I want to grab a .22 pistol for cheap range days and working on fundamentals without burning through expensive ammo. Ruger Mark IV keeps popping up, but so does the Browning Buck Mark. What do you guys shoot? Bonus points if it doesn't jam every third round
22 pistol for plinking and practice
- Thread starter Pedro
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Indigo22
Well-known member
My personal go to 22 handguns are a S&W 2206 and a S&W 2214. Both are reliable fun. I have a friend that has one of the full sized S&W M&P-22's that has performed quite nicely. If I were to start over I would likely go with the M&P lineup.
My 422, 2206, and 2214 pictured above.
2214 and my LCP ll 22Lr for comparison...
I also have a Ruger MKlll LITE that is quite accurate but a little more finicky on the ammo.
See how they fit your hand and read some reviews or search Youtube. There are a bunch of options out there.
My 422, 2206, and 2214 pictured above.
2214 and my LCP ll 22Lr for comparison...
I also have a Ruger MKlll LITE that is quite accurate but a little more finicky on the ammo.
See how they fit your hand and read some reviews or search Youtube. There are a bunch of options out there.
As a long time pistol instructor I have or have had a large variety of 22 caliber firearms. All students shot my firearms and I provided the ammunition for the initial training. Currently I only have the pistols that have proven themselves to be accurate and reliable. They are as follow: 1 - Smith and Wesson Model 41. This is a match grade pistol and is as accurate, reliable and easy to take care of as it can be. They are being discontinued but I see a lot of them available on various auction sites. Pricewise they go on auction from $700 to $1100. 2 - Smith and Wesson Victory. A nice as well as relatively inexpensive target grade semi auto pistol. It's all stainless construction, easily disassembled for thorough cleaning and as accurate, in it's base model as the S&W Model 41. The only drawback is the location of the thumb safety which makes it easy to accidentally turn on during recoil if you are not gripping the pistol properly. I would recommend the basic model as the most economical. The additional items available do nothing to improve the accuracy or reliability and just add to the cost. Availkable these days on auction for anywhere between $175 to $350. New basic Victory target model is $479. As a side note on this pistol, I bought mine new many years ago. It was used for training, practice and competition. I kept track of the number of rounds fired through it and it currently has 10,250 rounds through the barrel and with proper care, it shoots just as accurate today as it did new. 3 - Browning Buckmark Field Target - I worked for many years in the firearms department at Cabelas. Each and every firearm that came into the store was safety checked to insure that all parts and accessories were present and accounted for, proper serial number and proper function. One slow afternoon I was in back doing safety checks. I always function checked the firearm to include checking the trigger for proper operation. When I did the safety check on this one particular pistol the trigger caught my attention as being about as perfect as you could get. I bought that particular pistol immediately and took it home to add to my training and practice firearms. It proved to be well worth the cost, which at that time was in the $300 range instead of the current $499. The only drawback to this firearm is that it is somewhat difficult to disassemble for a complete cleaning. Then again the cleaning instructions from the factory pretty much say to spray it down with the slide open using something like Rem Action Cleaner, then blow dry with compressed air and lightly lube the action. Currently around 5500 rounds, never had to take it apart since the cleaning with Rem Action cleaner and lightly lubing it has worked perfectly. 4 - Ruger 22/45 I have a Mark II, which is somewhat difficult to disassemble and reassemble. The 22/45 Mark IV has cured that problem. The 22/45 is intended to mimick the grip and trigger of the Colt Gold Cup. Meant as a trainer for competition it is extremely accurate, almost as accurate as the S&W 41 but not quite there. I could and was used in competition for the .22 stage of the National Match Course and does quite well, especially during timed and rapid fire. I bought mine used, no idea how many rounds have been shot through it, I've put around 2100 through it without any issues. The new Mark IV 22/45 in the standard version costs $449, I bought my Mark II on auction for $325.
One other consideration you may want to think about is whether you will want a holster for the firearm you buy. Holsters for the Buckmark and Ruger are readily available, the S&W Victory difficult to find and the S&W 41, which is a competition pistol pretty much non existent.
If I was going to recommend one of the above to one of my students it would be either the Browning Field/Target or the Ruger 22/45. All the bells and whistles that increase the price pretty much do not increase the function or accuracy. As for not jamming, all of these feed and fire reliably. Jams are 100% caused by dirty pistols, worn or dirty magazines or bad ammo. While you don't need match quality ammo, good ammo from CCI, Winchester, SK and Eley work the best. Pistols. like good rifles are a bit fussy on what the barrel likes which is the most accurate. This means, manufacturer, bullet conformation, powder charge and also last but far from being least important is Lot number. I have found that accuracy from each pistol varies with different lot numbers of ammo. That is trial and error but if you can, when you find ammo that shoots the best out of your firearm, buy a brick or two of the same lot numbers.
So there you have it. The choice is up to you. Any of these pistols will serve you long and well if you take care of them.
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I had a 41 Smith and Wesson that I bought early 70's. I did a lot of indoor pistol competition back then. After I wore that out I bought a Ruger Government model. I actually shot better with it than I did with the Smith. I got an offer that I couldn't refuse for it and now have a MK 4 target. I've got a few thousand rounds through it now and have never had a hiccup, no jams ,it just chugs away. My eyes aren't what they used to be ,but accuracy seem really good.
Critter???? How in the world did you manage to wear out a S&W model 41???? I"ve had mine for many years, used it during both student training and competition, probably 12000 or more rounds through it to this point and it shoots as accurately today as it did when new?
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My gunsmith told me that if he had to guess,that if you gathered all the empty brass that gun had shot you could fill 2 55 gallon barrels. The face of the slide got peeled so bad that it was shorter and went forward to far and the trigger disconnected. It was still accurate. It would do this every 3 to 4 rounds. When you are shooting timed and rapid there isn't time for that. My gunsmith built it back to factory specs,but I just couldn't get past the alibi's. When your mind keeps expecting malfunction the scores drop. When you shoot high 280's to low 290's you can't afford to drop any points.
I completely understand the concern about dropping scores. When I was big in competition the high 280s and into the 290s was pretty common. I did manage a few clean 300s but they were rare and few and far inbetween. Did you try sending the pistol back to Smith and Wesson for repair? They most likely would have replaced the slide free of charge and returned the pistol back to like new for you.
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I never sent it back. I bought the Ruger government, because I didn't want to miss any league shooting. Put a Clark trigger in it. Ended up picking up a few points. Congratulations on getting a few 300's by the way. I never got a 300 with a .22. After my gunsmith repaired it the Smith worked as good as new. It was a mental thing at that point. Wish now that I had it back. It went to a good home. It is still shooting great scores. It also still looks like a new gun.
Got a few 300s with the 22, and a few more with the centerfire using my Gold Cup National Match. Keep in mind, it took many years and a lot of shooting to accomplish that. While I might get rid of other guns, the M41 and the Gold Cup will follow me until death do us part.
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I had a detached retena 2 years ago. The scar tissue has my shooting eye with spots that don't focus properly. I'm happy to have any vision in that eye. Trust me,I've shot the rounds and have the trophies to prove it. I did get a 300-19 with a 52 Smith ONE time. I was more into handgun silhouettes.
OK, first of all I don't doubt anything you have said. Based on the detached retina shoot with the good eye. With a handgun you don't necessarily have to change hands to follow the eye, but sometimes it helps but takes some getting used to.
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I really prefer a narrow front sight (.08) undercut and smoked with a carbide lamp. Rear notch depends on sight radius but like a pretty good sliver of light on both sides. For plinking I have no preference of action type. Love the nostalgia of the single action,like the crisp well tuned double action and like double action shooting. Semi auto is fine for plinking and my first choice for formal competition. Since my detached retena a optic is appreciated, but I still like open sights.
I doubt that many here know what a carbide lamp is, much less what it is used for. I like shooting single action, but with a double action revolver. K frames rock, especially M19s and M66s. My other favorites are M1911s. Not real fond of striker fire but I do own a few.
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Like you, not a striker fired person. Give me a 1911 cocked and locked.
Indigo22
Well-known member
Right there with you on that one...
