My buddy has a S&W 22A budget. Good choice? Better ideas?

[teflon6string]

Pretty much what the title says above.

I have my own opinions about trigger action, accuracy and availability of parts/mods. But I can't really advise him because I've never shot the S&W 22A. Good deal? Crappola? Somewhere in between?

Looks inexpensive, and I think that's probably his biggest motivator.

Are there better .22 semi-auto pistols at the same general price point that he should look at instead?

Read More

 

[MIKEV311]

I've never shot one of those but I was looking for a budget .22 pistol and ended up getting the Beretta Neos in a 4 inch and I love it I think the worst part about it is the buck Rodgers space gun look other than that it has been 100% reliable and accuracy is as good as I can shoot.

 

[Throckmorton]

my 22a was a good shoooter,a very good value I thouight,and barrel changability was a nice feature..snap on,snap off pretty much.
My son has it now,and loves it.I borrow it on occasion,lol.
Mounting a red dot on the built in rail was a breeze,and nothing on the 50 yard berm..pieces o' this and that..was safe if I did my part.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

does it come with duck hunting game?


They are pretty decent for what it is from what I know.

Don't forget to check out Ruger Mark-Series, Ruger SR22 and step up M&P22.

 

[Greenbug]

IMHO the S&W 22A is a piece of junk!

Get a Ruger Mark II, Browning Buckmark, or Beretta Neos.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

I had one for a little bit, and I must say that I was impressed by the trigger and accuracy. The trigger was not super light, but it did have a very crisp break that I preferred over the mk2-3. With that said, it was very heavy, and I doubt that the materials used are of any quality. Also the grip on mine was starting to split at the seam. Overall I say it is definitely worth the $200, but I would put in an extra $50-$100 and get a ruger, and just replace the trigger if it is that important to you.

 

[Izzy]

I have had my 22a for several years now. It has been well worth every penny! Very dependable & very accurate. Mine has somewhere around 30-40K rounds through it, with very little issues! They can be a little ammo picky at first, but after a few hundred rounds they work in & run great!

All this being said, if you have small hands, this is not the gun to get! The Neos, is a very comparable pistol for the money (my wife has one), & is a much better fit for small hands.

 

[Voltron]

I have a 22a 5.5" bull barrel with wood target grips. It's a fantastic gun, and it's the best bang for the buck you'll get for a 22lr pistol. I own a couple other 22lr pistols including a Ruger mk3 hunter, and a Hi Standard and I find myself shooting my 22a a lot more than my others. It's very accurate, great factory trigger, built in rail, awesome wood grips, and incredibly reliable. This gun will feed any type of 22lr without fail. I wouldn't hesitate buying one, in fact I'd like to buy another one down the road with the fiber optic front sight.

 

[PDXSparky]

I tried to like the 22A, but the grip was uncomfortable for me. It is too big for my grip and I have fairly big hands. I much prefer the grip on my Browning Buckmark.

If you have smaller hands, then the Ruger SR22 looks like a good choice. I also wanted to like that gun, but the grip is just a little too small for me. I bought the M&P22 instead. It is fun to shoot, but the buckmark is more accurate.

 

[teflon6string]

IMHO the S&W 22A is a piece of junk!

Get a Ruger Mark II, Browning Buckmark, or Beretta Neos.

He's getting the Neos. Killer price.

 

[Bill O Rights]

I have a S&W 22S, which has a stainless steel frame, that I use with my students. I worry about the durability of the plastic buffer. Also I have had the plastic base pad on the magazine break off twice. Fortunately, I was able to recover all the pieces and S&W sent me two replacement base pads.

 

[NorthernWesterly]

I just took mine to the range for the first time and went through one magazine before it basically fell apart. The magazine load-assist pin fell out, and the trigger started failing to deploy the striker pin. In addition to that, the barrel on mine is NEARLY impossible to seat properly when reassembling. Sending it back to S&W tomorrow.

 

[Throckmorton]

those barrels MUST be hooked onto the rear 'hook' before latching down in the front. I found that out the hard way..by reading the instructions. lol
the one thing I did not like..2 actually..mag disconect,and the safety. other than that ,I liked mine fine.

 

[NWGlockgal]

I bought a Neos a few months back and like it a lot. A big part of the decision was the cheap price, but I also like the ray gun look of it. Shoots great and is well made.

 

[Spielmannsfluch]

I bought a S&W 22a for about $140 at a PDX show in 2006. Put about 4-5k rounds through it. Recently traded it at NW Armories for a 22/45, and got about $120 in credit.

It's easy to disassemble and clean. Reasonable reliable. I like the slide release and safety. Rear Site adjustable. But I hated that I could never top off the mag due to jam issues. I heard this was not uncommon.

If you're looking for a cheap 22, I say find a used Ruger.