Looking at getting an inexpensive shooter to shoot rather regularly. Looks like this could fit the bill, but not sure on build quality. I have scanned the bible and read numerous reviews but have not come to a concrete decision and look here for first hand knowledge and feedback from you all. Seems as though most that are built after '08 seem to have better quality control?
If there are already threads about this, please post up the links as the search did not produce much in for this particular gun. TIA.
very fun little gun.
numerous reports of cracked slides though. if you find the right ammo (they tend to like remington and federal bulk i think… not expensive taste at least) they are quite reliable.
seems the lifespan is limited to like 6000-10000 rounds though.
i’d say probably the best “tactical” 22 would be a glock or something with an advantage arms kit on it.
Got one that was built in '05, never ran right until I found(on google) the “p22 bible”. It’s been really reliable with mini-mags and about 85% with Fed. Bulk from walmart. Fun plinker.
I have a 2007 P22 (AG date code). Current round count is 1600.
I bought it for use as trainer gun to help teach new shooters, as the manual of arms carries over well to ‘real’ handguns (most notably, the reciprocating slide). In this role, it’s performed admirably.
It is NOT a .22 I would buy if I planned on putting 10,000+ rounds through it. To say the construction of this gun is “cheap” is being generous. The slide stop lever gouges the underside of the soft zinc slide during normal shooting. The rear sight is wobbly. The front sight is weakly staked into the slide with plastic nubs. The trigger bars of older models were also known to gouge the pot-metal slide. The accuracy is sub par when compared with other .22 semi autos.
It’s nowhere near the gun that a Ruger MKII is.
That said, mine’s been 100% so far using CCI Mini-mags, though my round count is still pretty low. It has taught several new shooters semi-auto handgun manipulations before they’ve stepped up to a real service caliber. Beyond that, I don’t run it hard, and don’t plan to.
P22s have received several tweaks as the model has progressed throughout the years. Buying at least a 2007 is a must, with a newer model being preferrable. The hammer profile is one of the most important aspects of reliable functioning that’s been dialed-in over the years.
If you really want to get serious about putting a lot of rounds through one, I’d recommend checking out the RimfireCentral forums for things to watch out for, tweaks, and fixes. ETA: I just checked out the ‘P22 Bible’, that originated on RimfireCentral, and is everything you need to know. The fact that there’s a 100-page guide on P22 tear-down, fixing, and modification is what most call a “clue”.
If you just want a good .22 that you can shoot and not worry about, see LittleLebowski’s post.
I’ve been through, a S&W 22A-1, a Beretta U22 Neos and finally settled on a Kadet kit for my CZ-75b.
The S&W 22A-1 while accurate and durable, was unreliable and the sights on my version kinda sucked. Also the slide banged the feedramp thus gouging it up helping to induce failure to feeds. I traded that in for the U22 Neos
The Neos appeared to have better build quality than the Smith, also used a striker fired design, it had it’s own flaws. First the grip was too damn small for my hand and my hands aren’t large either. Secondly the sights sucked ass, the front sight was too wide, and made of plastic, and the rear sight would come loose as the cross pin walked it’s way out under fire. It also did not seem as accurate as the Smith. Also cleaning the Neos was a painful procedure due to really sharp edges on the top rail of the barrel, so even though taking it apart was easy cleaning often drew some blood.
I have also shot a Walther P22 and the thing is tiny, again not exactly the most comfortable gun to hold unless you have small hands and secondly the sights do not lend themselves to accuracy at all, front site is too wide, and the notch in the rear site even wider making proper alignment of the sights with the target an imprecise task. And honestly everything about that pistol screams cheap.
Since I already had a CZ 75 D Compact (AKA PCR) I traded the U22 in and got a 22 conversion kit for my CZ, the Kadet Kit made by CZ. there were some slide lock issues with it on my PCR but it runs flawlessly on my CZ 75 B aside from the typical 22 problems with the occasional failure to fire and the rare stovepipe. Other wise it is accurate and the sights are good, the trigger is all dependant on the CZ you have it mounted to, trigger work etc. Barrel is hammer forged, and the fit and finish is on par with CZ’s service pistols.
CZ also makes makes a stand alone Kadet pistol which is basically a standard CZ 75 B with the Kadet kit installed from the factory.
So if you want a “tactical” style 22 semi auto my vote goes to the CZ 75 Kadet. Oh I forgot to mention the grip on that thing feels as if it was made for my hand, and an absolute joy to hold and points very naturally
Mine was fun and reasonably accurate, but the slide cracked and hammer spring broke at around 6,000 rounds. S&W does an excellent job with customer service for the P22. It needs it.
those pot metal slides probably cost them about 8 bucks to make… i guess with a lifetime supply of parts included in the purchase price it’s not a bad deal. it IS a fun gun to shoot.
Got my daughter a Beretta Neos last year and it’s had about 1000 rds or so fired through it and I have yet to have a problem with it. The sights may not be the best but considering it’s got a built in rail, it’s begging for a cheap red-dot sight anyways.
Easier to field strip and clean than the MkII and III’s, though not as accurate. Still a fun little .22LR pistol. I’ll be getting one for my son when he’s older. I may even pick one up for myself…
Okay, after looking at one in person again today, my research and you all convinced me that…the walther is out. Not sure what I want at this point, but i got the itch to get something and Im gonna need to scratch it pretty soon. Thread over.
I won one in a raffle at an IDPA match around 2003-2004 or so. The one good thing I can say is that it prompted me to finally get a .22 suppressor. Other than that, it’s pretty much junk. Mine has been less than reliable, mainly because the hammer face rides the underside of the slide, reducing slide velocity significantly. Once I put a few dozen rounds through it, it gets dirty and fails to go fully into battery. The slide will literally hang up on the hammer face. It requires frequent cleaning and heavy lubrication. Accuracy is mediocre, and the trigger sucks. The front sight is held in only by a pair of little plastic nubs. Reassembly is also a PITA, especially if your hands have any lube or solvent on them.
Doesn’t seem to have any preference for ammo, I’ve fed it Federal, Remington and Winchester bulk pack, as well as Remington standard velocity and subsonics with the suppressor.
Basically, I’m waiting for S&W to come out with the dedicated M&P .22 pistol, and then the Walther is getting retired.
LHS,
Sounds like the experience I had with mine. They can be made to run if you want to work on it. It’s not worth it if you bought the gun new at full pop, but if you got one cheap like I did or free-ish like yours I feel its worth it. Google up the P22 bible or if you would like I may be able to send you the file.
I have one, I bought it when they came out, it eats pretty much anything, not too many issues with 10k through it. It is “close” to a service pistol and helps a bit, but marksmanship mostly, and even then, there may be better options.
Thread over.