• You are using the old High Contrast theme. We have installed a new dark theme for you, called UI.X. This will work better with the new upgrade of our software. You can select it at the bottom of any page.

Best .22 for target, plinking, practice?

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

trackaddict88

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
176
Location
All Over-West of the Mississippi
Hey everone, I was looking for opinions on the best .22 auto for target, plinking, and practicing. I currently am a multiple Glock owner and am open to the AA Conversion Kit but also open to a whole 'nother pistol. I love shooting a Ruger Mark II but haven't had to clean it yet (brother's and he shoots my Glocks so we are even) but I hear they are kinda a PITA. Other brands/models are not out of consideration but accuracy is important. Gotta love that Ruger! Thanks! Steve.
 
It's hard to beat a good .22 revolver, namely the Ruger Single Six.

Or, if your on a tight budget take a look at the Heritage rough rider revolvers.....Not as nice as the Ruger in fit & finish, but mine shoots just as good.
 
What are you using it to practice FOR?
The conversion kits should be great to practice handling, pointing and siting your centerfire.
I have a 35 yr old High Standard I bought new for Bullseye shooting. It has a competition trigger and got a great trigger/spring job. It is really accurate and dependable (many thousands of rounds) as long as you shoot match-grade or low-velocity rounds. It's not fond of Winchester ammo.
On the other hand, I bought my son a MarkII and it shoots anything that will fit in the pipe and is very accurate and reliable. It is not as easy to break down as some, but its not that bad. (Your finger will get callused eventually:))
Most anything out there with a bull barrel, good sites, from a reputable company can provide tons of accurate plinking fun.
 
I have 8 .22 rimfire hanguns - 5 of them are Ruger MKII's in various configurations.

They come with directions, and I would think you have opposable thumbs, so get over the take-down phobia...that's all it is.
 
Ruger 22/45 MKII. Do not go with the MKIII. Find a nice used one with the bull barrel. They will put out 2" groups at 25 yards with cheap ammo.
 
I have noticed the 22/45 doesn't seem to bring as much $ as the MK II and III. I don't much care either way. Use will be rabbits, practice, plinking, poisonous snakes, and knockdown plates occaisonally. I bought the G-17 for this but I REALLY like to shoot so maybe a .22 will save me a little/lot of $ :). I only wish I could get a .22 with more than a 10 rnd. mag. and great accuracy, w/o being a rifle-got a 10-22 already but would rather shoot pistols.

Is there or would there be a market for a bigger cap. mag. for the AA conversion? Is accuracy close to the Ruger? Steve.
 
Smith & Wesson Model 41

SWmdl41.jpg


You won't regret it!




If you buy the Ruger pistol, the first time you dissassemble it (to clean it), you will wonder. . . .
"Why didn't I listen to that old guy, on THR?"
 
Blarelli, why not a MK III?
Click to expand...

Taking one apart is just absurdly hard due to the magazine safety, and the magazine safety alone is a reason to not get one. The MKII variants are much easier to pull apart, and only have the conventional safety.
 
How much you looking to spend? I own a Sig Trailside, Ruger 22/45, and a Browning Buckmark. Accuracy is T-side, Buckmark, then Ruger for me. T-side cost me over five bills (Competition model), Browning cost me over three bills (NRA model), and the Ruger cost me two bills exactly (bought it off a friend who prolly had less than 500 rds. through it). Also have the AACK, which is the least accurate of the lot.

If price is no object, I'd go with a S&W 41. If you're looking to spend under three bills, I'd go with the Buckmark. My two cents.
 
Huntsman, Woodsman (MT if you can swing it), SW41.. No rugers, not for me but maybe for you.. Nothing else floats for me for automatics.

Revovler? - Ruger Single Six, no question..
 
Ruger Mark II. Great reliability, decent accuracy, and not too ammo sensitive. Not as hard to reassemble as you think once you have done it a few times. My family has three of these, and my thirteen year-old daughter can take hers down and reassemble it with no issues.
 
I have a Sig Saur Mosquito Target pistol for the complete feel of the normal to compact sized pistols that I shoot. Easy to clean, shoot, load, etc...I bought it to break the habits of pushing, trigger pull (was shooting slightly to left of target) and just to plain save money while accomplishing all those before firing my .45 acp, 10mm, .357 sig, etc...ammo. It worked!
 
I'm seeing Browning Buckmarks around here NIB for $250. They come in different variations and, therefore, different prices. You can either buy by feature or by price!!!

I have the longer barrel (6", I think) slab-sided version; paid $300 for it 4 years ago at the only gun shop in that sleepy East Texas town. The round-barrel "camper" is cheaper. Unless you're looking for an absolute beater (throw in the toolbox kind) I wouldn't recommend the fixed-sight one.

Know that scene in one of the Lethal Weapon movies where Mel Gibson shoots a smiley face in the target? I can do that with my Buckmark at 10 yards.

And, yes, 10-round mags are the norm. And, I believe, are also fairly expensive (compared to, say, a Marlin or Remington rifle mag).

Q
 
Browning Buckmark

Then when you're ready add a Weigand rail and/or a TacSol barrel, then do the Heggis spring flip and maybe an overtravel adjustable trigger.... and do all of the work yourself without a gunsmith.

The Rugers are nice, I used to have a MkII and liked it alright but it did seem to have lot of “jams”. FMM, unless you like shipping your pistol all over creation or are going to be happy with a bone stock gun, the Buckmark is an easy choice.


This gun is not mine, but it's a nice picture...
buckmark-tacsol-left-full.jpg
 
Last edited:
I really like the Ruger MKII goverment model. Accurate, feeds anything I put in it and low cost. I have never had an issue with breaking down to clean. Minor PITA, but really, how many times do you really take a 22. apart to clean.

Glocks have nothing on a good 22. for shooting and never cleaning.


But, the Smith Model 41 is THE 22. to own. I had one that went a long time ago and I still regret that trade. Guess I know what my next pistol is going to be.

But, if you are wanting a 22. to practice what you carry one of the conversion units is a great idea. Only you can decide what works.

You would not go wrong with any of the three options.
 
I bought the G-17 for this but I REALLY like to shoot so maybe a .22 will save me a little/lot of $
Click to expand...

Why not just get a conversion kit??? Cheaper and you will be a master of the Glock after a few 550rd boxes of .22.
 
Woodsman? Not Beretta or Remington?
Click to expand...
Remington was never really in the .22lr handgun market and although a lot of people like the Berettas I never really cared for them. I think the Woodsman is the better all around, do most anything .22lr handgun. Of course this is just my opinion and I'm quite sure others have their own ideas on the subject.
 
I have a MkII slabside that is indeed a nice pistol and shoots quite well, but it is a pain in the butt to clean. So much so that I really don't like shooting it very much. I just bought myself a Beretta .22 conversion upper for my M9 though and I absolutely love it. Nearly as accurate as the MkII, just as reliable if not more so, MUCH easier to clean.

My advice.....get the conversion for your Glock.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
22 convertion Kit for G23? Yes or no.
Replies
2
Views
501
JoeHatley
J
G
  • Locked
.22 Conversion
Replies
7
Views
441
Five of Clubs
F
B
  • Locked
Suggest a .22 cal pistol for target, plinking.
2
Replies
49
Views
3K
Meowhead
M
J
  • Locked
Firestorm 22 For Practice/plinking
Replies
7
Views
746
9x19
9
W
  • Locked
Current best buy .22lr target/plinker?
Replies
15
Views
796
Steve C
S
Back
Top