Semi auto or revolver in 22lr?

One thing is for certain, there are plenty of good choices out there for those looking for a 22lr pistol. I tend to like semi auto better than revolvers. Ruger makes great 22lr pistols in both semi auto and revolver. I've had a couple MK III bull barrel SS 22lr, still have one, and I also have a 22/45 Lite. I put VQ trigger kits in both of them, and for me, it made a world of difference. I bought a M&P Compact 22 awhile back, I really like it a lot, has a great feel to it and it's a lot of fun to shoot. I hardly ever shoot either one of my Rugers since I bought it.

I've got a PMR 30 also and that thing is a lot of fun to shoot and they hit much harder than a 22lr but good Lord are they freakin L O U D!!! My dad has a Ruger single six convertible and shooting 22mag in that thing is reallllly loud too. You definitely do not want to shoot either of them without ear protection.
 
Wow guys thanks for everything. Has anyone noticed a difference between shooting 22 mag and 22 lr out of a single six? Does it change the poi at all?
It's kinda hard to choose because they all look so nice but each one has it's downfalls. I'm getting away from having a 1 gun for 1 purpose. A 22 pistol I can use for dispatch and hunting would be great. I almost decided on a semi auto because if it came to self defense I can dump 10+ rounds in under a minute . BUT the 22 mag has more power but it's just a single action. And I doubt a pmr-30 would make a good dispatch gun. Plus 22 magnum shells are a bit more expensive to plink with!
 
Originally Posted By: OKRattler

I'm assuming he's talking about minimizing pass throughs. From point blank range even a .22lr will go clear through.

You're a good "assumer":)
Exit wounds bleed like he11 but an entrance wound just leaves a .224 hole and no blood to wash off of the pelt which is a real PITA in the winter.
I shoot em in the lungs with a 22 Short.

 
I carried a 4" Model 34 S&W for many years on the trapline, I used it for dispatch and to fill the pot with rabbits and grouse. The tough part I couldn't carry loaded in the vehicle. I picked up a little Llama XXII, it was very accurate and served well to fill the pot and dispatch, it was great to just pop out the mag and eject the chamber. The next stop was just insert the mag, most of the time I carried with the chamber empty until needed.
 
Well I finally got me a 22 pistol.
Had some time to kill last week and stopped by a gun shop / military surplus and seen a used ruger sp-101 22 lr. Got it for $425 cash. Took it out and shot it the other day and I think the gun shoots great I just need more practice with it. Only way you could tell it was used was some blemishes in the finish and it needed to be cleaned.
 
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Love old revolvers as much as anyone,plus have 3 Ruger autos.For what you are doing I would pick my S&W MP22 Compact-17 oz. loaded,can hit a pop can at 20-25 yards.Have over 2000 rounds thru mine without cleaning or a single malfunction,and it goes with me about everywhere.
 
It's odd but I own maybe half a dozen 22 autos but no revolvers. I really need to adjust that ratio by at least one. A K22 may well be in the future for me. Xmas is coming. It will have to be an old one as with a wheel gun I can only count to six.

Greg
 
Having had a whole selection of .22/.22mag pistols for fun and trapping, I have sold or traded all of them except a Ruger semi auto. It has done a great job for decades and fits the hand well.
 
Originally Posted By: JimHLove old revolvers as much as anyone,plus have 3 Ruger autos.For what you are doing I would pick my S&W MP22 Compact-17 oz. loaded,can hit a pop can at 20-25 yards.Have over 2000 rounds thru mine without cleaning or a single malfunction,and it goes with me about everywhere.

Of the three that I have, the M&P 22 Compact is easily my favorite. They're a great little gun.
 
ive got a MKIII thats just outstanding.

eats anything i feed it, cycles subs just dandy, and at 4" cheapo-bulk 1260 ammo stays subsonic about 95% of the time.

i got a 5" model on sale, and had it cut to 4" and threaded for my sparrow. great combo, easy to handle, very comfortable to hold, and points like a dream.
 
I have three that fit the OP, and in the order I like to use them:

1) keltec PMR-30 in OD.
2) Buckmark NRA special with red-dot & Tactical Solutions light wt barrel.
3) JC Higgins 22lr 6" revolver, 9 shot, aluminum frame.

The PMR-30 is a gem, great trigger for a kel-tec product, and accurate as is.
My range buddies & I love it, it has been very relaiable, but must pick the right ammo.
Also need to load the mags perfectly.
Carried it on my buddies trap line, did the job on a coon.

This is my 2nd Buckmark, love it, son got my 1st one.
Maybe lose the red-dot for holster carry.

I would carry any of these on a trap line.
 
I have a good selection of 22 LR revolvers and semi-autos to play with, but if I had to reduce my collection to just one of each, these two would likely make the cut:

1. Stainless Ruger Single Six with a 4 5/8" barrel and fixed sights with 22LR/22WMR cylinders. It shoots dead on at 15 yards with both cylinders.

2. Hi-Standard Sharpshooter with a heavy 4" barrel and a factory Bomar type rear sight. It's all steel and it is heavy enough that you never lose your sight picture when firing.

Both of these choices are very accurate and are very durable.
 
Originally Posted By: Bob_Atl

1) keltec PMR-30 in OD.


The PMR-30 is a gem, great trigger for a kel-tec product, and accurate as is.
My range buddies & I love it, it has been very relaiable, but must pick the right ammo.
Also need to load the mags perfectly.
Carried it on my buddies trap line, did the job on a coon.

The PMR30's seem to get a certain amount of hate mail but I've had mine for a few years now and it has run darn near flawlessly. I almost lost the front sight once because they tend to work loose, but a little brake cleaner and loctite fixed that easy enough.

PMR 30's are kinda a little odd looking but they shoot straight, pack a lot of firepower in a light weight package, and hit considerably harder than a 22lr. The only thing I don't like about mine is you can't shoot them suppressed and they, definitely, are frickenn loud little buggers. I have a FN five seven also and I'd rather shoot my PMR30 because the trigger is wayyyyy better in the KelTec.

I think they make an excellent back packing gun.
 
B23: Don't want to de-rail this thread, but what ammo do you like for the PMR-30 ?
I haven't tried any 30 gr yet, most of the 40 gr works fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Bob_AtlB23: Don't want to de-rail this thread, but what ammo do you like for the PMR-30 ?
I haven't tried any 30 gr yet, most of the 40 gr works fine.

Pretty much all I've shot in mine is either CCI or Hornady 30gr Vmax ammo. Also, I usually only load the magazines with 28 rounds. If I load the full 30 rounds in a mag, It'll sometimes hang up on that first round but if I only load it with 28 I never have a problem.
 
Thanks B23, hear you on the 28, I usually go 25/27.
& I'll give the 30 gr VMAX a try too.

TKS, Back to the regularly scheduled thread….
 
I’m a bit of an accumulator of 22LR handguns, but if I were to only have one, it would be a Ruger Mark IV. Until the Mark IV, that ONE would have been a Mark II, but the IV really is an improvement. The Slabside Competition is my favorite version, rebuilt with volquartsen and tandemkross internals, and a set of ambidextrous shingles instead of the factory thumbrest grips. Doesn’t get much better than that, for me.
 
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