Selecting a 22 lr handgun - Suggestions?

[scoobysnacker]

If you have the time to be patient, you can find deals on what you want. I accompanied my brother to a local gun store recently when he needed a replacement spring for an older 22 lr rifle (Glenfield 69), and I foolishly wandered near the used handgun counter. Before I knew it, a Ruger Mk II priced at $199 was in my hand, and it came home with me.

Same thing happened a couple years back, with an H&R Sportsman revolver.

Speaking of revolvers... I know you want a semiauto, but the revolvers are great fun too. Usually 9 in the cylinder, so you aren't underloaded for the first run. Plus, the semi's can be finicky. If you can load it into a revolver cylinder, you can shoot it.

I also have an old High Standard SportKing (accurate as sin, doesn't like cheap ammo, mags are expensive and a bit picky), and a S&W 22A (kind of ugly but still accurate).

 

[Ed Fowler]

I just purchased a new S&W Victory yesterday for $395.00, so far I have only been able to shoot about 300 rounds.

I find the trigger very delightful, smooth and as nice as they come, it is very accurate, using some Federal 325 count bulk pack of "target Grade" ammo my best 10 shot group was about 4" at 50 yards. I am still getting used to the pistol, this is my first time using fiber optic sights and I like them. Once I get used to it and feel she is well broken in I will try some better ammo and see how we get along.

It is no Mod 41, but well worth the money in my opinion. The store had quite a few 22 pistols for sale and after trying them there was no contest when it comes to a good trigger. The sights are well made and each click adjustment resulted in 1/2 inch difference in the point of aim at 50 yards.

Good luck!

 

[BAM-BAM]

The Ruger Mark I,II,IIIs have been around since 195something...... made in the millions.........dozens of configurations...........easy to find.....still reasonably priced................................

for a first .22 pistol it's a great place to start.

 

[JaPes]

Until the .22lr price hike and relative shortage, I used to be an avid .22lr firearms enthusiast. I owned several pistols and long guns. Today, I'm down to three:

• Ruger MKIII Standard
• Colt Woodsman Series 3 (1971)
• Ruger Super Single Six (1972)

Why these three? Because they are the most reliable and problem free of the ones I had. If you're looking to buy just one semi-auto .22lr I suggest one of the following:

• Ruger MK series
• Browning Buckmark
• S&W Victory .22lr

I've only shot a friend's Victory a couple times. 100 rounds downrange without a hiccough. What impressed me more was the field strip and breakdown for cleaning. The S&W is orders of magnitude more end user maintenance friendly than either the Ruger MKIII or Colt Woodsman.

 

[walkin' trails]

For what you're looking for, a Ruger MK 1-3 is pretty hard to beat.

And while you're not looking for a .22 revolver, the S&W models 34/63 are pretty useful guns to have. The only guy I ever met who had no use for one was the guy who sold me my Model 34 20-some years ago...

 

[Big Cholla]

SW 22 A......Impressive!

Ruger and Browning seem to be the consensus picks, I think you have to decide between the grip angle and how much ease of takedown is important (I think the Rugers are supposed to be tough in that regard). Don't get a 22 version of a different gun, get the dedicated 22 model- Ruger Mk (whatever version you find), or Browning Buckmark.

Other options that I have- old Hi Standard; I have a Sportking and both these and Duramatics are found fairly cheap, and tend to be good guns. But don't shoot hi-velocity ammo, and the magazines are very picky and pricey, so this isn't probably a good idea.

Also, I have a S&W 22A; which is really a reliable and pretty accurate pistol. I've not had a lot of failures, it's less finicky than the High Standard, so there's that. It's also discontinued, so it should be pretty cheap to find one in good shape (mine was $175). It's not a particularly attractive firearm, but sometimes, that isn't the priority.

I had no experience with the S&W 22A until a couple of weekends ago. I was asked by my neighbor to give him and his wife some serious range instruction on self defense techniques with their handguns. She had a full sized S&W 22A. I was very impressed with the handgun. It was the gun she was most comfortable with and shot the best. I told her that very few bad guys would stick around in her house after being shot a couple of times in the head with a 22 LR. I think it is a great choice for a 22 LR handgun.

An aside: I LIKE 22 LR conversions on M 1911 frames. I have three and all are accurate and reliable. They make for cheap and very good practice handguns. They are also lots of fun to just go plink with. .......

 

[SweetMK]

All this Ruger discussion,,, no one mentioned the correct barrel length,,,

A 10" barrel is good for Saturday,, when you are setting at a shooting bench,,,

The Hunter is nice if you want to add a scope and like flutes,,,

 

[Florida J Frame]

I'm very please with my Browning Buck Mark Camper. It's not an expensive gun (~300) but is very accurate and easy to shoot. Both of my grand daughters love it.

 

[vrichard]

One of these S&W type might work for you.
Dick

 

[RJJ 1971]

M&P 22 FS
Ruger SR 22
Both are great 22 pistols.

 

[30-30remchester]

You've gotten some great advice. I'm not going to suggest one particular brand because all of the brands listed thus far are high quality, reliable .22 handguns. Personally, I think you'd be satisfied with any of the brands suggested...i.e. S&W, Ruger, Colt, Browning, High Standard.

Also, as you continue to do your research, you'll find that used guns of those brands are usually still in great shape. With basic care, they were made to last a lifetime, and then some. It's not uncommon to find someone using an old Colt Woodsman that once belonged to his grandfather.


I have a Ruger MkII with a 5½-inch bull barrel that I've had for several years. It's accompanied me on several outdoor excursions. It rides well on my hip, in my tackle box, or in my saddle bags. It's a heckuva lot of fun to shoot and, more importantly, it's as accurate as all get out. Of all my handguns, this is the one my wife prefers to shoot over all others.

All of those brands, though, will fit that criteria. I don't think you could go wrong with any of them. Besides, in my opinion, everyone needs a .22 handgun.

Mule packer speaks volumes. EVERYONE needs a 22 handgun. However his choice of a bull barrel Ruger is fine if you don't mind your pants falling down when you put it on your hip. Fishing in a boat it would make a fine boat gun and can also be used as an emergency anchor. The balance on the bull barrel Rugers is great which helps accurate shooting but I prefer the lighter barreled 22's for hip packing. He mentioned a Colt Woodsman and how it is possible to still see ancient models still in use. I guess he has seen me walking the Colorado mountains. I have carried for nearly 40 years a much used pre war Colt Woodsman. Many would think it ugly since it has little blue left and the checkering and the wood stocks are gouged and beaten flat, I think it looks stunning. Colt Woodsmans are fabulous guns built from milled steel and designed by John Browning. They do not go down in value.

 

[susieqz]

the ruger 22/45 has the 1911 grip angle, if you enjoy that.
it's not great out of the box tho.
rugers seem to need lots of mods if you want great accuracy.
that said, i did the mods, especially the custom sear n ended up with a gun that will outshoot most anything.
note that lots of the mods just turn mark 3s back into mark 2s.
the new safety features are irritating, so a used mark 2 is a better gun than a new mark 3.

 

[scoobysnacker]

Hi:
A Ruger Mk.1 is a good solid weapon.

**** Caution: DO NOT disassembly it until there is a room reserved for you at the insane asylum

I just got myself a Ruger Mk II. It can seem very intimidating to disassemble it, at first. It seems impossible to put back together.

Do a quick search on google, and you will find an easy trick to doing it. You just have to get one moving lever into the right position, and it goes together easily. It takes lining it up initially in the right position, then tilting the gun up and down at the right time during assembly.

Honestly, once I learned that tip, it's no harder than getting a 3rd gen S&W slide back on, or getting a 1911 back together without the idiot scratch.

 

[texas tiger]

For action shooting, you will find the Ruger Mark series and the Browning Buckmark are popular. Most competitive shooting requires more than one magazine. M&P's and "modern" looking semi-auto loaders can be expensive in the extra magazine market. Ruger MK1 and MK2 magazines are interchangeable, however the Mark III series uses an different style. All Browning Buckmark magazines work with their various models.
I have not seen anyone shooting Colt Woodsman's or the older Hi-Standard's- maybe too collectable for the round count. Take a Saturday afternoon and visit various gun shops, look at new to get the feel for you and your wife. Then shop. Gun Broker is an excellent source for current pricing. JSOG6

 

[Goodnews]

.22

I have had 2 Ruger MkII's. Used them for indoor competition. Very accurate, but I must warn you, it takes an almost advanced degree to take it down and put back together for cleaning.
My favorite 22 by far is actually my Ruger .22/.22 WMR convertible Single Six. Great for plinking, target shooting, and with WMR's last summer I took out 2 large beavers in my back yard pond with one shot each, plus a raccoon after my chickens. Nice back yard varminter also. Easy to maintain, and a joy to shoot.

 

[Ranger17]

i find my Buckmark is the most accurate of my three .22's and feels the best in my hand (i really like its wood grips); my new Compact is not quite as accurate but eats anything and is a blast to shoot. As for the old Colt, it was my father in laws (and his before him) and handed down to me several years ago--started me in this hobby. It may not be as pretty as the others as it was used over the years (its a '51 Challenger) but she still shoots very well.

 

[DocAnyday]

22LR to buy

Listen to the masses! Just about everybody keeps coming back to the Ruger MK series - me too. And although I love THE 1911 I lean away from the 22/45 configuration. Yes, Rugers are a pain in the butt to dissasemble/assemble but that's their only knock. I sold a 55.5" bull barrel Mark II when I bought my S&W Model 41 - and regretted it every day since. So much so I recently bought a Ruger Competition model. So now I have the 41, the Ruger and a BuckMark (bought for my daughter many years ago because she has VERY small hands - don't even know the model any more or if still available). The one I shoot though is the RUGER. And yes - get adjustable sights. Conversion units are OK too but another/different word of advice - buy the best 1911 you can afford even if it means waiting a bit to save some extra bucks!

 

[DGinVT]

You might also look into the Browning Buck Mark line. They have several models. I have the Browning Buck Mark Model in Silouete

 

[TxLarry]

S&W Victory

I just purchased a S&W Victory 22, MSRP $409. Love it. Awaiting a Volquartsen fluted barrel and re-dot for it. Already had an M&P 22, a 622, and a 22A. The Victory is a better shooter and relatively inexpensive.

 

[VonZipper]

I picked up the M&P 22compact. Light weight and a smaller grip.