Ruger SR22

I like this little guy. I borrow one every time I have a CCW (Carry a Concealed Weapon) class. It is a great gun for a new shooter. If I have someone in a pistol class who’s never touched a firearm before, this is what I start them out on.

Even though I recommend these for beginning shooters, I’d also recommend them for lifelong shooters. I love shooting this thing. Plus, as we all know, you can shoot a .22 LR all day long and not break the bank. That being said, it can get a little picky on which ammunition you run through it. I recommend CCI Mini-Mags. They cycle perfectly. If you’re running 500-round bulk boxes you might be prone to feeding problems. Still, cheap ammo is cheap ammo. Leave the cheap stuff to lever and bolt guns and use something with some velocity in an automatic.

It’s a small gun, yes, and as Aaron likes to tell me, my opinion on size doesn’t count because of my giant-ness (at 6-foot 7). Still, the grip, even for me, is comfortable and feels nice.

PRO TIP:  The well-shaped and very comfortable grip is customizable. Ruger includes two grip sleeves in the box, with the smaller grip sleeve preinstalled.

I like that it is a traditional double action. I hate it when a pistol is double action only and it feels like you have to pull the thing to Texas to get it to fire. The double action pull is what it is, you can get away from that. The trigger in single action is nice and easy, with a nice release to it.

PRO TIP: It doesn’t take a lot of force to rack the slide. People who lack hand strength and have never been able to work the slide of a heavy-caliber pistol will have no trouble at all with this one.

I like this thing. I’m even thinking about getting one just to go plinking or to have around for when my niece and nephew get old enough. If you want a handgun for shooting all day or teaching beginners to shoot. This is your gun.