I have been told that it is best to learn with a .22. But, which is better an auto or a revolver?

It really depends on what your going to shoot when you get the big bore handgun. I'd recommend a 22 revolver if your going to be shooting a centerfire revolver and a semi-auto 22 pistol if your going to be shooting a semi-auto center fire.

I'm a revolver shooter mostly, but have a Ruger MKII and a little Rossi J frame clone 22 revolver. I try to shoot the dickens out of both of them.

The 22 allows you to practice at a reasonable price and shoot lots. It also does away with the recoil problems associated with a big bore handgun that can make learning a real test.

Both can be very accurate given quality guns. You can also buy a 1911 type 45 and get a conversion slide in 22 for it and several other semi's that will let one gun do double duty.

I have both an S&W semiauto .22lr and a Ruger Single-Six. Both are fun to shoot. There is one thing I tend to burn ammo a lot faster using the semiauto. Either a revolver or semi auto .22 woulkd be a good gun to practice basic firearms shooting with.

As suggested, if you are using it as an under-study gun, try to choose a similar type. If not, then whichever you are comfortable shooting. A revolver or semi-auto will allow you to get good practice, without the distractions of too much recoil.

While the forgoing is true: the .22 is a great training aid and understudy, it is also a terrific fun tool in its own right. Particularly with the cost of ammo going through the roof, you may want to plan to use the .22 for much if not most of your training.
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To the question of revolver or semi auto, the answer is both. You can never have too many good .22s.

Clem gave good advise. I shot 10x as much .22 ammo as anyting else. They are unbelieveably fun and inexpensive to train, practice, or plink with. My avitar is a 7.62x39 casing that I punched the primer out w/ my cz452 at 50 yards. They are a blast.

As Clem suggests, it's hard to have too many .22's :)

My current selection is "Ruger heavy" with a SS Single Six/6", a 6 7/8 MKII target, 10/22 Stainless, 77/22 Stainless, a P22, and the best trainer handgun ever made for young shooters, a Bearcat.

I started both of my daughters handgun sessions out with the Bearcat loaded with CCI Minicap Longs. At 15-20 ft, it's a great tin can shooter, and it can't get away from an excited new shooter, like an auto.

If you are like most of us, and like to go bang, bang a lot, the auto's are great. But until your handgun awareness is completely automatic, they are a hazard to everyone including yourself. I know one very experienced shooter who shot himself in the knee with a MKII because he didn't engage the safety before holstering the gun. It's much harder to do that with the Single Six.

My basic centerfire is a S&W M15 Combat Masterpiece (4" .38 Spec.). At one time I bought a S&W M18 (4" .22LR). They are identical revolvers except the .22 is a little heavier due to the smaller bore.

Now we've all gotten rid of guns and lived to regret it. Selling/trading off that M18 is probably the biggest gun trading mistake I have ever made.:eek:

As said above, get a .22 that closely resembles the action type and size of the centerfire you will most likely get in the future. The .22 will teach you how to shoot a handgun and making the transition to a centerfire will be greatly simplified when the time comes.

i did just what you have been advised to do..my pt22 taught me how to hit well enough at 5 to 20 yds to hopefully outshoot any mugger..i worked on accurracy first then getting that first bullet home
in a split second..first go thru all the situations that call for deadly force and practice a lot..
in the real thing,, the mugger or whatever is probably going to be in close to you.. so your job is to see a possible predator before he makes his move,if possible.. when i bought my 38 i found i was actually more accurate with it than the 22..i guess because it fills my hand better..good luck..