I have a choice to make...

[David904]

I'm looking to buy a new .22 pistol for plinking and target shooting. Mostly I'm looking to do some target shooting (cheap practice when I don't want to spend $$$ on my .45)

Any way, for $379, I can get either a Mk III Ruger .22 Hunter with cocobolo grips or a Sig Sauer/Hammerli Trailside with the plastic (or as they call it at this price: polymer) grips. Which do you think I ought to go for?

 

[DerringerUser]

I would go for the ruger. Isn't the sig pretty expensive?

 

[possum]

i suggest the ruger. i have the ruger 22/45 and it is a sweet shooter and definetly worth the money that my wife paid, it made a great father's day present. i have already put a few 1000rds through it. though i am not as strict in cleanning it as my other handguns it has never ever gave me any problems at all. it is really a range only gun. no malfunctions of any kind to date. i am very pleased and for $10 for 550rds at wal-mart that is pretty darn hard to beat. ruger makes good stuff no matter which one you go with but the hunter model would be a step up from mine, i yhink you will be very happy with it.

 

[cloudedice]

I'd go for the Ruger. I started shooting on a Mark II, and I loved it. If I were gonna get a .22, it'd be a Ruger.

 

[rbernie]

I've had both. I suggest the Browning Buckmark. It's less expensive than either of your listed choices, too.

 

[Hanzo581]

don't know about those two, but I would suggest what I have, a walther p22 with a five inch barrel

 

[taliv]

cdnn has the trailside for $299.
it's an excellent plinker.

 

[Huddog]

Can't go wrong with the Ruger. I've no other experience with .22 pistols.

 

[David904]

Just to clarify... Both pistols cost the same - $379. And I am not going out hunting with it or relying on it as a field piece. I am simply looking for a good pistol that I can keep around to practice with at the range and to teach my young sons with.

 

[USMC - Retired]

Is your .45 a 1911? If so, why not get a .22 conversion kit for it? That way you can practice with your carry piece at an affordable price.

 

[usp_fan]

I have a trailside and love it. That said, I've owned the ruger and would do so again as soon as the trailside wears out--maybe sooner. The trailside is no longer supported by sig in the us, the ruger has many user installable accessories, and is backed by one of the reputed best service departments in the us firearms business right now. I think the ruger gets the nod.

--usp_fan

 

[10-Ring]

Easy....Go w/ the Ruger

 

[aaronrkelly]

I have always been a Ruger-hater due to the way I believe Bill sold us out during the AWB ban.

But when I went looking for a .22 pistol I set that aside and handled them all and choose the better gun on merit alone.

I ended up with a Ruger 22/45....great gun.

Since then I have bought another Ruger .22 auto and this is the reason I think the Ruger is the better gun overall.

Heres a 1975 Mark I - this gun is 31 years old. Shoots flawless, great trigger.....overall an awesome gun thats 5 years older than me.

How can you go wrong.

 

[weregunner]

Son of a gun. We have a convert. Have a Ruger family here. Two of us have Ruger MK.IIIs and the wife has a 22/45 that is stainless and cost less than the MK.III. Do a lot of bullseye shooting and all three pistols do what we ask of them. My daughter was going to buy a Trailside. Then we found out parts and pistols were drying up and Walther wasn't making a commitment towards the Trailside at all. This may have changed on the last few months. Since you are not hunting why not get a 5.5 in. barreled pistol instead of the hunter. Sights are different on the Hunter than on the MK.III. I have installed Hi Viz front on mine. Helps the ageing eyes. Have a brother in law who has a Trailside and he put an Ultradot scope on his and has had no problems to date. Then he bought it before the Walther buyout. So good luck on your choice and keep us posted on this.

 

[plexreticle]

I have a mk2 Ruger and like it a lot. Very accurate and not to ammo sensitive like some rimfires I own.

The 22/45 seems nice. I wish they made it with interchangeable grips.

 

[David904]

Well, I ent in to purchase the Ruger today, but they listerally sold it just 1 day ago!

Ah well... I went and checked out the Sig/Hammerli again and I couldn't help it. I've heard the negative stories, but it felt so right in my hand that I had to give it a try and bought it brand new!

I put probably 350-400 rounds through it today with nary a hiccup! I love the gun! It shoots very nicely and has a very nice... pointable feel to it. Let's hope that the love affair stays true. I'm keeping an eye on this gun to see if I need to send it off to the factory.

 

[entropy]

I believe you'll like the SIG! I want a P22 myself, but I just might take a second look at the SIG.

 

[Justin]

I'd probably opt for the Sig Trailside.

I've never been terribly fond of the Rugers, and while they're decent enough pistols, there are enough little things about them that I don't like that I'd consider looking at the Trailside.

 

[f4t9r]

Trailside is nice and fits my hand like a glove , my second choice would be the buckmark