Beretta Neos or S&W 22-A or...

Which general purpose 22?

  • Beretta Neos

    Votes: 16 34.0%

  • Smith & Wesson 22-A

    Votes: 15 31.9%

  • Other, which one and why

    Votes: 16 34.0%
  • Total voters
    47
  • Poll closed .
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USAF_Vet

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So I've got it narrowed down, I think, to the Beretta Neos or the Smith and Wesson 22-A as a general purpose .22 plinker/ target gun.

I like the looks and styling of both pistols, like the ergos, et cetera.

I've always been a S&W fan, but I like the option of the carbine kit for the Neos.

I've got some trigger time on the Smith, but have only fondled a Neos at the LGS.
Reading reviews hasn't helped, I'm still deadlocked between the two.
 
Can't really go wrong with either. I haven't shot the S&W but I love my Neos. I paid $259 for it and it shows any junk 22lr ammo you give it. Pretty accurate too.
 
Hello USAF_Vet,,,

We have something in common,,,
I was in the USAF from 1970 to 1978,,,
And we both like the Beretta NEOS pistol.

I find your two choices a bit puzzling in one aspect.

The NEOS has the most slender grip of the popular target 22's,,,
The Smith & Wesson 22A has the fattest grip of them all.

Taking in all of the factors I like the NEOS better than the 22A,,,
And I have shot both handguns extensively.

I like that it takes less than a minute to change the NEOS barrels,,,
I like that breaking it down for cleaning is extremely easy,,,
The NEOS magazines are the best of any .22 pistol,,,
The slender grips of the NEOS fit my hand,,,
I love their Buck Rogers ray gun style,,,
The Carbine Kit absolutely rocks.

The only thing I do not like about the NEOS is the front sight blade,,,
But I solved that by purchasing a fiber optic replacement,,,
Click here please,,,

The 22A is a fine target pistol,,,
I simply prefer the NEOS as my plinker.

Aarond

.
 
I love my Neos, as others have mentioned it is easy to take down and clean. has lots of options. and is my go to gun for plinking fun. (Not really a target shooter going for the smallest groups so I never tried it, but it does tend to hit the circumference of a can a around 15 yards consistently)
 
I am very fond of the 22A. I have a 7-inch model that shoots everything I feed it and is joyfully accurate. It does take a little force to press the takedown button, but is otherwise easy to clean. I also have a Ruger SR-22. These guns compliment one another nicely.
 
S&W customer service can't be beat!

I've been running ~10,000 rounds a year through my M22A 7.5" Fluted Bull Barrel model since I got it late 2005. S&W has repaired it a few times for free paying the shipping both ways despite the high mileage. It's one of the few pistols I can still shoot effectively with iron sights.
 
I have four Ruger MK II's that I've been shooting for many years, so you know what I recommend. The other .22 I'd recommend is a Browning Buckmark. A have shot a friends, and really liked it. The Ruger has more aftermarket part, however, and you can take them from plinkers to match guns pretty easily.
 
They're both decent guns with modern designs that allow for much easier maintenence than classics like the Buckmark or Ruger MK series. I personally prefer the Neos out of the options given and ours will fire anything with extreme reliability.

The front sight upgrade is a must however if you intend to use the iron sights.
 
The Beretta Neos and the S&W are based on the design of the Hi Standard, which is much older than the Ruger or Buckmark's design.

If you look at the prices of the Neos or S&W you'll notice it is lower than similar Rugers or Buckmarks. There is a reason for that. You get what you pay for. Not saying the Neos or S&W's aren't good .22's. They are fine plinkers, but not in the league of the Ruger and Buckmark.
 
I have had a Neos for years ! It has been reliable and easy to maintain , accurate and fun to shoot and was economical to purchase . a few years ago i added a second barrel , so now I have a 6inch with a red dot or scope mounted and a 4 1/2 inch with iron sights for easy trail carry ! I have no regrets from my purchase ! Kevin :D

i almost forgot the only problem i ever had was the rear sight coming loose when the windage screw backed out! i drop of locktite and problem solved ! also the magazines are the easiest i have ever loaded!
 
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Just thought I would add my two cents. Just got back from the range a couple of hours ago. I bought a Ruger SR22 this week and finally got out to shoot it. Wow what a gun. This little pistol is a blast to shoot. It will be a fun plinker for me and a great training pistol for my wife and daughter. The size is perfect for them and goes bang every time. While any .22 isn't ideal for personal protection, the ability to put rounds on target makes this a viable weapon for them.
 
The Beretta Neos and the S&W are based on the design of the Hi Standard,
Click to expand...

The Beretta and S&W pistols are no more derivatives of the High Standard "design" than the High Standard pistol is based on the Colt Woodsman design. Most .22 semi-autos pistols share the same, common "blowback" self-loading design lineage; differences between manufacturers are manifested in small features having little to do with the basic blowback action.
 
SwampWolf said:
The Beretta and S&W pistols are no more derivatives of the High Standard "design" than the High Standard pistol is based on the Colt Woodsman design. Most .22 semi-autos pistols share the same, common "blowback" self-loading design lineage; differences between manufacturers are manifested in small features having little to do with the basic blowback action.
Click to expand...
I wasn't referring to the "blowback" action but the overall design of the pistol and how it breaks down. The Ruger was innovative in that it used more inexpensive stamped steel for the frame, and a Nambu type receiver where sights could be mounted that didn't move with the slide.
 
Between the Neos pistol and the S&W 22A? Being a Neos owner, I'd like to try the S&W with the optional wood grip that fills out the bottom of the hand.

The Neos is a decent plinker, but the trigger after the recall upgrade kinda stinks for target work. The safety is in a weird place too. The front sight is an easy fix by just filing or sanding the width to make it thinner. I've done that with the colored front sights available from Beretta on my Neos.

The best things about the Neos in my opinion is the optics rail for a red dot and the Carbine Kit. My Carbine Kitted Neos is pretty much the only reason I like and keep my Neos, but the kit apparently is all but impossible to find now.

I know you don't want a Ruger MKIII, but an inexpensive 22/45 is much easier to shoot well in my hands than my Neos pistol. Plus, the 22/45 has a mag release and safety that faithfully mimick a defense pistol. The Neos mag release mimicks an AR mag release, which is cool in Neos Carbine form.

IMO, if you want a Carbine Kit Neos, I'd find that Kit first then get the pistol. The pistol will be easy to find. The Carbine Kit, not so much.

pack-1.jpg


No that is not a MKIII with that Neos Carbine. ;)
 
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sights could be mounted that didn't move with the slide.
Click to expand...

Though the Ruger may have been first in 1949 with this "feature", the Smith & Wesson Model 41 pistol arrived in 1957 with "stationary" sights. Of course, High Standard initially solved the "problem" of the rear sight in motion after each shot by mounting their sight on a bridge straddling the moving slide; later (with the introduction of the Victory model in 1972), mounting the rear sight to a rib affixed to the barrel. The Browning Nomad and Challenger models were introduced in 1962 (and the Medalist two years later), which were .22 auto pistols having stationary rear sights.
"Back in the day", when Bullseye competition was the biggest game in town, serious pistol shooters wanted rear sights on their target pistols that didn't move every time the gun was shot. The aforementioned companies started making pistols to comply with the demand, though I suspect that the Ruger project incorporating a stationary sight on their pistol was nothing more than a lucky by-product of the basic design.
 
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aarondhgraham said:
What is that bag-like thing in the carbine stock"

Aarond

.
Click to expand...

It's a small bag meant for the underside of a bicycle seat. It works great for carrying spare mags or whatever you want. I had to unstitch the top strap to loop it through the stock slot. It has velcro already on it to secure the top strap to the bag and of course velcro to go around the front of the stock.

See it here. :cool: http://www.all3sports.com/xlab-mini-top-tool-bag.html
 
The poll is neck and neck. If the carbine kit is difficult to acquire, that may bump the Neos out o the running. I wanted the most utility out of that gun, and the carbine kit was a major selling point.

Looks like the S&W is going to win this poll, unless I find a smashing deal on a Ruger, Colt or Browning.
 
As someone who bought a Neos years ago and waited and waited and waited for the carbine kit, only to find out it costs as much as a decent .22lr by itself, I wouldn't let that be the deciding factor.
 
Liked the overall feel and balance of the Neos over any other entry level .22 semi-auto.
 
I vote for the “other”. I have a SR22 that has been perfect through bricks of any type of bulk 22’s I could find along with the premium stuff. It’s light, durable, good looking and although it’s no target pistol I find it pretty accurate.
The Neo looks like a prop from a 1950’s Buck Rogers show; I probably couldn’t quit giggling long enough to hit anything with it. The Smith looks a little better but both are pretty heavy for a 22 that’s primarily for plinking.
 
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