Looking for 22lr pistol recommendations

[doddg]

If I had to choose just 1 brand: Browning Buckmarks.
I've had all the guns mentioned here, multiples of some.
If the price is such that I know I can sell for what I paid, I'll buy anything to take for another whirl.
Buckmarks have edged out most other brands for whatever reason.

Below are a few I've had.
The 10" I will never sell: totally funville!
I had 4 at one time, I think I have 2 left, the 10" & the Pro Target.

 

[mmpsteve]

If I had to choose just 1 brand: Browning Buckmarks.
I've had all the guns mentioned here, multiples of some.
If the price is such that I know I can sell for what I paid, I'll buy anything to take for another whirl.
Buckmarks have edged out most other brands for whatever reason.

Below are a few I've had.
The 10" I will never sell: totally funville!
I had 4 at one time, I think I have 2 left, the 10" & the Pro Target.
View attachment 305608 View attachment 305609 View attachment 305613 View attachment 305614 View attachment 305615 View attachment 305617 View attachment 305620 View attachment 305621 View attachment 305623 View attachment 305625

Well, you have at least one there that will never be lost in the safe!

I enjoy the Buckmarks also. Looks like you've had a lot of fun with them.

As a general question, and knowing you've run them all thru their paces, do you find them to be as accurate as other brands like Ruger, etc... ?

.

 

[doddg]

Well, you have at least one there that will never be lost in the safe!

I enjoy the Buckmarks also. Looks like you've had a lot of fun with them.

As a general question, and knowing you've run them all thru their paces, do you find them to be as accurate as other brands like Ruger, etc... ?

.

More accurate.
I proved that to myself with my
1.75" at 21' and/or 30' circle targets over and over again.

Non-optic at 21'.
Red dot or scope at 30'.
All the others can't keep up, if they did I would still have them, ha ha!
Examples of keepers:
- SW 41 (1980s & 2021 model)
– Hi-Standard Victor Military, 1980s
- Colt Woodsman Match Target, 1973
– Ruger Charger (I have Polymer/break down and Wood)

I continue to buy any of the others when they come up for sale at a value price just for fun!
But, if a gun can't get 90% in the circles, it has to make room for the ones that do, haha!
I make exceptions for things that are just fun:
- Beretta Bobcat tip-up barrel
- 1911 22LR clones
- Bersa Thunder .22LR (all metal w/hammer)
- a bevy of .22LR versions of 9mm guns, like Beretta 92-22LR, Sig 322, Glock 44, Sig 226 & etc.

 

[Creedmoor]

More accurate.
I proved that to myself with my
1.75" at 21' and/or 30' circle targets over and over again.

Non-optic at 21'.
Red dot or scope at 30'.
All the others can't keep up, if they did I would still have them, ha ha!
Examples:
- SW 41 (1980s & 2021 model)
– Hi-Standard Victor Military
- Colt Woodsman Match Target
– Ruger Charger (I have Polymer and Wood
I continue to buy all the others if they come up for sale at a value price just for fun!
But, if a gun can't get 90% in the circles, it has to make room for the next one.
I make exceptions for things that are just fun.

Eliminate the human error in your testing.
Put them all in a Ransom Rest and shoot them at 25 yds and see who really shines.

 

[doddg]

Eliminate the human error in your testing.
Put them all in a Ransom Rest and shoot them at 25 yds and see who really shines.

Zachcz, who can shoot free hand better than I can on a rest, always has said I'm the weak point.
I have less interest in which gun mechanically shoots the best than I do which is more forgiving & will shoot the best in my hands.

 

[Creedmoor]

Zachcz, who can shoot free hand better than I can on a rest, always has said I'm the weak point.
I have less interest in which gun mechanically shoots the best than I do which is more forgiving & will shoot the best in my hands.

We always are, but with a Ransom you end up with a more reliable truth to what pistol is more accurate with what ammunition.

 

[Gamori]

I don’t think the FN 502 Tac was mentioned yet.
I like my TX and P22Q, but they’re getting replaced with the FN. Being a lefty I don’t mind the Walther paddle, but that safety lever placement… ugh. Not really conducive for kids or new shooters.

 

[zachcz]

Am I the only one that doesn’t see point in paying a ton of money for a ransom rest? If I’m trying to use accuracy as a determining factor in what to keep, I want the most accurate in my hands and not in a random rest. How we as the shooter interact with the gun is what causes our perceived accuracy with a gun. It doesn’t matter if it shoots a single hole with ten rounds in a rest, if I can’t get it to group well, it is not one I want to keep.

I would argue that almost all guns made with modern processes are way more accurate than we can be. You have to get what works best for you and not what works best in a machine.

 

[zachcz]

Well, you have at least one there that will never be lost in the safe!

I enjoy the Buckmarks also. Looks like you've had a lot of fun with them.

As a general question, and knowing you've run them all thru their paces, do you find them to be as accurate as other brands like Ruger, etc... ?

.

I’ve owned all major brands and would agree with doddg that the buckmarks are better than the rugers. Only advantage the mk iv has is the simple one button take down. But I also think it’s a weak link in them. Inhave yet to shoot any of the mk ivs I’ve had or shot better than my old mk iiis.

We are in the golden age of firearms. Shoot all you can and keep what you like and shoot the best. At end of day we are the variable that matters if something is accurate or not

 

[doddg]

I’ve owned all major brands and would agree with doddg that the buckmarks are better than the rugers. Only advantage the mk iv has is the simple one button take down. But I also think it’s a weak link in them. Inhave yet to shoot any of the mk ivs I’ve had or shot better than my old mk iiis.

We are in the golden age of firearms. Shoot all you can and keep what you like and shoot the best. At end of day we are the variable that matters if something is accurate or not

Areoflyer (Tristan) tried to teach me to keep what I enjoyed shooting, not just the most accurate.
I listened & took it to heart & did so.

The 16" Heritage RR SA revolver with the fiber optics & rear adjustable sights was one such gun.
The accuracy from a revolver was outstanding for the $200 I bought it for, plus I added the $35 larger wood grips.
Same with the Bersa Thunder .22LR 3" barrel, all metal w/hammer.
Been a myriad of others.

One such gun I now have is the SW 422 variant that is only 3" barrel, but I like a small gun for fun.
Another is a Beretta Bobcat tip up barrel .22LR: totally unjustifiable, but I like it, haha!

 

[Gamori]

I raised my kids on SA. Colt/RR. Great woods/trap line .22. My 8yo wants pink laminated grips for her RR bird’s head this Christmas. Every RR I’ve owned was more accurate with .22mag. 1 by at least 60% tighter groups.

 

[ancjr]

I can vouch that both my Rough Riders are unbelievably accurate.

 

[doddg]

I can vouch that both my Rough Riders are unbelievably accurate.

I've tried all of the SA revolvers, but they always had fixed sights & not acceptable.
The Uberti 1873 CATTLEMAN brand was the most accurate with fixed sights.
I always wanted to buy their 12 rd revolver but I've never seen them used.
I didn't want to pay $689 new pricing.

 

[ancjr]

I've tried all of the SA revolvers, but they always had fixed sights & not acceptable.
The Uberti 1873 CATTLEMAN brand was the most accurate with fixed sights.
I always wanted to buy their 12 rd revolver but I've never seen them used.
I didn't want to pay $689 new pricing.

The POI is learned experimentally, but very consistent with the Rough Riders.

 

[Creedmoor]

I’ve owned all major brands and would agree with doddg that the buckmarks are better than the rugers. Only advantage the mk iv has is the simple one button take down. But I also think it’s a weak link in them. Inhave yet to shoot any of the mk ivs I’ve had or shot better than my old mk iiis.

We are in the golden age of firearms. Shoot all you can and keep what you like and shoot the best. At end of day we are the variable that matters if something is accurate or not

So you are saying the inherrant accuracy of a handgun matters not, its accuracy is the human and nothing more?

 

[Creedmoor]

I've tried all of the SA revolvers, but they always had fixed sights & not acceptable.
The Uberti 1873 CATTLEMAN brand was the most accurate with fixed sights.
I always wanted to buy their 12 rd revolver but I've never seen them used.
I didn't want to pay $689 new pricing.

Colt Frontier pistols have adjustable rear sights.

 

[zachcz]

So you are saying the inherrant accuracy of a handgun matters not, its accuracy is the human and nothing more?

I would say that in most cases. Only as strong as weakest link. I would not think many guns will be the weak link. It will always be us

 

[Creedmoor]

I would say that in most cases. Only as strong as weakest link. I would not think many guns will be the weak link. It will always be us

If thats truly the case, one could go shoot the 25 yr Nationals with a Rough Rider shooting Fed Auto Match and be competitive?

 

[Hookeye]

IMHO Bullseye shooters tend to like Ransom rests.
Plinkers........not so much.

 

[zachcz]

That is adding more variables. For the top .001 percent of shooters in top level competitions there can be arguments over mechanical accuracy. For the rest of the casual shooters it is negligible. The ransom rest is not real life scenario. If I put all my pistols
In one I would guarantee what is the most accurate there is not the one i shoot the most accurate.