Best 22 handguns.

[Cal44]

What are your top choices for best 22 caliber handguns?

Mine are the my model 18-4 revolver and the 4" model 63.

I'd post a picture of the 18-4, but I'm away from home.

 

[Univibe]

Ruger Mark IV, heavy barrel. Throw in a Volquartsen trigger and you've got a target pistol.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

I really liked my Browning Buckmark. Great gun until I broke it.
I'd recommend one.

 

[delcrossv]

Model 35.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I really like my 617 and nickel 34. Also really like my Victory 22, Ruger Bearcat and Single six.

 

[Moo Moo]

Not necessarily my favourite, but the one I shoot the most/best is my Pardini SPE. I use it in ISSF competitions like Standard Pistol, Rapid Fire, and Sports Pistol.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=429345&stc=1&d=1579154336

(I don't have a current photograph of my Pardini so here's one from the internet).

 

[P.44]

1. Hämmerli 208 *
The pistol was manufactured / C.I.P.proofed in 1972, so it's now 47 years old. I got it -slightly used- in 1979
from my ex French- and geography teacher. Today it should be nearer to 200 000 than to 100 000 rounds through
...still shooting...better than I'll ever can. 

2. Only a training target from +/- 1995/96, the "bigger 2 holes" between 3 / 4 o'clock are from a 9mm  (SIG  P 210
"just borrowed out "from a friend). But then I had much younger (=better) eyes, was -at least- 2 or 3 times/week on
the shooting range and had a good right shoulder...

3. Trying out some (reading-)glasses...

4. The 208 S once was offered to me for 150,- € .
It's now my wife's

P.44
* I payed 900,- DM (a fair price in 1979) for the 208. So -inflation & interests aside- after shooting
the pistol for (now a bit over) 40 years  =  22,50 DM/ year = 1,88 DM/ month

 

[challer61]

617 and MarkII

 

[Kurusu]

Depends on the purpose. My best competition pistol.

Hammerli 280 .22/.32:

In this picture is in the .32 configuration.

 

[brucev]

Best .22 LR handguns? I have been extremely well pleased w/ my S&W 18-3. Best I ever did with it was 12 rds. double action under 2 inches at 25 yds. shooting out behind a barn on the edge of a cotton field. Have used it to bounce aluminum drink cans around on out to the 50 yd. mark. Since 2000 it has been my number one most used handgun. Its fit and finish is flawless. Its timing and lockup are as precisely perfect as when I first bought it. I would buy another one without thinking twice about it. Sincerely. bruce.

 

[Dave Lively]

My best 22 is a S&W 41.

I like 22s, I like DA/SA revolvers, but I have not been happy with the DA/SA 22 revolvers I have owned. The DA trigger pull has to be heavy for reliability and even when good ammo like CCI is used they are more likely to bind up than centerfire revolvers. That is based on a Taurus 94 and Ruger GP100, I might try a 617 someday but it will have to be one I can dry fire (with snap caps) before I buy it.

 

[double-dipper]

I hate to say this on a S&W forum but, My Ruger Mark II is my favorite to shoot followed very closely by my Mark III.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Not necessarily my favourite, but the one I shoot the most/best is my Pardini SPE. I use it in ISSF competitions like Standard Pistol, Rapid Fire, and Sports Pistol.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=429345&stc=1&d=1579154336

(I don't have a current photograph of my Pardini so here's one from the internet).

I don't know whether you're allowed to show that photo on this site - those thingies that hold cartridges are called magazines, not clips.

Enough. I will now go back to sharpening my knifes.

 

[P.44]

(Re-)Found some older ads*...so perhaps some "DREAM GUNS":
*"The Black & White" date to mid/late 1960's, "The Colorful" to 1983/84
(All prices in DM = Deutsche Mark)


1. S&W M 53 (complete with a .22l.r. cylinder, a 4" barrel would do, also)

2. A nice Colt OM (or a S&W Masterpiece)

3. Korth in .22l.r. + .22WMR

4. Some more prices...


P.44

 

[gwpercle]

Mine are :
S&W 317 , Air-Lite , 3" bbl. & adjustable sights
S&W model 41
Ruger MKI Target
Ruger MKII stainless steel w/ Millet SP-1 Red Dot sight

The S&W 317 gets carried the most (while hunting, fishing, camping or hiking ) because it's so light and compact.

The Ruger MKII gets the most range time because at age 70 my eye need the red dot help in actually hitting a target.
Gary

 

[Kurusu]

1. Hämmerli 208 *
The pistol was manufactured / C.I.P.proofed in 1972, so it's now 47 years old. I got it -slightly used- in 1979
from my ex French- and geography teacher. Today it should be nearer to 200 000 than to 100 000 rounds through
...still shooting...better than I'll ever can. 

2. Only a training target from +/- 1995/96, the "bigger 2 holes" between 3 / 4 o'clock are from a 9mm  (SIG  P 210
"just borrowed out "from a friend). But then I had much younger (=better) eyes, was -at least- 2 or 3 times/week on
the shooting range and had a good right shoulder...

3. Trying out some (reading-)glasses...

4. The 208 S once was offered to me for 150,- € .
It's now my wife's

P.44
* I payed 900,- DM (a fair price in 1979) for the 208. So -inflation & interests aside- after shooting
the pistol for (now a bit over) 40 years  =  22,50 DM/ year = 1,88 DM/ month

The old Hammerli 208 is a classic among classics.

 

[Cal44]

(Re-)Found some older ads*...so perhaps some "DREAM GUNS":
*"The Black & White" date to mid/late 1960's, "The Colorful" to 1983/84
(All prices in DM = Deutsche Mark)


1. S&W M 53 (complete with a .22l.r. cylinder, a 4" barrel would do, also)

2. A nice Colt OM (or a S&W Masterpiece)

3. Korth in .22l.r. + .22WMR

4. Some more prices...


P.44

What was a U.S. $ worth in DM back in those days?

A 22 caliber Korth would be a great gun to have.

 

[.38SuperMan]

Mine are :
S&W 317 , Air-Lite , 3" bbl. & adjustable sights

The S&W 317 gets carried the most (while hunting, fishing, camping or hiking ) because it's so light and compact.

Gary

My wife would say her 317 is the best. It for sure is a fun little gun.

 

[mikerjf]

You don't give us any criteria to judge by, but anyone would have to admit the North American Arms (NAA) revolvers are both high quality and uniquely usable.

Personally, love my 317, ambivalent about the High Standard derringer.

 

[Simson-Suhl]

Walther PP Sport, 22lr. The most ugly pistol that I have ever owned. However, it truly is fun to shoot.

 

[Green Frog]

As somebody already said, it depends on the use to which you are putting your 22. For many years, one or another of my High Standard Supermatic target guns were my most used since I was shooting Conventional Bullseye with them. We had weekly or semi-weekly casual matches at the local indoor range and my shooting partner and I were there for just about all of them, so my target guns got a lot of use.

There was a time when I was enjoying my High Standard Model C, the light utility grade 22 Short pistol that was just for sheer fun. I was renting a house on a farm back then and I could come home after work and just take a walk out to "the back 40" and blaze away at casual targets with then-cheap SV 22 shorts.

Nowadays though, it seems my favorite is my old light barrel K-22 with narrow rib. This one pretty much lives in my range box since it gets the most shooting time today. I keep a bulk box of Federal Auto Match in the range box as well and I'm always ready for a little casual range time.

Froggie

 

[Geno44]

The various models of the Colt Woodsman and Woodsman Match Target are high quality pieces and can be very accurate. I'm surprised they haven't been mentioned yet.

 

[BAM-BAM]

" Best in Show" the 4" K-frame Model18

Best for a walk in Penn's Woods 4" model 63

Best bullseye: Auto; Model 41 Revolver; Model 17

Best general purpose auto; some form of Ruger Mark I-IV


Just plain plinking fun; S&W .22 Compact

 

[KalamazooKid]

"Best" is like choosing a favorite kid. I love them all but when it comes to which do I shoot the most, it's these - a "pre 34" kit gun and my favorite M17 ND with the 3 Ts.

 

[DonD]

Ruger Mark IV, heavy barrel. Throw in a Volquartsen trigger and you've got a target pistol.

I do agree with you, have a similar rig but a MKIII with a Volquartsen sear. Lots of fun. Takedown is a PITA but I'm able to avoid that with cleaning patches, picks and polymer safe sprays. Don

 

[22hipower]

Pretty hard to pick just one .22 caliber favorite, sticking with S&Ws here are three favorites just now. Pre-18 with .22LR and 22 Mag cylinders, a Model 53 22 Jet, and in the "new century" category, a 617-6 Mountain Gun. Now, if we included Colts and High Standards. . . . .

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[growr]

Out of the great .22's I own it is hard to pick a favorite.

SW M41
SW 17-6
SW K-22
Ruger MK2 Target
High Standard Victor
Ruger Super Single Six ( first gun I bought...cost me $50.00 with a Hunter holster and belt)
Browning Buckmark

My favorite one is the one I am using for whatever job I am doing.

Randy

 

[glenwolde]

I'm not a bullseye shooter, but I like their guns. My favorite is a High Standard 10-X. She's been a bit of a drama queen but I haven't given up on her. She's all settled down now.

 

[old tanker]

My top choice, High Standard Citation. It will acquit itself admirably shooting Bullseye, but what really opened my eyes to its capability was, back in the Eighties, on a lark I tried it in IHMSA small bore silhouette. Unless the wind was just crazy, 100 meter rams were a piece of cake. Forty for forty depended solely on you. Shot it in every class except revolver. I no longer shoot seriously, but when I did it served me very well. I wouldn't trade it for a bucket full of Model 41's

The Colt Officer's Model Match is my most accurate .22 revolver.

The Iver-Johnson Supermatch is good enough for informal matches at the indoor range. Trigger is not quite up to the task. but except for a couple of old geezers neither is the competition.

But for just plain fun, shooting at tin cans or starting out folks new to shooting handguns, the Model 34-1 kit gun is ideal.

 

[hkcavalier]

Dad had a Victor when I was a kid. Loved that handgun and the hair trigger.

Most of my .22 pistols now are somewhat collectible, so I don't bang thousands of rounds through them. I really like both of my prewars, the Colt OMT and S&W K-22 Outdoorsman.

Also have a 34-1 and a .22 kit for the full-size Kimber that does require a little TLC at times.

I'm thinking of either buying or putting together a suppressor-ready target auto. Already have the can.

So...still searching for the "best" but I think I have some good ones