Tell me about the LCRx .22

[TTv2]

It's been a year since I asked for recommendations for a .22 DA revolver since the Taurus ones I wanted weren't available. Life changes occurred not soon after I asked and I never ended up making a decision, so over a year and the availability for the Taurus revolvers hasn't changed.

I'm done waiting, I have no reason to believe that things will change with Taurus and their .22 revolvers.

So, my alternative option is the same in the Ruger LCRx. I've been critical of Ruger and their revolver quality for a while, but I can't imagine that Charter Arms is better and I'm not willing to pay for S&W.

Bottom line, is $550 a good price for what the LCRx is or is my money better spent elsewhere?

 

[Tallball]

I owned an LCRx in 22lr briefly. The trigger was disappointingly stiff, and I traded it towards something else after a while. I probably should have replaced the springs and shot it a bunch more to give it a chance.

My little 2" 22lr Charter Arms Pathfinder actually has a decent trigger. I have settled for that, because I can't afford a S&W unless it's a serious restoration project.

Was not impressed by the small-frame Taurus 22lr I owned, either. Its trigger was just too stiff. Now that I'm older, I would have put some springs and effort into it before I traded it away.

 

[LeftyRed]

I had a 3” LCRX in 22lr and the only reason it’s gone is due to a good friend needing. It wasn’t particularly bad or good. Nothing really impressive about it. I had a 3” in 38sp and it was a better pistol me thinks. It shot tighter groups. Which is weird cause the LCRs, DAO, 2”ish barrels in 22lr was very accurate and had great triggers.

I have stuck with SW J Frames and have dropped all LCRs. The 317 is a good 3” but very expensive and most likely will have to order online to get them. Heard of bad triggers on them, but my three 43c’s all had great triggers in them and they were all purchased separately over a course of two years. If the triggers are too much for you, dropping the rimfire caliber down to a 9# mainspring does wonders for them and still keeps them reliable for ammo igniting. Why that old internet fairy tale still exists is beyond me. Claude Werner has several thousand rounds through his and several real shooters on PF has done the same and it’s all good as well.

Good luck in your search, I don’t envy you.
Lefty

 

[TTv2]

The lackluster reception to the .22 LCRx is telling me I was right not to buy one a few years ago.

 

[jstert]

i have a ruger lcr 22lr 2” snubbie. in rapid fire the cylinder locks up if i fail to slow down and let the trigger way out to fully reset, which is a real problem as my preferred defensive use of a rimfire handgun requires fast double- or triple-taps. i haven’t decided what to do with it.

i had a s&w 317. its alloy cylinder would heat-bind after 50 plinking rounds, even on a cold winter day outdoors.

i’ve convinced myself that a 22lr handgun means a decent semiauto pistol (ruger sr22 for me) or single action revolver (ruger single six, bearcat or wrangler for me).

 

[lincen]

I have been fairly pleased with my Ruger LCRx 3” barrel 22lr. Is it my favorite, no, but it is pleasant to shoot. Owning 3 Smith kit guns, both the Smith models 17&18, and the newer model 63, I must say the 63 is my favorite to shoot. Yet the Ruger gets shot more since I don’t fret over the condition as much.

This guy below is one crackshot with any revolver and he shoots mostly in double action.

 

[TTv2]

i had a s&w 317. its alloy cylinder would heat-bind after 50 plinking rounds, even on a cold winter day outdoors.

i’ve convinced myself that a 22lr handgun means a decent semiauto pistol (ruger sr22 for me) or single action revolver (ruger single six, bearcat or wrangler for me).

The issues relating to the 317's construction are why I don't want one. Then the 617 is a lot more than I wish to pay for a plinker.

I think current Taurus can make a good .22 revolver at a fair price, but finding one is the challenge.

 

[jstert]

The issues relating to the 317's construction are why I don't want one. Then the 617 is a lot more than I wish to pay for a plinker.

I think current Taurus can make a good .22 revolver at a fair price, but finding one is the challenge.

i had a taurus 94 22lr revolver. its trigger pull was way beyond atrociously stiff. i actually traded it towards the ill-fated s&w 317. yeah i’m pretty much done with (even barely semi-affordable) 22lr double action revolvers.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I have owned most of the popular .22 revolver choices over the years. My favorite so far are the K frame guns like the model 17 and 617. They are not cheap but most revolvers these days are like that if they are quality.

 

[TTv2]

I made my decision, the LCRx was chosen. It does have some things going for it, the sights being completely replaceable is one, the aftermarket support for said sights and holsters and grips were one of the reasons I was interested. I've been interested in trying the Pachmayr Guardian grips for years, but never had a compatible revolver. No I do and if in the future I get a .327 LCR and sell the. 22 LCRx, the Pachmayr grips can go on the .327.

I figure if I don't like it it will not be difficult to sell given it's a Ruger and is the cheapest DA .22 revolver Ruger makes.

And, as much as I would like to say this is the end all, be all of my .22 DA revolver ownership, the odds are high I will buy the Taurus snub and birds head Diamondback Sidekick in the future given their low price.

So. I'll be updating you all on my thoughts on the 3 inch LCRx .22 in a few weeks and also on the Pachmayr grips.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

I have owned most of the popular .22 revolver choices over the years. My favorite so far are the K frame guns like the model 17 and 617. They are not cheap but most revolvers these days are like that if they are quality.

The 617 is a freaking laser beam. If I was looking to spend money on a 22 revolver, that's where I'd put it.

 

[Terry G]

Taurus M94 and M96. I've been shooting them for decades. Trigger on the 94 is acceptable, not great. The 96 has a better trigger both DA and SA. It's very accurate.

 

[KYamateur]

I have a snub nose 22 LCR and a 38 LCR. I really like both of them. I wanted a revolver to plink with so I bought the LCRx in 22. The trigger and hammer were way too stiff. I did not enjoy plinking with it. I traded it off for a 4 inch Smith&Wesson 617 and never looked back. I highly enjoy plinking with the smith. The one thing I’ll never understand is how the trigger on the hammerless 22 LCR was so much better than the lcrx.

 

[joneb]

This guy below is one crackshot with any revolver and he shoots mostly in double action

Buffalo is a good guy, I like his videos.

 

[KevininPa]

Must it be a revolver? I'm really happy with my S&W MP22. Good plinker, definitely not match grade. Easy to tear down. Very light, 15-16 ozs unloaded, not much more loaded. Aluminum slide, not zamack. And more importantly, shoots ANYTHING! I put even Rem Golds through it without a hiccup. Had many giggles that day! No misfires! Now if my suppressor would just come in.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Consider an older Rossi 511 or 518.
With a trigger spring kit you’ll be good to go.

My .22 revolvers are a 2” M34 and a 6” 617-6shot
Both have trigger jobs and are tack drivers.
In 2009, I nailed a ruff grouse at 40yds with the 2” while elk hunting in Wyoming. Got two spruce grouse with the 617 sitting by the camp fire. Another that got int the garage at the hosts residence with snake shot.
For the cost of the Ruger, I would get a Model 34.

 

[GooseGestapo]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/986496267

Here you go!

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/993878089

Or here! $450 buy NOW.

 

[TTv2]

People have constantly brought up single action options and the reason I continually reject them is they lack a swing out cylinder. I have no issue if the revolver lacks a DA trigger, but it has to have the swing out cylinder.

A lot here are focused on the DA trigger pull and while I'd like it to be good, I can live with a bad one since it's largely going to be shot single action anyway.

 

[Tallball]

The loading gate and ejector rod are a real pain until they're not. Eventually it's muscle memory and your hands do it easily on their own. It's a pain until then.

 

[Plano11]

I'm a revolver guy myself. My 38 special LCR is my preferred carry piece for most of the year. The trigger is excellent. That being said...

My main shooting buddy is my FiL. For years he always preferred to target shoot at 15 yards. Recently he's gotten fond of seven yards. My 22 handguns were basically all target models. Shooting them at seven yards is kind of silly. I thought I would get a shorter-barreled model to make shorter range shooting more interesting, and it might also be handy for pocket carry while walking around the family property (for snakes or plinking or what have you).

I couldn't find a 2" or 3" 22 revolver that I liked for a reasonable price. I'm not willing to pay large amounts of money for a short-barreled 22 plinker.

The Raven HP22a has a surprisingly good reputation for a cheap little 22 semi-automatic pistol. It has a 3" barrel. I got one used for $84. I'm about to go try it out this morning. If it shoots as well as its reputation, I will have filled that niche for a very good price. I prefer revolvers, but for $84 I'm willing to compromise my preferences

 

[Tallball]

I'm a revolver guy myself. My 38 special LCR is my preferred carry piece for most of the year. The trigger is excellent. That being said...

My main shooting buddy is my FiL. For years he always preferred to target shoot at 15 yards. Recently he's gotten fond of seven yards. My 22 handguns were basically all target models. Shooting them at seven yards is kind of silly. I thought I would get a shorter-barreled model to make shorter range shooting more interesting, and it might also be handy for pocket carry while walking around the family property (for snakes or plinking or what have you).

I couldn't find a 2" or 3" 22 revolver that I liked for a reasonable price. I'm not willing to pay large amounts of money for a short-barreled 22 plinker.

The Raven HP22a has a surprisingly good reputation for a cheap little 22 semi-automatic pistol. It has a 3" barrel. I got one used for $84. I'm about to go try it out this morning. If it shoots as well as its reputation, I will have filled that niche for a very good price. I prefer revolvers, but for $84 I'm willing to compromise my preferences

Kind of odd to read my own post from several years back. I still have the Raven. You might want to add that he's not my FiL anymore, since I recently divorced his daughter.

 

[TTv2]

Either I've gotten so use to the DA trigger pull on H&R revolvers or all you guys are trigger snobs. My LCRx has a fine DA trigger, I'm doing just fine hitting steel at 7 yds.