What Happened to the Small Frame 22 Revolvers?

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Frankly I resent the accusation. I don't accuse other members of having a financial interest in Charter Arms or Taurus or Heritage Arms just because they have launched a staunch defense of these brands. I don't claim that they own stock in these companies or that they have a business that sells these guns. While you claim that you are just jerking my chain, I don't buy it.

I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them.

Ease up off the throttle partner.
The fact is that every single time a member posts anything positive about a gun that isn't a Ruger you go on a rant about how their gun is inferior to a Ruger.
Buy all the Rugers you want. Hell I will probably buy more of them too. However Ruger is not the be-all and end-all of revolvers. They make a great product for their price point but so do many other manufacturers.
If a member here is satisfied with their non Ruger purchase then I'm happy for them. You should be too. At the end of the day we are all on the same team.
BTW I am wearing my Ruger T shirt right now.
 
Ease up off the throttle partner.
The fact is that every single time a member posts anything positive about a gun that isn't a Ruger you go on a rant about how their gun is inferior to a Ruger.
Buy all the Rugers you want. Hell I will probably buy more of them too. However Ruger is not the be-all and end-all of revolvers. They make a great product for their price point but so do many other manufacturers.
If a member here is satisfied with their non Ruger purchase then I'm happy for them. You should be too. At the end of the day we are all on the same team.
BTW I am wearing my Ruger T shirt right now.

Nice try. I am not going to be accused of having a financial interest in a company and just let it slide.
You are in the wrong here.
And here you are again claiming things that are not true.
I never claimed that Ruger was the begin-all and end-all of firearms.
That's YOU putting words in my mouth.
I own all kinds of guns. Marlin, Winchester, Colt, Uberti, Thompson Center. You name it.
Ruger is only one brand that I own, just like you.
So, ease up on the false accusations there "partner".
Put a sock in it.
 
Nice try. I am not going to be accused of having a financial interest in a company and just let it slide.
You are in the wrong here.
And here you are again claiming things that are not true.
I never claimed that Ruger was the begin-all and end-all of firearms.
That's YOU putting words in my mouth.
I own all kinds of guns. Marlin, Winchester, Colt, Uberti, Thompson Center. You name it.
Ruger is only one brand that I own, just like you.
So, ease up on the false accusations there "partner".
Put a sock in it.

Ok I'll let it go. I can see that your blood pressure is about to get this thread closed.
Have a great evening and happy shooting.
 
Ok I'll let it go. I can see that your blood pressure is about to get this thread closed.
Have a great evening and happy shooting.

I am not upset in the least. I am simply adamant that I will not be silent when I am accused of things which are not true.
However, you are again making an unfounded assumption that I am angry and unreasonable.
Like I said: I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them.
Have a good evening.
 
Not a double action but Colt New Frontier is still one of my favorite .22's...and somewhat on the small side.

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Ruger .22 Bearcat...also on the smaller side (but not small) but of course not double action.

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1937 Colt Official Police .22...bigger frame of course but a great shooter.

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Early Charter arms Pathfinder .22...meets the thread criteria.

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I couldn't resist. NAA .22. Small but single action of course...willing to go anywhere easily.

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If you all think being Made in America is the last word in quality, you need to look at one of the new Marlin lever actions, Made by Remington. I have a good one, but there are lots that are a POS.
 
I have heard the latest versions of Remington made Marlins are far better than the earlier guns. I have two JM Marlins, a 357 made in 2002 and a 44 mag made in 2004 IIRC. The 357 was a very poorly fitted gun that had a rough action. It took a lot of polishing and fitting to make it right. Plus I had to make a tool to knock the sharp edge off the back of the barrel so SWC bullets wouldn't hang up on it.

The 44 mag was smooth but shot 5" groups at 100 yards even with a scope. The forearm was too long and was jammed on the gun so hard that the screws in the forend cap were almost cross threaded. So I refitted the forearm and even bedded the barrel channel. Now it shoots 2" to 2.5" groups. About all you will normally get from these guns.

So no, just because it says "American Made" does not guarantee a perfect gun. But it does mean that the odds of it being well made are much better. I have owned several Taurus revolvers and most were close to as good as my S&W made guns. They were worth the price I paid for them. I just bought a Taurus TCP380 and in the 50 rounds I have fired its been perfect. Except for the pretty stiff recoil. A 380 fired from a 10oz gun is surprisingly sharp.:eek:
 
I enjoy trying to find good deals on firearms, and I spent several years trying to find a 22 caliber revolver that I liked. I went through a bunch of them. As long as I got them used and cheap, I didn't lose very much money on most of them. I enjoy trying out different firearms. (Keep in mind, all of this is strictly anecdotal, and most of these revolvers were purchased used.)

I had two Taurii, a Tracker and a Model 94. I liked the Tracker quite a bit. It had an ingenious method for switching out 22lr and 22magnum cylinders. It was accurate. It had nice sights. The SA trigger was decent. However, the DA trigger was atrocious. The Model 94 was similar. Not a bad revolver, but the DA trigger was horrible.

I had a cute little old-fashioned Rossi. It was a Model 511 or something like that. It was like a little kit gun, stainless with adjustable sights. I really wanted to like it. However, one or two of the cylinders were inaccurate. I shot it alone and with a friend, and the results were always the same for both of us: four or five holes in a nice little group, then one or two fliers.

My High Standard was the same. It had a very nice trigger. I even lucked into the superior version with the steel frame. I took it shooting with the same friend (a very good shot) with the same results. One or two of the cylinders always produced fliers. Between the Rossi and the High Standard we even figured out which cylinders were faulty, but I didn't feel like spending anything to try to get them working better.

I got a nice little 4" H&R/NEF. It had fixed sights. It worked fine, but the sights were tiny and the DA trigger was awful.

I got a Rough Rider on a Black Thursday sale for $99. After examining it closely, I really didn't like the fit and finish. The plastic ejector rod lever really turned me off. I probably should have given it a chance, but I grew up with a Single Six, and the Heritage just seemed like a cheaper, poorer quality imitation. I didn't like the trigger, either. I got more for it in trade than I paid for it, so no complaints. I probably should have at least shot it a bit to give it a chance, but that would have instantly hurt its trade value.

Oh, and I got a little SA "Buffalo Scout" made by Tanfoglio that wasn't too bad. It had a cheap little unnecessary safety and the sights weren't much. It wasn't terrible to shoot. I ended up giving it to a friend who didn't have a 22lr revolver and really wanted one. Somehow she dry-fired it to death within a month or two. She used snap caps, but managed to wear out the load-bearing surfaces on the cylinder, or something like that.

I thought a 3" LCRx would solve my problems and was incredibly disappointed. The DA trigger was way worse than the one on my LCR 38 special, and I shot it poorly (unlike the 38). That was the most disappointing one of the lot. (I have owned and disliked two center-fire SP-101's, so I never even considered getting one of those.)

Finally I lucked into a S&W K22 Masterpiece at an outrageously good price. It had the best DA trigger that I'd ever shot up until that time (my recently-acquired Model 28 might be slightly better). Its finish was worn and it had the wrong grips, but I didn't care. It has a 6" barrel and I will never be as accurate as it is. Different friends keep trying to buy it from me. Did I mention that I got a fabulous deal on it? I traded the Tracker in soon after that, realizing that I would never shoot it again.

Around that time period I found a Single Six with damaged finish and missing a small part. Again, the price was outrageously low. After $20 and some elbow grease, it shot as good as new. It has a 6.5" barrel. It isn't quite as accurate as the K22, but the sights are also a little smaller. After I shot it the first time I gave the Tanfoglio to my friend; I knew that I would never shoot it again.

I also decided I wanted a 22lr snubby for shorter ranges and plinking around on my BiL's property. I've owned three CA revolvers and liked them, so decided to take a chance on a 2" fixed-sight Pathfinder. I like it. The DA and SA triggers have that weird Charter Arms "cap gun feel", but seem about the same as my centerfire versions. The short barrel and small fixed sights are a bit challenging for me, but I shoot it reasonably well regardless. It seems like a decent little revolver.



 
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If you all think being Made in America is the last word in quality, you need to look at one of the new Marlin lever actions, Made by Remington. I have a good one, but there are lots that are a POS.

Quite true about the Marlins made just after the takeover and until the last year or two. They were largely terrible.

However, now I own two of the 1894 Remington Marlins made this year and the quality is much, much better than it was.
The sights are on straight and not canted. The dovetails are tight. The screws are all installed correctly. The wood fits well. The machining is precise. The fit & finish & functioning is as good or better than the JM specimens. That said, the trigger pulls are a bit heavy.

I used to say that I would never buy another Marlin but now I own two because the quality has improved so much.

You can't make a general statement about all U.S. guns being superior or inferior to all foreign guns. It depends on the maker and the price point.
 
Isn't that sort of what you did in posts 68/69? Maybe I'm just reading them wrong.

You are correct. You are reading them wrong.
The operative word was "cheap".
Obviously nobody is going to claim that a Sig Sauer pistol is inferior to anything that any maker produces. And the price reflects that.
But a Star or an Astra or a bunch of other cheap foreign made semi-auto pistols are inferior to American made pistols. And the price reflects that.

What's with all the hate for American made guns?
Seems a little unpatriotic.
 
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But a Star or an Astra or a bunch of other cheap foreign made semi-auto pistols are inferior to American made pistols. And the price reflects that.
I guess you haven't owned any Star or Astra pistols. That's all I need to say. Your words define you.
 
Regarding .22 revolvers...

I am interested in buying a .22lr revolver. I currently have an S&W model 17-3 6.5” that’s a good stablemate for my 19-4.

I have an H&R 686 convertible with a 7.5” barrel that my grandson loves to plink with. This one was a gift from a friend.

I used to own a Ruger Single Six convertible that I sold. Accuracy with .22lr was mediocre at best. With .22 Magnum it was okay. The bore was cut for the magnum not the lr.

I also owned a High Standard Sentinel Mk IV In .22 Magnum. It was a 9 shot that originally had a snubbie 2” barrel. I installed a 4” barrel on it. It belonged to my Dad. I inherited it after he died. My sister now has it.

When I started reading this thread I was looking for info on what others thought about different.22 revolvers. I was considering a Ruger DA but I think that idea has been squashed.

I was also leaning towards a S&W 317 until I saw one that had been used quite a bit and the aluminum really can get horrid looking.

The one gun I had not considered was a S&W 63. From what I am reading here folks that have them really like them.

I did look at the Charter Arms Pathfinder online but good luck finding one in a store in my area.

I am limited as I live in California.
.22 LR Revolvers with barrels linger than 2” and shorter than 6” in CA
S&W 317 3”
S&W 617 4”
S&W 63 3”
Ruger SP101 4”
Ruger LCRx 3”
Charter 2000 Pathfinder 4”
 
Regarding .22 revolvers...

I am interested in buying a .22lr revolver. I currently have an S&W model 17-3 6.5” that’s a good stablemate for my 19-4.

I have an H&R 686 convertible with a 7.5” barrel that my grandson loves to plink with. This one was a gift from a friend.

I used to own a Ruger Single Six convertible that I sold. Accuracy with .22lr was mediocre at best. With .22 Magnum it was okay. The bore was cut for the magnum not the lr.

I also owned a High Standard Sentinel Mk IV In .22 Magnum. It was a 9 shot that originally had a snubbie 2” barrel. I installed a 4” barrel on it. It belonged to my Dad. I inherited it after he died. My sister now has it.

When I started reading this thread I was looking for info on what others thought about different.22 revolvers. I was considering a Ruger DA but I think that idea has been squashed.

I was also leaning towards a S&W 317 until I saw one that had been used quite a bit and the aluminum really can get horrid looking.

The one gun I had not considered was a S&W 63. From what I am reading here folks that have them really like them.

I did look at the Charter Arms Pathfinder online but good luck finding one in a store in my area.

I am limited as I live in California.
.22 LR Revolvers with barrels linger than 2” and shorter than 6” in CA
S&W 317 3”
S&W 617 4”
S&W 63 3”
Ruger SP101 4”
Ruger LCRx 3”
Charter 2000 Pathfinder 4”

I have a S&W 63 (4" barrel, six-shot model) I bought used from a friend back in 1980. It's still as rock-solid reliable and accurate as the day HE bought it. :) Being a .22LR would give me pause, but it still makes my short list of "the one handgun I would keep if I could only keep one." :)

I like the 317 (bottom) okay -- but I would consider it as something to fill out a collection, versus something I was planning on as being one of the cornerstones of my inventory. At least with the HiViz sight, pin-point accuracy is wanting (it is for me, anyway). It IS extraordinarily light and handy. If you decided to go with a 317, I would heartily endorse getting it with either a ramp or Patridge front sight (or something a little more precise than the HiViz).

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The 317 is a cool little gun, but I feel it is meant to be carried a lot and shot a little.
I don't think it makes a good candidate as a "one and only" or high-volume .22 revolver.


My advice would be to get a model 63 if you can swing it. I don't own one, but I have one of the newer SP-101s and I like it fine; others not so much. YMMV.
 
Thank you J Frame and tubeshooter.

Sorry if I am highjacking the thread, but it appeared to be headed down a different path anyway...

I find that the “CA LEGAL” S&W 617s have 10 round capacity but are not really very small. They are on a K Frame. The 63 and the 317 are on a J Frame and have an 8 round capacity.
The 10 round capacity is attractive but the weight of 39 or 44 ounces (4” vs 6” barrel) is not.
The 63 is 24 ounces.
The 317 is 11.7 ounces.

I agree about the “Hi-Viz” sight. Not a big fan but they do stand out...until the fiber falls out or gets knocked out, which has happened to me twice with rifle sights. I think I would go with a ramp and the old school oranger insert or something similar.

A lot will depend on availability. These guns may be legal in CA but that doesn’t mean they’ll be available when I decide to pull the trigger on buying one. It may come down to “a bird in the hand” situation. A gun in stock vs ordering and waiting. We’ll see. Thank you.
I am leaning towards the model 63. It makes the most sense to me.
 
You can't go wrong with the 63. Mine is an older 6 round model.
I pretty much agree. Some people have said that they get dirty quickly and being smaller, the dirt affects bullet seating in the cylinder. I like the M63 Smiths; I own a 3" and 5". I like the 5" but it was a bear to find a holster for it that I liked and fit a 5" barrel versus 6" barrel. Both are fun to shoot and have become my go to DA 22 revolvers. I have a couple Smith M17's and M18's and Colts. (Never bought a 617.) Don't shoot my Colts any more. They will get sold off to a collector or someone who simply wants a Colt. The Ruger LCR... is fun to plink with but that is about it. Get a M63. They are good 22 revolvers and worth the price. The aren't light, but will last a lifetime. There are 4" versions around and there are M34's. Saw a nice 4" M34 a week or so ago at a gun shop (asking $650 for it). I passed but the price was really not out of line as far as I'm concerned.

I don't really recommend any of the Ruger steel framed DA 22 revolvers. I was excited when the new SP-101 came out... it's another dud as far as I'm concerned. The GP is a good revolver overall (heavy factory trigger) and after the dust settled with introduction, the reviews are mixed. I have too many 22's to buy a GP to mess with.
 
I pretty much agree. Some people have said that they get dirty quickly and being smaller, the dirt affects bullet seating in the cylinder. I like the M63 Smiths; I own a 3" and 5". I like the 5" but it was a bear to find a holster for it that I liked and fit a 5" barrel versus 6" barrel. Both are fun to shoot and have become my go to DA 22 revolvers. I have a couple Smith M17's and M18's and Colts. (Never bought a 617.) Don't shoot my Colts any more. They will get sold off to a collector or someone who simply wants a Colt. The Ruger LCR... is fun to plink with but that is about it. Get a M63. They are good 22 revolvers and worth the price. The aren't light, but will last a lifetime. There are 4" versions around and there are M34's. Saw a nice 4" M34 a week or so ago at a gun shop (asking $650 for it). I passed but the price was really not out of line as far as I'm concerned.

I don't really recommend any of the Ruger steel framed DA 22 revolvers. I was excited when the new SP-101 came out... it's another dud as far as I'm concerned. The GP is a good revolver overall (heavy factory trigger) and after the dust settled with introduction, the reviews are mixed. I have too many 22's to buy a GP to mess with.

I would agree that my 63 can get dirty fast, but it Will still load and shoot fine.

I have mine a good cleaning the other day and it looks brand new. Not bad for a gun made in 1997.

And Like you said it will last a life time.
 
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