.22 multi-purpose handgun

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For plinking, targets, and varmints, there are lots of good choices in 22lr.

I'm a revolver guy. The Ruger LCRx is very good, or just about anything from S&W. The Ruger Single Six is also very good, if you enjoy SA revolvers. The Ruger SP101 I own has a horrible trigger, as did the Taurus Model 94 I used to own.

My Browning Buck Mark is probably the most accurate handgun I own. My FiL owns a Ruger Mark II that is equally good.

22lr is a poor choice for self defense.
 
Awesome - thanks everyone for the advice. I like the convertible caliber guns. Or a 22 Luger, since they look so cool.
 
I recommend a Ruger SR-22 with the longer 4.5" barrel,,,
It's plenty accurate enough for serious plinking,,,
Use CCI Mini-Mags and its a varmint buster.

I recommend this pistol over any of the MK-series guns,,,
The reason is because if it's going to be a self defense pistol,,,
I prefer a DA/SA with exposed hammer so it has second-strike capability.

If you do have a dud round with a SA target pistol,,,
You must rack the action to shoot again.

With a DA/SA SR-22 you just pull the trigger again,,,
Most of the time that second strike will ignite a stubborn round.

I also like that it has a de-cocker,,,
You can have a chamber loaded and not rely completely on the safety switch

I own both the SR-22 and Ruger Mk-III pistols,,,
They are both very fine handguns.

But for self defense the SR-22 is more suitable.

JMHO

Aarond

.
 
This is my two current .22s. I don't like the sight on the Ruger 22/45, consequently the red dot. Its accurate. I've hit ground hogs at 35 yards with it.
The Rossi is a fine revolver, all steel, I like the sights and the sighting radius. Its picky on ammo liking only CCI Mini Mags.
I don't carry either one, I have others for that but I do have a shoulder holster for the Rossi if I going woods trekking.
If the .22 did not exist someone would have to invent it. Its versatility is boundless.



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Went shooting today with a Buckmark, had 3 duds out of 60 rounds, a mix of Federal's and Remington's. Turning them to expose a different part of the rim had two go off, one still wouldn't go off.

While my Buckmark is an excellent, accurate gun, if you're looking to use one .22 handgun for everything, including defense, to me it would have to be a revolver, one with as many holes as possible in the cylinder. Another pull of the trigger is certainly faster than doing a dud clearing exercise with a semi-auto.

That being said, due to the low energy of a .22, I wouldn't recommend it for defense unless there were no other options.
 
22lr is a bit low, but 22mag would certainly be enough. Since there aren’t many 22mag pistols then that leads to revolvers which are better in a rimfire anyways because if you do thud a dud then you just keep on rolling. No need to do tap dancing drills. My recommendation is a 3” double action, but they are rare. I think Ruger made a 3” lcr but I’m not sure about 22 mag. 3” picks up power over a 2” but doesn’t give up much in concealability or weight.
 
As neat as a Swingle Six with both cylinders is.......I would not necessarily recommend one for self defense.

When talking about over the counter original equipment guns I do not know that a Ruger Mk Whatever is any less reliable than a center fire gun per rounds fired. Now a tweaked and slicked up center fire in a cartridge made for semi autos is going to beat them reliability wise.

Some sort of DA revolver might be to more folks liking reliability wise.

Main issue in my mind is what will you practice with?

I have and old H&R swing out 9 shot DA .22 (forget model number) in two inch barrel as one of my vehicle guns in an under the seat lock box. Some buddies have described it as "a piece of c*#P!" It has been fun to plink with mainly single action and has proven to be "Minute of possum" 20 feet up a tree with a flashlight in one hand and the pistol in the other. Unfortunately the design is such the hammer blocks any attempt to use the sights in DA mode. It did not take long for me to find I could dump a bunch of .22 bullets in a paper plate at 3 to 5 yards in a big hurry just using the point shoulder technique. The thing is you have to spend some time learning to shoot whatever you get and keeping that skill current.

-kBob
 
For the purpose of target shooting and varmint control/small game hunting, the gun I would recommend (and the gun I actually use myself) would be a Browning Buckmark. Great pistols and will last literally a lifetime. A person could do worse for a nightstand gun. A couple magazine full of Mini Mag hollow points would not leave me feeling unprotected. Not all 22 ammo is so unreliable as people make is sound.
 
It all boils down to it being a piece of metal being forcefully inserted where a piece of metal wasn't present before and shouldn't be. Back when all I had was my Ruger MK1 (I had good friends who'd loan me deer and varmint guns), I didn't feel undergunned at all. I could put 9 rounds in the black at 50 all day long, didn't suffer many jams or FTFs and if I did, was so familiar with it there wasn't much of a problem in my mind.

Yes, when I got back on my feet again I got better weapons, but even today, if I had to go back to a single 'do-all' handgun there'd be no issue in my mind at all with one.
 
I typically try to stay within thread-topic, answering only what was asked, and not offering other, unsolicited commentary.

But, in taking a look again at the OP's thread title, I see where he asks about a ".22" for a multi-purpose gun, but doesn't necessarily specify .22 long rifle.

So, I offer up the Kel-Tec PMR-30. :D

(but, yeah, ammo is pricey, and not as readily-available!)
 
WestKentucky said:
22lr is a bit low, but 22mag would certainly be enough. Since there aren’t many 22mag pistols then that leads to revolvers which are better in a rimfire anyways because if you do thud a dud then you just keep on rolling. No need to do tap dancing drills. My recommendation is a 3” double action, but they are rare. I think Ruger made a 3” lcr but I’m not sure about 22 mag. 3” picks up power over a 2” but doesn’t give up much in concealability or weight.
Click to expand...

kBob said:
As neat as a Swingle Six with both cylinders is.......I would not necessarily recommend one for self defense.

-kBob
Click to expand...

Ruger or S&W needs to make a switch cylinder DA/SA revolver like Taurus does.

4" or 6.5" barrel versions of .22LR / .22 WMR.

https://www.taurususa.com/product-d...egory=Revolver&toggle=tr&breadcrumbseries=TR9

https://www.taurususa.com/product-d...egory=Revolver&toggle=tr&breadcrumbseries=TR9
 
If self defense wasn’t necessary, I’d say a Ruger MKII, 22/45, Browning Buckmark or a Smith 422 series.

If it’s a true general purpose gun and including self defense, I’d get a revolver. Probably an older S&W.
 
Armored Farmer, that's a fine looking pair of Rugers. Unconverted I take it? One of my co-workers has one, vintage '62 original like new. I've got to make him an offer that will make him part with it.
 
Shimitup said:
Armored Farmer, that's a fine looking pair of Rugers. Unconverted I take it? One of my co-workers has one, vintage '62 original like new. I've got to make him an offer that will make him part with it.
Click to expand...
Those are both SSS's with mag cylinders. The 5.5" has seen many miles and many bricks of ammo.
 
I can't dispute anything anyone has said here, except to say a 22 LR is a lot better than a lot of people give it credit for being. I had an uncle who was killed by someone using, "just a 22," and a friend who was shot in the arm with a 22 during a mugging told me, "It hurt like HELL." Not my first choice, but a lot better than crying and begging "Please don't hurt me."

I don't know how many 22's I've owned over the years. Smith & Wesson and Dan Wesson D/A revolvers, Colt and Ruger Single-Action revolvers, Ruger auto's, and a couple of almost unknown brands. They all worked pretty well. I don't recall any of them being particularly fussy about ammo, nor do I remember any ammo having a lot of duds (I've shot Federal bulk pack for so many years, I don't remember anything else really.) I did have trouble with a Ruger MK III jamming once, but a shot of WD-40 got it right back in the game. Made a note to myself to clean/oil it more than once a year.

These days I'm down to just a couple of 22's. Both are Smith & Wesson 22 Combat Masterpieces. Maybe more money than you'd want to spend, but on the other hand, a gun for your kids to show off to their grandkids.

Totally "show off" pictures.

1954, 22 Combat Masterpiece

K22NG_zpsathclnve.jpg

Model 18-4, probably from around 1980 or so, but I've never bothered to look it up.

Model18-4a_zpsjusoj3uz.jpg

Only two things I've ever even heard of as a complaint about them, other than the cost. First, they're only six rounds. Get a speed-loader and practice with it. And secondly they suffer from hard extraction, but I've never seen one I couldn't get to eject empties with ease by simply using small patches cut from a lead wipe away cloth to clean the charge holes. I've never tried it with any other 22, but I suspect it would help with any that seem to have an extraction problem.

If I had to have a semi for the stated purposes, I think I'd choose a Bersa Firestorm/Thunder. Small size, light weight, fairly inexpensive, reasonable capacity, spare magazines aren't cheap, but you can find them, reasonably accurate for what you'll be asking them to do. This one is a 380, but the 22 looks just like it.

Bersa380_zpsxc9tcwh8.jpg

You do not have to get purple/pink. It is available in other colors including black, but when Mama wanted a purple gun, she got a purple gun. :)
 
Good Ol' Boy said:
I would get a 9mm of some sort as it will cover all of the bases you mentioned better.

I would personally recommend a semi instead of a revolver but would suggest you go and check both out in person to see what suits you.
Click to expand...
I agree and would add that a .22LR conversion slide/barrel would seal the deal. So a Glock 9 mm with an Advantage Arms .22 conversion setup would be perfect. A pistol novice doesn’t need a true target gun for range plinking. Use the 9mm for self defense and other purposes and the .22 for fun targeting.
 
That’s true, you don’t even need a gun capable of great accuracy to “target shoot” either.

Even pistols that are not known for their accuracy are just fine for close varmits and such.

A4CE33E8-576F-42F9-AD2C-1C633CA40EDF.jpeg
 
I’ve get 2 guns that fill the role we’re discussing. Conveniently, one is a semiautomatic and the other a revolver.

Smith M&P22 compact - very reliable, decent trigger, accurate, and has adjustable sights. Nice size, compact to carry, but you can still get your whole hand on it.

Rossi Plinked - 2 inch stainless steel. Good trigger, nice high visibility sights. Good grip. My wife’s favorite gun.

As for the .22 for defense. I would avoid being shot by one! If you need to use a .22 for self defense, keep pulling the trigger until the threat goes away. Course, that’s good advice for any caliber!
 
I recommend the S & W 617 if you are going to use it for target, varmits and protection. They are accurate and can handle any 22 ammo ( not mags) on the market. Plus you have 10 shots to stop and protect you and yours.

Walt
 
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