks just as bad as 12. If your not bird hunting shot guns suck. .22LR is extinct. If you do happen to find some it isn't worth buying.

I would get her some sort of 9mm carbine with a dot sight and back up irons. Something that takes Glock mags. She could stick a light on it and set it up for defense. They don't weigh much and don't recoil much and are not terribly loud. Heck you could even supress the darn thing.

Ultimately it's up to her. Give her the options and let her choose. Maybe attend one of the meet and shoots so she could get some hands on.