Any .22 pistol to stay away from?
- Thread starter cycbb486
- Start date
The four you mention are all good pistols, the GSG and Sig 1911 are the exact same gun, they are sister companies and GSG brands them as Sig. I would avoid the Sig Mosquito and the ISSC .22 but I would definitely add the M&P22 to your list, it’s also a fine gun
GSG/SIG 1911s are the same gun made by GSG and I don't recommend it.
Main issue is the whole gun is made out of softer alloy material. Every time I clean it I end up wiping off a bunch of that material that is being worn out. The slide catch notch has been long worn out so it will not lock open unless the mag is inserted. The gun is not really worth anything now.
Granted I estimate I put 20k rounds through that gun, so depends on how you look at it. But I have seen other 22 pistols used by our range safety course instructor. The s&w and ruger pistols he uses must see a lot more rounds than my GSG, and they all fared way better than the GSG.
Main issue is the whole gun is made out of softer alloy material. Every time I clean it I end up wiping off a bunch of that material that is being worn out. The slide catch notch has been long worn out so it will not lock open unless the mag is inserted. The gun is not really worth anything now.
Granted I estimate I put 20k rounds through that gun, so depends on how you look at it. But I have seen other 22 pistols used by our range safety course instructor. The s&w and ruger pistols he uses must see a lot more rounds than my GSG, and they all fared way better than the GSG.
The frame of the GSG/SIG is made of zinc alloy and the slide is aluminum alloy as most other .22 pistols. I've been shooting my GSG 1911 for nearly 5 years and never seen any "worn out material" after cleaning. Fact of the matter is that in the beginning I installed the ZRTS performance package. May be it helps?
My GSG 1911 has a steel insert imbedded into the slide catch notch (see pick). I wonder why yours does not have such an insert?
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The frame of the GSG/SIG is made of zinc alloy and the slide is aluminum alloy as most other .22 pistols. I've been shooting my GSG 1911 for nearly 5 years and never seen any "worn out material" after cleaning. Fact of the matter is that in the beginning I installed the ZRTS performance package. May be it helps?
My GSG 1911 has a steel insert imbedded into the slide catch notch (see pick). I wonder why yours does not have such an insert?
I have the Sig version and the ones imported by NS didn't have the steel pin. I had to replace my slide on my own dime, no warranty... I went with a CW slide. I would go with the GSG, though. Perhaps the newer Sig has a pin, too, but no way to know without seeing it.
I have a lot of .22LR pistols and when I take females shooting for the first time almost all prefer the Buckmark. However, they have no preconceived ideas of what they like in a handgun so they like the one that is easiest to shoot and hit the target. If your girlfriend likes a certain style, she may not like the shape of the Buckmark.
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- ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Vancouver Island
The Sig Mosquito has a terrible trigger. If your GF has a small hand the Browning 1911 Black Label is small, reliable , shoots well and easy to shoot
diabeticfreak
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- The fields of Ontario
The frame of the GSG/SIG is made of zinc alloy and the slide is aluminum alloy as most other .22 pistols. I've been shooting my GSG 1911 for nearly 5 years and never seen any "worn out material" after cleaning. Fact of the matter is that in the beginning I installed the ZRTS performance package. May be it helps?
My GSG 1911 has a steel insert imbedded into the slide catch notch (see pick). I wonder why yours does not have such an insert?
I have a GSG 1911 and I have had zero problems with it as well. I haven't changed anything on mine to boot. It's just a good, relatively cheap handgun that's easy to shoot. It also has the same basic operations as a 1911 in .45 acp, so besides the increased recoil, you would be able to practice using a 1911 for a lot cheaper.
I briefly had a M&P 22 and hated the trigger. OTOH, I am used to shooting a Medalist, whicha has the best trigger in the world.
My wife and I have owned and shot a lot of 22 cals. As some of the previous post have indicated I agree that you should stay away from ISSC 22, GSG Sig Mosquito. If your girlfriend hands are on the smaller size the Ruger SR22 pistol would be a great choice IMHO. My wife really enjoys her SR22 and her Smith and Wesson Victory. Good luck with your search.
For a .22 pistol, the Browning Buckmark is a dandy. One of the few I sold and shouldn't have. Had a Ruger Mk3 as well, hated it, never did figure out what all the hype was about. You needed an engineering degree to clean it and it jammed constantly. Maybe I just had a crappy one. My most accurate, reliable and beautiful pistol was a Smith and Wesson 17-5. Little pricey though. Another one I regret letting go of.
highlander
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Newfoundland
Yep, the Buckmark would have been one of my suggestions also.
You should also look at the High Standards, excellent gun, very reliable and durable and very accurate.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
I sold my Ruger for a Browning Buckmark. I just found the quality control of the MK3 2245 Rugers were garbage..
To Avoid: The Ruger Mk I to III models based on the disassembly and re-assembly for cleaning being more difficult than all the other .22LR pistols I have had, especially if a new shooter is doing the maintenance/cleaning on it. The target models I have had and shot all had good triggers and reliability on par with most .22LR pistols.
Recommended: I have gone through many .22LR pistols and the only one I have left is a Browning Buckmark target, so that is the one I would recommend. I have used it to introduce children to pistol shooting and none have struggled with it.
Recommended: I have gone through many .22LR pistols and the only one I have left is a Browning Buckmark target, so that is the one I would recommend. I have used it to introduce children to pistol shooting and none have struggled with it.
It is like most things, you get what you pay for. If you buy an inexpensive .22, it is probably going to give you issues. If you spend on quality (S&W Model 41, Colt Woodsman Match Target for instance) you will have a very accurate reliable firearm that will last for generations. They sure don't wear out. I've got a couple of 1949 Match targets that are still incredibly accurate, and an older Model 41 the same. Buy once, cry once.
Well i personally have a Browning Buckmark. Wanted to keep it easy for here if and when she shoots my .40 in a 1911. Figured a rimfire in a 1911 style frame is the way to keep it simple. Opted for a GSG. Always wanted to try one. This is the way to.
I am only basing this on the one I have handled but the Beretta Neos (my friend's gun) had a god-awful trigger, was a jam-o-matic with all ammo and because it is largely synthetic was very light which, when combined with the horrible trigger made accurate shooting almost impossible. I think they only sell because they are kind of cool looking.
As for the Ruger MK's I-III, they are usually very reliable, accurate guns. Reassembly is a little tricky but once learned is nothing to be concerned with. The more you do it the easier it gets. Plus they have probably the most available accessories of any .22 pistol made which means you can tailor it perfectly to fit you. A good used MK II or MK III with the bull barrel can usually be found for $300-400 and will probably last longer than you will.
As for the Ruger MK's I-III, they are usually very reliable, accurate guns. Reassembly is a little tricky but once learned is nothing to be concerned with. The more you do it the easier it gets. Plus they have probably the most available accessories of any .22 pistol made which means you can tailor it perfectly to fit you. A good used MK II or MK III with the bull barrel can usually be found for $300-400 and will probably last longer than you will.
