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40CalGuy
May 17, 2005, 10:41 AM
Anyone have any experience with these pistols? I shot it a few months ago, and my boss is looking to get a target .22 pistol, and so therefore is getting rid of this PPK clone that he finds to not be a good fit for him. Price will be between $100-$150 USD. Does it like specific kinds of ammo? I know most .22LR semi's are an experiment in ammo tastes, since that's the nature of the round, but wondered if anyone had any good/bad info for me on this. For the price, and as a another .22LR addition (Walther P22 on layaway) to my collection, I'm thinking variety may be the spice of life. Let me know if this thing is a dud or not. I'd rate it @ 90% or better, 1 mag included (I did find some available, but they were $28/ea!). Thanks in advance!

mtnbkr
May 17, 2005, 10:49 AM
Overpriced.

That was my first handgun. Parts are hard to come by and the frame is cast metal. My brother dropped mine at the range and broke the cast mag catch. I never could find another one and ended up selling the gun to a tinkerer friend for $50 (paid $80 for it).

With any ammo, and I tried at least 10 brands, I could only get 4" groups at 7yds on a good day.

IIRC, there was a recall on that gun because it likes to slamfire. Mine did. It would double or even triple. Heck, it even went off one time when I dropped the slide on a full mag. My finger was not on the trigger according to witnesses. Luckily, it was pointed in a safe direction.

Walk away, put your money towards a better gun.

Chris

40CalGuy
May 17, 2005, 01:14 PM
Sounds like it is overpriced then. Anyone else have any experiences? No offense to you mtnbkr, but I do not see any merit in basing my decision on your reply alone. Thanks for the info, though.

mtnbkr
May 17, 2005, 01:56 PM
That's fine. Mine might have been a particularly bad example, but it's the only one I've ever seen. BTW, here's the recall info:

From: http://web.archive.org/web/20040211024235/www.firearmsid.com/Recalls/FA_Recalls+3.htm

Note: I had to use archive.org because firearmsid.com now requires a login ID to view the recall list. Nice going and a great way to help protect gun owners. :barf:

ERMA/EXCAM
MODEL RX22,
22 CALIBER, PISTOL

WARNING: The Erma/Excam, 22 caliber, model RX22, pistol may SLAM FIRE. With the magazine loaded and the safety in the on position, the slide is pulled to rear and released to load a cartridge into the chamber of the pistol. As the slide moves forward, feeding a cartridge into that chamber, the pistol may discharge. Examination of cartridge cases have revealed the absence of a firing pin impression. Whenever loading a firearm the muzzle should be pointed in a safe direction.

Excam Inc.
4480 E. 11 Avenue
P.O. Box 3483
Hialeah, FL 33013

Source:
AFTE Journal, April 1985; Volume 17, Number 2:56-57

FWIW, mine slamfired exactly as described above. If I still owned it at the time I saw this notice, I would've contacted Excam.

Chris

Mike Irwin
May 17, 2005, 02:06 PM
Here's an opinion.

They SUCK.

I had one years ago that was GIVEN to me by a friend who was so frustrated by it. He wanted me to see if I could do anything with it.

I ended up beating it flat with a sledge hammer.

Nothing I tried would make it either shoot well or function reliably.

It would, as described though, slam fire quite consistently, probably between 30 and 40% of the time. Other than jamming, that was its only semi-repeatable trait.

God knows it wasn't a semi-auto handgun. More like a straight pull magazine fed single shot.

If you pay between $100 and $150 for it, that's a great deal.

For the person who managed to unload it on you.

dev_null
May 17, 2005, 03:36 PM
I had one for a while. Not terribly accurate, but it did help me learn the lesson about keeping the web of your thumb low when that slide comes back. Can you say "razor-sharp?" Sure you can. :mad:

40CalGuy
May 17, 2005, 03:44 PM
Well, it's sitting here on my desk as I write this. He's letting me take it home to evaluate it. I recall not being able to hold under 5" groups @ 10yds the only time I ever shot it. Could have been ammo, or me, or whatever. Maybe I can get it for a few hours unclocked time, or for helping out at his house for an hour or two. He doesn't like it, and I don't think he knows what it's worth either. Arguably, from the sound of it, it's worth would be marginal at best, and probably sub $50. Slam firing doesn't sound too fun. Maybe I'll get lucky.

40CalGuy
May 22, 2005, 02:16 PM
This gun sucks bad IMHO. FTF's, FTL's, stovepiping, failure to go into battery. horrible accuracy. craptacular piece of junk. I will not be buying it. The trigger wouldn't even reset after 100 rounds. I had to pull it forward to fire again. At the end of 300 rounds, this was occurring every damn time i pulled the trigger. Not even for a 2 spot would i buy this thing!

Bisonjump
December 12, 2007, 08:11 PM
The Erma Excam RX22 isn't top quality, for sure. I paid about $109 for one about ten years ago. I found it shoots pretty well with Remington ammo, but can't digest Federal, CCI or Win. A buddy of mine wants to buy it for his wife, and I'd let it go for $75 or trade it for 30 lbs of elk steaks.

PSP
December 13, 2007, 07:49 AM
What timing.

I just found one of these, or it's cousin, an American Arms marked Erma Werke and Excam in my local Gander Mtn, priced at $100. It was in pretty good condition and I thought it would compliment my TPH. Providence interceded and I couldn't buy it because they were out of State forms. After reading this I think I'll go ahead and pass. I'd been looking for an Iver Johnson TP22 to go with my little Walther but haven't found one yet, and thought this was pretty much the same thing.

scbair
December 14, 2007, 09:54 AM
OK, I'll differ from most folks here. I have one; rarely shoot it anymore. Picked it up cheap at a show, years ago, with cracked grips. Ordered a spare mag & replacement grips from Excam (they were still in business, then!).

Rough, gritty trigger - check!
Mediocre accuracy - check!
100% feeding reliability - CHECK!! even when dirty, after several boxes of cheap .22 LR ammo, it has NEVER failed to function.

It was an economy grade .22 pocket pistol. As such, I found it superior to some jamamatic higher-priced options.

PSP
December 17, 2007, 08:08 PM
What timing.

I just found one of these, or it's cousin, an American Arms marked Erma Werke and Excam in my local Gander Mtn, priced at $100.

Well, I went ahead a bought this little guy, marked American Arms PX22, but only after they at least test fired it. It is pretty fair shape, with a low serial number (6xxx), but filthy, looks like it did 10 years in a glovebox. I guess it's from about 1991 or so. I looked at it more from the collectable standpoint than a shooter. Who knows in twenty years it could be worth...?:rolleyes:

Here's a pic of the PX-22 with the original, a TPH.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i186/ripley16/px22002.jpg

chipsndukes
December 17, 2007, 09:05 PM
I have to look at mine, just a second...OK, it's a PX-22 American Arms, I only wanted to say I have at least 5 small .22 caliber autoloaders and this one along with my Walther P-22 (so you have a comparison) was the LEAST picky with ammo. It digested virtually every cheap bulk pack stuff with the exception of Federal Champions lead tip and I was impressed with it's accuracy.

The crap about this pistol is the pot metal frame and slide, I guess I have to GunKote it because mine are worn down to a dull grey finish.

Peace, I like my little PX-22 quite a lot, but it's not a Beretta or Colt.

Chipsndukes

DHP722
January 17, 2008, 04:43 PM
I bought one of these new in the late 1970's off a guy I worked with that had an FFL. One of the best guns for the money I ever owned. (I've regretted ever since that I sold it!) Fired all kinds of LR ammo and never had a jam. Sounded LOUD - sure to help scare off an assailant and bring attention to your situation (in personal defense use). Small, good looking and easy to handle. Anybody want to sell one please let me know.

NCHornet
January 17, 2008, 05:04 PM
I wouldn't buy any gun that sells new for $150 or less. Sorry man you are simply asking for problems. You are much better off saving your money and buying a quality firearm. I am not saying you need a custom Kimber for 2 grand, but C'mon why would anybody want such a gun? These guns are what cops find on gangbangers and crack heads, not anybody that is serious about firearms. I certainly hope this won't a be a CC gun, surely your life is worth more than this.
I have said all I am going to say, good luck.
NCH

PSP
January 17, 2008, 08:45 PM
NCHornet,
Who are you talking to? The OP is from May 2005,;) anyway, I think the gun's quality was addressed.

Te Anau
January 18, 2008, 08:53 AM
I had an Excam in .25acp and it was junk.

1gunnrunner
October 4, 2011, 12:25 PM
I have an Iver Johnson TP25 that I have been carrying for more years then I care to remember. I bought it at a yard sale for $25. It is also made by ERMA.
It has always been a reliable shooter and has gotten me out of a tight spot more then once. It does not like CCI Blazers, but has fired anything else I feed it. I did some work on the feed ramp to make it feed better and only put 5 rounds in it, this also helped with feed problems. I recently bought a Berreta Bobcat, but on a day to day basis still like my TP25. Gun Parts in Hurley New York has parts and the ERMA is still made and imported. I have been offered up to $200 for my Iver Johnson, so $150 was not a bad price. I have lots of handguns, Smiths, Rugers, Berretas, Walthers and the list goes on. My walk around pocket gun has always been my Iver Johnson(ERMA) TP25.
P.S.
The only reason to carry a handgun is to get away or to shoot at the bad guy until you can get to something bigger.

Clifford L. Hughes
October 4, 2011, 01:14 PM
40 Cal Guy:

After my retrement form the Marine Corps I sold guns for twenty years. I don't have any specifics but the Erma pistols were not accepted because of a lot of malufactions.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired