.22 LR rundown

[awp_101]

Crap, that really appeals to my inner Timmy...

The first gen Walther P22 I had ~15 years ago was OK and certainly felt more solid than the Mosquito I bought right after they came out.

[Duelist]

Our G44 is just fine as a trainer, and my wife endorses it as more fun than any other .22 we have. Plus, it’s super lighting you want to throw it in a pack for hiking.

The factory mags work greats, but the Promag higher capacity mag is a pain to load and iffy on reliability.

[jellydonut]

Perhaps this?

https://fnamerica.com/502tactical/

I have two short listed items in way of 22 pistols. A Volquartsen and the new FN 502. The latter comes with 15 round mags and it's optic cut and suppressor ready. I will get one once the new wears off and they are on the shelf more. The Volquartsen is a much more expensive pistol so that one I am saving up for to purchase at some future date.

I bought a firefly several years ago. I modified the mags and did some polishing and other work so now mine works great. That said I also think there are better options out there.

I am going to get a FN 502 for one.

I feel like if I am taking this route I will be missing out on not also getting a "matching" 509 and buying into the whole system. Ditto Walther's .22 PPQ and not also having a regular PPQ.

Currently pretty set on Glock but willing to be persuaded otherwise, so the full system is not set.

Our G44 is just fine as a trainer, and my wife endorses it as more fun than any other .22 we have. Plus, it’s super lighting you want to throw it in a pack for hiking.

The factory mags work greats, but the Promag higher capacity mag is a pain to load and iffy on reliability.

Noted, I should probably read up more on the G44 again too besides the early complaints.

[gato naranja]

For a sub-caliber trainer, unless the focus is single-action trigger control, both the Ruger Mark IV and Browning Buckmark should not be the choice. Both models offer a single-action only trigger, which is nothing like a Glock striker-fired action or DA/SA pistol. The DA/SA Ruger SR22 at https://ruger.com/products/sr22Pistol/models.html might be a better choice, but I am not aware of any factory-offered threaded barrel options. Ruger does offer a threaded barrel kit from shopRuger.com at https://shopruger.com/Ruger-SR22-Thr...uctinfo/90520/ which would allow the addition of a threaded barrel. I have no personal experience with the SR22, but shooting buddies are pleased with their examples.

I wanted to hate the SR22, but I have a ball shooting them.

It took Ruger years to to screw up the Ruger .22 pistol, but they did it and even convinced the masses to approve the resulting mediocrity. "But it takes down easier!" they whined. Yeah, it does.... and everything else about it is worse, in quality and/or performance. I don't like Buck Marks, but would probably get one in preference to a Ruger Mk IV... and I used to be a Ruger Mk I, II and III fanboy.

There. Flame away at this stupid, old cat. He doesn't care.

But enough of that, and more about Ruger's enjoyable, but not "target grade" .22 pistol: the SR22. The trigger is incorrigible, but at least the SR22 doesn't pretend to be a fine example of the gunmaker's art and capable of world-class accuracy. Get an SR22 with a threaded barrel, put a can on it, set expectations on realistic and have fun, fun, fun.

[EricP]

I recently bought a Ruger MKIV 22/45 Lite for just pure shooting fun. I already had another MKIV upper, so now I have one with nicer irons and one with a dot. Both are threaded for a can. Volquarten made the triggers much better.

I've been very much enjoying that they are not match guns or sub-caliber trainers and only exist to make pieces of clay pigeon smaller or ring steel.

[farscott]

It took Ruger years to to screw up the Ruger .22 pistol, but they did it and even convinced the masses to approve the resulting mediocrity. "But it takes down easier!" they whined. Yeah, it does.... and everything else about it is worse, in quality and/or performance. I don't like Buck Marks, but would probably get one in preference to a Ruger Mk IV... and I used to be a Ruger Mk I, II and III fanboy.

Have too agree with this. I have been shooting Ruger Standard pistol variants since 1973, have examples from a 1961 to 2020, and the Mk IV has a horrible stock trigger. I much prefer the old Standard pattern to the Mark III and Mark IV with the magazine safety and a few other warts (Mark III "chamber loaded indicator and Mark IV barrel/receiver wobble. My stock 1964 Standard has a trigger almost as good as a Volquartsen Scorpion and cost a fraction of the latter pistol.

The good news is most people want the easy takedown, so the old guns languish on the shelves. That allows one to find a good deal.

[joshs]

Have too agree with this. I have been shooting Ruger Standard pistol variants since 1973, have examples from a 1961 to 2020, and the Mk IV has a horrible stock trigger. I much prefer the old Standard pattern to the Mark III and Mark IV with the magazine safety and a few other warts (Mark III "chamber loaded indicator and Mark IV barrel/receiver wobble. My stock 1964 Standard has a trigger almost as good as a Volquartsen Scorpion and cost a fraction of the latter pistol.

The good news is most people want the easy takedown, so the old guns languish on the shelves. That allows one to find a good deal.

Put me in the easy takedown for the win camp. I shoot a ton suppressed, so the easier takedown is much appreciated. I did put a VQ trigger kit in my MKIV, but I don’t think the stock trigger was terrible. I have about 25k through my MKIV 22/45 with no broken components, and the new design seems durable so far.

[1Rangemaster]

That FN looks neat. We have had G44s(10) in department inventory for remedial work and civilian familiarization, obtained within the past 12 months. Aguila and CCI Blazer have been run through them with no hiccups I’ve observed.
I had some old, poorly stored (in trunk of car) “Yellow Jacket” that gave my personal 44 fits-ftf, fte, etc., but I put that down to the suspect ammo. GLOCK sells an “accessory” threaded barrel, so that’s an added expense along with the can. No experience with cans personally, but I’ve seen a handful on the 44 run well.
The polymer slide doesn’t lend itself to a red dot. There are one or two aftermarket mounts that attach to the rail though.
I just carefully put Ameriglo fiber front sight on CAREFULLY and run it like that. Mags are 10 rounds, but easy to load by hand with the little tabs on the mags.
I’m pretty committed to the GLOCK for daily use, so I appreciate the G44, FWIW.

[19852+]

Is a .22 upper conversion out of the question? I have an Advantage Arms .22 upper for my Colt 1911 and it works quite well. 100% reliability with the recommended ammo and the full power mainspring in the Colt insures reliable ignition. Mine is the deluxe version with adjustable rear sight [Kensight].

[Jim Watson]

I shot a Glock 44 today at the range demo day for Glock, CMMG, and Eotech; and a friend is buying one based on my favorable review.
If you have a Glock 19 as everybody on PF should, the G44 is a natural for cheap practice.

Agree that Buckmark vs Ruger is Ford vs Chevy and you don't have to spend money on them, they will shoot just fine right out of the box without becoming an Endless Internet Lego Gun.

If you have Other Makes, I can testify that the CZ Kadet Conversion and Nelson 1911 Conversion are very good.
The S&W Plastic M&P .22 Compact is in the same category as the G44 and mine is very reliable, 100% with MiniMags.

There are others, but those are the ones I have shot, not counting bona fide target pistols like M41.