Small .22 handguns

HistoryJunky · May 4, 2016, 02:53 PM

In July I will be getting an extra check, so new gun time. As of right now, I do not own any .22 LR firearms. I used to own a .22 rifle but I sold it due to the complete lack of available ammo.

Now .22 is reasonably findable locally. I enjoy shooting handguns far more than rifles, and it would be a good low cost training method. And fun of course.

I know that .22 is not a good caliber for defense/ccw, and I do not intend to have this pistol for that. I do want a smaller sized gun though.

I have noticed in searching different gun sale sites that there are not a lot of smaller .22 handguns. Or maybe I am just missing them?

What are some good options out there for under $400.

snail · May 4, 2016, 02:55 PM

Beretta bobcat. Very small, and well made.

Cheapshooter · May 4, 2016, 03:13 PM

First, what is your preference as to action type if any. Revolver, SA, or DA,or do you prefer autoloaders?

Lohman446 · May 4, 2016, 03:30 PM

I like some of the larger NAA "minis" They are fairly cheap SA handguns with a novel cylinder design. Its not for everyone.

Bill DeShivs · May 4, 2016, 04:03 PM

There are the "J" frame-sized revolvers-built on the same frame as the .38 special/.357 magnum snubbies.

There are larger, but not full-sized, .22 autos like the Walther P22 and the excellent Browning 1911-22.

There are a very few small automatic pistols- the Beretta Bobcat, Taurus P22 versions, and a few pot-metal (zinc) small autos.

Then there are the various mini revolvers- which seem to only get bigger and bigger, while retaining everything that goes against them being serious firearms.

aarondhgraham · May 4, 2016, 04:25 PM

Here are a few I can vouch for,,,
I own them and have had good performance.

Bersa Thunder 22,,,
This pistol has the old-school styling
Very nice 10 round mag DA/SA semi-auto with safety decocker.

Ruger SR-22,,,
This pistol has modern styling,,,
Very nice 10 round mag DA/SA semi-auto with safety decocker.

Taurus 22-PLY (not the very similar Taurus PT-22),,,
Styled similar to the little Beretta tip-up pistols,,,
8 round magazine with DAO action and manual safety.

There are several more smallish semi-autos out there,,,
But these three are ones I own and can vouch for,,,
They have all given me trouble free performance.

Happy gun hunting,,,
Let us know what you eventually decide on.

Aarond

.

HistoryJunky · May 4, 2016, 04:39 PM

I haven't ever seen the Beretta, but I have read on them a little bit.

I don't know anything about the Taurus, other than it's probably the cheapest that isn't made out of pot metal.

I do prefer semi-automatics, but revolvers aren't out of the question.

And I would like to know more about the Bersa 22.

smee78 · May 4, 2016, 05:13 PM

The Ruger SR-22 is a great little pistol, the grip has an interchangabe grip piece and the gun is smooth and easy to rack. They have been verry popular around here.

tallball · May 4, 2016, 05:44 PM

The Taurus is based on the Beretta. Taurus bought the Beretta factory in Brazil and kept making the 22's and 25's and 9mm's. The design has changed just a little bit over the years. The tip-up barrel is a great feature. I am more of a revolver guy, but I like mine okay. It has never malfunctioned. The trigger is a little bit stiff, but it is DAO, so that is to be expected. The sights are small. I am more of a revolver guy, but the PT22 is pretty good to have in your shirt pocket if you are just walking around the farm and might want to plink at something or might need to shoot a snake. I think I paid $200 for mine used but in very good condition, IIRC.

HistoryJunky · May 4, 2016, 05:52 PM

Quote:

The Taurus is based on the Beretta. Taurus bought the Beretta factory in Brazil and kept making the 22's and 25's and 9mm's. The design has changed just a little bit over the years. The tip-up barrel is a great feature. I am more of a revolver guy, but I like mine okay. It has never malfunctioned. The trigger is a little bit stiff, but it is DAO, so that is to be expected. The sights are small. I am more of a revolver guy, but the PT22 is pretty good to have in your shirt pocket if you are just walking around the farm and might want to plink at something or might need to shoot a snake. I think I paid $200 for mine used but in very good condition, IIRC.

I was kinda looking at it for the same purpose. Easy to pack, usable enough for dispatching of rodents or impromptu plinking. The Taurus is actually a decent looking gun, I just wish that it was DA/SA.

tallball · May 4, 2016, 05:58 PM

I can't remember. You could look it up. Were the older ones DA/SA? I kind of wish mine was. The DAO is probably safer, though.

idek · May 4, 2016, 06:01 PM

I had a Taurus PT-22. It was okay, and for a small gun the grip fills the hand pretty well. My biggest issue was the long trigger pull, which seemed to keep coming back, back, back... by the time the shot was finally fired, my finger wasn't in a very comfortable, natural position anymore. I have somewhat long fingers, which may have caused or at least worsened the issue for me.

Also, I like to grip my guns high, but I had to grip the PT-22 differently, or I'd get slide bite.

HistoryJunky · May 4, 2016, 06:22 PM

What are the dimensions of the pt22? Wondering how much smaller it is than my g26.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk

Mike38 · May 4, 2016, 06:44 PM

Taurus PT22PLY. I bought one around 6 months ago, $210. 400+ rounds of CCI Mini Mags without a failure of any kind. At the 300 round mark, I gave it the nod to be a pocket carry gun. Extra mags are a bit difficult to find, and a bit costly, other than that, I am pleased.

osbornk · May 4, 2016, 06:53 PM

Don't laugh but I've been happy with my little "pot metal" Phoenix HP-22. It is accurate and reliable. I paid MSRP of $149 for mine but they are available cheaper. It calls for SV ammo. I shot over 3,000 rounds of HV ammo in it and the slide cracked. The lifetime warranty replaced the slide within a week with no questions asked (I had to send them the slide through regular mail). The cracked slide was my fault.

SDF880 · May 4, 2016, 06:59 PM

I always liked the Walther TPH 22 it was like a baby PPK! I wish I never sold mine!

maddog613 · May 4, 2016, 07:31 PM

have a 22 jennings cheap pistol still works

James K · May 4, 2016, 08:10 PM

Long discontinued, but seen from time to time, is the S&W Model 61 Escort. They are in .22 LR and mine has always been reliable.

Jim

gyvel · May 4, 2016, 08:42 PM

My LPS has an S&W Model 61 escort for sale.

Pep in CA · May 4, 2016, 08:51 PM

I don't own one but the Ruger LCR looks pretty nice. Reviews on YouTube and elsewhere are very positive. Unfortunately a new once costs about $100 more than your price point.

Targa · May 4, 2016, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Don't laugh but I've been happy with my little "pot metal" Phoenix HP-22. It is accurate and reliable.

I'm with ya Osbornk, more than worth the price of admission.

HistoryJunky · May 4, 2016, 09:02 PM

Thank you all for the great replies. I have read about the Smith model 61 quite a bit as well. It seems like a neat little gun.

The new production models of small .22LR pistol seem to be quite small in number. Any idea why? 22LR seems like it is the perfect cartridge for a tiny gun since it has such little amount of recoil.

Navistar · May 4, 2016, 09:16 PM

I enjoy my Ruger sr-22

springer99 · May 4, 2016, 10:12 PM

If you don't intend to use this .22 for defensive purposes, then I don't understand why size should be an issue. If you want a very good, accurate, relatively inexpensive .22 pistol that you can actually use at the range and hit things with, then a Ruger Mk pistol is a good bet. It will fire just about any commercial ammunition you can run thru it, be reliable to a fault and with any maintenance, outlive you and your kids. A Ruger Single Six is another great way to get into a fine 22RF revolver. A good S&W 617 or 63 would be another best bet, but unless you run into a great used price, it's a bit outside of your budget.

deerslayer303 · May 4, 2016, 10:30 PM

You mentioned it being a training tool. Try looking into something that is close to the same platform as your bigger caliber pistols. Like if you have a Glock, get a conversion. Same with a 1911. A PPK, then a Bersa 22. And so forth and so on. So many big caliber handguns have a 22 option or there is a 22 on a very close platform. Just my .02 As far as 22 Pistols I've had personal experience with?
Taurus 94- Terrible trigger and slightly out of time, liked to spit lead, it was brand new
Sig Mosquito- EXCELLENT Pistol for me AS LONG as it ate a diet of CCI Mini Mags.
Walther P22- GREAT little pistol, after about 1000 rounds I noticed the face of the hammer was getting dinged up pretty good, but it kept on running.
Phoenix HP22A- The BEST 120 bucks you could spend on a 22 plinker. Accurate, dependable, and flat out the safest pistol EVER.

Seriously it has some redundant Safeties but once you get used to them, no big deal to me really or there is videos on how to mod it to work like any other semi auto if you prefer.
Let us know what you get.

May 4, 2016, 02:53 PM	#1
HistoryJunky Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2010 Location: Freeport, IL Posts: 833	Small .22 handguns In July I will be getting an extra check, so new gun time. As of right now, I do not own any .22 LR firearms. I used to own a .22 rifle but I sold it due to the complete lack of available ammo. Now .22 is reasonably findable locally. I enjoy shooting handguns far more than rifles, and it would be a good low cost training method. And fun of course. I know that .22 is not a good caliber for defense/ccw, and I do not intend to have this pistol for that. I do want a smaller sized gun though. I have noticed in searching different gun sale sites that there are not a lot of smaller .22 handguns. Or maybe I am just missing them? What are some good options out there for under $400.

May 4, 2016, 02:55 PM	#2
snail Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2007 Location: Tennessee Posts: 260	Beretta bobcat. Very small, and well made. __________________ Everything falls apart, even the people who never frown eventually break down.

May 4, 2016, 03:13 PM	#3
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	First, what is your preference as to action type if any. Revolver, SA, or DA,or do you prefer autoloaders? __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

May 4, 2016, 04:03 PM	#5
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,986	There are the "J" frame-sized revolvers-built on the same frame as the .38 special/.357 magnum snubbies. There are larger, but not full-sized, .22 autos like the Walther P22 and the excellent Browning 1911-22. There are a very few small automatic pistols- the Beretta Bobcat, Taurus P22 versions, and a few pot-metal (zinc) small autos. Then there are the various mini revolvers- which seem to only get bigger and bigger, while retaining everything that goes against them being serious firearms. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 4, 2016, 04:25 PM	#6
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	Here are a few I can vouch for,,, Here are a few I can vouch for,,, I own them and have had good performance. Bersa Thunder 22,,, This pistol has the old-school styling Very nice 10 round mag DA/SA semi-auto with safety decocker. Ruger SR-22,,, This pistol has modern styling,,, Very nice 10 round mag DA/SA semi-auto with safety decocker. Taurus 22-PLY (not the very similar Taurus PT-22),,, Styled similar to the little Beretta tip-up pistols,,, 8 round magazine with DAO action and manual safety. There are several more smallish semi-autos out there,,, But these three are ones I own and can vouch for,,, They have all given me trouble free performance. Happy gun hunting,,, Let us know what you eventually decide on. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

May 4, 2016, 03:30 PM	#4
Lohman446 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2016 Posts: 2,192	I like some of the larger NAA "minis" They are fairly cheap SA handguns with a novel cylinder design. Its not for everyone.

May 4, 2016, 04:39 PM	#7
HistoryJunky Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2010 Location: Freeport, IL Posts: 833	I haven't ever seen the Beretta, but I have read on them a little bit. I don't know anything about the Taurus, other than it's probably the cheapest that isn't made out of pot metal. I do prefer semi-automatics, but revolvers aren't out of the question. And I would like to know more about the Bersa 22.

May 4, 2016, 05:13 PM	#8
smee78 Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,918	The Ruger SR-22 is a great little pistol, the grip has an interchangabe grip piece and the gun is smooth and easy to rack. They have been verry popular around here. __________________ We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are

May 4, 2016, 05:44 PM	#9
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	The Taurus is based on the Beretta. Taurus bought the Beretta factory in Brazil and kept making the 22's and 25's and 9mm's. The design has changed just a little bit over the years. The tip-up barrel is a great feature. I am more of a revolver guy, but I like mine okay. It has never malfunctioned. The trigger is a little bit stiff, but it is DAO, so that is to be expected. The sights are small. I am more of a revolver guy, but the PT22 is pretty good to have in your shirt pocket if you are just walking around the farm and might want to plink at something or might need to shoot a snake. I think I paid $200 for mine used but in very good condition, IIRC.

May 4, 2016, 05:58 PM	#11
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	I can't remember. You could look it up. Were the older ones DA/SA? I kind of wish mine was. The DAO is probably safer, though.

May 4, 2016, 06:01 PM	#12
idek Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2009 Posts: 903	I had a Taurus PT-22. It was okay, and for a small gun the grip fills the hand pretty well. My biggest issue was the long trigger pull, which seemed to keep coming back, back, back... by the time the shot was finally fired, my finger wasn't in a very comfortable, natural position anymore. I have somewhat long fingers, which may have caused or at least worsened the issue for me. Also, I like to grip my guns high, but I had to grip the PT-22 differently, or I'd get slide bite.

May 4, 2016, 06:22 PM	#13
HistoryJunky Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2010 Location: Freeport, IL Posts: 833	What are the dimensions of the pt22? Wondering how much smaller it is than my g26. Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk

May 4, 2016, 06:44 PM	#14
Mike38 Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2009 Location: North Central Illinois Posts: 2,710	Taurus PT22PLY. I bought one around 6 months ago, $210. 400+ rounds of CCI Mini Mags without a failure of any kind. At the 300 round mark, I gave it the nod to be a pocket carry gun. Extra mags are a bit difficult to find, and a bit costly, other than that, I am pleased.

May 4, 2016, 06:53 PM	#15
osbornk Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2012 Location: Mountains of Appalachia Posts: 1,598	Don't laugh but I've been happy with my little "pot metal" Phoenix HP-22. It is accurate and reliable. I paid MSRP of $149 for mine but they are available cheaper. It calls for SV ammo. I shot over 3,000 rounds of HV ammo in it and the slide cracked. The lifetime warranty replaced the slide within a week with no questions asked (I had to send them the slide through regular mail). The cracked slide was my fault.

May 4, 2016, 06:59 PM	#16
SDF880 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2009 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 390	I always liked the Walther TPH 22 it was like a baby PPK! I wish I never sold mine!

May 4, 2016, 07:31 PM	#17
maddog613 Junior Member Join Date: December 30, 2015 Location: san jacinto ca. Posts: 11	22 have a 22 jennings cheap pistol still works

May 4, 2016, 08:10 PM	#18
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Long discontinued, but seen from time to time, is the S&W Model 61 Escort. They are in .22 LR and mine has always been reliable. Jim

May 4, 2016, 08:42 PM	#19
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	My LPS has an S&W Model 61 escort for sale. __________________ As always, YMMV. __________________________________________ MIIAA SIFE

May 4, 2016, 08:51 PM	#20
Pep in CA Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2016 Posts: 191	I don't own one but the Ruger LCR looks pretty nice. Reviews on YouTube and elsewhere are very positive. Unfortunately a new once costs about $100 more than your price point.

May 4, 2016, 09:02 PM	#22
HistoryJunky Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2010 Location: Freeport, IL Posts: 833	Thank you all for the great replies. I have read about the Smith model 61 quite a bit as well. It seems like a neat little gun. The new production models of small .22LR pistol seem to be quite small in number. Any idea why? 22LR seems like it is the perfect cartridge for a tiny gun since it has such little amount of recoil.

May 4, 2016, 09:16 PM	#23
Navistar Member Join Date: January 27, 2015 Location: Denver CO Posts: 75	I enjoy my Ruger sr-22

May 4, 2016, 10:12 PM	#24
springer99 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2008 Posts: 355	If you don't intend to use this .22 for defensive purposes, then I don't understand why size should be an issue. If you want a very good, accurate, relatively inexpensive .22 pistol that you can actually use at the range and hit things with, then a Ruger Mk pistol is a good bet. It will fire just about any commercial ammunition you can run thru it, be reliable to a fault and with any maintenance, outlive you and your kids. A Ruger Single Six is another great way to get into a fine 22RF revolver. A good S&W 617 or 63 would be another best bet, but unless you run into a great used price, it's a bit outside of your budget.

May 4, 2016, 10:30 PM	#25
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,654	You mentioned it being a training tool. Try looking into something that is close to the same platform as your bigger caliber pistols. Like if you have a Glock, get a conversion. Same with a 1911. A PPK, then a Bersa 22. And so forth and so on. So many big caliber handguns have a 22 option or there is a 22 on a very close platform. Just my .02 As far as 22 Pistols I've had personal experience with? Taurus 94- Terrible trigger and slightly out of time, liked to spit lead, it was brand new Sig Mosquito- EXCELLENT Pistol for me AS LONG as it ate a diet of CCI Mini Mags. Walther P22- GREAT little pistol, after about 1000 rounds I noticed the face of the hammer was getting dinged up pretty good, but it kept on running. Phoenix HP22A- The BEST 120 bucks you could spend on a 22 plinker. Accurate, dependable, and flat out the safest pistol EVER. Seriously it has some redundant Safeties but once you get used to them, no big deal to me really or there is videos on how to mod it to work like any other semi auto if you prefer. Let us know what you get.