My First Pistol Help

[Guest josh123]

ok guys so im almost 21 and am planning on buying my first pistol as soon as possible ha...

i just have a few questions...

first off let me start by saying i kinda got into shooting on my own and never really had anyone around to teach me anything about guns so im new to the pistol world...i do own 13 rifles and 6 shotguns so im itching to get into a little soething different and have been waiting for this day way too long..

ive decided that for my first im gonna try and keep it within a limited budget and have something cheap to shoot and good to learn with..

ive narrowed the choices down to the walther p22 and the sig mosquito..

overall i like the look and feel of the sig better but have never shot one..i have handled and shot a sig 226 in 9mm and absolutely loved it so im really leaning towards that but ive heard spotty reviews..

the walther ive never personally handled or shot but everywhere i look these two always get compared so i figured why not..

any insight or opinions on these 2 subjects yall can help me out with..

also if it helps i plan on getting either with a threaded bbl so i can for now get a fake suppressor for looks but hopefully upgrade in the future when i learn a little more about the process

thanks,

josh

[Erik88]

just curious, why do you want a .22 for your first gun? Because of cheap ammo or what?

[rd97]

I had a P22 and had a lot of fun with it. That would get my vote.

[Guest josh123]

just curious, why do you want a .22 for your first gun? Because of cheap ammo or what?

yes mainly the ammo and also i really have no prior pistol experience and will be pretty much learning as i go. trust me this will not be my last pistol its just a starting point..ive already looked in to a carry class and have been looking into what carry platfor im interested in this is just where i wana start to practice and learn more

[Erik88]

that's a good idea. Learn proper technique with the .22 and once you master the shooting skills then step up to something bigger.

[cptdean]

Sorry to be one of "those guys" who offers a different suggestion, but since you already like SIGs and you want to start with a .22, have you considered the SIG P220 Classic 22? The nice thing about it is you can buy a caliber conversion kit later and go straight up to .45ACP. It's built on the same frame. Just a thought...

[Jonnin]

I don't care for the walther. Its reliable with cheap ammo (thats a huge bonus, as many .22 are not), but its not terribly accurate (seems to throw rounds out at longer ranges, though I only have access to the 1 specific gun) and is extremely hard to clean, gives the ruger a run for its money on disassembly, and it just feels cheap to me, cant quantify that but it feels wrong in my hand. Like most walther designs, its design is way too complex.

I have not held the sig mosquito, but every sig I have ever tried (a variety in many calibers) has been a good gun.

My personal favorite "cheap" .22s are browning buckmarks and ruger marks. But I want to try one of the 1911 .22 brownings when they have been out for a bit...

[Guest josh123]

Sorry to be one of "those guys" who offers a different suggestion, but since you already like SIGs and you want to start with a .22, have you considered the SIG P220 Classic 22? The nice thing about it is you can buy a caliber conversion kit later and go straight up to .45ACP. It's built on the same frame. Just a thought...

i have heard of the x change (i think its called) kits for the 220 and im actually glad you brought this up.. i havent even considered these and to be completely honest im really glad you reminded me...i know the sig 220 runs right around 600 for the .22 cal any idea how much the kits are?? money really isnt that big of a deal..id like to keep it cheap because its a 22 but if i can get the pistol itself for 600 and then a kit for 200 imo thats a heck of a steal the best of both worlds for under 800 bucks.. i could plink with the 22 and eventually carry in a 40 or 45 and its still be essentually the same gun im farmilliar with

[wjh2657]

Ruger Mark II or III. Alternative would be a Browning Buckmark, also a very well made pistol. I have always had a Ruger "Mark" in my battery. Rugged,reliable and accurate, I think they are a tremendous buy for the price. You are using your head to start out with a .22 pistol. Get good and comfortable with the .22 then graduate up to your SD/CCW gun. I still have several .22s and fire them a lot more than I do my carry guns. Most of us that have used and carried pistols for several decades actually started out with a Colt Woodsman, High Standard or Ruger Mark I.

Do not trade in your .22 on your "big" gun! If you are really serious about being familiar with shooting, you will find that your are going to still need your rimfire around.

Edited February 8, 2011 by wjh2657

[Mason]

I

My personal favorite "cheap" .22s are browning buckmarks and ruger marks. ...

I agree. Buy the Ruger or Browning and you will get more for your coin. The walther and Browning are O.K. Rimfire pistols but they are not as accurate and just don't feel as good in my hand. I like a longer barrel on my rimfire handguns due to the longer sight picture. They are not as easy to carry but I would not carry a .22 LR handgun for anything but hunting anyway.

[Guest josh123]

im really trying to keep it between the two choices listed above...while the ruger and browning are nice just not really the style im looking at

[Guest buttonhook]

I own 2 of the walther p22s they are really fun guns.

[1gewehr]

I've got a P22 which has been pretty reliable for over 4000 rds. It did have an issue with the safety detent spring failing, which used to be pretty common. I understand that the issue has been resolved on newer pistols.

[crossfire]

My first hand gun was a Ruger Mark, back in the 60s. I have a P22 combo, a GSG 1911-22, a Ruger Single Six-22, but my "Nail Driver" is a Ruger Mark III. If I had a chance to do it all over and start from scratch like you, a Ruger Mark is the best bang for your $. The Walther and the Sig are both nice Tac-ta-cool guns, but they both have their problems. Check out the reviews on them and then find a range near you that rents guns and try them out. I wish you were closer you could shoot mine. Good luck with what ever you get.

[mikegideon]

The P22 is fine. I don't have any problems breaking it down for cleaning. It helps to use the little plastic rod when you reassemble it. It's reliable, and accurate. I don't think I've shot anything but MiniMags in mine, but it has been flawless.

[SavageSig]

Neither of these pistols have what you'd call a rock solid rep. They're expensive but only because they look and feel like large caliber pistols. If you want to get a .22 pistol that will last you forever and a day, Browning or Ruger has what you want. If you want an inexpensive but reliable pistol, you should look at a Beretta Neos. If you're looking for something a bit more tacticool, you can check out the GSG 1911 .22. It has a pretty solid rep for a new design.

[StPatrick]

Like others have said, get a Ruger Mk(1,2,3) or Buckmark. You'll never have to (or want to) replace it as you add more pistols to the collection, and they don't require CCI Minimags to operate.

[Guest josh123]

im really trying to keep it between the two choices listed above...while the ruger and browning are nice just not really the style im looking at

+1

[Ramjo]

I'm in the same boat as you my man! Good luck to ya.

[Guest buttonhook]

The P22 is fine. I don't have any problems breaking it down for cleaning. It helps to use the little plastic rod when you reassemble it. It's reliable, and accurate. I don't think I've shot anything but MiniMags in mine, but it has been flawless.

I find it easier to reassemble without the little plastic tool they send you with the P22

[SavageSig]

If you have a limited budget, I'm telling you it is plain stupid to buy a P22 or Sig. I had a Sig and it wouldn't feed halfway right with bulk cheap Wally World ammo. If you're willing to shell out 8 bucks per 100 for CCI Minimags, then yeah, it works OK. It'll only jam once or twice a mag. The sights aren't that good and the trigger isn't anything like a real Sig. Plus, while the whole thing looks pleasing over the internet, handle one and you'll know it feels like a cheap airsoft. Same with the P22.

If you're looking for a pistol to ogle, then yes, by all means, get a Sig Mosquito or a P22. Or an airsoft. If you're looking for a pistol so you can train really hard with a certain platform, spend the extra $100-300 and get a CZ Kadet or Glock with AA conversion or a P220 w/ .22 conversion or whatever. If you're looking to learn how to shoot a pistol because you've never done that before, then get a hard wearing pistol that will last you forever, will outshoot you for a considerable amount of time, and will feed cheap ammo (I mean 550/$15 cheap) reliably. Trigger time is trigger time up to a certain point, and trigger time with a Sig Mosquito isn't worth any more than trigger time with a single action Mark II/III, especially if you've never shot much before.

My personal pick is the Neos. Less than $250 and rock solid, plus mags are dirt cheap. You learn to shoot that, you can shoot anything.

[memphisjim]

How bout the ruger 22/45. It's kinnA set up like a trainer for. A 1911. Judging by the number of long arms you have it's almost a certainty you'll eventually own a 1911.

[Guest buttonhook]

If you have a limited budget, I'm telling you it is plain stupid to buy a P22 or Sig. I had a Sig and it wouldn't feed halfway right with bulk cheap Wally World ammo. If you're willing to shell out 8 bucks per 100 for CCI Minimags, then yeah, it works OK. It'll only jam once or twice a mag. The sights aren't that good and the trigger isn't anything like a real Sig. Plus, while the whole thing looks pleasing over the internet, handle one and you'll know it feels like a cheap airsoft. Same with the P22.

If you're looking for a pistol to ogle, then yes, by all means, get a Sig Mosquito or a P22. Or an airsoft. If you're looking for a pistol so you can train really hard with a certain platform, spend the extra $100-300 and get a CZ Kadet or Glock with AA conversion or a P220 w/ .22 conversion or whatever. If you're looking to learn how to shoot a pistol because you've never done that before, then get a hard wearing pistol that will last you forever, will outshoot you for a considerable amount of time, and will feed cheap ammo (I mean 550/$15 cheap) reliably. Trigger time is trigger time up to a certain point, and trigger time with a Sig Mosquito isn't worth any more than trigger time with a single action Mark II/III, especially if you've never shot much before.

My personal pick is the Neos. Less than $250 and rock solid, plus mags are dirt cheap. You learn to shoot that, you can shoot anything.

I cant speak for the sig, but i owm two p22's and they have never jamed or failed to feed/fire if the ammo worked correctly, even with bulk remington/federal ammo. the older ones had mag problems which caused feeding issues but the new ones are MUCH better! for around $300 for a new one it would be hard to say they are not a good training gun since they feel and function like alot of other SD pistols. everyone of those pistols has their own drawbacks.

as far as the feel of the gun goes the P22 has a great feel to it the reason it feels like a toy is it is so light....duh its a polymer framed 22lr. the egos are exactly the same as the pk380 and really the p99 as well. It is not the most accurate gun but it is accurate enough to enjoy and the sights are on par with most SD guns out there.

[mikegideon]

Yep. The P22 had problems with mags early on. If you pick up a used one, you need to make sure the mags are the latest ones. Without saying, I think the OP is looking for a small pistol. Nothing wrong with a Buckmark or a Ruger, but...

[Guest jparn]

I had a ton of trouble out of my P22 when I first got it. Would not feed anything but CCI reliably and even had a few jams on that. After the first 600 rounds or so, its become very reliable and it is absolutely a blast to shoot, though I'd still probably listen to the advice on the Brownings. I don't have one but they seem to be the general favorite. I'm not saying that the Walther is a bad choice and it certainly has training value, particularly with that type format (especially the mag release) but its not the easiest pistol to reassemble and failures (at least with my model) are certainly annoying.