.22 Pistol Suggestions

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InkEd

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I am looking to get a .22 pistol. This going to be a toy and I don't want to spend more than about $350 on it. I am looking for suggestions from you on the forum.

I know for fact I do NOT want a sig mosquito, ruger bearcat or beretta neo. I am open to semi or revolver but do not wish to go over budget. Thanks in advance for any info.
 
Lot of choices, Semi auto I'd go Buckmark camper, revolver find a nice 60's-70's High Standard Sentinal 9 shot descent quality and 200-300$ price tag.
 
I would prefer to buy new if possible. I haven't really looked at the buckmark too closely how do they compare to the ruger mk2 or mk3?
 
Ruger 22/45 stainless would be my choice as a toy pistol.

The Single Six is a nice .22 stand-in for a Blackhawk, but .22 single actions are a bit of a PITA to load.
 
smith 22A 5 1/2 inch barrel with a red dot, amazing gun, i loved it. cheap, contrary to what most say mine was reliable, and it ate everything. accurate too. i sent it off to smith after close to 10k rounds through it and had the gun gone over completely, and they performed some work on it to make it more accurate, i shot 100rounds through it after getting it back and traded it for a 9mm makarov cuz the fiance HAD to have it :( now im stuck with this FEG junk she wont shoot.
 
I sold my Ruger 22/45 and bought a Sig 226 .22LR Conversion kit. It works great - it allows the user to practice shooting as normal except with less recoil and lower ammo cost.
 
smith 22A 5 1/2 inch barrel with a red dot, amazing gun, i loved it. cheap, contrary to what most say mine was reliable
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I don't think much of anyone says they are unreliable anymore. S&W had an issue with early production where the back retainer hook broke or came loose, mine was one, S&W paid the shipping both ways and turned it around in about 10 days door to door. Been fine since.

The M22A has another quirk were HP rounds can hang on the mag catch causing a close on an empty chamber, mine did this too initially so I quite shooting HP ammo in it, seems to have resolved itself with some shooting on mine too as others have also reported since I had no issues last time out with Winchester Xpert22 or Federal bulk pack HP, the rounds that caused me problems initially.

For a toy, look at the Beretta Neos, mine has been the most reliable of all with cheap ammo, and you can get spare mags for $10 from CDNN.

--wally.
 
I am looking to get a .22 pistol. This going to be a toy and I don't want to spend more than about $350 on it.
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This just might be your lucky day.

From www.gunsamerica.com

Colt "WoodsMan" .22 Pistol (GA Number: 934004143) Classified Ad
Colt Automatic Pistols (22 Cal.)
Colt "WoodsMan" .22 Pistol USED great little shooter, Not much bluing left on the barrel but still a great little plinker,

Seller: Legendary Guns (FFL Dealer) $349.00
GA Sales: 2028
Click to expand...
 
I can't understand why someone would trade a fully functional gun for a conversion kit, but to each his own.

My first .22LR was a cheap RG, but it was a hoot to shoot. It was a single-action nickel plated cowboy gun. Because it was an alloy frame, it was almost like a toy. I was thrilled to get rid of it as part of a trade-in for a Ruger Standard Auto, but in the years that followed I found I missed the single-action revolver. It finally drove me to getting a Ruger Single-Six. Yes, it's a pain to reload, but I'm never going to get rid of it. It's fun to shoot, easy to clean, gorgeous, and the craftsmanship isincredible. It's also accurate.

Any dependable .22 should be in everyone's collection. If limited to one gun, many shooters would pick the Ruger Mark II/III, and these are great pistols for plinking, target practice and defense.
 
I wanted the conversion kit so that I could practice with my carry pistol for only a fraction of the cost of 9mm. The .22LR slide and even the magazines are the same size and shape as the standard slide and mags, and therefore offer a perfect simulation of normal carrying and shooting conditions. The 22/45 mags are very thin and don't fit in the same mag pouch, and sometimes the rounds would fall out in the mag pouch. The 22/45 itself didn't operate the same as the Sig since it used an internal bolt and hammer. I figured the Sig conversion would be the best route to take for realistic training purposes.
 
So far the mk2/3 seems to be the frontrunner. I like the way the 22/45 has similar grip to a 1911 the regular style reminds me of Luger and looks awkward if you are not used to the angle.
 
I can't understand why someone would trade a fully functional gun for a conversion kit
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One important role for a .22 pistol is as a trainer for a larger caliber. Comversion kits are ideal for this purpose, and are just as much fun to shoot as any other .22 pistol.
 
Ive got 3 one is a single six 3 screw,A22/45 ruger and a thompson contender G2 with a 14 in barrel I like all three heck all of them will shoot better than i can......
 
InkEd, this question is a perennial repeat on THR, the answer is subjective, and to find what works for YOU, hit a rental range and run their stuff. Report back on what you liked and didn't like, and someone will be able to tell you more than what they like, and maybe even help you find something YOU like.
 
Thanks for the tip bigfatdave, I never thought of trying a gun before buying it.:rolleyes: The reason the THR is a good forum is because people help each other instead of always saying to search the archive or find out for yourself.

People asking for gun advice on a gun forum. Crazy? Right?

Sorry, just being:evil: for a minute. I have narrowed it down to the Ruger Mk2/3 or Browning Buckmark. Any pros or cons on these two guns would be appreciated. Revolvers are out since I can't find any I like for the budget. Thank you all for your help.
 
I know the Rugers fairly well, and the best thing about them is the ergonomics and aftermarket. If you like the feel in your hand, everything else can be made better with Ruger auto-loading .22's, not to say that there is much wrong with them in the first place (beyond the worthless "safety features" that Ruger added to the MKIII).
 
Ruger 22/45 is fine if you don't like the angled grip. Neither do I so I know where you're coming from. The Buckmark is a sweetie to shoot as well. If a new Ruger or Buckmark isn't in the budget I would not have any fears of buying a lightly used example of either one.

I was also able to shoot a borrowed S&W22A for a couple of thousand rounds. It was a rent a gun range pig that had seen more ammo through it in the year at the range than most guns would see in any three lifetimes of single owner use. It also wasn't cleaned all that regularly. It did have the odd issue with FTE here and there but I'd mention it and they'd clean it and it would be fine for a few visits until it got all gummed up again. Likely 2500 to 3000 rounds where put through it between my visits and it only stuck the cases after every second to third visit to it. Based on that I can heartily recomend them. Was more accurate than I was able to hold it as well.

Another goodie if you find one in good used condition would be a S&W 422. It's the predicessor to the 22A and it's a fine gun. I got one at a gun show and it's been a superb gun for the past year. I've shot probably 2500 to 3000 rounds through it between cleanings and it's just like the Energizer Bunny. And it loves all the basic bulk pack ammo like Winchester 333 and Federal bulk 525 packs along with Blazer when I find it.
 
I vote for the Buckmark based on price and ease of cleaning. The Browning Buck Mark is amazingly simple to clean. The Ruger can be a real pain to clean. The open bolt design of the Browning (similar to the old High Standard) means you can shoot it a lot more and clean it every time you shoot.
 
Walther P22, could be the greatest handgun ever made.
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To each his own, I suppose, but you had to know that this wasn't going to go unchallenged, didn't you?

It shouldn't be hard to find a bunch of threads calling the Walther P22 a piece of junk based upon its zinc slide (noted for cracking) and its feeding problems. Yes, the sample is self-selecting in that the people that respond have some vested interest in responding, but I find it a bit disquieting that there are so many complaints about a little .22 pistol, ones that do not typically exist when the discussion turns to the Ruger Mark II/III or the Browning Buckmark.

In any event, it would be presumptuous indeed to declare the Walther P22 "the greatest handgun ever made", what with all the other handguns with much better reputations and proven reliability.
 
Incidentally, lest you think I am blowing smoke, I would direct you here:

brokenWALTHERslide732.jpg

That is something that you never want to see, and while it is not necessarily common it is far too commonly reported for my tastes.
 
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