.22 cal pistol

[snail]

I am looking for a .22LR handgun for use as a "fun" gun. I am looking for new, and $300 or less. I plan on shooting alot with this gun so it has to be reliable. I would prefer a semi-auto, but a revolver might just work too. Thank you in advance.

 

[JWT]

Ruger has a number of semi auto .22 pistols in your price range that are worth looking at. The Browning Buckmark line of semi autos is also worth investigating. Both are very reliable, well made hand guns.

 

[RocketFoot]

Not sure of the price, but check out Walther's P22...looks like a nice gun.

 

[snail]

I hear alot of good things about those Ruger mark IIIs. I like the way the Walther p22 looks, but can't find any advice on them. I have also seen the mini Taurus .22, but don't know much about them either.

 

[jlbraun]

-2 on the Ruger. Pain to reassemble. Not all that reliable.

-2 on the Walther. Trigger pull sucks in both SA and DA. Ammo finicky.

+1 on the Buckmark. Nice trigger, though I don't know how reliable it is.

+5 on the CZ Kadet. Reliable, accurate, good trigger, ergonomic. Mine will go a brick and a half without cleaning or lubing it, and it will ping a 12"x12" steel plate at 115 yards 100% of the time offhand. Only minus is that the magazines have to be loaded one at a time.

+4 on the S&W 617 revolver. Nice SA trigger, good sights.

 

[mikejonestkd]

For an auto pistol the browning buckmark and the ruger are the ones to look at first. S&W makes a nice cheaper 22 also but I never cared for it's looks or feel much.

IMO I like the buckmark better. Just a personal preference, I have nothing against the ruger mark II. I have littel experience with a mark III.

My favorite plinker buckmark has over 20,000 rounds though it without any thing breaking yet, and it is accurate and easy to clean. It functions better than 99% of the time with cheap bulk ammo and 100% of the time with good ammo.

I have a friend with a walther and it had a bunch of little problems and he eventually sold it. poor reliability was the biggest complaint.

I love the look and feel of the sig trailside but from what i have read they had problems.

The smith k-22 and the newer 617 are the best DA .22 revolvers out there, but you are out of your price range. A new 617 is around $550-575 out the door price.

 

[CajunBass]

I've got a Ruger MK III, 22/45, and a Ruger MK II. Good guns. 100% reliable? No, but I doubt any 22 is, especially if you're using standard run of the mill ammo. But they don't jam often.

Yes, they're a bit of a pain to strip down. Until you get the hang of it. Follow the directions to the letter, and it won't be a problem. Radical idea, huh?

The others mentioned are probably good, I just don't have any experience with them. I like the looks of the buckmark, and don't like the looks of the Walther.

 

[snail]

Yea the cheaper S&W is not my cup of tea on looks either. I am seeing a trend for the Ruger and Browning. Everywhere I look I hear good things about them. I have also read on the disassembly issues with the Ruger, but that is what instructions are for right? The Cz MSRP is too high. I have seen and read about the Taurus pt22, and like the way it looks. It has gotten 50/50 reviews on reliability though. Anyone have any experiance with the little Taurus?

 

[MikefromNC]

For @ $300 , I'd look for a lightly used Ruger or Browning. Or look at a used high-standard. Can't go wrong with either. For a BRAND NEW .22 in the price range specified, your choices narrow quite a bit. The Smith & Wesson 22a is about the only thing that comes to mind for me. I have owned these in the past, but reliability was questionable at best. Accurate as all get out, but would ftf/fte/light strike at least 2-3 times per mag. They may have improved some over time, don't know. Bought me a Ruger MKIII hunter and it's been the "bees knees" from day one.

 

[MakarovFan]

My opinion is go with the Smith 22a. Have had one for years and shoot it alot. I just don't run lead through it. I don't have any problems with the jacekted ammo.

 

[snail]

I know my price limit will affect my choices, but I just don't want to spend alot on my plinker gun. It will probrably bite me in the butt though huh? I can get the Taurus pt22 for $189 NEW. That is a good price, but I fear you get what you pay for sometimes......

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I don't have a Taurus auto, but have an 8 shot stainless revolver in 22 rim fire magnum, that I really like... I've heard the 9 shot long rifle revolvers are just as nice... I do have several Rugers, including a government target model... great little guns, & if you are shooting it regularly, it's not bad to reassemble... though, since I haven't shot it in over a year, I can't currently remember the exact assembly proceadure... something like flip the gun up or down, to swing a link into place for the safey to slip though... something like that...

... have also heard petty much just good stuff about the Buckmark...

 

[tulsamal]

Very hard to beat the Ruger Auto with the 5.5 inch bull barrel and target sights. They have been used to beat guns in competition that cost a heck of a lot more money. I think the MK III's are fine although my experiences are with MK II's.

Never understood why some people thought they were so hard to take apart and put back together?

Certainly nothing wrong with the Browning Buckmark and they make that basic gun in a whole bunch of different configurations.

Gregg

 

[RT]

I have the Buckmark and it has been great. I chose it over a Ruger because the Buckmark has essentially the same controls as a 1911 so it is easy for me to transition beginners from the .22 to something larger.

 

[FirstFreedom]

If you have a 1911 frame, just get one of the conversion kits for it - they work well and don't cost as much as a whole nuther gun.

If you don't, look for a used Browning Buckmark. Multiple reasons to get it over the Ruger: (1) Better looking, (2) More natural grip angle, (3) Easier to assemble/disassemble - or so the conventional wisdom goes, and (4) it's not a Ruger.

And a revolver is more or less "semi-auto", isn't it? One pull of the trigger=one shot, then repeat. So don't count out revolvers. Shoot them in SA with manual cock if you want a good trigger. .22 revolvers are fun.

I can't argue with the economical Smith 22A - by most all accounts, it is a good gun.

 

[snail]

I would consider a revolver if I found one with the right price. The S&W 22A is just not a very good looking weapon. I like the Ruger, Browning, and Taurus looks. I hear great things about Ruger and Browning, so I think they might be the choice. They both have excellent reviews, and good quality. I'll have to find a gun shop that has them so I can see them in person, and while I am at it I'll check out the Taurus too.

 

[JWT]

I think you'll find the Ruger Mark III and the Browning Buckmark feel very similar in the hand. I was amazed how much the Buckmark feels like my Ruger Mark III target model. I would assume the Browning would shoot similar to the Ruger.

The Ruger does take a bit of getting used to in terms of reassembly but I've found it gets easier each time - just requires following the instructions 'to the letter'.

My Ruger kinda 'followed me home' on day a month or so ago. I bought it largely on how nice if felt in my hand and also based on Rugers great reputation for very solid guns. Haven't been sorry at all.

 

[Taxidermist]

I just picked up my new Smith & Wesson 22A-1 today and I put 300 rounds through it with no failures. I used Wal-Mart $9.99 remington hollow points, the ones that come in a box of 500 or 550 rounds. I guess maybe I got lucky but I like it and I like the looks of it. I will be adding a scope to it soon. I have quite a few revolvers in .22 but I get sick of loading them and popping out the spent cases. The semi-auto just seems easier to reload the magazine than to load a revolver. Although from time to time I still shoot one. Good luck on whatever you choose.

John

 

[sholling]

Nobody mentioned Beretta? The U22 Neos is a fun easy to clean little toy. And besides it just looks cool. I'd suggest doing a little research on a speciality site like rimfirecentral.com. But just look at this honey... I think I paid around $265 for my 6" in Inox.

http://products.berettausa.com/frame_tabellaprodotti_2002.asp?sgmt=32&Model=U22%20Neos

 

[raveneap]

Just picked up my new Ruger Mark III this afternoon. Swapped out the grips for cocobolo and she's ready to go. Hope to wring it out this weekend.