For a while during my college years, all I had was a Taurus PT-22. Me and my roommates shot the shit out of that gun; we nicknamed it "the Israeli wonder," after the more legit Beretta. Probably had 8-10k rounds through it before it died for good, many of them stingers, since they ran the gun best (and Stingers were dirt cheap at the dawn of the early 90s, given that the factory was local to me). I still have the carcass of that PT. I actually carried that thing around many of the west coast's big cities in the right hand pocket of the only overcoat I owned, in a holster I made myself. That all went out the window when I got my first real K-frame, but if all someone has is a .22, it beats a rosary and a stern glance.
Mini Mag solids would be my choice as they are the most reliable and reasonably accurate high velocity 22 ammo I have experience with. Velocitors are also good HV ammo. For subsonic I would look at the Aguila SSS Sniper Subsonic 60 grain ammo.
Pistol would be a Browning Buckmark or Ruger 22/45, and rifle would be a Ruger Takedown or a Ruger American 22LR with a polymer stock.
-Seconds Count. Misses Don't-
Aquila Interceptor 40grain Copper Plated at 1475 from a rifle. http://www.sgammo.com/product/aguila...terceptor-ammo
This^^^
I've owned both since their introduction. The pistol, the standard 5.5 slab-sided blued Buckmark, with rubber grips.
The rifle/carbine is the 16 inch target version, no sights, with a 4x Nikon scope.
While it is surely a 'cult' rifle,[I've NEVER seen another in the time I've owned it] it's extremely accurate, and an ergonomic wonder. Now if they had just built them both with ambi safeties.
"... And miles to go before I sleep".
I shoot a lot of .22 rimfire, mostly at targets but some at small game, and I never use high-velocity or hyper-velocity loads. In my experience, standard velocity or subsonic ammo is sufficient for small game while providing better accuracy, better gun operation, and a quieter report. I often use 29-grain .22 Short subsonic ammo (CCI #0026) as squirrel and rabbit ammo in an 18-inch Bullberry T/C Contender carbine barrel topped with Williams aperture sights (helps with old eyes). The combo results in a very light, easy-to-handle field rifle due to the short action and short barrel. The report is just as quiet as a suppressed .22 as muzzle velocity is only about 700 fps. It literally is "hearing safe" and allows for very quiet practice as well as hunting. I have another identical T/C barrel chambered for .22 LR. That one loves the CCI Quiet when I can find it. Because the rifles are single-shot, brass pickup is a breeze, and the single-shot forces discipline when hunting. I also have .22 centerfire barrels for the T/C actions, including one in .218 Mashburn Bee that allows me to load up and down the velocity scale. That one wears a fixed 8X Leupold.
In a semi-auto handgun, I like the Ruger Standards and Mark IIs, and I have both regular, threaded, and integrally-suppressed models. I also have a Franken!Ruger (only Ruger part is the magazine) I built out of a Volquartsen .22/45 lower, a VQ bolt, and a Tactical Solutions threaded upper. That is a very light, full-size gun. In the Ruger-pattern guns, I really like the old Winchester DynaPoint, which is subsonic out of most pistol barrels, depending upon ambient temperature and altitude. I have several cases from a few lots that are accurate in most of my .22 pistols. The DynaPoint is copper-washed, which helps reduce fouling and keeps the gun cleaner.
Buck Mark Challenge with 5.5 or 4 inch pencil barrel and slap a URX grip on it. Reliable, easy to maintain, about as shootable as it will get.
Some Velocitors and some RN.
Apparently, there are guys who lighten up the SSS to 50gr so it stabilizes in a standard twist and report it shoots very well and packs a punch. But that's not exactly cheap/easy.
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Not another dime.