Recommend a .22 revolver.

[stchman]

Hello all.

I am in the market for a .22 revolver. Here is a list of what it has to have.

stainless steel (blued would be somewhat acceptable)
9 shot capacity
swing out cylinder

Barrel length is not a factor, but I would like 4".

So far all I can find that fits the bill is the Taurus Model 94.

Any suggestions.

 

[gordy]

If you want a very nice revolver then look at the S&W 617, You cant go wrong with one.

 

[stchman]

I think $700 is far too pricey for a .22 revolver.

 

[gordy]

You should try one, You may find out they are very nice guns.

 

[Bill B.]

I think $700 is far too pricey for a .22 revolver.

Maybe look at a used High Standard Sentinel on GB? They wasn't made in stainless but are available in blue & nickle and are nine shot. I would rather have one than a Taurus 94 but as Gordy already stated the S&W 617 is the best .22 revolver that holds over 6 rounds that you will come up with new. You might want to do search on the Taurus 94 and see what issues owners are having before you leap. I did and bought a used S&W 34!

 

[LawofThirds]

Yes, I had one of the Taurus Tracker line .22's and gun would spit lead and had a 10lb difference in trigger pull from one chamber to the next because of a poorly cut star.

Traded into a Ruger 22/45 and couldn't be happier.

Start looking for a lightly used S&W 34 or 617/317 etc. There's lots of them out there and you might get really lucky on price.

 

[jad0110]

Another recommendation for saving up longer and getting a new or used 10-shot S&W 617. They do cost more, but they a better value than the Taurus 94 IMO. Lots of folks have good 94s, but 94s have a VERY hit or miss reputation. Some work fine, some are complete turds. Guess which I got :banghead: . Every company makes lemons, but there seems to be a higher percentage of lemons with 94s than many other guns. And unfortunately with Taurus, if you have a problem you get to deal with their wonderful Customer Dis-service Department . Honestly, if I purchase another Taurus that needs work, I'll take it to a local, trusted gunsmith even if the gun is under warranty.

As a side note, I don't mean to bash Taurus. I owned a model 66 that was an excellent gun; I'd consider another one day if I could find one priced less than a S&W 66 .

If you go with a 94, be sure to follow the revolver checkout sticky at the top of the forum very carefully.

 

[PhiloebeddoUSA]

+1 the 617 10 shot.

Well worth the money.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I think $700 is far too pricey for a .22 revolver.

It is just as difficult to make a .22 revolver as a .38 revolver. And you tend to get what you pay for in this world.

I personally have had nothing but good luck with Taurus, but I respect the experiences of others as well. Having said that, I have never owned a Taurus that was made as well as a Smith & Wesson, and I do not regret spending the extra money on a Smith & Wesson .22 revolver. Although come to think of it, my most recent firearm purchase was a very old and very used S&W .22 revolver. The price tag was $400 and it is the ugliest gun I own. Aside from my Model 41, it is also the most accurate .22 handgun I have.

 

[gearchecker]

You can get a really nice S&W Model 17 in blued for around $500.
The 617 for around $650. They are worth every penny and once you have it the money is no longer an issue.
Look up just about any Taurus product on any website dedicated to guns, even a Taurus forum if you can find one or here above all others and you can read all about the issues with them falling apart or getting shot apart. This is not a bashing post, just thoughts about what you may be in for if you go that way.
I have 2 friends that have Taurus Pistols and absolutly no issues, but the Taurus revolvers are frought with constant problems in manufacturing and repair dept issues and timing.
You might want to look into a Heritage Arms Rough rider .22. or maybe an EAA.
Either of these can be purchased for around $200 and some have .22 LR & .22 Magnum cylinders.
I wish you good luck in your search, and I hope you find a revolver that gives you many years of happy shooting.

Regards,
Gearchecker

 

[Ron James]

Of all my 22 revolvers, if I could only keep but one it would be my old S&W Model 63. I have found that 6 rounds is all that I ever needed. However the new ones are 8 rounds, Small, built on a J frame. very accurate, very easy to carry and shoot. As has been posted, you get what you pay for. There are cheaper guns but not better ones than S&W.

 

[Stainz]

My 4" 617 and 5" 63 were expensive - and both bought in the last two years. Their prices were insignificant when compared to the enjoyment they have provided me. Cut corners elsewhere - buy the best you can - it'll be a one-time purchase.



Stainz

 

[CajunBass]

Yes, a good, 22 D/A revolver is expensive, but you'll only pay for it once. After that it will most likely become the gun you'll shoot the most, so why not get a good one in the first place.

The Smith & Wesson 17, 18, 617 are considered the best for a reason. Colt and Dan Wesson made good ones too. (I've got a S&W 17, and a DW, and would like to get a Colt one day.)

Frankly I don't know a thing about the Taurus. I've had a few good Taurus revolvers in the past, but their 22's never really appealed to me, so I'll others comment on them.

 

[ErictheRed]

Thanks for the advice, I am looking for a .22 handgun right now too. That 617 looks perfect. I recently got a Ruger GP100 4" as my 1st handgun. I am loving it, great gun, but I'd like a chance to shoot some cheaper ammo and still get some practice in. Would a 4" 617 be a good practice gun to improve my accuracy/shooting technique or is the .22 too different to really make me any better with the bigger gun?

 

[fenriulven]

You might be able to get an old S&W 38 frame and build yourself one, it might take some time to acquire all the parts (cyl, barrel, ejector and lockwork) but building your own gun can be really fun (if not a little frustrating sometimes!). Just something to think about...

 

[Manco]

Would a 4" 617 be a good practice gun to improve my accuracy/shooting technique or is the .22 too different to really make me any better with the bigger gun?

Yes to the first question, and no to the second. For the vast majority of shooters, novice and experienced alike, shooting a .22 will help one get better and/or maintain proficiency. While it won't give you everything that a larger-caliber handgun will in terms of practice, it may well be better for practicing the most fundamental skills, because you won't have so much recoil and blast to interfere with your learning, especially when you're just starting out. The skills and "muscle memory" that you acquire while shooting a .22 will carry over to the larger calibers, and then you'll have to learn how to deal with greater recoil on top of that. Sometimes the latter can induce bad habits such as flinching, and undo some of what you learned with the .22 or dry-firing (even milder than .22 but very useful for practicing trigger control), at which point it would usually be advisable to give the big gun a rest for a while and go back to relearning the basics on something milder. There's no shame in that, and only the most experienced and skilled among us wouldn't benefit much (although they still might like to do some cheap target shooting and plinking, too).

 

[gordy]

Old 5 screw

My pre model 17 5 screw was shipped out of the factory in 1948, it is old but works perfectly. The trigger is better then any new S&W 22 revolver that I have shot. Mine is a 6 shot and I think they can't quite get the actions as smooth on the newer 9 shots. You may want to look around for a older 5 screw. The trigger will be much nicer and the action will be better too.

 

[Stainz]

Let me play devil's advocate for a moment. Say you decide to buy a new 617 - and shoot maybe 5k rounds. It is possible to spend ~$900 - $1,100 on ammo and a new 4" 617. If you were to buy GA Arms' .38 loads for your GP-100, at $220-$280/1,000 for 125gr LRN - +P 158gr LHPSWC; 125gr JHPs would run >$400/1,000.. You could spend a minimum of $1,100 - maybe, if you like jacketed, as much as $2,000. This doesn't include the cost of that .38/.357M. For plinking fun, that .22 really does make sense!

Stainz

 

[JaxJim]

If you're looking to improve your ability at shooting a six shot revolver, then I'd suggest getting a six shot .22 for practice. There is a different feel in the index between the 6 and 10 shot Smiths. I've owned both and kept the 6 shot for this reason.

 

[308win]

If you want inexpensive good quality look for a High Standard Sentinel Delux. Blue not stainles but meets your other criteria.

 

[snooperman]

As someone said , it costs just as much to make a fine 22 as ...

it does a fine 38 special. The S&W model 63 or the 617 like stainz showed are very nice . I have an older model 63 with a 4" barrel and an older model 18 that are nice too. You may want to look at some quality used ones that are in excellent condition or save up your money like stainz advised and buy new.