Threaded 22lr pistol for plinking

[cloudsrest]

I’m looking for a 22lr pistol with a threaded barrel for plinking, target shooting, and raccoons trying to break into the chicken coop. I’m hoping for suggestions. I will be using a suppressor. I’m trying not to break the bank and I’m more likely to get a date with Scarlet Johansson than enter any sort of competition.

The SW Victory caught my eye, mainly because it’s readily available and not that expensive. Why do so many 22lr pistols have fixed barrels and 10rd mags though? I bought a 20rd XDM elite 9mm for just $50 more than the Victory. Are the Victory and similar pistols (Buck Benchmark, Ruger Mark IV) specifically made for competition? Are there any other models I should look at?

 

[AzShooter1]

Ruger Mark IV 22/45 or Target Model.

 

[cloudsrest]

Ruger Mark IV 22/45 or Target Model.

I’m confused by these pistols. They hold half as much ammo as my XDM but cost $200 more. Is there something I’m overlooking here? Shouldn’t a 22 hold more rounds and be cheaper than a 9mm of similar quality? I just want to quietly put holes in beer cans and the occasional varmint.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I’m confused by these pistols. They hold half as much ammo as my XDM but cost $200 more. Is there something I’m overlooking here? Shouldn’t a 22 hold more rounds and be cheaper than a 9mm of similar quality? I just want to quietly put holes in beer cans and the occasional varmint.

Well, for one thing, .22 is a rimmed cartridge, so if you stack them too deeply, the rims start to cause awkward stacking unless the magazine has some curve to it. 10 rounds is a good practical limit in most handgun grips.

As far as cost, all other things being equal a given pistol costs the manufacturer roughly the same chambered in .22, 9mm, .40, .45......all pretty much the same amount of raw materials and labor. In fact, if the .22 sells in smaller quantities, scale economics may make the 9mm CHEAPER to produce, so the maker can sell it at a lower price.

As far as currently produced inexpensive .22 pistols, Ruger, Walther, and Taurus all make suppressor ready polymer framed autos.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

How much something holds has no indication of quality. A single shot Barrett .50 isn't free just because it holds one shot.

I would look at the Rugers or Browning Buckmark over a Victory. I think those 2 have better support/parts and have been around for a long time. Not sure about the new Rugers but the Buckmarks all you to change out the top end if you want a shorter, heavier, longer, etc upper on them.

 

[Cump]

There are some of higher capacity, like the sig p322 (20 rounds) and options from taurus and kel-tec. But they may be more of a trainer than plinker ...

 

[MachIVshooter]

The Victory is a great choice, would be at the top of my list for a full size.

I tend to prefer slightly smaller rimfires as suppressor hosts, such as the Beretta 71, but they are long out of production, aren't factory threaded and tend to be pretty spendy these days.

 

[Artg56]

I was in the same position when ammo was difficult to get and expensive to buy, so decided to get a .22lr for target and plinking.

I also wanted a threaded barrel though for a compensator.

I tried the Victory the Ruger and Buckmark F/T as rentals at a range while visiting my son. The Smith gave me some problems with stovepiping and for me both the Browning and the Ruger fit my hand better. The S&W was the least expensive but the easiest to rule out even though I was told the feeding issue is a easy fix.

Deciding between the two was extremely difficult and I could have gone either way. I liked the trigger and balance of both, they both shot accurately, I thought the Browning was just ever so slightly finished more nicely, trigger broke a bit crisper and for me, grouped a little tighter. A drawback to the Buckmark is that it will not cycle sv rounds reliably.

I honestly feel that you can’t go wrong with any of the three and if you get a chance to shoot them side by side you would probably agree.

I did wind up going with the Browning, have put thousands of reliable rounds through it, have second guessed my decision…until I’m at the range with it and all doubts disappear.

 

[The Glockodile]

All have threaded barrels, all are good...

Ruger Mark IV™ Target (10 rounds)

- boringly reliable and accurate​

Smith & Wesson® Victory (10 rounds)

- boringly reliable and accurate​

Smith & Wesson® M&P® 22 Compact (10 rounds)

- boringly reliable, perfect Secret Squirrel Pistol, in my mind thus far...​

Beretta M9-22LR (15 rounds)

- boringly reliable, never really warmed up to this one​

Interested in these, personally don't have them yet, all have threaded barrels.

SIG P322 (20 rounds)
FN 502™ Tactical (15 rounds)

 

[Zygodactyl]

The old Intratec Tec-22 Scorpion takes Ruger 25 round magazines and has a threaded barrel. They should be reasonable if you can find one. The 25 round magazines clip together so mag changes are quick.

 

[ericuda]

Taurus tx22. 21 rd mags available now too. Std is 16.

 

[Skylerbone]

The Smith wasn’t on my radar until recently when I took note of the following it’s receiving by shooters, with that being mimicked by aftermarket vendors. I’d try them all if I had the coin, alas I punched my ticket with Ruger this last go-round.


Ain’t never no reason not to own more than one…’cept money.


This one (Ruger Mk IV) has me spending like a drunken monkey lately.

 

[AzShooter1]

I chose the Mark IV and did a few upgrades to it. I made one into a Black Mamba using all Volquartsen parts. My backup has the VQ Accurizing Kit, a Carolina Crusher Compensator, Cornerstone Safety and a C-More Red Dot.

There is no end to the upgrades for the Mark IV series.

Good luck on your search.

 

[DTL]

Lower cost would be a GSG Firefly or 1911 .22. Both offer threaded barrel options.

I have the unthreaded Firefly for over 5 years and it's been a great fun shooter.

 

[Tallball]

My friend really likes her Victory.

I have two Ruger Marks and a Buck Mark that are all excellent.

Lots of good choices out there.

I'm shooting the Ruger Standard later this morning.

The Rugers are great, but I probably shoot the Browning a little better.

Browning Buck Mark

• Tallball
• Jul 1, 2018

 

[Mark 40]

After several versions of the MKIV and a Victory, the Victory is the only one that remains.

 

[CNobbe]

I really like my Sig P322. Cut for micro red dots, thread adapter in the box, 20 round mags. I picked mine up the day they were released and it's been a wonderful shooter. I like my TX22 a lot as well, but my slide snapped after two years and 13k rounds. They replaced the slide for me, but I only use the 5" upper on it now.

 

[sparkyv]

Kel-tec makes a surppressor ready 22LR that holds 33 rounds that can be had for $500 $400...if that's what you need.
https://www.keltecweapons.com/firearm/pistols/cp33/

I will be using a suppressor. I’m trying not to break the bank

 

[sabbfan]

Ruger MKIV Tactical, it comes with a bottom rail that I removed on mine that you could run a light on for nighttime varmints. I’m running a dead air mask suppressor with a vortex venom red dot. I don’t have a current pic but I also removed the top rail and am running a plate instead to get the red dot lower. These things are addictive to modify since aftermarket parts are plentiful

 

[nevadabob]

Kel-Tec P17:

https://www.rkguns.com/kel-tec-p17-22-lr-pistol-p17blk-16rd-3-93.html

I have 2 of them, black & tan. Great shooters.

 

[luzyfuerza]

I would NOT recommend the Taurus TX22 for the OP. It does have a threaded barrel, the trigger is good, and mine has been very reliable. But the accuracy is mediocre, likely due to sloppy barrel-to-slide fit.

Not good for shooting targets, or raccoons.

 

[CNobbe]

My TXs are perfectly accurate. The barrel of the TX22 is fixed to the frame when assembled and operates as a blowback. Nothing to do with barrel/slide fit. The most common "thing" we've noticed with TX22s is the rear sight is almost always not lined up from the factory.

 

[12Bravo20]

The problem I have with S&W rimfire pistols is when they are discontinued then parts are hard to get. The S&W 22A is a prime example. Once the 22A was discontinued and replaced by the Victory, S&W stopped selling parts and accessories for the 22A.

Don’t get me wrong, I do like the 22A and Victory. But the KelTec CP33 is just as accurate if not better plus what’s not to like about the flush fitting 33 round magazine

 

[CajunBass]

I just bought a Walther PPK/S, with a threaded barrel, a week or so ago for $270.00 on sale at Sportsman's Warehouse. Now it's not the Walther you think of James Bond carrying. Those were all steel guns, and go for about $800 (new) these days. The PPK/S in 22 is pretty much a plinker. The frame and slide are made of Zamak an alloy of aluminum and Zinc (and few other metals). So far it functions well, especially with CCI Stingers, or other ammo with some pop to it. It functions in S/A mode with any ammo I've tried in it, but fails to eject the round when fired in the D/A mode. I'm thinking this is going to get better as we shoot it and it get's broken in. If it doesn't it's not a big deal. We will shoot it in S/A 99% of the time anyway.

The double action trigger can best be described at "heavy." Which may actually be an understatement. The factory claims 17 pounds or so. It's at least that, but does have the advantage of at least being fairly smooth. The S/A isn't bad though, breaking at about 4.5 lbs average, with a nice clean break, and a nice reset. The sights are very small. Good enough for my plinking, but would probably need to be changed for use with a suppressor. The gun did come with two extra front sights, and a wrench to change them, as well as a wrench to remove the thread protector on the barrel. Not something I'll ever use, but it is there.

It seems to be a fairly accurate plinker for what it is, but I'm under no illusion that it will run with the Rugers, Smith and Wesson's and such. Oh mag capacity is 10 rounds. Extra mags are about $50.00 or so each.



Now this should give you an idea of why some 22's sell for at least twice what others do and for about the same as their centerfire cousins. All we wanted was a "plinker" and my wife likes this little gun and darned if I haven't enjoyed shooting it, but it's not in the same class at all as a Ruger MK anything, Smith and Wesson Victory, or a Browning Buckmark. It's sort of a modern version of a H&R revolver. And that is not a "bad" thing as long as you know what you're getting for the money.

One other thing. Normally they sell for abou)t $100.00 more. I just caught it on sale. I probably wouldn't have paid $389 (I think that was the "normal" price at Sportsman's Warehouse.) I'd have gone ahead and gotten a used Ruger.

 

[Spats McGee]

My threaded .22 pistol is a Mark IV 22/45 Lite. I'm tickled with it. With that said, if there were a reasonably prices S&W Victory available locally, I'd snatch it up. I'd also consider the SR22, the M&P 22, a Browning Buckmark, .... Who am I kidding? I want them all.