A .22 Dilemma

[MisterFives]

So I'm looking at buying a .22 within the next couple of months and there are three handguns I really like so far:

Ruger Mark series
Browning Buckmark
Sig Mosquito

I liked the feel of the Mosquito but the DA pull was awful. It did have some pretty nice sights, though. In comparison, the Ruger Mark III I held was top-heavy (are they all like that?) and thus felt a little odd. The Buckmark felt pretty nice, too, the weight seemed evenly distributed. They were all nice prices, with the Mark III being the cheapest.

However, what I'm also interested in is one day getting a suppressor for the .22 which means that what I want needs to have a threaded barrel. From the shopping around I've done, the Sig Mosquito has a version with a factory-installed threaded barrel. With the Buckmark and Ruger, I'm looking at spending nearly as much or more than the price I paid for the gun itself for a threaded upper from Tactical Solutions.

I know both the Ruger and Buckmark .22's are renown for their reliability and performance, while the Mosquito can be hit or miss or so I've read. However, I really don't want to spend an extra $300 to buy a new threaded upper when I can get a Mosquito pre-fitted with one for around that price.

I'm trying to find the best possible quality at the least possible cost and they all seem like great choices. Having fired neither of them, I don't know what I should go with, but the pre-threaded barrel on the Mosquito is really appealing to me. Is there anyway to get a pre-threaded Mark II/III or Buckmark without having to spend 100% of the cost of the pistol?

[PennsyPlinker]

I had a Mosquito threaded for a can. I got rid of it for a Ruger Mk II. It was a little easier for me as I have other hosts for my can, but even if I didn't, I think I would have dumped the Mosquito. It was okay, but a little sloppy in its fit and finish, and it was never real accurate. So if all you want to do it go ftt ftt ftt and listen to the sound of not going bang, it will work.

The Ruger is much more accurate. While it is not set up for a can, it can be, as long as I can find a gunsmith who can thread it for me (and I can).

The Mosquito was very picky about ammo. The Ruger cycles anything I put in it.

The Mosquito was very easy to take apart to clean. The Ruger a little less so, and it can cause you to lose your religion trying to get it back together for the first time.

I have not owned a Buckmark, but I had opportunity to spend some time on the range with one owned by a friend of mine from here, and it is a very nice gun too. I predict that one of these days I will have one.

So it all depends on what you want to do. Do you want quiet, or do you want accurate, with the possibility of quiet later on?

[Skullz]

I have a Mosquito and a Gemtech Outback II. It works, but as Pensy said, it's finicky about ammo. I might give the Walther P22 a try sometime in the near future - but they have their own set of problems too.

I went with a removable can because I can move it between my Mosquito, 10/22 and dedicated .22 AR.

If you really want to go the supressed route for a .22 pistol, take a look at the integrally supressed Mark II and IIIs from places like Paladin or Tactical Solutions.

[PisnNapalm]

The only Mosquito I've ever shot was very picky about ammo. It would only feed high velocity ammo. My Ruger MKIII eats anything I feed it.

I haven't shot a Buckmark so I can't help ya there. I do love my Ruger though.

[sedurick]

A friend of mine has one of those Ruger MK's with a 10 inch barrel. Very accurate. Minute of tack

[kunsunoke]

Go with the Ruger, and just accept the fact that it isn't ready for the can out of the box.

Much as I appreciate Sigs, the Mosquito wasn't one of their better moments.

[highrider]

MisterFives,

I have one of each of three you mentioned. My Mosquito is a jammo-matic. I like both the Mark II and the Buckmark very much. Both good guns. Only down side to either is that the Mark II is a pain in the ass to break down. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your choice.

Frank

[Karl/PA]

If you feel the Rusger is top heavy now, the addition of a can won't help any. I'd go with the Browning.

[wellcraft]

you can buy a suppressed ruger MKII but the suppressor & barrel are integrated so you don't have the option of removing the suppressor and using it on another gun. i think your options are limited to the mosquito and walther when it comes to suppressing 22 cal semi auto pistols. i'm not sure what other 22 cal pistols are out there that you can easily add a can too. i owned a mosquito and it was the most unreliable pistol i've ever owned plus it had the worst trigger of any pistol i own. i ended up selling the mosquito at a loss but malfunction after malfunction after malfunction prompted me to get rid of it. i could hardly shoot one mag without the gun jamming, stove piping or failing to chamber another round.

my ruger mkiii and buckmark have been 100% reliable and both have very good accuracy. if you really want to suppress a pistol i would suggest you look at something in 9mm that way you will have a lot more options of pistols and cans to choose from.

[Fr0sty]

I have a Mark III and love it! I have shot a Mark II and loved it, and I have shot a Buckmark and loved it. I guess my point is, if you go with a Mark "X" or a Buckmark you will be happy. Both are excellent choices.