A gap to fill

[WyMark]

Currently my handgun inventory consists of the following:


Auto:
1 .22
1 32acp
3 9mm (1 da, 1 da/sa, 1 sa)

Revolver:
1 .38
2 .357
1 .45acp

Clearly there is an imbalance in the force. It would seem that a nice .22 revolver would restore that balance, but which one? I have long longed for the Single Six that I sold years ago, but now I'm not so sure that a SA .22 is what I really want. Taurus makes a DA/SA .22lr/.22mag convertible, what else is out there?

Or, I guess another option would be to sell the Mosquito, re-barrel the 10/22 and use all my .22 ammo in that. Not the worst thing.

[Cheapshooter]

Well, I see more gaps than that! 45acp revolver, but not Auto!
No 44 Magnum revolver?
45acp revolver, but not 45 Colt?


For your 22 revolver in a DA/SA there is the Taurus 992 22LR/22Mag you mentioned. Also the 990 in just 22LR. The smaller Taurus 94 in 22LR. Another option is the Charter Arms Pathfinder. Ruger does make a couple DA/SA 22 Rimfire revolvers as well. The LCR 22, and the fairly new to the line GP 100 22. Then there is my Holy Grail of a 22 wheel gun. The Smith & Wesson 617.

[VoodooMountain]

I'd look at a smith model 63 for a da or, as you mentioned, a Ruger single six for single action.

[Nathan]

No 45 auto 1911 = GAP!

[Boogershooter]

To fill your gaps I would say 327 in a revolver and 10mm 1911 for auto.

[lee n. field]

Taurus makes a DA/SA .22lr/.22mag convertible, what else is out there?

Every time I read about the Taurus .22 revolver, people say it has a horrendous DA trigger pull.

Pretty much everyone that makes revolvers, makes a .22 revolver. Ruger, S&W of course, Charter Arms.

A .22 revolver sounds like a fun idea, mostly because you can also shoot .22 CB caps in it. Those are a hoot to shoot!

Auto:
1 .22
1 32acp
3 9mm (1 da, 1 da/sa, 1 sa)

Revolver:
1 .38
2 .357
1 .45acp

Yeah, get yourself a .45 1911. Trust us on this.

[shootbrownelk]

Look for a USED S&W .22 revolver. I have a K-22 masterpiece and it's more accurate than I am. They're around. I got mine at a gun show 25 years ago for $200.00. But I've seen a few S&W's lately at Gun shows. Or there's GUN BROKER. and various other sites on the Internet. A used Smith beats most new offerings IMO.

[WyMark]

I was thinking about a .45 1911 a few months ago, then I got a BHP instead.

I looked at the GP100 .22 but it costs more than my GP100 in .357. I'm in no real hurry, guess I'll just keep an eye out for a used on at a reasonable price.

[Cosmodragoon]

To fill your gaps I would say 327 in a revolver and 10mm 1911 for auto.

This isn't a bad idea. You already use .32 acp on the semi-auto side. You'd get some balance by adding its high-powered mutant descendant to the revolver side. It's a fun round with two revolvers in current production. Henry is just now releasing a quartet of lever guns for it.

10mm would be a nice way to fill in the top of your semi-auto collection. There are fewer choices in guns and I don't know your preferred action, but I had a hard time settling on one. In the end, I decided that I'd stick with my forty-fives and look into conversion barrels or a .45 Super upgrade if I wanted the extra power. That said, you're already stocking .45 acp. Take advantage of the much broader market for that cartridge. You've got all kinds of options in a traditional 1911. There are also some really fine modern, high-capacity polymer guns; whether striker-fired like the Glock or DA/SA like the USP or FNX. Just dive into the world of semi-automatic .45 acp and swim around for a while. You know you'll love it.

[xcc_rider]

I love my Single Six for plinking. The SA to me is worth its weight in gold. Since it's cock, aim, fire it takes alot more time to burn off 2-300 rounds and that's important to me when my daughter is practicing.
I'd go broke if I had a DA or auto.

[SpookBoy]

While I personally am looking into a 45 auto Glock with a 10 mm conversion. As a current replacement woods pistol(possibly model 40/41, but will settle for the 20/21 combo). While not as much style as a 1911 per say, but the mag capacity, durability, longevity and accessories work well for me. That might fill this "Gap" of which you speak.

[redlightrich]

If you want a 22lr revolver to "balance power", there are ample choices from outright cheap to very expensive.

We don't know your budget. When I was shopping for a 22lr revolver, I wanted one that had good speed loader support. I also wanted 10 rounds. Two choices easily fit my bill, the Ruger GP100 and the SW 617. I wound up buying the GP100, which I like very much, but I sometimes do wish I had picked the SW 617 with 4" barrel instead. I think it had a nicer trigger.

I am not sure of the exact purpose, so that too will weigh in. If for plinking or light target, either suits the bill. If absolute accuracy is what you desire, the Freedom Arms is nice and expensive.

I can't help but think that a 1911 should be considered, as there are various options for 22 conversion kits. Some kits are cheap plinkers, and some turn it into a very accurate and dependable target pistol.

Enjoy the process of picking it out!!!!


Merry Christmas!!!!

Rich

[tallball]

When I was in my early 20's and had just a few handguns, there were "gaps".

Now I am in my early 50's and have dozens of handguns; there are still "gaps".

To me, looking back, there are two questions: Where are your gaps? Are the handguns you have outstanding for you?

If you don't have a medium-caliber SD handgun, there is a gap. If you don't have a 22 handgun there is a gap. If you don't have a large-caliber handgun, there is a gap. If you don't have a semi-automatic and a revolver in each category, there is a gap. If you don't have a SA and a DA revolver, AND a DA and SA semi-automatic pistol in each category, there is a gap. And so on and so forth. It never ends.

On the other side of things, I adore my CZ75 clone. I already owned four or five 9mm pistols when I bought it; there were no gaps. But after I bought it all of my other 9mm's were second-tier.

That being said...

I have a Mosquito. It is not good. My Browning Buck Mark and my friend's Ruger Mark II target model put it into the shameful category. If you have never owned a fine 22 pistol, you've never really owned one (and a good used one is not that expensive).

Outstanding DA 22 revolvers are not necessarily cheap or easy to come by. I own one of the Taurus Trackers that you mentioned. Its DA trigger is bad. Other than that it is a very good revolver - its SA trigger is decent and it is extremely accurate & reliable. I have owned a lot of DA 22 revolvers. Most of them have bad DA triggers. It is apparently difficult to make a DA 22 revolver that will reliably ignite the rimfire ammunition, and will also have a nice DA trigger. In SA revolvers, it is apparently much easier. I have yet to find a DA revolver that I would prefer to my Single Six. Its SA trigger is sweet and it is more accurate than I am. My Single Six is not for SD. It is for targets or plinking or small game. I do not need to reload it quickly, and drawing the hammer back between shots doesn't interfere with anything.

I consider my medium-caliber handguns to be my bread-and-butter for SD, hunting... and plinking or target-shooting if I want something other than a 22. If I didn't have a medium-caliber revolver and/or semi-automatic pistol that had a great trigger, and was very accurate and reliable, I would consider myself to have a HUGE gap somewhere. "Okay" is not good enough. My best in each category (SA revolver, DA revolver, SA pistol, DA pistol) are so extremely good that all of the rest are superfluous. I also CC, so I want at least one good small & light CC medium-sized caliber revolver, and one good small & light medium-caliber pistol as well.

For me, larger-caliber revolvers and pistols are for fun. I am in no danger of being attacked by bears or giants, but I like the big noise and recoil and like putting big holes in things, or blowing them completely apart. It is fun! I am happy to have revolvers and pistols and these kinds of calibers because I enjoy them. I didn't have a 1911 for a long time. Now I have four. They are excellent pistols.

I think you pretty much either like SA revolvers or you don't. For SD I will take DA every time. Otherwise I prefer the SA. I am not in a hurry if I am shooting targets or plinking or hunting small game (easy high-percentage shots). I like the feel of their SA triggers, and the plowhandle grip works better for me. I have revolvers I prefer for SD in all of the small-medium-and-large-caliber categories, but for general shooting I prefer my SA revolvers. Everyone is different as far as that goes.

Sorry for the wall of text.

[scoobysnacker]

Tallball brings some good input!

My added suggestions-

Find a 1911 in .45 acp. You don't have to break the bank; most people swear by the RIA's. I found a Tisas for relative pennies, and it's been great thus far.

.22 lr revolver; I'd say buy old used, rather than new cheap. I have an H&R Sportsman that I love. It shoots anything.

9x18; the Makarov caliber is great. The round itself is a little hotter than .380, and those guns were designed around steel cases. The ammo is about the same price as 9mm range ammo, so it's cheaper than 380. The guns themselves fill some nice niches, as they are historically significant, well made, and depending on the model can be a small hi-cap (CZ 82), or a smaller mouse gun with a wallop (P64).

[Ricklin]

I too enjoy the 9 X 18. A little more snort than .380 (debatable) and now easy to find, and reasonably priced.......that has not always been the case! I'll put the trigger of the CZ82 up against any military handgun, and many commercial offerings. It's quite good. Hi Cap, fairly compact, and stone ax simple.
I've owned the venerable PA63 for a long time. I got an early one back when the shotgun news ad said they were surplus STASI pistols. Whatever, after about fifteen years I replaced the recoil spring. I think I paid 79 bucks for it. No complaints, I'd carry it in a pinch, comfortably.

I like our OP's quest, as one could get "detailed" or keep it pretty broad. So get a little obscure with the 9 X 18.

[b.thomas]

Mine are:
.22 rimfire
9mm Luger
.38 special/.357 magnum
Don't really feel there's any missing or any "gap"!

[WyMark]

Originally Posted by tallball

I think you pretty much either like SA revolvers or you don't. For SD I will take DA every time. Otherwise I prefer the SA. I am not in a hurry if I am shooting targets or plinking or hunting small game (easy high-percentage shots). I like the feel of their SA triggers, and the plowhandle grip works better for me. I have revolvers I prefer for SD in all of the small-medium-and-large-caliber categories, but for general shooting I prefer my SA revolvers.

I pretty much agree with this, and I asked my LGS for a quote on a new Single Six convertible. I have to hold off for a billing cycle or two right now and in the meantime I'll keep an eye out for used ones. But in the past I've never seen that big of a price difference between new and used. Unless the used one is very, very used, that is.

[Big Shrek]

When it comes to .22 pistols,
ALWAYS get a .22Magnum /.22WMR!

They are entirely too much fun
I've had .22lr/.22WMR revolver conversions,
which usually shoot WMR the best, and the LR the worst...

Where .22WMR really shines, is in the Grendel P-30/31 & R-31,
and Keltec PMR-30/CMR-30
Additionally fun out of a Marlin Camp 922M w/ 15-rd mags!
(which are really Marlin 925M mags with a mag catch hole added)

[g.willikers]

When first reading the heading for this thread, I was expecting to see someone with more guns than they will ever use.
You know, the typical "collector."
But your accumulation is quite reasonable and normal.
Things you might actually shoot and want to get good with.
About the only handgun you might add is indeed a .22 revolver.
Any of the major brands should serve, although I'd lean toward S&W, even if it's a similar design from someone else.
I just prefer their revolver version.
Best of luck in your search - definitely part of the fun.

[TruthTellers]

I don't care much for single action .22's, small hole for the ejector rod is the exact definition of "aim small, miss small."

I'd rather have a double action, sadly not as many good/acceptable options there, but Ruger has the LCR (wish they'd make a longer barrel version tho) and the SP101, both 8 rounders. They came out with the GP100 earlier this year with 10 rounds, but for its size it's another Ruger boat anchor. To me, I don't need a .22 larger in something larger than a K frame.

Charter Arms makes a .22... in a 6 shot cylinder only. Pass. Every revolver should be able to hold 8 rounds of .22 Long Rifle except the super small NAA's.

Taurus is the next best bet for something decent. They make a Tracker model that's 9 shots and has a .22 Magnum conversion. Very big revolvers, but a convertible .22LR/.22Mag in a swing out DA/SA is not common.

I think Rossi makes an 8 shot for about $300. Size is large, but it's only 30 oz heavy which in a revolver isn't the best, but isn't the worst either. Last i checked, everybody was sold out of the Rossi .22's.

Like I said, I'm waiting on Ruger to make a longer barrel LCR. Might be waiting years for it, but the wait is worth the wait. At least, until Kel-Tec decides to jump into the revolver market with their own version of a wheelgun:



EDIT: And don't hesitate to look at the used revolver market online. There are a lot of old companies like H&R that made good .22 revolvers, both with swing out cylinders and top break models.

[TruthTellers]

For something other than .22 revolvers, I saw someone recommend a .327 Magnum and I can't help but agree... ONLY if you are a reloader. .327 is yet to catch on and will not catch on for at least another 5 years, maybe more. The range of power it can shoot tho is incredible, from mouse fart .32 up to near .357 Magnum power.

On the auto side, I'm privy to anything .40 caliber and in a Glock for ease of conversion to something else.

[Boncrayon]

You say you have a .45 acp....If it's not a .45 1911, I'd suggest it for your collection!

[pilpens]

+1 .45 1911.

[ShootistPRS]

40 and 45 auto and a 22 rimfire and a Ruger 45 Colt revolver would fill out the hand guns nicely. The rimfire revolver allows you to shoot the BB caps, short and longs that won't cycle the auto.

[lefteye]

WyMark - I recommend you consider a Ruger SP101 double action stainless steel .22 revolver. OR, if you prefer SA and blue, you might consider a Ruger New Model Single Six .22. The Single Six might fit your traditions better, but the SP101 might be more durable in those Wyoming rain forests. A 1911 is also a "necessity."