Gun model questions

[mpholic]

I currently own a Beretta U22 Neos (6" Inox) and was wondering whether anyone else here owns the same gun. If so, are you having any problems with the magazines? The day I bought it I shot 30 rounds through each magazine and had no problems whatsoever. Three days later I went to the range again and both magazines were having feed problems. Even when I load them before inserting them into the gun they jam up. I am using the same ammunition I did the first day (CCI Stingers) and I cleaned the pistol and both magazines after the first shooting.

I am getting ready to buy a second .22LR pistol so that my son and wife can shoot with me. I have considered a second Beretta, a Browning Buckmark Bullseye, a SigArms Trailside PL22, a Ruger Mark II. Unfortunately there seems to be an issue with each one.

I really like the Beretta but am wary of the magazine problem I am seeing (I plan on trying CCI minimags tonight).

I have read a lot of good things about the Buckmark Bullseye but one thing really bothered me. Apparently you have to remove the rear sight to disassemble for cleaning. Since I clean all my guns after each use this means I have to rezero my sights every time I use it. Since the Bullseye is considered a target pistol doesn't this seem counterproductive?

I have read nothing but great things about the Trailside but most of those reviews were at least a year old. After visting six gunshops I finally found one at the seventh. The other shops said they didn't carry them because they were hard to sell (?). The shop where I finally found one said they were slow movers because everyone he had sold one to complained that the first shot in every group was outside the rest of the group yet I have not seen anything like this on any websites or forums.

The buzz about the Rugers seem very positive but it is my least favorite as far as looks goes, but looks has nothing to do with how well it shoots so I guess I need to get past that issue.

Any comments on the above pistols? Any other suggestions?

I would like to also consider the S&W model 41 but have heard it is very expensive, I have also ruled out the S&W 22A or S because I have read to many mediocre things about it.

Thanks for any input you can provide.

[scooterj]

Check out the Ruger 22/45. Same basic pistol as the MK II, but has "plastic" grip with a little different angle and feel. It also has a push-button mag release instead of the catch under the grip.

[mpholic]

Well I bought a stainless MKII gov't competition model (KMK678GC). The grips are for right hand though so I need to replace them with left hand grips.

Any suggestions on grips? Wood or synthetic? Ruger has the left hand version of the included grips for just $50 (wood laminate checker w/thumb grip).

[Rising Sight]

I have a Browning BuckMark. I have put several thousand rounds through it with no problems. The rear sight is attached to a plate that screws down onto the rest of the gun. The screws have 82degree heads on them and so does the plate that the screws go through to hold the plate too the gun. I have never made any adjustments to my rear sight after reinstalling the plate. The only problem you may have if you take it apart alot is stripping out the allen hole if you tighten it too tight.

[EricW]

Run, don't walk, away, very far away, from anyone trying to pawn a Trailside off on you. If you don't like how you're current gun functions, you'll really be hating life with two of them.

I know it ain't sexy, but the Ruger 22/45 is hard to beat. Accurate, reliable, and dirt cheap.

[mpholic]

Well as I said in the above post I ended up buying a Ruger MKII govt competition. It and the Buckmark kept coming up as the two top choices. Thanks for the info to stay away from Trailside (for future reference).

As far as the magazine issue with my Beretta, I bought some Remington Gold High Velocity rounds and I didn't have any trouble at all with them. On the CCI Stingers there is a ring around the base of the lead bullet that seems to have a larger diameter than the bullet in the Remingtons. I need to measure it to be sure but that is where they seem to be hanging up in the magazine.

[LPatterson]

My U22 seems to like the Federal Valu-Pack stuff better than the Remington 550 pack with Winchester XPert & CCI blasers at the very bottom of the list.

For the Ruger Competition you might want to try some Remington Standard Velocity. I have a Leupold M8-2X on mine and get a nice 1 hole group at 25 yards off a rest. A neat toy is The ULTIMATE Cliploader by McFadden Machine in Blairsville, PA; it is a speed loader for Ruger magazines. I have 5 magazines for the MK II and 8 for the 22/45 so it saves a major sore thumb.

The 22/45 gets used for trigger control practice at my home range which has some old gas bottles hanging at the end of the 50 yard bay. It makes a fine tune-up before a match to show up early and ping the gas bottles with 80 rounds.

[Loves2Shoot]

I like the Buckmark over the Ruger because the mags load easier. I don't know why you would need to clean it to the bone every time. If it is an obsesive compulsive thing I understand otherwise it's a waste of time IMO .

[Kingman]

I have a buckmark 5.5 target and the sight is mounted on the rib attached to the barrel so no rezeroing.

I have a trailside competition that is labeled hammerli not sig. It shoots really nice, had to do a hell of a trigger job on it. Look on gunsamerica you can occasionally find them.

Had a ruger and hated it.

Have a marvel .22 on a caspian frame, which is super nice.

Also have a walther gsp which is super super sweet. but way out of the price range of anything else.

For the money get the browning. I have owned or shot almost every .22 pistol made. Its just my opinion and you know what that is.

[Guest Larry Cazes]

I won a U22 NEOS at last years Bay Bridge charity Match. I ended up selling it because it didn't want to feed anything 100% and it had the WORST trigger I have ever seen. My personal preference is for the gun you bought, the Ruger. Mine has run flawlessly for many years (12+).

[mpholic]

Thanks for all the helpful info, especially which ammo works best for the two different pistols.

I bought a Ruger KP944 last night so I have not shot the .22s this week yet. I bought the .40 to shoot at bowling pins. I really wanted a Kimber Custom Target II but it was almost twice the price so I'll wait till I can afford it.

[texasag93]

Don't take the MkII apart unless you really know what you are doing. Best suggestion is remove the grips and hose it with gun scrubber. I took mine apart once and it cost me $130 to fix I love my Mk II. Accurate, reliable and looks damn good too. Good choice, hope you enjoy it. TXAG

[pitbullk9]

I have had a Ruger MKII, a Buckmark target and a SW 41. I by far enjoyed the Buckmark the most. Tens of thousands fired through each.

[mpholic]

I have taken my MKII apart at least three times since I bought about 3 weeks ago and although it is more difficult than my U22 or my KP944 it's not that hard. the important thing to remember is that during the reassembly process the internal hammer has to be in different positions during the reassembly process. The manual explains it pretty well.

The Beretta U22 and my ruger KP944 are extremely simple to field strip and reassemble. I was really quite surprised how easy the Ruger P series came apart after first disassembling the MarkII

My son has expressed an interest in his own .22LR so I will probably buy him the Buckmark field 5.5 so that we will have something different to compare to the MarkII.

[old shooter]

I actually love my ruger, but through the years, have customized it pretty extensively. I like the smooth wooden grips. I have a set of the big volquartsen and they are ok, but you can't get to the mag well. I also have the Wilsom mag release, so I can release mags with my shooting hand. Mine also has a tasco adjustable dot sight on it as well as a clark bbl, and volquartsen trigger and hammer. It will shoot 1" at 50, and will shoot 1" at 25 with 95 cent walmart ammo. After you get the hang of it, it isn't too difficult to take apart and get it back together.

And one more thing, I milled a slot on the left (as viewed from rear) side so if you have a dud, you can let it fall to the ground without having to turn your gun over and shake it out.

Mike

[Paul B]

You may already have the Ruger Mk II, but if you see a 22/45 for less than $170 pick it up as you will never go wrong. The grip angle is like a 1911 as are the controls. They are uncannily reliable. Mine has shot 20,000 of the el-cheapo Walmart specials with only one cleaning. And you can actually dry fire it with no damage.

The mags are different from the Mark II but are not that expensive and you can super glue a single stack 1911 mag pad to the bottom to make it feel even more like a 1911. I've even tapped the plastic frame for a one sided scope mount and put a shorty PDP3 on it. The scope can be taken off in about 1 minute and you can practice open and limited at the same time. If I could post pictures I'd shoe you how easy it is to do.