Semiauto or Revolver .22 for hiking

[azmark]

If you carry a .22 on hikes, do you prefer a revolver or semiauto and why?

[skoro]

22 rimfire ammo has failures to fire on a too frequent basis, in my book. If I was carrying a 22LR, I'd want a revolver, because the failure drill is: pull the trigger again.

[mxsailor803]

Rough Rider .22lr revolver. I like it because its simple in design and nearly impossible to jam.

[jason_iowa]

I have gone through 10s of thousands of rounds of 22lr with no failure to fires. Don't buy cheap crap and you wont have duds. There is nothing inherently less reliable in a rim fire then there is in center fire. That being said I would carry at least a 38 for anything. Preferably 357mag.

[azmark]

I've had .22s in the past and didn't have much trouble with failures to fire.

The rimfire rough riders are definitely inexpensive but they don't seem as well made as othe wheel guns. I only know one guy who has one, but he likes it fine. Maybe I'm prejudiced against them solely because of the metal they're made with, I don't know.

[azmark]

I have a 9mm but It's a tad expensive to practice with. I'm comfortable with the caliber, just not ammo prices.

[pete2]

Ruger single action, or a S&W model 17 or 18. You won't be sorry. Autos are all prone to misfire or jam, the revolver will work every time unless you have a bad round of ammo. I carry a Single Six cause I don't own a model 18.

[BillyJack3]

I have a Hi Standard (1958 I believe) that's the most reliable .22 I have. Regardless of ammo choice. I'd take it over my semi.

[RJay]

I carry a S&W Model 63, had it many a year. I prefer a .22 revolver for several reasons, it really doesn't matter which one you chose ( however a small compact revolver such as a J Frame makes it easier to carry ) With a .22 revolver you can carry different loads for different purposes. When trekking here in the south west I carry the first two cylinders with CCI snake shot, just in case I meet up with a big rattler that doesn't know enough to remove himself. I also carry a box of CB Caps just for pinking when at rest with out a lot of noise. Lot of fun chasing lizards back into their hiding place. Now my 63 only has 6 holes in the chamber, but so what, it doesn't bother me to reload after 6 shots. To honest and no bragg, in a serious situation, I don't plan on missing six times , My little 63 is very accurate. Just my HO based on experience. Now I'm sure someone will chime in with the fact that CCI snake shot isn't effective beyond 6 to 8 feet, Thats OK too, why would I want to shoot a snake that is more than 5 to 6 feet away, they have a right to get along in this world also.

[Hook686]

If I were to carry a .22 in the outback, it would be my Ruger Super Single Six with the magnum cylinder inserted. I prefer revolvers and would leave the ruger Mark III at home. I've never had a misfire with the Mark III, but I still feel more comfortable with a revolver in the field.

[L_Killkenny]

I mucho prefer rimfrire semi's over revolvers and no, like most I don't have issues with misfires or gun malfunctions and no, I don't need a centerfire. Right now my preference is towards my 4.5" slabside Ruger 22/45.

[SgtLumpy]

I'm a bit curious about the concept of carrying a 22 when hiking.

Is that for PersDefense? Against human bad guys? Lions/Bears? Snakes? Or is it for something else like plinking?


Sgt Lumpy - n0eq

[RJay]

The Arizona desert is a mean place if you don't respect it and understand it. I carry my 63 for several reasons, just for fun, out by myself, for target and pinking, for protection against snakes if I happen to be too close to back up or run ( I always try and check before stepping over a rock or log), there are also drug dealers and human coyotes ( guides for illegals, they are scum and will kill you in a minute for what ever you possess if they think they can do so with out risk ), in case of distress, for signaling. I let people know where I am going and my expected return time, I also have a GPS app for my phone. When I lived in Yuma I joined several rescue hunts for lost hikers and hunters, they didn't always turn out happy. A small 22 revolver is just part of my planing for things I don't plan on, I don't feel I need a ,45 or .357 , the odds of ever having to use the .22 for protection is remote, so I am happy with what I have. Now there are times I have carried a much larger gun when out and around but that is another story..

[rep1954]

While I own and enjoy shooting an array of 22 semi autos this Ruger Single Six is my all time favorite 22 rimfire. Your most likely to see me shooting Winchesters 22WRF 45gr. copper clad lead ammo in it through the 22 WMR cylinder. I have purchased an extra 22LR cylinder to rechamber for the 22WRF round.

[TMA-1]

I don't always carry on hikes, but when I do, I tend to carry smaller stuff like a High Standard snub-nose .22 revolver or a Ruger LCP .380. When hiking and backpacking, ounces count!

[CajunBass]

I can't say I "hike" in the woods. That sounds too much like something you'd do in the army with a very heavy pack on your back.

That said, when I'm bumming around, I carry a 22 most of the time. I don't really have a favorite. Just whichever one I feel like picking up at the time. I've got a couple of Ruger standard auto's, I've got two or three revolvers. One isn't better than the other, just different. Lately I've been carrying an old High-Standard R-106, Sentinel, but I admit that I just bought it so it's some novelty factor there. It's also really light, so that's going to help it stay on the top of the heap I think.

(show off picture)



Seriously, just pick the one you like best and have fun with it.

[Rifleman1776]

As for .22 ammo, I use bulk almost exclusively. Might get one or two duds in a box of 550.
I used to carry a Ruger SA but I am a bit anti-semi auto for hunting situations. It is a safety issue with me. Having that next round ready to go has a potential for trouble if one is excited or forgetful.
So, I carry my Ruger Single Six with regular lr ammo most of the time. When I had my farm it often had the mag. cylinder in it with the first two rounds up shot capsules for snakes.

[lockedcj7]

Just depends on my mood. If I'm fishing in my pond, I'll usually carry a Single-Six with rat shot. I don't like killing snakes but some are too aggressive for my liking. If I'm out of sight of the house, I'm carrying something bigger than a .22. I've found the remains of a meth lab on my property and I would hate to walk up on somebody who's up to no good and me only have a .22 revolver.

[Alabama Shooter]

I prefer the 1911 with a .22 "upper". It gives you better capacity and I prefer auto pistols over revolvers. I would also think a 5" barrel would be a minimum for a .22.

The rimfire rough riders are definitely inexpensive but they don't seem as well made as othe wheel guns. I only know one guy who has one, but he likes it fine. Maybe I'm prejudiced against them solely because of the metal they're made with, I don't know.

I used to own one, they are paper weights for accuracy. In fact I have known three other people that have owned them. All junk. There might be a good one out there but I have not seen it.

[Hammerhead]

Failures to fire with rimfires are a valid concern IME.
My rules for rimfire reliability are;
Don't buy ammo that has the word 'Remington' on the box.
Do buy CCI ammo. Velocitor, Mini Mags, Stingers.
Winchester Super X has also been 100% for me.
That said, the revolver, especially the DA revolver, has the advantage of cycling a fresh round with the pull of the trigger or cocking the hammer.
Also the revolver doesn't care about power level. Some autos, even the venerable Mark II/III, can get beaten up with a steady diet of Stingers or other hyper velocity ammo. Also they may not cycle with sub-sonic ammo like Wolf MT. With a revo' you can also enjoy plinking with shorts and the Colibri rounds in more urban areas without upsetting the neighbors.
I love my Mark II, but my 6 shot SP101 is my trail gun.

[Pilot]

I carry my Ruger MK II's as woods guns. I have no reliability issues with them especially with CCI Minimags which is what I carry. Revolvers are fine, but I shoot semi-autos better, especially the Rugers.

[azmark]

Revolvers are normally more expensive than autos. I could afford Charter or Taurus though. Any experience with those?

[Mobuck]

I carry a 22 semiauto(specifically a Ruger SS 22/45 w/5.5" barrel) as a "chore gun" about 9 months per year. With a full mag and an extra loaded mag, I can handle about anything that shows up in MO. Might not be first choice for some uses but the best gun is the one you have when you need it.

[johnwilliamson062]

single six is the best value out of all the guns I have purchased.

[whip1]

The revolver will fire shorts, and low power rounds with out worries about cycling.