I found it took a few brands of ammo to see what it liked, and a few hundred rounds to break in from new. Usually I use the Federal bulk ammo nowadays, it also likes the CCI mini mags, and Winchester. Mine didn't like the Remingtons very much.
Looking To Buy a 22 For Getting Others Into Target Shooting
- Thread starter Bart68
- Start date
- Location
- West Quebec
LOL I believe they made deluxe model that looks more upscale a buddy has one the only thing he found was the slide was hard for him to pull back..
Mine are both the "target" models with checkered wood grips (inset S&W medallion) adjustable rear sight and narrower front sight. The slide is the same on all of them and the light spring is also standard. The only time I would ever find it hard to rack it was when I let it get grimy from not cleaning it after shooting 600-700 rounds. Super underrated guns and light as heck.
IIRC, mine cycled everything except truncated cone.
Is it new, unfired? If so, break it in with a variety of 40gr RN high velocity rounds. 200rds or so should do it. You can also disassemble it and smooth up the internals to help it cycle standard velocity and even subsonic ammunition.
No dry-firing with this pistol, right?
I had the Sig 1911-22 version. Within a brick the slide notch showed rapid signs of wear. Made me think about the long-term reliability & safety of it. Promptly sold it but since everyone should have a .22lr HG in their collection I eventually picked up a Ruger MKIII and haven't looked back.
While there are reports that some GSG/Sigs have had tens of thousands of rounds without failure I prefer the track record of the Rugers. I understand a steel insert has be added to the slide notch of the newer GSGs but regardless, I find zamac "zinc alloy" HG's smell funny.....
While there are reports that some GSG/Sigs have had tens of thousands of rounds without failure I prefer the track record of the Rugers. I understand a steel insert has be added to the slide notch of the newer GSGs but regardless, I find zamac "zinc alloy" HG's smell funny.....
Got the GSG 1911 out yesterday and I was happy with it, it shoots good right out of the box, I did brake it down and clean/oil and
polished the slide, thought I would do what others on here were doing to theirs before I even took mine out.
I had brought several types of ammo with me and it ate them all except some lead tipped Federals in a blue box but I only had one box
of 50 anyways, the rest were copper tipped and never had any issue's at all except for two misfire rounds but I did shoot 600 rounds
through the gun to help brake it in. Now I can take some folks out and introduce them into the fine world of target shooting.
polished the slide, thought I would do what others on here were doing to theirs before I even took mine out.
I had brought several types of ammo with me and it ate them all except some lead tipped Federals in a blue box but I only had one box
of 50 anyways, the rest were copper tipped and never had any issue's at all except for two misfire rounds but I did shoot 600 rounds
through the gun to help brake it in. Now I can take some folks out and introduce them into the fine world of target shooting.
Sounds like a good day Bart68 I have the Sig and it has been a good gun, I was looking at mine yesterday and it made me smile, it has been beat to crap, used so much that the paint is wearing off the front of the grip, scuffs and marks all over it lol, honestly has to be somewhere in the range of 12-15 thousand rounds thru it,, I stopped counting, and I will use it again this year for speed steel.
It's ugly, beat on, and full of character,lol,,,,and dependable
I have the Sig and it has been a good gun, I was looking at mine yesterday and it made me smile, it has been beat to crap, used so much that the paint is wearing off the front of the grip, scuffs and marks all over it lol, honestly has to be somewhere in the range of 12-15 thousand rounds thru it,, I stopped counting, and I will use it again this year for speed steel.It's ugly, beat on, and full of character,lol,,,,and dependable
Late to step into the discussion but
2 pistols would be great for many reasons
1) GSG 1911 (also swiss arms/sig all made by GSG) (or other Single action 22lr semi with full features)
-this pistol has many build in safety features which make new shooters comfortable, plus if they drop it the grip safety should help
2)Ruger Single Six
-nothing more simple and reliable than a little pistol and deep down everyone loves shooting a revolver. Plus for a single action pistol gives a new shooter full control of every action of the pistol.
This is why I bought them, and why they are the first guns guests get to use at the range.
Bad Choice first pistol for new shooter....TOKAREV TT-33.... OMG I don't know why but I am scared to give that pistol to any new shooter after some experiences including one where on one special guest invite (MY own mother) had the gun taken away from her by me when it began to drift in my direction. Somehow new shooters do weird stuff with that gun. I don't bring it anymore for new guests... Funny I love shooting that pistol, easily my favorite handgun. Its not the best or as accurate as some others but I enjoy shooting it every time.
2 pistols would be great for many reasons
1) GSG 1911 (also swiss arms/sig all made by GSG) (or other Single action 22lr semi with full features)
-this pistol has many build in safety features which make new shooters comfortable, plus if they drop it the grip safety should help
2)Ruger Single Six
-nothing more simple and reliable than a little pistol and deep down everyone loves shooting a revolver. Plus for a single action pistol gives a new shooter full control of every action of the pistol.
This is why I bought them, and why they are the first guns guests get to use at the range.
Bad Choice first pistol for new shooter....TOKAREV TT-33.... OMG I don't know why but I am scared to give that pistol to any new shooter after some experiences including one where on one special guest invite (MY own mother) had the gun taken away from her by me when it began to drift in my direction. Somehow new shooters do weird stuff with that gun. I don't bring it anymore for new guests... Funny I love shooting that pistol, easily my favorite handgun. Its not the best or as accurate as some others but I enjoy shooting it every time.
Way earlier in the thread mention was made of older Beretta's mod 70,71, 76. A 948 is light and eats everything $400 or so. GSG 1911 is same as Sig 1911-22 - my sig is what I "lend". It's heavy enough there's minimal kick so newbies aren't afraid ($450 or so). Lastly, nothing gets kids of any age smiling like a nice cowboy revolver. The Arminius WSA, 6 3/4" .22LR is very pretty, again $450 or so, only bad thing is it's quite dirty. All above do well on Rem or Win ammo +1250fps 36 gr or better
I shot some CCI mini mags and both my Colt 1911 22lr and the GSG 1911 .22lr liked them, I think they are just really good rounds but I'm paying for the ammo so I wanted
to try out the cheapest stuff out there and was very happy that the GSG is less picky than my Colt for ammo.
I took the GSG out with my wife and she has a S&W 22A1 and that's her baby but she tried out the GSG and she really liked it and all the safety features it has for training younger people
because some of these people have never even held a firearm much less a handgun.
This or a used Browning Challenger. They are around and often come up on the EE. You cannot wear them out and they are 100% reliable. I would go for a dedicated .22 pistol design over the guns patterned off of 1911 and other center fired pistols.
Take Care
Bob
I looked at one but the gun needs to look cool, look like something they have seen before. I don't just want to take people out and them to go this is all right but can I shoot your gun?
I know I would, no matter how good a gun is if it's boring it's boring and that doesn't sell the sport to new people. I looked and handled everything the Powder Keg in Kamloops had and this
was perfect for price point and ease of cleaning and the cool factor.
"Powder Keg in Kamloops had and this was perfect for price point and ease of cleaning and the cool factor."
Personally, I don't think you can beat the cool factor of a Beretta 71. Mossad used them to great effect in the 1970's, very "Bond, James Bond". Feel very good in the hand as well. No idea why Beretta stopped making them. Seems to happily take any 22 LR, although the Velocitor and Stinger rounds do make for a quite large muzzle flash. Very easy to clean as well.
Personally, I don't think you can beat the cool factor of a Beretta 71. Mossad used them to great effect in the 1970's, very "Bond, James Bond". Feel very good in the hand as well. No idea why Beretta stopped making them. Seems to happily take any 22 LR, although the Velocitor and Stinger rounds do make for a quite large muzzle flash. Very easy to clean as well.
