New shooter needs a good starting pistol.

[1SweetV6]

I want to start with a .22 and I was looking for some good starter guns. Something reliable & easy to clean & take care of.
Also something that will not be to much $$$$ I don't want to spend 400+ on one.
Any one have a .22 that they could recommend & why.
Thanks.

[rovert97]

it depends, do you want to learn to shoot semi-autos, or revolvers?

[Xringshooter]

Lots of good ones out there. If looking for an autoloader, I like either the Ruger MkIII or the 22/45. Beretta, S&W, Walther, Taurus, etc all make good 22's. Don't overlook a used one either, typically you can get a good one for less money and they will work fine. Check the classifieds here and on Gunbroker.com.

Also, don't discount a revolver. 22 revolvers can be a ton of fun and will help teach you the basics of aiming, trigger control, etc. The Ruger Single Six is a good single action revolver and you can get it with a 22 magnum cylinder also. Again, most of the major manufacturers make a 22 revolver. Again, check the for sales and you may get a real good gun for less.

Any of the major brands will be reliable and any 22 is pretty easy to maintain. If you buy a used one and don't get a manual for disassembly/cleaning/etc., you can usually download one from the manufacturers web site at no charge.

[andrewjs18]

A lot of people say it's hard to beat starting with like a Ruger MKII or a Buckmark in .22

I've shot the Ruger and they're very accurate.

I've also shot a p22 which was also very accurate, but they can get pricey...

[Mity2]

Ruger Mk seriese(I prefer MkII and its heal mag release, but thats just me),
I have ruger MkII, and while its great starting pistol, and its VERY accurate, you can also charish them forever(I mean they last forever. They are built like a tank), pass it on to your kids, use it for competition, teaching others, or just plinking.

Cleaning Mk seriese gun can be bit tricky, specialy if you forget to tilt the weapon when your reinstalling MSH.

Walther P22 is another choice, but they can be very finiky about the ammo, nowhere near as accurate as Mk seriese, and they are built like Korean car..

[FNG19]

I'll throw my hat in the ring for a Browning Buckmark. They're accurate, fun, and IMHO, feel great in the hand (personal preference). They'll cost a little more than some other options, but the price difference is worth the money -- again, IMHO.

Also, if you know folks who shoot and have .22's, see if they'll let you try out their guns. I may think the Buckmark/Mark III/Neo/Trailslide/Mosquito/whatever is a great gun, but if you don't like it, it doesn't matter what I think. You need to find a gun that feels good in your hand, that you can shoot well, and that you can afford.

Good luck, and welcome to the shooting hobby!

[jsc83]

I'd recommend the S&W 22a. Its a nice 22 that is about 2/3 or lower than the cost of a ruger. Its alot easier to take apart and put back together. The pistol comes with adjustable iron sights and a built in rail on the top so you can go either way with it. I was a little doubtful about the gun as I hadn't read a lot about it and it was so cheap, but we bought one a while back and it works great. One down side is there is a little plastic tab on the recoil spring that tends to break. We just keep 3 or 4 in the range box. You can replace the part in about 15 seconds. The part costs less than 50 cents from S&W. Because of that, I shoot standard velocity ammo in the gun. We've had it several months now and haven't had to replace the tab yet. Gun shoots much better than I do. Good for plinking as well as bullseye target shooting. Another downside seems to be that there are not a lot of aftermarket parts available yet for the gun. Great starter though. I figured we'd use this for a while, then sell it and roll the money in to a ruger or better target pistol.

[normanvin]

You should also look at the Beretta Neos.

[jmlpa]

Buckmark, I have one and I love it, easy to maintain as well.

[falcn]

You should also look at the Beretta Neos.

I agree. I've just bought one and it is very easy to maintain. Has a rail for sight accessories already.





Handles very well. Only ammo that didn't work well was Winchester Super X - no fail to feed, but one squib that failed to get the bullet more than halfway down the barrel.

It put a CCI Stinger hollow-point through 4 gallon jugs full of water at 30 feet out - testing penetration and to see how the HP would expand if at all.

It ate Federal Champion (cheapie), Federal Match (less cheapie), CCI HP, Remington Gold HP, Federal Gameshock copper plated HP and had no problems with anything other than the Winchester rounds. You can visually see the lack of quality on the Winchesters.