.22 LR pistols

[Grenadier]

Once my state tax returns come in, I'm going to buy me a .22 LR pistol.

The only .22 LR handgun I've ever owned, was a Ruger 22/45 back in the earlier part of this decade, which I ended up selling to a friend, back when there was a big money crunch. I've played around with the Browning Buckmark, and the Walther P22, and found them to be nice guns, but at the time, the deal on the 22/45 was just too good to pass up (got it for 200 bucks).

I'm thinking about getting another one, with the standard 5.5" bull barrel, but was wondering if anyone out there knows of any "gotta have" .22 LR pistols that have come out since then?

Keep in mind, I'm looking for the best bang / buck, and can find a new 22/45 for about $250, but if there's something better, then I'm all for it.

 

[searcher]

You can't go wrong with the Buckmark or the Ruger. The Walther is nice, but very small IMO. I shoot a Smith and Wesson 22A and it is a blast. I find mine to be very accurate and very good for the price, I paid $225 for my 7" barrel 22A.

I am going to buy another 22A when I get the $$ and give it to my wife.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Like sercher says, Ruger or Browning. Both real good guns! I'd be happy with either one (but my Ruger MkII was given to daughter who is an accountant in another city. It's her protecton gun.)

Deaf

 

[KenpoTex]

I've got a Ruger MkIII with the 5.5" bull-barrel that I absolutely love. The only "gripe" I have is that it's not the easiest gun to field-strip.
The Brownings are great also.

The Walthers are pretty neat because they feel a little more like a "normal" pistol. They also come with a threaded barrel which is nice in case you ever want to use a can.

Of course, the next .22 I'm lusting after is the new S&W Centennial-style snubby (for training purposes).

 

[Grenadier]

I've got a Ruger MkIII with the 5.5" bull-barrel that I absolutely love. The only "gripe" I have is that it's not the easiest gun to field-strip.

I always kept a jumbo metal paper clip in my Ruger 22/45 case, just for that purpose.

 

[KenpoTex]

yeah, getting it apart isn't a huge deal...it's putting it back together with the whole "insert mag, pull trigger, tilt vertical, hold tongue just right, hope it goes back together thing..."

 

[Bikewr]

I had one of those Ruger bull-barrel target models years ago. Superbly accurate, and also dead reliable. I put thousands of rounds of any kind of rimfire ammo I could find through the thing...Never malfunctioned.

 

[Hudson69]

I trade up and down and sometimes I just find something that looks "interesting."

I picked up, through trade, a Duramatic M101, that is a hoot to shoot but I decided that I needed to pick up something for the NRA classes I teach and managed to pick up a (don't laugh or mock... please) Phoenix Arms .22 with the short and long barrels.

So far I have had about a dozen students shoot with it and they have never gotten it to malfunction and I, personally, have put about 500 rounds through it without cleaning it besides that first time out of the box, and no malfunctions; I am seeing what kind of mileage I can get out of it dependability wise.

The Duramatic cost me some Surefire AR grips (used) and the PA cost me $125.

 

[KenpoTex]

...I decided that I needed to pick up something for the NRA classes I teach and managed to pick up a (don't laugh or mock... please) Phoenix Arms .22 with the short and long barrels.

So far I have had about a dozen students shoot with it and they have never gotten it to malfunction and I, personally, have put about 500 rounds through it without cleaning it besides that first time out of the box, and no malfunctions; I am seeing what kind of mileage I can get out of it dependability wise.

mine lasted about 3000 rounds before the slide split (completely) at the ejection port. Would have cost more to fix (shipping etc.) that I originally paid for it...

 

[Brian S]

So, what did you get?

 

[Grenadier]

So, what did you get?

Purchase is still on hold, awaiting my state tax refund... I'm going to go back to the store in a couple of weeks, and snag that Buckmark with a bull barrel.

I tested the S&W 22A, and liked it, but for some reason, the trigger seems a good bit heavier than the Ruger or the Browning. Given that I mainly use .22 pistols for fun plinking, as well as for teaching others trigger control (without having to worry about fighting recoil), I'd rather go with the lighter trigger.

 

[Brian S]

Out of the box the buckmark has the better trigger. Rugers have lots of aftermarket kits availiable to remedy that problem .