RAE, I know what you mean. I suppose I'm missing something here, but I don't understand the high prices on these .22 revolvers. (Low volume re: sales, therefore high price?) I don't take out that many new shooters, but I want to take out more, since I feel I owe that to this cause.
I want to start them out on as positive a note as possible, and then help them adjust to more capable calibers. Thus, the .22 focus. blades67 makes a good point about comfort levels - even though a new shooter may move pretty quickly to a .38, that may not have changed the positive, perhaps critical benefits of starting them out on the .22.
But, it makes me swallow a little hard when I look at these prices.
Still thinking about it. Maybe I can just hang around at one of those anti-self defense gun buyback programs, and pick up a deal ...
