Jimenez JA22?

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Kiln

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I know these are super cheap zamak pistols with a so-so reputation. I am considering buying one anyways as a cheap plinker. I have been hearing decent reviews lately and several people talking about good reliability after a break in or fluff n' buff.

Any first hand experience with them? I'm not interested in second hand "friend of a friend said" or "gun blew up" but I do want thoughts and opinions. Even if you think they are garbage that is fine.

Intended use is casual shooting alongside my other more expensive firearms and occasional use as a tackle box gun. No I don't intend to use it for defense against any type of predator.
 
You are going to get a bunch of contradictory posts here. I would say if the price and the expectation are reasonable, then go for it.
 
DO NOT buy a Jimenez. Save up another $100 - $200 and get something decent (unless you are into throwing money down the toilet.)
 
If you know it's junk, and you never intend to use it for serious work... I don't see why not. I have several firearms that I never use whose primary purpose is for show and tell and classes.

Plus, if you drop it out of the boat you won't really cry over it.
 
Well, they're more reliable than anything made by DiamondBack, but that's not saying much. While I don't have first-hand experience, a number of people on here have had decent luck with them for as long as they last. Eventually they crack, but they often work okay for a good while. It's your choice whether or not you think it's worth it, and I'm not going to try to sway you either way.
 
i like these guns my ja22 was horrible the first time i took it out. after i took it home i cleaned it and cycled rounds through it for a while. now it works great for 5 or 6 magazines the it starts to have issues frombeing dirty. QC is the main issue with these guns but they come with a lifetime warranty so for 100 why not try one out?
 
If you know it's junk, and you never intend to use it for serious work... I don't see why not.
Click to expand...


On the other hand, if you know it's junk and you never intend to use it for serious work, why would you waste your money?

The OP said he already has more expensive guns, so it's not a matter of that being all he can afford. I have nicer guns too, and if I found one for $20, I would say no thanks. But that's just me. It's your money Kiln, do what you want.
 
I like mine, but I don't pound thousands of rounds through it. I've had it for well over two decades (was sold under the Jennings name back then.) I had one failure; the gun stripped itself down during a session of Stinger-shooting, before I learned you're not supposed to use hyper-vel rounds in these cheap guns.
Most small .22LR guns have issues with subsonic or standard-velocity ammo, but run well with CCI MiniMags. Mine is no exception.
Personally, if you want an inexpensive small .22LR, you might enjoy the somewhat more-expensive Phoenix HP22A a little more. I have both guns, and the Phoenix is a real treat to shoot. It's very accurate and holds ten rounds. It also has an external hammer. The only quirk is its multiple safeties, but I don't carry the gun as a defense piece, so I don't use them. It's only loaded when I'm shooting it.
 
Actually hyper velocity ammo is fine and is actually recommended for the Ja22. The common reason the gun disassembles itself is the takedown button not being fully seated.

Two guys over on the Jennings forums put 10,000+ rounds through each of theirs and carefully documented the number and type of ammunition used. The majority of the ammo used was high velocity and they still lasted 10,000 rounds before slide failures that were replaced under warranty. I know that 10,000 rounds isn't much with a .22lr pistol but it is impressive for a $120 gun that everyone used to say wouldn't last a single mag of high velocity ammo without self destructing.
 
with a good hyper velocity round like a yellowjacket or viper they are fun guns to say the least.

id like to be able to find one under $100.00 in chrome finish.
 
I have a Jennings J-22 that I've run for several thousand rounds at this point, very fun little gun. My only problem is that my extractor has lost its oomph and barely works anymore. I just did some googling and couldn't find what I was looking for, can anyone link me to a website or e-mail or phone number to take advantage of their customer service? I'd love to send it back to them for some factory lovins
 
Jimenez.....Two weeks ago I took my brother to the local gun show to try and sell his several months old NIB and unfired Jimenez 380 or do a trade for a Kel-Tec P3AT.
Most of the dealers will make trades on pistols or will at least buy it even if they low ball you on price.
None to a man would even consider buying it or trading it at any price.
I told my brother it's as if this thing has Aids or something.
That day spoke volumes to me about Jimenez firearms and then after looking at a Youtube video of how to break it down to clean,because the owners manual does not tell you, I knew then what a dog he had foolishly purchased without talking to older brother first.
Let someone else buy them.
 
Unfortunately, Jennings was shut down by a bunch of frivolous lawsuits (back when you could sue a gun company if their guns were used in a crime) but the company re-opened and is now called Jimenez Arms. I don't think they'll perform warranty work on original Jennings guns but luckily for you, parts are still readily available for the J22 and are still very cheap.

Check out Numrich gun parts, they have the extractor for about $6 and the spring for $2. This way is waaay cheaper than shipping to a factory anyways.
 
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