S&W 22a

[piecemaker]

Do I have any choices?

Just bought a S&W 22A. Brought it home, cleaned it, put 50 rounds through it. Flawless. Like it.

Don't crucify me for bein a newbie, but are hi-capacity magazines available? Would like to make range practice time more productive.

If not, I suppose I'll buy a couple of extra 10 rd factory mags. Just thought I'd ask all you experts out here if there was anything available that gives me an option.

To the keyboard warriors with no life, and Freudian "big watch" issues...save it - YAWN!!

To the humble and knowledgable experts, thanks in advance for your insights!!

 

[gordy]

I have a 622, It is the older brother to your 22a.
They do not make a high cap mag, only 10 shot as I know.

 

[wally]

S&W M22A is my favorite .22lr pistol. S&W stands behind it too with the best warranty and customer service in the industry.

 

[wristtwister]

I just bought another 22A that was immaculate, and priced at a steal... and was tickled to death until I remembered what I didn't like about the gun... those stupid recoil inserts that have to be replaced periodically. They're plastic or nylon, and are a screaming p.i.t.a. to replace, and make reassembly of the gun after cleaning another p.i.t.a. As a shooter, the guns can't be beat, but you have to make sure you clean out the trigger well and keep a fresh supply of those stupid recoil inserts, or your gun will malfunction with almost any ammo.

Like most .22 pistols, the 22A seems to love CCI stingers, and even digests the Remington "golden boys" without trouble if it's kept clean... but let it get a bit dirty, and trouble is on the way...

S&W has some of the best customer service in the industry, and repaired my first 22A quickly, and sent me "suggestions" to keep it running (one being the "clean out the trigger well"), but the recoil buffer inserts continue to be a problem... and you need at least three hands to reassemble the thing if it's a little contrary...

I love the gun, but it's like having a troublesome child... it's great when it's doing what it's supposed to do, and a real p.i.t.a. when it isn't...

WT

 

[Jim NE]

wristtwister, I just bought a 22a and, like most people, I love it.

What exactly is the purpose of those inserts, why do they need to be replaced, and how many rounds of ammo before they need to be changed (in your experience)? Thanks for the heads up. - Jim

 

[HM2PAC]

Love my 22-A.

One of the things that I have found is that it will run best with a MINIMUM of oil on the rails. One drop each side is more than sufficient. Too much oil = gumming in the action and all kinds of reliability issues.

Once I cut down on the oil, all my issues disappeared. I can run FedBulkPack all day with no stoppages.

Those inserts that WristTwister spoke of are truly a PITA! Buy a bunch from Midway and keep them in your cleaning box. Can never have too many of them.

 

[JFrame]

Those inserts that WristTwister spoke of are truly a PITA! Buy a bunch from Midway and keep them in your cleaning box. Can never have too many of them.

I could have easily missed it, but it doesn't look like Midway carries those recoil spacers any more.

Actually, the only outlets I can find that stocks them are Brownells, Numrich, and S&W itself (and S&W seems to have them for the cheapest -- 0.57 cents each).


.

 

[lucky-gunner]

I've owned a 22A for quite sometime. I've probably put around 7k rounds through mine. It was used when I picked it up so no clue on the real round count. I liked it so much that I didn't pick up another 22 pistol for quite sometime.

I haven't seen any mags bigger than the factory 10 rounders. Mine doesn't love Remington bulk 22 ammo but it runs perfect with anything else. Best results accuracy wise so far has been with Wolf Target ammo.

 

[Delford]

not to hijack the thread but lucky-gunner brings up an interesting point. I just finished a box of Winchester bulk in my Beretta Neos (another fine 22 lr auto). I first used up some individual boxes of Remington Thunderbolt left to me after a group shooting outing and found to to be somewhat dirty but quite accurate. Never any FTE or FTF. With Winchester I had numerous issues of both and never quite as accurate. (2" group with Tbolt with 2 flyers) Still, its the most fun for the money you can have. I'm going to try Federal next go round.

 

[Steve 48]

With Winchester ammo, accurate and no problems. Its my most accurate 22 auto.

 

[krmgator]

I'll add on..Got my 22A for Christmas in 2008. Great pistol and very accurate. Goes to the range with me EVERY trip. Haven't found the ammo yet that it won't shoot.

 

[wally]

but let it get a bit dirty, and trouble is on the way...

Boy that does not match my experience at all. I run at least 200 round an outing and I just wipe it down, Q-tip under the extractor, a drop of oil on the rails, run a bore snake through it and call it good. I rarely take it down -- about every 5000 rounds to replace the insert -- that is what S&W said I should get when they sent me some replacements so that is the schedule I've been using.

I pretty much only shoot the Federal bulk pack from Walmart.

The only .22 pistol we have that might require less cleaning is the Beretta Neos. The Rugers need cleaning the most and are the biggest PITA.

 

[REAPER4206969]

When I shot my 22A-1 a lot, I was shooting 1,100rds. at a time, per week, with only a few common rimfire stoppages. I replace the buffer every 10,000rds.

ETA:Mostly Remington and Federal bulk packs.

 

[K-Rod]

I get my recoil buffers from S&W & they send them to me free of charge. I've never bought any. I don't know why you guys have such a hard time field stripping a 22a? I will admit, the first time I shot the recoil spring & rod across the room, I was a little pissy about the design but once I figured out how to keep that from happening, I now find it one of the easiest pistols to field strip.

1). Lock the slide back.
2). Remove the barrel.
3). Cover the top of the slide with your right hand & release the slide with you left thumb. "Ride" the slide forward while still covering the slide. Covering the slide will keep the recoil spring from flying out.
4). Once the slide is all the way forward, lift the slide off the frame & remove the recoil spring & rod out of the bottom of the slide.


To put back together.
1). Without the recoil spring & rod put the slide on the frame.
2). From the top put the recoil spring & rod in place.
3). While covering the top of the slide with your right hand, pull the slide back & lock with your left thumb.
4). Put the barrel back on & your ready to rock & roll!!!

I'm a 22a freak!! I have 7 different models & all of them set up differently from just irons to various different Red-Dots. We shoot A LOT of rounds through them!! 1100rds an outing isn't uncommon for us. We have various "Spinner" .22 targets & a "Dueling Tree". These pistols are very fun & very accurate!! Yes, we do encounter FTF & FTE but that's the nature of a .22 semi-auto. Just polishing the feeding ramp has amazing results on cutting these back.

When I bought the first one, I was a "Heavy" oiler. I put oil on every moving part. What a mess!! Now I run them fairly "Dry". I lock the slide back, turn the pistol upside down & put just one drop of oil on the underside of each side of the slide. That's pretty much it. I'll put a drop on the slide lock spring & the trigger spring on the left side right under the slide as needed.

As for the recoil spacers, the last 22a I bought was just your basic 22a I picked up from Cabelas used for $165. Came with just one mag & the box. The recoil spacer wasn't too bad looking so I didn't change it. I keep a pretty detailed "Log" on all of my firearms. This 22a has 3863rds through it since I bought it & I still haven't had the change the spacer. I do have a bull barrel that I've changed the spacer at 4178rds & 6298rds. I shoot A LOT of .22 ammo & have approx 20,000rds stock piled of various brands. They all have their special "Diet" that they like but believe it or not, Federal bulk 36gr copper HP seems to be the "Candy" they all like.

Sometimes this hobby of firearms can be worse than having a house full of kids!!! They all have their special "Needs" & "Wants". Every now & then they need to be "Punished" by leaving them in the safe for a couple plinking trips so they can adjust their attitudes!!

 

[HM2PAC]

K-Rod.......excellent post!

 

[mister2]

Don't crucify me for bein a newbie, but are hi-capacity magazines available? Would like to make range practice time more productive. ....
If not, I suppose I'll buy a couple of extra 10 rd factory mags.

You've answered your question.