Why Won't you Spend More $$$ on a .22 LR?

I won't spend alot on a .22lr pistol for one reason. You simply do not need to spend alot for a good one. Ruger MK's are great and inexpensive. IMHO the only other semi-autos that may be (and probably is) better is the S&W models for twice as much.

But the other reason is that most people consider them
more of just a toy for fun.
 
Guess I'm out of the loop on this one, my Kadet slide cost me $225.
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Then you stole it or bought it a couple of years ago. Cheapest you can find them new on an auction site is $377 while most sell for about $400. Brand new Kadet pistols cost $600

The point of my thread was not to say that cheap .22's are bad. I have a P-22 and it fits a need. But it's bulk ammo finicky (which isn't a huge issue because I now only shoot mid-grade or better ammo) and the slide blew up at a recent range session (Walther replaced the slide with no qualms and it is now back in action.)

I was primarily trying to understand why folks don't want to spend $500-$800 on a higher quality pistol or revolver...simply because it's a .22 LR

The Buckmark and the Ruger Mark series are affordable pistols that can often eat anything. However, neither are lightweight, compact, easy to clean, combat style practice pistols either. Nor do they hold a candle to formal target shooters in their stock condition.

But by the same logic, there are $300 9MM's and .45's that are reliable and feed all ammo as well, thus negating the need for higher priced pistols ;) But then I never hear "$700 for a .45 -- are you crazy?"
 
@ predecessor - is your P22 a 3.5 or 5" barrel? Just curious, the slide problems I have heard of in the past have been with the target(5") barrel. Thanks.
 
A Ruger 22/45 with polymer frame is pretty light and alot people DO shoot them (often heavily modified) in rimfire competitions, especially steel-plates.;)

The reason people don't buy the "combat-style" pistols (namely the Sig and Walther) is because they are fussy about ammo and known to be unreliable. Both features you really don't want it a "combat-pistol," even if it's just a practice weapon.

People will easily spend decent money on .22lr training guns that mimic their centerfire duty/HD weapons. The gsg-5, m&p-15-22, various 1911 conversion kits are examples. The difference is those models actually work very well.
 
It depends on a lot of things..

Where and how you live, as well as what you can afford. Several folks have aready said .22s are nothing to them but plinkers, range guns and training guns.

There are still folks in the country who use .22 pistols on a frequent basis, hunting and pest control. And once you reach the level of quality that matches your best level of skill, spending more is either an investment in heirloom quality, or vanity. And there's nothing wrong with a little vanity as long as the kids don't go hungry!;)

I'm not a match shooter, so a high end target gun is just money that could be better spent on other things. The only expensive .22 I will be in the market for (and expensive is in MY opinion:D) is a good .22 DA revolver, probably a S&W, with adjustable sights and all steel.

I have a Ruger Single Six, a Mk I, a Browning Challenger, a couple of Stoeger Lugers, and great fun in its own way, a .22LR barrel for my Contender. So I got alot of things covered already.

SO, we have target shooters, who will buy expensive guns, to get the absolute most in their discipline, people who see .22s as working class guns, and those who use them for recreation or training. Neither of whom, as a group, are much inclined to spend much mmore than they have to to meet their needs. Did I leave anybody out?

I'd love a S&W 41, if it came at the price of a used Ruger. Friend of mine has one. Sweet gun, feels like you are putting on a glove when you grip it. Super accurate, great trigger, BUT it chokes on certain ammo. Multple misfires with some stuff that ran through my Ruger and Browning without a hitch. Not the same brand, but his ammo (he gave it to me). I also popped off his misfires without any trouble. It might have just been his 41, but i have heard similar things about other 41s too. SO, no spend the big bucks on one of them, for me.
 
I actually paid about $75 more for my S&W 317-4 .22 practice revolver a few months ago than I did for my Model 60 .357 carry revolver a year earlier. I got the M60 used, although that being at the height of the early Obama administration great gun sellout and it being an S&W, I didn't save much over new. The 317 I bought new. Both are J-frames with 3" barrels, almost exactly the same size and dimensions, although the 317 weighs only 12 oz, half what the M60 does. (The 317 is an Airweight with a scandium frame; the M60 is stainless steel.) Unfortunately I don't have pics, but S&W does of both -- just look under revolvers.

Probably because I am cautious and prefer solid quality in a gun, it never occurred to me to look for a cheap .22. I don't *want* a cheap gun, although I have no objections to a good gun being inexpensive. I'm also not the expert that some on this forum are, so I can't do my own minor gunsmithing or judge much about the quality of a gun beyond very basic stuff. I rely on the reputation of the manufacturer and the seller.

If I were poor and being stalked, I'd probably forgo the second gun and just get a good carry gun instead of trying to save money by purchasing two guns from manufacturers with less solid reputations. I would have happily saved $150 on comparable Rugers, but suspect I'd have spent that on a good trigger job, so the price of Ruger is about the same as that of S&W for me overall.
 
@ predecessor - is your P22 a 3.5 or 5" barrel? Just curious, the slide problems I have heard of in the past have been with the target(5") barrel. Thanks.
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3.5" barrel

I also have a customer who just purchased a brand new one (3.5" barrel) and had similar issues.
 
The reason people don't buy the "combat-style" pistols (namely the Sig and Walther) is because they are fussy about ammo and known to be unreliable. Both features you really don't want it a "combat-pistol," even if it's just a practice weapon.
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I completely agree.

This is why I don't understand why folks aren't willing to spend a little more on quality options that are available. (ie: CZ Kadet, Beretta 87, and discontinued Beretta 70S and all steel Walther and Astra pistols.)
 
Back to the original question, there are numerous posts here about wanting a good in-expensive .22 lr but didn't want to spring for a Buckmark or Ruger. Makes me wonder what exactly what they are looking for. Along the same vein, people buy a good gun, but want to feed it cheap ammo. What's that about?
 
The reason people don't buy the "combat-style" pistols (namely the Sig and Walther) is because they are fussy about ammo and known to be unreliable.
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My P22 has be completely reliable with both CCI Mini-Mags, and cheaper bulk Remington Golden Bullets. Plus it is a whole lot of fun to shoot. Granted, I am not yet into the 10K of rounds fired, more like 1500 to 2000 without any sign of excessive wear. With the ammo mentioned, I have had one failure to fire (RGB) and NO failure to feed.
 
If you are one who won't spend more than $350 on a .22, help me understand why?
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Are you kidding? I have more than $350 in the extra mags for the Walther PP or the scope of my Anschütz 1423! I shoot rimfire a lot and enjoy it, the Korth is probably now my most favorite handgun and most often shot. Of course, my centerfire guns match the quality and performance.

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I think the first problem is with your statement:

To that I answer: "The quality is equal to their price tag.
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Simply untrue. And it's not limited to rimfires either.

Also, rimfires aren't as hard to manufacture. Lower pressures and fixed barrels do reduce cost.

But I understand your premise though and it has to do with the job intended for the gun and misconceptaions. In the long run even expensive .22LR's are cheaper due to still low ammo cost. They offer the best bang for your buck.

But the fact remains when one can pick up a quality .22LR for $250 many wonder why one would spend 2-3 times more for a differnet one.

LK
 
But the fact remains when one can pick up a quality .22LR for $250 many wonder why one would spend 2-3 times more for a differnet one.
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Then why doesn't this sentiment hold true for firearms of other calibers?
 
Call me crazy but,,,

I recently paid $750 for a Colt Trooper Mk III in .22 LR,,,

I am a bit fanatical in wanting a .22 LR/Centerfire pair of handguns,,,
With S&W It's not difficult at all because they did make "companion" guns.

Model 36 & Model 34, Model 15 & Model 18, and Model 14 & Model 17.

A short time back I got to fire a CZ 75B at my local range,,,
I thought to myself at the time, "What a nice pistol",,,
Then I read about the CZ 75 Kadet in .22 LR.

Surprisingly enough, the MSRP for the Kadet is $74 more than for the 9mm,,,
I'll surely not buy one before I can hold the gun in my hand,,,
But that is one I could easily pay the $689 to own.

The other one I would pay the big bucks for is a Beretta Cheetah in .22 LR,,,
I got to fire one of those a few months back,,,
I fell in love with it and it's $742.

So yes, some crazy people,,,
And I put myself in among that group,,,
Will pay the big bucks for really nice .22 LR handguns.

BTW,,,
My "plinkers" are my Ruger 22/45 and my Beretta NEOS.

When a co-worker or other friend says,,,
Hey Aarond, take me shooting,,,
Those are the guns I take.

I save the good ones for myself. :D

.
 
But the fact remains when one can pick up a quality .22LR for $250 many wonder why one would spend 2-3 times more for a differnet one.
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Then why doesn't this sentiment hold true for firearms of other calibers?
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It does, to some folks.

Lots of Hi-Points, Kel-Tecs, Taurus, Charter Arms, etc... out there. They work, they go "Bang" (most of the time, OK for a lot of them, some of the time, OK sometimes back to the factory we go...) Most of the owners of these are quite happy with them, and for the most part they do fulfill their purpose.

Quality and cost are not always directly correlated. But, generally they are.

It all depends on just how serious one is. There are some very expensive .22 pistols out there, very accurate. There are also some very expensive Ferraris out there; but a Jeep will still get you to the gas station and the Post Office, maybe not in quite the same manner, but many Jeep drivers do still manage to get their mail sent out.

I love my Ruger 22/45. I also love my "match" grade .22 that will give me tighter groups every time over the Ruger (which is tight itself).

Comes down to where one decides to "draw the line". I think that a lot of people tend to see the comparatively low price of .22lr ammo and make the leap that the guns chambered for it must likewise be priced.
 
I am a bit fanatical in wanting a .22 LR/Centerfire pair of handguns,,,
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Me too :o

Then I read about the CZ 75 Kadet in .22 LR.
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Great pistol - and the conversion (which is the heart minus the frame) will fit a variety of CZ models including the mid-sized "compact" and P01.

The other one I would pay the big bucks for is a Beretta Cheetah in .22 LR,,,
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Another fantastic pistol. Pair it up with an 85 and you'll be in rimfire/centerfire companion heaven :D
 
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