Phoenix HP-22 grips

[dwwright]

Hi all, I'm new here and just getting back into shooting after quite a few years away from it. My son is looking at going into the Navy and realized that I hadn't really got him into doing much shooting, so we've both taken up going to the range and enjoying some plinking.

All I've had for years is a Ruger Bearcat .22 and was wanting a semi-auto, so I picked up one of the Phoenix HP-22's at the local shop. I know some haven't had good luck with these, but I seem to have a good one, no jams and only a couple of FTE's with it, mostly due to the cheap ammo. I ended up buying the 5" barrel for it recently and the slide would jam half way through open and close, so after a lot of filing, I've got it working pretty well and have to say that it's pretty accurate. At 25' all 10 rounds were in a 1" group. I've since picked up a Ruger SR9 and also gotten my wife into plinking.

Anyway, I was looking for grips for the HP22, but not able to find any. Being that do quite a bit of woodworking, I decided to make my own. These are out of tiger maple, finished with lin-speed.

 

[gb6491]

Welcome to the forums
Excellent work on those grips: you have some skills!
I have a reliable and pretty accurate HP22A myself; fun gun to shoot (then again, most .22s are just that ).
Regards,
Greg

 

[MachIVshooter]

A bit blonde for my taste, but very nice work.

BTW, super glue the slide mounted safety on that thing. It'll start flopping down during firing. Other than that, they're funny little $100 plinkers, and surprisingly accurate (as you have found out)

 

[Sapper771]

I just picked one up used for $60. It is pretty nice. My only complaint is all of the safeties and the crappy adjustable rear sight. Other than that, I like it. I have thought about opening it up and attempting to remove the safeties to make it more user friendly.
Mine has a FTE problem occaisionally, but it isn't a big deal, it is not a pistol that I depend on.

I have been setting up several aluminum cans at 15 yards and popping them with the HP22. Its cheap fun with a cheap gun.

 

[dwwright]

Thanks for the compliments. I'm in the process of making another set using Lacewood, which is a darker wood, but has a great grain pattern to it. I'm planning to post a tutorial on my blog and the woodworking forum since there are a couple of folks there that have them as well.

I've done the mod for the magazine release. I bought an extra part so if I ever did sell it, I could swap it back to the original. The safety for the magazine I didn't do, but thought about just putting a thin wedge under it that could be removed if I sold as well.

I called Phoenix today to order some additional recoil springs from them. Asked the lady for 3. She asked for my mailing address then said they were sending them free of charge. Not my first good experience with them though. Had ordered 3 new magazines and they sent me 4 plus the holster. Checked my invoice and they had only charged me for 3.

 

[Snowdog]

Wow, that's impressive! Good job!

 

[GLOOB]

Hey guys,

The FTE's are probably due to a bad fitting extractor. That will not improve with time, and it's not ammo-related. Well, shooting high powered ammo will help ejection, but it's unnecessary and will void the warranty. Check the jimenez arms forums. I posted some info on how to tighten up the extractor. Mine originally had regular stovepipes and the occasional double-feed. AFter modification, I have had zero FTE in close to a thousand rounds.

You can order extra extractors and extractor springs for a couple bucks from Phoenix, in case you have any qualms!

OP: Nice grips! Now maybe you can make some over-sized target grips?

 

[MCgunner]

Mine will put 3 stingers into 3" at 25 off the bench to POA. It will put 3 Fed Lightening into 2" at same yards with the 5" barrel. Yeah, it's pretty neat for cheap, pretty reliable, and yeah, I glued the firing pin block on the slide out of the way first thing.

Mine eats a recoil spring about every 500 rounds. That's my only gripe with it. Great gun to stick in a pocket when you're going fishing. I've taken out more'n a few water snakes with it.

I got some walnut blanks once and made a set of grips for a Star Mod. F .22 I had. It was easy, though, as they were almost the right dimensions. All I had to do was sand 'em to shape and drill the mount holes. That there looks a might more involved. Excellent work!

 

[dwwright]

Here's the set of Lacewood grips I've been working on. Gave them to a friend, this is his gun.

 

[BUFF]

I'll echo what was said before..that is some nice woodwork. As for the Phoenix, I had one on a lengthy loan from a friend and was amazed at the accuracy..even with the short barrel. It did have an issue with occasional light strikes. I guess the springs in this gun are it's weakest link?..? Again, good work..it does add a nice touch to those little pistols!

 

[PAPACHUCK]

I've got a HP22A that has consumed many thousands of rounds now, and has had very few malfunctions, primarily with low pressure cartridges. What is amazing to me is that this is being done by a pistol that has a die-cast frame. When you pull the grips, you can see the mfg's name on the frame, Die-Cast Industries,Ca. Mine is starting to show some wear on the frame, and I'm sure one day it's gonna let go. Oh well, it's got a lifetime warranty, so off it'll go to Phoenix to be repaired of replaced. Best $115 I've ever spent on a gun.

P.S. I love the wood grips. Lipstick on a pig! Nah, not really, I actually think the HP is a good looking gun.

My lil' buddy;


Ain't it cute?