Feedback on WALTHER P22 needed.

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Sterling

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Any forum member posses this pistol ? And can give some feedback good or bad re: build qaulity and reliabilty as rimfire can be picky. Im curently looking for a semi auto 22lr of this size and price point. Will not be used for sd strictly for range fun.
 
It is a fun gun that is not very expensive. My wife has one and she likes it. But it's picky about ammunition, and the last time it was at the range, the front sight fell off.

Since I bought her a Ruger SR22, the P22 has stayed in the safe.

A lot of people have them and like them, but I'm not a big fan.
 
I've had one for over ten years. Great for what it is. A fun little rimfire plinker. It is not a bullseye target pistol, or family heirloom piece. Reliability is good with the right ammo. Remington Golden Bullets, and CCI MiniMag works great. Accuracy is "good enough" for some fun plinking.
Some of the early models had problems with the slide cracking. Mostly in the long barreled "target" version because the ZAMAK slide would slam against a steel extension that was attached to rhe muzzle end of the barrel with set screws.
There are several mods, and tweaks that can be found online.
https://www.waltherforums.com/forum/faq-p22/10259-vital-information-all-p22-owners-p22-bible.html
 
I have had no trouble with frame cracks on my P22, although the problem has been widely reported as Cheapshooter notes.

Initially I had frequent failures to feed with mine, but these seem to have smoothed out and now the pistol is reasonably reliable. As has been noted, standard velocity 22LR ammunition may fail to cycle the slide fully. You are best off sticking with fairly high velocity ammo.

It is an OK pistol for range shooting and for introducing a new shooter to semi-auto pistol shooting. From what I have seen and heard, the Ruger SR22 is a better pistol.
 
I will add, in agreement with pblanc, if it were available at the time I bought the Walther I would have opted for the Ruger. However, I am satisfied enough with the P22 that I have no intention to replace it with a Ruger. Unless of course one happens to come along at a great price.
 
Mine has been reliable, I haven't had any malfunctions using common high velocity ammo. Aftermarket magazines are available from KeepShooting.com, I have one and it is well made and works as well as the factory mags.
 
Umarex junk...
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Easily said by someone that only posts about the ultra high end, over priced "ststus symbol" guns that only the very wealthy, or very foolish can afford. Someone who obviously has absolutely no experience with the Walther P22.
I believe the OP asked about experiences of people who actually own a P22. Not the opinion of someone that thinks every gun priced under $1000+ is "junk".
If mine were junk I hardly believe it would have lasted this 10 or so years, and thousands of rounds fired!
 
If it's pretty much the same thing as the Sig Mosquito, then it's likely to be junk. Maybe I'm confused. I thought that Umarex owned both companies, so I assumed the two pistols are pretty much the same thing. Maybe I'm wrong.
 
my [daughter's] P22 has been flawless, and I mean no malfunctions, yet. thousands of rounds and no problems of any kind, even with the junk Remington thunderbolts, two of which were dud primers.
 
assumed the two pistols are pretty much the same thing. Maybe I'm wrong.
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Yes, you are. While my experience with the Walther is much more extensive I have some with a Mosquito. Larger than the P22, and considerably more finicky about ammo. Most problems with the Mosquito of a good friend, and shooting buddy were resolved by keeping it clean, lubed, and using CCI MiniMag ammo.
 
Easily said by someone that only posts about the ultra high end, over priced "ststus symbol" guns that only the very wealthy, or very foolish can afford. Someone who obviously has absolutely no experience with the Walther P22.
I believe the OP asked about experiences of people who actually own a P22. Not the opinion of someone that thinks every gun priced under $1000+ is "junk".
If mine were junk I hardly believe it would have lasted this 10 or so years, and thousands of rounds fired!
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Excuse me? I’ve likely owned way more inexpensive guns than yourself, so I think I’m qualified to speak on them.

I owned a P22 for years as well as other Umarex products and stand by what I say. It’s Airsoft quality stuff built with plastic, aluminum, and sometimes pot metal.

If you like them, more power to you. However, for the price of some of this Umarex crap you can get bonafide rimfires like a Ruger Mark Series, Browning Buck Mark, etc. I’m simply trying to save the OP from the same mistakes I made.

Oh and until YOU have experience with the “ultra high end” stuff, as you call it, maybe you’re the one who should keep your comments to yourself. There’s nothing overpriced about the stuff I buy. I do think some guns are overpriced for what you get, but I know the difference. In fact, Umarex is a perfect example of overpriced guns. If they were under $200, they would be a decent option for folks to plink with.

Anything else?
 
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If it's pretty much the same thing as the Sig Mosquito, then it's likely to be junk. Maybe I'm confused. I thought that Umarex owned both companies, so I assumed the two pistols are pretty much the same thing. Maybe I'm wrong.
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Yes, very similar in terms of “craftsmanship” or lack there of.

Too many good rimfires out there for the same price.
 
Agreed, as I mentioned earlier. The Ruger is a better made gun for about $75 more money. So if you can budget a little more, or wait a little longer to save a bit more money, get the Ruger. But as mentioned by most others with personal experience with the P22, they work well for what they are.
If top accuracy is your goal, something more in the design of rimfire target pistols like the Buckmark, or Ruger MK series might be a better choice. Again, at a bit more cost.
 
In my neck of the woods, the p22, SR22, and m&p22 are all similarly priced around $300. The target models such as the Mark IV or Buckmark do command a higher price by $50-$100+, depending on model and features.
 
The Walther P22 does have its share of reported problems, but not nearly as troubled a history as that of the SIG Mosquito.

The P22 is what it is.

Is it a highly accurate 22lr bullseye pistol? Certainly not.

Will it become a family heirloom? Not in my family.

Would I use it for self-defense? Of course not, but that applies to all other 22lr pistols as well.

Is it junk? In my opinion, no. It is a fun little pistol to shoot and a good training tool. Despite its ZAMAK slide and "cheap" construction, not a single part on my P22 has failed after quite a few years of use. It did have some teething problems which smoothed out with use.

I paid $250 for my P22 on sale. It has more than returned my investment. You can certainly buy better 22lr auto-loader pistols, such as the Walther PPQ 22lr, if you are willing to pay a bit more.
 
For just a bit more you can get the Smith and Wesson M&P 22 Compact which has been getting good reviews for a while now and has a reputation of working with a wide range of ammo and being durable. I have one and really like it and never have as a problem with it with various ammo. I bought it as a training pistol and fun to shoot for my wife but she has yet to try it. Maybe some day LOL.

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/09/daniel-zimmerman/gun-review-smith-wesson-mp-22-compact/
 
The Walther P22 does have its share of reported problems, but not nearly as troubled a history as that of the SIG Mosquito.

The P22 is what it is.

Is it a highly accurate 22lr bullseye pistol? Certainly not.

Will it become a family heirloom? Not in my family.

Would I use it for self-defense? Of course not, but that applies to all other 22lr pistols as well.

Is it junk? In my opinion, no. It is a fun little pistol to shoot and a good training tool. Despite its ZAMAK slide and "cheap" construction, not a single part on my P22 has failed after quite a few years of use. It did have some teething problems which smoothed out with use.

I paid $250 for my P22 on sale. It has more than returned my investment. You can certainly buy better 22lr auto-loader pistols, such as the Walther PPQ 22lr, if you are willing to pay a bit more.
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Nailed it!
 
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