talk me out of a S&W 22A

[carterbeauford]

Ammunition prices are out of control! The price of scrap is crazy right now, and I stumbled upon 25lbs of copper pipe and another 300lbs of aluminum doing some housecleaning at work, recycled it, and am now $220 richer! Almost enough to buy the .22LR pistol I have been lusting after.

Anything good/bad to say about the 22A? Specifically the 5.5" barrel? I can get one for $225. I originally wanted a Buckmark but the price is right at the right time...

 

[longboard]

I have read the Buckmark is hard to take apart for cleaning.
My S&W 622 is one great pistol, if the 22A is as good you will be very happy.
I have almost bought one [22A] when they go on sale becuse I love Smith and Wesson guns.
Longboard

 

[outofbattery]

Very accurate,very reliable and a great .22 for someone with big hands like myself.The plastic buffers will wear out but S&W will mail you an envelope of replacement ones gratis.I have a horrible habit of engaging the safety by accident when shooting but that's my own fault.Really,I can't say much bad about em,especially for the $.

 

[Dienekes]

Okay. Buy a Ruger .22 auto pistol.

Not only will it help my stock price but you will have a lifetime gun with an already long track record.

No charge for consulting.

 

[BSlacker]

Some of the frames broke right above the trigger pin. S&W replaced mine even replaced a worn out barrel. They eat buffers, I keep several around and replace often its easy. Keep a fresh recoil spring and you should be ok.
They are easy to clean. I have two barrels and they are easy to switch. Long one with scope and short with red dot. I would think the breakage problem is not an issue now. Good luck.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

22a go as low as $180 here in TX, and they are a bargain at that price.

The UT campus range has two, and they run as well or better than the Ruger, and better than the Browning. Think several hundred rounds of cheap .22 plinker fired by n00b college kids every night, and running strong.


I like the Ruger more, but Ruger totally turned me off with their new MkIII variant, which added unneeded complexity to an otherwise outstanding gun.


I'd say either find a used Ruger MkII (maybe around under $200 if you can find one), or a new 22a. A lot less hassle and risk buying new, so probably the 22a then.

-MV

 

[carterbeauford]

Okay. Buy a Ruger .22 auto pistol.

Not only will it help my stock price but you will have a lifetime gun with an already long track record.

No charge for consulting.

Shooting a 22/45 was what that made me want a .22LR pistol!

What does a stainless one run?

 

[ID_shooting]

I bought one when they first came out. Like was mentioned, the upper broke on the hook that hooks into the lower. Sent it back to Smith, the replaced it, the new one broke with in 6 months, sent it back. Smith replaced that one as well. When I got it back, I took it to the gun shop and traded in a on a Ruger.

 

[Soybomb]

From reading reviews I think the early ones had problems and maybe they've been fixed up in recent years. I bought one about a year ago and have many thousand rounds through it without problem. I figured I'd take a gamble on it since s&w pays shipping both ways for warranty work. I'm glad I think. I think its the only aluminum framed, easy take down, lifetime warranty, $200 .22 on the market.

 

[OH25shooter]

Maybe this nice looking Ruger 22/45 will talk you out of a S&W 22:

 

[hkusp]

My 9yr old boy has the Ruger MKIII Hunter like outofbattery below. It's got thousands of failure free rounds through it. Cost about $300 new. Spend the extra $100. Sure it's a pita to disassemble and reassemble the first time you do it, but once you've done it, it's easy. No real need to strip it anyway that often. Just shot some non-chlorinated brake cleaner followed by some Breakfree down the action and barrel after shooting. Couple runs through the barrel with a boresnake and you're done. Put a red dot on it and you have a fun little plinker. As much as I like SW as a company, I think the Ruger it worth the extra. And you can pickup a 22/45 for around the same price as the Smith.

 

[Technosavant]

I have a Ruger 22/45. I didn't like the rubber grip on the 22A (that piece at the top rear didn't work with my huge paws). I would very much like to handle a 22A with those nice looking wood grips.

Honestly, if those wood grips felt nice, I'd swap out my 22/45 in a heartbeat. It shoots well, but as I have said several times before, it is a gun I just don't love. Fun to shoot, but it has never captured my heart.

 

[carterbeauford]

Well I picked one up today, my dealer waived the transfer fee on the 1911 I had shipped there if I bought another gun.

I wouldn't rule out a Ruger in the future, but this was a budget minded purchase, finally something I can afford to shoot every day. I cleaned it and put 100 rounds through it, can't say I've ever rang a steel target at 75 yards with a handgun before. I like it!

 

[Walkalong]

Love my Trailside. My brother has a Buckmark he really likes, and its hard to beat a Ruger. Fun, cheap to shoot. Can't beat em.

 

[wally]

I cleaned it and put 100 rounds through it, can't say I've ever rang a steel target at 75 yards with a handgun before. I like it!

The M22A has its faults, but its virtue is obvious as you've discovered.

Mine is great with all the cheap brands of ammo my Rugers are iffy with. Mine also broke and was repaired by S&W super fast turn-around and they paid shipping both ways. I've pretty much quit taking mine apart -- when it gets really bad I spray it with break parts cleaner and then relube with Break-Free. Occasionally I run a bore snake thru it.

--wally.

 

[TxPhantom]

22A is a nice pistol....

I really like my S & W 22A. Had a problem after about 500 or so rounds through it with FTE's. Called S & W & they sent UPS shipping label for free return to them. Had it back repaired in about 2 weeks. Great warranty service/work. It has worked perfectly since.
It has a great trigger and is quite accurate. The only problem when breaking it down is that you have to be very careful when disingageing the recoil spring. I shot it across the room and spent several hours looking for it and that little plastic spacer.

 

[carterbeauford]

I see what you mean about the spacer after taking it apart for cleaning, it came with a couple replacement spacers. No big deal.

Resting my right arm on a tree trunk, I fired at my 10x14" steel target at 100 yards. pop... split second... plink! haha, I love it. I want to try 150 yards from a rest but the target is about the same size as the front sight at that range.

 

[DC3-CVN-72]

NO!