suggestions for a .22lr target pistol?

[2cool9031]

I have had many .22 pistols over the years....but my favorite is the Browning Challenger II. Never had a jam. Well balanced and a pleasure to shoot.

 

[Kingrat]

i just got a ruger mk3 22/45 today down at the red ghost, aside from possible extractor issues, the annoying mag disconnector (disabled thanks to 2 thin #10 washers) and the detent in the slide lock, it seems like it should be fun, i like the grip being more normal over the standard mk2's, but i havent shot it yet (will tomorrow)

 

[MyGlockRocks19]

I second (or third or fourth?) the Walther P22...you've gotta break them in before they'll reliably feed bulk pack .22, in my experience, but once they've hit their stride they're pretty reliable. Accuracy is OK, and probably doesn't stack up against more expensive options, but they're accurate enough and fun to shoot.

 

[IN_Varmntr]

Do you have a 1911? I just picked up a Kimber 22lr conversion kit for mine and it runs great, plus you don't need to become familiar with another platform.

 

[KPierce]

Since no one has made the suggestion yet. I'll suggest the Beretta NEOS. Very easy to disassemble, barrels are quick and easy to change, and they come with a built in rail for optics. Also they are priced very reasonably.

 

[BE Mike]

If you are going to shoot NRA bullseye pistol, then you need to ignore most of these posts. Go to the club and see what the other shooters are using. Talk to them during the breaks in shooting. If possible, shoot a couple of different guns. There are only a couple of inexpensive .22 pistols you should consider for bullseye pistol shooting.

 

[KPierce]

Mike, not to sound rude, but if you're going to tell him to ignore most of these posts and suggest there are only a couple of inexpensive guns he should be looking at. Wouldn't it have been helpful to let him know what they were ?

 

[m_deaner]

The original post mentions that the pistol will be for a NRA pistol league, so the poster probably does want to use the pistol for bullseye. I can't speak for BE Mike - but, IMO, really the only inexpensive .22s suitable for bullseye are the Ruger Mark II/III, Browning Buckmark, and the Russian Baikal IZH-35. The other options either aren't accurate enough, have a trigger that is difficult to refine, or aren't durable enough. The p22, in particular, is plagued with reliability problems and has a pot-metal slide. The neos has also had some criticism for the same sort of problems.

If I had the $$ I'd have a S&W model 41.

 

[BE Mike]

Mike, not to sound rude, but if you're going to tell him to ignore most of these posts and suggest there are only a couple of inexpensive guns he should be looking at. Wouldn't it have been helpful to let him know what they were ?

I thought it would be more beneficial to talk to the people in the know. That would be the folks in the club he is going to join that had been there and done that. I didn't want to be rude and denigrate so many of the pistols that many folks here have put hard earned cash down to purchase and think that they are the cat's meow. Many of these pistols suggested may be fine for the purpose of the individual that owns them, but they would be inadequate for bullseye shooting. If he really gets into the sport, he will outgrow the couple of inexpensive target pistols that are suitable as beginner guns. I would suggest that he get a higher quality pistol at the outset, if he can afford it.

 

[KPierce]

Ok I guess I'll say my bad. I didn't realize that joining a pistol club meant that you would be doing bulls eye shooting. I've never been a member of any gun club before.

So I can now see why Mike and Deaner posted what they did. Much appreciated for setting me straight. I am always learning and this was another opportunity to add to my knowledge. Thanks guys.

 

[x10]

I've owned Mk2 Gvt's, Mk2 targets, Smith 422, Browning buckmark, and Smith 41

the smith 41 is by far the most accurate, the Mk2 Gvt next, Buckmark and then the rest, Black on Black sights are in my opinion the best target sights out there, My 2 cents

 

[drd]

I'd recommend avoiding the Ruger Mk3 22/45. There are a large number of people (including myself) having serious FTF/FTE problems with that gun. There are fixes for the problems out there, but they are coming from the gun owner community, not Ruger.

I second this comment about the Ruger MK3. Mine's going back to Ruger. Would be interested in tracking down the fixes mentioned.

 

[bwframe]

I second this comment about the Ruger MK3. Mine's going back to Ruger. Would be interested in tracking down the fixes mentioned.

Here ya go:
Gun Talk Online

Oh, also:
RFC Home

 

[pudly]

I second this comment about the Ruger MK3. Mine's going back to Ruger. Would be interested in tracking down the fixes mentioned.

Here is a specific thread on rimfirecentral.

 

[chraland51]

Ruger Mk IIs

I really like the Ruger Mk IIs. I have three of them, two slabsides and one stainless steel 10" barrel with an inexpensive scope on it. They shoot up to my capabilities. I like them better than the Mk IIIs for reasons I can not explain. Do stay away from the Ruger 22/45 as a couple of friends had them for short times due to mechanical problems.

 

[6guns]

Pricey, but if you want something you can really grow with, I'd look for a nice used S&W M41. A gun you'll probably never outshoot.

 

[OneBadV8]

I'd recommend a Buckmark... highly accurate.

 

[m2steven]

I'd recommend avoiding the Ruger Mk3 22/45. There are a large number of people (including myself) having serious FTF/FTE problems with that gun. There are fixes for the problems out there, but they are coming from the gun owner community, not Ruger.

I have had one for 2 months. I would not hesitate to purchase this fine pistol. If you shoot the high velocity CCI aluminum cased ammo, the pistol MAY fail to cycle the bullet if you bend the case pushing it into the magazine. I did that quite often the first box of ammo I shot. I've since purchased one of those "miracle loaders" which you just shake and then "pour - literally" the bullets into your magazine without having to touch them. One of the best 20-30 bucks you'll spend.

I've never had a Failure to Fire with any ammunition. I certainly believe the persons who say they've had problems, but there are too many persons who own this gun who love it to ignore. Including myself. You could also get any number of other similar weapons made by great manufacturers. Just remember that some 22 cal ammunition is fragile and in an automatic system - they don't need to be bent or deformed. I can now load them by hand perfectly but you have to develop a bit of 'touch' with them when putting them into a magazine.

At 75 to 100 yards, if my 'red dot' is on the target, the target gets hit. Just keep any 22 you get clean and it should server you well.

 

[caneman]

I'll really show my age here. The finest most accurate 22 target semi autos I ever shot were the High Standard's. I particularly liked the ones with the 45 grip angle. They're really hard to find now.

 

[mettle]

22/45 runs excellent for me. I've cleaned it once in the last 2K rounds.