Which .22 auto

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Arkansas Paul

Arkansas Paul

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Hey guys. Thinking about getting a .22 auto pistol just for fun. It'll likely be a few months before I get it, but nothing wrong with a little early planning. I've pretty much narrowed it down to two and want to get your thoughts.
I like the Sig Mosquito and the Walther P22. Anybody have any experience with these two? Any problems out of them. I like them both a lot and they're priced decent. I wouldn't rule out a Ruger MK2 or MK3 or a Browning Buckmark, but would prefer the Walther or Sig.
Is this one of those, both are great deals, or is one any better than the other? Let's hear it.
 
Having a Walther P22 and a Browning Buckmark I will tell you the Buck Mark is a better pistol irregardless of pricing.
The P22 is cool, a decent plinker and all but the Buck Mark doesn't have a zinc slide and the barrel cap will not come loose as the Buck Mark does not have it.
The Browning has a grip that actually fits the hand and is just a solid .22.
The Rugers are well respected.
The Sig Mosquito I have heard can be problematic but again, Sig is a good company.

The Walther P22 is really Umarex and unfortunatly, that translates to "second rate" Walther, IMHO.
 
Since you asked, the P-22 has a Zamak slide, which is 96% zinc, also known as white metal, also known as pot metal. If you feel zinc is good gun making material have at it.

The Sig I don't know about. You can learn a lot about any model by googling "Sig Mosquito Problems", or "Ruger .22 problems".

The Ruger is made of good gun making materials and will literally last for generations. The most common problem with the Ruger is disassembly. Most of those who actually learn how to do it don't have many problems afterwards.
 
I would go with a S&W 22a. Mine will eat mini-mags all day long with no jams. Get the model with the bull barrel for a little better accuracy; it comes with a fiber optic front sight, an integral rail for mounting an optic, and the price is right at $300. Plus it's really really easy to field strip which I hear can be a big problem with the ruger/brownings.
 
I saw an older [50's] vintage High Standerd Duramatic with two barrels and original box, for less than $400 on consignment early this month. Would've been my choice over those first mentioned.
 
Neo U22, Buckmark, or Ruger MKIII all are nice. No doubt. But consider too...

They are also all the same or larger and heavier than a full sized fire arm.

Take that into consideration if you haven't looked yet.

The walther P22 is tiny yet extremely comfortable. Look at the SP-22 too. Walther's cheap make of their SSP ($2k gun) and let me know how it shoots so I can decide if I want it :D

Best solution? Any of the first, and then a P22 just for fun.

Edit: oops. Yes, to answer you question I love the P22.
 
So far my walther P22 has been great, it's small, fun and works like a real pistol.
 
The p22 and the sig are known to be problematic. The ruger and the browning are known to be bulletproof. Take your pick
 
A used Ruger Mk-II can be had for a fair price. That's probably about the best value in a .22.

The one I have is bomb proof. It only took me about 45 minutes to learn the trick in reassembling a field stripped Mk-II. Now, I can do it very easily.

And, when mine started getting finicky with bulk pack .22LR, I simply cleaned the pistol, including stripping and cleaning the mags, and the problem was no more.
 
I've done some searching and there's not a lot of love out there for the Sig or the Walther. I'd hate to get something and regret it. I think I'll stick with the tried and true. Buckmark or Ruger.
I did look at a CZ 75 Kadet. Wow, that's a good looking .22, but the price is a bit steep at over $600. That's more than I want to spend on a .22 plinker. It's sure nice though.
 
You're on the right track with the Rugers or Browning. THR threads on worst POS guns have lots of Sig 22 and p22 postings. I have the Ruger 22/45 as a trainer for shooting my 1911s and although I can't say that it is easy to strip an assemble, it is tolerable since it only needs to be done about every 400 to 500 rounds.
 
Ruger 22/45 or Buckmark would be my choice. I have a ruger 22/45 that I've tricked out a bit with lots of after market stuff for not much money. The new RP models have replaceable grips as well.
 
Just checking in here.

Have been researching this .22 semi-auto pistol question for a while,
and finding some new options here.

Reading ...
 
The answer depends on what your definition of fun is.

I have a Ruger Mk III Hunter and a Walther P22.

If your definition of fun is tinkering around on your pistols. Well then both are fun, but for different reasons. The Ruger has an absolute wealth of aftermarket parts that you can play with. The Walther needs some attention out of the box, just to get it to run right.

If your definition of fun is shooting for continually better scores, then you need to buy the Ruger (or a Buckmark).

If you want to do double taps and other defense-oriented drills, then the P22 is the unquestioned winner.
 
I feel bad for people who have had problems with their mosquito. I've had less than 5 failures in about 800 rounds of cci mini mags. One of my favorite shooters. My only gripe is the da trigger pull is heavy
 
Get yourself a Ruger or a Browning Buck Mark, or one of the early Colts, and you will be happy for life and will have a firearm that you can use for as long as you want and then pass it along to your children and/or grandchildren. I would advise steering clear of the disposable .22s on the market that, like Bic lighters, are deisgned to be tossed when they expire. Some of them, after all, expire far sooner than you would like -- or expect.
 
I see all these threads on the internet about people bashing the Sig Mosquito. Funny, because I bet most of them don't even know why their pistol comes with 2 recoil springs.

I have only seen three Mosquitos in person, including mine, and they all ran flawlessly. Mine had about 1 1/2 - 2 bricks through it and I had maybe a handful of failures at the most, which is outstanding for a .22.

By the way, I just picked up a Ruger MK III 22/45. Darn thing took me about 5 hours to field strip and put back together. Sure fun as hell to shoot though. Extremely nice trigger compared to my old Mosquito DA pull.
 
I'm pretty one sided when it comes to 22 auto pistols - I use only one kind - Colts. Because I have a good supply of them. The only other one I have considered getting is the Ruger. If they make a 22/45 that is all metal, I will get one anyway even though I have little need for another one really.

My main shooter is a Colt Woodsman sport (3rd issue). I use it for hunting a lot, and plinking - we plink at 50-100 yards a lot with pistols and with this one at 25 and in I am deadly with it. This particular gun runs like a swiss watch unless I clean it, in which case it will be finicky for a while till it gets dirty enough to run correctly again.

Woodsmans are some of the finest 22 autos ever made, and although I primarily shoot them all the time, I really admire the Ruger - it's a good gun.
 
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