22LR Pistol Purchase recommendations

[Whip_McCord]

My wife likes her Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite because it is lighter than my Buck Mark Black Medallion. I like the Buck Mark because it is heavier.

The bull barrel (all steel) Mark IV will not be light like the Lite model. That might be mor to your liking, then all your mags would be the same. You can usually pick Mk IV barrels up from Volquartsen for cheap, as mentioned above.

 

[Simon6101]

I prefer Ruger but since I enjoy shooting Rimfire I have quite the variety. Ruger or my Smith Victory for accuracy although my Sig P322 is very accurate. I have MK I,II,III,IV,SR22,Charger,p322,Victory,Sp101 and others.

 

[doddg]

Interesting thread.
I started out buying any .22LR handgun at the $200 level & worked my way up to these top 5 shooters mentioned below, costing a range of $400 - $1100.
I have had multiples of some guns, like the SW Victory, SW M&P 22 Compact, Ruger Mark 4, Beretta Neos & Browning Buckmarks & dozens of others like the Colt Target I should have never sold.

The .22LR clones of larger calibers that Glock, Beretta, Sig, Beretta, SW & others make available are fun & fine plinkers but do not make the cut for my idea of target grade accuracy.

Below are my favorites since 2017 w/targets below that have made the cut, including purchase date.
I did have a Mark 3 that was just as good as the SW 41, but got traded for the special SW22A-1 Talo edition I had to have after having 4 others, an example of the pattern mentioned.

Best Revolver:
- 03-2019 Dan Wesson 8", 54 oz, 6 rd revolver (92% & 100% @ 21' on 1.75" circles, no optic)
Top Semi-autos:
- 10-2018 - SW 41 (100% @ 30' with red dot on 1.75" circles)
- 02-2020 - S/W 22A-1 Talo edition (85% @ 30" with red dot on 1.75" circles)
- 07-2021 - My BEST Shooter = Browning Buckmark 10" Silhouette (100% @ 30' with scope on 1.75" circles)
- 03-2022 - $400 SW 422 6" (90% & 95% @ 21' on 1.75" circles, no optic)

I have plenty of other .22LR that are not as accurate yet fun or unique to shoot so I keep them, like the Bersa Thunder or the Beretta Tomcat or Beretta M9-22.
I finally picked up a Taurus TX & will eventually do the same for a Sig 322 just for fun, but they aren't consistently accurate in my hands to be kept as target pistols.
Still loads of fun, though.
I know I'll buy another SW Victory or a Mark 4 or any other I've owned before just b/c I enjoy doing so.

Note: IMO, the percentages could have all been 100% for the targets but b/c of experimenting with ammo, not all are 100%.
I probably have targets of all these guns shooting 100% but I lost most of them a year ago when my old computer went kaput.

Dan Wesson Revolver



SW 41




SW 22A-1 Talo edition

Labelled wrong. Should be 34/40 = 85%


Browning Buckmark Target Silhouette 10"

Only row 1 & 2 are the Browning.
Ignore the row 3 & 4 with the Victory.


SW 422

 

[gregkl]

doddg, what happened to the grip panels on your 41?

 

[doddg]

doddg, what happened to the grip panels on your 41?

Always was like that.
I rubbed some linseed oil on it to clean it in hopes of lightening up, but very little success.
I don't think any of these pics are after I used the linseed oil on it & too lazy to go dig it out, haha!
Part of it could be bad lighting.
Here are more pics that might be better.

 

[gregkl]

It looks like someone tried to stipple them. I thought they all had checkering in that area but I may be mistaken.

No big deal, I was just curious.

 

[doddg]

It looks like someone tried to stipple them. I thought they all had checkering in that area but I may be mistaken.

No big deal, I was just curious.

I have been tempted to buy some new wood grips
but I've already got
$1100 invested in this gun
so
I'm trying to behave myself.
If I had it to do all over to do again
with what I know now
I would buy one of those
Volquartsen black mamba
that start out around
$1300 and go up to $1900.
Fortunately,
I don't know which one to buy
and
I would hate to buy one
then
realize I should've spent another
$200 or $300, ha ha!
Then there is the possibility, that with my eyes and hands it wouldn't do me much good anyway.
My 10 inch browning buckmark target silhouette will shoot cloverleafs now with the
Smith and Wesson close to it sometimes.

 

[Sniper 79]

If just having fun my vote goes to the Tx22. If you like to be laser beam accurate go Ruger MK series. I have both and the TX is hitting the classified section. I am a target guy at heart.

 

[nagantoid]

I would appreciate any thoughts on a good .22LR Pistol to be used for target practicing. Currently I have narrowed my list down to a few: FN 502 Tactical, Ruger Mark IV, and the Smith and Wesson M&P 22. What I like about these are accuracy, magazine capacity, and pricing. What would you recommend on either a new or used purchase?

FWIW I bought the MkIV 22/45 Tactical last year, because it looked fun. I love it. It's smooth, accurate, easy to operate and to take down (unlike previous models), and I added a muzzle device and a red dot sight for extra fun. Spent hours plinking with it.

 

[nagantoid]

Have both the Ruger Mark IV and S&W M&PC. Both great firearms. Love the Ruger more though

View attachment 218518

Hey, almost my exact config! I have the MkIV with a Tandemkross muzzle device and a cheapo red dot.

 

[Billythekid]

I would appreciate any thoughts on a good .22LR Pistol to be used for target practicing. Currently I have narrowed my list down to a few: FN 502 Tactical, Ruger Mark IV, and the Smith and Wesson M&P 22. What I like about these are accuracy, magazine capacity, and pricing. What would you recommend on either a new or used purchase?

I picked up a beretta m9-22 and you can get 15 rd. factory mags. it is a straight shooter very fee failures in the first few hundred rounds and then cleaned it and now have put 4,000 plus rounds of different ammo thunder bolt. fed. champion fed. auto-match and cci mini mag without cleaning it and only had one failure to eject. i was trying to see what it would take if neglected! The only negative thing i can say about it is the front sight, the white dot is so recessed that if the light is not just right it is hard to see but with a toothpick and some white paint you can fix it

I would appreciate any thoughts on a good .22LR Pistol to be used for target practicing. Currently I have narrowed my list down to a few: FN 502 Tactical, Ruger Mark IV, and the Smith and Wesson M&P 22. What I like about these are accuracy, magazine capacity, and pricing. What would you recommend on either a new or used purchase?

 

[mdunn]

Bought a Keltec CP33 last year,unbelievable out of the box trigger, 2 33rnd mags that are easily disassembled for cleaning,threaded barrel, high vis sights and super accurate. Once I learned the “trick” to loading the mags, I can load them fairly quickly. Found it on sale new at Cash America Pawn for $450.

 

[Kernelkrink]

I would recommend the Ruger for a true target pistol, the bull bbl model or the longer tapered would be my choice for balance. A S&W 41 is the Cadillac of US made target pistols, but you pay for it.

For more of a plinker and understudy of a self defense type pistol the Taurus Tx22 and the competition version are hard to beat, 16 (21 with baseplate extensions) rds on tap, decent trigger for a striker fired gun, feels a lot like a Walther or HK in the grip.

 

[mmpsteve]

For old-world quality, I recommend the Browning Challenger. Belgium made by FN and still somewhat affordable. If I didn't already have 2, this one would be mine:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/935204935

One downside, extra mags cost a bundle.
.

 

[dpoteet]

I would appreciate any thoughts on a good .22LR Pistol to be used for target practicing. Currently I have narrowed my list down to a few: FN 502 Tactical, Ruger Mark IV, and the Smith and Wesson M&P 22. What I like about these are accuracy, magazine capacity, and pricing. What would you recommend on either a new or used purchase?

Look at the kel tec p 17

 

[MrNewVegas]

Had a Walther p22 I fell in love with first few months it was just ok but after about 500rds it was a dream would eat anything you fed through it and plink all day without needing to stop and clean in the middle

 

[E7Wrangler]

I note the OP didn't specify a semiauto and said it was just for plinking so I will throw out the single action .22 pistols as and option. The Cadillac is of course the Ruger Single Six but there are a number of very fun guns. The Heritage Rough Rider series is really pretty good. I have an older one with lots of rounds through it and it keeps on ticking. The newer ones are much better looking and you have lots of barrel length choices from 1 - 10 inches.

I blew it when young and sold my Single Six to buy a S&W 622 (dumb, dumb, dumb). Later sold the 622 as it was finicky with ammo and bought a Ruger Mk II 22/45 which I will never sell. Love the gun unless doing something that requires quick mag changes. Runs any ammo I feed it and feels great. Still kicking myself for selling the Single Six though.

 

[B737Mech]

I also want to vote for Ruger Mk series. I have had a Mark II 22/45 for 20 years now and love this pistol, except the takedown. Today I would happily pick the Mark IV 22/45 for ease of cleaning. My Mk 22/45 works as well with cheap ammo as expensive stuff.

 

[Mij]

I would appreciate any thoughts on a good .22LR Pistol to be used for target practicing. Currently I have narrowed my list down to a few: FN 502 Tactical, Ruger Mark IV, and the Smith and Wesson M&P 22. What I like about these are accuracy, magazine capacity, and pricing. What would you recommend on either a new or used purchase?

Let me see…….this venue has ~50,000 members so, well you can see my point I hope. No for once I didn’t read all 3 pages, didn’t feel the need.

To answer your question, I recommend a K-22 Masterpiece.
Good Luck with your choice.

 

[gregkl]

I note the OP didn't specify a semiauto and said it was just for plinking so I will throw out the single action .22 pistols as and option. The Cadillac is of course the Ruger Single Six but there are a number of very fun guns. The Heritage Rough Rider series is really pretty good. I have an older one with lots of rounds through it and it keeps on ticking. The newer ones are much better looking and you have lots of barrel length choices from 1 - 10 inches.

I blew it when young and sold my Single Six to buy a S&W 622 (dumb, dumb, dumb). Later sold the 622 as it was finicky with ammo and bought a Ruger Mk II 22/45 which I will never sell. Love the gun unless doing something that requires quick mag changes. Runs any ammo I feed it and feels great. Still kicking myself for selling the Single Six though.

I sold the same Ruger years ago. I am sorry too that I sold it.