Double Action 22lr

[TTv2]

I think the reason for the decline in .22 LR revolvers is,,,
The new/younger shooters don't want them.

No manufacturer is going to build something they can't sell.

I take a lot of young shooters to the range,,,
Not one of them has expressed any interest in a revolver,,,
They all immediately are drawn to the semi-auto's I bring to the range.

Since they are cheaper to manufacture than revolvers,,,
And semi's are what the people seem to want,,,
That's what is on the market these days.

The Rossi R98 revolver might have been the last of the inexpensive .22 wheel guns out there.

View attachment 1048130

In 2015 I ordered this 4" model new from Buds,,,
The list price was $278.00 and came to $303.24 with tax, warranty, & shipping.

The little thing is approximately J-Frame size and shoots just fine,,,
Just a few months later I decided that I wanted to buy a 6" version but couldn't find one in stock.

That's when I found out the entire Rossi pistol line has been discontinued,,,
Or at least I was told by a few different dealers they had been.

You can often find them on Gunbroker,,,
But the asking price is usually around $400.00-plus.

There is always the Charter Arms Pathfinder,,,
According to their website they MSRP for $425.60.

I own one of the 4" models that I bought new,,,
The Pathfinder is Maxene.

View attachment 1048131
Again, it's a nice shooter that smooths nicely out with use.

It might be the last of the "budget" .22 revolvers out there,,,
Except for that Diamondback that I know nothing about.

Aarond

.

There's a definite lack of interest in revolvers for people under the age of 35, if they have any interest in them it's going to be single actions from the 19th century as those can be bought cheap (Heritage, Wrangler) and they are clearly "fun" guns only. There's also not much of an interest in .22 for handguns, if there is any it's for suppressors and you can't do that with a revolver. Younger shooters would rather spend the $300 or more for a .22 pistol on 9mm ammo.

Of course you try to tell people when they ask if 10mm is the caliber of choice for the "new outdoorsman" and you give evidence as to why a semi auto is now preferred to a revolver there's a kneejerk reaction by the old guard to suggest it's not just a poor choice, but almost the worst one that can be made as it gives an overinflated sense of confidence against large predators.

It doesn't really matter what the facts are when it comes to such things, the reality is the younger crowd wants semi autos. Whether or not they're better than revolvers for certain things is another discussion.

That said, I see the DA .22 revolvers best chance at staying relevant is in snubs for the reason that small micro .22 semi autos are questionable in their reliability. When Taurus and Charter can make them for under $350, that can keep some interest alive, but the days of people paying $700 for big, heavy .22 revolvers is coming to an end.

 

[Targa]

The Rossi R98 revolver might have been the last of the inexpensive .22 wheel guns out there.
.

I picked one of these up for a similar price and am very glad I did...nice little .22lr. I wouldn't mind finding some wood grips for it but the stock ones are fine if I dont.

 

[tubeshooter]

There's a definite lack of interest in revolvers for people under the age of 35, if they have any interest in them it's going to be single actions from the 19th century as those can be bought cheap (Heritage, Wrangler) and they are clearly "fun" guns only. There's also not much of an interest in .22 for handguns, if there is any it's for suppressors and you can't do that with a revolver. Younger shooters would rather spend the $300 or more for a .22 pistol on 9mm ammo.

Of course you try to tell people when they ask if 10mm is the caliber of choice for the "new outdoorsman" and you give evidence as to why a semi auto is now preferred to a revolver there's a kneejerk reaction by the old guard to suggest it's not just a poor choice, but almost the worst one that can be made as it gives an overinflated sense of confidence against large predators.

It doesn't really matter what the facts are when it comes to such things, the reality is the younger crowd wants semi autos. Whether or not they're better than revolvers for certain things is another discussion.

That said, I see the DA .22 revolvers best chance at staying relevant is in snubs for the reason that small micro .22 semi autos are questionable in their reliability. When Taurus and Charter can make them for under $350, that can keep some interest alive, but the days of people paying $700 for big, heavy .22 revolvers is coming to an end.

While I agree that younger shooters seem to gravitate towards semi-autos, I don't know if I completely buy what you are selling here. You seem to be speaking for an awful lot of people.

I would submit that larger-framed high quality .22s (e.g. S&W K frame) have always been expensive for their times. Things in general cost more now and inflation is definitely a thing, but that hasn't really changed.

You might have to get to a point to where you can appreciate something like that for what it is before you would part with money for it. I used to think a Bearcat or Single Six cost a lot for what it is brand-new, and I still sort of do... but when you look at at what people are asking for Wranglers and budget DA revolvers it doesn't seem (quite) so bad. Don't forget that marketing is getting people to pay good money for polymer nowadays.


There is a market for mid-to-upper grade .22 revolvers out there and I suspect there will continue to be; you will always have enthusiasts that aspire beyond the bottom-dollar offerings.

 

[doubleh]

I picked one of these up for a similar price and am very glad I did...nice little .22lr. I wouldn't mind finding some wood grips for it but the stock ones are fine if I dont.

View attachment 1048330

Grips for the Taurus Public Defender fits these little guns. I found some wooden finger groove ones but did not care for the design. Packmyer makes a rubber grip that fits also and that is what I chose. Personally, I really don't care for the factory grip.

 

[CraigC]

Like it or not, a lot of the public perception comes from Hollywood and other media. People aren't making educated decisions based on facts. They're making emotional decisions based on their favorite movies, video games and TV shows. Just as most of us grew up with westerns and DA's in cop movies. We also grew up reading Elmer Keith, Skeeter Skelton, Ross Seyfried, Bob Milek and John Taffin.

Of course you try to tell people when they ask if 10mm is the caliber of choice for the "new outdoorsman" and you give evidence as to why a semi auto is now preferred to a revolver there's a kneejerk reaction by the old guard to suggest it's not just a poor choice, but almost the worst one that can be made as it gives an overinflated sense of confidence against large predators.

Of course, it would have to be a "kneejerk reaction by the old guard" because there couldn't possibly be any merit to their statements. Sorry but if you can't defend your choice based on merit, insulting the opposition as old farts resistant to change doesn't help your case. I don't disregard guns like Glocks as outdoorsman sidearms because I'm closed minded. I disregard them because I've shot them for 30 friggin' years. I don't disregard the 10mm is a dangerous game cartridge for the same reason. I disregard it due to nearly 40yrs of hunting with handguns and digging through gut piles for bullets.

 

[Paul7]

There's a definite lack of interest in revolvers for people under the age of 35, if they have any interest in them it's going to be single actions from the 19th century as those can be bought cheap (Heritage, Wrangler) and they are clearly "fun" guns only. There's also not much of an interest in .22 for handguns, if there is any it's for suppressors and you can't do that with a revolver. Younger shooters would rather spend the $300 or more for a .22 pistol on 9mm ammo.

Of course you try to tell people when they ask if 10mm is the caliber of choice for the "new outdoorsman" and you give evidence as to why a semi auto is now preferred to a revolver there's a kneejerk reaction by the old guard to suggest it's not just a poor choice, but almost the worst one that can be made as it gives an overinflated sense of confidence against large predators.

It doesn't really matter what the facts are when it comes to such things, the reality is the younger crowd wants semi autos. Whether or not they're better than revolvers for certain things is another discussion.

That said, I see the DA .22 revolvers best chance at staying relevant is in snubs for the reason that small micro .22 semi autos are questionable in their reliability. When Taurus and Charter can make them for under $350, that can keep some interest alive, but the days of people paying $700 for big, heavy .22 revolvers is coming to an end.

I would disagree with that, look at the price rise in older quality revolvers, and what people are paying for the new Python. A Taurus or Charter are not the same as a Colt, S&W or Korth. Young people generally don't wear watches these days either but the price of Rolex watches is going through the roof.

 

[TTv2]

I would disagree with that, look at the price rise in older quality revolvers, and what people are paying for the new Python. A Taurus or Charter are not the same as a Colt, S&W or Korth. Young people generally don't wear watches these days either but the price of Rolex watches is going through the roof.

And any young person who wants a revolver has zero interest in paying a grand for a .22 revolver. The case could be made for a .357 Mag, but again I hate to bring up 10mm, but 10mm is a semi auto that shoots 220 grain bullets and is ballistically identical to .357, but holds 15 rounds.

You may not think that that capacity matters, but to the younger shooters it's practically all they focus on. Say all you want about how "you'll never need..." but that argument falls on deaf ears.

The rising prices on older revolvers is due partly to inflation, but also people realizing that they are better made guns made by better craftsman than modern revolvers and today's laborers. Also, who is buying those older revolvers? It's not young people with families to raise, it's old guys who cashed out the 401k.

 

[TTv2]

While I agree that younger shooters seem to gravitate towards semi-autos, I don't know if I completely buy what you are selling here. You seem to be speaking for an awful lot of people.

I would submit that larger-framed high quality .22s (e.g. S&W K frame) have always been expensive for their times. Things in general cost more now and inflation is definitely a thing, but that hasn't really changed.

You might have to get to a point to where you can appreciate something like that for what it is before you would part with money for it. I used to think a Bearcat or Single Six cost a lot for what it is brand-new, and I still sort of do... but when you look at at what people are asking for Wranglers and budget DA revolvers it doesn't seem (quite) so bad. Don't forget that marketing is getting people to pay good money for polymer nowadays.

The Bearcat and Single Six are high quality revolvers, but they're single actions and the market has clearly shown a preference for single action .22's that are made with less desirable metals. Sure, the Wrangler at $200 doesn't sound like a good deal considering what it is made of, but the alternative is $450 to $550 for a Bearcat or Single Six.

There is a market for mid-to-upper grade .22 revolvers out there and I suspect there will continue to be; you will always have enthusiasts that aspire beyond the bottom-dollar offerings.

That market is growing ever smaller and consider what .22 revolvers have generated the most hype the past decade; they're all cheap single actions (Heritage, Wrangler) or modeled on a single action (Diamondback). I can't think of a double action .22 revolver that has got a lot of people excited and eagerly awaiting to buy one.

To date the three lowest priced DA .22's that are on the market right now are Charter, Taurus, and Diamondback. We'll see how things play out over the next couple years, but my guess is they will be the .22 wheelguns that move the most while the S&W masterpieces and steel frame Rugers collect dust.

The reality is if a young person wanted to spend a decent chunk of money on a revolver, they're going to opt for a centerfire.

 

[tubeshooter]

I don't know if the market has "clearly shown a preference" for the lower-end single actions. Wranglers are fairly new and the Rough Riders definitely have their detractors as well as their fans.

The cheaper options will tend to sell more to the general public, and that's no surprise. It is like saying Ruger MK and Browning Buckmarks are flying off the shelves while the S&W 41 sits and collects dust.


Speaking of which - you can put a lot into a Ruger or Browning too with aftermarket if you want (for whatever reason) and spend as much or more than a high-end revolver. So I disagree that it's just a money thing. It is like saying nobody would ever buy an Anschutz or Cooper because for that kind of money they would just get some centerfire instead. Maybe you feel that way personally, but I think you might be projecting just a little. You're certainly entitled to however you feel about it...

 

[Paul7]

And any young person who wants a revolver has zero interest in paying a grand for a .22 revolver. The case could be made for a .357 Mag, but again I hate to bring up 10mm, but 10mm is a semi auto that shoots 220 grain bullets and is ballistically identical to .357, but holds 15 rounds.

You may not think that that capacity matters, but to the younger shooters it's practically all they focus on. Say all you want about how "you'll never need..." but that argument falls on deaf ears.

They will grow out of that attitude.

The rising prices on older revolvers is due partly to inflation,

Plastic guns aren't doubling in price as we've seen some older revolvers do recently.

but also people realizing that they are better made guns made by better craftsman than modern revolvers and today's laborers. Also, who is buying those older revolvers? It's not young people with families to raise, it's old guys who cashed out the 401k.

And today's young people will become older guys with more money to spend, who may just prefer shooting .22s due to the lower blast and recoil instead of .357/10mm.

 

[webrx]

Maybe look around a bit for some older guns, I have a couple H&R .22s that are DA/SA (922 and 929), along with a Ruger LCR that is DAO. I bought both H&Rs for less than the price of the one Ruger and they both shoot fine for plinking at the range. H&Rs can be found for $100 - $150 often enough to make them easy and inexpensive to collect.

d

 

[Bob Meyer]

I brought a 1956 vintage K-22 in 2018 for $225. The grease in the gun had set up from being unused for a long time. The LGS thought it needed to go back to the factory to repair. Some patient working of the action got it working fine.

 

[PzGren]

... I can't think of a double action .22 revolver that has got a lot of people excited and eagerly awaiting to buy one.

....

You are probably hanging out in the wrong circles. I sold a few Korth rimfire revolvers last year and this year and they sold rapidly, mostly to doctors and other professionals and they usually don't have to eagerly wait to buy one but buy them from pocket change.

 

[Tallball]

FWIW, my LGS does not keep nice 22 revolvers in their cabinets for very long. A Model 17 or something like that will last a week at the most.

 

[John_R]

Sounds like Yogi Berra…. K-frame .22s are too expensive, nobody wants ‘em!

There’s a reason they’re expensive, and it’s not just old farts.