.22s for my sister

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LoneCoon

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My sister is looking to purchase a semi-auto .22 for her birthday. She's trying to keep the price under $250. She really likes the Walther P-22, but I told her I'd look around for other suggestions as well.

She'd be using it for plinking and target shooting as the house gun is already taken care of and she doesn't carry.

So... suggestions?
 
The Ruger Mk II or the new MK III is a better gun for the money then the Walther P22. The only reason to get a Walther P22 is if you have a 9mm Walther and want to use it as a training gun. Otherwise, the Walther is not as usefull as the Ruger. The Ruger can be used as a plinker or hunter or upgraded to a bullseye gun. The Walther cant, and the ones I've seen have been very finicky. More so than is normal for a .22.
 
I have a Browning Buckmark Camper and have been very happy with it, no problems yet with about 3000 rounds of various types thru it.
 
let her get the walther i had one and sold it like a folllish young person would do but it was great for plinking .It wasnt too long and if she wanted to she could carry it.It is small enough.I think they are fun and now that you mentioned it i am late to go buy a new one.
 
I personally would suggest a MKIII if she wants new, or a MKII if used to save some money. Might even find a leftover new MKII. The Ruger is accurate reliable and is an excellent platform to upgrade with many aftermarket parts. I have a P22, and while fun, the Ruger is going to be less trouble and more fun in the long run. The 22/45 and MKs with a short barrel are nice compact plinkers, and with the longer bull barrels are fine target guns. Good luck and happy shooting.
 
I'd suggest the Beretta Neos, my wife really likes ours and with a cheap red dot sight it rocks. Big plus is CDNN still had U22 Neos mags for $10 each last time I looked -- we've stocked up!

Pass on these suggestions but its her gun, her choice, what feels best to her, probably is best for her.

All the 22s mentioned are good guns, but all have weaknesses. The safety on the Neos and P22 rotate the "wrong" way. The Ruger and Buckmark are far more trouble to take down and re-assemble for cleaning that they should be. (brake parts cleaner is your friend :)) The P22 is in last place for me, the others are pretty much a toss up for me, my wife prefers the Neos, Buckmark, and P22 over either Ruger (MkII and 22/45).

--wally.
 
Another vote for the Neos. It has a small grip and is good for small hands (So explain why I bought it when I have large hands......)
The Neos is a pleasure to take down and put back together.
Edit to add the mags are also nicer to load than the MKII mags, though they don't have any speed loaders like the MKII
 
The most important advice is to have your sister handle as many guns as possible and make up her own mind. While the P22 is typically looked down upon, if it is the gun she wants, and she does have a problem, then a quick search of rimfirecentral.coms Walther section will find a fix. Mine has an occasional stovepipe but is otherwise very fun, just not quite as accurate as the more expensive guns. She should not have to live with a gun she doesn't want, just becuase we have our favourites. For me it's Rugers, but then it is an addiction with me. Happy shooting.
 
My two sisters (22 and 37) went to the range with me a few months ago. I taught them to shoot (in the younger's case, a long-awaited refresher) with the MKII and the P22 5". Though the P22 is certainly not as accurate as a MKII/III or a Buckmark, it has several advantages: small and easily changeable grips for smaller ladies, very light weight (to reduce fatigue during long sessions) and, of all things, a laser. I was skeptical about how much a laser would help, but I really was able to see what my older sister was doing wrong at first because of the laser. Also, the P22 is more ambidextrous than the other designs mentioned here. Finally, a good mod is available to turn the P22 mags into 13 rounders, which makes it a more viable carry piece should the need arise.

That said, I will be purchasing a MKII before I buy a P22, though both will be mine. I, however, have a lot more guns to choose from (a .22 handgun is about the only genre short of NFA weapons that I don't yet have) and have a lot more experience shooting than (I gather) your sister does.
 
http://www.magazineparts.com/

Loaded with Aguila 60 grain solids, it is the near equal of the .32 but with greater sectional density and twice the capacity. Not ideal, but it beats a pointy stick. And the 20-something percent increase in capacity really did make me think of it differently. That is what I'll be picking up a cheap 3.4" version after my MKII: slip it into the back pocket when you are out in the woods.
 
100_5295.jpg

Another option:

Bersa/Firestorm makes a great little 22cal pistol. I preferred the Firestorm model (FS22) because it had better grips. This pistol has turned out to be my favorite trail/plinker. It is more accurate than I can see to shoot it, it has been 100% reliable, and just feels good in the hand.

Should your sister later on wish to "caliber up" she can buy the same pistol in 380cal as the Bersa Thunder 380. It seems the BT380 is a favorite of the ladies in particular.

Check out wwwBersaTalk.com if you have any interest.

I think I paid about $225 or so for the FS22 and I'm having a hard time keeping it. My neighbor's young daughter shot it and she wants it for her very own.. It IS an excellent little pistol.

Best Wishes,

JP
 
P22 13-round followers, potential issues.

I'm betting his sister will have a real hard time loading the P22 mags if the 13-rounds without the thumb nub are installed. Not to mention, without it, the slide will not lock back leading to lots of dry-fires while shooting.

The P22 can be dry-fired with the safety on since the safety prevents firing pin from being hit by the hammer, but with the 13-round followers, on the 14th trigger pul it'll be click instead of bang on an empty chamber. Very few 22s can stand up to this in the long term. Rugers are the major exception because they have a cross-pin in the bolt that stops the firing pin forward motion short of the chamber face. Ruger owners manual warns that dry firing without the pin in place (can be forgotten during re-assembly) will damage the gun

--wally
 
I recently bought a Buckmark and am very happy with it. I will be buying one for each of my children as they come of age. It's a great-feeling, accurate starter pistol for $250.

A friend of mine has a Ruger MKIII, and it is nice - no problems at all. I just liked the look and feel of the Browning better.
 
It wasn't until I had already posted the link that I saw the disclaimer about the button and failing to lock back. I wonder why they couldn't have designed one to fit?
 
The P22 is a good little gun, my wife loves hers and I have to admit it's a lot of fun. It's accurate and reliable as long as you use decent ammo, the CCI stuff is my favorite. I consider the laser to be a toy, but it is an extremely fun toy and it really can help tighten your groups if for no other reason than it helps you develop a steady hold by giving you realtime feedback. If your sis likes the P22 let her get it and feed it good high velocity ammo. If it might see defensive duty I'd put a plug in for an alternating mix of Velocitors or Stingers with Quickshock. The former will give penetration and reasonable expansion, the latter will give lots of shallower tissue disruption. Some combination thereof ought to get just about anybody to reconsider his desires and motivations, especially when liberally applied to the face and general head and neck region.
 
Look at the P22, the SIG Mosquito, the RUger Mk II or maybe the Browning BUckmark. Ideally you shoot each one before you buy, if not get the one that works best, shoots best, feels best or at the best bargain you can find ;)
 
If ammo cost might be an issue, our P22 works fine with the ~$9/525 Remington Golden Bullet bulk pak. The Federal Champion (~$7/500) often "binds" in the mag causing the slide to fail to pickup the next round, closing on an empty chamber.

Our Neos and Buckmark works with everything I've tried. One Ruger stovepipes enough to be very annoying with the Federal and another often doesn't go fully into battery with the Remington.

Remington Thunderbolts (~$9/500) was fine in all guns, but recent lots have leaded barrels very badly so I've quit buying it :(

--wally.
 
Off topic but...

...avoid the Remington Viper ammo. These are the ones with a polymer (black) bullets. They lead up my .22's so bad. Just ' thought I should warn you guys.
 
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