Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

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Windy Wilson
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Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by Windy Wilson »

The title asks it all; is it better to start a newbie with a .22 rifle or an air rifle, or with a .22 or air pistol? A revolver or a bolt action will have less going on as compared to semi autos, and a pistol will have the advantage of going bang at arm's length rather than closer to the face. A rifle should have the advantage of the sight radius so hits should be easier -- or is that an unwarranted assumption?
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mekender
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by mekender »

i would say a bolt action .22... air rifles wont prepare them for the kick or noise...

bolt actions are easy to use and you only have to worry about one shot... so if they get excited and turn around, less chance of someone getting hurt... i would say that would be a good way to start for the first 20-50 rounds... then a semi-auto might work well too...

after they have some experience with a .22 you can move up to a larger caliber, or to a .22 pistol...
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Aglifter
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by Aglifter »

rifles are easier, but they, almost, always seem to want to use pistols, at least at first -- once you get them more interested, they seem to like shooting at a distance.
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Lokidude
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by Lokidude »

Rifle. Longer sight radius, (generally) better triggers, and you can shoot more naturally from a supported position.
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Rod
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by Rod »

+ 1 to what everyone else has said. Rifle gives them confidence faster than a pistol will.
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Bob K
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by Bob K »

I think it depends on the desire of the student ...

... Target shooting / hunting ... by all means the air rifle or .22.

... Self defense ... a pistol, probably a .22, and give the student a choice between a revolver or self-loader, with proper instruction.
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D5CAV
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by D5CAV »

Rifle.

I'll hand someone a pistol after maybe 4 or 5 times at the range with me.

Even then I'm always ready to grab the pistol when they invariably rotate their upper body toward me to ask me a question with the pistol rotating in the same plane.
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Denis
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by Denis »

I have had some success with starting new shooters off on an air pistol, then an air rifle (both break-barrel single-shots) at home in the garage, where we can begin at three yards from the target and move back to seven or eight. The airguns get them used to the proper stance and sight picture without the distractions of noise or recoil, and they're good practice for safe gun handling.

Then I bring them to the range, where the nearest target holder is at 10 yards, and let them try a single-shot bolt-action .22 rifle, and a .22 autoloading pistol loaded one cartridge at a time. When I get my .22 revolvers off layaway, I'll start with a revolver, then move to the pistol, as the revolver action is probably easier to understand. After about ten single-shots with the pistol, they're generally ready to start loading two cartridges, then three, and so on. I stay at their shoulder to be able to nip any turn-around movement in the bud, and so I can see what their trigger-finger is doing.

I let the "student" choose which they want to try first. It's usually the handgun, but they generally seem to enjoy the rifle more, once they try it; probably because it's that much easier to shoot well. A signed and dated target to take home, with a little tiny group on it, is a great motivator.
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randy
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by randy »

First time I took my daughter shooting we started with a Ruger Mk II I borrowed from a friend. She wasn't quite up to handling my Glenfield Model 20 (.22LR boltie) physically and the indoor range available at the time wasn't set up for her to bench the rifle.

When weather got better she shot the Glenfield from the bench, and later I got her a Chipmunk and a Browning Buckmark for "us".
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AndytheAxe
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Re: Rifle or pistol? Which is better to start newbies with?

Post by AndytheAxe »

I start with a .22 boltie, then usually later that same time use a .22 automatic so they get to try both. Often they liked the rifle better and want to go back to it.
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