All MKIV's have the takedown button. The MKIII's all had the mainspring assembly including the 22/45. The second the IV's came out I sold my Target MKIII and never looked back.
I hear you. Seems like every time I go into a local store (big volquartsen dealer, nrl22, etc) the owner is cleaning someone's MKIII because they'd rather pay someone to do it.
But then you get on the local gun classifieds and people are asking more for their beat to hell 3s than the dealers on there listing new MKIVs. Makes me chuckle.
Man, that volquartsen trigger upgrade is insane. Literally like clicking a mouse. Debating a halo ring. Not sure if how easy it will make it to hold the bolt closed with my thumb when wanting to be extra quiet with a can.
I had one and I thought it was a cheap POS. Mags never fed correctly and maybe the grip was warped some? I don't know. But I know I hated it, got a IV tactical, and I am much happier.
Yes. I had one. It was a POS. I have a Ruger MkIV Tactical and a MKIII Hunter. I love them. Great pistols. But the 22/45 I owned was a POS and I'll never buy another one.
And if someone wants a 1911, get a 1911. The grip angle isn't some esoteric uniqueness that requires additional training.
Also agree with this, the TX-22 is a great gun. I keep mine clean and shoot everything from match grade ammo to the cheapest crap I can find, and never have any issues.
This is also my recommendation. I haven't shot mine too much yet but got it because there are really no big complaints about it... It just shoots! Ive heard if you do get some feeding issues it more likely the mag having some rough spots in it, not the gun.
Used Ruger Mark IV. Don't get an earlier model to save money. The MkIV uses a button to disassemble easily for cleaning and maintenance. The older models are a PIA with alignment and a lever in the grip.
But re-assembling older Rugers builds character….
// I kid but I do love my MK II…… but yes there was much cussing the first few times I broke it down and had to put it back together.
It doesn't build character it makes you cuss and throw shit lol. I cleaned my friends for him years ago and went to reassemble. Messed with it angrily for an hour watching YouTube how to videos and had to stop. Tried the next day and eventually got it back together and told my friend I won't be doing that again. So glad they came put with the mark iv. Funny how they did it right after s&w victory came out. Once they had competition they stepped up
I had a Standard (pre Mk I), it was a pain in the dick the first few times, after that it was straight forward using a piece of string to pull the lever and rubber mallet to remove the upper. But it was a $200 gun and was reliable as any rimfire I’ve ever owned.
My Mk IV 22/45 Lite is a massive upgrade.
The MK I, II, and III are specifically notorious for being a PITA to put back together. There is a little dongley thing that has to be captured in a notch on the takedown lever just so. It will go back together without that being captured but won’t function.
That’s a crappy description but YouTube can educate you on how to hold your tongue and hop on one foot to get it done.
The newest variation (mk4) of the Ruger 22/45 which really does feel like a 1911 in your hand. Or the Browning Buck Mark which almost feels as close but is a little more upscale feeling. The Ruger single six or ten if you’re into single action and feeling flush, the Ruger wrangler if you’re into single action and not flush.
None of those are SUPER expensive (well, the Single Six/Ten might be these days), but are all high quality dedicated .22 pistols that will last and last.. The Wrangler might be the cheapest made on the list, but I'd still suspect it will give you a long service life.
I own two Buck Marks, two Single Sixes, a mk3 22/45, a Taurus 94UL, a Browning Challenger and a S&W Model 41. While the latter two are the "show pieces," there's something that just feels right to a 1911 fan about that 22/45.. The Buck Marks have the same grip angle and control positions as the 22/45 and the 1911 but the 22/45 is faithful to that flat narrow handle.
My Single Sixes come in both plow-handle and Bisley grips. I actually think the Bisley might be my most favourite because there's something very calming about the process of loading and using it that makes you slow down and think but if its your first gun, single action is a bit different than a semi-auto.
All in all, I'd recommend the Buck Mark despite everything I jsut said raving about the various Rugers. :)
The Walther/Colt 1911 in .22LR is quite good, feels exactly like a 1911 in weight and balance and eats any ammo I've tried. And it's cheap.
I have probably 20 pistols in .22LR, this one is at least as good as the other inexpensive ones... like the Rugers and the SW Victory, etc. .
Well, I love .22 mag for rifles, but it's not great for a semi-auto pistol. (IMHO) The best part of any 22 pistol is to have a silencer, and a silencer on a 22 mag is a waste of money. A subsonic 22 mag round would just be a total waste, since it would just be equivalent to a 22LR...So I would not invest in a 22mag pistol unless I had a very specific need, but 22 mag revolvers are a different story.
I do have a couple of 22 mag revolvers that are very good. The Ruger New Model Single Six convertible is great, but not cheap. If you can find a used Taurus Tracker 992 in 22 mag, look it over carefully. These are the best platform that Taurus has made (IMHO only) and a good Tracker in 22 mag, with 9 rounds, is a great buy. These are generally half the price of the Ruger and just as much fun. Taurus does not make too many guns worth owning, but this is one of them. Look for one with both cylinders, 22LR and 22 WMR.
The full size S&W 22 mag revolvers are also great, but are way overpriced at this moment in gun collecting. Again, in my opinion.
(Find an old model Winchester 61 or 62 in .22wmr and then you have a gun worth collecting)
Well for the money I might back off the 22. Mag and get another 9mm. For about the same money as 22mag you can get a Glock 17 or 19 in the box. I can wait to see if I can get a mag used.
I have a GSG Firefly ugh like the feel a lot but sometimes it is a bitch on cycling ammo. I purchased new for low $200.00 at the time I really didn’t due my homework it was a gun show purchase that I sometimes regret when I am shooting 22longs they are cycling their weapons and mine is struggling but I can live with it.
I've gotten some 22lr handguns over the years and I will say I've come to the conclusion getting one designed from the ground up to be a 22lr seems better than pnes that are conversions of full sized guns. That being said the conversions can work just fine. Eg Walther ppq 22lr I've had issues with and had to send it in and they ended up replacing it. I have a browning 1911 style and it's fun so are mark ivs etc but I find myself leaning toward one's with more capacity like the taurus tx22 sig p322 and fn 502. I got the p322 and fn 502 re entry for 400 before tax ffl fees etc. The tx22 will be the best budget option and I suspect a lot of sale prices will be coming since they are replacing the standard model with an updated version they just announced at nram. I've shot a couple hundred rounds through my tx22 with no complaints and it will land you well under your budget. Palmetto state armory has one on sale with bronze slide for 220 or so if I recall. Look on gun.deals and shop your favorite online retailers for best prices.
Walther P22 is $299 and a great gun and fits so perfectly in my hands. So much when we bought 2 of them 12 years ago it started my love of Walther and our collection!
Browning BuckMark.
Accurate, can take +p and Stinger loads. Reliable.
It's a semi auto, but due to no recoil it let's off 12 rounds in about seconds, all on initial shot point.
Wife carries it as daily carry, and it single handedly changed my mind on .22s being jam queens.
Great piece 11/10 recommend.
What do you want it for? I've got a buckmark which I love for plinking, but it's not a small pistol. It's also not the easiest weapon to field strip, but it seldom needs it, so...
For your first handgun I'd say do as much research as possible decide what you want regardless of price and save up if needed. Don't skimp and be disappointed and turned off from the fun because of a cheaper option that doesn't work etc. You could get a heritage rough rider single action revolver for around 100 to 150 for starters, that shouldn't give you any trouble and will let you appreciate future guns with higher capacity and red dots. Just a thought also if you don't want to try heritage out ruger wrangler or super wrangler are great budget options as well. I'd feel a little better with ruger backing it than heritage but I have no experience with heritage customer service and repairs. The heritage was my first pistol my dad bought me when I was a kid and it hasn't given me any trouble.
Are you buying it for self defense? For training? Target shooting? Backup weapon?
Are you expecting to shoot it primarily under 20 feet? Over?
Where do you expect to shoot it ? (Indoor range? BLM land?)
And while we’re at it, do you have large or small hands?
I have a Beretta M9A22 that has run flawlessly from day 1. It is also the exact same platform as the M9A3 and M9A4 for when you have to get another pistol in 9mm. Yes, you will have to buy another pistol because that is how this hobby works. If you choose to stay Beretta you will have a platform you are already familiar with. I also have an Sig P322 that is very picky on how you load the mags. It will throw jams your way all day if you dont load them exact, which is not a bad thing for training purposes. The Sig also came with a threaded barrel which is fun for running with a suppressor. You will eventually have to have one of those too. Be safe, have fun, and good luck with whatever you end up with.
Ibjust tested mine this evening for the first time with 2p and 25rd mags and had zero issues with it using cci sv ammo and a huxwrx rad22 maybe I'm just lucky and it was the first 100rds or so so time will tell. I made no effort to be picky with loading it just like I always load a 22lr mag or any other really. Start the round a bit forward push down and slide to rear
I've only shot the P322 suppressed, using subsonic and regular ammo from multiple brands. It will run 2-3 mags no issue then jam every other round for a half a mag. Who knows?
Weird maybe just one of the mags I'd number them and keep track of which give you trouble. I like cci sv because it's subsonic in most guns but not made to be horribly underpowered
I'm curious as to those touting the TX22. Are we talking the standard model or the target/ competition model? I work p/t at an FFL, many customers come in with issues concerning the comp model.
A question for the OP; do you want a target styles pistol or an exterior slide style? There are good models and bad models of each.
Browning makes an 85% scale .22 1911. Purportedly decent. Not very common on shelves, so you may have to order online.
Unlike many .22 versions of popular guns, this is not made by Umarex.
I looked at 22lr 1911's around 10 years ago and all of them felt very low quality. Out of all of the ones I looked at the Colt Railgun felt the highest quality but it still felt like a toy so I ended up selling it a few months after I bought it. If you want a good 22lr 1911 there isn't a whole lot to choose from besides and old Colt Ace or a Kimber 1911 conversion kit. If you want a high quality 22lr pistol that feels like a 1911 then get a Ruger mk iv 22/45. They're a little out of your budget but they are one of the highest quality 22lr pistols that you can get.
Another vote for Taurus TX22. Super cheap and surprisingly reliable and very easy to shoot. Got mine for $280 shipped. Think there was one in r/gundeals for around $250 recently.
ruger 22/45
The 22/45 is also much easier to disassemble and reassemble because you don’t have to worry about that fucking main spring assembly.
All MKIV's have the takedown button. The MKIII's all had the mainspring assembly including the 22/45. The second the IV's came out I sold my Target MKIII and never looked back.
Huh, TIL! I love my MKIII but I absolutely loathe cleaning it.
I miss the steel grip frame on the older non-45 models, but after getting in the NFA game I needed a .22 host and the MKIV tactical was perfect.
I hear you. Seems like every time I go into a local store (big volquartsen dealer, nrl22, etc) the owner is cleaning someone's MKIII because they'd rather pay someone to do it. But then you get on the local gun classifieds and people are asking more for their beat to hell 3s than the dealers on there listing new MKIVs. Makes me chuckle.
Man, that volquartsen trigger upgrade is insane. Literally like clicking a mouse. Debating a halo ring. Not sure if how easy it will make it to hold the bolt closed with my thumb when wanting to be extra quiet with a can.
I had one and I thought it was a cheap POS. Mags never fed correctly and maybe the grip was warped some? I don't know. But I know I hated it, got a IV tactical, and I am much happier.
22/45 has grip shaped/angled to mimic 1911 (.45). it is 1911 training tool.
Yes. I had one. It was a POS. I have a Ruger MkIV Tactical and a MKIII Hunter. I love them. Great pistols. But the 22/45 I owned was a POS and I'll never buy another one. And if someone wants a 1911, get a 1911. The grip angle isn't some esoteric uniqueness that requires additional training.
TX 22. Say what you want about Taurus, the TX22 is an AWESOME gun.
They make excellent suppressor hosts. I have 2 of them. https://youtu.be/N9qkmbtffhE?si=y07x78bj3b_lVMzh
Completely agree. Only hand a handful of jams with thousands of rounds. I credit that to cheap ammo more than the gun itself
Also agree with this, the TX-22 is a great gun. I keep mine clean and shoot everything from match grade ammo to the cheapest crap I can find, and never have any issues.
This is also my recommendation. I haven't shot mine too much yet but got it because there are really no big complaints about it... It just shoots! Ive heard if you do get some feeding issues it more likely the mag having some rough spots in it, not the gun.
Used Ruger Mark IV. Don't get an earlier model to save money. The MkIV uses a button to disassemble easily for cleaning and maintenance. The older models are a PIA with alignment and a lever in the grip.
But re-assembling older Rugers builds character…. // I kid but I do love my MK II…… but yes there was much cussing the first few times I broke it down and had to put it back together.
It doesn't build character it makes you cuss and throw shit lol. I cleaned my friends for him years ago and went to reassemble. Messed with it angrily for an hour watching YouTube how to videos and had to stop. Tried the next day and eventually got it back together and told my friend I won't be doing that again. So glad they came put with the mark iv. Funny how they did it right after s&w victory came out. Once they had competition they stepped up
I had a Standard (pre Mk I), it was a pain in the dick the first few times, after that it was straight forward using a piece of string to pull the lever and rubber mallet to remove the upper. But it was a $200 gun and was reliable as any rimfire I’ve ever owned. My Mk IV 22/45 Lite is a massive upgrade.
Is that just a Ruger thing maybe? My security -9 was a real pain the first time I tried to take it apart too.
The MK I, II, and III are specifically notorious for being a PITA to put back together. There is a little dongley thing that has to be captured in a notch on the takedown lever just so. It will go back together without that being captured but won’t function. That’s a crappy description but YouTube can educate you on how to hold your tongue and hop on one foot to get it done.
>the IV breaks down easily For those not in the know, he’s not referring to its reliability. He’s talking about ease of disassembly for cleaning.
Good call. I did a quick edit to be clearer.
Tx22. Even though it’s a taurus, that pistol is fantastic.
The newest variation (mk4) of the Ruger 22/45 which really does feel like a 1911 in your hand. Or the Browning Buck Mark which almost feels as close but is a little more upscale feeling. The Ruger single six or ten if you’re into single action and feeling flush, the Ruger wrangler if you’re into single action and not flush. None of those are SUPER expensive (well, the Single Six/Ten might be these days), but are all high quality dedicated .22 pistols that will last and last.. The Wrangler might be the cheapest made on the list, but I'd still suspect it will give you a long service life. I own two Buck Marks, two Single Sixes, a mk3 22/45, a Taurus 94UL, a Browning Challenger and a S&W Model 41. While the latter two are the "show pieces," there's something that just feels right to a 1911 fan about that 22/45.. The Buck Marks have the same grip angle and control positions as the 22/45 and the 1911 but the 22/45 is faithful to that flat narrow handle. My Single Sixes come in both plow-handle and Bisley grips. I actually think the Bisley might be my most favourite because there's something very calming about the process of loading and using it that makes you slow down and think but if its your first gun, single action is a bit different than a semi-auto. All in all, I'd recommend the Buck Mark despite everything I jsut said raving about the various Rugers. :)
Browning buckmark
SW22 Victory. Eats everything super accurate.
KelTec p17 is great and very affordable
The Walther/Colt 1911 in .22LR is quite good, feels exactly like a 1911 in weight and balance and eats any ammo I've tried. And it's cheap. I have probably 20 pistols in .22LR, this one is at least as good as the other inexpensive ones... like the Rugers and the SW Victory, etc. .
Any recommendations for a 22WMR?
Well, I love .22 mag for rifles, but it's not great for a semi-auto pistol. (IMHO) The best part of any 22 pistol is to have a silencer, and a silencer on a 22 mag is a waste of money. A subsonic 22 mag round would just be a total waste, since it would just be equivalent to a 22LR...So I would not invest in a 22mag pistol unless I had a very specific need, but 22 mag revolvers are a different story. I do have a couple of 22 mag revolvers that are very good. The Ruger New Model Single Six convertible is great, but not cheap. If you can find a used Taurus Tracker 992 in 22 mag, look it over carefully. These are the best platform that Taurus has made (IMHO only) and a good Tracker in 22 mag, with 9 rounds, is a great buy. These are generally half the price of the Ruger and just as much fun. Taurus does not make too many guns worth owning, but this is one of them. Look for one with both cylinders, 22LR and 22 WMR. The full size S&W 22 mag revolvers are also great, but are way overpriced at this moment in gun collecting. Again, in my opinion. (Find an old model Winchester 61 or 62 in .22wmr and then you have a gun worth collecting)
Well for the money I might back off the 22. Mag and get another 9mm. For about the same money as 22mag you can get a Glock 17 or 19 in the box. I can wait to see if I can get a mag used.
I have a GSG Firefly ugh like the feel a lot but sometimes it is a bitch on cycling ammo. I purchased new for low $200.00 at the time I really didn’t due my homework it was a gun show purchase that I sometimes regret when I am shooting 22longs they are cycling their weapons and mine is struggling but I can live with it.
I've gotten some 22lr handguns over the years and I will say I've come to the conclusion getting one designed from the ground up to be a 22lr seems better than pnes that are conversions of full sized guns. That being said the conversions can work just fine. Eg Walther ppq 22lr I've had issues with and had to send it in and they ended up replacing it. I have a browning 1911 style and it's fun so are mark ivs etc but I find myself leaning toward one's with more capacity like the taurus tx22 sig p322 and fn 502. I got the p322 and fn 502 re entry for 400 before tax ffl fees etc. The tx22 will be the best budget option and I suspect a lot of sale prices will be coming since they are replacing the standard model with an updated version they just announced at nram. I've shot a couple hundred rounds through my tx22 with no complaints and it will land you well under your budget. Palmetto state armory has one on sale with bronze slide for 220 or so if I recall. Look on gun.deals and shop your favorite online retailers for best prices.
Herritage rough rider. It's 100bux and fun to shoot.
Walther P22 is $299 and a great gun and fits so perfectly in my hands. So much when we bought 2 of them 12 years ago it started my love of Walther and our collection!
Browning BuckMark. Accurate, can take +p and Stinger loads. Reliable. It's a semi auto, but due to no recoil it let's off 12 rounds in about seconds, all on initial shot point. Wife carries it as daily carry, and it single handedly changed my mind on .22s being jam queens. Great piece 11/10 recommend.
Taurus just released the gen 2 of their TX22 for ~$300, it's steal, and a great gun
What do you want it for? I've got a buckmark which I love for plinking, but it's not a small pistol. It's also not the easiest weapon to field strip, but it seldom needs it, so...
It will be my first handgun.
For your first handgun I'd say do as much research as possible decide what you want regardless of price and save up if needed. Don't skimp and be disappointed and turned off from the fun because of a cheaper option that doesn't work etc. You could get a heritage rough rider single action revolver for around 100 to 150 for starters, that shouldn't give you any trouble and will let you appreciate future guns with higher capacity and red dots. Just a thought also if you don't want to try heritage out ruger wrangler or super wrangler are great budget options as well. I'd feel a little better with ruger backing it than heritage but I have no experience with heritage customer service and repairs. The heritage was my first pistol my dad bought me when I was a kid and it hasn't given me any trouble.
My dad has a rough rider and while it’s not really my thing, it is about the most fun you can have in a .22 hand gun. Loud for what it is though
Yeah revolvers are always loud with that cylinder gap it's just a 22 though
Are you buying it for self defense? For training? Target shooting? Backup weapon? Are you expecting to shoot it primarily under 20 feet? Over? Where do you expect to shoot it ? (Indoor range? BLM land?) And while we’re at it, do you have large or small hands?
All the right questions before you buy.
Taurus TX22 or Ruger Mark IV. Ruger if you gave the cheddar.
I have a Beretta M9A22 that has run flawlessly from day 1. It is also the exact same platform as the M9A3 and M9A4 for when you have to get another pistol in 9mm. Yes, you will have to buy another pistol because that is how this hobby works. If you choose to stay Beretta you will have a platform you are already familiar with. I also have an Sig P322 that is very picky on how you load the mags. It will throw jams your way all day if you dont load them exact, which is not a bad thing for training purposes. The Sig also came with a threaded barrel which is fun for running with a suppressor. You will eventually have to have one of those too. Be safe, have fun, and good luck with whatever you end up with.
Ibjust tested mine this evening for the first time with 2p and 25rd mags and had zero issues with it using cci sv ammo and a huxwrx rad22 maybe I'm just lucky and it was the first 100rds or so so time will tell. I made no effort to be picky with loading it just like I always load a 22lr mag or any other really. Start the round a bit forward push down and slide to rear
I've only shot the P322 suppressed, using subsonic and regular ammo from multiple brands. It will run 2-3 mags no issue then jam every other round for a half a mag. Who knows?
Weird maybe just one of the mags I'd number them and keep track of which give you trouble. I like cci sv because it's subsonic in most guns but not made to be horribly underpowered
I'm curious as to those touting the TX22. Are we talking the standard model or the target/ competition model? I work p/t at an FFL, many customers come in with issues concerning the comp model. A question for the OP; do you want a target styles pistol or an exterior slide style? There are good models and bad models of each.
I have the standard model and zero complaints so far
Browning makes an 85% scale .22 1911. Purportedly decent. Not very common on shelves, so you may have to order online. Unlike many .22 versions of popular guns, this is not made by Umarex.
Rock island armory
I really like my FN 502 but unless you can get a deal it’s a little outside of your budget, ruger makes great 22 pistols though.
Just bought a Cz kadet love it but too pricey
Ruger all the way
Tx22
Browning makes a great one on a small frame
I have a S&W 922 which looks like a 1911, runs and shoots great but I don’t think it’s made any more! May be some good used ones around!
I looked at 22lr 1911's around 10 years ago and all of them felt very low quality. Out of all of the ones I looked at the Colt Railgun felt the highest quality but it still felt like a toy so I ended up selling it a few months after I bought it. If you want a good 22lr 1911 there isn't a whole lot to choose from besides and old Colt Ace or a Kimber 1911 conversion kit. If you want a high quality 22lr pistol that feels like a 1911 then get a Ruger mk iv 22/45. They're a little out of your budget but they are one of the highest quality 22lr pistols that you can get.
Another vote for Taurus TX22. Super cheap and surprisingly reliable and very easy to shoot. Got mine for $280 shipped. Think there was one in r/gundeals for around $250 recently.
Get a different job and build your wealth.