.22LR Conversion or New Pistol?

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dutch pirate

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Can yall help me out with something? I am dying for a .22 that I can shoot up and not worry about ammo prices. I have narrowed it to 2 choices:
1. Buy the .22LR conversion kit for my Glock. This sounds really cool and would allow real practice with trigger etc. I am only hesitant because I worry about accuracy out of the short barrel. I also think the cool factor is more on this choice because it looks like a real pistol.
2. Get a Ruger or a Buckmark. I loved the buckmark I shot last week, and I have always liked shooting my dad's 22/45. The relatives that are uneasy about my glock, own and shoot .22 pistols themselves, so this would catch me less flak than the glock while carrying out on the ranch. (I have been CCing the glock to keep them ignorant and happy)
My concerns:
I would really like the conversion, but I feel like it cheats me out of a whole 'nother gun. The cool factor (and practice factor) is just so high on this option. I am also concerned about the accuracy out of a 3.5-4" barrel as opposed to the 5.5 or 6" barrel I would get in option 2.
What say you THO?
 
I would really like the conversion, but I feel like it cheats me out of a whole 'nother gun.
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That's my thought and I would lean to getting an entirely new platform. But, you can always do what I would normally do (to the detriment of my wallet) and do both.
 
In my experience the various conversion units tend (note I said tend and results can vary) to be less reliable and less accurate than a regular .22 pistol.

Just about any decent .22 pistol will be fun and do what you want. After thinking about it a long time I settled on this older Ruger model as the perfect sport .22 auto. Maybe the best shooting gun I own.


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Another favorite is actually a conversion unit built into a whole gun. An older Colt unit on a Charles Daly lower it functions 100% and except for the extended tang (I need to swap that) that came on the frame I think it looks great.


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The Standard Model Ruger is OK for plinking but lacks the accuracy and the panache of the Target Models.


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And don't rule out a revolver. The older K22s reek with style.


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But if you are really that enamored with your Glock (what people see in these is beyond me) then go with the conversion unit and see how it works.
 
I'd say get the conversion first so you can have fun with a pistol you know you enjoy, and of course get some cheap practice time. And then of course get a dedicated .22 later. Then again that is just an opinion.
 
Haven't fooled with the Glock units, but I do have the Colt conversion unit. It has its points, but other than exactly duplicating the big pistol's handling and controls, it's just sort of "nice to have". Conversons can be quirky. I was tempted to get a Ceiner for my BHP but decided that I probably would not use it enough to justify the expense, even if it worked flawlessly.

I too think a dedicated .22 pistol is a good way to go; my standard Ruger .22 auto is excellent, once the fixed sights were zeroed and it had a trigger job. I use it a lot more than the Colt.

I do quite a bit of DA revolver shooting and for that the Model 18 S&W is unbeatable as a subcaliber piece.
 
Yeah, I think I am going to go with the pistol. I think if I bought the conversion, I would end up buying the pistol within the end of the summer anyways. I am probably going to get the Buckmark, because I really liked the trigger on my buddy's last week. I will definitely be buying a conversion kit when I get a 1911. (which is on 'the list' for after I get outta college and have a real paycheck)
As for what I see in a Glock, it does exactly what I ask every single time, in the most simple, reliable form. It is not "Perfection". It is a tool, and it does a great job. Fanboys are foolish, but it is just as foolish to not objectively judge tools.
 
It really depends on what you want to spend. The 22 of choice for me is a S&W 41 if your talking semiauto I am very partial to the S&W 18 and in a 4" its surprisingly accurate. Now you have to look at the other side of the question. Are you looking for more inexpensive practice with your CCW gun. If that is the case the conversion it is. If I were in your shoes I would have both as long as the funds are there. Those Ruger MKIII's look pretty good for the money.

Smithiac
 
The CZ Kadet Kit .22 conversion on my 75B or PCR is as accurate and reliable as my 5.5 inch bull barrel Ruger MK II. Many compete with a Marvel conversion on a 1911 frame. That being said, I have four dedicated .22 pistols, three of which are Ruger MK II's.
 
I love my Advantage Arms kit. It's accurate, I get good trigger time on the Glock. It's a heck of a lot easier to clean then a Buckmark or Ruger (I'm told).


It can be finicky, but so can any .22, and it certainly needs more lubrication then Glock fan-boys are used to.

It's a blast!
 
cleaning

I have heard this comment about cleaning several times. Are the Rugers/buckmark that hard to clean really? Does it require unique tools or something?
 
I have quite a few .22 pistols & revolvers, a .22 pistol was my first purchase. That said, my CZ kadet kit is the .22 that always goes to the range. I put the same fiber optic front sight as on my 9mm slide. I carry a CZ75bd or P01 and shoot a CZ75b in IDPA and USPSA. What I like about the conversion is that the magazines are the same size as the 9mm magazines. Also, I get to shoot the same platform I carry, same weight, trigger pull, etc. My kadet kit happens to be very, very accurate and fits all three of my CZ pistols.

regards,

Luis Leon

P.S. You'll probably end up with both. Good luck!
 
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I just got an advantage arms kit for my Glock 23. It was by far the best purchase I've made recently. I had a Browning Buckmark when I was younger and I definately prefer the conversion kit as it lets me practice with the same handgun as I would use for defensive purposes. It's great for practicing draw and fire out of a holster as you're getting the exact same feel of the gun. Follow up shots will be a lot easier for lack of recoil obviously, but you can't have everything. I vote for the conversion. It has saved me tons of money over the past couple months and allowed me to go shooting every week without breaking the bank. Also my wife is a big fan of it too so that was another benefit.
 
It's great for practicing draw and fire out of a holster as you're getting the exact same feel of the gun. Follow up shots will be a lot easier for lack of recoil obviously, but you can't have everything.
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I have a Colt Ace Conversion kit mounted on an M1927 Argentine and use it exactly that way.

One key to rapid shooting is to keep your eye on the front sight throughout the recoil cycle -- using the conversion kit makes that easier, and improves full-caliber performance.
 
Crap, hard decision here. I am just going to wind up with both of them this summer. AA kit for the glock and another pistol. I anticipate the fiancee will find a favorite and try to claim one anyways.
I am going to buy the pistol this afternoon and the kit after I pay next months rent.
 
I had the AA kit for my Glock 22, and currently have the Ciener kit for my Kimber.

I never put them in a ransom rest to test accuracy. But I also think, I didn't get them for target grade accuracy. They're certainly good enough to zap squirrels at 20 yards.

The weirdest thing about the AA kit is that it's even lighter than the slide you are used to. I mean you REALLY think it's a toy. I had some jamming for the first couple of hundred rounds, and one magazine worked better than the other. I never played with the adjustable sights, I kept them centered. The rear plate comes off for cleaning.

The Ciener is much more normal feeling and shooting. I'm about to switch out for hi-cap magazines, and I also think I'm going to build a dedicated frame for it, so I don't have to keep switching on the fly in the passenger seat of my dad's truck.

Use hot ammo. I know the ad says something like "1 .45 = 10 .22s", but if you use really cheap ammo, it won't work as well. I use only stingers and velocitors, and never have problems. The other advantage to consider, is the trigger practice. This is better than repeated dry-firing.

I still love my dad's Mk I, Woodsman, and Single-Six.
 
I would go with another gun not a conversion.

If you have a Ruger type of S/A that comes with 2 calibers like the Super Single Six that would be cool too. They are very nice guns and I own one.

Catherine
 
I have eight .22 pistols and revolvers, including some of the best ever made, but the .22 that gets all the triger time is my 1911 Colt conversion. It is accurate and reliable. If I could have only one .22 handgun, this would be it.
 
I like my Advantage Arms Conversion Kit for my GLOCK 23. It is accurate and pretty reliable for a 22lr semi auto. It does give the same trigger and grip feel.
 
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