First handgun(.22): Beretta Neos or Ruger MkII 22/45?

[Torino500]

I’m interested in buying a handgun. I’d like to start with a .22 due to costs.

I was initially interested in the Beretta Neos because I’ve read generally good reviews online. I stopped into Gander Mountain and the guys in there don’t seem to like them. Their price is $229, IIRC.

The gunsmith showed me a used Ruger Mark II 22/45, which they’re going to sell for $160. It was a tapered barrel. I’ve read up on them tonight and find a lot of information and a few complaints about them: cleaning, picky about ammo, etc. Though, there are more people out there who own them than own the Beretta.

Any opinions?

The used Ruger is cheaper. I think the Beretta is cool looking, fits my hand well, and looks easier to clean for a novice.

I’ve got about 1000 .22 rounds I bought for my rifles that I’d like to shoot when the weather warms up (Winchester Wildcats, Winchester SuperX, Federal GameShok), and it would be great if the chosen handgun could fire these reliably. Some of the Ruger guys say there MkII’s tend to be picky about the ammo they fire.

[JoeWilliams]

I bought one for my wife. She didn't like it, I didn't like it. Really can't point to anything in particular to say why. We just didn't like shooting it.

It felt good in the hand, it was reliable, and looked cool. It wasn't as accurate as the Ruger MK II Target I used to own, but it was accurate enough. The manual is wonderfully laid out for a beginning shooter, which neither of us are, but it was still nice to see a decent manual in an entry level gun. As well as nice plastic case, extra mag, lock, etc. The Taurus Model 970 my wife just bought for twice as much came in a cardboard box. But she likes it.

[MTechnik]

I'd rent both and try them... I think the feel of the trigger on the ruger is better. But that is just opinion.

[Seventy4Blazer]

this is a question i have been wondering about. i have learned not to listen to anyone at gander Mt about anything. very rare do they have good prices on anything either...

i am a beretta guy, and they have both of them in the used case at Freedom armory. price is a bit high on both of them. if the Neos is still there the middle of this month i might pick it up. if he will give me a great deal on both of them then i might do that as well. ammo costs are killing me.

my dad has a ruger, and it is as old as i can remember... shoots everything i have ever put through it just fine and is fun, but i like the design of the neos much better. i think there are more neos parts out there as well, and they have more options standard from the factory.

[synergy]

The Rugers are a PITA to disassemble....the Beretta's will shake every screw on the gun loose.

I'd buy the Ruger...personally.
If you get the Neos, get some LokTite too.

[gunperson003]

I don't recommend buying a gun because its cool looking. I bought my first gun a Beretta Neos U22, and it does shoot well. However it looks like something you'd see in the movies. The gun shoots well, it is not difficult to clean.

I tend to look at the guns when watching shows or movies. I find it humorous some idiot thought a Neos U22 would make an excellent dart gun. They would lower the gun below the camera view to load the darts, and bring it up again. *Big laugh*. What show is this I'm talking about? Primeval.

The store did have a Ruger Mark III, however I bought the Neos U22 for 200 bucks compared to 319USD for the Ruger Mark III.

I’m interested in buying a handgun. I’d like to start with a .22 due to costs.

I was initially interested in the Beretta Neos because I’ve read generally good reviews online. I stopped into Gander Mountain and the guys in there don’t seem to like them. Their price is $229, IIRC.

The gunsmith showed me a used Ruger Mark II 22/45, which they’re going to sell for $160. It was a tapered barrel. I’ve read up on them tonight and find a lot of information and a few complaints about them: cleaning, picky about ammo, etc. Though, there are more people out there who own them than own the Beretta.

Any opinions?

The used Ruger is cheaper. I think the Beretta is cool looking, fits my hand well, and looks easier to clean for a novice.

I’ve got about 1000 .22 rounds I bought for my rifles that I’d like to shoot when the weather warms up (Winchester Wildcats, Winchester SuperX, Federal GameShok), and it would be great if the chosen handgun could fire these reliably. Some of the Ruger guys say there MkII’s tend to be picky about the ammo they fire.

[Bib]

I'd choose the Ruger over the Beretta, and the Browning Buckmark over both of them.

[PisnNapalm]

Ruger.... Disassembly can be a tad tricky at first, but once you've done it a few times, it's easy.

[VariableFeedback]

My first handgun was a Ruger Mk II 22/45. No real complaints about it. Since then, I've purchased a used Mk III to complement it.

Ruger.... Disassembly can be a tad tricky at first, but once you've done it a few times, it's easy.

For me, dissemble is the easy part, the trick is reassembly. The day after I purchased my Mk II, I was back in the gun store because after taking it apart and cleaning it, I put it back together incorrectly and it was jammed (if I had just pulled harder, it would have become unjammed, as it was my first handgun, I didn't want to force anything and break it). The one guy at the shop showed my the correct way to reassemble it, and I haven't really had any problems since.

[SSCUSTER]

Feel both of them in your hand before you make a decision. The Ruger has a grip angle like a 1911 pistol. The Neos has a very different angle. I know a woman who has a Noes and loves it, but when I held the pistol, the grip angle felt unnatural.