22 target pistol

[Karl]

I've been looking at 22 target pistols recently an I wanted to get some opinions about people's experiences have been. I had a Ruger Standard about 10 years ago and I sold it. I'm thinking about buying another Ruger, anything from a Standard to a Mk III or 22/45. I've heard that the newer models are a real PITA to field strip and clean. I also got the chance to shoot a Browning Buckmark at the range one day and I liked that, although I don't know much about them.

I'm looking for something fun for around $300-$400.

What do you think?

 

[Ex-Pat Texan]

Bought my wife a Beretta U22 Neos because she liked it and I'm a huge pushover for her.. LOL!

Myself I really like the look and feel of the Walther P22.. dunno how it performs though..

Impressed with the U22 for accuracy and the full length rail but it seems to have some feed problems that may just be my inexperience with semiautomatics..

Food for thought or more mud for the water..

-Chris

 

[Marcus5aurelius]

Ruger MKIII you can't go wrong.

 

[tilsnow]

I bought the Ruger Mark III Target on Saturday at FS for $299. I have put at least 500 rounds thru it already. And the ammo has been at least 4 different brands. Only 1 FTE and 1 FTF(cheap Mexican ammo). I love it.

 

[Moderator]

Can't go wrong with a Ruger. They are great for beginners and yet they are still a regular at the local bullseye matches.

 

[Keystone]

I've heard buckmarks make great guns, and I think some people shoot them pretty effectively with a little bit of work in bullseye.

As for the Rugers, I've got a MkIII, it's a great gun. The 22/45 vs MkIII is a personal preference, it's all about the feel. Field stripping is a bit of a pain, but you get used to it. Get a rubber mallet for the first few times, it's a tight fit. Just make sure the holes all line up, and you'll be fine.

P22s are much maligned, around here. They tend to be very choosy on ammo, though some people have good luck with them. They like HV stuff, like minimags.

All .22 semiautos can be picky about ammo. My MkIII will stovepipe every few dozen rounds with Federal bulk pack stuff, when it's really dirty, but is flawless with basically everything else (unless I let it get so dirty that the rounds can't feed...not that I've ever done that ). I usually run Blazer bulk packs, or CCI SV, but I've put all sorts of crap through it. Minimags tend to be the answer to everything. Things like the U22 Neo might just want a different kind of ammo. It sometimes can be a different brand of ammo on the same model of gun.

 

[BigDaddyAl]

I have a Browning Buckmark and a Walther P22. Love the Browning, but don't really care for the Walther. I don't have much experience with Ruger 22s, but from everything I've read, you can't really go wrong with either Browning or Ruger.

 

[mac1911]

for the price range ruger + there are many many upgrades for the ruger also if you need to improve. Some of the older guys at the club saide theres no need to strip down a ruger. One guy said "thats why they invented spray can gun cleaner. My mark 3 hunter took about 400 rounds before it went into full smooth operating mode.
I can go about 800 rounds before it gets gunky enough to start to affect feeding.
As far as field strip, it aint that bad. follow the directions. The MKIII has a little dance you need to do with the magazine.....folllow the directions right down to the way they tell/show you how to hold the gun and you will be fine

 

[45collector]

Another +1 for the MKIII. I bought mine brand new and it had extracting issues for the first 500 round brick or so, then worked itself out. I've put at least 1000 rounds through it since then with no malfunctions. Sometimes when I'm bored shooting paper targets I'll just sit at the 100 yard and pick off cans, clays, glimmers in the sun, etc...
The problems with field stripping have been covered so many times on this forum its mind-boggling.

 

[Gammon]

My favorite target pistol is the High Standard Supermatic Trophy model. This pistol is just as good as a S&W 41 for less money. I have had one for about 30 years with few problems, although I did eventually have to replace the sear and hammer after 70 or 80 thousand rounds.

These guns are no longer manufactured, or at least not by High Standard which went out of business quite a while ago. They are still available used and Numrich carries just about all the parts you would need. I would only buy a "real High Standard" and avoid the pistols made by those who purchased the High standard name, such as Mitchell Arms. The newer guns just aren't the same.

These guns are top of the line target pistols. Head and shoulders above the likes of Ruger and Browning, unless you want to spend a lot of $ on custom work.

 

[NinerMaine]

+1 on the High Standard Supermatic Trophy.

I did shoot with a Ruger Mark II when I first started shooting Bullseye. But within 4 years I started to outshoot the gun and replaced it with HS. The Rugers are good beginner guns, but unless you want to spend a lot of money and time customizing the gun to get better results, you will eventually need to upgrade.

However, you will be hard put to find a HS within your price range as good Hamden made guns will start around $500-$600. The only major drawback with the HS is finding old mags that will work in your gun. The HS does not have a feed ramp, this adds to the accuracy of the gun by not deforming the nose of the bullet during feeding. The mag acts as the feeding mechanism and the lips need to be tuned to work right. I could not get new HS mags or aftermarket mags to work in my gun. I had to spend the money and purchase vintage mags for my gun. They run around $70 a piece if you can find them.

You can start out with a Buckmark or a Ruger and then work your way up to a S&W 41 or a HS later on after you have mastered the basics and find your self to be outshooting the gun.

 

[Karl]

These guns are no longer manufactured, or at least not by High Standard which went out of business quite a while ago. They are still available used and Numrich carries just about all the parts you would need. I would only buy a "real High Standard" and avoid the pistols made by those who purchased the High standard name, such as Mitchell Arms. The newer guns just aren't the same.

I can't agree more about the classic High Standards. I have a 1950's vintage HS that's USMC marked. It's kinda a Sunday shooter. The thought of something breaking on it is a concern.

What are people's impressions on the 22/45? I'm a 1911 shooter, but I'm not sure about the feel of a 1911 frame in polymer.

 

[JimB]

there is a video on you tube that explains disassembly

reassembly. It is very simple and takes little time.

Jim

 

[Gammon]

I can't agree more about the classic High Standards. I have a 1950's vintage HS that's USMC marked. It's kinda a Sunday shooter. The thought of something breaking on it is a concern.

What are people's impressions on the 22/45? I'm a 1911 shooter, but I'm not sure about the feel of a 1911 frame in polymer.

Parts are still available from Numrich and Brownells.

 

[Gammon]

+1 on the High Standard Supermatic Trophy.

I did shoot with a Ruger Mark II when I first started shooting Bullseye. But within 4 years I started to outshoot the gun and replaced it with HS. The Rugers are good beginner guns, but unless you want to spend a lot of money and time customizing the gun to get better results, you will eventually need to upgrade.

However, you will be hard put to find a HS within your price range as good Hamden made guns will start around $500-$600. The only major drawback with the HS is finding old mags that will work in your gun. The HS does not have a feed ramp, this adds to the accuracy of the gun by not deforming the nose of the bullet during feeding. The mag acts as the feeding mechanism and the lips need to be tuned to work right. I could not get new HS mags or aftermarket mags to work in my gun. I had to spend the money and purchase vintage mags for my gun. They run around $70 a piece if you can find them.

You can start out with a Buckmark or a Ruger and then work your way up to a S&W 41 or a HS later on after you have mastered the basics and find your self to be outshooting the gun.

I didn't know that the old HS psitols had gotten that expensive. I bought some new mags from Brownells and had problems also. One of the causes was excessive spring tension. Leaving the mags loaded for a couple of months really improved reliability.

 

[hminsky]

I have the Buckmark Camper. It is great, beautifully built, the grip is perfect, the trigger is quite nice too.

I have three gripes with the gun, none of them serious.

1) To take it down for detail cleaning, you need to take off the rear sight assembly by unscrewing two bolts. Seems like they could have designed this a little better.


2) In cold weather, I sometimes get failure to feed. I mean like below freezing.

3) The rear slide is kind of hard to grip when cocking. Not so bad for me, but not good for my daughter.


2)

 

[IPSC_DRL]

I didn't know that the old HS psitols had gotten that expensive. I bought some new mags from Brownells and had problems also. One of the causes was excessive spring tension. Leaving the mags loaded for a couple of months really improved reliability.

Yea, they are getting pretty pricy these days. Here is my personal favorite .22.

It is deadly accurate on pins. Nick's sport shop in Palmer has the exact same model with a 10" barrel (mine's 8")
Beautiful condition with both barrel weights and muzzle device. $1095.

 

[Gammon]

Yea, they are getting pretty pricy these days. Here is my personal favorite .22.

It is deadly accurate on pins. Nick's sport shop in Palmer has the exact same model with a 10" barrel (mine's 8")
Beautiful condition with both barrel weights and muzzle device. $1095.

Wow! I thought my Trophy model was nice, but that pistol is gorgeous.

 

[bob68]

smith and wesson makes a good gun. its the model 22. good shooter. short money too.

 

[mclina]

smith and wesson makes a good gun. its the model 22. good shooter. short money too.

I originally planned on buying the S&W 22A, but once I saw (and held) the grips that they have to put on them to sell them in MA, I changed my mind. By the time I replaced the grips it would have been the same price as the Ruger. I ended up buying a Mark III Target and I have been very happy with it.

I hear it is a good gun, though, once you get a decent grip on it.