Plastic .22s

[Jim Watson]

Looking at .22 plinkers.
I looked hard at the Israeli surplus Beretta 70 with the fake suppressor (to be removed) but decided against due to lack of magazines and teeny sights.

What can the Mind Pool say about

Walther P22
Ruger SR22
S&W M&P (Umarex)
S&W M&P Compact (US made)?

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

You should look at the colt 1911 22, all steel, feels just like a 45 caliber 1911, built by Walther.

CDNN has them for $299.

 

[Gordon]

SR 22 , my son bought one and it is light and reliable with Ruger factory support if needed.

 

[usp9]

I've really enjoyed my Ruger SR22, a really nice gun especially considering the price.

I also have a Beretta 70s. You can get mags, $(40), but the sights are tiny. Still a gun worth having IMHO.

Some of my favorite fun .22s

 

[kcofohio]

Though I haven't shot the others you listed, my vote would be the SR22. With nearly 1000 rd. through my wife's, it is a treat to shoot.

 

[rcmodel]

By all reports the SR22 is great.

I had a POS Walther Urimax made P22, and give it away to get rid of it.

If you want a great pistol, look at the Browning Buckmark line.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...+BUCK+MARK+CAMPER+URX+PACKAGE+.22+BLUE+3+MAGS

rc

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Ruger just announce a longer barreled SR22 if that interest you any.

I'm a Ruger MkII or Buckmark fan myself.

 

[kcofohio]

Ruger just announce a longer barreled SR22 if that interest you any.

I'm a Ruger MkII or Buckmark fan myself.

Thanks, I missed that announcement.

The only regrettable 22 we have is the Beretta Neos. It has only gone to the range twice.

Our son had a Walther for a bit, and got rid of it. Can't exactly remember why. He just didn't care for it.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have a chance at a Buckmark which would probably be a better gun but a smidge bulky.

If I just want to take it out of the case and shoot it, I have good steel target .22s from Colt, Smith, and High Standard.
I don't know why I want a light holster .22 but I just do.


I am also feeling a strange craving for a K Smith and will be looking for a sound M15/67 to tune up for IDPA.

 

[Grmlin]

I would go with the Ruger. I had a walther and got rid of it, light strikes and accuracy was terrible.

 

[F-111 John]

Another Ruger SR22 vote. It was my wife's first handgun she could call her very own, and still her favorite.

 

[armedwalleye]

One more for the Dr22. No direct experience with the Walther, but heard similar stories of light strikes and FTE's from trusted sources.

 

[acdodd]

I also had a Beretta Neos.
Worst gun I ever had.
Right out of the box it would not cycle.
Jammed every shot regardless of the ammo.
Fought with Beretta for almost 3 weeks before they agreed to pay shipping both ways and fix it.
Got it back and it would cycle but I just hated it so I took it to the next gun show and traded it off at a loss.
I'll stick with my Mark 2.

 

[redneck]

I will never buy another firearm made by umarex after briefly owning a PK380. I have a couple friends with ruger SR22's and aside from being picky about ammo they seem to be good guns.

If the M&P is American made I would give it a look but I won't buy another rebranded umarex.

 

[bc1023]

I honestly can't imagine you liking any of that junk, Jim.

As for my choice, I believe the Ruger to be the best. Two of the others are Umarex and the third is Umarex-like.

 

[bannockburn]

I'm somewhat interested in the new long slide version Ruger just announced for the SR22. Had a Walther P22; incredibly awful gun both in design and and quality of materials used in it's construction. For myself my Beretta Model 70S is one of the most reliable, accurate, well built, and fun to use .22s I have ever owned. Only downside is finding decent magazines for it.

 

[Sarge7402]

Looks like we have similar tastes - espeically in walthers and FEG's. However, don't go selling the new Umarex Walther ppk/s short. bought one on a whim and it just seems to like just about anything that will go in the mag from standard velocity to stingers. will it hold up, only time will tell.

 

[sigarms228]

Love my M&P .22 Compact. So far it eats any .22 ammo I out into it. It is almost like an M&P Shield in .22 LR size wise.

 

[danez71]

The Walthers don't have nearly the same complaints as years ago. They are Umarex affiliated too. (All Walter 22's are regardless of model or style)

The Ruger SR22 is nearly the same exact thing as the Walther in design, but made of better materials. But the pesky takedown lever has been a source of failure which renders the gun useless.

The one Walther I shot ran perfect, but admittedly, I bought the Ruger based on bad reports of the Walthers.

I later sold the Ruger but it was gun and very reliable gun. Zero failures.... but the take down lever looked like it was showing evidence of getting beat at a faster rate than I would expect.


Another to look at is the Bersa 22. I kept that one when I sold the Ruger. Built on the Bersa 380 frame and all metal, its a stout gun with PPK/s styling which appeals to me.

It also has a better single action trigger than the Ruger but the DA trigger was a little heavier. I forgot which had the bigger/better sights... Ive written about the comparison before if you do a search.


The M&Ps get pretty good reviews despite the Umarex affiliation.

And of course, you cant argue with the BuckMark or Ruger Mk series. You can get then in 4" barrel models which brings the size own considerably but they are much heftier gun than all the others.


That Beretta is super cool but cost, mags, and support would be a concern to me.

 

[GarySTL]

I have both M&P 22 pistols. The fill sized Umarex and the US made compact. They both shoot well with no issues at all.

The Umarex Colt 22 is also a fine shooter.

I used to have a P22 which I traded on the M&P Compact. The P22 was not a good gun at all.

 

[bannockburn]

danez71

Yeah it would be a bit of a concern (especially finding decent magazines), if I were starting out today with a Beretta Model 70S but the gun itself is so solidly built with no problems to speak of (Beretta reblued it once because they knew there was a problem with the original finish), I figured it would be worth it to have it hard chrome plated by Ron Mahosky at Metalife. The gun itself looks as new as the day I got it back from him and I have no doubt that this gun is going to last a very long time.

 

[JoePfeiffer]

Another vote for Buckmark. I've got a URX that I put a red dot sight on, and it's the most fun pistol I've got.

 

[danez71]

bannockburn

Yeah... super nice gun that should last a life time. It's a bummer they don't still sell it.

 

[Kiln]

I've had two poly framed rimfires. The first was a Walther P22 that was literally the worst gun I have ever owned. A half dozen ammo types, different gen mags, followed the P22 bible, and the POS never worked. I traded it on a Neos and got a gun that has been 100% reliable through several thousand rounds of various ammo types. It's also easy to clean for a target style gun.

I'm a big fan but the best choice is still a Ruger MK series (pretty much any of them) pistol. I would avoid Umarex made crap, personally. They make sub par quality firearms from zamak and charge $350+ for them.

 

[HKGuns]

I currently own the Walther P-22 tactical model and consider it a waste of money.

Lots of misfeeds / misfires and generally horrible performance. But it is only a .22 so some of that may be the ammo. (CCI Mini-mags)

Ultra cheap build quality and borderline dangerous with the magazine disconnect to prevent it from firing without the magazine present.

ETA: Walther should not put their good name on the piece of pot metal junk. Sorry, but I have no experience with the others, but if they have any relation to Umarex my advice would be to run away fast.

Would like to know what some of those models are in the picture posted above, as I would eventually like to have a decent .22 pistol, even though I typically have little to no use for a .22 pistol.