Which 22lr revolver?

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sikwhiskey

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Looking for a 22lr pistol, kind of leaning towards a revolver as I dont currently own any wheel guns. Been looking at S&W 617 but they are pricey. What do you folks have for 22lr plinkers? Can the SW shoot 22 mag as well?
 
No .22LR revolver can safely shoot .22 Mag. cartridges. Some single action revolvers come with an extra cylinder chambered in .22 mag.
 
I picked up a Ruger Single Six from the EE and I've been very pleased with it. Affordable and with extra cylinder you can shoot 22 mag
 
Only the Ruger single six shoots both and that requires that you swap the cylinder.

The 617 or one of the older blued 17's is the only way to go if you're looking for the best accuracy and a nice trigger in a double action hand ejector. Yes they are pricey but it'll be a lifelong companion that you can trust.

In terms of a single action "cowboy" revolver there's the Ruger Single Six and Single 10. There's also the Pietta 1873 clones in both 6 and 10 shot versions you can get from Marstar. I have not shot these rimfire versions but I've been VERY happy with the Pietta center fire 1873's I'm using for plinking and cowboy action shooting. I've put quite a few thousand rounds through these two revolvers and they just keep getting better and better. If I were looking for a single action rimfire revolver I'd be all over one. And they LOOK better with the sleek top line than the Ruger with the clunky adjustable sights.
 
I have a 617 pre-lock and have absolutely no regrets. A little pricey maybe, but not by a great margin. It will most probably increase or at least retain it's value and would be an easy sell in the unlikely event that I ever decide to part with it.

This revolver is virtually the same size and weight as a 686 so it would also be a fairly natural progression to the 38/357 mag if you wanted to go to a bigger bang.
 
The first batch of Alfa Project .22lr's that came in had the option of a model with 2 cylinders. One mag and one LR.
Not sure why they stopped bringing them in as it was a unique option for a double action rim fire.
 
The Single Six makes for a very functional cowboy gun as BC notes. Back when I first got in the game the cool kids were shooting Metallic Silhouette. I figured one day I would be one of the cool kids shooting a heavily modded Ruger Blackhawk with all the bells and whistles but figured I would start with a .22.



That gun shoots way better than the pic would indicate. I put a Hogue grip and a Leupold 2X scope on it...and figured one day I would have the big brother for it in .44 Magnum.

It never happened. Life and clouds got in my way ... and I ended up shooting autos for the most part. Go with the Ruger or S&W - they are both good guns. But if you're on a road as a man with a mission as I was back in the day... stick with it and see where it takes you.
 
OK, so the Ruger is the only one currently available for new with both cylinders?

I don't know where my head was at when I typed that. The Heritage arms revolver that was available here in Canada also came with two cylinders. And the NAA guns that made it to Canada also had/have two cylinders. I should know better too. I've got an NAA Earl in the safe. (sweet gun too. And surprisingly accurate once you figure out how to hold it well and pull the super stiff trigger with a good control).

So yeah, colour me red with embarrassment at my faux pas.....:redface:
 
Ruger SP 101 .22 LR . Had a chance to shoot one and now have one on order . Forget the 617 . Lots of guys sending the newer ones back . Fire 2 or 3 rounds and it locks up . I have a Smith 63 Kit Gun and a Single Six . We were shooting pop cans off hand easily at 50 yards with the SP101 . Kinda pricey @ $815.00 . 4.25" barrel and not much bigger than my Kit Gun .
 
atr said:
Ruger SP 101 .22 LR . Had a chance to shoot one and now have one on order . Forget the 617 . Lots of guys sending the newer ones back . Fire 2 or 3 rounds and it locks up . I have a Smith 63 Kit Gun and a Single Six . We were shooting pop cans off hand easily at 50 yards with the SP101 . Kinda pricey @ $815.00 . 4.25" barrel and not much bigger than my Kit Gun .
Click to expand...

Where do you get your info about the 617? I have never heard of anyone sending one back because they lock up.

Please explain why they lock up and exactly how many have been sent back.

Graydog
 
graydog said:
Where do you get your info about the 617? I have never heard of anyone sending one back because they lock up.

Please explain why they lock up and exactly how many have been sent back.

Graydog
Click to expand...


^^^^^ This could be a problem with cheap ammo not the gun, I've had a problem with crappy ammo but switched to CCI and perfect.
 
model 17, by far and away, better quality than the 617, Simply put they paid attention to detail back in the day, and used better quality steel, the guns run flawlessly and forever. Korth if you want better.
 
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