What's the best modern .22LR semi-auto Pistol Plinker?
- Thread starter AirPower
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I will...
I don't consider it the "best" though...just the favorite of the .22s I own.I owned a Neos and sold it. Didn't like it in the hand and sharp edges cut me more than once while field stripping. I've owned mark IIs and own a Mark III. Love 'em. But, I enjoy shooting this one far more:
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Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
When you compare it to a S&W number 1, My Colt Woodsman 1st series is fairly modern, so I am going to vote for a Colt woodsman 1st series or a S&W 41.
atblis
Member
Pretty much covered
I'd look for a
CZ Kadet (personal favorite) http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=241727
Ruger MkII (durable)
S&W 41 (nice but $$)
SIG Trailside (excellent shooting pistol, but not the most durable and not in production)
Buckmark
I would avoid
P22 (cast zinc P.O.S.)
Mosquito (see above but not as bad)
I'd look for a
CZ Kadet (personal favorite) http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=241727
Ruger MkII (durable)
S&W 41 (nice but $$)
SIG Trailside (excellent shooting pistol, but not the most durable and not in production)
Buckmark
I would avoid
P22 (cast zinc P.O.S.)
Mosquito (see above but not as bad)
JMusic
member
No doubt about the Smith Model 41, but pricey. Next would be the Ruger or Browning, but large. I like the P22 for strictly plinking. I use my 41 to hunt with. Now I'm braggin but I also use my Kimber conversion on my CDP Pro.
Jim
Jim
Tbu61
Member
I have to Second the nominations for the S&W 41.
I have a Woodsman 1st series (1919) and a Ruger MK-1, have a matched set of Colt Huntsman in the Family too... All are a joy to shoot, but the 41 makes the 10 ring go away with STYLE
I have a Woodsman 1st series (1919) and a Ruger MK-1, have a matched set of Colt Huntsman in the Family too... All are a joy to shoot, but the 41 makes the 10 ring go away with STYLE
Tbu61
Member
the P-22 is a real hoot, but mine only works with Remington Golden's,
IF I keep it ABSOLUTELY clean and dab a little SLICK-50 bearing grease
on the bottom of the slide to keep it slippery.
I heard that Walther was working on that issue.
IF I keep it ABSOLUTELY clean and dab a little SLICK-50 bearing grease
on the bottom of the slide to keep it slippery.
I heard that Walther was working on that issue.
At the moment my next 22 is a tossup between the MK II/III or Bersa Firestorm.
Already have the Buckmark, great pistol!
I have had 2 Walthers. Reason being they replaced the first one. The second was just as problematic. When they work they are outstanding. (when they work)
I became a regular FedEx customer sending the things to S&W for repair.
Last time it broke, hammer spring again, I put it in a bag and put it away.
Really wish mine was better. Perfect size and as accurate as any pistol I have owned not to mention the barrel is threaded if I want to put a can on it.
If you have a working P-22 hang on to it!
PS- I do have three mags that need a home…
Already have the Buckmark, great pistol!
I have had 2 Walthers. Reason being they replaced the first one. The second was just as problematic. When they work they are outstanding. (when they work)
I became a regular FedEx customer sending the things to S&W for repair.
Last time it broke, hammer spring again, I put it in a bag and put it away.
Really wish mine was better. Perfect size and as accurate as any pistol I have owned not to mention the barrel is threaded if I want to put a can on it.
If you have a working P-22 hang on to it!
PS- I do have three mags that need a home…
I have a Buckmark and like it. I traded UP a P22 that was not as accurate and certainly not as reliable. The Browning was used and I don't know how much the new ones are. I also had a Mk II and thought the disassembly process was a nightmare (actually, it was the reassembly). I guess it's a different system now.
wanderinwalker
Member
I went with a Ruger 22/45 Mk III myself. The disassembly/reassembly process isn't any worse than a Mk II, you just need the stupid magazine because of the magazine disconnect safety. (Major bummer IMO, but I hardly notice it anyway.)
They're not half as bad to reassemble as everybody says. Just takes a little patience and practice, and a modicum of knowing what needs to fall where. Pay attention to the instructions!
My one complaint with my new Ruger is that the magazine design does not seem to be the best. I'm waiting for a replacement magazine spring for one magazine as it was bent and would fail to feed rounds occasionally. Luckily, Ruger customer service is #1 A++.
Not only that, but it's accurate and runs well on the bulk-pack ammo. Might I mention that they're about $250 NIB around here. Oh yeah, almost forget, even with the 4" barrel and slimmer grip, this thing is as big as my Glock 17, though less "bulky", if that makes any sense.
They're not half as bad to reassemble as everybody says. Just takes a little patience and practice, and a modicum of knowing what needs to fall where. Pay attention to the instructions!
My one complaint with my new Ruger is that the magazine design does not seem to be the best. I'm waiting for a replacement magazine spring for one magazine as it was bent and would fail to feed rounds occasionally. Luckily, Ruger customer service is #1 A++.
Not only that, but it's accurate and runs well on the bulk-pack ammo. Might I mention that they're about $250 NIB around here. Oh yeah, almost forget, even with the 4" barrel and slimmer grip, this thing is as big as my Glock 17, though less "bulky", if that makes any sense.
Baphomet
Member
Ruger MK vs. Buckmark
Buckmark:
- Accurate and has a good trigger right out of the box. I have had gunsmiths, however, tell me - flat out - they won't work on a BM trigger, so be prepared to keep whatever you get.
- Grip angle is preferred by some.
- All in all, BM's are great little pistols. I've owned them and shot them and you can't say anything bad about them.
Ruger MK:
- Accurate right out of the box.
- Built like a tank. Had an ejector break off (totally gone, mind you) on one of three MK's I've owned and it still kicked out brass at 97% or so. My 'smith fixed it for free.
- $20 Drop in sear will give you a trigger as good or better than the BM.
- A ton of after market support. You can go from "stock" to "race car" or anywhere in between with the MK series. Grips, barrels, sighting systems, etc., it's all out there and in a way that the BM can't begin to approach:
Yes, there really is a standard MKII in there somewhere.
Buckmark:
- Accurate and has a good trigger right out of the box. I have had gunsmiths, however, tell me - flat out - they won't work on a BM trigger, so be prepared to keep whatever you get.
- Grip angle is preferred by some.
- All in all, BM's are great little pistols. I've owned them and shot them and you can't say anything bad about them.
Ruger MK:
- Accurate right out of the box.
- Built like a tank. Had an ejector break off (totally gone, mind you) on one of three MK's I've owned and it still kicked out brass at 97% or so. My 'smith fixed it for free.
- $20 Drop in sear will give you a trigger as good or better than the BM.
- A ton of after market support. You can go from "stock" to "race car" or anywhere in between with the MK series. Grips, barrels, sighting systems, etc., it's all out there and in a way that the BM can't begin to approach:
Yes, there really is a standard MKII in there somewhere.
bluetopper
Member
High Standards all the way..........they are back making guns once again, this time relocated to Houston.
www.highstandard.com
www.highstandard.com
Master Blaster
Member
Thats a great ruger mark II you have there Baphomet, what with all the Volquartsen bling on it you have about $1700 in it????? The upper part is like $1000 plus, 400 for the gun, 200 for the grips, hammer, sear, etc another 100??. If you want to spend $1000 get a model 41 S&W.
If you want a gun that runs great out of the box and has the same grip angle as a 1911, better trigger and better accuracy than a MKII for $300-$400 depending on the model, gat a Browning buckmark plus or target model. you can also get an aftermarket barrel for the browning without doing a transfer through an FFL, on the ruger the barrel/upper is a firearm.
I have a 41, two mkII's and two buckmarks, The buckmark is more RELIABLE WITH ANY AMMUNITION THAN THE RUGERS. Its more accurate, It has a better trigger that will slick up after about 2,000 or so rounds. Its very easy to clean, and taking the grips off is not a problem as long as you do it carfully so any springs and such dont jump out, but even if they do its easy to put them back in.
The other advantage of the buckmark is that all of the firing gunk doesn't end up in the trigger mechanism like it does on a Ruger. For $25 you can get an extra sight rail for the Buckmark that lets you mount a dedicated optical sight, you can easily change between a scope and iron sights with an allen wrench, and no loss of zero.
Due to the Aluminium frame and better grip angle, it has better balance and is lighter than a MKII.
My 9 year old son loves our 5" Buckmark plus, last weekend he and i put about 500 rounds through it in one sitting all CCI standard velocity. Not one misfire or misfeed FTE. 5 minutes with a Qtip a little clp, and my .22 pull through (trimmer line with a knot) and it was clean as a whistle.
If you want a gun that runs great out of the box and has the same grip angle as a 1911, better trigger and better accuracy than a MKII for $300-$400 depending on the model, gat a Browning buckmark plus or target model. you can also get an aftermarket barrel for the browning without doing a transfer through an FFL, on the ruger the barrel/upper is a firearm.
I have a 41, two mkII's and two buckmarks, The buckmark is more RELIABLE WITH ANY AMMUNITION THAN THE RUGERS. Its more accurate, It has a better trigger that will slick up after about 2,000 or so rounds. Its very easy to clean, and taking the grips off is not a problem as long as you do it carfully so any springs and such dont jump out, but even if they do its easy to put them back in.
The other advantage of the buckmark is that all of the firing gunk doesn't end up in the trigger mechanism like it does on a Ruger. For $25 you can get an extra sight rail for the Buckmark that lets you mount a dedicated optical sight, you can easily change between a scope and iron sights with an allen wrench, and no loss of zero.
Due to the Aluminium frame and better grip angle, it has better balance and is lighter than a MKII.
My 9 year old son loves our 5" Buckmark plus, last weekend he and i put about 500 rounds through it in one sitting all CCI standard velocity. Not one misfire or misfeed FTE. 5 minutes with a Qtip a little clp, and my .22 pull through (trimmer line with a knot) and it was clean as a whistle.
Great Thread
I just ordered a 22 cal. pistol. This thread has been great.
From what I was told by several people, including the sales people who sold them all, stay with the Buckmark or a Ruger. They did not say nice things about the Mesquite or the P22, even though they had them in the case.
I am pretty big, and the P22 and Buckmark seemed too small for my hand.
I ordered the Ruger Mk III hunter 678. I will let you know how it shoots !!
I just ordered a 22 cal. pistol. This thread has been great.
From what I was told by several people, including the sales people who sold them all, stay with the Buckmark or a Ruger. They did not say nice things about the Mesquite or the P22, even though they had them in the case.
I am pretty big, and the P22 and Buckmark seemed too small for my hand.
I ordered the Ruger Mk III hunter 678. I will let you know how it shoots !!
BRuff
Member
Mark II, Buckmark, Neos, Woodsman
I have serious safety concerns with my Buckmark and it did not shoot as accurately as my Mark II's. I have not shot my Neos as much as the Mark II's but it has proven accurate and reliable to date. I have two Mark II's and except for being a bit difficult to clean, can't say enough about them. One has been accurized by Clark and the trigger is fantastic. However, I shoot my tightest patterns with my 1930 Colt Woodsman. It is not very pretty anymore but it sure shoots!
Woodsman, Mark II(2), Buckmark, Neos, Makarov, 1911, P38, P3AT and some revolvers, rifles and shotguns.
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. "--Thomas Jefferson
I have serious safety concerns with my Buckmark and it did not shoot as accurately as my Mark II's. I have not shot my Neos as much as the Mark II's but it has proven accurate and reliable to date. I have two Mark II's and except for being a bit difficult to clean, can't say enough about them. One has been accurized by Clark and the trigger is fantastic. However, I shoot my tightest patterns with my 1930 Colt Woodsman. It is not very pretty anymore but it sure shoots!
Woodsman, Mark II(2), Buckmark, Neos, Makarov, 1911, P38, P3AT and some revolvers, rifles and shotguns.
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. "--Thomas Jefferson
Baphomet
Member
First off, thank you for the compliment on the pistol itself. Yes, it is a great gun.Master Blaster said:
Secondly, I'm afraid your figures are a tad off regarding the "bling", as you put it. I don't see any "bling", personally. Unless you call better handling more accurate upper, a #2 trigger pull that'll bring a tear to your eye and an aging, discontinued red-dot sight that I had lying around looking for a home "bling", that is. The V. upper cost me about $200 (they're now $267 from the V. website (they've gone up since I got mine some years ago)). The gun itself is about ten years old and set me back less than $300 when I bought it. The grips were $60. Hammer, Sear, etc. (a mixture of Clark, Marvel and factory-stock) yeah, maybe another hundred total. What's that total... around $600?? Spent over a period of about 5 years.
If I'd wanted a S&W M41 I would have bought one. I was busy having fun with what I call a "project pistol" those five years. Learning every in and out of that particular pistol piece by piece which I can now detail strip and reassemble easily in under ten minutes.
I'm not suggesting that my MKII is the be-all-end-all that everyone should aspire to, it was a fun project over several years. The fact that it will rip single, ragged holes in targets at 25 yards is really, for me, kinda immaterial. Different strokes for different folks.
Peace, bro.
AStone
Member
Frandy,
Given that beautiful Mark III and that Bushnell Trophy scope (price please? source?),
how far out can you consistently punch holes in a 12 oz beer or soda can?
Nem
(who hasn't given up on a Buckmark pistol for a squirrel gun,
even though the BM rifles are seeming a more logical choice for me now.
Yes, i'm seeking a supershort, compact carbine, so the Browning Semi-auto .22 is
looking a bit long, but the BL-22 looking pretty good, too...)
Given that beautiful Mark III and that Bushnell Trophy scope (price please? source?),
how far out can you consistently punch holes in a 12 oz beer or soda can?
Nem
(who hasn't given up on a Buckmark pistol for a squirrel gun,
even though the BM rifles are seeming a more logical choice for me now.
Yes, i'm seeking a supershort, compact carbine, so the Browning Semi-auto .22 is
looking a bit long, but the BL-22 looking pretty good, too...)
cindynles
Member
The best 22 you can buy
This is the best 22 you can get. Browning Buckmark, 10" Tactical Solutions barrel, and a Bushnell 2 X 32 scope. You just can't miss with this gun! At 25 yards I get a 10 shot pattern that you can cover with a quarter. The best thing about the Browning is all of the after market parts available to make it your own.
This is the best 22 you can get. Browning Buckmark, 10" Tactical Solutions barrel, and a Bushnell 2 X 32 scope. You just can't miss with this gun! At 25 yards I get a 10 shot pattern that you can cover with a quarter.
The best thing about the Browning is all of the after market parts available to make it your own.Attachments
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