any thoughts on the less expensive .22 semi auto's? I have used Rugers (both mkII and mkIII as well as 22/45) have owned the S&W 22s, have used colt woodman, walther, etc. Any pro's con's for a particular model? Looking to buy one for my BOB.
In automatics, I like the Ruger Mk I , II, and III and associated varients. Pros: built like a brick outhouse, accurate, adjustable sights, inexpensive magazines, plenty of them out there so plenty of parts, not easilily fouled by powder, positive extraction, and feeds all ammo well... Cons: can be difficult to breakdown without practice Revolvers, I like the venerable H&R 999 with a six inch barrel. Pro's: Top break with positive ejection, easy to clean extremely accurate, 9 shots, can take a beating and still shoot straight, adjustable sights, moderate price Cons: getting harder to find at a reasonable price... MHO YMMV
I don't remember if these two are LR or not, probably not, but in the past I have had the Taurus PT22 and the Beretta Bobcat, the PT22 is a clone. The PT22 is a lot less expensive. It was pretty good for what it was. There are a lot of people who don't like Taurus. The Walther P22 is another great pistol. Here is a quick review I found on some .22's Genitron.com: Handgun Reviews-22LR's
My favorites in terms of reliability and accuracy and sheer coolness: 1. Colt Woodsman 2. Browning Buckmark 3. High Standard HD Military 4. Colt 1911 w/Marvel .22 conversion 5. High Standard Trophy Citation 6. Walther PPK 7. Llama mini-1911
I would have to go with the Ruger MK series or the Browning Buckmark...sturdy and handy,but easy to pack or carry...
I have the 5.5" bull barreled Browning Buckmark - I like it's ease of take-down for cleaning (beats the Ruger hands down!) and the M1911 grip shape - similar to my Colt .45. Though I admit my all-time favorite and the one that gets the most range time is my fifties-era Whitney Wolverine. Very light but full size, Alcoa aluminum frame, funky sights but still a very good shooter! And the absolutely most comfortable grip shape I ever felt on a pistol! It would have been a much more successful design, but it barely went into production when an uppity young upstart named Bill Ruger marketed a simpler pistol at half the price.......
I bought my Ruger MK I in the PX on Ft. Richardson in 1975, for $49.95. I have no reason to replace it till 2002 (IIRC) and that was because I gave it to my son. I then bought a MK II. I still miss my MK I. I've heard good things about several other 22 LR pistols. But nothing that could lure me away from my Rugers.
I forgot to say that my favorite .22 pistol I have ever had was the Ruger 22/45 it was not the cheapest though.
I'll have to agree with the other guys, Ruger is my favorite. You might also want to go with stainless since in a BO situation cleaning might not be to frequent.
One other semiauto .22 pistol I really like is Walther's P22. It's small, a scaled down equivalent to their full-size pistol though not as small as a PT22 or other mini. Still, my big hands have a bit of trouble gripping it well. But it's a very good shooter! My hunting buddy has one, and we shoot it often out at our hunting lease. It would be very easy to pack unseen in a BO situation.
My favorite is a Ruger Mark I which I have owned since 1971. However, after shooting a variety of them over the years; it mostly comes to which fits your hand better, not the hand of others. Which points best for you, not me. Firearms are similar to clothes and shoes; it is what "works" well for you.
Anyone with experience with the S&W 22a or 22s? Have owned one and appreciated how easy it was to take down and clean and how accurate it was. Some of the parts felt a little cheap such as the safety lever/system, and the grips. Thinking of getting another since I am familiar, but wanted some further input. have shot ruger mk IIs extensively at the range I belonged to. I liked them until they needed a full breakdown and cleaning. It was like trying to learn a magic trick. LOL The going rate for a 5.5 inch barreled S&W is an enticement also.
I am watching this one closely. I have wanted to pull the trigger on a SA .22LR for the last couple years. It seems that Ruger owners are pretty happy. I have a related question- of the Mk I,II,and III, which is your favorite? Are there any advantages / disadvantages to those models? Huntinbull- on the S&W 22, I have heard nothing but good things about them. Some are found at great prices used. One difficulty with them are holster availability. The same is true with the Beretta Neos- I once looked into those. I don't know if that is a factor to you, but I figured I would point it out. It's a little more expensive, but my S&W 63 is a great .22 handgun. While not a SA, it does have the double action option. I have taken some squirrels and rabbits with it to date. It was the piece that got my blood pumping about handgun hunting and the handiness of a handgun as a game getter in SHTF (it led to the purchase of 2x more S&W revolvers for hunting). You don't have to worry about magazines. The new models hold 8 rounds in the same J-frame package that held 6 previously. It's a tack driver. Its not about hitting game with the 63, its about which eye you want to aim for . I really dig the 5" barrel on the new ones.
I bought a Ruger MKIII Target pistol, 6-7/8" barrel, slab side grips a few months ago. I have to say I really like it! Check here for comparisons to the MKI, II and III. Quietman
I've been in the market for a 22lr pistol for quite some time. I recently purchased a GSG 1911 but have not received it yet. My experience with GSG has been quite positive, as I have a GSG MP5 which is easily one of the most enjoyable guns I own. I've heard nothing but good things about the GSG 1911 series, and at $329 (pre shipping/transfer), the price is right. Might want to take a look at it if you're a fan of the 1911 platform but can't afford to shoot .45 all the time.
Have "abused" a Browning Buckmark for many years w/o any problems. A good bud has a Ruger and we enjoy both worlds. Have an H&R 9 shot wheel gun that is probably 40 yrs old and still going strong and accurate.
Okay yeah it's a revolver...but, the Cabalas add came out today and it had "like always" the New Heritage Arms Rough Rider ..22 LR Revolver for $149.99 It is worth a look! Heritage Manufacturing - Heritage Manufacturing, Inc
Once Sig fixed their magazine issues with the Mosquito, I really began to like it. Full size, but not as heavy as a Ruger, and IMHO more ergonomic and more comfortable to shoot. I also really like the Buckmark. As far as revolvers go, my old Ruger Single Six was hard to beat.
