.22 pistol
- Thread starter LSU12ga
- Start date
Cornhusker77
New member
Are you looking for a semiauto or a revolver?
Heritage or a Cimarron Plinkerton are good revolver choices.
Semiautos, there's the PT22 Taurus, Beretta Neos, S&W 22A, etc.
Heritage or a Cimarron Plinkerton are good revolver choices.
Semiautos, there's the PT22 Taurus, Beretta Neos, S&W 22A, etc.
It is a bit more pricey, but the Walther P22 is a very nice semi-auto pistol.
The March gun show had them priced at $290. I think it has a 10+1 capacity.
All the actions of a center fire pistol. I shot one a buddy has & it felt very nice.
Now down to my budget, the Taurus PT22. I did not price them at the gun show & I haven't handled one yet. They seem a bit more compact than the Walther. This might effect the accuracy. But I would guess a Gun Show price of just under $200 with Taurus' site suggesting a retail price of $229.
On up in a whole other price tier, the S&W 22A. Not sure about any of the details but you know the brand name means something.
I'm right there with ya though! You can ALWAYS get a 100rd box of CCI for $6 at wally world. That beats 18 bucks for a box of 50 for .38. If you can ever find them on the shelf. I have been shopping the .22 pistol myself!
Good luck!
"JJ"
The March gun show had them priced at $290. I think it has a 10+1 capacity.
All the actions of a center fire pistol. I shot one a buddy has & it felt very nice.
Now down to my budget, the Taurus PT22. I did not price them at the gun show & I haven't handled one yet. They seem a bit more compact than the Walther. This might effect the accuracy. But I would guess a Gun Show price of just under $200 with Taurus' site suggesting a retail price of $229.
On up in a whole other price tier, the S&W 22A. Not sure about any of the details but you know the brand name means something.
I'm right there with ya though! You can ALWAYS get a 100rd box of CCI for $6 at wally world. That beats 18 bucks for a box of 50 for .38. If you can ever find them on the shelf. I have been shopping the .22 pistol myself!
Good luck!
"JJ"
Cheapshooter
New member
What centerfire are you now shooting?
Consider reloading. For the price of a 22 revolver, you can get set up to reload for your current centerfire.
Just like the "gun snobs" there will be "reloader snobs" that tell you that you have to spend mega bucks for the top of the line brands of reloading equipment. Just like with the guns, that is not necessarily so. Lee makes very good reloading equipment at a very reasonable price. I have used their products for years very successfully.
As far a the Rough Rider, after a little tweaking on mine I am very happy with it. Here is what I was able to do with it last time I was at the range.
Consider reloading. For the price of a 22 revolver, you can get set up to reload for your current centerfire.
Just like the "gun snobs" there will be "reloader snobs" that tell you that you have to spend mega bucks for the top of the line brands of reloading equipment. Just like with the guns, that is not necessarily so. Lee makes very good reloading equipment at a very reasonable price. I have used their products for years very successfully.
As far a the Rough Rider, after a little tweaking on mine I am very happy with it. Here is what I was able to do with it last time I was at the range.
reload
If you have a .38 and you want to practice, as fond of .22s as I am, loading your own is the way to go. If I had to pay retail and buy factory .45s, I wouldn't be able to shoot as much as I do - same for .223 and .30-06 (and .38s, .44s, etc).
I also cast my own bullets - I have the time and the equipment. A box of 50 .45 ACP rounds costs me only for primers and powder - about five cents a shot - $2.50 a box.
If I had to buy bullets, the cost would jump up to about $6 - $7.50 a box, depending on where I bought the bullets and how many.
Pete
If you have a .38 and you want to practice, as fond of .22s as I am, loading your own is the way to go. If I had to pay retail and buy factory .45s, I wouldn't be able to shoot as much as I do - same for .223 and .30-06 (and .38s, .44s, etc).
I also cast my own bullets - I have the time and the equipment. A box of 50 .45 ACP rounds costs me only for primers and powder - about five cents a shot - $2.50 a box.
If I had to buy bullets, the cost would jump up to about $6 - $7.50 a box, depending on where I bought the bullets and how many.
Pete
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I have wanted to get into reloading, because it seems like a rewarding hobby, but I really don't have the time for it at the moment (school). I was hoping to get a .22 rifle and eventually move up to a center fire and begin casting/loading my own.
It seems like a fun activity.
It seems like a fun activity.
kodiakbeer
Moderator
Have you considered hitting the pawn shops and checking gun stores for used guns? It's just my opinion, but I think any used quality firearm trumps any new "cheap" firearm of the same price.
.22's don't get wear out unless they're abused. The worst case is simply a good cleaning and perhaps replacing a spring or two.
.22's don't get wear out unless they're abused. The worst case is simply a good cleaning and perhaps replacing a spring or two.
Peter M. Eick
New member
One comment. A 22 pistol is probably a lifetime investment. Save up the money and buy a good one. 30 or 40 years from now you might really appreciate it.
I'm with Peter, save up a few more months and get a better pistol. Tough to beat a Ruger Single six for revolvers. With some looking you can find an old beat up one for under $200. The old H&R revolvers are also very good. Autos, look for a Ruger MKII or Browning Buckmark. Don't be scared to go used, there are some good deals out there, most of my guns are bought used.
kodiakbeer
Moderator
Let me give you an example.
A few years back I was poking around in a pawn shop here in Kodiak and some old guy was trying to sell a gun, but the pawnbroker wanted no part of it. I followed the guy outside and learned he was a trapper (or had been for many years). Now, he was down on his luck and selling his old trap line pistol. I checked it out - the bluing was 90% gone and the exterior pitted and generally awful. Yet, the action was as tight as when it was first made, and the bore was pristine. I asked him what he wanted for it and he said $100. I handed him $100 and walked away.
The gun is a Colt Peacemaker .22, from the 60's or 70's. The exterior was so bad I didn't worry about collector value. I got out my fine steel wool and took it down to the white, then sprayed on some teflon coating (I think it was Bear-Kote), baked it in my oven and now had a really fine old Colt pistol with a new and very durable finish. I still use that Colt all the time. It's fun to shoot and accurate enough to hit a sitting bunny in the eye at any reasonable range. It's not the prettiest gun around, but it's still better than anything you'd buy new for three times that amount.
Total investment - maybe $125 and a few hours time. With reasonable care, my grandkids will shoot this gun, and their grandkids too, perhaps. Had the pawnbroker bought it, I'd have probably paid $175 for it and it would still be a bargain.
No new $200 pistol is going to have that kind of durability or accuracy with all the plastic and metal stampings and pot metal. Get thee to the pawn shop!
A few years back I was poking around in a pawn shop here in Kodiak and some old guy was trying to sell a gun, but the pawnbroker wanted no part of it. I followed the guy outside and learned he was a trapper (or had been for many years). Now, he was down on his luck and selling his old trap line pistol. I checked it out - the bluing was 90% gone and the exterior pitted and generally awful. Yet, the action was as tight as when it was first made, and the bore was pristine. I asked him what he wanted for it and he said $100. I handed him $100 and walked away.
The gun is a Colt Peacemaker .22, from the 60's or 70's. The exterior was so bad I didn't worry about collector value. I got out my fine steel wool and took it down to the white, then sprayed on some teflon coating (I think it was Bear-Kote), baked it in my oven and now had a really fine old Colt pistol with a new and very durable finish. I still use that Colt all the time. It's fun to shoot and accurate enough to hit a sitting bunny in the eye at any reasonable range. It's not the prettiest gun around, but it's still better than anything you'd buy new for three times that amount.
Total investment - maybe $125 and a few hours time. With reasonable care, my grandkids will shoot this gun, and their grandkids too, perhaps. Had the pawnbroker bought it, I'd have probably paid $175 for it and it would still be a bargain.
No new $200 pistol is going to have that kind of durability or accuracy with all the plastic and metal stampings and pot metal. Get thee to the pawn shop!
TriumphGuy
New member
You can get a used Ruger or Browning for the price of a new Heritage and unless it's had around 2 million rounds through it already, you'll never wear it out.
A P22 is an affordable fun gun to shoot. I have one and love it. For target the Ruger MKII Gvt gets the nod. But for fast action with spinner targets, the P22 rocks for a poor man's action pistol. SA 22's are not as fun as a semi to me. SA's are more of a tool to have handy in field and stream.
22's are great. They are fun and inexpensive to feed. Different guns like different ammo. be sure to try several brands of ammo in your gun. I shot today and by far the worst groups were from Rem Goldens, but the worked well in the picture posted above.
22's are great. They are fun and inexpensive to feed. Different guns like different ammo. be sure to try several brands of ammo in your gun. I shot today and by far the worst groups were from Rem Goldens, but the worked well in the picture posted above.
Don't make the mistake of rushing out to buy the lowest priced new .22 out there. You'll find yourself shooting it a lot, so getting something that is of decent quality will pay for itself in decreased aggravation over the years. If you get a good one, you'll keep it for a lifetime, after all.
That said, nobody says that you have to buy new. Check the local pawn shops, and look at the used/consignment guns at your LGS. A few years back, I got my current .22 handgun -- a 6" S&W 422 (the predecessor of the 22A) for the bargain price of $180 used at the LGS. Similar bargains are out there, you just have to look for them.
That said, nobody says that you have to buy new. Check the local pawn shops, and look at the used/consignment guns at your LGS. A few years back, I got my current .22 handgun -- a 6" S&W 422 (the predecessor of the 22A) for the bargain price of $180 used at the LGS. Similar bargains are out there, you just have to look for them.
It is.
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