What is your favorite all-around rimfire handgun AND why??

Ruger 22/45, 4" bull barrel. Because it's easy to hit little little things with it. I sold it once, bought a Browning buckmark, but got to missing the Ruger and had to buy it back. Lost a little on that affair. Sold the buckmark, still have the Ruger. It's a little heavy to carry but worth it if you want to hit something.

Ella

Favorite all around would be any of several variations of the Ruger Mk II or III. The all time favorite would be the 5 �� bull barrel models.

Why � very reliable and way more accurate than they have a right to be for the cost, good pointers. The same pistol can pour rounds downrange to make tin cans dance and then used for serious target competition, or carried in a holster under less than clean conditions and still be counted on to work when the time comes.

I have some nice S&W .22 revolvers which I do love, and have had some nice Browning .22�s and a Smith Model 41, but the Rugers win as all around favorite.

I agree with Jim on the 5.5" Gov't model bull-barrel MkII.

For a revolver: Ruger Bearcat.

Ruger MkIII, 5 1/2" bull stainless.

I like my revolvers, because they always work.

My MKII, not so much with the "always"

I like this high standard double nine. (that's a fly on my rear sight about to experience recoil )

Colt Woodsman, 1946 Series I, with target grips. Why? Nothing I can put my finger on. It just feels good in my hand and is more accurate than I can hold.

Carried one since 1957.

Revolver- S&W K-22
Pistol- S&W Model 41

Really liking my Kel Tech PMR30, 30 shot 22 Magnum semi auto. 13 ounces empty, 19.5 oz with 30 rounds aboard. Fun x 100

My all time fav is my 4 digits SN Bearcat and it goes out in the pasture & such a LOT.



My Walther P-22 has been a frequent flyer to the range for the past couple of years and lives in the truck.

22/45 5.5 inch. Accurate, easy to shoot, affordable....just a lot of fun.

Colt Woodsman Match Target

Revolver S&W 17-3 I have.
Pistol Colt Woodsman 4" that is just a nice patina now. Been riding in a holster for many, many years.

Ruger single-six. Custom grips by Charlie Conoyer. The best fun gun ever for my family and I.

Agreed!

I should add that my wife just LOVES her early, old model aluminum framed Ruger Bearcat. Says she thinks it is 'Cute'.... and just loves the scroll machine engraving on the cylinder. Whatever it takes! She shoots up CB longs and or Colibri low noise zero recoil ammo by the semi load when we go plinking or shooting.

Right now it's my Ruger Single-Six, 17 HMR!

It's new and I haven't shot it yet, but it's my 'favorite'.

Just recently bought a .22 conversion unit for my Sig P220. I like it a lot as a .22. It's very lightweight, accurate, and I like the trigger.

Ruger MK11 with 5.5 bull barrel. Just plain accurate and fun.

S&W Model 2206 TGT. Bought it in 1995 to replace the S&W Model 41 that I foolishly sold in 1975. Now I'm getting a yearning for a nice rimfire revolver but haven't been able to decide on one yet. One of these days I'll probably pick one up and won't want to put it down. Then I'll buy it. Sound familiar?

My 4" Colt Diamondback, its also my only .22 handgun.

I'd like to Huntsman to the collection.

my Smith Mod 41 in semi-auto and my 617 in revolver

Have or have had some great 22's. HS Victor,41 Smith, Woodsman Sport, K22, Ruger Targets, Kart Conversion, Ace. Find myself carrying a lowly 422 Smith most of the time now. Very light, accurate and it works

My all time favorite and the pistol that I can HIT with better than any handgun I've ever owned, would be my 4" bull barrel MK11

Close second would be my 4-5/8" 3 screw Super Single-Six.

Virgil B.

Favorite = S&W 48 4" with a set of Ace Dube's 22LR in 22MRF adapters for low cost plinking.

Most often carried = Rossi 515 4" with 2 loads of snakeshot and 4 loads of whatever 40 or 45 grain 22MRF load shoots the best in that particular revolver.

Jeff

S&W 41.

Model 34 S&W

Colt 22 conversion for my 1911..

My first handgun purchase was a Colt Officers Model Match, 22LR - back in the mid 60's.

I kept it in great shape and it accompanied me hunting, fishing, camping, and all sorts of places.

Never considered selling it ... but I did recently and I think it was just 'time'.

Someone younger, that I think a lot of and respect. No regrets.

High Standard Supermatic Citation. The most accurate pistol I have ever owned. Love the slant 45ACP 19911 grips with the thumb rest. Calm day pop/beer cans at 100 yards are easy.

Like my Freedom Arms Model 97 in .22LR and .22 Mag. It has the 5" barrel, carries well and is in general just very useful in the field when hunting.

H&R 999, love the top break.

+2 or so
I never go to the range without my Model 41

add me in the Diamondback camp......

Woodsman camp, here....

wait. I changed my mind. It's this'un....

good choice....

Sweet Woodsmans. I've admired them for years, and last year finally acquired a very pristine looking example, but not even a gunsmith could get it to shoot reliably. After four attempts, he gave up and told me that the Woodsmans were never reliable, and I can either accept it as an unreliable gun or the store would give me a store credit for it. I chose the store credit.

You need a new gunsmith.

Yeah, taht thing should run like a sewin machine
All day long with the right ammo.

I can't choose - Ruger Single-Six convertible, MKII 5.5" bull barrel or 1950's High Standard SportKing with 2 barrels, the 4-inch and the 6 /34 inch barrel. The High Standard is picky about ammo - it likes copper coated and not plain lead.

I think my fav is my Ruger Single Six convertible, I've had it the longest and shot a bunch with it, but my S&W mod 63 is very close to being my fav, with my Ruger 22/45 being very close.

Browning Buckmark

I've gone through lots of .22 rimfire handguns. I owned one of the first Ruger Standard Autos and have shot several other Ruger autos. They are nice.
I've owned a 4 inch barreled Woodsman and regret selling it.
I've shot the Smith 41's and I was very impressed.
I've owned both the 4 inch and the 6 inch K-22's from the 60's. They really do shoot that well.
I own a Smith 317 which is so light and handy, it is easy to forget it's on you.
But my all time favorite is the Ruger Stainless Convertible Single Six. Almost as accurate as any of the above, and, with magnum ammo, alot more effective on small game than any .22 ammo I've used. Even their shotshell ammo works where the .22 LR shotshell ammo is a joke. E

I'm not a Ruger "fan," altho I dearly love their "near-undestructableness!"

I'm fond of my Mk2 22/45, but also the RST Mk one's or two's I have as well.

All of these guns NEVER QUIT nor wear out! Not ever!

My Ruger Single Six convertible.....because it can do it all....plinking, small game hunting...and pop in the mag cylinder and do coyotes, mountain lions etc.....

Like me it is old, bent, and battered. I worked all sumer of my 14th year putting asbestos mud on steam lines in a boiler rooms to earn the money. My grandmother went to the gun shop with me to make the purchase. It was a new in the box Ruger Single Six.

It now wears a Super Blackhawk brass grip frame and trigger that fits my hands better than the original. I have no I idea how many bricks of ammunition have passed through it but it has never failed.

That's my wife's go to target gun
A 7" fluted bull barrel model given to us by my brother.
She out shoots most with it! ( including me! )

+1 on the Buckmark.

Smith 17-8 6" full lug matte blue. I've been looking for one for a long time at a price I'm willing to pay and finally sealed the deal a couple of months back. Damn thing shoots like a rifle.
Second would be Ruger Singlr Six Hunter. Excellent pistol

smith & wesson 35

I like the Ruger with the 5 1/2" bull barrel and very accurate and reliable semi for the money. The Valquartezen's are very accurate

Currently my favorite on hand are.....

Revolver - S&W model 63
Semi-auto - Ruger MKII 5.5" bull barrel w/Millet SP-1 red-dot

The Ruger Single-Six Convertible may be the best all-around most versatile rim fire handgun. I have owned a couple, both blued, one 3-screw old model & one New Model. My next one will be the 5.5" or 6.5" stainless steel model.

Just picked up an ol' S&W model 51, .22 mag., adj. sights, 3.5" barrel. Will have to see how it shoots, it may replace the model 63?!! :-)

Huntsman22.......

Those are some dang fine pictures of the critters & handguns!!!

I own a handful but this one gets the nod. Dead reliable, accurate and I hardly notice it on my hip. Bought it when they were just released, around 1976 IIRC.

Is that a Browning Medalist? There's one for sale near me.

Current favorite is this Browning Buckmark Lite.

But for outdoor carry mode, I'll pack the S&W 63.
It's so light I forget it's there and it's way more accurate than I am.....

I've only had my M63 a month but it's #1 with me. I just put a Hogue Goncalo Alves grip on it yesterday. Next up is my stainless Ruger MKII 5.5" bull barrel with a Millet orange ramp front sight.

Colt Woodsman Sport circa 47/48. Short barrel version. Sits in an El Paso floral carved rig or the original box when in the safe. Love that little gun. It was the first gun I ever shot. Thought it was the loudest boom in the world!

Probably my S&W Model 45, a "Model 10", fixed sights and all, in .22 LR.

Ruger MKII stainless target with bull barrel.

Some really nice .22s out there...

I have been thinking about this question since posted. It doesn't say "favorite" .22 handgun or favorite .22 Target gun or Hunting gun it says "ALL-AROUND" gun and that is where I run into the roadblock to answering.

If one only does one thing with their .22 handgun such as shoot Bullseye then it is a simple matter of choosing ones favorite Bullseye gun. But with each additional discipline one uses a .22 handgun for, such as hunting, teaching, trapping, metallic silhouette competition, concealed carry/self-defense, plinking, hiking/backpacking...the compromises get bigger and bigger.

So this is where I get stuck for an answer as I do all of the above with a .22 handgun from time to time.

Probably the closest I can come is a 4" S&W Model 48 .22 Magnum with the extra Rimfire cylinder. It is accurate enough for Bullseye although somewhat handicapped for Rapid Fire. I can shoot it just about as well long range as a 6" for plinking and MS shooting. With small grips it isn't too heavy or muzzle heavy for teaching new shooters and although I prefer stainless for a hunting/hiking/backpacking like the above Model 63 it would just take a little more care to keep clean.



With new grips...



The second runner up would be a 1911 with interchangeable top ends. A Marvel Longsilde for competition and standard Conversion Unit or for that matter an ACE for everything else...

ACE



Sorry to over-annualized this...Bob

I foolishly sold my 4" model 18, Smith and Wesson. The one I have had the longest is a High Standard Double Nine. My grandfather gave it to me when I was a kid. I have no earthly clue how many rounds have gone through it, or how many squirrels and rabbits I have bumped off with it. I have it in semi retirement these days, mostly shooting a 4" bull barreled Ruger MkII, 22/45.

I bought a MkIII with a 5.5" Bull barrel for Mrs. Tide, the first Christmas we were together, and Tide Jr. got a Ruger Bearcat for Christmas in about 2006 or 2007. He'd have been around 9 or 10, then I guess.

We love shooting them all.

Probably a toss up between a S&W 18 4" with the three T's and a High Sandard Citation Supermatic 6".

I always liked my SS Ruger single six, for general outdoor knockin' around.


maddog

Lookin' back, my first Single Six convertible. It had the short barrel, blued finish. The flexibility of switching to .22 magnum when I needed more "snot" was handy. That gun shot well with both long rifle and magnums. I can't say that for any of the dozen or so I've owned since.

If someone were asking for a recommendation on what to buy today, I'd tell them just what I told myself a year or so ago: Ruger Mk III, 5-1/2" barrel. The trigger is absolute CRAP, so plan to install a Volquartsen trigger. If you don't like 3-dimensional spring loaded jigsaw puzzles, save yourself some frustration and take it to a gunsmith for installation. With the more complex Mk III mechanism, which has a mag disconnect the Mk II lacked, I found it a lot more challenging to install the kit than I had on older mk IIs.

Tom

Ruger single six, stainless 6.5 inch. Shoots everything from short to lr to 22 mag. This is my second one and is actually accurate with both cylinders. The first one I had was picky with the mag cylinder and would only shoot the accu tip with good results.