Walther P22 - P22 Pistol - 3.4"

[Wil]

Any information on this particular pistol? 22LR

this is my first foray into .22s and was looking for a target/plinking pistol on my own- used to use a ruger 22- but that was military and too many years ago.

any help would be appreciated- use/upkeep/stability/cost/overall use as a survival handgun for camping

 

[ctr]

Any information on this particular pistol? 22LR

this is my first foray into .22s and was looking for a target/plinking pistol on my own- used to use a ruger 22- but that was military and too many years ago.

any help would be appreciated- use/upkeep/stability/cost/overall use as a survival handgun for camping

Hi Wil, it is a good plinker, reliable, and has ok accuracy, but is not a target 22. Light weight, and comes with interchangable grips. Some folks say the grip size is too small for large hands. It is a good basic 22 pistol.

 

[Fnord5]

It is a tiny, lightweight pistol, but many accessories are available (including a threaded barrel cap, that you can add a suppressor to)
I want one myself.

However, probably the best three pistols in .22, for general plinking, target and even hunting are the Ruger MKII, Browning Hi-Standard, and Sig Trailside.
Pictures in list order.

 

[mparker762]

The wife's got one, and isn't a fan. You have to be careful loading it or it will jam. She prefers her .22 S&W revolver.

 

[LawLess]

I, personally shy away from the P22. It is a neat little gun, but I've seen some cracked slides from them in my day.

I have a Browning Buckmark .22 (threaded for YOUR enjoyment) and really like the gun. Those and Ruger MKIIs get my vote.

 

[Left Coast DJ]

Sig Mosquito FTW!

 

[rmrdaddy]

+1 for the Browning Buckmark

Nice weapon, my father has one and loves to shoot it. Bit of a task field stripping it IIRC.

 

[NickCutlip]

My personal favorite is the Buckmark, I have the URX Target but the Ruger is also an excellent gun.

I went with the Buckmark because it just felt right in my hand.

www.rimfirecentral.com is an excellent source of information for .22cal

 

[toucanlamp]

Just get a Ruger MK III

The guns like P22 and Sig Mosquito are popular because people don't think the Ruger or Browning 22's look like regular handguns and aren't cool, but they are simple, cheap, solid designs which have been around for a long, long time.

But Walther's quality is not exceptional. They are teamed with Smith and Wesson for a lot of distribution stuff. Smith and Wesson has become more and more expensive while the quality of their stuff has plummeted, Walther is kind of on the same track. Quality control from one piece to the next varies wildly and fit and finish is extremely mediocre. The P22 isn't even cheap if I recall, but it feels cheap.

And plus every single Smith and Wesson gun seems to get recalled like 9 times in the first year these days, so it might be rubbing off on Walther.

And if you actually want to use it as a survival gun out in the woods, even more reason to not pick something like a P22. It's a toy. Something like a Ruger 22 is designed for function and is going to work and shoot straight. I'm afraid Walther just doesn't inspire any confidence in me whatsoever. Anyone I know who has owned a P99 has said that it has some innovative ideas, like the AS trigger and such, but quality is poor and function problems were common.

 

[stobes21]

The Ruger and Browning designs have been the standard for many, many years for good reason. They are reliable, accurate (and with the right modifications/accessories ridiculous), and versatile. The Walther is a good choice if you want a .22 that looks more like a 9/.40/.45. Otherwise I think you are better off with the Ruger or Browning.

As for a "survival" gun I'm not sure what you are looking for. If I had to be stuck in the wilderness with 1 weapon that was still light enough to carry with me when camping I would get a single shot break action 12 gauge shotgun with a variety of different shells (birdshot, buckshot, flares, and possibly slugs). It can be broken down and easily carried in a backpack, but will be far, far more effective at lots of tasks if you need it. If I needed to keep form factor to a handgun I'd go with a .357 revolver (.44 mag if bears are a concern).