• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Which .22 carry pistol actually works reliable?

Jayjay1

Jayjay1

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 30, 2018
842
444
Hey guys,
another shooter wants to buy my 41 Smiff.

Not really thought about trading it, but now there is this offer, so I was circling around it.

Would maybe sell it to get a more carriable .22, just for plinking and maybe to put a dot on or not.
But then I realized, that I know not one .22 carry pistol which runs without issues.

Do you guys know one?
 
I've had great luck with a Ruger 22/45, which has a really low failure rate, but like most .22's I've used they can't seem to make consistently reliable mags and you are really limited by ammo. You just never know if the priming compound is where it needs to be in the rim. I love mine for plinking and small game hunting though. It wears a Sparrow and a RMR. Easy to shoot out to 50 yards. Nice to have to thin out the loud barking squirrels from the gene pool when I'm hunting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jharms80439 and Vodoun daVinci
Not sure of your definition of “carry pistol” but I have zero issues with my first model Colt Woodsman’s. I also carry a little tip barrel Beretta called I think, Bobcat.
No issues with it either.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: garandman, benwitt11 and Fig
***Bias alert, I'm a 1911 guy*** Have a Rock Island Arms/Armscor XT22 (complete pistol) that I've got dialed in pretty good with CCI Tactical. A lot of polishing with a dermal, filing down the firing pin, cutting/shortening the firing pin spring, very slight filling on the extractor and ejector then added a Dawson front fiber optic sight. Not the worlds fastest pistol but sure is fun, less expensive to shoot than 45acp, no brass to pickup and no time invested in reloading. There's a lot of conversions, even for the Glock guys
 
Second the nomination on a Woodsman like this. Very easy to point, shoots straight, simple:

7109053
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alabusa
Jayjay1 said:
Hey guys,
another shooter wants to buy my 41 Smiff.

Not really thought about trading it, but now there is this offer, so I was circling around it.

Would maybe sell it to get a more carriable .22, just for plinking and maybe to put a dot on or not.
But then I realized, that I know not one .22 carry pistol which runs without issues.

Do you guys know one?
Click to expand...

Ruger SR-22
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nodakplowboy and myronman3
When I was in the market for the Smiff some years ago, the M&P 22 and the Ruger SR22 were both called not-reliable.

I was close before buying the Ruger, but having heard or read a lot of F-T-F problems and switched over to the Smiff.
Did they change anything with those two, so that they run with no issues now?

And don´t get me wrong with the Smiff is a great shooter, but veeery heavy and a bit bulky too.
 
Jayjay1 said:
When I was in the market for the Smiff some years ago, the M&P 22 and the Ruger SR22 were both called not-reliable.

I was close before buying the Ruger, but having heard or read a lot of F-T-F problems and switched over to the Smiff.
Did they change anything with those two, so that they run with no issues now?

And don´t get me wrong with the Smiff is a great shooter, but veeery heavy and a bit bulky too.
Click to expand...

I've had my SR-22 for a few years now and haven't had any issues like F-T-F. The only issue I had with it is that the grip is a bit small for my large hands. A little mod addition to the bottom of the mag solved that. It's a light gun, easy to take apart to clean, it runs smooth and it's only been when running any of the Remington ammo through it where such problems happened. But, with Remington ammo, that'll happen with any gun. Over the few years I've had this SR-22 I've conversed with a couple other owners who expressed similar satisfaction.

I originally got it for my wife, who needed something light and reliable to shoot. It worked out pretty well for her, except she lost interest in shooting and doesn't shoot if much any more. So, I play with it every so often along with my Mark III.
 
straightshooter1 said:
The only issue I had with it is that the grip is a bit small for my large hands. A little mod addition to the bottom of the mag solved that.
Click to expand...

Well, what I know there are extended mags on the market already.

Longer grip, mo` ammo.
 
Suppressed any pistol would work more reliable I suppose, won´t they?

Well, suppresors are here a no-no, unfortunately.
 
Jayjay1 said:
Suppressed any pistol would work more reliable I suppose, won´t they?
Click to expand...
Just the opposite, cans dirty a pistol up quick. I've cleaned the M&P 3 times in 7500rds. Remember some reviewers are paid to give bad reviews, then you have those who know nothing about the items they are reviewing in the first place. I don't trust any review unless I know the person or group I'm reading it from.
 
Ruger now sells an lcr 22 magnum. I have both the lcr 22 and 38. Great guns. I am very satisfied.
 
My suggestion? Keep the 41 and go buy a Taurus TX22 as a plinker. You can find them reasonably priced right now along with a $50 mail-in rebate:

www.taurususa.com

Taurus® Celebrates Summer with TaurusTX™ 22 Rebate Offer

The Sizzling Summer Rebate program will offer consumers a $50 rebate when they purchase the groundbreaking TaurusTX™ 22 semi-auto .22LR handgun.
www.taurususa.com

The TX22 is a striker fired 22LR with a good factory trigger with a short reset. I just got one in and it's better than any other stock 22LR pistol trigger I've tried. The magazines, which it comes with 2, hold 16 rounds. Take down for cleaning is extremely simple. I haven't had time to take it to the range yet, but all reviews say they are accurate. The biggest gripes I've read in the reviews is that the tabs on the side of the mags are hard to use. The pistol (now) ships with a mag loader to ease loading. The other is that adjustment on the rear site might not be enough vertically so you have to adjust your aim. If decide to put a red dot on it, that wouldn't be an issue. An adapter plate can be bought for the TX22 at:

Mounting Plate for Viper, Venom, Fastfire, ADE rd3 series, etc. sights on Taurus G2 series, G3 & TX22 Pistols

Included: Lakeline Sight Mounting Plate (2) 6-32 Button Head Screws (2) 6-32 Flat Head Screws (1) 6-32×1/8 Set Screw Fits the G2C, G2S, G3, PT111 G2,...
lakelinellc.com lakelinellc.com
 
Well, that are all neat looking pistols.

But with the .22, maybe Hellbender has spoken some truth.

Actually it was the same, some years ago, when I was in the market for a carry .22 and came out with the Smiff, just because I couldn´t find a .22 pistol which was reclaimed as absolutely reliable.
:unsure:
 
I have several .22 pistols, of which the CZ Kadet is my favorite for plinking etc., but if I'm going to carry one it is always the S/W 43C Air Frame revolver. It fits in the same Bullard holster as my S/W 340, very light and comfortable, no jams or misfires and very accurate (with practice).
 
This will be an unpopular position.

I think too much emphasis is placed on "100% reliability." No mechanical device is 100% reliable. I have had many revolvers get stoppages. Mostly due to heat and build up of carbon and powder residue. Happened recently on a Smith 22 mag. It is a very tight, hand fit gun. It only took a box or two of ammo and the cylinder would not turn due to the barrel/cylinder fit. It is a very early gun and was unfired. Even with a well maintained weapon, stuff happens. You can get debris in the barrel cylender interface, a bullet can slip forward from the case and stop cylinder rotation, internal parts breakage etc.

I can clear a semi auto in no time. You would hardly notice I had a dud round. I'm not sure what ammo you guys are having issues with not firing but the ammo I shoot it is not one round in 500 that is a dud. Possibly less than one in 1000. Not enough to make me choose another handgun. I have been shooting pistols and revolvers for over 50 years. For me, clearing a pistol is much faster than clearing a revolver. I would say stoppages are about equal between the two.
 
Most reliable, ruger single six.
Have had the same one for 40 years.
Always first handgun I use for a new shooter. Can use the mag cylinder if you need too.

Have never had a failure other than some dud ammo.

Camp gun yes indispensable.
Daily carry not so much.
But was used once to disarm a hippie with a knife once.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fig
I don't believe I would consider any 22 rim fire reliable enough for a carry gun.

You have to consider not only the gun but also the possibility of dud ammo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rootshot
I knew a man very well who carried a Colt Woodsman in the Pacific in WW11. USMC and made several of the islands. He said he would carry a lot of ammo as well as 8 loaded magazines.
 
Reliable?

Going to have to vote S&W 617. 6 or 10 shot.

I have the 4 inch and it isnt heavy at all.
 
PMR30 is amazing. Light, powerful and reasonably accurate. Only downside to me is the size. It is equal to a full sized 1911. Empty it weighs 19 oz IIRC. I really liked mine. Not sure why I sold it. Groups were 4" at 25 yards. Shot right on the sights and never malfunctioned.
 
Ok OP so i’m Thinking you're talking about an all around plinking pistol that can basically be carried for self defense too, and snakes and such.

I wouldn’t go with one for self defense as the primary mission, but if I did it would be a snub by revolver in 22lr or mag. S&W has a few nice ones in a J frame configuration, ruger the LCR, even Taurus and Rossi have a few .22lr snubbies our to 3”.

The S&W are pricey, but you get S&W quality in a J frame that transfers over to many available holsters, accessories, etc. plus is a nice way to practice if you have a Jframe in center fire.

Rugers are nice, medium priced, good quality. Same as above with holsters and such.

Taurus revolvers aren’t bad and are economical as are Rossi.

Overall if you’re selling your 41, you should have more than enough $ for a S&W j frame of an “heirloom” quality and holster options. Their 22mag capacity is 1 more over the ruger, their 22lr the same.

Being the same dimensions as their bigger cousins, when you want to conceal carry for the sole purpose of self defense you can use the same carry holsters.

BUT if you’re saying “carry” as having the .22 as a dedicated carry gun.....it’s better than nothing I guess but there are a whole lot better options out there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Winchester59
Jayjay1 said:
When I was in the market for the Smiff some years ago, the M&P 22 and the Ruger SR22 were both called not-reliable.

I was close before buying the Ruger, but having heard or read a lot of F-T-F problems and switched over to the Smiff.
Did they change anything with those two, so that they run with no issues now?

And don´t get me wrong with the Smiff is a great shooter, but veeery heavy and a bit bulky too.
Click to expand...
Any given semi auto 22lr pistol can be finicky. The way this was overcome for years was to recommend high velocity ammo. Then we had a dry spell on 22 ammo, and guns that hadn't changed were deamed unreliable because they wouldn't feed every single ammo you put through them, but you couldn't find a different ammo to try.

All that said, check out a Walther P22QD or P22Q. Walther reworked their spring tension and slide weight in 2017. Made them much less ammo picky. Good little guns for the money.
 
I think almost any change you would make for the 41 would be going backwards. This would be doubly true if your 41 is an older model with the cocking indicator. The bulk of a 41 is due to the grips. Find a set of beat up grips and slim them down. The weight is a function of the barrel. S&W offered a "Sport" or "Field" barrel. It was a five inch barrel greatly slimmed down. When I had my 41 I came by a five and a half inch heavy barrel orphan. I had my 'smith cut it back to five and reprofile it to remove much of the weight. It made a very handy package. I would not recommend a 41 as a defense gun. Not just because it's a .22 but also the factory the trigger is way to light.

I of course didn't follow the advice I am giving you. The 41 with two barrels and a Bianchi field holster went down the road decades ago. I replaced the 41 with a S&W 63. The 63 is the first iteration of the .22/.32 Kit Gun in stainless. Mine is a no dash gun in four inch so it has no ejector rod housing or underlug barrel. Small, relatively light and completely reliable it has seen a lot of field time. If you happen to have a K frame gun in another caliber the 617 Hoser recommended would be a great selection.

Here's one more thought regarding the J an K frame Smith .22s. There are plenty of earlier, blued steel, .22s around. They show remarkable care in their manufacture and if you hunt around around you can find some very high condition guns that are quite old and ocaisonally an example that is an absolute steal.
 
The 41 is a timeless piece. Keep it!

I think a 22 tactical pistol for walks in the woods is what your after. I would't bet my life on the little 22, but if you just want to plink and scare off a coyote or something, I think the SR-22 (most of the feeding, ejection issues of the earlier guns have been solved either by ruger or aftermarket parts, rehab). For true self defense I would go 380 or bigger. Wife has a 380 G42. Easy to carry and shoot. Back to your 22...surprised no one mentioned the PPQ 22. I have 2 PPQ 9mm, if I were in the market for a 22, I would buy the PPQ based on what I have seen in the 9mm. Great guns with terrific triggers.
 
EddieE said:
The 41 is a timeless piece. Keep it!

I think a 22 tactical pistol for walks in the woods is what your after. I would't bet my life on the little 22, but if you just want to plink and scare off a coyote or something, I think the SR-22 (most of the feeding, ejection issues of the earlier guns have been solved either by ruger or aftermarket parts, rehab). For true self defense I would go 380 or bigger. Wife has a 380 G42. Easy to carry and shoot. Back to your 22...surprised no one mentioned the PPQ 22. I have 2 PPQ 9mm, if I were in the market for a 22, I would buy the PPQ based on what I have seen in the 9mm. Great guns with terrific triggers.
Click to expand...
PPQ 22 for sure is a great gun, but does not have the same trigger characteristics as its big brother due to completely different trigger and operating mechanisms.

As long as the firearm is reliable there is absolutely nothing wrong with 22lr as a self defense caliber.
 
only 22lr that will run with out issues is a revolver
the rest depend on ammo as said before
and even the best ammo has issues at times
pinking playing a semi is fine but if you actually want 100% reliability its a wheel gun
 
^^^^
This is absolutely incorrect.
All mechanical devices can, will and have failed.
I don’t know where folks are getting the crap ammo??
I have fired thousands of rounds of RF ammo this year with no malfunctions or FTF in semi autos.
I have had a Smith revolver get dirty and not work in the last 3 weeks. Carbon and powder residue between cylinder and barrel.

If revolvers were the answer we would still be using them.
If semi autos would have been invented first, the revolver would not exist.
Recommending a revolver for CC is like recommending a muzzleloader as a battle rifle because it won’t jam.

Also keep in mind that with a semi auto like a Colt Woodsman a ftf can be cleared in under a second.
 
the hide seems testy the last few days...want to fight...lol

most guys ive seen dont shoot SK match or center X from pistols
there is always a box of thunderbolt type/quality on the bench
those huge boxes have tons of duds
 
I am shoring mostly individually boxed 50 rounds per box Winchester. I have had it properly stored but it’s older. Likely from 1965 in the yellow boxes up to about 2000 in the silver boxes. Some is 80’s vintage in white boxes.
I did not realize that quality had gone down.
I also shoot some CCI BOXED in plastic 50 and 100 count. Same vintage.
 
yeah the better ammo is soo much better than when i was a kid
i remember going to the indoor range with my father he would never bring home ammo for safety reasons with 3 sons, so we'd buy ammo
had a chipmunk 22 single shot
pull the firing pin each time
i used to get so pissed because i was only able to pull about 50-60 shots before my thumb would give out
when i got a dud it was a life changing event
i still have a few boxes from a brick i bought in the late 90s of federal match that i got duds using a 10/22
now the high quality stuff is really nice and accurate but the bulk pails are a joke
 
The most dependable 22 ammo I have found for my semi auto rifles and pistols is CCI RN mini Mags.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RTH1800
I know the OP is talking 22RF...but for a general purpose small caliber for personal protection, plinking and hiking buddy, I would go with the FN 5.7 (if I didn't already have a few 9mm, 380 in the house). I hear the 5.7 is a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. I'm thinking one might find its way into my safe. At $1k for the gun and about at least 40c per round, not a cheap plinker....then again, if you want a gun for play and protection, this might be a good one.
 
JaoeyP said:
PPQ 22 for sure is a great gun, but does not have the same trigger characteristics as its big brother due to completely different trigger and operating mechanisms.

As long as the firearm is reliable there is absolutely nothing wrong with 22lr as a self defense caliber.
Click to expand...

Never pulled the trigger on a PPQ 22. Too bad its not the same trigger as the 9mm
 
Yoda_Flair said:
SR22.... My wife carries it and loves it!
I'll admit that I may or may not have carried it once or twice also
Click to expand...

Always wanted one. But resisted after hearing cycling issues. Pretty sure most of those are worked out. Time to look at one again. I bet they are fun to shoot.
 
My Brother asked the question nearly two decades ago; I told him this. He still carries it. Stick with High Velocity rounds. AFIK, all 22lr pistols occasionally hiccup.

Per the review, 14 fails out of 1000, 10 of which were FGMM; stay with high velocity.

Err, did I say to stay with High Velocity?

Greg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Moose
While I'll be looking for one of my own, for non-carry I like the Ruger SR22 model 3620.

1.jpg



The extra inch of barrel makes a difference to me. I can't get my old High Standard 7" Supermatic Trophy off my mind when I think about a plinker.

It looks and handles a bit like my Ruger American Pistol 9 Pro.

1.jpg


And now, with the MK4, I also Like the Mk4 22/45 Tactical.

40149.jpg
 
Last edited:
S&W M and P COMPACT

I’ve owned several and tried countless ammo types. I literally can’t make them malfunction and accuracy is outstanding!

A long time ago they were produced under license by Walther. Those are the ones that had reliability problems. The newer ones are significantly redesigned and produced by S&W themselves. More accurate and extremely reliable.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
SOLD Ruger super Blackhawk hunter with scope and accessory
Replies
2
Views
430
Will J
Will J
T
Point me towards a "Competition" worthy pistol.
Replies
79
Views
3K
newageroman
newageroman
JR1200W3
Sidearms & Scatterguns Coating options on custom 1911
Replies
58
Views
1K
JR1200W3
JR1200W3
Precision Quest
Show us your 0.0XX" 5 shot groups - .22 groups at 50 yards
Replies
105
Views
3K
Precision Quest
Precision Quest
M
KIDD 10/22 Build
Replies
4
Views
716
Str8shuutr45
Str8shuutr45
Top Bottom
Back