I "need" a .22 handgun.

I'm having trouble deciding. That's not a huge issue. I love playing the options back and forth -- that's half the fun.

I've settled, I think, on Ruger. It's hard to beat Ruger, right? They're available locally, and will last until no one remembers what I looked like.

But REVOLVER or SEMI-AUTO? I just can't decide. The standard "advantages/disadvantages" tables haven't helped.

I'd plan on this being a "camp gun" or to throw in a saddle bag to shoot porcipines. Plinking, informally, would likely be 99% of what this gun would do.

I'd like to hear opinions.

For hunting, the revolvers are a ton of fun but it seems like they're a bit of a hassle to reload for "serious" plinking.

I have a couple Mark II's and really enjoy them but the uses you describe may be better served by a revolver.

In the long run you'd probably have fun with either one.

Kyler

I've got a Ruger MkII semi-auto, with a 4.5 inch barrell and iron sights, and a Ruger Single-six with a 6.5 inch barrell and adjustable sights. The MkII is more of a "fun gun" for plinking but the SS is the more serious of the two. It's more accurate and has a finer balance; combine this with the interchangable 22LR and 22Mag cylinders and you got yourself a true hunter. The woods gun you are looking for: versitile, rugged, and dependable.

I've got a Mark II and while it's a great pistol, for your use I'd get a single six convertible. The 22 WMR will be a good option for your proposed uses.

before you decide try each out paying particular atten to 3 things. Trigger, Sights, and lock time.Make sure whatever you get has adjustable sights. I very seldomly see anyone shoot fixed sights to point of impact. Also one of my major objections to any single action is the lock time, that is the time it takes the hammer to fall. Granted I'm used to target stuff, but it always seems like the lock time on a single action I could take a nap during

Well, this just goes to tell me that they're both great. It sounds like the Single Six is a hassle to load, and -- of course -- holds fewer rounds. But ... it's cool, and has that .22Mag option. I'm not sure the Magnum is worth it, but it's nice to have options.

I think I'm back to where I started.

Used to run a Mark II but it's a booger to take apart for cleaning. I like my Bisley Single Six but it serves primarily as a trainer for my Bisley Blackhawk. I have more 22 pistols than I "need" but one of these days a Ruger Bearcat (probably stainless) http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=912&return=Y is going to follow me home. If I were shopping for a high speed plinker I'd be strongly tempted by the Walther P22 http://www.waltheramerica.com/firearms/p22.cfm

quote:

Originally posted by Arctic Gun:
I've got a Ruger MkII semi-auto, with a 4.5 inch barrell and iron sights, and a Ruger Single-six with a 6.5 inch barrell and adjustable sights. The MkII is more of a "fun gun" for plinking but the SS is the more serious of the two. It's more accurate and has a finer balance; combine this with the interchangable 22LR and 22Mag cylinders and you got yourself a true hunter. The woods gun you are looking for: versitile, rugged, and dependable.

i also own a single six and 2 mkII and i agree with arctic 100% on his reply

I own several styles of .22 pistols/revolvers and I end up toting the semi-autos more often just because they are "fun". The only revolvers I use for fun guns are my S&W because they have a swing out cylinder and are easier to reload. The SS gets to be boring if you are plinking. But you will save ammo with one. LOL
And the autos are every bit as accurate or even more so in most autos.

As nordrseta stated I would like to have one of those walthers but after shooting one I wasn't impressed with its accuracy. Perfect little plinker though. Nice leight weight and small.But then I own a Walther GSP target pistol so I am used to great accuracy.

In semi auto, the Ruger Mark II or III with 7" barrel. My 4" Ruger (B4) was not accurate.
In revolver, the Tauras 92, stainless steel, in 4"
Great 9 shot revolver at a reasonable price.

quote:

Originally posted by Deertick:
I "need" a .22 handgun.

I'm having trouble deciding. That's not a huge issue. I love playing the options back and forth -- that's half the fun.

I've settled, I think, on Ruger. It's hard to beat Ruger, right? They're available locally, and will last until no one remembers what I looked like.

But REVOLVER or SEMI-AUTO? I just can't decide. The standard "advantages/disadvantages" tables haven't helped.

I'd plan on this being a "camp gun" or to throw in a saddle bag to shoot porcipines. Plinking, informally, would likely be 99% of what this gun would do.

I'd like to hear opinions.

I have a New Model Single-Six convertible; its accuracy is not so hot. I'm told this is because the barrel was bored for the 22 magnum and it's a little loose for 22 LR. Oh well. The gun's a beautiful work of art in stainless steel, and I can always try to get closer.

I've had a 5 1/2" Stainless Single Six for a lot of years. The reloading is a bit slow, but when hunting, it's not really noticeable. On the range, it takes just a bit longer to go through a box or two of ammo. If you only take a shot or two, you can replace the fired rounds without any hassle and be fully loaded again. That's something most people forget about an SA. As far as accuracy goes, with the lr rounds, it's very accurate I could cut a Bic pen in half at 20 feet pretty regularly. Try that sometime. Practice is what counts. I've never used too much mag ammo because of the cost. I also have a stainless MKIII 22/45 I bought last fall. I'm still learning it. Either way you will have a ball.

I own a mk2 with the 5.5 in bull barrel. This thing is a tackdriver yet compact to carry. Also the trigger is good for a factory. FWIW my shooting buddy has a Buckmark that jams once every clip so I advice aginst it.

I have been a died in the wool reolver guy all my life...until I tried my new Mark III. This is the most FUN handgun I have ever owned. Extremly accurate and plenty portable for the woods Only had it for about 7 months but it is now my first choice for those early fall days when I am fishing but may come across a bunnie or a squirrel that just needs to become stew.

If you decide on a Single six, I have a Stainless 4 5/8" that is no longer mfg, as new in box, only fired a few boxes of ammo through it, just not getting used.

PM me if you are interested. $365 to FFL CONUS

I am a Ruger fan, but for your intended use I would look at the S&W "kit" gun in .22, with a 4" barrel. I think it is the model 63. Mine is stainless, and I have had it for at least 20 years +. Accurate, easy to carry, and quick to reload.

Hello,
I have both and a smith. I think it is a 686 but don't quote me. But I got a smith model 41 a little over a year ago and it is fast to becoming a favorite.
John

For a camp or saddlebag gun, I'd probably go with the Single Six. I have a Mk II Standard and a Mk III Competition, have shot the hell out of the former and are getting started with the latter. For shooting paper targets and soup cans, they are great. But for being able to sit for a long time and not have to worry about magazine springs, the revolver would seem to be the thing. That and is much less likely to malfunction with ammo it doesn't like, though I admit, there aren't many rounds that the old Mk II won't shoot reliably. Now the damned Mk III, that's a different story...

I would say it depends on your eyesight. Easy to put a scope on a mkIII, not as easy on the single six.I just bought both and let my mood decide witch one I take that day.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Deertick:
I "need" a .22 handgun.


But REVOLVER or SEMI-AUTO? I just can't decide.


BOTH!

I've got multiples of each and really would have a hard time choosing between them for your uses. If you're willing to replace the trigger, I'd go with the Mark II or III but I'm spoiled for GOOD triggers and find it difficult to have fun shooting with poor ones.

OTOH, you can make the single six have a half way decent trigger pull by just replacing the springs (Wolf) which will set you back less than $20.

Personally, I have more fun just plinking/shooting a revolver but that may be because my first personally owned real pistol was a Colt Frontier Scout when I was quite young and I shot tens of thousands of rounds through it. I also think its a lot easier on the fingers to reload a cylinder than a pistol magazine when you are doing a lot of shooting. Not a lot of difference, but something to consider. OTOH, you can carry an extra magazine and have 20 shots relatively quickly with the Mk III. All that said, I squirrel hunt with a tricked out Ruger MkII or a scoped Freedom Arms, so that doesn't prove much either.

Tough choice, but I would choose stainless in either one for you proposed uses. I think the .22 Mag option for the Single Six is kind of worthless as far as I'm concerned but that's just an opinion. Like I said, I've got several of them and I can't recall the last time I shot a .22 mag out of one of them. Loud and not overly accurate in my experience.

I'm not sure there is a real difference but in my experience the semi-autos tend to shoot somewhat better than the single sixes, but I suspect there is more variation in the same model than the differences I've observed in factory guns. IMO there is no doubt that given a good trigger the semi-auto will group better for most shooters.

So, get what you like, either choice will be a good one......

quote:

Single Six or Mark II/III

Neither, get a S&W K-17 with a 6" barrel.

It'll become your favorite handgun.

I hate to say it, but 2 years after I started this thead, I'm no longer in need of suggestions (LOL).

I have a Mark III ... love it. My son also bought a single action Uberti .22 which we've really liked. Overall, it's quite a plinking combo.

The single-six would still be great, and may be in line down the road. One must keep a list of "needs" or else he'll become bored.

I've used my Single Six for Squirrel with the stock and and have made some good hits. I am thinking of mounting a red dot on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Deertick:
I hate to say it, but 2 years after I started this thead, I'm no longer in need of suggestions (LOL).

I have a Mark III ... love it. My son also bought a single action Uberti .22 which we've really liked. Overall, it's quite a plinking combo.

Put a small red dot on that baby! The ULTIMATE .22 rimfire plinker/hunter/kit gun!

what IS that sight, please? a TASCO OPTIMA 2000 RED DOT SIGHT ?

I had the Ruger semi auto and sold it. I got tired of the jams with anything but high end target ammo.

I now have a Taurus Tracker in 22lr, stainless, seven round cylinder and 6" barrel, and a convertible Single Six with a 45/8" barrel in blue and wood.

They both shoot well. The Ruger sees more use because its just more fun.

On accuracy, I've got to relate this story:
I was at an outdoor range with 10 and 25yd targets that were stapled on cardboard held in wood frames. After shooting the bulls, then 6 o'clock, then 12 o'clock, 9 o'clock, 3... at he four targets with a couple of guns I was waiting for the range officers to call the hourly cease fire for changing targets and getting bored. I brought out the Ruger and started shooting the bottom supplier's labels on the ten yard targets. I hadn't been able to get a brick of my preferred ammo and found that I needed to adjust the sights a bit on my Ruger Single Six for the new ammo and asked to borrow a neighbors screw driver laying on his area. I got it squared away and continued. The neighbor took a look through the spotting scope and told me that my Ruger wasn't very accurate, and it was printing low. So I shot the four bottom staples in the two ten yard targets, the fellow finally caught on and had a good chuckle.

JPK

I've got 2 MK II's, one 22/45 with a Tacsol 6" barrel on it and the other is a Competition Target Model with a 6.75 slab side barrel. Also in the safe is a New Model Single Six in a stainless 6.5" with the Mag cylinder.

Both models are fun to shoot and all of them are very accurate. The Target Model is amazing. That said I think I reach for the 22/45 with the Tacsol barrel the most. That barrel make it very light and light makes it easier to put on your hip if you are carrying some other long range shooter. The reloading time is a pain in the butt when it comes right down to it. I shot about 200 rounds through a Ruger Bearcat that I hadn't shot enough and at the end of those 200 reloads I had had enough. You start out thinking that the reloading feature is not a big deal but in the end it is very tedious to reload when you want to shoot a lot at one time. You start looking at your buddy who is shooting an auto all the time while you are stuffing shells into the revolver.

If the mag thing is not a big thing, I would highly recommend a Ruger auto of some kind. JMHO

quote:

Originally posted by Deertick:
I "need" a .22 handgun.

I'm having trouble deciding. That's not a huge issue. I love playing the options back and forth -- that's half the fun.

I've settled, I think, on Ruger. It's hard to beat Ruger, right? They're available locally, and will last until no one remembers what I looked like.

But REVOLVER or SEMI-AUTO? I just can't decide. The standard "advantages/disadvantages" tables haven't helped.

I'd plan on this being a "camp gun" or to throw in a saddle bag to shoot porcipines. Plinking, informally, would likely be 99% of what this gun would do.

I'd like to hear opinions.

Hmmm.... MkII or Single Six? Yes.

split the difference, get both.

And just to confuse things get a Taurus model 64 as well.

AD

yep get one of each.... forget the taurus...........

My single six is probably my all time favorite gun. I have shot thousands of rounds through it and I can't say that reloading it bothers me much. Being fairly well practiced, I can load it pretty quick. I can also pick a 12g shell off of the target stand at 25 yds. It has taken it's fair share of game, too. I took one of the springs off the peg, and the trigger is wonderful. For a knock around plinker, I can't imagine a better choice. I've shot the Mark II's also, but I must admit I find them fairly ugly. Worst thing about the SS was waiting seven days to actually get it.