22LR Revolver choices

gregp74 said:

I've got a little S&W 63 3" that I picked up used a few months back. I'm really digging it. Much more than the 22 autoloaders I've been shooting for years.

Now I'm thinking about picking up a second one. Not the exact same thing -- no need for two, but another 22 the gf can shoot if she comes along and that we can switch off with.

I'm going to stick with a double/single action. Not really a huge fan of the single action only models. I don't mind something bigger than the 63, but nothing smaller. This isn't for competition. Mostly plinking and possibly dispatching some unwanted critters. It's going to be a shooter and not a safe queen. I don't mind spending some money but not a ridiculous amount.

I've been eyeing the S&W 617 as well as the Ruger GP100 and SP101. They all seem nice in their own ways but also have drawbacks.

Size wise I think the SP101 would fit both of our hands best. Mine are mediumish I guess. Her's are a little smaller. I've heard horror stories about the triggers on those though.

The GP100 could be an option. It's a little bigger but I hear has a better trigger. I actually had one of those briefly that I got in a trade a few years back but I don't think I got to shoot it before it went towards getting something else. I really don't remember much about it other than it being large.

I hear some rave reviews about the 617. If I were to go that route I think I'd go with the 4" model. The 6 just seems too big. I have a model 66 combat magnum in the safe so the frame size would be similar. It would be big but I think we could both handle it. I was actually about to order one of those until I read some reviews saying they get gunked up quickly and you'll need to clean them frequently while you're at the range. Not sure how accurate that is, but it didn't sound good to me.

The ones I've mentioned are stuff that I'd get brand new. I've seen a few other used possibilities. There's a new old stock 63 4" on gun broker for a little under $1000. That's not out of the question but I feel like a that price maybe it shouldn't be shot and just left to a collector.

On that note some of those older ones that look nice only hold 6 rounds. I'm kind of liking the idea of 8 or 10.

If I were to find something used, what should I look for to make sure it's ok? What gets messed up when people abuse them?

Ugh all of this is just making my head spin!

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I see it like this.. In the GP100 and/or the SP101 they need a 22lr Match Champion. I'm sure their custom shop would turn out a few. Might make good rimfire counterparts to the newer Super GP100.

I found this old model K22 Target Masterpiece for $500

gregp74 said:

And of course right now is probably the WORST time to be in the market for another gun. Prices even on junk are sky high.

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Yup.

If you are willing to look at used, S&W Model 18 (4" barrel) or Model 17 (6" and 8-3/8" barrels) are excellent choices.

These are K-frame revolvers that came from the K-22 line before S&W used Model numbers.

The Model 617 is the stainless version made in more recent years.

I bought the S&W 617 with the 4" barrel to practice a lot of double action shooting only when I bought my 686+ with the 3" barrel as my knew EDC. I don't know what got into me but after years of carrying a full size 1911 I guess I wanted a little change, something knew. Wife said I was going to male menopause, and since I don't like corvettes I bought both guns. Shooting the 617 several hundred rounds at a time on each range session helps me maintain the hand strength for my 686 but I save money by only shooting a couple of hundred rounds of .357 each time I go.

gotboostvr said:

I found this old model K22 Target Masterpiece for $500

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I found a similar 17-2 for $600. Great rimfires.

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I have a model 63 and a 17-3. I like them both. From your selection I would lean toward the lighter guns if it is for your girlfriend, but if it were for you and she were going to shoot the lighter gun I would lean more toward the S&W 617 with a 4” barrel and hand her the 63 at the range. Be careful though, it may become “her” model 63.

I was lucky this past year and found a 3" barrel Charter Arms Pathfinder and a 6" barrel Colt Police Positive Target. Both are great shoooters is a bit off the beaten path

The K-frame Smiths are pretty much the gold standard. I found a used K22 for about $500 OTD and it is outstanding.

The one 22lr GP100 I handled seemed very nice.

My best 22 revolvers are my K22 and my Single Six. I know that the OP said he didn't like SA revolvers, but the Single Six is accurate, has a great trigger, and is not very expensive.

Quality and accuracy wise, the S&W models 17, 18, and 617 will be your best alternative but, they come at a high price. The DA Rugers are built well although considered heavy and overbuilt for the .22 cartridge by many. They are good solid guns that have proven to be reasonably accurate shooters. Like the S&Ws, the prices have been on the rise also. Taurus also is producing some good .22 revolvers like their Tracker series which sell for less than S&W or Ruger. They have suffered from QC problems in the past with some models.but, those problems seem to have been addressed on current production guns. In spite of what the haters say, they do represent a good value for the money and are worth a look.

This is the wife's plinker! She loves it and uses it all the time on the range!

gotboostvr said:

I found this old model K22 Target Masterpiece for $500

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I got mine for $600 at a flea market; great shooter

To me, the GP100 .22LR is too big and heavy. I hear the SP101's trigger is horribly heavy, but haven't tried one out. Check out the Charter Pathfinder 4", it's a nice size and feels balanced. I held one in the store but haven't shot one. Taurus might be worth a look, too.

Howdy

As has already been stated, the K frame S&W 22s are pretty much the gold standard for 22 caliber revolvers.

Left to right in this photo are a Model 17-3, K-22 Masterpiece, K-22 Outdoorsman, another K-22 Outdoorsman, and a K-22 Combat Masterpiece.






The Smith & Wesson K frame was originally designed in 1899 as the perfect size for a six shot 38 caliber revolver. In 1931 it was adapted for 22 Rimfire with the introduction of the K-22 Outdoorsman. Because the overall size of the revolver was the same as a K frame 38, but because the holes for the chambers and bore were smaller than a 38, the K-22 consequently weighed a little bit more than a K frame 38. The K-22 Outdoorsman had no rib on top of the barrel. After WWII, S&W put a rib on top of the barrel and changed the name slightly to K-22 Masterpiece. The K-22 Masterpiece was part of a family of three target revolvers, the K-22 Masterpiece, the K-32 Masterpiece, and the K-38 Masterpiece. All built on the K frame, as the names imply the K-22 was a 22 rimfire, the K-32 was chambered for the 32 S&W Long cartridge, and the K-38 was a 38 Special. They all had the modern click adjustable micrometer rear sight and they all had a rib on top of the barrel. And they all weighed pretty much the same.

In 1957 S&W changed over to a model number system for their revolvers, and the K-22 became the Model 17. Basically the same as the K-22 Masterpiece with a barrel rib and the microclick adjustable rear sight, just a new name for an old revolver.

All S&W revolvers made of stainless steel have a 6 as the first digit in the model number, so the Model 617 is simply a stainless version of the Model 17.




Here is a photo of a K-22 Outdoorsman at the top, a Model 17-3 in the center, and a Model 617 at the bottom. All have 6" barrels. I don't much care for the Model 617, with the full length underbarrel lug I think it is ugly, and that massive barrel and underlug make it pretty heavy. If you count the cylinder flutes you will see that the K-22 and the Model 17 are six shooters.






The 617 is a ten shot revolver. Frankly, I prefer six shooters. You can burn up an awful lot of ammunition with a ten shooter. A six shooter makes me slow down a little.






Going back to the K-22 Combat Masterpiece in the first photo, here is a photo of it with a K-22 Masterpiece with a 6" barrel. S&W usually used the term 'combat' for a revolver with a four inch barrel. Also, notice the different style of front sight. Target revolvers had a Patridge style front sight as seen on the revolver at the top of the photo. 'Combat' revolvers had a Baughman front sight, designed to be pulled from a holster without snagging on the leather.






The current four inch Model 617 is the closest you are going to find to the old K-22 Combat Masterpiece. It is a ten shooter and it does have a full length underbarrel lug, so it will weigh a bit more than the old K-22 Combat Masterpiece. If I was interested in a brand-spanky new S&W revolver, I would probably look pretty hard at the four inch version of the Model 617.



One more photo. A few years ago my club ran a Women on Target event for women who were new to shooting. I don't know this lady's name, but she is a brand new shooter who had never fired a revolver before. She did a pretty good job with my old K-22 Combat Masterpiece.

My 22 DA revolvers currently consist of Ruger SP101 & LCR, a Taurus 94, and a H&R 929.

The Ruger sp101, double action trigger can be bit heavy but a spring kit can make it better. The single action trigger is not bad. The sights are very good and the 8 shot capacity is nice.

The LCR, trigger is better than the SP101, but it being the concealed hammer version there is no provision for shoot as a single action. The sights on the snubby barrel are definitely not target grade, but decent for plinking or training for a heavier caliber. The LCR holds 8 cartridges.


The Taurus 94, has a better trigger in double action and the single action is quite nice as well. The adjustable sights are good, but have a less refinement than the sights on the SP101. The 94 holds 9 cartridges.

The H&R 929, has a heavy double action, but a fairly crisp single action. The sights are a bit diffcult to use. If you find a H&R, you may want to get a replacement mainspring assembly from Numrich, as the original mainsprings had a plastic end piece that are known to break overtime. The 929 holds 9 cartridges.

gregp74 said:

I was actually about to order one of those until I read some reviews saying they get gunked up quickly and you'll need to clean them frequently while you're at the range. Not sure how accurate that is, but it didn't sound good to me.

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All 22 revolvers gunk up quickly. That is because 22 rimfire ammunition carries its bullet lube on the outside of the bullet. That is because they use a heeled bullet. But that is another tale for another time.

Anyway, 22 rimfire ammunition tends to be 'dirty'. It just is. Dirtier than most centerfire ammunition.

You have been shooting your Model 63 for a little while now, so you should be aware of how often it gunks up. A Model 617 will not gunk up any sooner.

Frankly, when I take a revolver to the range, 22, or 38, I have never had them 'gunk up' to the extent that there was a problem shooting them.