Current best bang for your buck .22 handgun (used) under 300$?

[dallssheep]

I have been looking around locally for a budget .22 handgun (revolver or semi auto is not a big deal) for practicing fundamentals but have not seen any. I am about to start looking online. What would you guys suggest for one under or around the 300$ mark including an FFL fee? Are the Heritage SA revolvers any good?

 

[TennJed]

Ruger MK 22/45 can be had new for your price point and is hard to beat. For a revolver I would personally try to find a used Taurus/Rossi/Charter Arms before I would a Heritage. Nothing against them, but the other guns are made of better materials/steel

 

[CajunBass]

Keep an eye out in the used department. You can always find a good deal there. I bought this Ruger MK III, 22/45, with a 5.5" bull barrel, a couple of days ago for $219.00, with the box, papers, and all the stuff that came with it new.





These seem to be a bargan now. The newer ones with the replaceable grip panels are what everyone wants. This one had a couple of minor scratches, and needed a good cleaning, but otherwise, there wasn't a thing wrong with it.

I had a Heritage too. Not a bad gun for the money really but in a revolver, I'd look for an old High Standard Sentinel. I've seen them in the $200-250.00 range. Good guns. Alloy frame, windage adjustable sights, D/A-S/A, nine shots, about the size of a Smith & Wesson K-frame. I've owned a couple of them and kick my butt sometimes for selling them.

 

[BCRider]

Your money will by a better semi auto than it will a revolver. To get a revolver that is as good as a $300 semi auto you'd need to add on another $150 to $200.

Shop around for a Ruger Mk II or III. Also Browning Buckmarks are a great gun. And I wouldn't turn my nose away from a clean S&W 22a.

Another great oldie is the S&W 422 or 2206. I've got one of each and they've both proven to be worthy of being my "go to" rimfire handguns.

 

[SleazyRider]

Agree with CajunBass about buying used, but when it comes to new, I say Browning Buckmark all the way!

 

[Stony]

Picked up a S&W .22 Compact a while back and I can't believe how much fun I have been having with it. They weight almost nothing and it shoots like a champ. I have run everything from suppressed sub sonic to Stingers without a hiccup. I even screw on the suppressor and shoot hogs in the traps with it. I wish I could have had one years ago. Great as a holster gun to carry with you also.
A friend came over one day and shot it, and promptly bought one for each of his kids and one for him....they are that much fun.

 

[bannockburn]

New Beretta Neos for $249 would make for a decent choice in biggest bang for your buck.

 

[tuj]

Ruger MKII 5.5 if you can find one.

 

[anothernewb]

Buckmark could be had under 3 bills used. If you can find a used one.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

New Beretta Neos for $249 would make for a decent choice in biggest bang for your buck.

There's your winner right there. Great guns. I have a half dozen of them I use for basic pistol classes.

 

[Schwing]

New Beretta Neos for $249 would make for a decent choice in biggest bang for your buck.

Another +1 for the Neos. I own one as does my father and brother. They don't get a lot of press and most shooters don't know about them but they are the equal of any .22 semi-auto under $500. $249 is a realistic price for a new one.

 

[chicharrones]

Ruger MK III, 22/45, with a 5.5" bull barrel
View attachment 712778

It's real hard to do much better than that.

- It has very nice adjustable sights
- The mag release, safety etc., and bolt release are almost exactly like standard self defense handguns
- It eats up just about any ammo
- The trigger is pretty dang good from the factory
- It is very easy to shoot it accurately

 

[chicharrones]

I also like the Beretta Neos, but for different reasons than the Ruger 22/45.

Those are:
- Easy take down for breech end barrel cleaning.
- Optics mounting is a breeze with the ready to go rail. This gun is a red dot's friend.

 

[Tallball]

The Harrington & Richardsons tend to be nice old revolvers. I frequently see them for under $200. The NEF is the same design, but usually a little nicer.

I have heard good things about the old High Standard revolvers, too. They are typically something like $250-$300.

My favourite 22 revolver I ever had was an old Ruger Single Six. I'm not sure what a used one costs these days.

I would say the opposite: look for a revolver. 22 autos can be finicky about ammo. My 22 revolvers will eat any kind of ammo with no problems.

Send us pictures!

 

[MIL-DOT]

$300 is exactly what I paid a couple years ago at a gunshow for a nearly NIB Ruger Single Six made in the early 70's, and I've since seen some even cheaper.
I went with a revolver over a semi-auto largely because I wouldn't have to deal with the headaches of finding out "what ammo my pistol likes", plus, I could shoot damned near anything, rather than just expensive,hi-velocity CCI's, which a lot of semi-autos seem to prefer.
Unless you have a need to rip through a ton of ammo very quickly, revolvers make great 22 pistols, and they almost completely sidestep any reliability concerns.

 

[Milkmaster]

Ruger MKII 5.5 if you can find one.

Hard to beat! Just choose the all metal gun. Very durable!

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

Second the 22/45

 

[dallssheep]

Went to my one local gun shop and saw a beat up Ruger MK III, 22/45 for 450. Looks like im going to have to purchase online

 

[Steve CT]

Kind of a different opinion, but a Ruger SR-22 should be readily available at $300. I know it's not a "target" gun, but surprisingly accurate, and allows training on DA/SA auto as well, if something like that is a factor. I have a great Buckmark, but I really like shooting the SR-22 as well.

 

[weblance]

Went to my one local gun shop and saw a beat up Ruger MK III, 22/45 for 450. Looks like im going to have to purchase online

Thats ridiculous. you can get the base model 22/45, new, for around $300. Lemme guess... you live in New York, Jersey or California... or Massachusetts, Connecticut...

The BEST 22 pistols that are around $300 used, and cant be shot out, are the Ruger Mark(+22/45) the Neos, and the Buck Mark. Everyone is right who suggested those. The S&W 422 is a great gun, but IMHO is a little fragile, compared to the first three. Consider the Bersa Thunder 22. New = $300 and change. The Ruger SR22P can be had for $300 and change. The Taurus POLY PT-22 is under $280. The Phoenix HP22 Range Kit is a cool little 22 pistol. Comes with 3" & 5" barrels and is $185 new.

 

[TfflHndn]

Check out grabagun dot com, they have lots of new and a few used for under $300. I had a Phoenix that was a shootin' little bugger, and the Bersa looks good too. There are some S&Ws there... check it out and see if there's anything worth your while.

 

[dallssheep]

I live in Alaska. Where it costs extra to ship, and you cannot order ammo online without paying through the nose to barge it up. Better be a shipment of several hundred pounds to make it worth it.

I will continue my search on gunbroker and check out grabagun.


I am always super dissapointed with only having one shop in town that can charge whatever they want.


probably a long shot but any of you guys have an inexpensive plinker you want to get rid of?

 

[texasred777]

I've not had a lot of experience with most of the guns mentioned; but I have a Heritage Rough Rider .22lr/.22Mag that I really enjoy shooting. It's one of the nicest, accurate, and fun revolvers to shoot that I've ever had. This is a SA revolver. I think I paid about $169 for it new at the local gun shop about 3 years ago.
Also I have an Iver Johnson Sportsman .22lr. It's DA and I have a red dot mounted on it. Like it also. I bought it from a man in Pennsylvania, online, about 2 years ago for $200.
I traded about 4 weeks ago for a little Walther PPK/S .22lr. Gee! What a gun! I've had more fun with it than any auto I've ever had in my hands! It runs about $360. I haven't shot it enough to know if there are any 'faults' with it; but so far it's went 'bang' every time I've pulled the trigger. The recoil is so light that I can rapid fire a 10 shot mag, one handed, at about 20' and hold about a 5", maybe 6" pattern. I didn't actually measure it. I did that after shooting just one 10 shot mag through the little gun. With a little practice, I can probably improve a bit. Being able to hold patterns like that, I could use it for a CC! Small caliber, but if you put 5 or 6 in the head or chest, most bad guys are gonna run if they're still able; and not at me! lol My main carry is a little Bersa .380. I also have Taurus .357 mag that would probably stop a freight train!
Hope you come up with a great gun to your liking for a small price! Have fun choosing!

 

[Pyzon]

Do online retailers like Buds ship to an FFL in Alaska ?

Paying new retail plus for used, beat up stuff is hard, but you probably do not have much competition up there in terms of local retailers or pawn.

Last suggestion would be to print out listings on GunBroker or Armslist to present to the local dealer and see that they might say. They may be assuming you don't know how to buy online.

 

[Milt1]

I picked up a Ruger MKII at a small gun store several towns away that had just opened. I looked at it in the display case when I went in but really didn't pay it much attention until I was getting ready to leave. I looked at it again and I thought the tag attached read $200.00 but wasn't sure and couldn't see it that well. I asked the clerk and he said $200 was the price. I ended up with it at $200 and no tax. I put an adjustable rear sight on it and did a trigger mod. It's the most accurate pistol that I own. I shot one five shot group at 25 yds from a hand held rest that measured under an inch and many close to that. It's the tapered barrel Mark II in case an Ruger fans are interested. Love that pistol!