Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 22lr field pistols

Ive got a ton of 22lr and today i went out and enjoyed the good weather, my junkyvold Dodge Cummins, and a Beretta 75 Jaguar and S&W 422. They just happen to be what i have, nothing signifigant or special. These are just simple handguns that work well yet discontinued in production.

I wonder why is it that these manufactures cant market these light and handy little 22lr pistols and keep such things in production? Im not even certain if theres anything left on the market like these. That is something fairly small and light with good triggers and qyality. At least something that isnt Glockish.

Anyway some of these older little 22's are just plainbfun and easy to carry. Shame that we dont have the choices in these as in decades past and everything now has to be 9mm combat pistols. Nothing wrong with 9mm choices, but these days theres a drought of quality 22lr choices.

I started with a 422, moved to an early 22A (before they got problems) and now have a 41. The biggest mistake that Sig ever made was getting rid of the Trailside.

Still made....Hammerli Exesse

Had a HS Sharpshooter that was pretty darn good.
Several Ruger Mk.
Didnt care for 41 Smith.
Or bridged rear sight HS.

Have a Buckmark w Contour bbl and older wood grips
Ita nothing great and nothing bad. Am content.

Other .22rf is a 6" Kart slide on a '67 Colt frame. Little too heavy for field.

Problem with Ruger MK series is they are large and not svelte where the older Beretta and S&W pistols came in differing sizes. Something useful, something with ease of carry without looking like your packing heat.

Thank you!

Is a Ruger 22/45 LITE not in the general ballpark?

Everybody's different. I think there's a lot of quality 22 lr choices today.

There is a older High Standard in .22 short in very good condition at a LGS by me. If anybody's interested, they can pm me for shop contact info. Can't remember which model. Might be a Sport King.

Theoldpinecricker: When you describe a "lightweight and handy" pistol you also describe a pistol that is very hard (next to impossible!) to get all there is to get out of a 22 pistol! And by that I mean mainly long range accuracy more velocity.
I have been Varmint Hunting daily for over a month now and using (among MANY other rimfire guns!) three different long, heavy barre,l red dot sighted, semi-auto 22 L.R. pistols (two Ruger MK Hunters and a Browning BuckMark so far).
With these pistols I have bagged several types of Varmints (both winged and four legged) out to laser ranged distances of 72 yards.
These pistols are superbly accurate and their long barrels and mass only aid in accuracy and my enjoyment of these pursuits.
You might want to reconsider that Glock comment - the Glock 22 L.R. I shot was pleasing to me quality and trigger wise and very well might serve your desires.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

tough to trump.....

I like the old S&W 422/622/2206 series,

I shoot the heavier 2206 better than the light 422/622, but they all work.

I like S&W 41s and 46s, but they are too heavy, too bulky, for field carry.

My favorite in this category is a Ruger MK II 50th Anniversary edition. Dead on accurate and reliable.

I have had a bunch, best was the old HS Sportking 4" HB, Later model Walther PPQ accurate and fits well.

Went through a 10 year period in my 20,s where I bought and tried them all, when my eyes were young and could shoot. Still have an early Colt Challenger, TT Olympia
Norinco, Ruger MK 3 22/45

I have a Woodsman, High Standard Sport King, S&W 422/622, and the Beretta Jag. I tried the Glock offering and its expensive for a single stack poly 22lr. I dont hate poly pistols but and i own a pile of them but maybe i need to try the Ruger SR22. That Hammeri with the 4.5" looks pretty good and that Ruger LCP might be ok. So far its hard to top those old Beretta and S&W pistols.

Funny you mention....Just yesterday I lucked up at a gun auction and bought a Smith model 63 with a 4 inch bbl and square butt. Definitely ANIB. The price was right at 475.00! Looking forward to piddling around with this little beaut.

Basically, they don't make 'em anymore because they won't sell.... or at least not as much as some railed, red-dotted, tacticool plastic pistol will.

You can still get a "relatively" classic styled Ruger .22 auto pistol (though the current Mk IV with the big hinge pin up front are kinda ugly). They're not super lightweight, but that doesn't bother me at all. I have a Mk III Standard that I like a lot. So far, it shoots anything I put through it, and hits where I aim it. An old Hunter holster and what else do you need?

maybe something with some class?

Agree on the 422. Best light weight field 22 IMO. A 6" is my go to woods 22 hand gun. It weighs 23.5 oz. Most everything else is heavier. Have had several. Like the 6 " the 4" not as much. Sold the 2206. Great shooter but damn heavy for a 22 as a field gun and got $600 😀 for it. Had a couple ruger mkii but they are heavy too.

I have thought the currently made ruger mark 4 22/45 lite would be nice.
https://ruger.com/products/markIV2245Lite/specSheets/43927.html


Not as flat as the 422
And 1.5 oz heavier. Plus all my 422 mags are 12 rounders. BTWcyou can still get 10 round mags for your 422 cause the 41 uses same mags.

Shh don't tell anybody.....