.22 LR plinker + Ruger Charger, or just a very accurate .22 LR pistol?

J

jersey_emt

New member
I currently own a Sig Sauer P6 (P225) and a Smith & Wesson 59. Both are 9mm semiautomatic pistols; the Sig Sauer P6 is a single-stack design with 8+1 capacity, and the Smith & Wesson 59 is a double-stack design with 14+1 capacity.

I am keeping the Sig Sauer P6 but will be selling the Smith & Wesson 59. Both function perfectly, but I like the Sig Sauer P6 more.

I need a .22 LR gun for cheap trigger time to improve my skills. But I can't decide between these three options:

1. Buy a very accurate, long-barreled 'target' .22 LR pistol, namely Ruger 22/45 Mark III, or a Beretta U22 Neos.

2. Buy a small .22 LR 'plinker' like a Walther P22, Sig Sauer Mosquito, or Firestorm FS22. My favorite out of those 3 is the Firestorm; I love the Walther PPK-esque look and have heard a lot of good things about that gun. My second choice would be the Walther P22. Yes, I understand that training with a gun similar to your primary gun can be a good idea. But I really would like something slightly different, so the Walther P22 is higher on the list than the Sig Sauer Mosquito.

3. Buy a small .22 LR 'plinker' like a Walther P22, Sig Sauer Mosquito, or Firestorm FS22, and also buy a Ruger 10/22 Charger and a red dot sight.

Obviously, option #3 is the most expensive. I can get a Firestorm FS22 two-tone for $280 and a Ruger 10/22 Charger for $375 with a decent red dot sight. I can afford the combo, so the high price isn't much of an issue. But if it would be a waste of money, I wouldn't mind saving by going with option #1 or #2.

Option #3 does sound like the most fun -- a small .22 LR 'plinker' as well as a sort of hybrid really long-barreled .22 LR pistol / short barreled .22 LR rifle.

What would you do in my situation? I'm a new shooter whose primary gun is a 9mm Sig Sauer P6 pistol, and I want a gun or two in .22 LR for training trigger control, etc.

Would having just a .22 LR 'plinker' pistol impede with the learning process?

Would having just a .22 LR 'target' pistol impede with the learning process?

Would having both a .22 LR 'plinker' and a .22 LR 'pistol/rifle hybrid' with a red dot sight impede with the learning process?

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions. If there is another option that you feel would be a better fit for me, please do not hesitate to suggest it.
 
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learning

the learning process?
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Basic question: what do you want to learn?
I have always been a proponent of using a .22 as a way to improve shooting. I also believe that accuracy is both important and satisfying. The ability to shoot small groups, maybe very small groups - in any kind of practice scenario will give you more information about the state of your skills than merely getting the shots all on paper. I'd buy the Ruger just on general principles
So....what do you want to learn. When you speak of skills, what do you mean?
Trigger control? Bullseye accuracy? Combat/defensive skills? Point shooting? Drawing and shooting? All? Something else?
Pete
 
Yeah, it all depends what you wanna learn.

For myself, I just wanted a .22 handgun to plink with but also be able to shoot a lot and not have to worry about how much I was spending.

I went with the P22. I havent had any problems with it, its so fun to shoot, is comfy, have a few k rounds through it and just cant say anything bad about it.

If I could get another .22, Id go with a Buckmark hands down.
 
Looking to learn proper trigger control and target shooting accuracy mostly.
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Then forget the plinker.

I had a .22 walther-esque from American Armory. Few things are as boring as a gun less accurate than you are.

Point shooting crushed soda cans was fun for a while. Seeing how many different targets can be hit quickly was a bit of fun. Neither activity is similar to the focus involved in target shooting.

...And you can also do those other things with a good pistol if you care to.
 
If you are looking for a .22 handgun I would think the Ruger Charger would not apply. It won't in anyway help you shoot it's not a handgun and sure isn't a rifle. What it is ????????????????
 
Russ5924 said:
If you are looking for a .22 handgun I would think the Ruger Charger would not apply. It won't in anyway help you shoot it's not a handgun and sure isn't a rifle. What it is ????????????????
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Well, I'm not specifically looking for a .22 LR handgun. I'm looking for something that will help me to improve my shooting skills, especially proper trigger control, target shooting accuracy, and getting rid of a bit of a flinch.

Whether that is best done with a .22 LR handgun, a .22 LR rifle, or the 'not quite a handgun, not quite a rifle' Ruger Charger, doesn't matter much to me. I want to go with whatever will help me the most on the journey to becoming a better shooter.
 
In reading between the lines, I'd say forget about the Charger even though I like them. Go with one of the Ruger MK generations or the Buckmark. Just came home from shooting a MKIII and what a great time it was along with all the shooting elements I need to learn. The Charger is technically a pistol but still a 10/22 and off the bench, I shoot it as a rifle.




Be Safe !!!
 
Get a clean mkII ruger!!! I have the 10" target model and CHERISH it. That said, my friend John's Charger with a nice red dot and a Butler Creek 25rd banana is A WHOLE LOT OF FUN!!
 
Isn't there a conversion kit for the Sig that would let you plink with the same frame as you would use for home defense? I seem to remember reading that they cost as much as a cheap plinker. I would check that out, personally.
 
Yeah, I agree...forget the Charger then.

Look into a MKII/MKIII/Buckmark. You will not be disappointed.

*cough* go with a Buck *cough*.
 
For what you want to do, the Ruger Mk or a Browning Buckmark is the only way to go. Both have many factory configurations, and both can be customized in the future. You can't go wrong with either. Try them both and see which one fits YOU best.
 
I will, too. But my recommendation would be a Buckmark ... Ruger in close second. Don't need a long barrel; four or five inch would be fine.
 
In my humble opinion if I were wearing your shoes, Keep the S&W 59 series, purchase a Ruger 22lr of your choice along with numerous bricks of bulk ammo and have at it!!
Ralph
 
What would you do in my situation? I'm a new shooter whose primary gun is a 9mm Sig Sauer P6 pistol, and I want a gun or two in .22 LR for training trigger control, etc.
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What might be perfect for what you are looking for is the Classic series from SIG. You can get a 220, 226, or 229 from SIG chambered in 22LR. They use the full size frames, so you get the same trigger and frame feel as normal. You can then get the centerfire slide assembly to change them out to the appropriate caliber of your choice.

I bought a 229 in 22LR for $450. I have the 357 Sig top end on order from SIG for $399. So I got the 22LR conversion kit basically for free since this adds up to about what just the centerfire 357 would have cost me alone.
I just got the oppurtunity to shoot mine for the first time the other day. It ran any 22LR ammo that I tried in it. It also proved to be very accurate.

I also have the SIG Mosquito and it is a very noticable difference between it and the Classic. For someone that wants to train for cheap, the Classic is a much better option in my opinion.
 
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