The Little 22.cal that could.

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Jeb Stuart

Jeb Stuart

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Yesterday, I realize I had some spare time on my hands, not much, but enough to head off the the local indoor range about 10 min. from my house. What to shoot? Thought about it for a minute and realized I had not done any point and shoot with the Little Phoenix in quite a while. Quickly loaded up about 6 magazines and headed out.
I have to say, someone looking for some fun on a budget, or even if you have large pockets, it is hard to find the amount of FUN this little 22.cal offers.
I love to shoot the small caliber guns and love point shooting over any kind of target shooting and this little gun will flat out perform.

I placed three 4" targets on a standard small B34 pistol target. Then as fast as I could, went from top to bottom to center. Pulling the trigger as fast as possible, what felt like pulling the trigger even before my eyes could land on the next target.

The little gun just performs. In the coming weeks I have decided to start going through the drills I have in the past, will eventually move down to 3" targets with a set of 9 of them on the B34. On a really good day, in he past I have nailed all nine.
Really hones the eye/hand control to target with THE SHORT BARREL LITTLE GUN

How can a $125.00 gun, and a box of cheap ammo be so much fun?
The Seabiscuit of 22.cal, ready to take on War Admiral.

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usp9 said:
I feel the same way about my Ruger SR22. Some times a gun just "clicks" with the user. Kismet I suppose.
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Yes, USP9, the SR22 is a fine 22.cal. I own one. However, I try and get the trainer closest to the gun I carry. The SR22 seems closer to a size pistol like the LC9S etc. I carry the Little Pico and am thinking about the Taurus Ply as a trainer to try and find something more to the size of the Pico and Kahr I own. I also love the LCR9mm and train with the LCR22..
However, after reading so much about the 642, I am thinking of pulling the trigger on one of those. There is a sale going on with the 642 Performance center model. I am going to the range today and rent one to see how it compares to my LCR. I did handle one yesterday and really liked the feel of it.
As far as the Phoenix, I am surprised owners of the Sig 238 and Kimber 380 do not jump all over the Phoenix as a trainer.

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Here is a similar drill done with my Pico.

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vu6kJOa.jpg These two guns are very similar to size weight and characteristics.

http://www.genitron.com/My-Handgun-List

By the way, I see you live in Bowling Green. Every deer hunted Fort AP hill?
 
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The Phoenix is a fun little gun. I can shoot mine when the long barrel is on it more accurately than my SR22. With the short barrel it's about equal between the two. I take that to mean that sight radius really does matter. :thumbdown: Mine is a range toy, not a trainer. I like to shoot reactive targets, small caliche rocks, soda cans and bottles, and steel swingers with it. I do pick up my trash when done except for the rocks.

I stick to standard velocity ammo in it and of the ones I've tried mine prefers CCI SV although I've haven't found anything that it isn't reliable with. I just get better accuracy with the CCI.
 
Pat Riot said:
How finicky is it about ammo?
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Runs like a top. Just standard ammo. I had three failures on the batch above. However it was not the ammo. It was when I hit the Mag release when using one of the short mags. I believe that happened from shooting so fast and moving the gun up or down. No problem, just did the drill and keep on churning the out.
The only time the gun slows down is when it starts to get dirty. Normally I bring both of mine to the range when I plan on doing a lot of shooting. Or just take a cue tip and clean it out periodically.
 
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I have the Phoenix HP22A, also. I bought it used a few months ago. Unfortunately, it has about one failure to fire with each magazine, regardless of the brand of ammo. The firing pin is hitting the rim, but apparently not hard enough or something.

Does anyone have experience with their customer service?
 
Tallball said:
I have the Phoenix HP22A, also. I bought it used a few months ago. Unfortunately, it has about one failure to fire with each magazine, regardless of the brand of ammo. The firing pin is hitting the rim, but apparently not hard enough or something.

Does anyone have experience with their customer service?
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The sell a small kit on Ebay, that includes a new firing pin and recoil spring. The customer service is great and they have a life time warranty.
By the way, the gun does not have last round hold open. I use to use a Colibre round to let me know when I fired the last shot so as to not bang the firing pin. I now use a Dry Wall anchor. Funny thing is, it feed if just fine.
 
Jeb Stuart, thanks for the heads-up. I ordered the kit just now. Other than the stupid safeties, I really do like the little pistol. I have been shooting at seven yards more often than 15 lately. The Buck Mark and K22 Masterpiece are kind of silly at seven yards. The HP22A is more appropriate for that distance, and I have shot it pretty well. It's just frustrating to have so many misfires. Doubtless that's why I got it for $84 barely used.

With reference to your user name, one of the reasons that the LGS owner and I hit it off is that we realized that our ancestors actually served together in the War Between the States.
 
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Tallball said:
Jeb Stuart, thanks for the heads-up. I ordered the kit just now. Other than the stupid safeties, I really do like the little pistol. I have been shooting at seven yards more often than 15 lately. The Buck Mark and K22 Masterpiece are kind of silly at the range. The HP22A is more appropriate for that distance, and I have shot it pretty well. It's just frustrating to have so many misfires. Doubtless that's why I got it for $84 barely used.

With reference to your user name, one of the reasons that the LGS owner and I hit it off is that we realized that our ancestors actually served together in the War Between the States.
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Tallball, as far as the ridiculous safeties, there is a fix, that you might already know of on the internet. Turns it into a standard firearm. And obviously this is not a carry gun. Glad I was able to help out. I have a feeling you have a worn striker or weak recoil spring. Yes my ancestors did fight for the South, but no relation to Jeb Stuart. I am a big history buff and have researched him in depth and am a big Fan. Even took off one night about 3 in the morning to visit where he was shot at "Yellow Tavern". Virginia is rich in Civil War history.
Good luck with your kit for the Phoenix. Let me know how it goes.
 
I bought one in 2009. I was quite impressed with it when I got it to the range. I find it even a bit more enjoyable than my Ruger Mk-II, the later being a bit "too easy."

I've only run MiniMags through mine. Never had an issue. Used it also as one of a few "orientation" guns when I introduced my wife to handguns a few years back, though she gravitated more toward the Taurus PT22 that was also present.
 
MedWheeler said:
I bought one in 2009. I was quite impressed with it when I got it to the range. I find it even a bit more enjoyable than my Ruger Mk-II, the later being a bit "too easy."

I've only run MiniMags through mine. Never had an issue. Used it also as one of a few "orientation" guns when I introduced my wife to handguns a few years back, though she gravitated more toward the Taurus PT22 that was also present.
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It is definitely a great trainer for fast action point and shoot. And it has a excellent trigger. I am thinking about a tauras PT22 or the Ply for more of a double action. I really do enjoy the LCR22 as well. Yes, a few lbs of heavier trigger, it is surprising how fast you can adjust to it. I also enjoy shooting he BERSA THUNDER. Love the feel of the grip. it was a pistol I almost chucked because of the many failures I had. It really was a Jam a Matic. Then I read where a gun cut three or four of the recoil spring down and I did the the same. Shoots great now, and will even shoot a lot of standard velocity ammo which it never did before.

iNGc6II.jpg
 
^^ Just got me one of those, too, but have not shot it yet. Only been maybe two weeks or so. Had been wanting one; found this "duotone" one for sale, LNIB, with even its factory test shell, for $175. Looking forward to it.
 
My brother has a little Phoenix .22 and he loves it. I have a small FEG AP .22 caliber which is quite fun to shoot. Another favorite is a Norinco copy of the German Olympia .22 which is a fine piece to shoot.
 
Isn't the phoenix limited to standard velocity .22s? Thought I'd read high and hyper velocity rounds can damage it and part of the reason I've held off getting one.
 
sarge83 writes:

I have a small FEG AP .22 caliber which is quite fun to shoot.
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I have one of those, too, an Interarms-imported, all-steel model from about 1998. What a nicely-crafted and deep-blued gun it is. And, yes, it's pretty fun at the range. However, that DA pull almost requires a locomotive! Mine also won't chamber a round manually from a fully-loaded magazine; I have to chamber the first round before filling up the magazine. If it's already chambered, then I can reliably run a full (eight rounds) magazine without any problems. I recently got another magazine off an eBay seller, but I haven't tried it yet.
 
Tallball writes:

I have a Taurus PT22. The DAO trigger is a little longer/stiffer than I would prefer, but it's a pretty little thing and functions well. I can't remember what I paid for it used, but it wasn't much.
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I like mine, too. Bought it used in 2012 (1998 manufacture) for $160. I find it kind of handsome, too. Liked it enough to pay about that again in 2015 for a 1996-manufacture one in .25 Auto. Oh, and another one in .25 and stainless about a year and a half ago.

But... none of them are the super-rare left-handed version you've got..! :D
 
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somethingbenign writes:

Isn't the phoenix limited to standard velocity .22s? Thought I'd read high and hyper velocity rounds can damage it and part of the reason I've held off getting one.
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I've heard that, too, but I cannot remember what, if anything, the manual for mine said about it. I'd definitely steer clear of the HHV stuff (Stingers and Velocitors.) I've never tried SVs in mine, but I've heard others say theirs works with them.
 
Back in my college days ya could get a jennings J-22 for under 40.00 and 15.00 a brick .22 ammo I bought a few of the little jennings after my forst worked so well. We used to hit pop cans pretty regularly when we were out shooting our other stuff. I still have one and it was still working last time I had it out... some guys hated em. I always had decent luck with mine. I have heaard good things about the lil phoenix
 
I know a few friends that shoot High velocity ammo. but do not shoot HYPER velocity. That said, there is no need to shoot anything but standard. The Federal in the Pic above shoots very nicely. CCI standard etc. The Federal in the Blue Box has always been a favorite of mine.

**Yes, the manual does state to use only standard ammo.
 
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The manual says to use only standard velocity ammo. I have read of a couple of cracked frames after a steady diet of hi-vel over on that rimfire forum.
 
My dad used to have a Jennings that would put a full magazine into a palm-sized group at 15 yards in rapid fire, and it fed just about everything. A gun shop guru told him the Jennings product was prone to exploding, so Dad peddled it. I wish he'd sold it to me, really.
 
question for the crowd: how does the jimenez compare to the phoenix in 22lr? i would like a range toy smaller than a ruger sr22.
 
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