9mm 22LR conversion options

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flyer415

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Just waiting for my RPAL to be sent to me. I am looking for recommendations and/or first hand experience with certain semi automatic pistols and 22LR conversions.

I will be getting a 9 mm and a 22LR conversion for the pistol. I will be using it pretty heavily in the first year (lots of free time)with the intention of joining IPDA or IPSC and competing. Don't really know all the rules/classes in either yet.

At this time, I believe that my main options are a Sig p226 and the Sig conversion. I realize that there is a Kimber conversion as well as a CZ conversion. Not quite sure if, for example, the CZ conversion can be used on any of their 9 mm.

In fact, not really sure if a 1911 conversion can be used on ANY 1911 frame or just their brand etc.

I have been to several manufacturing sites and vendor sites above but I am still confused.
 
Glock 17 with advantage arms .22 conversion kit. (OR any of the canada legal glock models IIRC)
 
I would stick with the Sig. It's made by them so problems would be minimal and most likely under warranty. That's the route I have decided to go.
 
Katana said:
I would stick with the Sig. It's made by them so problems would be minimal and most likely under warranty. That's the route I have decided to go.
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With the Sig I was getting confused. You can get the P226 in .22 and then buy the xchange 9mm or get the P226 in 9mm and buy the 22LR conversion. Prices differ based on which way you go. It looks like the options change based on which way you go. At first i thought...well Ok six of one or half dozen of another. But it is different.

Mark at questar tried to strighten me out when i told him that the options were confusing. I plan on going to WSS just to see if there is a physical differnce based on which way i go.

Also, does the SIG stay locked open in the 22LR conversion.
 
A 1911 conversion to .22 (such as the kimber) should work on all 1911 single-stack frames, not double stack frames such as those made by Para. There is a specific company that makes a double stack 22 conversion for those as well.

The CZ .22lr Kadet conversion "apparently" (I haven't confirmed this myself, but it's what I've heard) fits any CZ75 platform pistol, including the sp-01 series (tactical, shadow, phantom, etc.). Don't know about the cz-97.
 
flyer415 said:
With the Sig I was getting confused. You can get the P226 in .22 and then buy the xchange 9mm or get the P226 in 9mm and buy the 22LR conversion. Prices differ based on which way you go. It looks like the options change based on which way you go. At first i thought...well Ok six of one or half dozen of another. But it is different.

Mark at questar tried to strighten me out when i told him that the options were confusing. I plan on going to WSS just to see if there is a physical differnce based on which way i go.

Also, does the SIG stay locked open in the 22LR conversion.
Click to expand...

Buy the one caliber your going to shoot the most right now. Keep in mind that if your wanting to shoot in IPDA, you won't be able to do it with a .22.

I have my 226 in transit as we speak and am going to start looking for a .22 kit for it so I can not answer the last shot hold open question.
 
I have never shot a SIG, but the CZ75 is one of the best 9mm pistols ever made.The Kadet kit I have is very reliable and extremely accurate. It will even shoot bargain ammo with no trouble. The Kimber 1911 kit is also a very accurate option, if a bit finicky about ammo.
 
The SIG P22X .22LR series does NOT lock the slide on the last round fired. The factory mags do not have this option. There is an aftermarket option, just recently available, for the P226 & P229 .22LR magazines that will hold the slide open. This modification replaces the plastic follower with an aluminum follower that stops the slide from going forward into battery. This seems to be the best option and I will be getting these followers for my P220 .22LR mags when they become available.

If you do get the SIG .22LR conversion/pistol, you should load a spent casing first into the magazine so that you avoid firing on an empty chamber. Dry firing the SIG .22LR uppers does cause damage to the face of the chamber.
 
+1 for the G17 with an AArms .22lr conversion.

I have this kit and it is well made.

It will lock back on the last round.
AArms do not recommend dry firing it unless it is to remove the slide. (which you have to do on a Glock)

I was going to go with a Sig 226 with a conversion kit but got a good deal on a used G17.

Personally I think the Sig is a nicer looking piece of kit.
 
I found for myself that having a .22 laying alongside the 9mm or .45 really added a lot of fun as well as better training to my shooting sessions. There's nothing like working on loosing your shooting "chops" with the .22 for a magazine or two and then pick up the 9mm for a magazine with the newly learned and used muscle control habits then to switch back again for another CHEAP "lesson".

The problem with a conversion kits is that you can't switch over on the fly like this. At best you're looking at a 2 to 5 minute switchover along with the fuss of doing so. This means you're going to be less inclined to switch often during a shooting session. Add in the fact that the cost of the conversion kits is up there with the cost of a dedicated second .22 pistol and I would suggest that you just buy a second pistol and be done with it.

What you'll want to get is a .22 that shares a grip shape and angle that is as close as practical to your center fire gun. That would indicate such options as the Ruger 22/45, S&W 22A, Browning Buckmark. Because of the grip angle you should avoid things like the Berreta Neos, Ruger MkI, II or III and others that have a more swept back angle.

Some will make the point that your first shot sighting will be more natural and faster if you have the one gun rather than handling more than one and having to do the slight adaption for each. There IS some validity to that if you're not planning on ever buying and shooting any another gun and will focus purely on getting the fastest first shot off with your one and only gun for matches. If this will be your goal then the conversion makes more sense. But if you're THAT focused then a whole second identical gun set up for .22 makes even more sense. If you're not planning on being this dedicated then a second pistol in .22 that is reasonably similar for shape and grip will be far more fun and less fuss to use in parallel with the center fire pistol.

One of the site sponsers, Frontier, currently has a S&W 22A brand new for less than the cost of any conversion kit I've seen so far.
 
The CZ Kadet Conversion unit for a CZ75 is the best I have shot. Regards, Richard :)

The only 22 pistols I have left:

RugerMKI.jpg

and my CZ75 on top in the second photo
Hakan39sonCZ75BWithKadetandCZ75PCR.jpg
 
kadet

just changed the cz from 9 to the kadet kit, under 30 sec with time to spare:dancingbanana:using one gun, the draw and fire for the first shot is exactly the same as with 9mm, fantastic practice. as well, when goin fast it is easier to see, due to reduced recoil, if you are moving the gun before the shot breaks.
cueball
 
The STI Ranger II changes from centrefire to (Ciener) .22LR in less than ten seconds.

And a cheap POS like the S&W 22A is neither a valid substitute nor is it any bargain.
 
YMMV but having shot the range's S&W 22A for around 700 to 800 rounds before I recieved my own .22 pistol. I found it to be a nice shooting gun and definetly not a POS. But even if you find that you don't want THAT particular rimfire pistol there's other options in the same price range.

And even if you can speed change from center fire to rimfire in under a minute I still think that the drill to do so will get tiring after a while. I know it would for me but then I'm already used to just picking up the alternate gun and slipping in a magazine instead of worrying about swapping out parts.
 
From what I have used and experienced the CZ Kadet Kit is the best of the lot. The Tanfoglio .22 Kit was bery picky on ammo and fellows with the 1911 kits report very much the same experience. The CZ kit is extremely accuate and eats every brand of ammo I have fed it. As others have said it fits all the 75 series of pistols including the SP01 Shadow.

Over the winter we shoot IDPA outside with our .22 pistols for fun. Saves on chasing brass in the snow.;)

The jury is out on how much you gain by practicing with a .22. The absence of recoil can hide a lot of sins and you can wind up practicing bad habits that you don't notice shooting the lighter .22 rds. All that said, they sure are fun and plinking around with a .22 pistol is about as good as it gets.

Take Care

Bob
 
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