Which .22

[YammyMonkey]

I need to help choose a double action .22 for a range that will be a rental gun & used for the intro/basic pistol classes. I am not up on the world of .22 revolvers so I'm looking for suggestions.

We're looking for 5 of them so price is somewhat of an issue.

I would prefer stainless due to ease of maintenance, but we're in CO, no salty air or humidity to speak of.

Must be double action.

They're going to be used as a first handgun by many so a decent trigger & good sights would be helpful.

What I've found:

Ruger- No DA's in .22
S&W- 317 3" Hi Viz & 617 are more expensive, are they worth the extra cost?
Taurus- Tracker is almost 1/2 the price of the S&W
Colt- No such beast.

Would a 6" bbl be a help or a hinderance compared to a 4" in a .22LR? I'm thinking the weight may make it tougher to hold up & steady for some.

Are there any others to consider?

 

[Loucks]

Ruger did make the SP101 in .22lr for a time. I'm pretty sure they're discontinued now. There was one for sale on this very site recently.

If you're not opposed to buying used, you could always seek out some older S&W .22lr K-frames. I'm looking for one myself at the moment.

 

[BBA]

Go with the Taurus.

 

[03Shadowbob]

Taurus

 

[pinkymingeo]

Forget the 317. The 4" 617 is hard to beat. Same balance and action as any other K-frame Smith, though the trigger (as on all other 22's) is a little heavy. S&W has a lifetime warranty, and they mean it. If something goes wrong, they pay shipping both ways and fix it quick. Excellent sights. Top quality. You get what you pay for.

 

[NewShooter]

That tracker weighs 46oz. Taurus also has the model 94 which is a smaller, lighter DA 22.

 

[wally]

I've been happy with my Taurus 94, I have ones with 5" and 2'" barrels, both stainless. Triggers are a little heavy in DA but smooth out with a little shooting. Hard to beat the Smiths overall, but if cost is an issue...

--wally.

 

[YammyMonkey]

Thanks for the heads up on the 94s. I am concerned about the weight for someone who is just getting started & the 4" 94 is 20 oz lighter than the Tracker & 15-20 oz lighter than the S&W models.

Would the 22mag versions be okay to shoot 22lr ammo like a 357 can be shot with 38spl or would the bullets lead up the cylinder too quickly?

 

[MortalWombat]

Would the 22mag versions be okay to shoot 22lr ammo like a 357 can be shot with 38spl or would the bullets lead up the cylinder too quickly?

It is ill-advised to shoot .22 LR in a .22 mag cylinder. The .22 mag chambers (and cases) are slightly larger diameter than .22 LR cases, and you will get splitting of .22 LR cases with possible extraction problems (least of your worries) or possible flying debris/shrapnel (more worrisome).

There is a reason why the .22 convertible single action LR/mag revolvers come with two separate cylinders. I don't know of any double action convertible .22 mag/LR revolvers though. Probably because the cylinders aren't as easy to swap in and out like on single action revolvers.

 

[Mr. Designer]

Get the Model 617. Its a great accurate pistol.

 

[Selfdfenz]

If the warranty is an issue and motivates you to go with the S&W make sure that Smith will honor their coverage on a rental unit before you buy. Some companies that cover a unit without question when it's owned and used by a single private individual will not cover the same product if it's used as a rental.

It would stink to pay the higher price only to find out later renting the units totally voided the warranty.

For that you might want to see what Taurus covers or doesn't cover if the unit is used as a rental.

Best

S-

 

[guy sajer]

The Taurus 94 is probably the answer . However , another possibility is the Charter Pathfinder . It's a 2" 6 shot . Fairly light at 19 oz . A little lighter DA trigger pull as well . www.charterfirearms.com

 

[CMcDermott]

S&W is supposed to be producing the Model 63 again soon, they had it at the January shot show. This will be a 8-shot 22 stainless steel J-frame with a 5 inch barrel. The trigger will not be as good for a beginner as a 617, but it is a smaller, lighter gun. The trigger will be at least the equal of anything Taurus or Ruger makes. The real cost is still to be determined as they aren't yet available.

 

[guy sajer]

The real cost is still to be determined as they aren't yet available.

Most likely around $500 .