I've got a whole lotta .22 pistols.

My favorite would be the S&W 41, followed by the Colt Woodsman Match target, followed by the High standard Citation Military.

Only the S&W 41 is still made, but I don'r know how current quality compares to my 60's vintage pistol.

I really like my PPQ M2 4” but if it was just one .22lr, I stay with my Ruger MKII.

Ruger MKII bull barrel 5.5".

quote:

Originally posted by CAR:
Ruger MKII bull barrel 5.5".

^^^THIS^^^.....except in 22/45.

My first handgun was a Ruger MK1 that I saved up for and my dad got for me when I was 15.
(Back when a 15 yo with a gun or a 15 yo walking into the local gun shop to buy ammo didn't set off red alerts).
Looking back feels like I must have put a million or so rounds through it.
Long gone, so this week I ordered a MKIV Standard just like my first one.

My Walther PPK/S 22 lr. As accurate as a larger pistol, and easier to carry.

Ruger Mark IV Tactical. If you don't like all the rails, they come right off. Not much heavier than the "Lights" and way better looking. The simple takedown that this model excels at. Accurate and the trigger, at least mine, isn't bad. Threaded barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by AllenInWV:
What would you go with? I now have an excellent excuse to get myself a .22 pistol. Any suggestions on a good one? Uses would be 1) teaching a new shooter, 2) plinking, 3) possibly suppressing later on.

As previously mentioned above, I would recommend a CZ Kadet. It's all steel and built very well. The Kadet factory magazines are all steel. They are composed of a steel .22 insert welded inside a steel CZ 75 magazine body. The slide locks open after the last round is fired too.





The Kadet pistol handles well and is accurate. Mine digests anything I feed it. Plus, it makes a perfect suppressor host.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MG34_Dan,

I only use .22lr pistols for Precision Pistol Competition these days. I have a Ruger MKII Target Competition with a Volquartsen trigger, and an UltraDot optic. I also have a Marvel .22lr conversion set on a dedicated 1911 frame, again with an UltraDot optic.

I lust after a Pardini in .22lr.

I absolutely love my Wife's Beretta 87. We've never had a failure and she loves shooting it! Quiet enough to shoot in the back yard, although we've only done that a couple times.

Ruger MK series.

Tremendously durable.
Accurate.
Huge aftermarket.
Available in a bunch of different configurations.


I have a bull barrel 5.5in MKII that I got back before I was aware of suppressors. One of these days I will have a good smith move the front sight back, chop it to 4 inches and thread it for a silencer.

Browning Buckmark. The only gun I own that my wife likes to shoot. Tackdriver accuracy, no recoil.

Had a Browning and it was nice, but the magazines were scarce and expensive. I found an Italian source that, for a short while, had Cheetah 87 mags for about 25 bucks, so I scooped up a bunch and got the Beretta. Best .22 I ever shot.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
My favorite would be the S&W 41, followed by the Colt Woodsman Match target, followed by the High standard Citation Military.

Those are my favorites as well. I let the Woodsman get away, which I will always regret.

Ruger mk4 22/45 lite. Easy to suppress. Good trigger. Easy to add a red dot. Lite, accurate, reliable, cheap.

Browning Buckmark.
Mine is boringly accurate and reliable. Suppressed with standard velocity ammo it's an absolute joy to shoot.

Painful to think of only One! For practicality’s sake I would narrow it down to the most popular models for ease of parts, extra mags etc. As much as I love my S&W 41’s they aren’t cheap and can be ammo finicky and harder to mount optics if I want. So for me the choice would be between a Ruger and a Buckmark. The Ruger is US made and has better factory service if needed. My Buckmarks on average have been more accurate and the trigger is easier to make sweet. The newer Ruger’s have too many trigger widgets added to make them as easy to work on. So for me I’d probably choose a Buckmark with a scope base but a Ruger with the same would be fine too for a one and only 22lr pistol......

But thank God I live in the USA and can have all the above plus Hammerli etc etc!!!!

Here is were you should start Browning Buckmark.
If you like it you can then go to a second barrel to suppress.

If my #1 (P229 .22 Classic) .22 host is lost or stolen, this original LITE model 22/45 is my go to backup.

I have a Mark III Hunter with a Volquartsen accurizing kit installed but my next one will be a Mark IV Lite.