.22 revolver for training

[sharps54]

I didn’t want to hijack Rich’s thread https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....istol-Shooting

So if one wanted a double action .22 revolver to work on trigger control what is the best option on the market today? I’m not so much worried about a rimfire version of duty pistol as the best tool to develop trigger control. Do you go with something like the 3” LCR with laser grips or a S&W 617 with a red dot sight? My understanding is the .22 J frames tend to not have the best triggers and since this will only be a range gun I’m fine looking at larger frame models. Durability would be key here, I’m not worried about things like cost or key locks. I’m assuming with snap caps (regularly replaced) there are no issues doing extensive dry fire with one of these wheel guns.

Thank you in advance!

[BehindBlueI's]

A vintage S&W K-22 is probably the finest .22 revolver out there and I'd hazard to say they aren't going to drop in value over the years. You'll need to be serious about not caring about cost up front, though.

I've got a 4.2" SP-101 (model 5773) that I got for my son to start to shoot with. The trigger is butt out of the box, but a set of Wolff springs and some light clean up on the inside makes them decent to good-ish. It's good for smaller hands and has "modern" sights with a fiber optic front.

[GJM]

I think a heavier .22 like the 617 is great for hunting or target shooting, but is too easy to shoot for maximum training benefit. I use a 317. I think that is what the Rogers School used until they went to the LCR .22.

[Inspector71]

Carry a four inch model 15 (.38 SPL), then the identical .22 version was the model 18. These days I have a 686 and my under study is a vintage six shot 617, same barrel length. Fits the same leather holster gear; weight & balance very close. Unfortunately, I see very few pre MIM S&W’s .22 revolvers in the pawn shops, so I guess Gunbroker is your best friend. Back in the day, that .22 revolver did double duty as my wife’s night stand gun when I pulled a week of mid shifts.

[OlongJohnson]

I really like the balance of the 5.5-inch GP100, but it will likely benefit from some slickening, at least compared to a pre-lock 617.

Also, I think it was Clusterfrack in Rich's thread who never had a revolver fit him well. The majority of revolver grips don't work well for me, but the nice thing about revolvers is you can essentially put any grip you want on it. For the GP, Hogue's "no finger groove" Goodyear option is pretty nice. Nothing that shape is available for Smiths.

[Wheeler]

If you're looking for something to practice good trigger control methodology then getting a K frame with a sweet trigger is not really the answer. I'd recommend a 43c, 317, or even an LCR 22. If the DA trigger is too heavy you can replace the mainspring with a stock, 9# spring for a 442/642 on the S&W's or buy one of the Apex kits or a Wolff spring if you like to name drop when talking about guns. I'm not sure what the options are for the Rugers.

Learning to shoot an airweight revolver well has really upped my trigger control game.

[sharps54]

Thanks for all the replies, it sounds like I am probably looking at either a 317 or LCR. My intent is to buy a current production revolver so I will have product support from the manufacturer if needed.

[oregon45]

Thanks for all the replies, it sounds like I am probably looking at either a 317 or LCR. My intent is to buy a current production revolver so I will have product support from the manufacturer if needed.

Of the 22's currently produced, I think the SP101, GP100 and LCR are the way to go. I have both the SP101 and GP100 and with dry-firing and lubrication the actions have smoothed considerably. For some reason Ruger ships their revolvers almost devoid of lubrication so judging the gun by the trigger pull at the gun store isn't a good idea.

I would not buy a new production S&W revolver sight unseen, nor would I rely on S&W customer service for anything other than exchanging one gun for another. Most worthwhile "product support" for S&W revolvers will come from the aftermarket, and that is where you can find several improvements to the S&W 617--the Apex hammer and spring set, for instance.

[Sal Picante]

http://instagram.com/p/Bnv_dWTHWSE/


Totally worth it!

[mtnbkr]

Totally worth it!

I have the K38 from that era.

Chris