The Best.22 Pistol Options Today (2023).

Updated on 3/22/2023. Few guns are more enjoyable to shoot than a.22 pistol. These are our top rimfire handgun options that will provide hours worth of backyard shooting fun. My father’s Smith & Wesson K-22 Masterpiece was my first handgun. These pistols are easy to use because of their low recoil, muzzle raise, and blast. Even experienced shooters can still use them effectively. Here’s a list with eight of the best.22 pistols currently available. Although they vary in price, design, and function, they all share one important trait: They are loads of fun to fire. The Mark IV is the first. The Mark IV is the fourth generation in the family of semiauto pistols that established the standard for blowback-operated.22s. You might not be aware of how easy this gun is to disassemble for routine maintenance. The Mark IV is easy to disassemble and clean. MSRP: $519 to $1,039 www.ruger.com/Read also: Ruger Mark IV Target Evolution And HistorySmith & Wesson Model617Like Ruger Smith & Wesson has many excellent.22 rimfire guns. Their Model 617 is a 10-shot stainless double-action revolver that uses their K-Frame. While the 617 is great for backyard plinking, it is not a reliable weapon. The 44 ounces of weight makes it a comfortable gun for adults. The Model 617 is a great.22, and it’s fun to shoot. MSRP: $959 www.smith-wesson.comBrowning 1911-22John Moses Browning invented the 1911 pistol, and now the company that bears his name offers an 85 percent scaled-down version of the original 1911 chambered in .22 LR.There are several versions of the fun-to-shoot 1911-22, including the Black Label Medallion Full-Size version shown here, which comes with an alloy frame and machined aluminum slide, 4 1/4 -inch barrel, rosewood grips with a gold Buckmark logo, and three-dot sights.The 16 versions of the Browning 1911-22 currently in production offer a wide variety of optional features, including accessory rails, threaded barrels and a number of finishes. These pistols have the look and feel and reliability of a 1911, but in a smaller package that is reliable, accurate, and fun to shoot. MSRP: $749.99-$879.99 www.browning.comCharter Arms Target PathfinderCharter Arms produces solid guns at reasonable prices, and the Target Pathfinder is no exception.This double-action .22 revolver comes with a 6-shot cylinder, matte stainless finish and a large, comfortable polymer grip with finger grooves. These guns are lightweight at 24 ounces, and have a 4.2 inch barrel. MSRP: $425.60 www.charterfirearms.comRuger 22 ChargerHardly a conventional .22 pistol, the Charger is a product of Ruger’s 10/22 blowback action.If you know anything about the 10/22, you’re aware of the gun’s reputation for unfailing reliability, so you can expect this gun to run with a wide variety of ammunition.The threaded, cold hammer-forged 10-inch barrel is capable of superb accuracy, and the included top rail provides a platform for mounting all sorts of optics.Other key features borrowed from the larger 10/22 semi-autos include Ruger’s BX-15 15-round magazine and a crisp, smooth trigger. The Charger comes with a bipod to stabilize the pistol and ensure maximum accuracy. It’s also great for backyard plinking and is very affordable. The Charger’s breakdown model can be disassembled easily for storage and returns to zero when put back together. MSRP: $399 www.ruger.com/More Information: Ruger Introduces Two Models of 22-Charger PistolSmith & Wesson SW22 Victory. Smith & Wesson’s Performance Center offers a variety of high-end models with extra touches, such as carbon-fiber barrels and pre-mounted red-dot optics. The SW22 is a great.22 handgun. It’s affordable, reliable, and easy to use. MSRP: $454-$945 www.smith-wesson.comFind Out More: Smith & Wesson SW22 VictoryBrowning Buck MarkAnother blowback .22 semi-auto, the Buck Mark is available in, ironically, 22 different styles — perfect for everything from backyard shooting to small game hunting and competition.These guns offer excellent reliability and very high build quality, as well as a number of great optional features, such as optional fluted and threaded barrels, full-length top rails and a choice of walnut or polymer grips.Alloy receivers keep weight to a minimum, yet these pistols are large enough for adults to comfortably grip and shoot. MSRP: $439.99-$1,079.99 www.browning.comLearn More: Smith & Wesson SW22 VictoryBrowning Buck Mark MSRP: $439.99-$1,079.99 www.browning.comLearn More: Browning Buck Mark .22 RimfireRuger New BearcatRounding out our list of top-flight .22 handgun options is Ruger’s sleek New Bearcat revolver, a perfectly-proportioned rimfire revolver that pays homage to Bill Ruger’s love of single-action wheelguns.With an overall length of 9 inches and a weight of 24 ounces, this is a gun that’s great for young and old shooters alike. The Bearcat is available in blued or stainless versions. It features hardwood grips with bear and cougar rollmarks along the cylinder. MSRP: $819-$919 www.ruger.com/Find Your Next.22 PistolColt Woodsman.22 MSRP: $819-919 www.ruger.com/Find your Next.22 PistolColt Woodsman.22 Many shooters consider the Colt Woodsman to be the most classic of all the classic designs. It’s easy to see why this Colt Woodsman Match Target.22 is so popular. Photo by Dataproducts. The Colt Woodsman is the best hunting.22 pistol. John Browning designed the semi-auto.22 pistol in 1915. The Woodsman was a handfit pistol that fed cartridges easily with slanted magazines. This design solved the problems of feeding rimfire cartridges that plagued other designers at the time. A Colt Woodsman in excellent condition will fetch you north of $4,000 for the Match Target version. They are highly sought-after collector’s items. Many still consider it the best.22 target pistol ever made. Second and Third Series pistols had 6- and 4-inch barrels in the Target, Targetsman and Huntsman versions, respectively. MSRP: Discontinued. www.colt.com/High Standard.22 Pistol. The High Standard.22 — sometimes spelled Hi-Standard on some early models’ slides — is primarily regarded as a target pistol. High Standards were first produced in 1926. The High Standard was the most popular model for service pistol competition. It was available in a dizzying array models, including the Supermatic Trophy and High Standard Supermatic, as well as the Supermatic Trophy and Supermatic Trophy. The company, then known as the High Standard Manufacturing Company, ended operations in 2018. A 102 Series Supermatic Trophy can fetch upwards of $1350 at auction. You’ll still see them win trophies at the NRA Bullseye Precision pistol competition. MSRP: Discontinued.Smith & Wesson Model 41The Smith & Wesson Model 41 semi-auto.22 is a heavy barrel semiauto.22 that’s ideal for target competition. It has been the most popular.22 pistol in NRA Bullseye competition since 1957. Its 105-degree grip angle, which mirrors the 1911, made it a favorite among target shooters after World War II. It is still the most popular precision pistol in competition today. The Model 41 has a barrel length of 5, 7, and 10 1/2 inches and a trigger that breaks like fine china (2.75 – 3.25 lbs). According to gunbroker gun auctions, the Model 41 will cost you around $1,200 NIB. The Performance Center and 7 inch barreled versions will cost you $1,350 or more. It’s one of most expensive.22 target pistols available and is still the best.22 pistol currently in production for rimfire competition. MSRP: $1,500-$1,763 www.smith-wesson.comColt King Cobra Target .22 LRIf you want the classic look and feel of one of Colt’s famous snake guns, but with a bit less bite, the King Cobra Target in .22 LR is the answer. Colt has been hard at it bringing back some of its larger caliber snake guns, such as the Python, but now new production baby snakes are also available. The King Cobra Target.22 LR is available with a 4-inch or 6-inch barrel. Both barrel lengths have a 1:16RH twist. Both barrel length options come with adjustable rear target sights as well as fiber optic front sights. Both versions ship factory-equipped with Hogue rubber grips, which make for a more enjoyable shooting experience. MSRP: $999 www.colt.comWalther PK/s 22A Walther PPK/s 22A true to scale Walther PPK in.22 LR is an ideal trainer for its.380-chambered brother. It is available in blued and nickel (pictured here), and is concealable. The trigger pull is equipped with a safety decocker and a threaded barrel that can be used to suppress the sound. The tiny James Bond.22 has enough firepower for any evil-doer (such as rattlesnakes), that threatens the free world. MSRP: $449 www.waltherarms.comKel-Tec PMR-30Introduced in 2010, the Kel-Tec PMR 30 holds 30 rounds of .22 WMR hell-on-earth firepower. This makes it a powerful rimfire that can be used for target shooting, home defense, and even home defense. It’s the perfect handgun for those who are unable to shoot larger calibers but still want heat for self-defense. MSRP: $495 Nickel Finish, $495 Black Finish. www.keltecweapons.comGlock 44Released during the frenzy leading up to the 2020 SHOT Show, the Glock 44 is the first .22 pistol made by the Austrian manufacturer. It’s size? It is identical to the Glock 19 Gen 5. It is identical to the Glock 19 Gen 5. The magazine can hold 10 rounds. A threaded barrel is available for suppressor use. Plus, the polymer.22 pistol still retains Glock’s well-known polygonal rifle. Glock claims that extensive testing proved the pistol reliable with a wide range of.22 LR ammunition. MSRP: $430 US.Glock.comRuger II.22Face the fact that small concealed carry pistols can be difficult to shoot. Even in lighter calibers like.380 ACP, the pistols are light and bucky. This makes them difficult to use for self-defense. Ruger’s solution was to create the perfect training pistol. The LCP II.22 LR is a reissue of the company’s popular concealed carry gun. It almost mirrors the.380 in every way. It has been modified to be more user-friendly. It’s a great training aid and a close replica of the original. Even if you don’t use a Ruger for self defense, the pistol’s 2.75-inch size (10+1) is a great and affordable way to sharpen your skills. Ruger made it a shooter, which is no surprise. The company is well-versed in.22 LR and the micro pistol is just as fun as any full-sized plinker and perfect for wreaking havoc with soup cans. MSRP: $439 www.ruger.comSig Sauer P322The Sig Sauer P365 quickly became a favorite conceal carry pistol in the country, and it’s not surprising that the Sig P322 will soon be a popular choice for plinking. The P322 is a great option for those who love to accessorize their handguns. The rimfire is slightly larger, and uses an internal single action-only hammer instead of a striker mechanism. The P322 is just as customizable as the P365, however, with a 1913 rail and an optics-ready slide (RMSc pattern footprint), as well as a threaded barrel. The pistol takes advantage of the.22 LR’s small size by packing 20 rounds in the standard magazine, of whom two are included. Sig also offers 25-round mags that can be purchased separately. The P322 is a great choice for lefties because the slide stop and manual thumb safety are both ambidextrous. MSRP: $399 www.sigsauer.comCorey Graff and Elwood Shelton and Adam Borisenko contributed to this article.NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Storm Tactical Printable Target Pack62 Printable MOA Targets with DOT Drills – Rifle Range in YARDSThis impressive target pack from our friends at Storm Tactical contains62 printable targetsfor rifle and handgun range use. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be downloaded in MOA. This is a great option for long-range shooting. Enter your email address below.