[overmarkstrom]

Hi all,
I have an M9-A1 and I'm looking to get a 22 caliber semi auto for my wife to learn with. I'd like something that handles like the Steyr... . (j/k)
Something that feels somewhat 'robust' for a 22 - any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[Narsil]

I've shot quite a few .22 pistols and my favorite is the GSG 1911. It is a real 1911 but chambered in .22LR. Supposedly, you can actually swap the slide/barrel assembly with .45ACP and shoot that also. Your other quality option for a "robust" .22 would be the Ruger MKIII with a bull barrel. They shoot very nicely also but are somewhat more complicated in their takedown/assembly process. A friend with a MKIII had to send his back to the mothership when he accidentally inserted the magazine in backwards. It will lock into place but cannot be removed without major disassembly beyond the scope of amateur gunsmithing.

Several people have shot my GSG and they've all been very impressed with it. My dad has a Sig Sauer Mosquito and my sister has a Walther P22 but I don't like either very much.

Link

 

[xthexheadx]

i'm partial to the Beretta neos... i use it as a loaner/training gun for kentucky ccdw classes. anyone can field strip, clean, and reassemble it...it's so easy, even for lil old ladies and first time shooters. i had a 7 year old shooting it just the other day, it was his first time out with a real one. very accurate, bull barrel, and full length optic rail. they can be had pretty cheap too.

but i must also say the gsg 1911 is a top choice too. my local indoor range has a few for rent and i've tried them out a couple times. you can go wrong there.

 

[darksidemxer]

Gsg1911!! The neos trigger sucks i sold mine. The smith 22a is a sweet gun i had 10k through it before i sent it to smith cuz it had some issues...the tuned it and did alil work free of charge. The trigger came back so sweet and the accuracy was amazing. The browning buckmark is ok i didnt care for it a whole lot. A nef 22 revolver is also a fun in expensive gun

 

[shiroyu]

Hey I would have to vote Ruger MKIII I have the hunter with a 7 inch barrel well 6 7/8. You wouldn't need that length of barrel but thats what I taught my girlfriend on. It has a similar grip angle to the Steyr m series and so when she picked up my .40 a1 it was a natural fit. Seriously it doesn't handle like a Steyr but the grip angle makes it feel in the family. My girlfriend was completely inexperienced with shooting pistols prior to the MKIII and now she wont look at anything with a grip angle less than 111 degrees. Thank god for Steyr otherwise I would have to shell out the cash for her very own Luger. Oh and the thing is accurate as hell makes me seem like a pro and well that is definitely the gun talking.

 

[blueorison]

No brainer. Ruger. Hands down NO other .22 comes even CLOSE to robustness. None. No other has the entire upper machined out of solid steel.

 

[darksidemxer]

When u say robustness?? I mean ive seen rugers run forever and break in 1k. I also hear they suck for field stripping. I just rolled into 2.5k on my gsg with no cleaning, its still running!! I cant believe it still fires lol. Im suspecting issues to come up in the next box or so.

 

[shiroyu]

I am close to 1500 with no cleaning also... my local gunsmith said they only need it every 5000 or so...though that seems hard to believe he is am 80 year old tough as nails old time marine who regularly runs people out of his shop when they beg to differ so I just kept it quiet

 

[ThaiBoxer]

Ruger MkIII for grip angle similarity to Steyr. The field strip is no big deal once you know what is going on AND get rid of some of the MKIII bullshit, like the mag disconnect.

 

[darksidemxer]

Lol same with the gsg, ditch the mag disconnect and stock grips. Also, narsil, does ur gsg cycle rat shot? Mine does.....and it cycles stingers just fine. The rat shot impressed me

 

[overmarkstrom]

Thanks for your suggestions.

The GSG 1911 seems very nice! I was reading up on stuff last night and kept coming back to the Walther P22, probably because of the similarity in looks to common 9mm semi autos.
No one seems to be recommending it here though.
Narsil - you mentioned that you don't like it very much. What don't you like about it?

 

[ThaiBoxer]

...
The GSG 1911 seems very nice! I was reading up on stuff last night and kept coming back to the Walther P22, probably because of the similarity in looks to common 9mm semi autos.
No one seems to be recommending it here though.

It is a cute gun that feels fine in the hand and is inexpensive. It is also cheaply made, breaks easily and is inaccurate. It's a fine plinker and has the benefit of making a cheap n easy silencer host, but nearly everyone I know is eventually dissatisfied with the P22.

 

[Narsil]

The P22 is a very small-gripped gun. The trigger is so close to the grip that I have trouble squeezing it. Try and find one in a store that you can hold; if your hands are anything like mine, you will instantly understand. The closest thing I can think of is that it is similarly-sized, gripwise, to subcompact .380/.32ACP pocket guns even though the slide and barrel are longer and the grip is longer top to bottom but very thin from the front to the back.

 

[darksidemxer]

P22 is very ammo sensitive...doesnt like to be dirty and isnt too accurate

 

[Syntax360]

I'll chime in to echo the rest - the P22 isn't exactly known for it's reliability. There are things that can be done to improve it, but there are so many better options on the market.

 

[bigdave]

Cz kadet is a real nice 22. I've read that the walther and sig 22s have severe reliability problems, and they are not actually made by the companies, just branded as such.

 

[Fritz]

Don't overlook a pellet gun for teaching someone to shoot and keeping your own skills sharp.
They are cheap to shoot and a 25 ft. range can be set up in most basements.

 

[darksidemxer]

Ehh screw pellet gunz they cost as much as the real deal! If u want cheap go with rubber bullets, i use them to practice trigger control on my 45...also i shoot it in the garage.

 

[overmarkstrom]

I went to a gun show this weekend and had the chance to hold the Sig Mosquito and the Walther p22 - they were both much too tiny in the hand so at least I can rule those out.
There was no GSG 1911 but several other 1911's so I got an idea of how it feels. It seems to be a tad on the heavy side but is a contender for sure.

One booth had a Smith & Wesson M&P22 which felt really nice in the hand. Have any of you tried it or heard anything about it?
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...tegory1_750001_750051_773655_-1_757781_757781

 

[xthexheadx]

this past saturday i had a guy bring back a Sig Mosquito saying it wouldnt get through a mag without failing minimum 3 times... so we loaded up and went to the range with a plethora of ammo.... federal bulk, remington bulk, aguila, eley, winchester, rws/umarex, american eagle.... and sure enough, multiple failure types. the last set of ammo tested, was also the one recommended by sig in the manual, CCI mini-mag.

and it ate a full 100rounds in a row without failure. no way i could own a gun that would only eat one specific load!!!!