Small .22 handguns

H

HistoryJunky

New member
In July I will be getting an extra check, so new gun time. As of right now, I do not own any .22 LR firearms. I used to own a .22 rifle but I sold it due to the complete lack of available ammo.

Now .22 is reasonably findable locally. I enjoy shooting handguns far more than rifles, and it would be a good low cost training method. And fun of course.

I know that .22 is not a good caliber for defense/ccw, and I do not intend to have this pistol for that. I do want a smaller sized gun though.

I have noticed in searching different gun sale sites that there are not a lot of smaller .22 handguns. Or maybe I am just missing them?

What are some good options out there for under $400.
 
I like some of the larger NAA "minis" They are fairly cheap SA handguns with a novel cylinder design. Its not for everyone.
 
There are the "J" frame-sized revolvers-built on the same frame as the .38 special/.357 magnum snubbies.

There are larger, but not full-sized, .22 autos like the Walther P22 and the excellent Browning 1911-22.

There are a very few small automatic pistols- the Beretta Bobcat, Taurus P22 versions, and a few pot-metal (zinc) small autos.

Then there are the various mini revolvers- which seem to only get bigger and bigger, while retaining everything that goes against them being serious firearms.
 
Here are a few I can vouch for,,,

Here are a few I can vouch for,,,
I own them and have had good performance.

Bersa Thunder 22,,,
This pistol has the old-school styling
Very nice 10 round mag DA/SA semi-auto with safety decocker.

Ruger SR-22,,,
This pistol has modern styling,,,
Very nice 10 round mag DA/SA semi-auto with safety decocker.

Taurus 22-PLY (not the very similar Taurus PT-22),,,
Styled similar to the little Beretta tip-up pistols,,,
8 round magazine with DAO action and manual safety.

There are several more smallish semi-autos out there,,,
But these three are ones I own and can vouch for,,,
They have all given me trouble free performance.

Happy gun hunting,,,
Let us know what you eventually decide on.

Aarond

.
 
I haven't ever seen the Beretta, but I have read on them a little bit.

I don't know anything about the Taurus, other than it's probably the cheapest that isn't made out of pot metal.

I do prefer semi-automatics, but revolvers aren't out of the question.

And I would like to know more about the Bersa 22.
 
The Ruger SR-22 is a great little pistol, the grip has an interchangabe grip piece and the gun is smooth and easy to rack. They have been verry popular around here.
 
The Taurus is based on the Beretta. Taurus bought the Beretta factory in Brazil and kept making the 22's and 25's and 9mm's. The design has changed just a little bit over the years. The tip-up barrel is a great feature. I am more of a revolver guy, but I like mine okay. It has never malfunctioned. The trigger is a little bit stiff, but it is DAO, so that is to be expected. The sights are small. I am more of a revolver guy, but the PT22 is pretty good to have in your shirt pocket if you are just walking around the farm and might want to plink at something or might need to shoot a snake. I think I paid $200 for mine used but in very good condition, IIRC.

TaurusPT22_zpsc02a0e60.jpg
 
The Taurus is based on the Beretta. Taurus bought the Beretta factory in Brazil and kept making the 22's and 25's and 9mm's. The design has changed just a little bit over the years. The tip-up barrel is a great feature. I am more of a revolver guy, but I like mine okay. It has never malfunctioned. The trigger is a little bit stiff, but it is DAO, so that is to be expected. The sights are small. I am more of a revolver guy, but the PT22 is pretty good to have in your shirt pocket if you are just walking around the farm and might want to plink at something or might need to shoot a snake. I think I paid $200 for mine used but in very good condition, IIRC.
Click to expand...

I was kinda looking at it for the same purpose. Easy to pack, usable enough for dispatching of rodents or impromptu plinking. The Taurus is actually a decent looking gun, I just wish that it was DA/SA.
 
I can't remember. You could look it up. Were the older ones DA/SA? I kind of wish mine was. The DAO is probably safer, though.
 
I had a Taurus PT-22. It was okay, and for a small gun the grip fills the hand pretty well. My biggest issue was the long trigger pull, which seemed to keep coming back, back, back... by the time the shot was finally fired, my finger wasn't in a very comfortable, natural position anymore. I have somewhat long fingers, which may have caused or at least worsened the issue for me.

Also, I like to grip my guns high, but I had to grip the PT-22 differently, or I'd get slide bite.
 
Taurus PT22PLY. I bought one around 6 months ago, $210. 400+ rounds of CCI Mini Mags without a failure of any kind. At the 300 round mark, I gave it the nod to be a pocket carry gun. Extra mags are a bit difficult to find, and a bit costly, other than that, I am pleased.
 
Don't laugh but I've been happy with my little "pot metal" Phoenix HP-22. It is accurate and reliable. I paid MSRP of $149 for mine but they are available cheaper. It calls for SV ammo. I shot over 3,000 rounds of HV ammo in it and the slide cracked. The lifetime warranty replaced the slide within a week with no questions asked (I had to send them the slide through regular mail). The cracked slide was my fault.
 
Long discontinued, but seen from time to time, is the S&W Model 61 Escort. They are in .22 LR and mine has always been reliable.

Jim
 
I don't own one but the Ruger LCR looks pretty nice. Reviews on YouTube and elsewhere are very positive. Unfortunately a new once costs about $100 more than your price point.
 
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