PHOENIX ARMS HP22A REVIEW

[Jet Setter]

Great pistol

I have had mine for 2 months and love it. I have some minor issues but love shooting it. I added a Hoge grip to it and it is even better. i only have about 1000 rounds through mine. I still have a long way to go to catch up to some of you. I have a 3" and 5" barrel and prefer shooting it with the 5" barrel.

[Cruznegao]

I've had one for a few months now but haven't shoot it yet. Bought only because of the price.
Did you guys modify the mag drop? How annoying is to leave it stock?

[KandyRedCoi]

never ran it stock, watched all the youtube vidoes about the gun while my 10days was going on...first thing i did was inspect it, clean it, did the safety mods and shot it

never shot it in its stock configuration, pointless, the mods are so easy to do

only thing i wish i would have done was buy the deluxe range kit instead of the std kit, heard the gun shoots better with the longer bbl

[Jet Setter]

I modified the safety but never cut the mag block (I just bent it out). This part cannot be replaced. If anything goes wrong with the gun and send it in, they will void your warranty due to the modifications. Just order another safety as a back-up if you need to send it in. Not worth losing the lifetime warranty.

My only problem is that you will still have to press the mag release button to reinsert the mag back in.

The 5" barrel is a lot of fun to shoot with. Definitely worth getting if you can.

[johnny1290]

FWIW After a few thousand rounds maybe the pin holding the hammer in worked its way out and it snapped the hammer eventually. I hear it's not uncommon.

I'd modified that mag release safety deal, whatever on youtube that little plastic bit, and they replaced it when I had the factory fix my gun. I need to cut it off again!

It's not fair to expect much of a $150 gun. That's a disposeable weapon, not an heirloom. That said, I've gotten $150 worth of use out of it I reckon, and I plan on taking a tactical pistol class with it, too.

[KandyRedCoi]

^nice, planning on taking mine to some rimfire matches...when i get some time...love this liitle thing, i also did get my 150 worth out if it, plus more!!!!

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I've had one for a few months now but haven't shoot it yet. Bought only because of the price.
Did you guys modify the mag drop? How annoying is to leave it stock?

I would make the following additions:

Black electrical tape wrapped around the grips

Custom improvised holster (Brown paper bag )

Perhaps a hidden compartment for it in my Impala (Behind the airvents would work)

[Squid]

I'm waiting for them to make DeLuxe RangeMaster kit in Black

that would be the two barrels and two mags in all 'blue'.

Just not fan of two tone, though some guy posted really cool looking Stainless Barreta with alum grips. Hmmm, have to hit up machinist buddy...how hard could it be.


For the price and 'better any gun than none' I'd say it is still a bargain at $150 for 3000rd life. Put a 1000rds through it to build confidence in its reliability and then buy another and only 'exercise' the old one a 100rds a year.

[pbsmind]

I bought mine new to support the Ring of Fire almost destroyed by California and Fed gun laws...

Ditto! Works great for me. Nice cheap little shooter. Though I'm not that accurate with it.

[KandyRedCoi]

accuracy:

[Delfuego]

have you checked the frame for cracks at around the top of the mag well?

Ditto.

I have had two out of two develop frame cracks and I am not a gun snob.

Sent from my Kindle Fire

[KandyRedCoi]

^bad luck?

[Delfuego]

You are one smart fellow to use what the manufacturer says to use. If more folks did that there would be less failures of those pistolas. Good for you.

I used standard velocity ammo by CCI and I still got the frame crack. I've got pictures to prove it. This was my 2nd HP22a with the same problem.

[Delfuego]

I used standard velocity ammo by CCI and I still got the frame crack. I've got pictures to prove it. This was my 2nd HP22a with the same problem.

I don't mean to dog this gun because it is fun to shoot. But, I have quantifiable evidence that says that these guns are defective. If you want a gun with a useful life of 2-3,000 rounds that will develop a frame crack. This is the gun to buy. Otherwise look elsewhere.

[Delfuego]

that would be the two barrels and two mags in all 'blue'.

Just not fan of two tone, though some guy posted really cool looking Stainless Barreta with alum grips. Hmmm, have to hit up machinist buddy...how hard could it be.


For the price and 'better any gun than none' I'd say it is still a bargain at $150 for 3000rd life. Put a 1000rds through it to build confidence in its reliability and then buy another and only 'exercise' the old one a 100rds a year.

Or, buy one for $300 or so that will last a lifetime from another manufacturer. I am all for supporting gun manufacturers from California. But, come on Phoenix Arms, make the necessary changes so that it won't fail and come out with the HP22B.