I would like to get into handguns for target shooting and for small game hunting. Are there any cheap 22 pistols out there, $150 is going to be tops for right now? I just want an accurate pistol, nothing fancy.

Thanks,
Sven

Sven,

Look around for a used Ruger single six. You should be able to find one in that range. A fella could not wear one out in three lifetimes.

After you find one, buy a box of each kind of .22 rimfire ammo you can get locally. You will find at least one brand that shoots very well from it.

I am sure others will reply also with their ideas 8*)

Good Luck and Great Shootin.

Scotty

Heritage arms also makes a cheap single action revolver you might want to check into.
Have to agree to shoot a bucnh of different ammo, to see which the gun likes best.

Sven:
I just lucked into a used Ruger Single Six that came in an old tooled leather belt/holster rig, all for $150. Be nice if you could run into something like that.
One thing, though: mine only has the .22WMR cylinder, which makes ammo costs a bit higher than a .22LR. Some of the Sixes were made with interchangeable cylinders (.22LR and .22WMR), which would really be ideal.
Good luck...

I just lucked into a used Ruger Single Six.. for $150. I'll say! Even ridden-hard/put-away-wet examples command $200 here. Over $200, naturally, when they are cleaner, and/or stainless.

HE SCORES!!!!

Redneck, I believe you can find a .22 longrifle cylinder at e-gunparts.com

It is not uncommon for these old Rugers to become seperated from their extra cylinders.

I am fortunate to have kept good track of both cylinders for my old Ruger (Made in the 200th year of Liberty I might add 8*)

Good shootin

I'll say! Even ridden-hard/put-away-wet examples command $200 here. Over $200, naturally, when they are cleaner, and/or stainless.

I've seen all gold colored single six's complete with extra cyilinders for $150 on 2 different at a pawn shop. I wish I'd talked my dad into buying one of them.


Walter30-06:cool:

C'fingers:
I don't think you can just find a cylinder somewhere and pop it in. If you want to buy one from the Ruger people, you have to send the gun so the new cylinder can be fitted at the factory. I guess you could have a gunsmith fit an extra one...

From what I understand, not all the Six's came with both cylinders. The ones that were manufactured as convertibles had the last three digits of the SerNo stamped on the front of the WMR cylinder, while the ones put out as WMR only did not have these digits stamped. Mine has no numbers on the cylinder, so I think is one of the latter ones.

I could be wrong abt all this, but it's what I've come to believe from what reading, etc, that I've done. Anyhow, I've got a new Mark II in stainless with 5.5in bull barrell for the .22LR shooting.

Thx for the response...

you should be able to find a used ruger MKII in the price range you are lookin at. i've seen them well used for around $100. they are as tough as the single six so the only thing that will stop them (or the single six) is abuse or neglect.

monty

If your talking real target shooting not just tin can plinking, you would be better served with an autoloader. There are alot of used rugers on the market or the browning buckmark is nice too. I would stay away from the smiths except the old 41 and you won't find one of those cheap. Any of the High Standards are excellent but the target models probably won't go cheap. You can shoot matches with a double action revolver but not a single action. It just takes too long to cock a single action for the rapid fire strings and the longer hammer fall of the single action is not conducive to accurracy. You can't wear out a good .22 target pistol and if you buy a good one it will last you the rest of your life. I would stay away from the real heavy bull barrel guns as they are just too cumbersome to hunt with. The lighter guns make excellent hunting guns and are probably more accurate than most sporting weight rifles.

Sven,
You should check the hunting laws in your area. In North Carolina, where I live, the minimum barrel length for hunting with a 22lr is 6 inches. Since my wife is small, and wants to shoot, and neither of us liked the looks of the tapered barrel, this meant I just "had" to get the 6 7/8" slab side.
Chuck

Hm, cheap n' accurate. Is 170.00 USD (120.00 USD used) plus tax too much for you? if not go for a browning buckmark, I plink alot with mine. i've gotten 1 inch groups at 50 yards, its clean smooth action i haven't had it to foul up on me either. Its similar to a ruger's semi auto thing-a-ma bob but weights alot less and sports a nice finish/good grips and doesn't jam up like rugers semi auto does.

If your talking real target shooting and not just plinking then the auto is the way to go. The rugers are very good for the money. I used a .22/45 model for years and it was very accurate and reliable. The brownings are good too. Stay away from the bull barrels if you want to use it for hunting. If you can find a High Standard for a decent price they are top of the line.Might want to look at the Walther P22 they are inexpensive and have the interchangeable barrels. My favorite gunshop owner swears by them. If you like DA revolvers then any K frame S&W is good, but I wouldn't use the kit gun(on the J frame) as they are too light for target. I would rather have a used quality gun in .22 than a new cheaply made gun. I don't think you can wear out a good .22.

Yep, a used Browning Buckmark, $150 or so, is the way to go. The single action revolver is PITA to deliever real accuracy with. It's very hard to maintain a truly consistent grip on that plow handle, and the very slow, very heavy hammer fall really adds to your problems. The Ruger .22 auto's safety is pretty awkward to manipulate, and the gun is a PITA to reassemble after you've cleaned it. Also, Ruger sold us out on the assault rifle ban. So I never recommend any Rugers, to anyone, for anything, whatsoever.

Yep, a used Browning Buckmark, $150 or so, is the way to go. The single action revolver is PITA to deliever real accuracy with. It's very hard to maintain a truly consistent grip on that plow handle, and the very slow, very heavy hammer fall really adds to your problems. The Ruger .22 auto's safety is pretty awkward to manipulate, and the gun is a PITA to reassemble after you've cleaned it. Also, Ruger sold us out on the assault rifle ban. So I never recommend any Rugers, to anyone, for anything, whatsoever.


Um, how much shooting have you actually done with a single-action revolver? The Jerry Miculeks of the world can probably tell the difference in hammer fall / locktime of single-action vs. double-action, for the rest of us it's mostly campfire theory.

It's not a question of whether or not YOU can tell, it shows at the target. It's really easy to teach a novice to group 2x as well with a Buckmark as with a Single Six, and I can prove it, anytime.








Um, how much shooting have you actually done with a single-action revolver? The Jerry Miculeks of the world can probably tell the difference in hammer fall / locktime of single-action vs. double-action, for the rest of us it's mostly campfire theory.

I have an RG 14s that I'd let go for $150. :)

I hear laughing.....Stop laughing!

may i ask what is "Greer" talking about when he says "PITA"?

I must agree though, for the money a browning buckmark or ruger are the way to go, a single six is a great gun. i personally dont like their auto .22s had nothing but trouble with the ones i've shot, but thats just my experince. the S&W 22 i shoot at pins on wednesday is GREAT but its $1026 out of the factory! (model 41 5.5" barrel.) my grandfather stumbled on it somewhere for $300! and it was NIB too. great little gun.

If you're ever going to need a fast second shot, forget about the revolvers. It is physically impossible to keep the sights on target while you thumb the hammer back and squeeze off a second shot. I love revolvers, but there is no argument about this one, when I'm going after bushytails or bouncing cans, a good auto beats a revolver hands down. And as much as I'd love to pick up another 22 revolver (the old Smiths are enough to give me heart :rolleyes: palpitations) I think about doing anything besides plinking, and realize that my Buckmark is all I will ever need. I'm an expert at justifying ways to buy what I like, but in this case it just doesn't work. While I can trigger a fast pair in a good DA revolver, I can't place two shots accurately as fast as I can with a good 22 auto!

Papajohn