.22LR Plinkers?

[bigfatdave]

Does the MkIII have any cycling or feeding issues specific to Remington Thunderbolt ammunition?

Some do, some don't ... you'll have to test your own.
Mine likes CCI and Federal (pretty much every type except CCI Blazer, that may have been a bad batch from a scummy shop that I later learned had flooded, and damn if the boxes didn't look faded and stick together some ... not the gun's fault) is OK with some Winchester, and seems to hate anything from Remington, particularly the cheap stuff. I've read reports from other owners talking about using the cheapest crap from Remington and cleaning "every couple thousand rounds", so you never know.
If it has lots of waxy lube on the lead, it can gum up parts pretty bad, there are a number of places in the feeding and ejecting mechanisms that don't do well with waxy buildup.

Let's see...
5000 rounds for $200 comes to 4 cents per round
5000 rounds for $150 comes to 3 cents per round
I feed the cheap Federal 550 bulk packs to my Rugers most of the time
550 rounds for $18.?? (call it $19, I guess) comes to about 3.5 cents per round ... I admit it, I get 3-6 duds per 550 bulk box, but it makes for cheap shooting

So, the thunderbolts are an OK deal, assuming you have a gun that will eat them if your new Ruger chokes on them. Not such a monumental deal in that quantity if this will be your only .22LR gun.

I have read a lot of reviews calling for a break-in with high velocity clean-burning ammo, CCI minimags being the most popular choice ... that's what I did, for the first 500 rounds or so, I only ran into problems with dirtier ammo and that poorly designed loaded chamber indicator, which in the end I pulled and left out around the same time I was making internal tweaks and deleting the magazine interlock to improve the already pretty good trigger (disclaimer, removing useless devices some people think are useful "safety devices" from a gun can lead to bickering, and more importantly can disqualify you from some shooting sports)

 

[CZguy]

I do have a question about the Ruger though. Does the MkIII have any cycling or feeding issues specific to Remington Thunderbolt ammunition? Reason I'm asking that is I've found that I can get 5000 rounds or so from about $150-200.

Sorry, but all .22s have cycling or feeding issues with Remington Thunderbolt.

 

[General Tso]

Walther SP22. Many accessories for different ways to customize it. Under $350.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

Are extra mags worth getting? I expect to be shooting 100+ rounds each time I go to the range or head up the Poconos.


@ General Tso: I wouldn't get the SP22. I don't like how it looks and if I'm shellin out $200 I want to like how it looks as well as feels.

 

[GLOOB]

Personally, I have started leaving the extra mags at home. I stick with just 2 mags per gun. It's just less stuff to keep track of. I don't mind stopping to load a mag every now and then. Besides, if I shot nonstop without breaks, my range session would be over in 5 minutes.

 

[bigfatdave]

Are extra mags worth getting?

Maybe two extra, I have eight total for two mkIIIs, but just as important, every Browning Buckmark \ Ruger 22/45 or mkII/III \ Colt Woodsman \ High Standard owner should have one of these gadgets:
The McFadden Ultimate Cliploader

Product @ Midway - http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...urce=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=655
Youtube demo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HoErjZVjqI

Once you get the setscrew adjusted, you can have loaded magazines faster than you can shoot them (I tested with two mags and MrsBFD loading for me) At $23 it is only a bit more than an extra mag, well worth the room in your range kit and the money, I take it any time I plan on running more than 50 rounds through a mkIII, if they made one for my P22 I'd buy another or an adapter, that's how much I like this mis-named gadget.

 

[Kilo6]

You can't go wrong with a buckmark or Mark i, ii, iii. I personly like the mkIII 22/45. There are a ton of mods for these. Here's a vid of the buckmark with tactical solutions threaded barrel and YHM Mite suppressor.
It's the vid to the right in the link below.
http://www.comentakeit.com/videos.html

 

[westtx28]

Sorry, but all .22s have cycling or feeding issues with Remington Thunderbolt.

Since we are talking autoloaders I think this is a pretty true statement.

Use the Thunderbolts in revolvers, bolt and lever action rifles.

 

[chicharrones]

Use the Thunderbolts in revolvers, bolt and lever action rifles.

Or a Beretta Neos.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

@BFD: Right now I just don't see the point in shucking out for a "range bag" seeing as i have an old Swiss Army laptop backpack (which is HUGE I can drop my Xbox 360, power brick, cables, 4 controllers and my 200 DVD binder into it with no problem) and an old Eddie Bauer messenger bag. So having space for a magloader is a non-issue for me. I watched the video for it and wow. I'm impressed.

And I'm kicking around the idea of getting a .22 with a DETACHABLE supressor too. Any suggestions for that?

 

[Rembrandt]

Why not look at the (German Sport Guns) GSG 1911. Meets all your criteria and is threaded for a suppressor, around $320-350.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

Wow. that GSG 1911 is sexy. Definitely #2 on my list.

 

[Blakenzy]

I wish there were some good current production PP/PPK clones in .22LR. I just think it is a great form factor for throwing in the pocket and heading out on the 4wheeler. The only one I see out there is the Firestorm but don't know much about it. I have a Daewoo DP52 that is fantastic but I only have one mag for it and replecaments are impossible to get.

Not exactly a PPK .22 but will fit that function.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

@Blakenzy: In the visual department it's close enough.

 

[bigfatdave]

Any suggestions for that?

Got nothing, tell me how it goes!
I think someone makes a replacement upper with an integrated noise reducing device, I'd just go with a complete upper myself, but if I were to do it I'd want it to look stock, and a short bull barrel with a mounted supressor in the same finish doesn't draw much notice.
If you really want a removeable supressor, TacSol and Volquartsen both have threaded barrels, or you might want to start with a threaded model (I know the P22 is, the Sig mosquito maybe as well?)

Supressors aren't cheap, you might as well get the nicest pistol, the gun won't be the big budget item in that setup.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

@ BFD I feel kinda silly asking for a detachable silencer. I found this. (Suprisingly enough on this forum) http://www.gem-tech.com/OASIS.html

I figure instead of getting a whole new gun i might as well just get a new upper for it when I can afford it.

 

[Ranb]

Why feel silly? Anytime you can shoot comfortably without hearing protection just makes it more fun.

Ranb

 

[LHRGunslinger]

@ Ranb: I felt silly specifically asking for a detachable silencer and not being more open to the idea of an integral silencer.

 

[bigfatdave]

Don't feel silly until you discover the ease of removing the barrel/receiver from the frame - one good bonk and you are ready to install a different upper, I've swapped frames with my two a few times with no issues (and figured out that it is the FRAME that is tight on one gun, not the upper).

With the Ruger mk__ guns, the upper is technically the "firearm" anyway, that's where the serial # is and ordering one needs an FFL, and I believe that a suppressor does too, so why not just have a dedicated can upper to swap to, it will have the sights all set up so you don't have to adjust for the reduced velocity ammo you'd be running through a can.

I'm no expert on noise reduction devices though, I don't know if an integral unit is harder to clean or maintain, and I don't know how the price of an integral unit compared to threading an existing barrel and buying/building the external unit.

But that's all secondary, really ... first you need to try out the pistols you're shopping, and then you need to actually get the one you like. Unless you want to up your budget to $1100 to get a complete Oasis suppressed mkIII 22/45, which looks like fun on a bun to me, but hurts my (fairly fenerous) fun budget just thinking about it.

LHRGunslinger, is this your first gun or first handgun? Because if it is, or if it is the first gun you're buying for recreational purposes, handling and renting/borrowing guns should be step #1, really ... don't worry about more than finding a pistol that makes you smile every time you pick it up at this point, you're not buying a spec sheet or acessories list, you're buying a toy (or small game harvesting tool, or competition tool) and at some point you just need to get some range time.
Were you near me, I'd open up the safe and invite you to my club ... I've done it before and I'll likely do it again, because a pile of guns is the way to learn, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

I don't own any guns. Right now I got a Daisy Model 910 air rifle. Back when I was in the Boy Scouts I shot a Marlin bolt .22LR, 12 gauge O/U, and a 20 guage pump. My best friend from high school bought an S&W Model 64 and a Glock 17, both of which I've shot. And that sums up my entire shooting experience.

 

[bigfatdave]

OK, that's fine and nothing to be worried about, I was about where you are a few years back.

If you don't have anyone nearby with some .22 pistols to try out, see if there's a rental range, pretty much every rental range in the universe will have a Ruger mkII or III, a 22/45, a Walther P22 or Sig mosquito, and some random revolver in .22

What I would (and did) do is call ahead and ask if you need an appointment, ask if you have to use their ammo, and show up with some safe eyewear and some good earplugs AND muffs just in case you need both while some yahoo pounds away with a magnum or other loud gun next to you.
Ammo plus rental fees might come to $50 if you rent a bunch of guns and they gouge you on ammo prices ... but you'll walk out knowing what you like and don't like, which will help a LOT in selecting a pistol to buy or at least help you know which deals to pass up.

And don't worry, you'll be needing a bigger safe soon enough ... guns tend to multiply once you let one in the house. So don't stress too much about that first purchase, a .22 is a GREAT place to start, too many people skip it and teach themselves bad habits with a gun unsuited to a new shooter.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

A guy that lives near me has at least one example of everything under the sun. I messaged him a few days ago to see if I could go to the range with him & try out a few of his guns.

As for gouging on prices I went with my friend to the range. He brought his own G17 and we bought 6 or so targets and 100 rounds of Federal .40 S&W and it cost him like $100. That's not normal is it?

 

[bigfatdave]

6 or so targets and 100 rounds of Federal .40 S&W and it cost him like $100. That's not normal is it?

What does fo-tay run these days? I'm seeing $590 / 1,000 rounds on ammoman, that's WAY better than range ammo and comes to an easy-to-figure $0.59 per round or $59 per 100 rounds, and targets should be cheap, even the nice spatter targets I keep around for fun are under $0.50 each ... so no, that's not normal unless you paid a few month's membership with unlimited shooting.
What does that place charge per hour? You need a conservation club, range club, or some other place with an annual membership and unlimited shooting time. I pay $75/year for unlimited access to a 50 yard indoor and 100 yard outdoor range ... daylight hours outdoors and 24/7 indoors ... now that leaves me on my own for ammo, but I think that rental range is gouging on the time, ammo, or something.

 

[LHRGunslinger]

Crud I forgot that day he had picked up his glock after having the sights replaced by the shops gunsmith. Honestly I haven't the foggiest notion of how that particular gun shop charges for it's range time. But I'm thinking of going somewhere I can rent full-autos and use whatever ammo I can get my hands on.

 

[group17]

Bought a Phoenix HP22A range kit for half the coin your willing to spend.
It has been a reliable little plinker that loves 22 bulk ammo and fits in the pocket with the 3inch barrel and flat bottom mag.
The 5 inch target barrel that comes in the kit makes it extra accurate as well as the second mag with the pinky extension. Did i mention it looks like a PPK. If you don't want to go that route I second the Bersa or firestorm 22. Good luck on your hunt!