S&W Model 422 22 cal

chalkriver

chalkriver

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I got the chance to fire this yesterday , I had never heard of this model before.
The barrel is mounted under the slide . Does anyone have any experiance with these ? I thought it was a nice little gun , it felt really good while shooting it and it was pretty accurate from what I could tell .
I liked the location of the mag release (center of the grip which makes it ambidextrous ).
The one I used was the 4.5 in barrel version as they make them with longer and shorter barrels as well.
This is the one I shot.
SWmodel422.jpg


More pics of that model
SWmodel422c.jpg

SWmodel422b.jpg


Here are a 2 more but with a longer and shorter barrel
SWmodel422e.jpg


Here is a video on one
[youtube]ud6QcGsbMiA[/youtube]
 
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I had a 2206 for years. It's the full stainless model with the longer barrel, and mine had wood grips. I really liked it, too, sorry I sold it. Outstanding trigger and sights, and a really nice feel. A little more choosy with ammo than I'd hope for, but that's often the deal with semis. The stainless frame really made it a pretty hefty pistol (comparing to the aluminum framed 422/622).

They are out of production now, replaced by that unfortunate looking 22A. Maybe they're a dream to shoot, what do I know. I think there is something of a cult following with the 422/622/2206 models. I really like the line because it's kinda sorta like the model 41, which is amazing (and expensive). Parts are probably going to be a problem in the future, but there is pretty reasonable availability at the moment. I think you can use model 41 mags in the 422 series pistols. I found a fair bit of info on a couple of American sites:

h t t p://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/

h t t p://www.smithandwessonforums.com/forum/s-w-semi-auto-pistols-forum/

Is that yours in the top photo?
 
I had the 2206 (stainless 6" barrel) as my first gun.

Grip angle is a little square. Not as reliable as a Ruger. Field strip was fairly easy but detail strip would have been very hard.

I prefer the Rugers.
 
alpining said:
I had a 2206 for years. It's the full stainless model with the longer barrel, and mine had wood grips. I really liked it, too, sorry I sold it. Outstanding trigger and sights, and a really nice feel. A little more choosy with ammo than I'd hope for, but that's often the deal with semis. The stainless frame really made it a pretty hefty pistol (comparing to the aluminum framed 422/622).

They are out of production now, replaced by that unfortunate looking 22A. Maybe they're a dream to shoot, what do I know. I think there is something of a cult following with the 422/622/2206 models. I really like the line because it's kinda sorta like the model 41, which is amazing (and expensive). Parts are probably going to be a problem in the future, but there is pretty reasonable availability at the moment. I think you can use model 41 mags in the 422 series pistols. I found a fair bit of info on a couple of American sites:

h t t p://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/

h t t p://www.smithandwessonforums.com/forum/s-w-semi-auto-pistols-forum/

Is that yours in the top photo?
Click to expand...

Regrettfully no it isnt.
I guy brought it to the range and let me try it.
I really like it though :)
 
I've got a 6 inch 422 and a 4.5 inch 2206 which are my main .22 semi auto handguns. Been shooting them for a couple of years now and they have proven to be highly reliable. It's very rare event if one stovepipes or fails to fire. They are accurate as any other .22 I've ever shot and so far have served me very well.

The grip angle IS a little vertical but if shooting with a two handed isoceles triangle form of style the vertical angle works well.
 
I bought one of these for $200 about 20 years ago, and it's still my go to rimfire handgun.

If you can pick up a used one, it's a really nifty little gun.
 
I still have my 422 (Blued 6"). It was my first hadngun. Bought it new in 1989 For $225 I think. Still works and shoots a-ok. I still take it out now and again.. more so when I introduce new shooters to the sport.
 
Here is my review....

I have one (shorter 422 with adjustable sights and wood grips). It shoots fairly reliably with one mag and not so much with the other. Also needs to be cleaned fairly often. I checked the widths and it looks like the mag lips are adjusted the same but for some reason that one mag is a pain.

Field strip is easy, just need a spent 22 or and 1/4" nut or anything else you can jam in front of the slide.

I don't find it hard to take apart (detail strip), but it helps to know a few of the tricks to taking it apart and which springs to look out for. The only thing that requires a punch is the firing pin retainer. There is a book "The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly Part I - Automatic Pistols" which has some helpful info, if you didn't already lose a spring under a car in your garage (oops, took a long time to find).

One replacement part that is hard find for this gun is the firing pin. I found a few so I bought them just in case. I can't see one breaking, but just in case.

I did a lot of internet research on these guns and many people say it isn't accurate. I don't think that is true (although I never bench shoot). Problems I find shooting it (for me) is that the trigger is very close to the frame and the grip angle is very straight so it makes my trigger finger somewhat uncomfortable. It is also very light.

Feels like my strong hand is all jammed up. Best group standing off-hand (two-hand isosceles) at 17 yards is 3.25" w/ 20 shots, I could out shoot myself with my friend's Norinco M93 which results in a 2.25" group at the same distance with 20 shots of the same ammo (CCI Standard Velocity). I think it has a lot to do with the grip angle and trigger placement (for me). I can't do much better than ~3" with a buckmark or a ruger 22/45 which are similar in that they are more straight, so I think for myself it is related to the grip angle and distance to the trigger.

I bought a used Ruger mark I, which I should be picking up soon. We will see how that goes...

I don't think I would buy it again because I don't shoot as well as I think I should with it, but it has been fun to play around with. If I had cleaned it and had more working mags before the last steel practice, it probably wouldn't have been so annoying (my fault on both counts). Ironically, I bought this gun with the intention of using it for steel because it seemed less like a 'target' pistol; which is now the reason I bought something else. I don't have problems hitting plates with it, but it is still uncomfortable and why not use something that you know you can shoot better with?
 
Mag issues with the 422? Not sure if you are aware.. the Model 41 mags look VERY similar and will fit in the 422/2206 etc but will result in feeding issues.

Any chance you were sold a Model 41 mag instead of a 422 mag?

I have 6 mags for my 422. When I acquired a used Model 41 I noticed the similarity in mags. That's when I discovered this tidbit of info. My factory 422 mags have never given me any issue.
 
The only issue I had with using M41 mags is that the mag catch slot had to be filed around to catch the center locking tab of the 422 by a little bit. A jeweler's file and some care to extend the slot sideways by about 2 mm's did the trick. Just be sure to go directly sideways and not up or down.

I don't recall having to reform the mag lips at all. Once modified to lock into place the 3 M41 mags have been working as well as the original 422 mags for a few years now.
 
Many decades ago S&W bought the Belgian Clement patent rights, which resulted in the Escort pistol of the 1960s and the 422 series. The original patent was used on a series of turn-of-the-century pistols in calibers from .22 to .380. All had the barrel located under the tunnel with the recoil spring. The tradeoff is that you get the firing chamber closer to the hand holding the gun, and in .380 this can make a significant difference, but in the larger calibers you give up a round because the magazine has to be a bit shorter. They guns never sold very well for S&W, but in the first decade of the 20th century the guns made by Bayard and Clement were quite common. For a while, the Bayard in .32 and .380 were the smallest of their kind.
 
BCRider said:
The only issue I had with using M41 mags is that the mag catch slot had to be filed around to catch the center locking tab of the 422 by a little bit. A jeweler's file and some care to extend the slot sideways by about 2 mm's did the trick. Just be sure to go directly sideways and not up or down.

I don't recall having to reform the mag lips at all. Once modified to lock into place the 3 M41 mags have been working as well as the original 422 mags for a few years now.
Click to expand...

:agree: I have a 422 and had an older Model 41. Mags from the 41 had a shorter mag slot than the mags from the 422 and would not work in the 422. But the opposite works fine.
 
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