The Combat .22 Semi-Auto

[JohnB-40]

Ruger Mk 3 2245 on a Volquartsen grip frame. Extremely accurate and reliable with CCI ammo.

 

[KnightHawk]

Well I think a 22 would be ok as a defensive round, but, certainly not the best.
I have carried a Walther P22, light weight easy to use. The Ruger SR22 would be another choice, but one considerations are is you live in cold country clothing is difficult to penetrate.
So another firearm to consider is the Charter Arms Pathfinder. Lightweight made in 2” and 4”. The 4” has sights. Both are available in 22LR and the 22 mag. The 22 mag picks up the pace a fair amount. Either way I would use 40 grain solids, no hollow points.

 

[SterlingBullet]

My Ruger SR22 has been 100% reliable using high velocity ammo. I generally use only CCI MiniMag.

My co-worker owns the Smith&Wesson M&P 22 Compact which has been 100% reliable for him; again using HV CCI.

 

[Riomouse911]

When I first saw the title I had visions of a rimfire “understudy” gun, one that allows for inexpensive practice while having similar controls/actions of the primary center fire.

For me, since CZ discontinued the Kadet for my CZ 75’s, a Glock 44 has pretty much taken over the role, with my SIG Mosquito a distant second. I recommend the Glock 44, it’s a nice little pistol in my hands. The Mosquito, unless you find one that has been pretty darn reliable like mine has been, this is one to usually pass on.

I, like many others, don’t see a .22 LR as a “combat gun”, unless it is all one can handle due to age/infirmity or pretty much all other guns are unavailable. (Obviously in a pinch any gun is better than glares, rocks and scary noises.) But for extended practice sessions, rimfires emulating larger defensive guns are great tools for learning the feel, the controls and the right ways to shoot.

Stay safe.

 

[Master Blaster]

First reconsider your exclusion list. I'm 62 and have shot rimfire handguns since I was 12. While the clones of centerfire guns with their aluminium or zamax frames and slides may seem cool they are known for being very intolerant of low powered .22lr. Their long range reliability and durability is also questionable imho.
The Ruger MK series is reliable accurate and robust and purpose built for .22lr not as a cheap knockoff of a centerfire. There are few moving parts and they are robust and durable. The MKii especially so imho. A MK, buckmark, or even a S&W model 41 can tolerate a range of ammo power levels. These guns are designed for and come with 10 round magazines. With the model 41 lower or higher powered springs can also be used. In addition you should also consider a J frame or K frame sized 8-10 shot revolver for any under powered ammo. I would also add a 10/22 to your arsenal.

 

[FL-NC]

I would buy a handgun that closely mimicks your center fire handgun for training use only, which is where 22 pistols belong.

 

[Howland937]

Is there a list that you have to adhere to there? Not sure why an M&P, P322 or SR22 are ok but a TX22 isn't? How about the G44? They're all available with 10 round mags IIRC. If you're planning on something that isn't a target gun or anything resembling one, then may as well try to replicate the feel of whatever you're trusting your life to.

 

[Tallball]

The SR22 and similar pistols I had were doo-doo compared to this. I don't even have them anymore.

It's not particularly large.

I got it used for a bid of $220 or something stupid because it's old and the finish is faded.

Ruger Standard 22lr

• Tallball
• Nov 17, 2018

 

[DT Guy]

The only way a .22 is a 'combat' gun is if it's an 'everywhere' gun. My LCP II, after a return to the mothership for reliability tuning, shoots very well for its size.

Larry

 

[paul105]

Plinkin' steel yesterday with this Bersa Thunder. It's picky about ammo but easy to shoot for a small pistol.
.

.
The Ruger SR22 and Glock G44 have been 100% reliable with factory 10 rnd mags. The 18 rnd after market G44 mag is reliable when loaded with only 16rnds. The G44 is lightest of the bunch followed by SR22 and Bersa
.

.
After hip replacement surgery (could only where elastic waist band shorts/pants) I carried the little S&W M317 in a pocket. It's so light pants didn't fall down.
.

.
If I'm going to carry something in my pocket it will be a double action revolver/pistol (DA/SA w/decocker or DAO like the Kahr).

FWIW,


Paul

 

[KevininPa]

As acknowledged in the first line of my post. Think I’m going to give the M&P Compact a crack. By all accounts, it might come closest to what I’m thinking about.

I really enjoy mine! Get the threaded barrel. If you don't have one already, the Compact with a suppressor is the most fun you'll ever have with clothes on!

 

[KevininPa]

Plinkin' steel yesterday with this Bersa Thunder. It's picky about ammo but easy to shoot for a small pistol.
.

.
The Ruger SR22 and Glock G44 have been 100% reliable with factory 10 rnd mags. The 18 rnd after market G44 mag is reliable when loaded with only 16rnds. The G44 is lightest of the bunch followed by SR22 and Bersa
.

.
After hip replacement surgery (could only where elastic waist band shorts/pants) I carried the little S&W M317 in a pocket. It's so light pants didn't fall down.
.

.
If I'm going to carry something in my pocket it will be a double action revolver/pistol (DA/SA w/decocker or DAO like the Kahr).

FWIW,


Paul

How many rounds are through the Bersa? Mine got less "finicky" when the shot count rose.

 

[LiveLife]

Combat .22 Semi-Auto ... I probably have more rounds of .22lr than all of my centerfire rounds put together, so push comes to shove, why not have a compact semi-auto pistol that could utilize those rimfires if necessary ... So, any strong recommendations? ... More like a SR22 or an M&P 22.

I would buy a handgun that closely mimicks your center fire handgun for training use only, which is where 22 pistols belong.

My Glock 22 with Advantage Arms 22LR slide kit allows same trigger and manual of arms shooting practice and particularly good for fast closer range point shooting drills that eats up a lot of ammunition.

At 7-15 yards, I find POI comparable to 40S&W and 9mm (Using 40-9mm conversion barrel) and slide cycles with cheapest Armscor 36 gr HP, Aguila 40 gr CPRN and even subsonic CCI SV - https://www.advantagearms.com/mm5/m...d&Session_ID=b4f05c63b830a29f5cf0e689de56480c

BTW, AA 22LR slide kits are available for fullsize to subcompact Glocks $240 - https://www.primaryarms.com/advantage-arms-glock-17-22-gen4-22lr-conversion-kit-10-round

Slide kits for micro red dot $275 - https://www.advantagearms.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=GLK

Also available for Glock 20/21 $220 - https://www.primaryarms.com/advantage-arms-glock-20-21-gen-4-22lr-conversion-kit-10-round

 

[Buckeye63]

Has been very dependable

 

[halfmoonclip]

I have an S&W 43C lightweight 8-shot .22 LR revolver that weighs next to nothing. I installed a Desantis Clip Grip on it and it carries very comfortably in the right front pocket of my Levi's, with it clipped to the pocket's top seam. It carries perfectly there and is easily concealed by an untucked shirt.

This.
No matter how reliable your .22 auto might be, the ammo is not; misfeeds, misfires, are part of .22rf. With a revo, any misfire goes away with another trigger pull. It's the only viable option if it has to be a .22.
Moon

 

[halfmoonclip]

Walther made a very very few PP and PPK .25s. Like 50 total.

And each one is worth a freakin' fortune.
Bond's original gun (Beretta 418), and the current 950, are excellent .25s.
Moon

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

I'll chime in here with this. CHARTER ARMS PATHFINDER! Alloy frame "J" size. 8 rounds of 22mag. Incredibly light weight. Stainless cylinder - barrel - crane - hammer. I sell a TON of these. I even get calls from buyers thanking me for introducing them to them.

 

[toivo]

Just chiming in again to say that while I don't think .22 LR is a very good choice for a defensive weapon, the notion of its unreliability is oversold, IMO. I shoot a lot of .22 -- in fact, lately that's about all I shoot -- and dud rounds are very rare, in my experience. Use quality ammo that has proven reliable in your particular gun, and keep your gun clean. You will be fine.

Let me add that you should know how to clear a dud round from every gun you own, but that goes for centerfire too.

 

[Buckeye63]

As I posted a pic of my KT P17 ,has been flawless, so far .. but I keep it clean ..Its carry purpose will be while I do chores and such while outside.. maybe glove box duty some ..
A great option as camping/ hiking BUG , due to its lightweight. Its light …
If a person didn’t have anything else that goes bang .. this pistol wouldn’t be a bad choice..
My wife thoroughly enjoys this pistol, and actually has gotten her back at the range some. She has arthritis in her hands and hadn’t practiced in years ,.. a couple of days ago I ordered a Ruger Security 380 , hopefully I can get her to try it some .. and with my neuropathy and Raynualds at times ( rarely) I have episodes that slide manipulation is somewhat compromised. And I hadn’t stopped aging as yet.
im glad they are options

 

[gc70]

I'm another advocate of .22LR conversion kits. In my case, the kit is for full-size Beretta 92 series pistols. It has been very reliable with standard velocity ammo, as is my wife's SR22.

 

[paul105]

How many rounds are through the Bersa? Mine got less "finicky" when the shot count rose.

It works flawlessly with CCI Blazers (I have a case from yrs back). After finding that out, I haven't tried anything else.

 

[Miami_JBT]

OK, that title is a little melodramatic and a little absurd, but it struck me the other day that I probably have more rounds of .22lr than all of my centerfire rounds put together, so push comes to shove, why not have a compact semi-auto pistol that could utilize those rimfires if necessary.

So, any strong recommendations? Something compact (but not micro-compact) and as reliable as a semi-auto rimfire can be. Not a target pistol like a Ruger Mk- or a Buckmark. More like a SR22 or an M&P 22. I'm in WA so the high capacity Kel-Tecs and Tauri are pretty much off the table.

Except guns like the Ruger, Browning, and Hi-Standard have put down enemies throughout the decades.

 

[redneck]

I bought a ruger SR22 so I could have a coat pocket sized .22 to use around the farm. It is very reliable but not the best accuracy in my hands and I also get hammer bite pretty consistently from it so I started looking elsewhere and settled on a Sig 322. Its a good bit bigger than the ruger, but holds 20 rounds. I've had no malfunctions from it so far and the safety works like most centerfire pistols as opposed to the ruger where the safety is backwards. I keep an O-light PL 2 pistol light mounted on it and it serves well for haymow varmint duty and also is a fun plinker.

 

[TTv2]

I'm sure that almost everyone here has more .22 ammo than they do any other, that's what a low cost caliber is all about. I do think there is a place in everyone's personal situation to own a .22 pistol that's not primarily a target or plinking gun, but for fighting use. My must haves are that the pistol have an exposed hammer or be a DA/SA action for the ability of a second strike, mags holding more than 10 rds gets bonus points. Also, the pistol must be light and be appropriate in size for the caliber, which means no full size pistols like the 92 or 1911 are applicable because they're too big.

The one .22 pistol that meets none of those criteria, but I believe it worth considering is the Kel Tec CP33 simply because it holds 33 rounds, has the ability to mount all sorts of optics and lights, and has a great trigger.

Now, the CP33 aside, there's only a few pistols I can think of and the SR22 is the top of the list. You can get extended baseplates that add 5 rounds to the mags, sights are easily replaceable, there's a threaded barrel version if you wanna put a can on it, it's awesome. For a smaller size, there's the Beretta 21a and Phoenix Arms, but the Ruger is still better for combat than those two.

 

[crestoncowboy]

I'm going to go with post #3 and agree a revolver is a better bet for rimfire. I have a single six from the 1950's and it's never had a jam or misfire in my experience. I'd like for a 617 to work as well, but have no experience with that model -- other late-model S&W's make me doubt it would be dependable. Probably better off with a GP100, SP101 or Single Ten.

I've used 22 for 30+ years. Started with dad's H&R revolver and even carried a Beretta 21a for ccw at the coast. 99.999% of the jams ive had were dud primers and that makes no difference revolver or auto. Plus ive never had to send an auto back. Ive sent back 2 new revolvers for light strike and that not at all rare.

My 800 dollar Ruger and Smith revolvers both had to go back for light strikes. My 300 dollar Glock and Neos never went back. Then factor in that both weigh more than a full size Glock 17 or 22 and over double a loaded Glock 44 and id say the revolver is an iffy choice. I hunt with one but if I have to carry a K frame it may as well fire a 357 mag or 44 for SD.

.22 mags design is were the reliable comes in. If the .22 ammo is not stack correctly, you will get Rim Lock.

So look for a proven design like Ruger MK4!!!!! tired & true

That's another one you hear, and I have a Grendel p-30 since the 90s (predecessor to the pmr-30) among others. Ive fired thousands of bricks of ammo. Rimlock is usually what bad manufacturers blame jams on rather than something you really see. You would have to try to get a round in most mags with the rim behind the next one down. I don't know that I've ever actually seen it

Most of the reputation for unreliability of 22 stems from the bulk ammo (and even some normal ammo) of the past. In the 90s and before, and 2000s too a brick of 500 WOULD have 3-5 or more duds. That's a round that will not go off. You can turn it and try again. To u can put it another gun... nothing. Then you had 5-10 that didn't go off first try despite a perfectly good strike. Turn them and they go off.

The revolver had the advantage that you could either cock and shoot again or in DA pull the trigger again and just eject it with the empties with an auto you usually had to dig it out with a knife.