Thoughts on a semi-auto .22 pistol

2000GM

2000GM

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My wife finally gave in during a recent shooting session and found she really liked shooting pistols. The only pistol I had with me was my Sig P228. She was a better shot at 30 or so feet than I was until I'd been shooting for a few years [thinking]....but I digress.

As much as I tried to correct her stance and grip, the muzzle flip was pretty fierce for her. Anyone who has fired a P228 knows how well-balanced they are and how easy the recoil is to manage.

I was thinking maybe starting her out on a .22lr auto will allow her to work out some of her issues that should sort of correct themselves through practice and make it easier to teach her the things that are more difficult to learn. After 6 13 round mags with the P228 she wanted to stop because her wrists were starting to hurt. The .22 will let her shoot more, longer.

She made me proud as hell today when she asked me to look into an NRA cert. classso she can apply for her Class A. So, basically I'm looking for opinions on what to look at as I'm not very familiar with any .22lr pistols.

The Walther P22 seems to be a decent pistol. IIRC the Sig Mosquito had some early issues....have they been addressed? What other pistols should I be looking at?
 
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Try a Ruger mk III 22/45. It will help her get familiar with where the mag release, safety, and slide release are on a regular defensive pistol.
If you don't like those the S&W 22a is another good option. I own both of these and they are both very reliable with cheapo walmart bulk ammo. I have already introduced about 10 of my friends to pistols with these two guns.
 
No doubt the Ruger MKIII 22/45 is a great rimfire(I love mine) but my one issue with it is its weight. Even for me at(an in shape) 6'0'' 235lbs, I start to feel the gun after awhile, the Smith 22A is no light weight either...By compairison the Walther P22 is a feather, handles great and is very accurate.
 
My first suggestion would be one of the Ruger models. Find which fits HER best, the regualr or the 22/45. Another though though since you're shooting a Sig is to go with the Sig Mosquito. It's the scaled down model of the Sig line and would have the same controls os the larger model. Good for cross use. Not sure if the little Sig is legal in the Commonwealth but worth a look.
 
Mosquitos are MA compliant. If you think she fits the Sig line, then get her one of those. Otherwise, I agree with the above but I rank the SW22A above the 22/45.

The only issue with the Mosquito is that it costs as much as the 22A and the 22/45 combined.
 
I didn't care for the mag release on the P22. Ended up selling it. Well, that and the barrel extension was a PITA to clean.
 
Pilgrim said:
get a .22 revolver...it will be a hellova lot more reliable than any semi auto.
Click to expand...

My Ruger MKII and Browning Buckmarks have been quite reliable. I've seen a very finicky S&W 41 and Walther, but the Rugers and Buckmarks work well.
 
I have one of the newer Mosquito's serial number prefix A06 and the gun is great. Right now i would still say i am in the break in period, probably getting towards the end of it and i haven't had any problems as long as the gun is cleaned and well oiled.

I was shooting it Friday and i did not have a single failure to fire, feed, or jam. I was shocked. I shot probably about 250 rounds through it.

I have shot the P22 quite a bit. It is a very nice gun as well but just as finicky on ammo. It also needs to be cleaned and well oiled
 
pdm said:
I didn't care for the mag release on the P22. Ended up selling it.
Click to expand...

And I ended up buying it. I've enjoyed it, but I'm not overly happy with it in the end. Mag release has never bothered me, but the gun seems like a very finicky thing in general. The barrel unscrews itself, the slide doesn't always lock back, and it's picky about the ammo you feed it. I had the opportunity to look at a mosquito the other day. I didn't get a chance to shoot it, but just the feel of it in my hand was a million times better than the featherweight, plasticy feel of the P22. I'm thinking now I might sell the P22 in the not too distant future.
 
M1911 said:
My Ruger MKII and Browning Buckmarks have been quite reliable. I've seen a very finicky S&W 41 and Walther, but the Rugers and Buckmarks work well.
Click to expand...

Model 41s aren't in the same class as the Rugers. They're pure match target pistols made for high quality ammo. Mine does not like the cheap Walmart value boxes.

The SW22A is a different animal, though. Reliable, cost effective, and highly underrated.
 
Wow, I'm a windbag.

I have a Sig Mosquito and it seems to do pretty well. I've put CCI Minimags, Federal high velocity and Remington Thunderbolt through it with varying luck. The gun loves the Minimags every round goes bang with those. It HATES the Federal HV stuff, FTF, FTE, sometimes doesn't lock into battery, even had one round fail to load and found a big dent all the way down the brass. The Remington works great in it even if it is junk, sometimes they don't go bang but that's the nature of .22LR.

I tortured mine on the first day out because I had heard all the negative reviews. I dumped mag after mag through it box after box. The test ended after I had a case get stuck in the breach that had to be removed with a cleaning rod at about the 300 round mark. The extractor was gummed up so badly it wouldn't grab the case rim. Nothing a good cleaning couldn't fix.

IMHO the Mosquito is great for a plinking/range gun. I wouldn't trust it to go bang when I needed it to, but I don't consider paper targets a life threatening risk (even scary large silhouettes)

I only have three gripes: it only comes with one mag and extras are expensive.

I didn't realize it until I had striped the gun down for cleaning but the frame is plastic. Not a huge deal but kind of annoying on a $400 gun.

Finally, it has a mag safety disconnect. Which is highly annoying.
 
Of all the pistols my wife has tried, she likes the Glock 17 the most. 1911 is a close second.

She is not a big fan of the P22 because it's trigger is longer and harder then either of the above. She shot my new Single Six well, but thinks revolvers are way too much work!

-= chuck
 
I picked up a used S&W Mod 422 last year and haven't looked back (inexpensive, plinker version of the 41). I don't think you can g o wrong with either a S&W (I'd look into a reveolver) or a Ruger (best reputation around if you can over the looks and weight).

Just my 2 cents!!
 
Thanks guys. Yeah, thoughts of starting her off with a revolver have crossed my mind....I've always wanted a Single-Six for myself! It would be a good excuse to start her off on it and then keep it for myself when she moves back up to a center-fire auto. Hmmmm.....
 
2000GM said:
Thanks guys. Yeah, thoughts of starting her off with a revolver have crossed my mind....I've always wanted a Single-Six for myself! It would be a good excuse to start her off on it and then keep it for myself when she moves back up to a center-fire auto. Hmmmm.....
Click to expand...

Try it before you buy one. I've got relatively small hands and still find the grips on the Single Six to be too small for me to shoot well. I've still got it, but my kids used to shoot it much more than I ever did, and I'm using it primarily with my granddaughters now.

Ken
 
I hear ya on those small grips on the Single Six.

Is the Browning Buckmark now available in MA?

Doesn't Beretta also make a "modernistic looking" .22?
 
2000GM, I've got a few .22s; if you'd like to meet up at Harvard some weekend, that'd be doable. I've got a couple of Rugers (Mk I and Mk II - sold the III; it was designed by a lawyer. [puke]), an S&W 617 revolver (10 shot) and just for fun, a Davis derringer and a Beretta 21A.
 

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