Bought a little Jennings!
- Thread starter Prof Young
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TruthTellers
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I wouldn't have a concern with the .22, even .25. If you can get recoil springs, get them because the newer they are the less stress that gets exerted on the frame and slide. .32 is about as big a caliber as the pot metal ring of fire pistols can shoot without having a premature death.
There have been a lot of people who have bought the Jennings and Jimenez .22s and been happy with them. Depending on the condition of yours, you may need to do some work and try a lot of ammo to get it running well, but I think you'll get your money's worth in it.
There is a use for these cheap .22's and its to be a beater gun you don't mind getting beat up. My Phoenix is such a great size and shoots so well and cost under 140 to get, so I have no issue carrying it because it works and because I dont want to get my $350 Ruger all dinged and scratched up!
There have been a lot of people who have bought the Jennings and Jimenez .22s and been happy with them. Depending on the condition of yours, you may need to do some work and try a lot of ammo to get it running well, but I think you'll get your money's worth in it.
There is a use for these cheap .22's and its to be a beater gun you don't mind getting beat up. My Phoenix is such a great size and shoots so well and cost under 140 to get, so I have no issue carrying it because it works and because I dont want to get my $350 Ruger all dinged and scratched up!
https://www.texasguntalk.com/threads/sig-p226-vs-beretta-92fs-army-trials.23707/
Regarding Post 19, there's more to the story as to why Beretta over SIG in the prior XM-9 (resulting in the Beretta becoming the M9 for the US Government).
It's likely more political and not due to SIG frames cracking as Beretta scored lower and also had its own failures. SIG's P226 guns aren't failing at 7000 rounds, with my personal P226 at over 15,000 rounds; P226 guns being selected by various military (previously to USN SEAL teams) and LE departments. Do realize the XM-9 trial guns would have been pre-production-modified prototype guns.
BTW, I'm not much of a SIG-fan and I'm still waiting to see what's going on with the various SIG P320 lawsuits/complaints in process. I just wanted to provide some more info regarding the Beretta vs. SIG issue.
I've no positive opinions regarding the Jennings guns and I may have booked one into evidence many years ago during my LE career. I recall brands such as Jennings, Jimenez, Davis, and others were brands not to ever recommend or consider.
Regarding Post 19, there's more to the story as to why Beretta over SIG in the prior XM-9 (resulting in the Beretta becoming the M9 for the US Government).
It's likely more political and not due to SIG frames cracking as Beretta scored lower and also had its own failures. SIG's P226 guns aren't failing at 7000 rounds, with my personal P226 at over 15,000 rounds; P226 guns being selected by various military (previously to USN SEAL teams) and LE departments. Do realize the XM-9 trial guns would have been pre-production-modified prototype guns.
BTW, I'm not much of a SIG-fan and I'm still waiting to see what's going on with the various SIG P320 lawsuits/complaints in process. I just wanted to provide some more info regarding the Beretta vs. SIG issue.
I've no positive opinions regarding the Jennings guns and I may have booked one into evidence many years ago during my LE career. I recall brands such as Jennings, Jimenez, Davis, and others were brands not to ever recommend or consider.
Military procurement are political, no doubt. That's what I read back in the days that the P226 had a frame crack during testing after less than 7000 rounds.
Never read about 1911 had a frame crack, did they test with aluminum frame? I am familiar with the steel frame 1911, I don't see how those can crack. It's very robust for steel and steel usually don't crack, they bent. If it's aluminum, it's a different story. I can believe that.
Aluminum alloy is strong enough, but it's brittle, it can only bent so much and crack. Polymer gun to me is the best thing that happened to the gun world. They are strong, but they are flexible. I told this many times that I bought a bottle of brandy and they forgot to remove the locking cap. I didn't realize until I came home. I thought it's too much trouble to bring it back, it's plastic, how hard it was to break it and be over with. I have a work shop at home with vise and tools. I cranked it onto the big vise, chiseled, hammered with a sludge hammer. It just won't break, I plied and I did everything. I hammered it so hard I cracked the plastic cap of the bottle inside. I ended up red faced, and went back to the store to exchange to another bottle while the old one was leaking alcohol!!! Looking at the cap, it just had some scratches, I am pretty sure they just unlock the cap and use it on another bottle.
If the cap were aluminum alloy, I bet I could crack it open in less than a minute and be over with at home.
I would never buy a gun with aluminum, it's going to be either steel or polymer with steel slide rail guide. I would never buy the Beretta F92 either.
I have nothing against Sig, I am actually seriously considering the SP2022 40 as it's polymer with steel front and back rail guide. Problem is I can't find one here.
Oh, that's a bingo!
Prof Young
New member
Geeze ma kneez . . . .
Geez guys!
I really did look on line and it's not hard to find a video of a Jennings 22 running just fine.
From comments above I can see that maybe the larger calibers are the really bad ones.
I'll give a range report when I get thing and have a chance to run it.
Life is good
Prof Young
P.S. Someone above mentioned a Phoenix. I have one of those and I love the little thing. Runs great. Good range toy. Probably would not carry it except maybe as a BUG.
Geez guys!
I really did look on line and it's not hard to find a video of a Jennings 22 running just fine.
From comments above I can see that maybe the larger calibers are the really bad ones.
I'll give a range report when I get thing and have a chance to run it.
Life is good
Prof Young
P.S. Someone above mentioned a Phoenix. I have one of those and I love the little thing. Runs great. Good range toy. Probably would not carry it except maybe as a BUG.
With junk metal like what I've shown, just be thankful it did not disintegrate. It's one thing with 22LR, 380 is a completely different animal. that's dangerous.
Funny I did not expect to have such unanimous opinions on the Jennings here.
PolarFBear
New member
Alan0354. Steel frame 1911's certainly had frame cracks. On the left side. Had an armory on a USN ship in 1984. Thirty five of the 40 1911's were DANGER TAGGED. We still used them, even with the tags, it was all we had. USN was late in moving to the Berettas. Even the best steel will fail if used enough.
First thing first. I personally would NOT buy another 1911 no matter what. Because I deem it's not safe for self defense being SA only and has to be cocked and locked. So my opinion is actually biased against 1911. BUT saying the steel frame cracked in less than 4000 round. It has to be either one defective gun or exaggerated.
I own a Gold Cup and I shot like 1000 rounds. So many people in US own 1911 and I am sure a lot of them shot over 10K rounds. I want to hear from people actually experience cracked frame on a steal frame 1911. Of cause, I don't mean those that made in China.
Remember, you cannot trust any article 100%. I have nothing against Sig and Sig 2022 40 is on the top of my list to buy at this point. But when I read the article, it's very obvious that it's pro Sig. It's one thing to say Beretta 92 is not as good, it's another thing to trash the 1911 for crack frame.
Now, I do believe 1911 is not as reliable overall, I did a lot of work on my Gold Cup, I still cannot make it feed Brazer hollow points reliably. The design is old, there's no way it can compete with the newer generation Sig or Glock. I don't even understand why people are still so loyal to the 1911. But it is a very robust gun.
One thing 1911 is inferior, the feed ramp composes of two parts with break in between. The frame forms the lower part of the feed ramp, the lower chamber forms the upper part. Imagine when the bullet sliding up to the chamber, it will hit the disconnected part and can make a bounce. It's not smooth. It's an inferior design by default. If people criticizing this part, I would agree 100%. I think that's the part that makes 1911 inferior to the modern guns. Not the robustness of the frame.
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Ernest T Bass
New member
Back on April 21, 2018 on this forum, there was a thread about Jennings pistols. On the second page of that thread, one user said:
What's up with the Jennings logo, it's a figure of a person with a fencing sword. Does anyone know the history or the significance of the logo?
And another user replied:
The guns jam so much you best have a knife with you, the bigger the better.
I laughed so hard I cried!!! Almost two years later and I'm still giggling over that!
Seriously though, do a search for that thread. It's not just a Jennings bashing thread, it has some good helpful advice/info.
What's up with the Jennings logo, it's a figure of a person with a fencing sword. Does anyone know the history or the significance of the logo?
And another user replied:
The guns jam so much you best have a knife with you, the bigger the better.
I laughed so hard I cried!!! Almost two years later and I'm still giggling over that!
Seriously though, do a search for that thread. It's not just a Jennings bashing thread, it has some good helpful advice/info.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Prof Young- Your Jennings will probably work just fine.
Prof Young
New member
Thanks!
Thanks Bill. We'll see.
Life is good
Prof Young
Thanks Bill. We'll see.
Life is good
Prof Young
why is it no one seems to be able to type in "A1" after 1911? Just too much trouble??
Either way, a rant about "1911"s, good or bad, is rather off topic in a thread about a Jennings .22.
I have a Jennings J-22, took it in as part payment from a fellow who owed me some money, a couple decades ago. If I remember right, I allowed him $40 for it, and that was quite generous at the time.
I played with it a bit, tinkered a bit and eventually got it to where it would run 6rnds in a row MOST of the time. But, only if you shot CCI Mini-Mag.
I keep it as an example of how not to make a good gun. 
Today, I think .22 ammo too valuable to waste in that pocket POS. If the one you got works, great. Its likely that IF it does, it only will on one brand of ammo, but that's not uncommon in .22LR semi auto pistols.
IF it does prove reliable enough for you, and you decide to use it for CCW I STRONGLY urge you to carry it chamber EMPTY.
Either way, a rant about "1911"s, good or bad, is rather off topic in a thread about a Jennings .22.
I have a Jennings J-22, took it in as part payment from a fellow who owed me some money, a couple decades ago. If I remember right, I allowed him $40 for it, and that was quite generous at the time.
I played with it a bit, tinkered a bit and eventually got it to where it would run 6rnds in a row MOST of the time. But, only if you shot CCI Mini-Mag.
I keep it as an example of how not to make a good gun. Today, I think .22 ammo too valuable to waste in that pocket POS. If the one you got works, great. Its likely that IF it does, it only will on one brand of ammo, but that's not uncommon in .22LR semi auto pistols.
IF it does prove reliable enough for you, and you decide to use it for CCW I STRONGLY urge you to carry it chamber EMPTY.
Urbanrecon
Moderator
No offense but the Jennings was/is a weapon of necessity for only an individual or individuals in desperate need of a weapon and money.
That would be about the same time one would also be digging around the garage and/or alley for a two foot or similar length of steel pipe.
That would be about the same time one would also be digging around the garage and/or alley for a two foot or similar length of steel pipe.
No, If you want a last ditch to have a self defense gun, get something a little better. Plenty of cheap ones. I have 3 Beretta 950BS that is just a little more expensive but works.
You cannot be cheap. You have to do research. Jennings SUCKS, there's no other ways to put it.
You put your LIFE in saving a penny.?
Get a knife, a pepper spray. it's better than the Jennings.
I will not pile on. They're not expensive, and it's worthwhile as an exercise to see how low-cost pistol technology has evolved since ~1990. I figure $100 in 1990 is probably about like $200 in 2020, which happens to be the MSRP of the Kel Tec P17 (though right now impossible to find at that price). I for one would love to see a head-to-head comparison on youtube or something.
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