About This Site
Best .22 LR Caliber Handguns is a place for information and reviews of handguns — both semiautomatic pistols and revolvers — chambered for the .22 LR (Long Rifle) cartridge. With the recent and drastic increase in prices for ammunition, the .22 LR cartridge is seeing a lot of attention due to its vastly less expensive ammo compared to the larger calibers like 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP.
Many gun owners have already added or are considering to add a .22 LR handgun to their collection in order to continue regularly practicing at the range without breaking the bank. However, the number of handguns available chambered in .22 LR is larger than ever, and with so many models it is difficult to make the right choice for someone’s specific needs.
Best .22 LR Caliber Handguns will help you with this decision. Here you will find reviews, specifications, photos, and more for all of the commonly available .22 LR handguns, such as the Walther P22, Ruger Mark III, Beretta U22 NEOS, and Sig Sauer Mosquito. Armed with this information, you will be able to make an informed decision on where to spend your hard-earned money on the Best .22 LR Caliber Handgun.
I just bought a S&W M&P 22lr pistol. Great gun! Put over 300 rounds thru it last Friday. No FTF or FTE. Lots of fun. Ammo was Federal bulk pack of 550 rounds from Wal Mart.
Just added 500 rounds to the 2500 already on our Sig Sauer Mosquito. The gun works very well and we’ve had only a few ftf or fte’s. We weaned it off of minimags and now shoot most anything with no problems. The gun is very accurate and fun to shoot.
Do you know where I can get a left handed holster for a Mosquito? Or maybe what size blackhawk holster fits it?
Remora Holsters no clip / no slip holsters are the best I have ever seen and worn.
How did you get your mosquito off mini mags. I’ve tried both springs and a bunch of different ammo and have tons of trouble jamming. I’d love to hear any suggestions.
Don’t you guys who own the Mosquito feel that for the price you should have gotten more than one mag and a few other accessories? I love mine but am alittle sore about the price I paid.
I agree Rev Fred! I read all the reviews about the mosquito and I bought it anyway. I do not have any problems with the gun. It is a 2012 model. But at $40 a pop they should have thrown in a few clips. I paid around $430 after taxes and gun charges. Love the gun!!!!!
I’M looking for a cheap 22.
Check Charter Arms! No one problem in 4 month!!!
address for charter arms
Recently I bought Charter Arms .22LR and I am very happy!
No FTP no FTE… works perfect! No difference, compare to S&W!…
I love this brand.
i have a bunch of 22 pistols,depends on what your looking for,i have a colt 1911 22 and is fun and built good,a heritage rough rider is cheap and very accurate,i had a taurus pt 22 and it fell apart.bersa makes a good 22 pistol thats you can carry in your pocket.north american arms makes a great 22 magnum that will fit in the palm of your hand and it is stainless steel and well built.i try to stay away from plastic guns because im a old school man.metal and wood for me.oh and i agree charter arms is making some good guns now,i just bought their 357 mag pug and it is built good.
Looking for a .22 either revolver or auto. Do have any left? If so List % Prices, Please
would like list of what you have left
Looking for a QUALITY 22 pistol that fires just about anything. I have a Walther P22 and it will only shoot CCI Mini Mags reliably. Anything else it is just finicky. I looked at the Sig Sauer Mosquito and it looks good but is it reliable when it comes to ammo?
Steve strip your Walther P22 down and super clean it then lube it and I bet it will shoot any name brand ammo you pit in it. My wife has a P22 that she loves and it never has a misfire unless the shell is defective, but it has to be cleaned and lubed every 4 or 5 hundred rounds or it will get choosy about what ammo it likes.
Steve, bought my wife a Ruger SR22 pistol and it shoots anything from winchester, walmart federal, cci, remington stingers…. has yet to ftf, fte anything. Great gun! Can be found for less than the P22 and the Mosquito.
Funny you should ask. I have a Ruger mk ll that shoots anything you put in it. I am getting ready to sell it or trade for a revolver. You can have it for $350 plus shipping, send me an email and we can talk. If you don’t like Rugers, I have a friend with a Buckmark that will shoot just as good. I have NEVER had a failure to feed.
I have a P22 3.4″ barrel that I had a lot of problems with in the beginning. I had to start with 22 Mini Mags also. It took about 400 rounds and cleaning after every couple hundred rounds before it would shoot anything else. Now that it is broke in it will shoot most anything. Had it on the range last night shooting at 50 feet off a rest to see how it would group with different rounds. I shot CCI Mini Mags, Stingers and Segmented Hollow Point with no issues. In Federals I used Game-Shok, American Eagle and Champion Target with no issues. In Winchester I shot Super X and Varment HE with no issues. Ten shot groups ranged from 6″ to 2.5″. Most anything over 1200fps was a little hot for the gun I think. You tend to get a good sized fireball with the hotter rounds and the groups are loose. The 40gr Federal Champion had the best group of them all.
http://www.oregonprecisionarms.com
Rails on top and bottom. Superior match grade barrel. Accepts muzzle break and silencer right out the box
Thanks for the link! That’s one i haven’t seen before.
arms makes a great 22 magnum that will fit in the palm of your hand and it is stainless steel and well built.i try to stay away from plastic guns because im a old school man.metal and wood for me.oh and i agree charter arms is making some good guns now,i just bought their 357 mag pug and it is built good.
I must chime in and I never submit.
Walther P22: FTE/FTF. I stretched the spring and lightly filed the hammer and it’s surprisingly satisfactory, really solved both issues but not completely and its appetite for CCI mini-mags become expensive.
I like Bulk, cheap ammo, I like to shoot.
Sig’s new pistol. FTF/FTE strong appatite for HOT ammo.
Ruger’s SS22P I’ve found to be very satisfactory and will just about chew-up anything its fed. Very few constant issues.
High-Standard Duramatic, 97% flawless.
Llama’s Colt 1911-A1 Copy, have two, both have the same common issues although they are IMHO a beautiful pistol and very ergonomic but wouldn’t trust my life to one.
Ruger Mark 11, probably the most reliable of all, FFF 99% of the time but very uncomfortable.
Now, my eye is set on a Bersa. One’s available with 50 Rds fired through it but wondering why he’s selling it = $250 and has whatever is shiney receiver and black slide. I’m tetering and reading some decent reviews.
Beretta: I wonder if they made one based upon the FS. I have the FS and a 84B, 13 rds but in .380. I LOVE them both and have NEVER had a single issue with either.
On a Magazine note: I notice the rimfire’s extracting edge isn’t fully cylindrical like their big brothers alike, and b/c of that, I notice staggered stacking issues which must cause a problem. I’m hoping to find two plastic sleeves, one on either side to perhaps fix the staggering issue by compressing the shells.
Well, that’s my input on the .22′s I have. I’d really like to find a compact .22 without any issues but I fear the design of the ammo plays an overlooked part in our common problems, FTF/FTE. Why I must wonder are these issues common to the .22 and the non-cylindrical ammo just seems to add to our problems. It darn sure doesn’t help.
Any opinions on this?
TY guys.
mike in MO
I have two S&W 22a’s and just got one back from S&W who checked head space on recall. They sent two new mag’S back so have two extras now. I will be shooting both today with grand son. I never had any trouble with them but one via serial number was in recall group, Fun to shoot and take what ever you put in them even when it is mixed. Paid under two hundred for them and one came with ammo and holster!
I’m looking for a frame for a ladysmith 22 pistol I bought a parts gun but I’m missing the frame. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks guys!
I had a Mark II heavy long barrel black finish. It was an excellent gun. Didnt have one jam in 1 year of ownersip. I liked the weight because it had a very balanced and steady feel to it. I wish I had never sold it. The rugers are kind of expensive now.
Use to work for Winchester Western in East Alton IL. Used the standard ammo that comes in the collector tins.
You really should put up a list of ALL of the 22LR handguns that are available. Shopping in stores or online is such a drag. I just want to compare a few and buy what fits me best.
Hi Antonio,
Take a look at my other site — WhichGun.com, a firearms reference and buying guide. It includes specifications, information, and photos for over 1,000 firearms, including almost 100 .22 LR pistols and over 30 .22 LR revolvers.
Some of the best .22′s are not new manufacture ie: Hi-standard and Colt from the 50′s and 60′s. I know because I’ve had all of them..
Love my Bersa Thunder 22. Way more accurate than I would have thought, and a joy to shoot. But, you do have to break it in. I used CCI velocitors and Winchester Super X HV ammo. Now it will feed the Federal Champion and even Remington golden bullets fine but I’ll use Velocitors if it ever comes to self defense with it. And yes, getting a second mag is expensive and darned near impossible, about my only complaint.
Old and set in my ways, I have owned many a .22 incl. Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Browning, Etc. Both revolver and semi-auto. Presently I have a Model 41 Smith and a C/Z 75 Kadet 2. The C/Z is a complete pistol, not a conversion. By far my favorite is the C/Z. Pistol duplicates the weight and feel of the infamous C/Z 75. The C/Z has a hammer and being an old school 1911 and revolver guy, I appreciate this feature. Additionally, the C/Z is a traditional double action pistol. The slide operates much like the Smith Model 41, center receiver. Pistol comes equipped with some of the finest adjustable sights I have seen. Feeds anything but seems to like Winchester Super-X 37 gr h.p. ammo. Not a single FTF of any kind in over 1400 rounds. As far as accuracy, will hold it’s own against the Smith which B.T.W. costs twice as much. As far as reliability, the C/Z has it hands down. The C/Z is all steel and a bit hefty for a .22 but again, is based on the C/Z 75 9M/M. With std velocity ammo the Smith might have a small edge again, at twice the cost. Using Hi-Velocity ammo the C/Z is the clear winner. Have been shooting over 45 yrs of my 60 yrs on planet Earth. I would not hesitate to say the C/Z Kadet is the finest all around, most reliable and accurate .22 rim fire I have ever owned. “Nuff said!
I shot my Ruger MKIII for stock while. Then I went mad scientist after leaning about the existance of FRANKENRUGER
Frankenrugers are just heavily modified Rimfire Rugers. Its amazing what people come up with these days….
http://www.FrankenRuger.com
Considering the name of this web site, “Best .22 LR Caliber Handguns”, I am very surprised you have so few reviews. I mean your first items are dated 2010.
i have a N. american 10 shot revolver. it shoots fine. problem occurs when i try and eject the shells. they won’t. they seem stuck. i tried 4 or 5 shells, same results after i shoot, they won’t eject. any ideas why this is happening. someone at the range i shoot at suggested i get re-bored. please advise.