best .22 handgun

[Guest Mugster]

Check which .22 you think is best and why. With the rising price of ammo...it looks to me like a .22 or a couple of .22's might be the best bet to keep shooting at volume.

I wound up acquiring a sig arms mosquito in an odd weekend at the gun show and shot 100 rounds of cci mini mag through it today with one dud round and one feed failure. I'm very happy with it. It seems to be as accurate with the CCI as most of my full power handguns and the controls mirror a full sized sig. DA/SA and theres even a decocker. I don't like the magazine safety. It is larger physically than a walther. Biggest minus is cheap bulk pack wally ammo...it don't work so good. Also extra mags are pricey.

sig arms link:

http://www.sigsauer.com/Products/ShowCatalogProduct.aspx?categoryid=30

Edited May 22, 2008 by Mugster
poor grammer, link,

[strickj]

I recently had the pleasure of playing with a Mosquito and wow! It was defiantly a hoot.Its now on my list

[PackinMama]

I like the Brownings myself. I also love the old Colt Woodsmans.

[bubbadavis]

S&W Model 41

REAL pricey but many people would say its the best...

[Guest Mugster]

I've always liked the brownings too. If I was buying it to hunt with, I might have picked differently.

[Guest gcrookston]

S&W Model 41, followed closely by the 2nd Gen Colt Woodsman Match Target.

[Guest NormShaver]

i like my ruger but that is just my opinion

[The Rabbi]

Haemmerli. Of course. Not that I've ever owned one or even held one but they win all the Olympic matches.

An option for people with Glocks and 1911s is a .22 conversion. SOme of these work well and you get the same feel (OK similar) as your carry weapon.

[R1100R]

High Standard

[Guest Mugster]

The ruger shooters are drawing ahead. Darn nice handgun.

[I_Like_Pie]

In a silhouette shoot I would put my Ruger MKII with the best of them...money no object... (simply because it fits me. That is the x factor in the equation)

However there is a special place in my heart for the single six...Followed closely by an "old" S&W kit gun.

Edited May 22, 2008 by I_Like_Pie

[ShaunM]

Browning!!!

[Guest mikedwood]

I like my Ruger Mark III 22/45 very well. Also have a Hi-Standard wheel .22 that is fun to shoot. I like to shoot my Henry Survival rifle as well.

I'd imagine a good .22 target pistol is as accurate as any gun on the planet in it's range.

I have a friend that has the S&W target .22 that appears to want to be a Ruger. For under $250 new I think it's pretty close a nice little gun itself. Fun and accurate to shoot.

I am shooting more .22 lately than anything. Shot the Ruger today.

[Guest Steelharp]

The 10 rd S&W revolver I sold like a dolt...

[Guest gcrookston]

Haemmerli. Of course. Not that I've ever owned one or even held one but they win all the Olympic matches.

I owned a 208 Standard for several years and really enjoyed it. When they introduced the Trailside shortly after Sig acquired them (a dumbed down version of the 208), I had to have one.

I found the Trailside to be more practical without the bulky Olympiad style grips and eventually sold the 208. The only draw back (and it's a minor one), is the guns are specifically designed for standard velocity ammo. Breakages are common with high velocity. The test targets that came with both pistols are 5 shot clover leafs at 25meters.

I have also owned the Mosquito and the P22. After 3 trips to the factory for repairs within the first 4 months of ownership, I traded it at a gunshow unfired from it's last repair. I had also purchased a P22 for my brother's birthday. It made 2 trips back to the factory and was disposed of.

Last fall I purchased a Mosquito. I shot it a total of about 100 rounds with 4 different kinds of ammo, trying both springs that come with it and was never able to get 10 consecutive shots through it without a FTF or jam. Even with these issues, the accuracy of the little gun explained why Sig had not included a test target with it (as there was nothing to brag about). I traded it for a Ruger.

I've also owned several High Standards over the years and am especially fond of the HD Military with it's exposed hammer.

The newest S&W 41 I've owned is the one pictured, a 1980 vintage. They are a great pistol, but again are designed to fire standard velocity ammo only.

[nightrunner]

i have a ruger mark3 22/45 and love it. shot probably 250-300 rounds through it so far and not a single hiccup at all. only used federal 550rd. bulk ammo in it too.

for a wheelgun, id say if you could find one a ruger sp-101 in .22LR, they did make them for a while but they are getting hard to find now

[Moped]

Man, I'd be hard pressed to think other .22 pistol is better than a Ruger MK I, II or III. They are accurate, reliable, not finky, cheap and simple. Frankly, I can't ever imagine not having one in my collection. I have 4.5" bull barrel target with target grips. It's a great pistol!

I also have a Colt peacemaker with a 6.5" barrel that I like to shoot. I had another in .22 mag that got stolen a couple of years back. That was a great little pitol too!

I love .22s! I have more fun with them, than either either caliber!

[The Rabbi]

It's funny. I think recoil is like heroin, you need more and more to get the same effect.

Last time I shot .22 I found myself thinking, this thing just doesnt have enough kick to it.

[Guest Brian@GunDepot]

I really don't see a 'bad' choice in the list of guns here.

I chose the Ruger. My M3 22/45 Target has never ftf/fte OR had a single misfire in over 3k rounds of cheap bulk ammo; and I've only had the pistol 2 months now. I also have a P22 and can almost say the same for it (minus a couple fte on bulk ammo).

I think the S&W U22 Neos is a good option as well. At ~200 bones, it eats almost any ammo you put in it.

I see you settled on the Sig. It is a nice choice, although I do some irony in it considering you were worried about 'rising ammo prices' and the Sig really requires CCI to cycle correctly every shot (even in the manual it states this).

[Guest Mugster]

I really don't see a 'bad' choice in the list of guns here.

I chose the Ruger. My M3 22/45 Target has never ftf/fte OR had a single misfire in over 3k rounds of cheap bulk ammo; and I've only had the pistol 2 months now. I also have a P22 and can almost say the same for it (minus a couple fte on bulk ammo).

I think the S&W U22 Neos is a good option as well. At ~200 bones, it eats almost any ammo you put in it.

I see you settled on the Sig. It is a nice choice, although I do some irony in it considering you were worried about 'rising ammo prices' and the Sig really requires CCI to cycle correctly every shot (even in the manual it states this).

Yeah, I agree its pretty ironic, that CCI is pricey for .22lr. I'll probably end up with a ruger too...part of the deal is, i need a handgun similar to a full sized gun to train my girlfriend. The sig drops mags and has a slide lock, plus it works extremely well. I believe its a better trainer than some of the other pistols. And yeah, I tried the cheap stuff in it...pretty much the CCI mini-mag in 40gr is about the only thing that it'll run. I might try some match ammo in it with the reduced power spring, if i can get some for cheap.

Edited May 22, 2008 by Mugster

[Guest db99wj]

Yeah, I agree its pretty ironic, that CCI is pricey for .22lr. I'll probably end up with a ruger too...part of the deal is, i need a handgun similar to a full sized gun to train my girlfriend. The sig drops mags and has a slide lock, plus it works extremely well. I believe its a better trainer than some of the other pistols.

I like the Sig Mosquito alot. With lower power ammo I have seen people that tend to limp wrist it have problems with FTE's. I am considering one of those if I can't find a .22 conversion for my XD. Maybe by the time I can afford it, they will have a conversion!

[musicman]

What else would you expect from me?

This isn't my gun, but I wish it was!!

[Guest Mugster]

I like the Sig Mosquito alot. With lower power ammo I have seen people that tend to limp wrist it have problems with FTE's. I am considering one of those if I can't find a .22 conversion for my XD. Maybe by the time I can afford it, they will have a conversion!

No, its an ammo quality issue totally. The sig likes good ammo. I tried federal and 2 kinds of remington that my 10/22 will eat no problem. No dice.

It's possible that after 1000 rounds of CCI mini-mags it'll break in a bit. But if you get one, realize you're probably going to have to run the good stuff in it.

[strob2000]

My vote goes to Ruger, can't beat my good ole MkI Target!

[Guest db99wj]

No, its an ammo quality issue totally. The sig likes good ammo. I tried federal and 2 kinds of remington that my 10/22 will eat no problem. No dice.

It's possible that after 1000 rounds of CCI mini-mags it'll break in a bit. But if you get one, realize you're probably going to have to run the good stuff in it.

I have only had a few experiences with one, but this one time, a lady and her @ 12 yr old daughter could not get it to cycle. I put a magazine throught it with the same ammo without problems. I helped them with their grip and they shot better, when they had a good firm grip.