View Full Version : Looking for the best 22 Pistol around?
Knowing there are so many different opinions on which guns are the absolute best for the money, I'm looking for some help in finding the best 22 pistol around.
I'm not going out to do any serious competition shooting, so I don't need something that expensive ($1000.00 range) I just want to go to the range and have a literate BLAST shooting a little gun that isn't as expensive as my 9mm's are.
I have been looking at the Walther P22 .22 Long Rifle 5" black for a couple of reasons.
During a recent visit to a local Gun Shop I had the opportunity to really check one of these little guns out. I liked everything about the gun except for a tiny spring located right above the grip. After looking at what this spring does, it looked as though it had something to do with the hammer? But this little spring wasn't enough to sway me from purchasing it at a later date.
Does anyone own a Walther, P 22 that could give me a few ideas why they do or don't like this gun? Or is there another pistol that uses the .22 Long Rifle rounds someone thinks is a good little gun for the money?
My knowledge about pistols is not that great, so I depend on people in the know before I take that leap.
If you are looking for the best (reliable and accurate) for the money I recommend you look at a Browning Buck Mark instead.
kihnspiracy
03-03-09, 17:48
Ruger Mark II
I've owned a Walther P22 (3.4" barrel) for about 7 months now and have put close to 3k rounds through it. I love this gun for plinking around, but if I were to do it again I'd buy a Ruger MKII or MKIII.
The P22 is very picky on ammo. I've had good luck with CCI mini-mags no failures of any kind, but when I switched it up and shot the Federal value packs I started getting failures at about 2 rounds per mag. I usually put about 800 rounds down range between cleanings.
Accuracy is ok, but the sights are plastic and if you aren't careful can be knocked off.
I have also noticed that the trigger has picked up a gritty feel to it that wasn't there when new.
thopkins22
03-03-09, 22:15
The Walthers seem way to small to me. Everyone I know that owns a Walther 22 or a Sig 22, tells me that they only run certain ammo.
The Brownings and Rugers seem to do much better. I know my Buckmark eats EVERYTHING that I feed it, and it's as accurate as you could ask for. I dislike that it requires an allen key to assemble, if that's important then the Ruger.
Freakdaddy
03-04-09, 01:28
I have to agree with the Buckmark as mine has been reliable with everything and is extremely accurate. Here's a great forum to visit the focuses only on rimfires. There are sub-categories for Browning and Ruger that will probably answer all your questions and then some regarding these two.
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/
Good luck and let us know what you end up with.
bluepythons
03-04-09, 03:06
I have owned Rugers and Buckmarks. Right now I have a Ruger MKIII that is outstanding. It is very reliable, accurate, and was pretty cheap as well. I like the Ruger for the fact that extra mags can also be had for $15.00. I particularly like the MKIII as it has a traditional mag release versus the heel release on previous versions. I removed the mag safety and it is very nice. I shoot on a 22 league and see several types of pistols. The two most reliable are the Ruger and Buckmark. While there are alot of parts available for the Buckmark, the Ruger is like the Glock if rimfire pistols, more accessories then you could ever want if you do ever want to change it.
Either way you will get a great pistol.
I have a Berretta model 21A (.22L) and its been around for at least 20 years. It's eaten at least a couple thousand rounds of whatever Wall-Mart ammo I could throw at it and it is dead reliable. It's also beautifull!
The picture is not of mine, but it is an exact same model and coloring.
http://www.collectorebooks.com/gregg01/europistol/DSC02153.jpg
Littlelebowski
03-04-09, 06:50
Most practical and best bang for your buck? Ruger MKIII with the mag safety removed. The Browning Buckmark is a close second.
Most accurate and a joy to shoot and look upon? S&W Model 41. Costs twice as much as the other two but you'll never regret it. That's the gun that wins bullseye competitions.
I did a similar search last fall. I found lots of failed Walthers to look at on the web. I too like the ergos and style of the Walther but I was not confident that one would last and I wanted a pistol that I could hand down to my kids.
I bought a Ruger Mark II for several reasons:
Durability, they last forever and are made of steel
Dependability, they seem to work and not be too picky with ammo
Commonality, they are possibly the most common semi-auto .22 so parts (both OEM and accessories) are easy to get and reasonably priced.
Cost, If you keep your eyes open you can pick one up for a killer price. I bought mine used, blued 5.5 inch tapered barrel with three mags, for $150 from Cabelas of all places. It had a bit of rust (must have been a truck gun for a steel worker or such) but it cleaned up just fine.
That was how I made my decision. I am sure that the fact that I had owned a Mark II in the past affected my decision.
Buckaroo
oldcrow -- Not busting on you, but it's hard to take a thread seriously that uses the phrases "best 22 Pistol around" and "Walther P22" in the same post. :cool:
As you can see from the advice given, there are a lot of different approaches to "the best 22" ... you might want to further refine your intended use so folks can be more specific in their advice.
For a general plinker, I'd have to say a Ruger MkII/MkIII. Fairly inexpensive, reliable, and a tremendous range of upgrade options as your needs & wants change. If you want something a bit nicer and even more accurate out of the box, the S&W 41 is very hard to beat. You'll pay for the difference, but the 41 has a level of refinement immediately perceptible when you handle the two side by side. Having said that, though, the .22 pistol we've got in the safe is a Ruger MkII (22/45).
Another option to consider, depending on what your normal carry or home defense pistol might be, is a .22 conversion kit. They're available for 1911's, Berettas, Glocks, and other guns.
Littlelebowski
03-04-09, 07:10
Forgot to add that I've owned a Walther P22. Got rid of it promptly. It could not compete with the Rugers/Buckmarks. Not much price difference if any.
Most practical and best bang for your buck? Ruger MKIII with the mag safety removed. The Browning Buckmark is a close second.
Most accurate and a joy to shoot and look upon? S&W Model 41. Costs twice as much as the other two but you'll never regret it. That's the gun that wins bullseye competitions.
Have to agree with you on the first statement, but the second, I'll just have to give my own Colt Woodsman Target model (not the Match Target) as the best to look on and is just as accurate as the Smith you talk about. One other consideration is that when you find a good one, it keeps going up in value as in 'collectors item'!!!:D:D:D
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii150/Cohibra45/Woodsman.jpg
Not mine but just like it. You can find some good deals on Gunbroker, but this particular one is a little high!!!
Oh and mines taken plenty of squirrels and rabbits for dinner!!! I use to have it with me at college and shot at the ROTC indoor range. I use to be able to slow fire 50ft into a quarter with most shots being covered by a dime....but that was when I was much younger and better eyes. The gun will still do it, but I can't!!!
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=124072842
Littlelebowski
03-04-09, 08:13
When you get into Woodsman/Model 41 territory, it's all about the shooter. I found my 41 for $650 a year ago which I consider an absolute steal, especially for a 1981 model. I have many guns but this .22 never fails to put a smile on my face.
One thing that is very nice about the 41 is the ease of changing out a barrel. In 10 seconds you can go from a 5.5" to a 7". They are also still in production.
I have to admit that both are true classics in all the definitions!!! I am drawn to the Smith a lot and I will have one someday......my 14 year old son is already claiming my Woodsman!!!:D:D:D
among some of the best .22 pistols ever made are the High Standard of early manufacture. I have a Supermatic Citation that is a phenomenal pistol in terms of accuracy. it's a treasure...
HiggsBoson
03-04-09, 10:53
My experience is pretty much similar to that of wantsum.
I bought a P22 for my wife about a year ago, to help familiarize with double-action handguns. We had trouble finding ammo that it would handle reliably. For me, a few problems isn't that big of a deal on a .22, but it was a put-off for her. My goal of helping make her more comfortable back-fired and made her more uncomfortable. :o
I still like it a lot. A few failures with cheap ammo doesn't bother me that much. I'd recommend you look elsewhere if you want a plinker that will eat whatever ammo you throw at it.
Spurholder
03-04-09, 11:20
Browning Buckmark.
For the price, the Browning Buckmark can not be beat. This is just my very biased opinion.
connor9000
03-04-09, 18:38
I just put a sig saur mosquito on layaway at the gun shop. What do you guys think of it? I've heard some good and some bad. Not sure if i made a good purchase or not.
I have another question? (go figure?). I have also looked at the Sig Sauer Mosquito. The strange thing is I can find all sorts of information on line about all types of manufacturers and their guns to include Sig Sauer. But when it comes to information regarding the Mosquito and people who test and rate certain guns, I see nothing.
If one believes all of the hype, Sig is one of the best guns on the market. That may or may not be true, but they speak of other guns beside the Mosquito. Sure one of these guns has a threaded barrel to fit a silencer on, but that doesn't say anything at all about the gun itself.
I just remembered looking at this gun a while back and thought it was a nice looking and seemed to be well built. But with these things you can't judge a book by it's cover. As with the Walther I may find this is another Lemon I don't need any parts of? If anyone has one of these or knows something I don't, please let me know so I can either keep this on the list, or take it off.
As of right now I do like the Browning .22 Long Rifle Standard w/ultragrip, and the Ruger Mark III Hunter with the Stainless barrel. But before I just dump the Sig Sauer Mosquito, I'd love to know more about it.
Thanks again, I really appreciate everyones help.
I don't know if you've looked into it but for a few bucks more you could get a P220, P226, or P229 in .22lr, then if you decided to you could purchase a centerfire x-change kit and have 2 guns in one.
I just put a sig saur mosquito on layaway at the gun shop. What do you guys think of it? I've heard some good and some bad. Not sure if i made a good purchase or not.
I know some questions are off limits, but if you would like to say I would love to know what you paid for it? And was it brand new?
The reason I ask is if I do decide to purchase the Mosquito, I'd like to get some idea of what to expect to pay for it.
Give the Beretta 87 Cheetah .22 a try.
I picked one up for my wife and not only does she like it enough, I have large hands and I can still use it without fumbling it all up.
Accurate little gun too.
Give the Beretta 87 Cheetah .22 a try.
I picked one up for my wife and not only does she like it enough, I have large hands and I can still use it without fumbling it all up.
Accurate little gun too.
Like everything else, you get what you pay for (usually?) I did pull up some information on the Beretta 87 Cheetah and found it to be a nice looking small pistol. About the only thing I could find it has trouble with ammo wise is the Remington Golden Bullet High Velocity. Apparently one person was getting a jam per clip. After they changed up on the ammo they didn't have any problems.
I do agree, this gun is definitely worth taking a good look at when I'm trying to evaluate a nice .22 for the money. Now I've seen them used for the high
$400.00's and the low $500.00's. What would be a decent price for one retail?
Hey, thanks so much for the information, I put it on the growing list of .22's to check out. (There are now four on the list) I thought this would be fairly easy just to pick one out and run with it, but boy was I wrong.
I guess I'm looking for the biggest BANG for my buck. ha ha ha
FlyAndFight
03-05-09, 16:14
Ruger Mark II
Good thread.
I'm looking into picking up a .22 pistol as well and had already narrowed it down to either a used Mk II or new Mk III (preferrably the Mk II). I think I'll end up getting one of these.
The only negative I've heard is that field-stripping the Mk II/III can be a pain.
Just bought a conversion kit for my operator a few weeks ago and I have to say it's the cats ass. Price couldn't be beat for it and 3 mags $140. Guy had it for a tight wilson and didn't like it. Only ran three mags through it so far but I was grinning with every shot. It'll be nice to train more true to form with such a similar platform, using same holsters, trigger etc etc. Good luck in your hunt. It's hard, no let's just say impossible, to beat a 500 rounds of practice for $16.
Oh, i owned a P22 previously but sold it. It was ok, it just didn't grab me. Seemed too different from anything I'd use in real life, almost like a toy gun. Mags aren't cheap. If I could own a suppressor in Mi i'd possibly be more inclined to go the P22 route.
Love the looks of the
http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/images/Products/258T.jpg
Stainless long fluted barrels with wood grips, just too damn pricey.
Good thread.
I'm looking into picking up a .22 pistol as well and had already narrowed it down to either a used Mk II or new Mk III (preferrably the Mk II). I think I'll end up getting one of these.
The only negative I've heard is that field-stripping the Mk II/III can be a pain.
I was reading the same thing, but found out one thing about putting the pistol back together again was you needed to have a clip installed so it goes back together without a fight. Apparently this was left off of the instructions (like I said, this is what I had read about reassembling the gun). Several also came back and said once you read the directions, it's not hard at all to field strip.
In the same thread one poor guy used a mallet to hit something on the gun to get it to go back together (and the gun was brand new out of the box). After this he had some type of problem with the gun (I think it was something about the gun not staying cocked?)
Someone came back and said by him using a mallet he must have bent something inside and this may be what is causing his problems. If I can find the Forum again I'll let you know. Personally I don't know of a manufacturer that says to use a mallet to either take something apart, or put it back together? But like I said way back when, I'm not that knowledgeable about guns. So I'm not going to make any comment either way about a mallet and the person who used it. And it's just what I was reading.
I just put a sig saur mosquito on layaway at the gun shop. What do you guys think of it? I've heard some good and some bad. Not sure if i made a good purchase or not.
SIG Mosquitos are great guns. From what I heard the original ones were not the best and were ammo-picky. SIG has apparently refined the Mosquitos and mine has been flawless. It is a fantasitic little gun that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone.
Or you could get the .22 conversion kit as was suggested, but the conversion kit is +/- $50 of the gun - $315 for the conversion kit - (depending on where you are at) so I just bought the gun.
I down own .22 pistols anymore, only .22 conversion kits for the pistols I normally shoot.
connor9000
03-06-09, 19:46
I know some questions are off limits, but if you would like to say I would love to know what you paid for it? And was it brand new?
The reason I ask is if I do decide to purchase the Mosquito, I'd like to get some idea of what to expect to pay for it.
I paid $365.00. Its the 3rd gen. Two tone model. Yes it is brand new.
losbronces
03-06-09, 19:55
Good thread.
I'm looking into picking up a .22 pistol as well and had already narrowed it down to either a used Mk II or new Mk III (preferrably the Mk II). I think I'll end up getting one of these.
The only negative I've heard is that field-stripping the Mk II/III can be a pain.
You are correct it is. Getting the bolt pin stop lined up and back into place without anything else moving is the main problem.
Got a Walther P22 and I like it for what it is. Not the best but different. Shoots Walmart .22s fine but it really likes CCI Stingers. No FTF yet...
SIG Mosquitos are great guns. From what I heard the original ones were not the best and were ammo-picky. SIG has apparently refined the Mosquitos and mine has been flawless. It is a fantasitic little gun that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone.
Or you could get the .22 conversion kit as was suggested, but the conversion kit is +/- $50 of the gun - $315 for the conversion kit - (depending on where you are at) so I just bought the gun.
My opinion, too.
I had one of the earlier Mosquito P.O.S.'s, and ended up sending it back to Sig, who promptly replaced it - - no questions asked (which hinted to me that they replaced them quite regularly). My newer one works great. (It still has the 12lb double-action trigger, though, although I don't shoot it double action hardly at all, so that isn't a big deal, for me). It has a threaded barrel + AAC Pilot suppressor now . . totally TactiCool; a great chick-magnet at the range, and great for eradicating stray cats and obnoxious zombies without upsetting the neighbors.
Having said that, I like the S&W 41s . . . got my eye on one, but it is a different animal: target (SW& 41) vs plinker (Sig Mosquito).
I have always been a fan of the Browning Buckmark. I have yet to meet a dissatisfied owner, and I am quite fond of mine. My example has been very reliable, I like the feel and the layout of the controls.
Dan Goodwin
03-10-09, 16:54
I bought a Ruger Mark I Bull Barrel Target 5.5-in. through the Beale AFB Rod & Gun Club in late 1978. By conservative estimate I've put more than 200,000 rounds through it. Still shoots great. Cleaned it the other week for the first time since Reagan left the White House. Good stuff & highly recommended.
Got a stainless Mark II BB 5.5 from a coworker couple year's back, put a TacSol threaded upper and CTC LG on it. Runs good, not near the round count. Need to buy a can for it; shot a buddies AAC Co-Pilot and it was sweet.
Got my son a Buckmark Micro several years ago, seems to get dirty fast but that could be the Fed Bulk Pack not liking the gun. It runs very well if kept cleaner than the Rugers.
Paradox998
03-10-09, 23:01
I have several 22s including a Browning Challenger III and a SIG Mosquito. After all is said and done, the most accurate 22 I own is my CZ-75B 9mm with the Kadet 22 conversion kit. I am much more accurate with the CZ than either of the other 22s and the Browning is a target model!
Boy, talk about luck. A few here have suggested the Ruger single, so I was recently telling someone about this exact revolver one evening at a Birthday Party to a distant relative. I knew he had a few guns and just flat asked if he had one of these for sale? I was blown away when he said, as a matter of fact....Yes I do.
When we got down to the cost? He told me because I have in the past jumped in and helped him and his family out, he'd give it to me.
All he wanted me to do was fill the paperwork out so the gun is out of their name. Sweet!
I still have the itch for another gun after doing all of this searching (you all have been doing the searching, all I've been doing is listening) I really have narrowed it down to the Sig Mosquito. I called recently to a place near me and they just happen to have the same one someone here was speaking of. It has the threaded barrel.
So when my 30 days is up (I just purchased a 9mm Stoeger Couger) I'll go down there and fill the paperwork out again for the Sig. If they don't have it when I get there, they said it could take 2 to 6 weeks to get another one in.
But I did just send my paperwork in for the collectors deal, at least this way I can buy what I want, when I want (within reason of course), just wish I knew about this earlier. Oh well, thanks to you guys for bringing that up in another thread or I still may not have done it.
Get a Ruger Mk II/III and put a Tactical Solutions Pac Lite barrel on it. Same goes for the Browning Buckmark.
I paid $365.00. Its the 3rd gen. Two tone model. Yes it is brand new.
Thanks for letting me know. Recently I called several shops to see if they were all the same? They did very within $25.00 to $40.00. I did find one place locally that has one for what you paid for it, so once I complete my wait from purchasing a gun recently I'll go there and do the paperwork.
I didn't want to get beaten up too bad buying my next gun. I know within the last few months I have spent more money on guns than I have in my entire life. But I have found this to be a growing passion lately, so I don't mind spending the money as long as the gun is worth it, and more importantly I have the funds to do so.
Once again the fine people on this forum have come through to help me and my lack of knowledge about guns period.
I think this one is the best...still haven't shot it.
I think this one is the best...still haven't shot it.
Is this your pistol? How old of a Colt do you think this is? And wondering if they still produce the same type of gun? Is the name of it a Colt Woodsman (that what I see as the writing on the side says, but I'm not sure is why I ask) and was it designed for target shooting as it's primary function? (I know, a lot more questions)
I know some of the older guns are very accurate, as are a few of the newer ones. But most of the older guns seem to be built a little more sturdy, I don't see any plastic in this gun at all. Plastic may make for a lighter weapon, but boy there ain't nothing like the feel of real wood handgrips (plus they look a heck of a lot nicer too)
When you finally shoot it, please let us know. I would love to know how accurate it is? Also, thanks for sharing. Beautiful looking gun.
Is this your pistol? How old of a Colt do you think this is? And wondering if they still produce the same type of gun? Is the name of it a Colt Woodsman (that what I see as the writing on the side says, but I'm not sure is why I ask) and was it designed for target shooting as it's primary function? (I know, a lot more questions)
I know some of the older guns are very accurate, as are a few of the newer ones. But most of the older guns seem to be built a little more sturdy, I don't see any plastic in this gun at all. Plastic may make for a lighter weapon, but boy there ain't nothing like the feel of real wood handgrips (plus they look a heck of a lot nicer too)
When you finally shoot it, please let us know. I would love to know how accurate it is? Also, thanks for sharing. Beautiful looking gun.
According to ProofHouse, it was made in 1940 & Is a 1st series Woodsman Bullseye Match Target. It is hard to find them in this condition and most of them have the Elephant Ear Grips with chips or cracks in them. I sometimes regret it, but I traded a pre 64 winchester 70 hornet to get this. I'm sure it will shoot well but it's really too nice and a 2nd or 3rd series match would be better served for the range. I'm a Colt guy but there are very good arguements for an older S&W model 41 with the cocking indicator for serious competetive shooting. High Standard also made some excellent pistols.
Here are some more pics:
Owned the Sig Mosquito and have fired the P22, ended up with the Ruger MKIII 22/45. It just works and is extremely accurate. Fields stripping can be a challenge the first time but it gets easier once you know the trick to it. I have never fired a Buckmark but all I hear is good things about them. The Mosquito was a PITA, even with the suggested ammo it still had issues.
I have a Ruger MkIII target model, it is accurate, reliable and takes any .22 ammo; had a sig mosquito and it was a worthless jam-a-matic pos unworthy of the sig name, it is the gun to avoid.
Hardchrome
03-16-09, 08:31
CZ Kadet, feels like a real pistol, and shots well too.
According to ProofHouse, it was made in 1940 & Is a 1st series Woodsman Bullseye Match Target. It is hard to find them in this condition and most of them have the Elephant Ear Grips with chips or cracks in them. I sometimes regret it, but I traded a pre 64 winchester 70 hornet to get this. I'm sure it will shoot well but it's really too nice and a 2nd or 3rd series match would be better served for the range. I'm a Colt guy but there are very good arguements for an older S&W model 41 with the cocking indicator for serious competetive shooting. High Standard also made some excellent pistols.
Here are some more pics:
Thanks for sharing those photos with us. When I saw the photo you first showed of your Woodsman it reminded me of something that was from the past, but I wasn't sure? These new photos really show the gun is from an earlier time, but what beautiful condition it is in. The style of the writing on the box is definitely from a different period of time for sure, it's just another indication this gun is from an earlier time. I'd bet there are very few of these guns in this shape, and it even has the original box the gun came in. That is rare indeed.
I understand why you just don't want to shoot a bunch of rounds through her, she's a nice old pistol that needs to be appreciated. This gun is one that if I owned it would be more for show than anything else. I know some people think it's a crime to have a gun and not shoot it. My thinking is if we keep a few of these real nice pieces in beautiful condition (like yours is) we all get to appreciate the design and history of them. Just a little of what makes our Country different and great at the same time.
Thanks again.
CZ Kadet, feels like a real pistol, and shots well too.
I'm quite a fan of mine....
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/phrozenlikwid/DSCF0425.jpg
Thanks for sharing those photos with us. When I saw the photo you first showed of your Woodsman it reminded me of something that was from the past, but I wasn't sure? These new photos really show the gun is from an earlier time, but what beautiful condition it is in. The style of the writing on the box is definitely from a different period of time for sure, it's just another indication this gun is from an earlier time. I'd bet there are very few of these guns in this shape, and it even has the original box the gun came in. That is rare indeed.
I understand why you just don't want to shoot a bunch of rounds through her, she's a nice old pistol that needs to be appreciated. This gun is one that if I owned it would be more for show than anything else. I know some people think it's a crime to have a gun and not shoot it. My thinking is if we keep a few of these real nice pieces in beautiful condition (like yours is) we all get to appreciate the design and history of them. Just a little of what makes our Country different and great at the same time.
Thanks again.
I tend to agree with you & I have the ability to look at a fine gun and put a dink on it.
However, I have a shooting buddy who has one of the finest collections around and I'm pretty sure he has shot 99% of them. He states:
Having a fine gun and not ever shooting it is like not taking the trophy wife on the honeymoon:p:p
johnnywitt
03-17-09, 00:47
Hard to beat a Model 41 Smith as previous posters have stated. Also, a High Standard Supermatic Citation is in the exact same catagory except they don't make them anymore and mags can be an issue to aquire. Both guns are tack drivers and phenomenally easy to clean and disassemble (.22RF is filthy).
For combat practice and for fun shooting it's gonna be really hard to beat a CZ Kadet-REALLY HARD. Also easy to take down and runs clean due to the bolt/slide being a copy of the 41.
The Buckmarks are OK and the Rugers require some smithing to be worth a damn.
The Ruger 22/45 with a Tac Sol Paclite Receiver is a hell of a good "kit" gun (I love Mine) and trail pistol. I would get a MKII version of the 22/45. The grip is thicker and the "plastic" where the hammer pin goes through is less likely to enlarge and give you problems because there's more of it. A MKIII 22/45 will need a Clark Custom Guns Oversized Hammer Bushing and Sear Pin to get rid of the lawyered up crap and it will still have the goofy LCI (not if you get the Paclite though). Both models will need a Volquartsen Sear and Exact Edge extractor (use the OEM Ruger extractor spring) to be worth a shit.
Ruger tend to run pretty dirty because of the semi closed receiver- especially if you run them suppressed. A can of Kroil and a dental pick become your good friend real quick to get the lead solder and carbon out of the breech and breechface. They also are a little quieter because of this though. This is my opinion and ,of course, extremely valuable and worth everything you paid for it.
I have a numer of .22lr pistols--Rugers, a P22, HR922...by far the most 'fun' is the P22. The kids love it, I got the dual barrel set for a good price, and since I did some research before getting the P22 (TOS thread on the P22 & a major workup on Rimfire Central) I knew what issues to look for and how to address them.
That said, mine has run well unless it was fed either ancient ammo or Win Wildcat. It runs fine on Fed bulk or Rem Golden, and it adores Stingers. Heck it was very accurate w/Eley Brown box too.
Some tips if you buy one new: 1. leave the hammer cocked for 2 wks in the safe. They are oversprung to some extent. 2. shoot it with CCI Stingers for about 300 rnds to break it in. 3. Make sure your mags have an "A" prefix on the ser#. After that, just find some decent bulk ammo to feed it and have fun.
Are Rugers better? Brownings? Well they are certainly a nicer build, good metal usually is....but I don't have near as much fun plinking with them. Plus the Rugers are a bit heavy for the Monkeys to handle at the range, and the HR has a heavy trigger pull.
I love my P22 for what it is--a great plinker that is a hoot to shoot. Even DH, the former Marine, thinks it is too much fun to get rid of.
I tend to agree with you & I have the ability to look at a fine gun and put a dink on it.
However, I have a shooting buddy who has one of the finest collections around and I'm pretty sure he has shot 99% of them. He states:
Having a fine gun and not ever shooting it is like not taking the trophy wife on the honeymoon:p:p
Artos, you make a good point about the Trophy wife and the Honeymoon. I'm sure if I owned that gun I would have to run a few rounds through it every once every few trips to the range.
But I certainly wouldn't use it as a primary either. Older guns (especially if they no longer produce them, which I'm not sure about this one?) are interesting to say the least, and I would hope of few of the nicer ones are still around for others to enjoy.
That gun is a beautiful piece though. I would be hard pressed to put more than a clips worth of rounds through it when I had to opportunity. Kinda like taking the Trophy wife and dogging it so it's worn out, if you know what I mean. he he he
I just thought I'd let everyone who was gracious enough to fill me in on what they thought was the best bang for the buck as far as the .22 pistol. I ended up making a decision on which one to purchase. I paid for the Sig Mosquito with the threaded barrel. I'm not one of these guys on a secret mission who needs the little silencer you can attach to the gun. I ended up buying it because if I ever decided to buy the little suppressor for what ever reason, I'd already have the pistol.
I did opt for the little adaptor that screws onto the end of the barrel that protects the threads, plus it actually makes the gun look better not having the unfinished look of threads sticking out at the barrels end.
I also have several other guns that I have started to collect, but I am finding out this 30 day wait period between guns is a royal pain. I have also sent the form in so I can purchase a gun or guns, and just have the 7 day wait period. In the end once I get this piece of paper, I believe I will also end up getting the Buckmark as well. I don't have a lot of money, but I just recently sold my boat. That alone should say something.
The real funny thing is several months ago I told my wife I was thinking about buying a gun. Her reply was ("Go out and buy several, as long as you don't end up shooting me or anyone else") Man, what a wife, Huh?
I really want to thank everyone who had an opinion about their guns, what they liked or dis-liked. Believe me this really helped. You all continue to teach me each and every day. Thanks again.
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