Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns rimfire for practice

What rimfire do you like for practice? Am considering a ruger target model semiauto, but found their prices higher than expected. Any 22 revolvers worth considering?

I got a ruger 22/45 with the 5.5 in barrel for practice. I like it a lot. I got it for $220.

The best practice is when the rimfire duplicates the feel and controls of your main piece. That's not always a given, if the rimfire doesn't live up to the accuracy standards you set, but it helps. <BR>I bought a Wilson .22 conversion unit in order to get cheaper practice with my 1911 colt .45. Later on, I built a lower reciever just for the Wilson .22 upper...Springfield fram and Colt and "other" internal parts. Together they made up a gun I named "The Mutt" because of it's Heinz 57 heritage. But I put something like 2000 .22 rounds through it the first ummer and my scores with the .45 went up as I grew more used to that style of gun. I couldn't have been able to affort 2000 rounds of .45 nor had the time to do that much reloading.<P>Is it essential a .22 and a centerfire be similar in size, layout and weight? No. Is it fun? YOU BET!<P>Talker

Probably should have mentioned that my other handgun is a 454. Rock42, does your 22/45 have the bull barrel and adjustable sights?

yeah it's got the bull barrel and the adjustable sights.

I bought a Browning Buckmark Plus and really like it. Ammo doesn't last long though. Ruger makes a competition model with thumbrest grips and a 6" slabside barrel that is very nice and very easy to hit with. I love it when the guys I hunt with get out their 357s and can't hit sh** and I pull out that little .22 tear the cans up.

Bigram, when you said your other handgun is a .454 � is that a Freedom Arms or a Taurus or a Super Redhawk? It is always nice to get a .22 in the same action type as your centerfire handgun but not absolutely necessary. Sight picture and trigger control are the most important elements of handgun marksmanship and these can be practiced with any decent handgun.<P> As to specific models:<P>There have been lots of top quality .22 handguns made. Browning Challengers, S&W Model 41�s, Colt Woodsman, High Standard target guns, the Colt Diamondback to name a few. Unfortunately, they are few and far between on the used market and command top dollar.<P>I think the premier handgun is probably a S&W K-22. The Model 17 is the 6� barreled version, a Model 18 will have a 4� barrel. The single action trigger and sights of the Smiths just cannot be bested on anything less than a ful blown high dollar target piece. Unfortunately they are pretty much a used handgun proposition. I think S&W still makes the Model 617 in stainless as a 10 shooter but they can be pricey. Even the older used Model 17�s command a pretty respectable price, possibly in the mid-300 dollar range but I�m not sure. You might find one for under $300 if you keep checking Gun List or the on-line sites like <A HREF="http://www.gunsamerica.com." TARGET=_blank>www.gunsamerica.com.</A><P>The Ruger Single Six is a decent revolver but not really a target piece. The trigger pull can be worked on but out of the box is pretty creepy and hard. Some are sold as a convertible model to fire .22 Magnums so the bore will be a true .224 diameter, and they all get the same barrels whether they are sold as a convertible or not. .22 Long Rifle bullets run about .222 or .223. I had two Single Sixes and never could get really respectable accuracy out of them. Plenty enough for tin can plinking and that sort of thing, though. This was a few years ago, maybe someone can verify or disprove this on the recent production models?<P>The Ruger Mark II is a real nice piece. I currently have the 5� bull barrel model and it is a shooter. Good sights and very accurate. The trigger is nothing to brag about but it ain�t too bad either. It can be stoned by a good smith or even the whole hammer-trigger group replaced with an aftermarket version. Also, these things are a dime a dozen at gun shows, you should be able to pick up a used one in very good condition for $200 or thereabouts. BE SURE to bring along a good magnifying glass and check the crown for wear. In fact that is a good place to check any .22 handgun. Except for overzealous cleaning from the muzzle there is little that is going to wear out on a .22 handgun.<P>The Browning Buckmark is a good .22 and may feel better in your hand than the Ruger. I bought one for my girlfriend some years ago and she liked it a lot. I never worked with it much though so can�t comment on accuracy. <P>Old Harrington and Richardson 999 series revolvers are also good guns. Ugly as sin with that funny trigger guard and squared off barrel, they are top break double action revolvers. One of these was the first gun my father bought for me when I was 12. It shot far better than I could. Hard to find these days but you should be able to get one fairly inexpensively. That slab sided barrel makes them nice and muzzle heavy and stable. A real sleeper.<P>Well, there are more .22 handguns out there than you can shake a stick at. But any new gun you buy will run close to $300 or more except the Ruger Mark II and the Browning Buckmark. My advice would be to keep looking for a good used S&W Model 17 or a Ruger Mark II as these will be your best bet for a really accurate handgun. <BR>

Jim in Idaho and everyone who replied,<P>Thanks much for the advice. The 454 is <BR>a SRH, and its fun but expensive to shoot.<BR>Since I started this topic, my wife and <BR>I are buying a new house, so I may have<BR>to hold off on a new 22 for a while. I'll<BR>be looking around for a Mark II,17, or <BR>a buckmark. Dave

My favorite rimfire revolver is a S&W Model 617 with a 6 inch barrel.It is a well made accurate and reliable revolver.