Low maintenance pistol?

[eatmoredonuts]

Which .22 pistols are semi-lazy-owner friendly? I've got several different ammo brands, mostly bulk stuff. If the gun is picky, that's ok if it'll run longer in between cleanings. Are revolvers better in this regard?

Maybe I need to use cleaner ammo? (Oxymoron = clean .22)

[John McCabe]

Stainless Steel revolvers like a Ruger single six or S&W 63, 617 etc
While they still need cleaning you can use them and put them back in the safe and they won’t rust away like a blued handgun will.

[CSACANNONEER]

Single shot or bolt action repeaters will provide the least maintenance and shoot just about any ammo they're chambered for. Pump action, lever action and revolvers will eat just about any ammo too but, simply due to the complexity of their actions, they will require a bit more maintenance than my first choices.

[bugsy714]

Even a 22 revolver will need some maintenance as 22 leaves residue underneath the ejector which can cause some issues with the cylinder.

My buck mark ran just fine and they really cleaned it maybe once a year other than maybe pulling a boar snake through it when it started getting gummed up.

[eatmoredonuts]

How are the Walther P22's nowadays? They used to have a bad rep, but I still see them at shops.

I've owned a Sig Mosquito (can't remember what I didn't like about it), Beretta 89 Gold Std. and recently a Sig 1911-22 that I could never get to run well even with some parts upgrades and cleaning the heck out of it.

[bugsy714]

Originally Posted by eatmoredonuts

How are the Walther P22's nowadays? They used to have a bad rep, but I still see them at shops.

I've owned a Sig Mosquito (can't remember what I didn't like about it), Beretta 89 Gold Std. and recently a Sig 1911-22 that I could never get to run well even with some parts upgrades and cleaning the heck out of it.

I Love my P 20 to the rear sites like to shoot loose and wiggle around and I have to use mini mags with it

If you want to use bulk ammo the Ruger mark series pistols pretty much eat whatever I throw them.

Cygnus keto was the biggest piece of crap ever released on the gun market I did a ton of work on mine polished everything and it would only run 80% of the time at best with mini mags

[stormvet]

My Ruger LCRx functions better really dirty then my S&W 617 as far as revolvers go.

SA I’d say my Ruger M2 runs better dirty then my Buckmark.

As far as newer type SA, I think the one with the longest and best reputation is the M&P compact 22. Don’t own one but of all the newer type SA it’s been around the longest and has consistent great reviews.

Sig P322 and Glock 44 are newer and seem to have hit and miss reviews so far, just picked up the Sig so no rounds through it yet.

Had a Ruger SR22 for a while, put 3000 rounds through it before I sold it, it was solid but would hick up if it got too dirty.

[Ora Serrata]

I've got an old 70's single action Tanfolio "cowboy" with 22lr and 22 mag cylinders. That thing is ultra-reliable for the ultra-lazy.

My other .22 revolver (H&R 922) will have ejection issues if I don't keep that clean. But it does shoot anything I feed it.

[9Cal_OC]

Originally Posted by eatmoredonuts

Which .22 pistols are semi-lazy-owner friendly?

Name checks out

I’d agree, probably a rimfire revolver or single shot may work best.

[JTROKS]

Thompson Center single shot in stainless.

[BillSmith]

One of these...

Browning 1911-22

Bought it because it is similar to my SA EMP 9mm. In comparison feels as though when you pull the trigger, a flame will come out of the barrel to light a cigarette. It's that light and small a frame.

But it eats any and all 22lr I have fired. I have not shot subsonic, most everything thru has been 1000+ fps ammo.

Wife loves it. Not accurate at long range but sufficient to plink and run through a few magazines without breaking the bank and recoil allows her to practice a similar functional procedure to the above mentioned EMP.

[bigbossman]

Ruger Single-Six

[Featureless]

I'm on a .22 handgun buying jag. First it was an Advantage Arms .22 conversion for my Glock 26. Works flawlessly with the right ammo - CCI Blazers.

Then, I picked up a Taurus 942 revo. Great!

Now, I have a Ruger LCR in jail. Next comes a Smith 43C which I think will be my fav.

[stormvet]

Originally Posted by Featureless

I'm on a .22 handgun buying jag. First it was an Advantage Arms .22 conversion for my Glock 26. Works flawlessly with the right ammo - CCI Blazers.

Then, I picked up a Taurus 942 revo. Great!

Now, I have a Ruger LCR in jail. Next comes a Smith 43C which I think will be my fav.

Glad to see I’m not alone in the rimfire buying frenzy, some really nice 22s you’ve picked up.

I got a Sig P322 yesterday gonna take her out tomorrow. Really had a hard time deciding between it and the Glock 44, in the end it was mag capacity, really nice sights and the ability to put an optic on it that swayed me to the Sig. But I just found out Pro Mag, yes I know hit or miss mostly miss makes 18 round mags for the 44. All the reviews I’ve read are very positive, now I got the 44 back in my head. What I really like about it is that it breaks down like any other Glock. No hidden hammer and fixed barrel with a recoil spring wrapped around it. Got a feeling if I run into a FDE one I’ll be buying it.

[Tank 57]

I once tried to see how many rounds it would take for my Ruger MKII to start having issues. Never found out, it got to a certain point where it just didn't get any dirtier. Gave up and cleaned it. Tried the same thing with a 10-22. Same result.

Rugers are off roster now. You still see MKIIs and others pop up for sale. If you see one in good shape for a price you can live with, worth picking up.

[pacrat]

Originally Posted by eatmoredonuts

Which .22 pistols are semi-lazy-owner friendly? I've got several different ammo brands, mostly bulk stuff. If the gun is picky, that's ok if it'll run longer in between cleanings. Are revolvers better in this regard?

Maybe I need to use cleaner ammo? (Oxymoron = clean .22)

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperst...r/of3/22-short

Nuff Said

[MARKFP]

Originally Posted by John McCabe

Stainless Steel revolvers like a Ruger single six or S&W 63, 617 etc
While they still need cleaning you can use them and put them back in the safe and they won’t rust away like a blued handgun will.

OK, I'm not bragging here, but I trapped for 9 years, in the mud and snow, carried my Ruger single six in stainless for all those years and didn't touch it. Still have it, gets special attention on a regular routine these days. About 37 years old, still shoots great and is very accurate.

[eatmoredonuts]

Originally Posted by stormvet

I got a Sig P322 yesterday

I had no idea these existed until I saw one in the classifieds....for $1850 YIKES. Read some mixed reviews on it seeing how it is pretty new.

Kinda leaning towards the Walter P22 still, because they're pretty easy to come by, and I haven't heard anything bad about them in a long time, I assume they've improved over the years?

[Cowboy T]

We have a Glock 44 as a rental gun. I've field-stripped it and cleaned it when it started binding up a bit. It's just as easy to field-strip and clean as any other Glock, which is a major appeal. Size is just like a Glock 19.

The other low-maintenance option is, of course, a revolver in .22LR, like a Ruger SP101 or GP100, a S&W K-frame (the model 17 or 617?) and a Taurus Tracker (yes, Taurus revolvers are actually pretty good).

Note that any .22LR firearm will need cleaning a bit more often than with most common centrefire cartridges, because most .22LR ammunition that I see being used regularly is kinda dirty.

[eatmoredonuts]

Originally Posted by BillSmith

One of these...

Browning 1911-22

Is that the shrunk down / compact one or full size? I liked my Sig/GSG 1911 when it ran right, but I was getting FTE's and stovepipes way too often, even with changing out some parts.... no fun to take down/clean either. Probably needed a gunsmith's help.

[9Cal_OC]

Originally Posted by eatmoredonuts

Kinda leaning towards the Walter P22 still, because they're pretty easy to come by, and I haven't heard anything bad about them in a long time, I assume they've improved over the years?

Stay away. It’s finicky on ammo and has issues when shooting. Wouldn’t consider that a low maintenance gun JMO

[stormvet]

Originally Posted by eatmoredonuts

I had no idea these existed until I saw one in the classifieds....for $1850 YIKES. Read some mixed reviews on it seeing how it is pretty new.

Kinda leaning towards the Walter P22 still, because they're pretty easy to come by, and I haven't heard anything bad about them in a long time, I assume they've improved over the years?

I picked up mine at my local Sportsman’s Warehouse for $390, if in a semi-free state they are very reasonable for what you get. I too have seen mixed reviews on it, I’ll find out more tomorrow when I run a couple hundred rounds of different 22 ammo through it. For what it cost me I was willing to role the dice.

I too have heard that the Walther P22 is much better then it use to be. A buddy of mine had one a few years back and it gave him nothing but trouble.

If the M&P 22 compact is on the roster(I think it is)if I was in California that’s what I would go with, they have a sterling reputation.

[Xplosiv3]

Just shot my brand new P22 today I purchased 2 months ago. Nothing but failure to feeds. (Yes, I stripped the factory grease, cleaned it, and oiled it with my own oil.) When you shoot it, the first shot is fine, but it randomly decides not to take a bullet from the magazine and chamber it so when you press the trigger, nothing happens and you just dry-fire it. The slide also got hung up a couple times and there was a delay before it returned to battery.

I want to love the gun but it's really hard to. It is the most ergonomic handgun I've ever held in my entire life and I like the trigger. The rear sight came slightly crooked from the factory. To fix it, I would have to remove it, and file it down by hand (it's plastic) and re-fit it. There are lots of machining/casting imperfections on it, the barrel screw needs to be re-tightened each time you clean it (you don't want it to randomly come loose and cause the slide to lock up), and you need to clean it each time you shoot it.

It's really not an ammo issue either. I shot both CCI mini mags out of it and Aguila Super Extra and it had less malfunctions with the cheaper crappier Aguila ammo but still more than it should have.

The recoil spring actually doesn't bother me to be honest. But if you don't have the tool to install the recoil spring, you're screwed.

Will probably try some DIY polishing/gunsmithing, if that doesn't work, I'll send it back to Walther, if they can't fix it/replace it, I'll trade it in at Turners for store credit probably or sell it to a police gun buyback.

[Xplosiv3]

If I had to do it all over again, I would rather try to find an off roster Ruger SR22.

If you do get a P22, don't buy a used one (the warranty is only a year) and whoever is selling one is probably selling it for a reason. Wait til Turners or your local gun shop has them on sale for $299 and don't pay any more than that.

PS: Spare mags are pretty damn expensive for them too, $45-50 after tax for each mag.

[G-forceJunkie]

I've been pretty unimpressed with the SR22. The thing leads the barrel up badly with most ammo, only the bulk plated ammo is fine. But the reliability with that is not great.

Originally Posted by Xplosiv3

If I had to do it all over again, I would rather try to find an off roster Ruger SR22.

[bigbossman]

Originally Posted by eatmoredonuts

Is that the shrunk down / compact one or full size? I liked my Sig/GSG 1911 when it ran right, but I was getting FTE's and stovepipes way too often, even with changing out some parts.... no fun to take down/clean either. Probably needed a gunsmith's help.

I used to have similar issues with my GSG. Polishing all the black finish over-spray from the rails fixed the issue, and now it runs very reliably. I also but a set of Dawson fiber optic sights on it, and it is my grouse gun when I go deer hunting.

[Xplosiv3]

Originally Posted by G-forceJunkie

I've been pretty unimpressed with the SR22. The thing leads the barrel up badly with most ammo, only the bulk plated ammo is fine. But the reliability with that is not great.

What issues have you had with yours reliability wise?

[CSACANNONEER]

Originally Posted by eatmoredonuts

I had no idea these existed until I saw one in the classifieds....for $1850 YIKES. Read some mixed reviews on it seeing how it is pretty new.

Kinda leaning towards the Walter P22 still, because they're pretty easy to come by, and I haven't heard anything bad about them in a long time, I assume they've improved over the years?

Well, I guess the P22 is low maintenance since, you won't have to clean it often because, it won't let you shoot it enough to get dirty. I've knew one shooter who would have to replace his P22 before 20K rounds. He did that two or three times before giving up on them all together. If you're really looking for maximum low maintenance and reliability, stay away from ANY semi auto. If you're looking for a semi auto, get a Buckmark or Ruger MK series. After you have one of those two makes, you can look at other semis as novelty or specialty guns.

[Garv]

I have not had any reliability issues with my SR-22 using CCI minimags.

Fun to shoot.

I clean it regularly though.

Consider a Single Ten or Single Six.
Boresnaking the barrel and cylinder is easy enough to last quite a while.
Eventually, some buildup will need to be scrubbed.
Using copper plated ammo will slow that down a bit (no facts or data, JMO).

[G-forceJunkie]

Originally Posted by Xplosiv3

What issues have you had with yours reliability wise?

Just the barrel leading and some feed issues when using the cheap bulk plated ammo(Federal bulk). Runs fine with mini mags or
Blazer… till it leads the barrel so bad I have 1/2” long by 1/8” wide “bullets” going through the target at 5 yards sideways. Being off roster and a pain to ship in California, I’m Leary to send it back, especially for a $300 gun.

[Darto]

I was having lunch with the team and mentioned my Ruger MK II was a jamamatic and had not successfully fired an entire magazine even once. Apparently a guy did not believe it and bought it from me right then. He retired right after that, and I never did find out if he fixed it. I never owned a worse gun.

[Garv]

Originally Posted by Darto

I was having lunch with the team and mentioned my Ruger MK II was a jamamatic and had not successfully fired an entire magazine even once. Apparently a guy did not believe it and bought it from me right then. He retired right after that, and I never did find out if he fixed it. I never owned a worse gun.

I bought a MK II from a now-banned member and got some jams.

I scoured the breech/chamber area with some bronze scouring pad material and it shoots much better.

[sanjoseskater]

Browning buckmark, I spend a few minutes spraying some clp on gun patches and wiping away carbon build up and run 22lr bore snake threw it every now and then. Buckmark is the best 22lr pistol IMO

[AR22]

Originally Posted by sanjoseskater

Browning buckmark, I spend a few minutes spraying some clp on gun patches and wiping away carbon build up and run 22lr bore snake threw it every now and then. Buckmark is the best 22lr pistol IMO

Is not,LOL Berettas are the tops..

For simplest maintenance, I suppose a Revolver and a single shot Bolt Action is probably as simple as designs you will see..

eatmoredonuts

Did you not like your Beretta 89 GS? They are fine pistols, and mine functions flawlessly, shoots very well..

I have two uppers, one threaded for a suppressor, other is a standard slide..

[stormvet]

Man that is one huge @** gun to fire a little 22, could see it as a hell of a competition gun. But as a range plinker I’ll pass.

[Mayor McRifle]

Originally Posted by Darto

I was having lunch with the team and mentioned my Ruger MK II was a jamamatic and had not successfully fired an entire magazine even once. Apparently a guy did not believe it and bought it from me right then. He retired right after that, and I never did find out if he fixed it. I never owned a worse gun.

This is bizarre. I’ve never heard of anyone ever having problems with a Mark II, besides the struggles some people have taking them apart and putting them back together. And for those people I would suggest getting a Majestic Arms Speed Strip kit.

OP, I’ve owned 3 Buckmarks, an S&W 617, an SR-22, a SIG 1911-22, a Mark II, a SIG 1911 .22LR conversion kit, and a Glock .22LR conversion kit. I still own the 3 Buckmarks, the S&W 617, the Mark II, and the Glock .22LR conversion kit. The most reliable and easy to maintain of them all is the Ruger Mark II.

[stormvet]

Originally Posted by Mayor McRifle

This is bizarre. I’ve never heard of anyone ever having problems with a Mark II, besides the struggles some people have taking them apart and putting them back together. And for those people I would suggest getting a Majestic Arms Speed Strip kit.

OP, I’ve owned 3 Buckmarks, an S&W 617, an SR-22, a SIG 1911-22, a Mark II, a SIG 1911 .22LR conversion kit, and a Glock .22LR conversion kit. I still own the 3 Buckmarks, the S&W 617, the Mark II, and the Glock .22LR conversion kit. The most reliable and easy to maintain of them all is the Ruger Mark II.

I would have to agree with that, I bought my MII in 94 I think. God knows how many 10’s of thousands of rounds it’s fired and still runs like a champ and I hardly ever take her completely down. Just clean the barrel and the breech face most the time.

[Xplosiv3]

Originally Posted by G-forceJunkie

Just the barrel leading and some feed issues when using the cheap bulk plated ammo(Federal bulk). Runs fine with mini mags or
Blazer… till it leads the barrel so bad I have 1/2” long by 1/8” wide “bullets” going through the target at 5 yards sideways. Being off roster and a pain to ship in California, I’m Leary to send it back, especially for a $300 gun.

Ruger is pretty good about their warranty service. You shouldn't have any issues shipping it to them for repairs if need be even if it's off roster. Good luck either way.

[Garv]

Originally Posted by Xplosiv3

Ruger is pretty good about their warranty service. You shouldn't have any issues shipping it to them for repairs if need be even if it's off roster. Good luck either way.

Ruger C. S. was great the one time I used them.

If off roster, make sure the problem is repairable.
If not, they cannot return it but will replace with an on roster gun of similar value.

[SDDAVE56]

Well, I have a Ruger Standard Model. I bought used over 20 years ago. Looked to be hardly shot. I have shot thousands of rounds since then. Never had an issue.

Sometimes Ill get lazy and clean it after 1000 rounds or so. I shoot the cheapest stuff I can find. Cleaning can be a pain in the butt, stripping it down.

Overall, it just plain works.