Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Need some handgun ideas

It's been a couple years since I have bought a new gun so I am starting to get the itch. I really don't know what I want. Went to my local gun shop and perused their pretty extensive collection but came home empty handed. Looking for ideas, inspiration, opinions, etc. I know it would help if I said what my intended use is, but I really don't have one. Just want to buy something new.

I have most of the bases covered from carry to plinking except for a .22 or .22wmr revolver. I kinda liked the sp101 .357mag but I have a couple other .357 already. I know they also have them in .22. Also liked some of the Sig stuff. Leaning toward .22 but I am open to just about anything.

So, anyone have any ideas?

Ruger LCR, SR-22, & 22-45 are all good choices and lots of fun. Here's Ruger's complete catalog of .22 handguns : http://www.ruger.com/search/

Where in VA, first of all?

A Single-Six Convertible scratches the LR and WMR itch.

If you've got a 1911, a .22LR slide and conversion makes a lot of sense, as does the SIG 1911 .22.

Start at the basics; revolver or auto? Single or double action? Purpose?

I'm a .22-45 fan, but if a fella didn't lay in a stock of .22 it might be cheaper/easier to play the .38spl game.

George

How about one of the RIA 1911 combo guns in 9mm and 22TCM? Over 2,000fps from a 1911 sized pistol sounds like a whole bunch of fun to me. On my short list of guns to get.

22LR, S&W 617 for a current model or any of the old Kit guns 17, 63 etc. Expensive, but really the best 22LR revolvers available.

He never said he wanted schit.

If you can find one, a PMR-30 is a hoot, as well. 30 rounds of 22WMR in a gun that weighs about 12 ounces IIRC is a pretty fun and useful general purpose pistol.

My PMR-30's have been reliable and accurate. I have had three of them but sold them when offered stupid high amounts of money for them when they were scarce.

Earlier statement stands.

My next 22 pistol will be the Ruger 22/45 Light with a Class 3 Supressor. Buddy has one that's a blast for squirrel hunting in the backyard.

Like Mark mentioned, a 1911 in .22lr is a blast also. I've got a Kimber Match Target 1911 Custom Shop in .22lr that will shoot 1/2" 10 shot groups at 25 yards.

Mark didn't mention a .22LR in a 1911.

A .22LR in a 1911 is just crazy good and great for training.

Personally can't stand the 22/45, but they are a great pistol (the ergos for me are FUBAR). The MkII, though... yeah.

A suppressed .22LR is on the very short list.

The LCR has been on my radar for a while.

I'm in northern VA. I do have 1911s and a couple .22 semiautos. If I go .22, I most likely would choose a revolver. Like the looks of the single six conv. but have never shot one.

Thanks, keep em coming.

anyone tried one of those shrunk down Browning 22 1911's? they looked neat.....

i want one of those Ruger MkIII ultra lights....

I do like the idea of a .22 double action with a 4 inch barrel.

DA semi-auto or revolver?

My bad, 4ager.

Suppressor in .22 cal is my very next Class III project.
The Feds seem to be getting a little faster on getting your stamp nowadays. I just got my Stamp for my Class III AOW Shotgun back from the Feds in less than 3 months!
It's a 870 12 ga Pistol with a 7" barrel. It's my new snake gun for the Ranch, and also for repelling car jackers when I'm in Houston.

Revolver.

Huntsman 22 has one. He's posted pictures of his with various dead varmints. That alone speaks well for the little Browning 1911's. They just happen to be a little small for my hands

4" DA revolver.

Rugers are easily had and still made. Good pistols.

S&Ws on the K-frame are amazingly accurate and available, but not cheap.

Colts are, well, Colts. The triggers are to die for, accuracy very nice, but they are not cheap AT ALL and hard to find.

If you want a DA .22 revolver, I'd be looking for a S&W K-22 4", shooter grade, and never look otherwise. It will take you longer to find than a Ruger, and you'll pay more, but you'll smile every single time you trip the trigger.

VERY good to know! I need to do the NFA Trust and get it done.

Suppressed .22 are cool. When I lived in Alabama, I was the only customer in a local gun shop BSing with the owner's son when he pulls out a suppressed .22 and popped off a couple at a target in the store. He then handed it to me and told me to give it a try.

You had a 3' woody with a cheeseburger on top, too.

Don't lie.

All it takes is once with one of those things, and you're hooked. Worse than damned heroin.

The only thing that has stopped me from getting one is the idea of the process to do it.

The process in VA ain't hard. NFA trust, pay the fee, wait, and done. The shop that I PM'd you about will help you with the paperwork and they stock a good amount of suppressors. It really ain't hard.

It's not hard to do at all. I'd advise you to definately go the Trust route.

My local shop has quite a selection of suppressors. It's something to think about. I assume the Trust route allows it to remain in the family if I am run over by a train?

For now, I am leaning toward a double action revolver. A couple of you recommended S&W as well as Ruger. I like both and will check out models and prices.

Exactly. The trust owns the NFA device. Trustees and designated persons under the trust may be added or subtracted within trust guidelines. If one trustee passes on, others are still authorized to possess and use, and the trust is technically immortal.

Damit, now you guys have me thinking about a suppressor too.

My RIA 10mm is a better pistol than my Colt Delta Elite was. And is a darned fine piece.

I have heard, via this forum, that RIA QC seems to have dropped off though. They may not be the gems that mine from a year or more ago is.

But even if a 9mm/22TCM RIA needed some polishing to be perfect, the fun factor and ease of shooting plus low cost of shooting and owning would still be way up there IMO.

You're full of it.

There's NO way an RIA is or was a better piece than a Delta was, especially after you got all manner of work done to the Delta (for free or cheap, because you were "sick/dying").

The dude didn't ask what f'ked up pipe dream you might be having in regard to fantasies about "punching armor" or "SHTF, briefcase carrying multiple handguns" or "covering your wife as she fetches water". The OP actually has a concept of reality and is asking about handguns he can use and use well.

Join the club.

If you go the Trust route, you don't have to get the local Police Chief or Sherrif to sign off on it, and you don't have to do finger prints, either. Ad like you said, if you die, those in your Trust can take possession of the Suppressor or Weapon legally without any hassles.

I have nothing on my radar screen right now, either. I think the Sig 320 has the potential for being the next big thing, and the modular system allows for one to morph the gun into other guns. Sig also has a tendency to manufacture their own .22 LR conversion units, so I can imagine a conversion unit being offered in the future. (Not that I have been able to handle a 320 in these parts.)

I had no idea that a trust was an option. I learn something new everyday.

TDC, if you want more pointers, PM me. I'm happy to help (when I'm awake).

I have never owned a Sig but know several people that are huge fans.

Have 2, the GI compact and the Black Label full size. The Black Label or the new one with the upgraded dot sights would be the one to get.......

yeah im going to go the trust route cause i can just have my brother and daughter be members of it and then they can use them if im working and cant tag along ect aswell....

JRH custom guns gave me no price break on re barreleing that Delta Elite that was way to loose fitting in the barrel lugs. Something that Jack Huntington (who knows a thing or two about 1911's) said was common to DE's. And my Colt nor other 1911's I have had have not shot two full magazines worth of ammo into 1.75 inches at 25 yards like the RIA has.

But far more important, how about just sharing your thoughts about what a fun option would be for a pistol and not denegrade or put down another man's ideas. I have my opinions based upon owning and shooting lots of handguns over a now 40 year span and you have yours. We are both entitled to these. The OP can take or leave any suggestions he likes. I have never done this to you or one of your posts or ideas.

to the op:

how about a short bbl 38? maybe a LCR or snubbie s&w k frame?

you can reload for it, play with shotshell development, cheap lead bullets, etc.....

I had a similar itch and got a SR-22. It's cool, but the inverse manual safety actuation and da/sa transition is getting old....I coulda done better.

good luck and enjoy the search.

I should add; if we're just talking fun and inspiration, I stand by the 38 rec.
I actually feel better armed in general in my aoa with the sr-22 and a few extra mags handy.

Great idea and agree but I already have a 38 snubby as well as a 4 inch. That would be my choice otherwise.

maybe a project gun?

Cabelas has beater Hi-Powers for sale....must be 3rd word chit hole army surplus....I saw a few for mid $300's.

+1!

Saving a beautiful gun like a Hi Power from further deterioration and bringing it back would be a fun and worthy thing to do.

Lots of places have Police and Military turn in guns for cheap. CDNN, J&G sales, Ahlmans and many others places. Lots of good shooting left in many of them.

My suggestions to the OP have been made, if you paid attention to more than your fantasies.

As for the work done on your DE, the gun was shot loose from over pressure loads and general abuse before it went for help and there was a ton done to it that you never got charged (or paid) for. You know this, but you're not going to admit it.

Your opinions of RIAs vs fact are well noted here; Bluedreaux's recent thread about the Tactical review is a prime example.

...then for a little more money go over to GunBroker and pick out a nice used Smith & Wesson Model 18...it is a gun that will last several lifetimes...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=472110074

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=472189329

I have several that I have used for basic handgun training and there is none better...

Bob

Thanks, both of those are nice. I am going to look around locally and see if I can get my hands on one.

Anyone have any comments on .22wmr in S&W?

A .22 Magnum S&W revolver is VERY nice! Pricey, but very nice.

Any issues I should be aware of?

Availability of a S&W in .22Mag.

Not being able to shoot anything other than .22 Magnum in it.

That's about it.

When I was looking for a DA 22 revolver, I looked at S&W K frames and J frames, then the Ruger 4" SP101.

The Ruger is about half way between in size and seemed to fit my hand best, and was a lot more affordable than a Kit gun.

Virgil B.

I would not waste my time looking too hard...finding one of these in a gun shop locally is about lucking out on a gas station bought scratch ticket... That -3 is a very nice gun. Not sure what your budget is but it will probably be in the $600s...just a couple of years ago they were in the $400s. They are not only fun to shoot but a good investment.

The S&W Model 48 is the exact same gun but in .22 Magnum. I have two, one 4" and the other an 8 3/8" both with extra .22 Long Rifle cylinders. I also have one Model 18 with a fitted Model 48 cylinder so it also shoots .22 LR and Magnum...

Only drawback to the Magnums is that some will have sticky extraction. Lately for some reason all of mine have been running very smoothly. The other thing is to keep a tooth brush handy and clean the unburned powder out from under the extractor star every few cylinder full. The Magnum powder granules will sometimes build up under the star and rotation gets slow..no big deal...

Some of mine...

The 18 with the extra Magnum cylinder...






48 8 3/8"...



48 4" with both cylinders...

I bought one cylinder like this off ebay and then had it fitted by my local Smith smith...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331506731995?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

RJM with the gun porn. NICE!

quite a few years ago, i had a guy in my office wanting to sell me, and i accepted a s&w model 48 in in six inch, 500rounds of ammo, and the leather for 150bucks. I accepted. I am sure he sold it to me thinking he was getting rid of a unreliable gun. Which it was from the sticky extraction, just wouldn't extract the spent casings. It was a bankor punta period revolver. Quick trip up to a well known smith in prescott, he honed out the cyclinders as should have been done in the first place, no more problems. The gun has accuracy like a death ray. The only down side is the cost of 22magnum ammo and they are noisy mothers. I would love to get a .22lf cyclinder fitted to it.

That 18 is gorgeous! I'll take it.😀

I saw an 18-4 in a shop a month or so ago for a really reasonable price. Wish I had the $$$ to snag it.

I never understood the appeal of a .22mag. revolver? Just seems like a loud and expensive to shoot .22 what am I missing?