The joy of the .22 handgun

[BluesBear]

Greyrock... I think I might hate you.




Naw... But I do hate the guy that sold it to you because he didn't sell it to me first.

I saw a reasonably nice condition 3rd variation this past weekend for $750.
Which I though was too high for the condition since I recently saw 2nd Var in 99% for $800 at a local dealer. (It sold in less than two weeks.)

 

[Onmilo]

Colt Match Target pistols make me warm and fuzzy.
That said, just remember Woodsman/Huntsman pistol magazines aren't the best design going and the gun is long out of production.

As a collectable, Colt .22 auto pistols are wonderful.
As a serious shooting pistol in the modern era they really aren't practical any more.

 

[Grayrock]

I bought a replacement magazine for my Colt and it is a little different design than the original mag. It works smoother and loads more easily and is stainless and cost me less than $20!! I need to buy some more of them.

Curious, though- why are you of the opinion that they aren't practical anymore? Upon what basis are you coming to that conclusion?

 

[MCgunner]

I don't have any expensive .22s. I have a favorite, a Rossi M511 Sportsman "kit gun" style revolver. That thing is awesome accurate. The SA trigger is fantastic. The DA trigger is rough, but good for practicing DA. I shoot this gun, mostly DA, about every range session and it's a fantastic little field carry gun in .22. This little gun is amazingly of decent quality, all stainless, pachmayr compac grip. I guess this is my favorite shooter of all of my .22s.

The rest are:

NAA mini in folding "holster grip" -- go everywhere always there gun.

Charter arms Explorer 2 -- reliable, accurate take down pistol that's ugly as sin and has a terrible trigger. It was cheap, 70 bucks brand new. I'd sell it, but why? I couldn't get more'n I gave for it. It's just kinda cool fun.

Ramline Exactor -- An out of production all plastic gun to make the 1911 anti-plastic crowd... ... It's very light, quite accurate, reliable with quality ammo (misfires with Federal lightening). I've shot squirrels with it. It has a good trigger and shoots about as well as a Ruger, though it ain't as pretty.

Erma LA22 -- A toggle bolt Luger type pistol, like the Stogers, that I bought used back in about '71. It still shoots, though the safety is busted. It hangs in the safe, not really useful for much anymore.

Phoenix Arms HP22 -- Okay, before you laugh, this is a cheap zinc POS. However, it's amazingly accurate, and I mean AMAZING. With the 3" barrel on it, it will put all it's shots to POA at 25 yards in a 3" group with Stingers. That's just amazing for such a little gun. Put the 5" barrel on it and it'll shoot 2" groups with Federal Lightening. I have to put a new recoil spring in it now and then cause they go limp pretty fast, but as a pocket gun that can actually take rabbits, it's pretty awesome! Again, it was cheap. I might actually buy another one sometime it's so friggin' accurate and useful afield. You have to be a little mechanical to keep it going, not for the out of the box, put 10000 rounds through it guy. I also like the design cause it has a hammer, not a striker fired gun. I tuned the trigger myself, easy, and it has a really decent trigger now.

Put the money spent on all these guns together and I don't know if you could buy a Smith Kit Gun. ROFL! But, all but the old Erma get fired pretty regular and all have good points, uses.

Now, the one QUALITY .22 rimfire I own, a .22LR barrel for my TC Contender. This one is my serious squirrel getter. I've got a 2X pistol scope on it. It will out shoot a whole heck of a lot of .22 rifles. This one's the real deal, no cheap POS toy.

 

[MkH^]

I started my shooting hobby early this ear, got my first gun - a Buck Mark standard model - some four months ago and I've put some 2000 rounds through it by now. It's really fun and accurate shooter. Did have some reliability problems at first. Shame though, that I can't really find any parts for it anywhere from Finland. I'd love to get new grips and fiber optic sights. 22LR does equal Fun.

 

[ugaarguy]

MkH, welcome to THR. I'm guessing you are in Finland? If you're looking for sights and grips for your Buck Mark I'm sure many US suppliers would happily ship to you. I wouldn't think there would be any legal issues; it's not ammo or an actual gun. Let us know if you need American supplier info.

 

[MkH^]

Thanks. The problem with ordering from US is not so much about finding the product, but the shipping fees, customs dues and VAT. If you can suggest a place good place to order custom grips, fiber optic sights from and such from, I'd be glad to know though Not only US suppliers, but European ones too if you know just happen to know any

 

[ugaarguy]

MkH, For the fiber optic sights I'd see if your local dealer can them direct from Browning. Otherwise www.brownells.com, and www.midwayusa.com sell just about every gun part imagineable. www.pachmayr.com is good source for grips and other accesories as they are now a part of the Lyman group. Hogue, at www.getgrip.com is another good source of grips, as is www.ajaxgrips.com.

 

[Xenovision]

First .22 handgun

I'd been shooting .22 rifles and old Mausers for quite a while. Had never seen a "need" for a handgun for myself when the rifles were so much fun. Anyways, a friend of mine let me shoot is H&K on one outing and the next time out, I rented a Mark II from the range. Fell in love with it and just this last week got a MKII 678GC. Haven't had the chance to shoot it yet, but soon.....

 

[Geno]

The best of the best

The "lowly" little .22LR is IMHO one of the best all-time calibers. There is no other that brings me such gratification to fire. Cheap, acurate, non-abusive to the shooter. It is the one round that is affordable to nearly all who desire to participate in the shooting sports. My favorites: T/C Contender, and Ruger Mk II. My daughter "LilSureShot1994" loves her Ruger Bear cat.

Doc2005

 

[shooter503]

Onmilo,

The French Unique is a neat little pistol (I have the version that was sold by Western Field as the Model 5). I use it because it allows me to simulate my Sig P230 with cheaper and quieter ammunition. Unfortunately the magazine is extremely frustrating. If you do not line up the rounds exactly correctly you will get numerous failures to feed.

The Spanish "Stars" are excellent, Swiss watches in a pistol.

Parts for both pistols are available from Bob's Gun Shop.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Living in the woods as I do (I have a 185 acre farm that only has about 7 acres cleared) and with access to several thousand acres, I spend a lot of time walking or riding. A pistol is a great companion -- almost a necessity. I have taken a lot of small game with .22 pistols, just casually walking or riding up on the critter.

I have several .22 pistols. My Ruger and my M1927 Argentine with a Colt Service conversion kit are both fine guns, but my Colt Officers Model Target is more accurate and my newly-acquired First Model Colt Woodsman has to be shot to be believed.

 

[weregunner]

Glad to see so many 22 aficianados.These are great fun guns. Lets see. One Taurus PT22. Accurate and reliable.Teeny but fun.A Ruger Mk.III with Hi-viz sights.Bullseyes look out! One Taurus 94 revolver with the 5 in. tube. Nice plinker and alround fun gun. Also have a of all things an old H&R 649 with .22 Mag cylinder optional.When that 22 Mag goes off at the indoor range some think its a bigger bore making that noise.My wife and daughter each have RugerMK III. And my son shoots his Taurus revolver.All in the family,Ah yes.Hitting reactive targets beats paper just about any old day.Next!

 

[borrowedtime69]

i love my .22 LR handguns!!!

heres my beautys!
Taurus 970 tracker 6 1/2" barrel with Hogue grips

Ruger Single Six 5.5" with new after-market blued steel ejector rod housing.

Ruger MK II 22/45 P4 4" BBL

Ruger MK II 22/45 678 slabside BBL with Simmons 4X32 scope

Pic of me with my first animal with a handgun a few years ago, a Marmot taken with an old 1963 Ruger standard that i had a scope rail put on.

Last year i used that big ruger 22/45 wit the scope for hunting those little red squirrels up in the rockies. totally addictive, and a lot more of a challange than rifle hunting them!

Love them .22 handguns and i want to get more as the years pass. Thanks for letting me show off. -Eric

 

[possum]

Hey my ruger 22/45 might be the least expensive and the cheapest to put rds through, but by far it is my favorite pistol too shoot. i have been shootinh .22 a long time, it started with a nylon 66 then an ak22 in the rifle department, and the browning buckmark and now the ruger, i love .22's especially pistols, so much fun to streach the limits and see what you can actually do with one with a little bit of practice.

 

[45Broomhandle]

DOES COLLECTING COUNT?

I'm a collector, not a shooter (very often). I go for the older guns - both long and handguns. My first love is the Fiala Model 1920. Made in New Haven, CT for very few years - maybe 5,000 made. This little gem was available as a cased, 3-barrel set. Three-inch bbl for pocket carry; 7 1/2" bbl for general plinking, etc.; and a 20" bbl with wooden forestock and a walnut detachable buttstock to use as a carbine. It's a magazine-fed SINGLE-SHOT. It must be recycled by hand after each shot. Its originator didn't trust that a semi-auto would operate properly in sub-zero tems where he expected explorers to carry his outfits. It's kind of the first "Survival Rifle."

Below is a pic of the variations you can make with a cased set, along with a H-S Mdl. B for comparison as it was designed by the same guy as the Fiala.

I also have a couple of H-S Mdl Bs, some Mossberg Brownies, Erma and Stoeger Lugers, Wamo Powermaster, Sheridan Knocabout, NAAC P-38, Plainfield Ordnance Mdl 71, cased Colt '66 Indiana Sesquicentennial, Charter Arms Explorer II, Hartford Arms single shot, plus various unusual .22rf long guns.

Now searching for a SM Sporter .22rf single-shot pistol, introduced in 1953 and made in Springfield, Mass. I look forward to hearing from anyone who might have one for sale. 45Broomhandle

Yes, there IS a place for all of God's creatures: right next to the potatoes and gravy.

 

[brownie0486]

borrowedtime69;


What set up did you use on that Ruger standard. I have one and I'm looking to take some chipmunks and rabbits with it down back.

Thanks, btw, nice catch

Brownie

 

[ChefJeff1]

I hava a heritage rough rider. $150 and worth every penny. I can hit a #10 can at over 100 yards(not every time though). I shoot a couple hundred .22 and then some .38 and then some .357 and I'm good to go.

 

[joneb]

Bluesbear, is this close ;http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976768261.htm

 

[borrowedtime69]

brownie0486 borrowed time
What set up did you use on that Ruger standard. I have one and I'm looking to take some chipmunks and rabbits with it down back.
Thanks, btw, nice catch

Brownie

I dont really remember, i had a local gunsmith shop do it, i think it was a weaver of some type that fit the rounded top of the reciever. it had 4 screws to stablize the scope mounting. the scope was a 2X 20 something pistol scope from Simmons. price was right at about $125 or so. the base and mounting ran about $85. if you have a ruger standard that has an adjustable rear sight i have a base that requires no drill, no tap to mount on the reciever. it clamps around the front of the reciever and tighens with a screw. the rear part of the base screws into the base of the rear sight mount. this base would be sweet for a red dot. let me know if youre interested. good luck! -Eric

 

[Vincent]

Slab side Giggles.

I do not think any gun is more fun that a 22 semi auto except a really accurate 22 semi auto. This one has shot a number of 10 shot 2" groups, the last time I tried it I shot a 10 shot 1.5" group. Oh!! That is at 100 yards! The Crazy part is this is with the cheap Fed #510 Champions

One range that a young friend of mine and I shoot at only allows paper and Biodegradable clay pigeons. So we put them on the hill behind the 100 yard targets, it is 110 yards from the bench. I can almost always get 8 for ten shots and Andy (who is actually legally blind) gets 6 or 7 out of ten. Sometimes you get them and you don't know it because if you hit center they do not break, they just get a hole right through them. To break them it is best to hit the edge. We have gone through 8 or 10 BOXES of clays.

Looks pretty good too:







Shoots just fine:

 

[greener]

My favorite shooting handgun is my circa 1930 S&W .38 special. But the best price for ammo is $8-$10 for 50 rounds. For that price I can do 550 rounds of .22lr. Almost enough to feed my 3 .22lr handguns on a day at the range. Bought a Single Six on a whim and it's fast becoming my favorite shooter.

 

[brownie0486]

borrowedtime69;

Thanks for the offer. I've sold the standard and have a new 22/45 set up with a dot on it which held it's 10 first shots inside a dime at 30 feet.

I'm happy to say the least.

Vincent;

Thats some damned fine shooting and a nice piece you have there.

Brownie

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Ruger RST-6
Ruger KMK-512
Taurus PT-22
Marlin model 60
Stevens model 34

.22s are the most fun you can possibly have while shooting. I recommend everyone that shoots to have at least 2. My Stevens rifle still shoots MOA, and I've had it since I was 12. I have put dozens of bricks through the RST-6 also, and the PT-22 is one gun that Taurus definitely did right.

I plan to get a few more .22s in my lifetime.

 

[borrowedtime69]

Update on my previouly pictured Taurus 970 Tracker

heres the update on my Taurus 970 TRacker .22 LR , picked up a scope base at half MSRP and a True Glo 2 X 42 mm red ot scope.

-Eric