S&W model 22A question

[Davinman]

Hi folks, a LGS by me has a nice model 22A pistol for sale,and im thinking about buying another 22. it is matte finish, in about 90% condition (7" bbl has some finish loss),no box it has the 4" bbl, but also comes w/a 7" bbl too. price is $260, do you folks think that price is about right? also are the 22A's a decent shooting/reliable gun? should i consider this pistol, or keep looking? as allways, all your opinions are very appreciated.

[k22fan]

When the 22A first came out the pistol was also offered as a stainless steel framed 22S. I bought the 7" 22S the first month they were available and have been happy with it. It's been almost 20 years. I have a Ruger MKI and a MKII and owned other Ruger .22 pistols in the past. Their biggest advantage over 22As is the numerous after market parts for tinkering with them. As stock pistols 22As shoot just as well, require less frequent cleaning, are easier to disassemble for cleaning and much easier to reassemble after wards. I think new 22As are around $300. Considering you are getting two barrels $260 sounds very good.

[AveragEd]

I agree. I bought a 5" Talo edition a few years ago new for $360 with two extra magazines and it has been a great little gun. There have been some reports of frames cracking but that seems to show up early-on so if that gun's frame is intact (check right behind the trigger guard for a crack) it is likely going to stay that way.

That model has been discontinued so prices may drop on the remaining ones but like a lot of Smith & Wesson handguns that have been dropped from production, the value of a 22A may escalate in the coming years.

I think that for a shooter-grade gun that should have a lifetime warranty, that isn't a bad deal at all.

Ed

[hoc9sw]

The two barrels makes it a reasonable price. I would hope there are at least two mags.

Guy who shoots next to me at the range has several, and loves them. The "discontinued" label bothers me a bit, but that 7" is a good range size.

[Frenchi 65]

I just bought a Talo model 5'' a month a go and i paid $430. The store where i bought it ordered 7 of them when i showed him this model that i saw in internet. We tough that it would be hard to find it since guys says in this forum that they are discontinued, but surprise it took about 20 days to get them all and the store sold them within 2 weeks and we are all happy with our purchase...so at that price buy it you will not be stock with it...

[Barrie]

If that gun is in good shape then the price is quite fair for it. For the price they are a Very Good Quality Pistol to have. I bought one brand new a few years ago now and really enjoyed it until I got my M41 and M46.

[MiniZ]

That is a very decent price, especially with the extra barrel. The extra barrel is at least 150.00 new.

[k22fan]

While 22As are not on par with 41s or High Standard Citations they are one of the better bullseye pistols for beginning competitors and older men who keep coming for the company. The local ranges have quite a few 22A shooters in both categories. By comparison several manufacturers’ plastic framed striker fired sub-compact .22 LRs are junk that new bullseye shooters just have to trade in for better pistols. There has been some loud squawking on the internet about 22As by owners who should have first given S&W a chance to correct their 22A. At a practice match this week I chatted with an old fella about his two 22As. One had to go back to correct manufacturing defects but S&W mailed him a shipping label so it didn’t cost him a penny. It’s been his most used pistol for the 2 years since he got it back and he is very happy. It’s a 7” that cost him $279 new. That barrel combined with a 4” to holster carry in the woods sounds like a great set up.