Walther P22: Yea or Nay???

Consider something else. I've owned one for eight years and wish I'd have saved my money. Ammo sensitive, with a barrel that's prone to loosening up every couple hundred rounds, sights falling off, not what I expected from the name. Maybe the newer ones address this, but based on my experience, don't go there.

Get a Walther PPQ M2 .22.

I guess it depends on what you intend to use the thing for. Plinking or serious? If serious just for the barrel length alone I would look elsewhere. As far as ammo I have M41s, Victories and MkIIIs and all of them are/were ammo picky and all took a bit of tinkering to get to function flawlessly.

I've had two, one was stolen I assume, because I haven't seen it in years.

Iirc, S&W had something to do with them. Never had an issue with mine. It isn't an expensive feeling gun by any means. The one issue I have is the position of the mag release on the bottom of the trigger guard. It lends itself to getting hit by my finger on recoil.

I've run all sorts of ammo through it from rem golden bullets up to aguila super maximums.

I had one several years and it the single worst gun I’ve ever owned.
It had more failures than I could list, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

That said it was 8 or 9 years ago, they may be better now but no way I’ll risk it.

I bought two in the last 4 mo. and really like them. I think they are the upgraded models, P22Q. We've shot them a lot, hundreds of rounds and have the usual .22 issues.Like once in awhile FTE but for the most part will shoot anything I put thru it. Paid around $300. I think, traded for one even steven for a PPK/S.Hated that one,17# DA pull.Very picky on ammo.But yes go for it.

My son has one and it's been one of the most finicky, troublesome, and unreliable .22s I have ever encountered. Doesn't do well with most of the bulk .22 ammo, being much more fond of CCI MiniMags when it does get up and running. Requires frequent cleaning every 100 or so rounds and the barrel needs to be tightened every so often as well.

Run, do not walk, away from the Walther P22!

bannockburn said:

My son has one and it's been one of the most finicky, troublesome, and unreliable .22s I have ever encountered. Doesn't do well with most of the bulk .22 ammo, being much more fond of CCI MiniMags when it does get up and running. Requires frequent cleaning every 100 or so rounds and the barrel needs to be tightened every so often as well.

Run, do not walk, away from the Walther P22!

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How old is it?

jonb32248

Don't know for sure how old it is but he has had it for quite some time. Definitely an older version of the P22.

mgresh said:

Get a Walther PPQ M2 .22.

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This sums it all up.
My Walther PPQ M2 .22 is one of the most enjoyable handguns in my meager collection.

bannockburn said:

jonb32248

Don't know for sure how old it is but he has had it for quite some time. Definitely an older version of the P22.

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I understand that the new upgrades have resolved most those problems.I like my two and the barrels are so tight i can't remove them. Sorry yours have been a pain.

Redcoat3340 said:

I'm getting the impression one of the other two might be a better choice. Ruger has been making essentially the same model since they began and the Smith gets pretty good reviews. It's too bad. I like Walthers and this one would have fit nicely in with my others.

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Have you reviewed them on Youtube? Save time and ck. it out.

I've got one from 00/01. I have never had an issue with it.

I’ve had one for 10 years and really like it. It has more rounds through it than any of my other guns. The only problem that I had with it is that some Federal bulk ammo was too weak to cycle the slide back far enough to pick up the next round. I switched to Remington Golden Bullets and it works 100% now.

jonb32248

Not a problem for me as it's my son's gun and he gets to deal with it when he goes shooting. I'm amazed that with all of the issues he has with the gun, plus a heavy and gritty trigger, that he manages to get some halfway decent accuracy with it.

Isn't it a Umarex, actually?

Redcoat3340 said:

I'm getting the impression one of the other two might be a better choice. Ruger has been making essentially the same model since they began and the Smith gets pretty good reviews. It's too bad. I like Walthers and this one would have fit nicely in with my others.

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Check out the PPQ M2 .22. If you like your other Walther's and want one to fit in, it is a perfect choice. It is a great gun, and a significant upgrade from a P22.

My last handgun student brought a P22. . . and I have a hard time being polite talking about it. Craptastic little pistol.

The extractor relief on the barrel prevented the extractor from holding the rims, so it would only cycle hot CCI MiniMags. I fixed that, but I shouldn't have had to. Add a crap trigger, rough slide machining, and it's a total waste for what it costs.

Buy a Ruger Mk, preferably a MkII, and be happy.

I had a P22 years ago (older grip, easier take down model) that was fun to shoot. Very reliable. Only thing I didn't like about it was a pain to put back together with the barrel fixed to the frame. It got swiped by my ex after we split. And she ruined it, literally.

The Ruger SR22 is a very similar firearm to the P22 for you to consider. If I went out and bought a new 22 today it would be the PPQ22.

I have the latest model, the qd. Mine has been perfect with cci velocitors. Accurate for a plinker and very comfortable in my hand. The finish on the slide wore off quickly in spots but it is inexpensive. No other complaints.

I own an older Walther P22, a couple of Ruger Marks (II & III) and a handful of other .22 autos, so to summarize my take on what’s already been said...

If this will be your first or only .22 semiauto, get the Ruger or S&W; their quality control thru the decades is better and those guns are all metal. You’ll be happy.

If you’re adding to your .22 collection, get the Walther. It’s my wife’s favorite for plinking, and new shooters have always enjoyed it. But understand it’s not the same quality as the others and won’t last as long before needing some kind of maintenance or repair (we shot ours so much - several thousands of rounds- that we cracked the slide; Walther sent a replacement at no cost, so I’m still happy)

I had one it was very accurate and easy to carry. I got rid of it because it was made a pot metal and there started being reports of slides cracking. I do miss it. Was a fun gun.

Which of the more unreliable P22s were bought used, with unknown wear on mag/gun springs, corrosion, gunk accumulation, or tweaking by a previous "Bubba"? We can't assume that all were acquired brand-new.

A friend loaned me his seldom-used P22 ("Made in Germany") for a while and I've really enjoyed it. An extra guide rod 'extension' comes with new guns to allow much easier reassembly of the slide onto the recoil spring.
Using a mix of bulk Win., Rem., Federal ammo, it has had about 95% reliability or better.. Most of these isolated glitches were while stripping a round from the mags, and seem mostly with bulk Federal.

Last week I bought a brand-new retail store (German-made & German-proofed) "S&W M&P" .22. With a similar ammo mix it has also been 95%-98% reliable. This meets the objective of:
1) being economical fun and
2) an overall reliable (-for a .22-) practice handgun to reduce use of 9mm ammo.

I never tried more than a very limited amount of recommended CCI ammo with either the P22 or the "M&P" .22, but why worry about it for simple fun or practice?
** You need a few failure drills with a gun--Murphy's Law--and my 9mm handguns only needed this with that bizarre, truly crappy "Forged" 9mm ammo by Winchester, in the black/brown box (far Less reliable than any Russian Tula).