My 8 year old loves his 10/22 and wants to shoot all my Sigs, but his hands aren't big enough and he obviously doesn't have the strength to handle them. Even my Ruger 22 is big for him. Was thinking about a P22. He held one in a store, and it seemed like a good fit. What day you all? Are they reliable? Anyone have experience with kids handling them? I don't want to get him something that's just going to lead to frustration.

From reading, you're going to run the gamut of reliable and accurate to hunk o'junk plastic.

From my first hand experience, mine is a great little gun with well over a thousand rounds and less than a handful of ftfeed. And I attribute that to the sh**y ammo; like bent noses, etc. I will say I think I have an early one, so that may be why mine is so good. I also have the 5" barrel, but the 3" is so much fun.

The size is appealing to young kids, so much my youngest, who is now bigger than me, still prefers it.

I also have an SR22 threaded, but may get rid of that and just get a threaded P22 barrel.

In told, mine has been great.

M&P-22 Compact, hands down.

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Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
M&P-22 Compact, hands down.

Beat me to it.

Dallas I forget just exactly where you’re at these days, but if you’re still local to me you’re more than welcome to borrow my M&P-22 Compact to see if it’s what you’re after.

8YO?

Ruger MK series so you are the only one who can cock it.

I agree with Marzy, I took my daughter shooting at about that age. She shoots my 22/45 well.

I bought her an M&P-22 compact and she had trouble reaching and pulling the trigger.

Known for their reliability: Ruger SR22, S&W M&P Compact 22. Hard to go against either in that regard.

The current Walther P22--the version that looks like a 3/4-scale PPQ--I've not had much feedback on; we've only sold a small handful of to date. The prior version was more angular looking, looking more like a scaled-down Walther P99. Now that version definitely was all over the map when it came to its reliability. Though originally designed by Walther proper, the company's Arnsberg (Umarex) facility was responsible for the vast majority of the manufacture of the older version, and they went a considerable way in showing that airsoft line workers didn't know squat about assembling a true firearm.

We have a couple of the current guns in the shop; can't say off the top of my head what proof marks are on those but I'd guess it's most likely Cologne, which would typically mean that they're made at Arnsberg.

Full disclosure: Arnsberg has also been responsible for 22LR pistols that have good reputations as well. Examples include the full-size PPQ M2 22LR and licensed-built S&W M&P 22LR full-size (the compact version mentioned earlier is made in the US by S&W). Both of these are known for reliable operation. However that same plant is the source for the dreadful license-built Colt M4 22LR, a rifle that is all over the map when it comes to reliability, just like the first gen P22.

My Walther was junk, I had to send it back repeatedly. I replaced it with a Ruger SR-22, I've been very happy with it. I have no experience with the M&P, although I have the EZ, with identical dimensions, I believe. It's a bit larger than the Ruger.

I am one of the lucky ones. I own two of the most villified 22s in the P22 and the Sig Mosquito. Currently 4500+ rounds through the mosquito and it has been flawless since the first 200 or so rounds- using cci mini mags high velocity ammo. I probably have 2000 rounds through the P22 and it loves the CCI ammo and other than a few light strikes it has been fine. Better ammo makes a huge differnce on the combat style 22s.

I am one of the few fortunate ones as well. Bought a p22 when they were first out. No issues, sold it to my brother who still uses it suppressed to this day.

Bought a new one last year (5" target model) for my youngest daughter. Again no issues with quality ammo.

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I am one of the few fortunate ones as well. Bought a p22 when they were first out.

If it's indeed an early one, you more than likely have one that was actually built by Walther (Ulm), before production was moved to Arnsberg.

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Originally posted by soggy_spinout:

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I am one of the few fortunate ones as well. Bought a p22 when they were first out.

If it's indeed an early one, you more than likely have one that was actually built by Walther (Ulm), before production was moved to Arnsberg.

How to tell? Pics appreciated.

I've had mine since 2007 with no issues, but I've only shot CCI mini-mags through it. Having said that, I think the Ruger or M&P are better choices now. Back then, the P22 was the only "combat 22" available, exempting the notorious Sig Mosquito.

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How to tell? Pics appreciated.

Don't have any pics myself since I don't own one and those guns are fairly uncommon, but the most telling sign would be the proof marks found on the specific gun in question. Walther firearms made at Ulm typically would have the stag antler proof mark (not coincidentally it's the symbol for the Ulm proof house). It's the same mark as found on HK firearms, since Walther Ulm and HK use the same proofing house. Cologne proofed guns would have the shield with three crowns marking. A former coworker has one of the 'antler' P22s, given to him by his father. And not surprisingly it's a reliable shooter.

While it's not absolute evidence that all Ulm-sourced guns get sent to the Ulm proof house for certification and testing, it's reasonable to assume that companies would use the proofing house closest to their operations just to keep transport costs down. For the Ulm factory to utilize the Cologne proofing house, it's at least a 3hr jaunt on an empty Autobahn through Frankfurt, instead a cross-town trip to the Ulm proof house, or down the block or wherever the Ulm proof house is relative to the Ulm factory. It's been years since I've done this route between Cologne and Stuttgart, and from what I understand traffic's a LOT worse now than what it was back then.

Heed the advice for Ruger or the M&P 22. The P22 I briefly owned was a total turd.

Yeah, my experience with a P22 was short and frought with problems. I would stay away.

SR22. I think mine will feed and eject a concrete block.

LOL, I'd trade in my P22 in a heartbeat on an SR22, but my local dealer (who sold it to me) won't take it because everyone knows it will only eat Mini-Mags.

I had an earlier P22 with the factory laser and TB.

The gun wouldn't run dry out of the box but once cleaned and lubed was one-hundred percent with several different kinds of ammo. It was cool but I swapped it for an Eotech.