best 22 pistol under 500 ???

[alexsavage81]

ok i am tired of paying out the nose to feed need my guns "s&w686 and my 9mm my 1911 is a whole another rant" so i am looking for something in 22lr i have looked at the beretta neos, browning buckmark, ruger mk3 or 22-45 did i miss any good ones just something to plink with but still hit what i am aiming at

any ideas guys?

 

[greener]

I've been looking for the "best" .22 for under $500. So far, I haven't found it, but have ended up with a Ruger MKIII Hunter, MKIII 22/45, MKII GC, Buck Mark Standard, S&W 22A, Walther P22 and Ruger Single Six. I've ended up with a case of RHADD (Rimfire Handgun Attention Deficit Disorder) because I can't decide which one to take shooting. My opinion on the ones I have.

S&W 22A: Reliable, well-built and easy to shoot accurately. Not much in the way of after-purchase upgrades. You can buy barrels and grips. Comes with integral optics rail. Mine shoots more consistently with standard velocity ammo. If you haven't looked at the 22A it is worth a look.

Ruger MK's and 22/45: Reliable, well-built and easy to shoot accurately. Target models come with optics rail. If you want to tinker and tweak, the Ruger after market seems to be unlimited. You can't modify the grips on the 22/45 without major surgery to the pistol.

Buck Mark: Reliable, well-built and easy to shoot accurately. Probably the least sensitive to ammo. Maybe the best out-of-the-box trigger. After market tweaks are limited. Most BM models come with one magazine and the optics rail is an additional purchase (add about $60 to get to what you buy with the 22A and Rugers.) If it matters, the optics rail replaces the rear sight, so you can't remove the optics and shoot with open sights.

Single-Six: If you like wheel guns, this on is a joy.

P22: It has the others beat in the light, small and "cute" category. Fun to shoot. However, the pistol is a notch below the others in design, materials of construction and (my) ability to shoot accurately. I've had to completely disassemble mine and do some serious parts polishing to prevent the trigger bar ears from eating the zinc slide. I still need to work on the extractor, because it does a fine job of throwing shell casings back toward my face or down my shirt.

With the Rugers, 22A and Buck Marks it's a matter of fit, feel and what you want to do with the pistol. I'd put them all in a "can't go wrong" box.

 

[BENELLIMONTE]

My opinions on the .22cals I own(hopefully this helps you):

Browning Buckmark; moderately priced(280), great accuracy, excellent quality of craftsmanship and materials.
One the best pistols for what you pay.

Heritage "Rough Rider"; SA pistol w extra .22mag cylinder.
Inexpensive(not cheap), fairly accurate for the price (180),
decent quality considering the low price.

Ruger MK3 stainless steel "Hunter"; high price (470), excellent accuracy, excellent quality of
materials/craftsmanship. However, I have more problems
w FTF and FTE than any other pistol I own. This is also the most difficult to breakdown for cleaning.

S&W 22A Sporter; lower priced (210), great accuracy, decent quality & materials, occasional FTF & FTE.

Sigarms/Hammerli "Trailside"; I think so highly of this pistol that I bought a second one when I heard rumors that Sigarms was no longer going to manufacture these.
Moderately high priced (350), as good and perhaps a bit better accuracy than my MK3, excellent craftsmanship but has too many plastic parts, never any problems with the functioning of this pistol, easiest take down of all my pistols.

 

[Frandy]

I have owned (or shot extensively) all the .22s mentioned so far except the P22 because I'm not that fond of it. I still own a Ruger Super Single Six, a Ruger Hunter, and the Sig/Hammerli Trailside.

Despite all the complaints (some justified) about the discontinued Trailside, it remains my favorite among those I've owned or shot.

Sigarms/Hammerli "Trailside"; I think so highly of this pistol that I bought a second one when I heard rumors that Sigarms was no longer going to manufacture these.
Moderately high priced (350), as good and perhaps a bit better accuracy than my MK3, excellent craftsmanship but has too many plastic parts, never any problems with the functioning of this pistol, easiest take down of all my pistols.

My sentiments exactly.

 

[greyling22]

I've got a mkII and a buckmark. the buckmark shoots fine when clean, but get it a little dirty and hello problems. I don't know how many time I have taken a FTF out of that think and put it in my mkII and it shot fine. the ruger never has problems, other than being stupid tricky to put back together.

I think the ruger is a better gun, but the browning feels better. but suit yourself. I've got an aunt psychiatrist who says nobody takes advice anyway. they just do what they want. she'sprolly right.

 

[Geno]

Why not buy a new .22LR upper for your .45 and use it? I have the Kimber .22LR upper for my 1911s.

Doc2005

 

[LubeckTech]

The Rugers are the best at any price!! I once found (yes, found believe it or not!!) a S&W model 41 at an old strip mine pond where I used to shoot so I shot it against my six and seven eights inch barrelled target model Ruger Mark I while I waited for the owner of the S&W to return. I was amazed at how much better I liked my $275.00 Ruger than the $650.00 (1983 prices) S&W. The Ruger had a better trigger, didn't jam no matter what I fed it and consistantly put holes in floating cans but the S&W didn't do any of these things as well as the Ruger or very well at all for that matter. The owner never returned that day or any day that week. I checked it out with the loacal Sheiff's department who did not believe it to be stolen so I showed it to everyone I knew to see if they knew who lost it - I taped over the serial number because anyone claiming it would have to tell me the SN as proof of ownership. After six months I traded it for a car and have NO regrets!