Suggestions For A Good .22 Caliber Pistol?

[shadetree]

I learned how to shoot with a 22/45. IT's a great gun with good reliability. It is resonably accurate with even the cheapest big box ammo. I put over 30k through it the first year I had it and it ran and ran. As it got older it has developed a loose ejector wich I still need to get fixed and is still runs with only half a firingpin return spring. The only truly negative thing I have to say about it is it is a real pain in the a to reassemble. Mags are cheap about $10. I think I paid about $207 with tax. I would strongly recomend it.

Anthon

Edited January 23, 2007 by shadetree

[G-ManBart]

Bart, only problem with the 22a is that the firing pins break within 200-1000 rounds....had three of them do the same thing.... and the frame catch in the rear snaps off as well....something about the pot metal that they make the frame out of....sure, SW takes care of them under warranty, but I hope the new ones are better than the old ones were.....

DougC

Doug,

I guess I must be lucky! I haven't had any problems with mine...I'll keep my fingers crossed, but at least there's the warranty to fall back on:-)

[53gravely]

Every shooter should own a ".22 for a lifetime"

S&W Model 41 (my choice)

High standard (only the old ones made in Hamden. CT--Others are junk)

Ruger Mark I, II, III - with a $100 trigger job by a good gunsmith.

Shooting's like any other sport. In Ski Racing my old coach would make us do turning drills slow..."If you can't do it slow, then you can't do it fast", he'd say.

Same thing here....if you can't do it with a .22 then how would you expect to do it with a centrefire?

[DougCarden]

Bart, dont get me wrong......I like em.... , but was embarrassed when I won several, the two I kept broke, then the other two I sold broke on my friends as well. They updated the HS line and I like the grip, but it was done really cheaply. I think if you harden your FP you should be ok.....if the factory hasnt done it by now.

DougC

[Lee Bell]

http://www.gundirectory.com/more.asp?gid=2...&gun=Pistol

The reviews seem good. Although, since the main purpose would be supplementing my normal gun, I would want something with same size/shape as a 1911 or SAXD.

Then a conversion is the logical choice for you. It not only looks and feels like a 1911, it uses your frame, trigger, etc. The only difference is the recoil and, with the lightened slide, even that is closer than with some other options. They do, however, want high velocity ammunition. I bought about 4,000 rounds of the Federal bulk pack .22s yesterday. Later today, I'll find out how my Kimber conversion likes them. If it does't, I'm sure my Buckmark Hunter will.

Lee

[G-ManBart]

Bart, dont get me wrong......I like em.... , but was embarrassed when I won several, the two I kept broke, then the other two I sold broke on my friends as well. They updated the HS line and I like the grip, but it was done really cheaply. I think if you harden your FP you should be ok.....if the factory hasnt done it by now.

DougC

I hear ya...it would be annoying to have four have identical problems like that, especially selling them to friends. Now I'll have to do research on the FP issue as mine has been fine, but I've never kept a good round count on it....but I know there have been days when I put 100 rounds through it plenty of times. Hopefully it was just a bad batch of FPs at some point and that's all. All I need right now is another project! ;-)

[glock_556]

I too would say get the Ruger 22/45, I've got one and love it

[Paradox]

A marvel top end is nice, as long as it runs.

I like excuses for new firearms

I use a Ruger 22/45 with a stainless bull barrel, the thing has had a bazillion rounds through it and eats EVERYTHING. The controls are very similar to my 1911's Magazines are pretty cheap, it is plenty accurate (minute of plate rack @ 100yds - not that it actually knocks them over haha). I highly recommend shooting a couple of bricks through it - then get a trigger job, aftermarket extractor / spring, and slick up the internals.

[ALBY]

I have a 10 inch ruber mk II bbl as my bullseye gun and I love that gun. 10,000 rounds smoothed out the crappy ruger trigger quite nicely. i also installed one of these speed strippers in the gun, so cleaning is a breeze with gun scrubber and a boresnake.

http://www.majesticarms.com/ruger22.html

i also have one of those walther p 22's i boiught for my 9 year old. he is small and this gun was the smallest i could find. but, im ditching it an have many many complaints. the gun will not group with any kind of ammo. very frustrating. the safety works backward of a 1911, so it is useless for training imo. we pretend it's a glock and has no safety. i don't let him draw it from a holster. you cannot drop the hammer without inserting an empty mag, so it is impossible to practice the ipsc manual of arms. im not about to start removing parts from the gun as it is used by a child. thank god he grew and i can dump that piece of junk. im in the market for a glcok 22 conversion right now. !

[TonyT]

If you are looking for bullseye level accuracy at 50 yards then you have to consider either one of the specialty (pricey) 22's such as the Walther GSP or Hammerli. Sopmewhat lesser in price is the S&W Model 41 which come with a superb trigger. If you want bullseye accuracy with a 1911 framne then the Marvel conversion unit gets you there for about $400. For less pricey guns which will require some trigger work the Ruger and Browning are a good bet.

[revchuck]

I've got a Ruger MK II bull barrel that is excellent. I sent it to Clark's for a trigger job, and then sent it back to ensure it always fired semi-auto. It's an honest 2" @ 50 yard gun. I used it for several years when I shot bullseye and international, and wouldn't hesitate to use it in the same way again.