.22 Pistol?

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm thinking about getting a .22 semi-auto and am looking for some advice. Main use would be just plinking. I want something fairly reasonably priced but a decent gun.

Also, this will be my first hand gun. What is involved in buying a hand gun? Do I need a permit? Application?

Thanks,

Ryan

[Neighbor_guy]

You will need a Purchase Permit available from your sherif, or police chief depending on were you live, to buy a .22 handgun.

The aplication is fairly easy and they will do a bit of a backround on you just to make sure you are not a fellon.

As far as what gun to look at, look at all of them. If I was to be buying a .22 handgun, I would look at the Ruger Mark III with the heavy barrel. Sig-sauer also makes a nice one.

[Harmonica Bear]

My hunting buddy has the Ruger Mark III with the heavy barrel, very nice and a lot of fun to shoot.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

I would get a Browning "Buckmark".

I have had a Ruger Mark II for 25 years and everytime I see someone who has the Buckmark I get a hankering to trade up.

But I never have maybe someday.

[picksbigwagon]

I have berreta neos and love it, I have buddies who have a buckmark, a ruger, and a smith and wesson. Find something that will fit your hand comfortably, buy a couple bricks and fire away.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I was wondering about the Neos. Looks like an interesting gun. I will have to go check one out.

My other thoughts were the Ruger MKIII and Browning Buckmark.

[Lunker]

I'll second the Ruger. Not the most attractive piece, but it is a good gun.

[lcornice]

My hunting buddy has the Ruger Mark III with the heavy barrel, very nice and a lot of fun to shoot.

My friends at work have just about talked me into this pistol. They're shocked and embarrassed that I don't own a .22 pistol. I told my wife I can't have my friends thinking that way. Just check prices ... they vary for the same gun depending on where you shop.

[RumRiverRat]

I vote for the Buckmark.

I have shot 10,000 plus rounds with mine.

[bearslayer]

I purchased a Smith & Wesson from GM a couple of months ago and have been very happy with it. Was on sale for $229.99 I believe. No problems yet, but only about 500 rounds through it.

[bassislife]

I have a Ruger T-22 and love it! It is 30 years old and never a problem!

[Archerysniper]

I have the Neos with the 7 1/2 barrel great shooter very accurate fun to shoot the only thing I don't like is the position of the saftey. With that said if they are in your price range I would lean more towards the browning buckmark or the smith&wesson.

[picksbigwagon]

Lcornice, you don't have a .22 pistol? I am glad your co-workers give you a hard time, I know I would

[Jackpine Rob]

Lots of good choices out there. My son is leaning towards a Browning BuckMark Micro, and it does feel and shoot an awful lot like my personal favorite, the Colt Woodsman. Unfortunately, they quit making the Woodsman about 30 years ago....

Another nice and extremely affordable .22 is the S&W 22A. They shoot well, are fairly easy to take down and clean - much easier than the Brownings. My buddy has several S&W .22's, and I prefer the 22A to his Model 41.

The bottom line is that I would try out as many as you humanly can before purchasing. Handguns are such an "individual fit" piece of equipment - much more so than rifles or even shotguns, at least IMHO. Several places such as Bill's Gun Shop will rent out handguns, and that would be one way to get your mitts on a bunch of different guns before plunking down the cash for purchase.

No .22 plinking pistol?!! Egads, I would be ashamed to show my face at work also.

[lcornice]

It was purely an oversight on my part. The error will be corrected shortly.

[skies_and_eyes]

My brother just got a Walter P22...was out shooting today, and it is super fun! Today alone we shot around 300+ rounds with cheap ammo, no jams, or anything. Seems like a really solid gun for him, he bought it about a month ago, and has really liked it. It is really fast, and hasn't had any miss fires or jams.

[toomanyjigs]

i myself own two Walther p22 with the short barrels not the extended ones.they are double action just like the hand cannons, they come with interchangable grips to fit your hand and are great price for what you get and the looks, have shot everything from as cheap as you can get to the cci stingers i found stingers work best for the devistation they cause over all bestt .22lr pistol for the money picked they up and the gander for 199.00 each after a price match ,so now i tote them both at the cabin like bruce willis and "last man standing" hours of fun no worries ,hope it helps

[Dbl]

I would add another for the Browning Buckmark. It is the handgun that gets shot the most in my lineup. I have had mine 15 years or so. Another fun option is to add a Holo sight to it. I've used cheap ones on up to the EOTECH. It really adds a fun dimension to your handgun shooting.

Here is a shot of it close up in action.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

I highly recommend the Ruger .22 line...either the Mark III or 22/45. Tons of fun to shoot!

[Pooh]

i shot the buckmark one year for an indoor league. decent pistol for the price. only had a few missfires in about 1000 rounds and never jammed. i would buy another

[GSP4EVER]

As far as the autos go, my vote is for the Smith&Wesson 22a or the Sig Sauer Mosquito.

On the other hand, my favorite one I own is the Ruger Single Six. You get 2 cylinders. One for 22 LR and the other for 22 mag. Or the Taurus Tracker.

[Ralph Wiggum]

As an update to this, I recently bought a Beretta Neos U22. Got it out for the first time last night and ran 250 rounds through it flawlessly. Pretty darn accurate (at least as far as I'm concerned), too. So far, I'm very happy with the purchase!

[bonehead99]

I am also looking at .22's. The Mark III was one I was considering. The other was the Browning Hunter. Any comments on the Hunter?

[picksbigwagon]

Ralph, make sure you really clean out the magazines with gun scrubber and then re lube them. When I got my neos, I had some issues with the factory grease being a little too thick and it gummed up, but I agree, the Neos is a great little 22 pistol. get a red dot on that thing and you will be hard pressed to not take it with you all the time

[Ralph Wiggum]

Ralph, make sure you really clean out the magazines with gun scrubber and then re lube them. When I got my neos, I had some issues with the factory grease being a little too thick and it gummed up...

I'll keep that in mind. No problems yet, but I will clean up the mags in the near future.

As far as a red-dot is concerned, what does one have to pay for a decent one? They seem to run the gammut from $30 on up.