Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Need some .22lr Revolver Suggestions

For his size and if he just wants to do it right the first time and have something he will cherish forever...a S&W 17. It's going to be used but there are enough clean used ones out there that if your friend looks long enough he'll find one that fits the bill.

Will run from $550-750 but if one is patient the right one at the right price will come along. If one isn't found by Christmas then have your friend do a gift certificate for one complete with picture.

Bob

Dang that is a bunch of scallops in that cylinder...

You will notice that 90% of the replies do not answer your question for a revolver in the $450 range. Go back and re-read only the replies that do.
Taurus revolvers are certainly not top of the line. Sort of a cheap man's S&W. However when I was running handgun classes ,I picked up three of them for students. We ran a lot of rounds thru them and the only problem was with one that the rear sight adjustment was screwed up.

Yes I do have K-22. My most favorite rf revolver, but it is not in your price range, so scrap that. Might look for one of those High Standard's Double Nine which were fair revolvers patterned in a single action style, but a double action, or an older H&R. I'd still recommend something with a swing out cylinder that the lad can stuff rounds in fairly quickly and shoot. I have seen to many youngsters get bored with ejecting one round at a time and reloading like a single action requires.

Unless one finds a real deal, the options are somewhat limited. If he has large hands then the SA Rugers and Colts could be an issue. When looking for gloves I start at XXL and normally have to go larger. The Rugers and Colts just do not feel right. If money was not the object I would say S&W or perhaps a Dan Wesson.

Thanks, saddlesore. I suspect he'll be getting a Ruger single six (or ten) this year. Maybe next year he'll want to sell it and apply the proceeds to another gun.

We've all been there...

Thanks everyone for the help!

I had a Single-Six convertible, blue 4 5/8".

I really liked it. Traded it away many years ago on a GP100 and kind of regret it.

Can't go wrong with a Ruger Single Six. I see them for sale used under $300 routinely.

Another voter for a Ruger Single Sx, or even the Single 10. Hard to beat, IMO

Run from the Taurus .22 Revolvers!!! If they are not broke, they will be!

Would have to agree with CHL on the current run of Taurus small frame .22s. I used to loan my S&W .22 revolvers to the local 4H shooting club....kids from 8-18. Not even the 8 year olds had a problem cocking back the hammer on the J-frame guns. The director of the program got a grant for some handguns and bought the newest generation 941s. The DA pull is totally unusable for most of the kids and many have to have the hammer cocked for them SA. One out of the ten purchased had to go back out of the box as it would not work.

Had had one of the older polished stainless 5" 941s in ..22 Magnum. It was an EXCELLENT shooter and just as accurate as the S&W 651 I had at the time. I sold it to one of my best friends who still has it. These guns had the 1/2 underlug barrel and polished finish vs. the full underlug/full underlug barrel of the current generation.

Have not done anything more than handle the current Tracker size .22s. I have three of the .41 Trackers in both stainless and titanium and all have been great shooters.

Can someone tell me if the dual cylinder Ruger Single-Six is any more accurate with the Long Rifle cylinder than it used to be. I have had five of the dual cylinder guns and only ONE was as accurate with the Long Rifle cylinder as it was with the Magnum cylinder. With the Magnum cylinder all were tack drives. With Long Rifles they shot patterns....all that is except for the Hunter Model that is just as accurate with either cylinder.

How about the Single-Ten. Being a dedicated .22 Long Rifle gun has anyone found them to be more accurate that any previous experience with a dual cylinder gun?

Bob

Not much need to look past this post. No offense to subsequent commentators. To me, this just sums it up. The model 17 is probably the finest .22 revolver ever made if size is no issue. If only single actions are counted, the Super Single Six is probably the best. To me, the 617 is the top of the model 17 line-the pinnacle. If you don't like stainless or extra bulk, the model 17 is the way to go.

Years back, Venturino did a test of single actions. This must've been clear back in the eighties. I can't remember if the Colt Scout came out on top accuracy wise or the Single Six did. Personally, though I've got the Colt, I think the Single Six is the better of the two. They were the top two accuracy wise, in the article, regardless.

Just to be a little different, how about a H&R break action. I am 6'4" with large hands and these revolvers fit me surprisingly well. I picked a 6" model up at a pawn shop a couple of months ago for a shade under $300.

As a few others have commented, if you change the grips on the SP101 it can fit well also. My SP101 wears wooden Hogue and even though it is a .357 and not a .22, it is easy to shoot and fits my hands quite well.

Grips can be changed to fit, on most of 'em.....

I you have a few pawns shops around hit them up and see what fits your bill. Someone can learn what thier likes and dislikes are from a cheap (but mechanically sound) shooter just as quickly as an expensive one.
Chances are if he takes with shooting regularly, he will be eyeballing gun cases on his own before long anyways.
Good luck to all and enjoy.

That's a matter of opinion and highly debatable. The first handgun I bought with my own money was a Uberti Virginian .22 convertible when I was 12yrs old. It was years later that I added a couple K-22's (17 and 18) and my rimfire single actions have seen WAAAAAAY more use than any of my S&W's. If a Single Six ain't fun, you're doing something wrong. For me, there are plain few things more fun than a .22 single action.

Been trying in vain to wear out this Old Model:


Patton wouldn't approve my grip choice for the Bearcat:


Unfortunately the USFA 12/22 is long gone and way out of the OP's price range:


The model 18 that I paid $200 for has definitely been under-utilized:

Your opinion is just as highly debateable, especially for a youngster that wants to get out there and burn up ammo. Just about anything posted here is strictly opinion isn't it?

Some is, some isn't, some more informed than others.

Burn up ammo? I don't know anyone who is "burning up ammo" when it comes to the .22LR. I've been sitting on two cases for two years.

Like I said, if you find a .22 single action boring, you're doing something wrong. The Single Six has been in continuous production since 1953 so obviously, I'm not the only one that feels this way. Besides, the only advantage the DA has is in unloading. Loading is a wash, at best. Of course, I only shoot 20-30,000rds a year through single actions so what do I know???

I do agree with the loading/unloading part. My Single Ten isn't really any slower to load than any other (and I also have a MkIII 22/45). you can actually load two per 'click' on the ST.

I also like the fact that a SA does seem to make you 'slow down' and enjoy the experience more. With the current state of .22 ammo I sure ain't burning up the 22/45! Matter of fact, it's hardly been shot because the craziness started right after I bought it.

I actually have been hunting with some Aguilar shorts in the ST recently. They had two boxes left at SW so I snagged them...

Anyway, this is all opinion and as long as the kid doesn't get a POS ANY .22 handgun is usually a barrel of monkeys level of fun...

Since he's not going to hunt with it he might as well skip the convertible and go with the Single-Ten. The longer reload time may help to conserve hard to get ammo.

Then there are ones who think they are more informed!!!!!

As for being informed, I carried an NRA Certfied Instructors credential for 20 years and just stopped renewing this year, Range Safety Officer, past Gun Club President, helped put together a 560 acre a gun range, taught over 500 students Basic Pistol Classes for Concealed Carry Permits, of which Sheriff's office monitored and said I had the best one on Colorado Springs. Most of that was with a 22 RF.

Some really are. And there are those who don't do enough .22LR shooting for their opinion to even be relevant. Those who also love to complain about carrying a full size 4" revolver.