Mike OTDP
Member
How good are you at woodworking? There are a slew of Toz-35 free pistols on GunBroker, but the grips are blanks - you get a big block of wood and carve away anything that doesn't fit you. But they are true Olympic-grade pistols.
There are so many great options and a whole lot of good options. You'd said it would be your first handgun and you put a max budget, so value is at least a thought. I'd highly recommend a decent quality .22 with at least a 4" barrel. Don't worry about a target model until you a) know it's something you're actually going to like and b) convinced you can shoot better than your decent quality gun is capable, then move into the higher end. Only thing worse than a gun sitting around collecting dust is a really nice gun sitting around collecting dust. Even a Sig 1911 .22 or one of those GSG .22 1911. Large frame size and can be found pretty reasonably.Thanks for the responses. That Model 41 is nice, but a bit outside my price range. The Buckmarks look great too.
I like shooting a good .22 LR handgun. I've had several over the years, some of them are gone now but I still have my favorites. The model that I enjoy shooting the most and would be the last I'd voluntarily give up, is the Browning Medalist (or its standard-barreled sibling, the Belgium-built Challenger). If you are the type of guy who appreciates a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 more than you do a current model Ruger American or Savage Axis, the Belgium Brownings may appeal to you a lot more than do the Rugers, Buck Marks, Neos, and the like. That is, the Brownings may appeal to you beyond their outstanding accuracy and functionality. If you keep an eye out you can get a very nice one (not a museum quality one) for under $600. Here are three of them (two International Medalists with their slightly shorter barrels, and a standard Medalist without the forearm) along side some other 22s. These are what you can typically find in the $500-$600 range with a little diligence. For me, they are about 2x the cost of a Ruger or Buck Mark, about 4x the shooting enjoyment and satisfaction.I've never owned a handgun but am thinking of getting a 22 target pistol. I have big hands and you know what that means: big gloves. I am looking for something with some style to it, not just a boring black gun. Would like to keep it under $600. Any suggestions?
That's exactly why I think the Ruger Mark (in all its iterations) is such a great choice. You get a decent base pistol at an affordable price, and then you can choose from an incredible assortment of aftermarket enhancements.My opinion is that you buy a base pistol within your price range, and then upgrade/customize to your liking when you can afford to if at all.