+1 This is by far the most popular pistol Walther makes right now. A lot more people own them and shoot them than the very vocal few who have problems. Granted, you shouldn't have problems with a new pistol. If you do, call S&W and get it fixed or replaced. Anybody that owns a Walther P-22 should download a free copy of The P-22 Bible available here: https://www.gunfactory.ch/download/Walther_P22_bible.pdf Most of the problems stemmed from the early magazines sold with the weapon in the first year of production. These can be replaced for free. Next you hear about the slides cracking (after all, they are made of cheesy pot-metal zinc). This was the case with the 5" barreled versions; when the barrel weight was attached too close to the end of the slide that it would actually touch when the slide would go back into battery. Don't attach the barrel weight on a 5" barrel too close to the slide. I don't care what the slide is made from, something's going to take a pounding (in relative terms, I mean we're talking about .22lr). Lastly, two points. (1) I own a couple of these dandy little pea-shooters and have yet to experience a problem other than what was ammunition related. I've owned them over four years. I usually shoot a box during a string of shooting (5 magazines per pistol), and then shoot a few strings. That's a lot of rounds. These guys are just too fun and very comfortable (especially with a suppressor) that the most work involved is loading magazines and cleaning up the brass afterword. Oh, and keeping a target in front of you that's usable. After a few hundred rounds, of even .22lr, things get chewed up. (2) Don't take just my word for it. YMMV as per grip size and angle. You shouldn't keep a pistol if it doesn't work for you, unless it is an investment. When I first bought my suppressor, I went and had several things threaded. I had an Advantage Arms Glock 22 convertion kit, a Ceiner 1911 conversion kit, and the Walther P-22. I too, complained about the Walther's zinc slide and ultimatly didn't buy a Mosquito because it was zinc also. (And also Sigarms won't sell their firearms in my friend's gunshop- not classy enough for them- so screw you Sigarms.) The Mosquito may be a great pistol, I don't know because I never shot one. Chances are pretty good that I won't though, I don't know anybody that has one. Most shooters I know have a Walther... That's a lot of Walthers floating around. Over the next couple of years of shooting I actually noticed a few things. The Advantage Arms kit didn't work well when dirty. .22lr is dirty. It would work well for about 2 magazines and then start short cycling, where all you had to do was tap the back of the slide into battery. It was a problem that I didn't care to solve, especially when all I had to do was pull out the Walther and load a box. I sold the AA kit. The Ceiner kit worked really well, and shot really well. The magazines held 15 (!) rounds. The problem was ultimately with the magazines- they wouldn't fit into some of my 1911 frames. Not good. Eventually I sold all of my 1911 because of grip issues that I had (No dear, it's not you- it's me... type of thing). After several IDPA matches I realized that I couldn't trust or count on a 1911 because of (1) GRIP SAFETY. My small hands hate them. (2) must tinker with to make work 100% of the time. Works great at the range, but during a match the gun would FAIL. I sold all of my 1911's and the ceiner, and I bought used Police trade-in Glock 21's to replace them. I've been happy ever since.
Bought a U22-NEOS a while back and the grandsons (2of them) took it out with a bag of mixed 22 ammo ,everything from that old steel cased Russian stuff to Eley xtra .All part boxes were of anything were just dumped in it over the years .They fired a little over a 1000 that Saturday with out a hitch. I bought the thing because the wife liked the way it looked and now it's the one the kids get to shoot ,it's accurate as anything else it just seems to eat anything ya put in it .
I've had little Jennings for years. Quite the little piece of crap that jams a little too regularly. We have one 8 shot cheap revolver, not very accurate but at least dependable. I wanted a small "hider" like the Jennings and bought the Berreta. Seem to have some reliability issues depending on ammo. Smallest Walther is not near as small be I'm very pleased with reliability.
For many reasons (bullet diameter, rim thickness, shape of the bullet etc.) 22 rf semis can be very sensitive to ammunition. Tactical-Life.com » SMITH & WESSON’S M&P15-22 Rifle The above is for the S&W AR15/22 and I've noticed problems with certain brands of ammunition with my 22rf semis.
You 1911 owners will like the Ruger 22/45. I have both and the ergonomics of the 22/45 are very close to the 1911. However, if you don't own a 1911, the 22/45 is a fine pistol. My wife has the Beretta M21 (Bobcat) in her bag. We've had that for 20 years now. Just remember that it'll digest the hottest .22 ammo only. There is no extractor on this pistol and mine needs pretty good blow back to eject a casing. I don't remember how much I paid for it, but I hear that they go round the $300 mark. I find that disturbing for such a small pistol. But I will say we've not had a problem with it during the years we've had it. Over the years I've owned a cheap H&R SA 8in 22 with an extra .22magnum cylinder. It was a nice shooting gun, but no where near the accuracy of the Ruger MkII bull barrel or the 22/45.
The first semi-auto I recall ever shooting was a borrowed Ruger Standard Model or Mark I back in 1977. An absolute tack driver. Decided there and then that the first handgun I would buy when I was able would be one. Took eight or nine years, but picked up a 1958 Standard Model with a 4" barrel for $175 from a pawn shop. I paid more than it was probably worth at the time, but I was young and ignorant. Still and all, I still have it, as well as a younger Mark II bull barrel target model. Love them both.
