Is it an image thing?

[Wenis]

I think as a first gun, many are looking to why they need a gun in the first place, in regards to self-defense. My first gun was a Kimber 1911, but shortly there after I bought a Ruger 10/22 and a Mark III hunter as gun #2 and #3.

 

[Gunner3456]

If I had to get rid of all of my handguns except one, I'd keep a Ruger Standard 22. Most of the reasons are listed above.

 

[Tilos]

I get the same reaction when I take out the 617 at the range.
First they asked why it's so quiet and I tell them it's a 22.
When the response is that "Why?" look, I explain it's practice for my same size center fire revolvers.
After I shoot a couple of thumb size groups, I let them try.

Most of these "new" shooters' groups with my gun are softball or basket ball size.
It's not sight alignment because that 617 has a red dot on it!
With a 22, trigger control/flinch cannot be masked with recoil.

This is when they usually go back to shooting their "defense" guns at $0.50 to $0.75 per shot.

center fire 50 shots/$20+

22LR 525 shots/<$20, plus no time picking up range mushrooms!

(this thread is about shooting guns not defense guns)
Tilos

 

[chase]

While its nice to shoot "real guns (center fire)" its just too expensive and thus, I go and shoot mostly 22lr now. Plus when I bring friends out, I don't care if they shoot my guns because of the relative low cost. Trigger time is better then looking time. Now with 22lr, I go shooting every week, instead of once every other month with traditional center fire calibers.

 

[das_napeth]

with my walther p22 i can hit an egg consistently at about 20-25yds. up around my local shops .22 ammo was exceptionally hard to come by(waiting list for about a month) for a while. So I dropped back pistol wise to my wife's makarov and absolutely loved it. Biggest grouping problem was transition from double action to single action trigger pull wise, i wouldnt get used to the lighter second pull. Rifle wise I fell back to a Mosin since its cheap and had about 3000 rounds lying about

 

[EZLivin]

Plus when I bring friends out, I don't care if they shoot my guns because of the relative low cost.

So true. My Taurus 22 revolver and Advantage Arms Glock conversion are two of the best purchases I have made. Can take daughter and friends out to the range for very little cost, and a heckuva lot of fun.

 

[Generator]

When I drag out my .22lr AR15 at ranges, I usually get a laugh or two from other shooters until I start running drills and they see the value of training. Then, when I let them try the gun, the faces change as do the snickers. Turning from laughing at me to laughing with me as the guns are so fun!

I love my friends .22 AR, I don't feel like I owe him after a few mags (we do share ammo a lot) and everyone is right about the trigger time on a .22. I can fire off a full tube of shots and (yes recoil is vastly different) work on lining up my iron sights over and over again and shoot a few hundred rounds. Then I can be comfortable with how my eye lines up three little ridges of metal on a Mosin or SKS or PSL (I'm a Ruskie fan) or on an AR from time to time, to squeeze off a mag of x39 or x54r or .223. With these I am learning the feel of each gun and each round, not learning how to be accurate... the .22 taught me that!

 

[The Quiet Man]

If I had to get rid of all of my handguns except one, I'd keep a Ruger Standard 22. Most of the reasons are listed above.

+1... except it would be my 60's era Browning Challenger. Well, that or my three-screw Ruger Super Single Six.

 

[SnackCracker]

I think as a first gun, many are looking to why they need a gun in the first place, in regards to self-defense. My first gun was a Kimber 1911, but shortly there after I bought a Ruger 10/22 and a Mark III hunter as gun #2 and #3.

I went EXACTLY the same route. I got the Kimber for personal and home defense, but I love shooting so I picked up the 10/22 and Ruger 22/45 for plinking/practicing.

Currently adding an AR as a fun/home defense/all around rifle.
Next is an 870

For anyone that really LIKES shooting, there is no need to explain the value in a .22 LR as a first (or one of your first) guns.