For Les:

So the little .22 bullet shoots out of the insert, going through a barrel that is much wider? Does that affect the accuracy?

I'm guessing that without the rifling in the barrel, it's not as accurate as a dedicated .22 rifle. But I don't know for sure. What kind of difference in accuracy are we talking about? I'm also guessing that the bullet won't go so far off the intended trajectory that it'd hit the damage the inside of the barrel.

For Jacquie:

Other posters are persuading me of the merit of getting a single-shot rifle/shotgun for hunting. But I do want to note that for target shooting, you just might appreciate not having to manually reload every round.

Here's a suggestion: how about doing the hunter's ed and join the gun club before making the purchase? I'm sure there will be people at the club willing to let you shoot their guns. Maybe that will shape your purchasing decision.

The differences between guns can be minute. Most modern guns are reliable and accurate enough for hunting, recreation, and defense. But if you take some courses and get some experience with different guns, you may discover your own personal preferences.

Or you could just buy a whole bunch of them, like your 'Murican cousins down here!

No quiet air guns in Canuckstan, ANY device that that could possible reduce muzzle report could land you in hot water for having a prohibited device. If the muzzle velocity is above 500 fps it's also classified as firearm and subject to all the legal restrictions that comes with it.

Air rifles can be had in almost any caliber up to .50, and can easily take down a deer, but they are expensive and require peripherals. However a regular .177/.22 is dirt cheap to operate (1 to 4 cents per pellet) and you can even set up a range in your basement if it's big enough, or backyard if local bylaw allows.

Thanks so much for your help with this guys. And thanks for not eating me alive. There are some forums out there that are intimidating and overwhelming for a gun newbie like me. You guys are the best!

I like the way you think, Bing. I think this is the direction we're going to go. Hubby probably has something in mind that he's keeping to himself for now, but he hasn't shot for a few years so slowly wading back in and getting the most recent lay of the land is probably the most sensible thing to do.

Bingley... yes... the .22 or other sub caliber projectile would not touch the original shotgun barrel, and be directed by the rifled insert barrel, and dependent on its quality of construction... I've never shot one, but should be as accurate as any short barrel pistol barrel...... I'm primarily a competition shooter and not a hunter.. most of my firearms are pretty game specific... I shoot a lot of 3 gun when possible, which is rifle, pistol, and shotgun... I did install a .22lr adapter for my AR15, and was very unhappy with the accuracy of shooting a .22lr projectile through a .223 diameter barrel with a fast twist rate to the rifling...I got no better than 3" groups at 50m.... I built a dedicated .22lr upper with correct twist rate and no chamber jump... the groups dropped to less than 1/2" at 50m... which is the limit of my old eyes and the 1.5x16 ACOG I use for a sight

In the USA, I'd suggest that you go out shooting with friends and see what worked well for you, or go to a range and rent guns there, especially if you were considering a handgun. If those options are open to you where you live, I'd suggest you try them out.

The good news is that it's easy to make friends in the shooting sports. If there are any events that you could go to and meet other shooters at near you, that would probably help immensely.

I'm a big fan of .22lr rifles for marksmanship training, practice, fun and small game. The most versatile long arm is certainly the 12ga pump. Frankly I'm reluctant to agree with any of the single-shot options, on the grounds that they're just not as much fun as pump, lever, bolt or semi-autos.

And, of course,any pump,bolt, or semi-auto can be used in single shot mode. I did this with my AR-7 when exposing my young sons to shooting sports. Single shot tends to conserve ammo, and leads one to concentrate on making the shot count.

Lot of excellent choices and advice have been given,Im sure you will find what you want in your price/versatility range.

Im not so excited about shotgun inserts,seem gimmicky.Im a get the tool for the job,not a compromise tool kind of person.

Just buy something with a strong tried and true reputation for quality,you will be pleased.Isnt that true in many things?

And start with the 22,nothing has a better reputation for making you want to shoot,and not over powering you into bad habits.

Cheap (very important for training),accurate,wont make you flinch....At least from what Ive heard,and what we did,FWIW,seemed like very good advice.

22's are fun guns for all ages.And you wont be overwhelmed in making that first purchase either.

Only 22's I dont like are the junk ones,other than that any form factor is fun its just get what you want,you dont have a huge investment that will go wrong.

Shot an old 22 PUMP from early 1900's,man what a slick gun.Smooth as silk,but cant remember what brand.

I doubt they have "Appleseed Shoots" in Canada, since they teach about the American Revolutionary War at the shoots. But an Appleseed event is one great way to learn shooting skills, safety, and marksmanship. Your info shows you in Ontario - don't know where in Ontario, but if it's close to the US border it might be well worth your time to make a trip to the US for a day of Appleseed shooting. There are lots of Appleseed events here. The instructors are great, and I'm sure they would arrange a loaner rifle for you to borrow at the shoot.

During the breaks from shooting they teach about the Revolutionary War while you relax a bit. They tell stories that are very interesting and entertaining, I would think even for a non-American. The shoots are two days long, but you can sign up for only one day if that's preferred. You get FULL days of shooting instruction and fun. You will shoot many many hundreds of rounds and really get to know your rifle. Appleseeds are dirt cheap. Women used to be able to attend the events for free, but they may charge some nominal fee now.

http://www.appleseedinfo.org/

I hadn't been to the Appleseed website for quite a while, until I posted above and went to review the link for accuracy.

They have a new deal - what a great thing to give as a gift to a new shooter!

http://www.appleseedinfo.org/ltr-marlin.html

They accessorize a Marlin 795 rifle so it's perfect for Appleseed training, and the deal includes the cost of an Appleseed training event. Wow - If I hadn't aleeady bought my kids .22 rifles and taken them to Appleseeds, I would be all over this.