does a man really need a .22 caliber revolver?

Two .22 revolvers from the 1960s. Which would you choose?

2d22lr.jpg


Oh and my obvious answer to the OPs question: of course everyone needs a .22! :D
 
Each and every man, woman, and child in America NEEDS a .22 caliber handgun. I can't make it any clearer than that ! ! !
 
I haven't read the entire thread here on this question, but I do have my opinion.

The .22 is an invaluble tool to my shooting needs. I had began practice shooting some earlier in the summer. It has been far too hot to call shooting anything other than a must this past month. I use my .22 as very practical tool in stayiing in shape on the basics of marksmanship. Today, I could stand it no longer. I was out early enough to bear the heat and took the time to shoot about 50-60 rounds. 1, it felt GOOD! 2. I'm doing 'okay' for a 57 year old who needs new glasses. I shot at distances from 15 yards out to 150 yards, both double and single action.

And, even more important to my needs? If I had to 'hit the sticks' for an undertermined length of time. My K22 and a bulk pack of it's chosen favorite ammunition would be going with me. None of my Mountain Guns, K or N frame magnum's.

Thanks,

Murphy2000
 
Dido to all the previous input!! I to asked this question one time...that was before my S&W 650 and a high standard...Now i can say "Absolutly YES!"
Cheap Bonding time with my sons And have fun with it too!
 
Well I've not read the whole thread either, but thinking I'm going to be the odd duck out on this one ;)

I've owned 3 very good 22 Revolvers, a S/W 17, 18, and a 617. All three are sold, and not particularly missed. They WERE critical to my development earlier I will admit though. When I was young and had lots of time, but little money for ammo, they made sense and were fun and great skill builders.

Now days however I reload so the price of shooting 38/357 is not that bad, but the real factor to that is that I just don't have the time I once did, and no longer live where I can shoot off the back porch. I'm lucky if I can get to the range 30 minutes away once a month for an hour or two if that. When that time came/comes up I want to shoot my centerfires, and have plenty of reloads around to do it. The 22's eventually just started collecting dust month after month and were sold off.

So for me, no not needed now. YMMV :)
 
Shooting double action .38 improved my 1911 shooting. A 22 revolver would be cheaper to shoot. It's on my wish list
 
I think a .22 revolver is a great addition to any collection. However I can't justify the ridiculously high price S&W demands for their .22.
 
bnkrtstk said:
I think a .22 revolver is a great addition to any collection. However I can't justify the ridiculously high price S&W demands for their .22.
Click to expand...

All things considered,remembering it is 2011,not the eighties,etc., I think they are fairly priced,and even if you deem them 10% too much,what difference does it make if you have them forever,enjoy them, and have the option of a decent resale.
....Who else is offering a good double action rimfire revolver?and no reason a rimfire should be less than a 38,etc.It's built to the same standard.
 
Camster said:
All things considered,remembering it is 2011,not the eighties,etc., I think they are fairly priced,and even if you deem them 10% too much,what difference does it make if you have them forever,enjoy them, and have the option of a decent resale.
....Who else is offering a good double action rimfire revolver?and no reason a rimfire should be less than a 38,etc.It's built to the same standard.
Click to expand...

I agree, Camster. Look at what a clean used 617 fetches--esp. a 4 incher (IF you can find one). I looked for a coupla years, and ended up buying a new one with the lock. I "Plugged" the hole--thanks to Forum member Bullseye Smith, and I've been enjoying it ever since. NO manufacturer currently makes a DA .22LR revolver that compares........
 
Yeah, when I saw a clean used 617 with lock for sub-500, I went and got it without hesitation. It goes with me almost every range trip. Definitely a great way to increase your shooting skills. I find my 1st 22 pistol, a Ruger Mark 3 does not get nearly the range time, since the 617 showed up.
 
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. If your circumstances are such that you can make use of a .22 revolver or semi-auto on a regular basis, you should probably consider getting one or more for the reasons stated in many of the posts above. If your profession involves law enforcement or security service in a dense urban environment, you probably have the training and access to free or discounted ammunition that makes access to a .22 less necessary. In between those two points lies a scale in which a .22 may or may not make sense for a particular person.

Never buy a gun because somebody else thinks you need it. Buy the gun that feels right to you today, and if it turns out you are incorrect in your assessment you can sell it later and buy a different one. When I started shooting and collecting, I didn't know what I was going to like. My heart is with .44s, but I have more .22s than any other caliber. Yet when I go to the range, I find myself mostly shooting .38s. You just never know.

I don't think the OP was asking a question rooted in macho presumptions. Sounds to me like he was asking advice about an acquisition program constrained by available funds. We all make decisions like that all the time, and its natural to want some advice on whether a decision to plunk down some money (or maybe not plunk it down) is a sound one.

Basically I agree with everything everyone has said above. Allowing for the circumstances of each response, there are no wrong answers. :)
 
I am a HUGE fan of the 'understudy' - that is, having a .22 revolver in a comparable setup as your favorite revolver for low cost practice. I've posted targets on a different forum where I show my 100 rounds of .22 (all over the place) and then 6 rounds of .38 right in the center. You are able to practice muscle memory and sight alignment at very low cost.

That said; I think it's a Greek tragedy that a 617 costs more than a 686. I can't afford a 617, or 63 (or any of the 'classics' in .22), do not like anything about the 317, and can't find any good used ones. Sooooo I went with the Taurus. (long story later) I sold it. Now I'm left with a whole pile of non-revolver .22s and looking for a good used 617 at the right price.

Yes, I recommend owning a .22 revolver either if you enjoy shooting it and especially if you shoot larger caliber revolvers.

Truth be told, the way I use it, a 617 will pay for itself within a couple years.

Edit: I recall that, after the election, when there wasn't any ammo to be found anywhere, I could usually STILL GET the (then overpriced) cheapo .22 box ammo. So .22 has that goin' for it.
 
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Joe in SC said:
Every single man that fancies himself as a well rounded man's man should have at least two .22 long rifle handguns in his kit. The first should be a K-frame S&W. The other should be a Ruger semi-auto in one of it's many incarnations.

Seriously, rimfire handguns are among the most versatile that a gun person can have. Most importantly, they are without doubt the most fun you can have with a handgun.
Click to expand...

THIS. Paulie686.
 
Yes, everyone needs one. One of the few guns a person needs. Like has been said, they are great training tools. Same feel as a bigger caliber, no recoil, cheap to shoot and accurate. I bought mine about 3 months ago (pre-18) and it has quickly become my favorite gun. Can shoot all day for $10.

Trigger control in DA can be learned and once mastered (if anyone truly masters trigger control) it will help with shooting every handgun you have.
 
22 in the collection

Yes, you need a 22 in your collection. I feel its safe to say all true gun collectors have at least a couple 22s in the safe.Your collection is not complete without one. So tell the wife you have no choice in the matter and go get it and you'll never regret it.
 
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