First .22 handgun - what should I look for?

Ancalagon

Ancalagon

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Hello

I don't own any handgun, and I think the best way to learn is with a .22. I'm now waiting for my RPAL to pass through, so it's a good time to ask questions.

I'm not asking "what is the best first .22 handgun to get". There has been a number of thread about that. Rather, what I would like to know is what are the characteristics that make a handgun a good starter pistol? I can think of a few things I should be looking for such as:

- good trigger (but what is a good trigger exactly?)
- not costing a fortune
- good "feel" in the hands
- decent sights - adjustable preferably.
- easy to maintain

What else should I be looking for?
 
Depends on your future plans (type of shooting You are planning to do and type of handgun You are focused on - semi-auto or revolver).
You have to remember that a good 22 is one of the most useful tools in the process of learning the difficult art of handgun.
It should also stay with You later on as excellent fun machine.
I would say quality. Buy once, cry once.
 
A good trigger is one that you know how to shoot with effectively :D But really, though, a trigger with as little pre travel and overtravel as possible, and a clean (ie not gritty or "mushy") pull with a crisp break that you consistently know when it's coming for a single stage. A 2 stage trigger is going to have a light pull to a stop that you can feel, then hopefully not much travel until it "breaks". Lighter is not always better. I'll take a clean, crisp breaking 6lb trigger over a sloppy, gritty 3lb trigger anyday. That's how I would describe good triggers.

There are a lot of semi 22s out there, and a lot of them are pot metal crap. I've seen GSG 1911's going for over $400, and for that money, you could go buy a new Ruger .22/45 Target. Heavy barrel, one of the most comfortable grip angles ever designed, and windage and elevation adjustable sights. Factory drilled and tapped for a scope base (which it comes with), and if you're one of those guys that likes playing with legos, you could spend a couple hundred more (unnecessary) dollars on aftermarket parts to dress it up. Oh, and I shoot mine at pop cans and similar sized targets out to 50 yards plus, which for a .22 handgun is hard to beat. The only time i've ever had a "stoppage" was when i was at the range on a windy day, and after a few hours the blowing grit had gotten into the action and i had it eject a spent casing but not recoil back far enough to grab the next round out of the mag. More my fault than the gun imo :)
 
If you stick with a Ruger then you can turn it into anything you wish thanks to an extremely good aftermarket support.

As it is in stock form it's got a decent but not great trigger. It's not a heavy pull but it is a little creepy. But again as a new shooter I'd be surprised if you really notice it. At least at first.

Cost is all relative but for what you get if you stick with the lower cost basic versions I think they are a helluva bang for the buck. And being the lower end of the BLING models does not mean that they can't have an adjustable sight.

Fit in the hands is a VERY personal reaction. There is simply no way for us to tell you what will fit you well. You need to go and handle a bunch of guns. But the trick is that if you don't know what to look for in how they fit because you don't know the best way to hold the guns yet then it makes things tough.

If you want to shoot with a grip angle and feel that mimics a lot of other center fire guns then in the Ruger lineup you would want to stick with the 22/45 model.

Or go with a Browning Buckmark. There again the simpler model in the Buckmark lineup is fairly cheap for a good quality gun.

Of the 1911 clones in .22 the best bang for the buck has to be the GSG 1911-22. A very nicely fitted gun that shoots darn well.
 
Ancalagon said:
Hello

I don't own any handgun, and I think the best way to learn is with a .22. I'm now waiting for my RPAL to pass through, so it's a good time to ask questions.

I'm not asking "what is the best first .22 handgun to get". There has been a number of thread about that. Rather, what I would like to know is what are the characteristics that make a handgun a good starter pistol? I can think of a few things I should be looking for such as:

- good trigger (but what is a good trigger exactly?)
- not costing a fortune
- good "feel" in the hands
- decent sights - adjustable preferably.
- easy to maintain

What else should I be looking for?
Click to expand...

Something preferably still in production so that warranty work, spare parts (like extra magazines or replaceable grip panels) are available in Canada or supported by an authorized dealer in Canada at reasonable costs. And what is thier return policy?
Be aware that European manufacturers do not neccesarily follow SAAMI spec's. Chamber differences may vary and sometimes these Euro breeds cannot safely shoot unusual North American ammo such as Stingers. Maybe this means nothing to you, and maybe it does mean something to you.
A good trigger should be smooth and preferbly not requiring a heavy pull before the sear breaks. Maybe check & see if the trigger can be fully adjustable without taking the gun apart. Are you comfortable with the safety mechanism?
Check the manufacturers info and see if your chosen piece can or cannot be dry fired without damaging the gun?
See if the controls can be easily accessed from the RH or LH side. Can it be shot with a single hand or a two hand grip style in comfort? Does the slide come too close to the web of your shooting hand when the action works? If it does, can you do something about it before purchasing? Perhaps a different set of grips could change this situation. And I know this sounds far out there, but make sure you are aware of any special cleaning procedures (or special tools at extra cost maybe) first off. Some of the newer polymers(!!), alloys and grips may not be friendly to the gun cleaning solvents you currently have at home. This could be easily addressed perhaps by just removing grip panels before cleaning the barrel, frame, slide or receiver.
 
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Any name brand of gun will be better than an inexpensive clone. There are dozens of choices and it is best to shoot as many as you can to find the one you like best if this is available to you at all. Someone just telling you the name of the gun they are happy with is not good enough. I bought a beretta neos, not popular but a quality make and was never sorry. I got it used and it lasted me 17 to 18000 rounds before quitting. Now it needs repair and attention and it will get it as soon as I can afford it.
 
Really I feel there are 3 choices in reliable 22lr pistols: Browning Buckmark, Ruger Mk III target, and Ruger mk III 22/45 target. Pick the one that feels good in your hand, upgrade the trigger, and enjoy.

The target models are because of adjustable sights and regardless of what you get you're going to want to upgrade the trigger which is the main complaint about most firearms.
 
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