.22 auto experts- what best fits my needs?

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Motega

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I'm not new to handguns and own some great ones- a 1968 National match, a few revolvers, a sig 9mm for home defense.. but never really had a use for a .22 until now. My club has a silhouette range that requires .22 only. So what best fits the following listed in order of importance- and I'm interested in an auto not a revolver:

1. Potential accuracy (adjustable sights would probably be a plus as I don't plan on adding any glass)
2. EASY TO CLEAN, strip, maintain
3. Quick change of mags- some of those Rugers, Woodsman, etc. are cumbersome without the 1911 style mag drop button

I potentially have a Ruger MK I my father might give me but I don't think it fits any of the above. I don't see anything out there I'm immediately drawn to. Something that holds 15 would be cool but I'm not sure if there are double stack .22 autos? For silhouette it'd be fun to have 15 rounds to challenge shooters on a duelling tree etc.

Right now I'm thinking that I am going to start looking for a Hi Standard, but all suggestions welcome.
 
If Rugers are out (as it appears by number 2.. They are not easy to break down)
Maybe a Browning BuckMark?

Honestly though, the mag issues can be dealt with using aftermarket parts.
The takedown can be learned and it gets easier every time you do it.
I have a mark III hunter and its pretty accurate. I have a red dot (but it does have adjustable sights) on mine and 25-50 yards i can nail 2" spinners all day long without issue.

I just read up on the Hi Standard. States it has a 2.5 lb trigger pull. To get that with the Ruger you'd have to go with a trigger kit such as volquartsen
 
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So you think I ought to take my dad up on the offer of the Mark I? It seemed sooooooo slow on the mag change but maybe it just needs a good old cleaning and lube. Can you get some aftermarket stuff to improve the Mark I's?
 
If your dad's Mk I has the mag release down by the base of the mag then yeah, that's not the fastest style of mag release. That style also pretty much eliminates the idea of a gravity drop to clear the magwell. To get that you'll want to look at gun options with the more popular button mag releases that are up by the trigger guard.

All of the .22 handguns I've shot are easily more accurate than what I can hold and aim. The difference from the best to worst has been the size of my groups varying from maybe about 1.5 inches to 2 inches at 12'ish yards. And I still wouldn't swear that it was the guns and not my infrequent cleanings.
 
Exactly... it's cumbersome and a big issue I have with owning any less than ideal piece is the fact that I use my stuff and therefore end up buying extra mags, changing springs, grips, and I hate doing that on a piece that just isn't worth putting money into and with little chance of realizing a decent portion of it back if and when you sell it. I'd rather spend a few bucks for something even marginally better if it means I can recoup some of what I put into it.
 
I have a Ruger Mk iii Hunter. It does have adjustable sights. I added a VQ trigger, sear and Clark MK II bushing. The mag release is up by the trigger guard and after the mods the mags fly out of the gun (when the release is pressed). The trigger is about 2 lbs. After a bit of practice, break down and cleaning is no big deal. Also its very accurate. I would not hesitate to recommend it!
 
Either a 1911 in .22LR or a S&W Model 41. Both choices will net you a 10 rounder with the mag release where it's comfortable. They're at opposite ends of the price spectrum at ~$400 and ~$1000 but two more to consider. The benefit of the 1911 is customization with sights, grip and controls while the Smith is set up for target shooting out of the box.
 
I usually say Buckmark or Ruger MK
(and, no MKs are not hard to take down, just quirky.. once you "get it" it's falling down easy, but it takes a little practice to get there)

but it sounds to me like a S&W 41 is your ticket
the new High Standards just might not be up the the standards of the old Hi-Standards
but unless real serious about price-unlimited Euro guns, the S&W 41 is one of the finest rimfire competition guns ever built, can run with anything
 
A Ruger MKII or MK III is a great choice. The Ruger MK series are easy to takedown and clean if you follow the manual. It takes me longer to take down and clean a 1911 than a Ruger MK II. The heal mag release works well and quickly, although I don't do tactical reloads with my target/plinker .22 pistols, so speed isn't required. Anyway, the mags come out and go back in just fine on the Rugers. The newer MK III has a 1911 style mag release if that is a deal breaker for you, but I can't imagine why it would be.

The nice thing about the Rugers is you can start with a very accurate plinker and turn it into a match grade pistol with a few mods over time.
 
If you download the MKI & II manuals from Ruger and do a "stare and compare" you'll find a lot of MKII parts will work in the MKI including the trigger, hammer, and sear.
Since I got an older HS Victor I don't shoot my MKI much anymore. But it is a very accurate gun and once you get the knack of field stripping it it's not that bad.
If you have access to a MKI, give it a try.

Or - if you have a 1911 there's always the option of a 22 conversion kit.
 
The whole speed thing is just that on a "dueling tree" or silhouette range you are at an advantage if you can change mags fast... but for the 1-2 times a year I can find someone to "play" with at the range it really is a dumb thing to worry about, you're right.
I should give the Ruger a try I suppose. What's going into a MKI to turn it into match grade? It doesn't look like this is a piece I can drop a new trigger or barrel into without some considerable gunsmithing.
 
If you care about ease of field stripping and cleaning, the Ruger is out. Not only is it kind of a pain to strip, but it's also difficult to get into all the crevices of the recevier to clean it.
 
I have a 5.5" Ruger that, with a 1.5X optic on it will put 10 rounds into 3" at 100 yards.
 
I have a new Smith M41 and love it.
I put an Aimpoint H-1 red dot on it and sighted it this morning.
Even with eyes that can't resolve the target a 25 yds, at 20 yds I was hitting 1.5 inch groups and that is good shooting for me.

The M41 is the easiest pistol I own to take down.
Pull the trigger guard down and the barrel comes off by just lifting.
The slide comes off the rear just as easily. I don't mind cleaning it.
 
If you can afford the cash, the S&W 41 is the way to go. My second suggestion, and what I personally shoot is the Browning Buck Mark. Mag release and mag changes are probably easier and faster on the BM. Both are accurate and can be tuned to shoot your shooting style.
 
If you care about ease of field stripping and cleaning, the Ruger is out. Not only is it kind of a pain to strip, but it's also difficult to get into all the crevices of the recevier to clean it.
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Some corrections are needed here. First, a Ruger MK series pistol is very easily field stripped and reassembled if you use the Manual that comes with the pistol. Second, the receiver is the upper part that contains the barrel. It has the serial number, and is very easily cleaned. The frame is also easily cleaned with a q-tip and some solvent. I rarely need to clean mine that way, but I do on occassion after several thousands of rounds.

To avoid a Ruger MK pistol is avoiding one of the best all around .22's ever produced.
 
It sounds like I'd be a fool to give up a free Ruger to spend money on something that's no more accurate just for some improved ease of care and magazine ergonomics.
 
First of all, I'm no expert (at anything). That's my humble opinion.

2. EASY TO CLEAN, strip, maintain
Click to expand...

That rules them all out. :)

The buckmark nor the ruger are difficult once you get the hang of them. The buckmark does require an allen wrench, but that doesn't bother me at all.

I'm happy with my buckmark. I would have been just as happy with a similarly configured Ruger, but this is simply what I found the better deal on at the time. I've had a couple of people complain about inaccuracy, but I also showed them it was the shooter and not the weapon. In my experience, it is capable of more accuracy than the person holding it. I hate the magazine safety. The mag changes aren't cumbersome for me. They are more tricky than a 1911 simply because it is a tiny little fella. :) With some trigger time, they get pretty fast. The trigger isn't the greatest thing since slice bread, but it is pretty sweet. I spend more time reloading the mags than shooting it. A good mag loader is worth it's weight in gold.

DSCF1680.jpg

I potentially have a Ruger MK I my father might give me but I don't think it fits any of the above.
Click to expand...

Borrow pop's Ruger and run a few 1000 rounds through it. Then you will know more about what you want after you spend some time with it and discover what you do or don't like. You'll be out less than $100 and you will have hours of fun to show for it. Maybe buy a couple of extra mags and just run it as is.

Another thing to consider is the use. I'm not shooting my 22 to produce the smallest groups possible on a piece of paper or shooting bullseye matches (although there are guys on here who will take a stock ruger or buckmark and give a mega dollar 22 a run for it's money). I'm plinking, shooting for the occasion tight group with good ammo, getting trigger time, dispatching varmints when needed, putting a smile on my face with large volumes of ammo and having a good day teaching my kids to be better shooters. I don't need a mega dollar 22 for that.
 
I posted in your other thread. Ruger Mk. I is a great pistol. One of the true classic designs of the 20th century.

Bill Ruger started his whole business on that pistol; he didn't make anything else for quite a while.

They are plenty easy to field strip, if you can follow directions.
 
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