Favorite .22LR handgun?

Semi: Ruger Mk IV Target……extremely accurate and ultra reliable.

Revolver: Colt Peacemaker with both .22 LR and .22 WMR cylinders. Beautiful family heirloom from the early 70’s and fun to shoot.
 
I have to agree with BallardW-
The one I'm shooting at the time.
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Any 22 is more fun than not having a 22.

I personally believe it wise for everyone to have a semi-auto .22lr and a revolver .22lr.


I know some complain about the revolver taking longer to load than a semi-auto, but that is more true about shooting 50 rounds from a SA revolver, like the Single-Six, than a DA/SA revolver, where you can do an ammo/shell dump to speed it up.

You just have to remember to factor in the time it takes to reload each magazine before you insert it in the gun. Don't count only the time to slap a mag home- but the reloading of the mag.​


I can only say good things about the Nelson .22lr conversions as well- both in terms of quality and their support of the product.


I probably shoot my Ruger 22/45 the most, but the Nelson in creeping up on it.



I don't know you or your desires.

Each type of goal for the gun would lead to different recommendations.

That said, it is really hard to go wrong with the Buckmark or Ruger MK series handguns.

I will say that I have never met a Ruger MK series that didn't deserve to have it's ignition system and trigger replaced at the beginning. Maybe the MK IV is better. I don't know.

The Buckmark had me swap the trigger and do a spring modification, and now it is scary light/crisp. I won't let inexperienced shooters use it as it is now competition/hairtrigger light.


On the revolver front- if it is all-around fun, I'd go with a Ruger Single-Six Convertible. This lets you swap cylinders and switch between .22s/l/lr and .22mag. the drawback is that the bore is set for the .22mag dimensions, so it isn't as accurate as a S&W K-22 Masterpiece or Colt Officers' Model Target/Special/Match.

However, it is fun.

High Standards have been mentioned. I LIKE them- a lot. However, they are best for Standard Velocity ammo, and can require more 'tinkering' with the magazine feed lips than any other handgun I've experienced. rimfire central dot com has a subforum reserved for them. I own an example from 4 different decades, but can't recommend them to someone who just wants it to work without thought, and who wants to use Minimags all the time. It is from a different era and you have to have more awareness than, say, a Ruger.

And, they both look better and can be more accurate than the Ruger. The following are images from the web to illustrate my point. Sorry- can't resize it well.

High Standard 102 Trophy 'Space Gun':

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Ruger MK II Government Target Model:

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The High Standard always gets attention when I pull it out. The Ruger gets a glance and they move on.


What you buy to add really depends on your goals, and those are YOUR goals.

I will just say that I have never had a bad time with a .22lr handgun that was in good condition.
 
My favorite .22LR handgun is one that you can only find used. Way back when I was in the Army at the height of the Vietnam unpleasantness, I picked up a German-made, cowboy style six-gun. It was new then, and I paid all of $25. It disappeared years ago during a house move, and I have always missed it. I think the maker was Herbert Schmidt.

http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/29810/25943841_2.jpg?v=8D4059E87E7CE50

It was the same size as a Ruger Single Six. I'm pretty certain the frame was Zamack.

In more recent years I have owned a couple of Ruger Single Sixes, a Ruger 22/45 (which I hated, and sold at a loss to get rid of it), and several .22LR conversions on 1911 frames. They all shot well, but the old Herbert Schmidt remains my favorite, I suppose for purely sentimental reasons.
 
Okay, I understand the question was "what's your favorite one". But that's like asking which child of yours is your favorite. I don't shoot .22s much anymore but not for wishing I could. I'll post a few of mine that I still treasure over 55 years of enjoying them. Most have hunted A LOT and have fired an enormous quantity of ammo. I've selected a few of my "children" and here they are.

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S&W Model 18 four inch.
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Same for me...it's also the most accurate .22 revolver I own. I have a Smith M-41 (bought it in '77) with both the field and 5" target barrels, that will out shoot the M-18 by maybe 1/2" at 25 yds. I'd have to prove off a sandbagged bench, however, and it'd take $$$ fancy ammunition to do it.

With good ammunition (Federal Auto-Match or CCI Standard Vel in the M-18; or Match grade Eley in the M-41, either gun is capable of 1"+ groups at 25 yds with iron sights and a good sandbagged position.

Here's a cpl pics. The M-41 (with its field bbl.) & the holster I built for it. The 2nd is a pair to draw to...but the Smith M-18 is the far better gun, bullseye accurate with superb DA & SA triggers..... Best Regards Rod

Smith-41c.jpg
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My favorite .22 handgun depends on what I'm doing. General plinking, Ruger 22/45 or Ruger Single Six. Serious target work, Benelli MP90.
 
It depends, I like all my .22's. Right now, the favorite is my new (to me) Annie Exlempar. Since I'm a benchrest pistol shooter, it suits my wants to a 'T'.
 
Favorite has to be the Bearcat: that said, the most satisfying one with 79-year- old eyes is the Ruger Mk III/ Volquartsen with the Matchdot. Several others I'm not ready to part with yet, though :) :).
 
I've only one 22 handgun, that being, a 1999 vintage Taurus Tracker that I bought for about $200 brand new back then. I changed the handles, did some internal polishing and changed the springs. It's now silky smooth with a 2 3/4 pound SA break. This thing is now a real contender.

Pic:



Bayou
 
I have a few target pistols also. In fact I’m presently modifying a sent of M41grips to set one up for field gun. I’m using a 7 3/8” gun and besides grips I’m needing a belt holster. I guess I will have to make my own. When I was younger I would have had heart attack if somebody mentioned using a 41 for field piece. I’ve got a few K22 , M18s, m34s, m35s too. The K22 has been my field carry since 1964. I’m going to give in a rest.
 
If I had to keep only two of my 22 handguns, they would be a 1948 vintage K-22 in the revolver slot and a Hi Standard Bullseye Gun built on a Military Sport King frame, with bull barrel mounting either a full rib (ala the Victor) or a Weaver base for a red dot sight.

Of course as a recovering High Standard collector, I still have a few pre-War and even a couple of late '50s-early '60s vintage slant grip guns in the safe, including a very rare HE and the ultra-cool 8' barreled Space Gun with the weights and muzzle brake. But if my guns start to go away, the ones in the first paragraph will hang around to the bitter end.

Froggie
 
Favorite would be the Ruger Mk II SS Government Target. Had it a long time & carry when I’m fishing the river during grouse season, it will shoot the eye out of a grouse at 30yards with a good rest. Taken several cottontails with it, one with my baby daughter on my shoulders that she thought was pretty cool & we had some rabbit in the spaghetti sauce that night-good times
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I have a few S&W Model 17s I really enjoy shooting but I also like a Ruger 22/45 and my Ruger MK2.

Also while not quite a 22 handgun I like using my 22 conversion kit.
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I really don't have a single favorite since on any given day I may choose one over another.

Ron
 
You guys inspired me, I ordered up a hammer bushing for my Mk. 111 and shall do a fluff and buff on the trigger group.

I'll eliminate the mag disconnect, shorten the rail a touch for esthetics, and do some judicious polishing of the trigger group.
I'm a cheapskate, I don't see anyone selling only the sear, no doubt INSCOS running the show for them.

We shall see how it comes out, it I'm not pleased I'll spend the bux to upgrade parts.
 


My all time favorite is my S&W Model 617. I've never thought of selling this gun. I don't hang on to guns I don't shoot but this one goes to the range with me on almost every trip.

It's been highly modified, polished inside and a Apex Mass Drive Hammer that gives a 6.5 pound trigger that will fire most ammo. CCIs a a little harder so I crank the poundage up to 8 pounds and they all go off.

I shoot this for Steel Challenge against the automatics and have done pretty well with it. I shoot it about 40 second faster than my average with my Black Mamba.
 
ruger sr22, i’ve put maybe 10,000 rounds through mine in ten years, handy and accurate enough to be a one-and-done rimfire sidearm for carry and protection.

ruger single six, the quintessential outdoors sidearm and learning tool, 22lr for fun, 22wmr for business.
 
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