Walther P22, Sig Mosquito or other

[MSteve]

Looking for suggestions, recommendations and/or experiences.
I am looking for a .22, mainly for teaching the kids and friends who have never fired before. (And burning less expensive rounds myself) The only .22 I've fired since I was a kid is the Walther P22. I like it, but have no experience with its long term reliability. I have, and love, my Sig P228, so the Mosquito is an obvious choice. I'm open to sugestions. I'm not interested in the purely-target, odd looking fancy .22s; would rather have something more closely resembling a regualr carry-type pistol.

Any recommendations appreciated.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[mandalitten]

I have a Mosquito and I think it's a great gun. it's probably not as accurate as a Ruger Mark 3, but Ii chose the Sig since it felt more like my other pistols. The trigger is not the best, but you can't ask too much of a .22. It's also a little picky with ammo and I had a lot of problems with bulk ammo, but I suspect a lot of semi auto .22 pistols have the same issues. When I use CCI minimags it is great though.

[bigmacque]

I also have a Mosquito and I love it. That gun will spit .22LR all day long, though it can be a bit picky about the ammo it uses. I usually just stick with normal velocity CCI stuff, but I have shot other ammo through it and have had no problems. I'm probably around 1000 rounds through it.

[EVO80]

I own a couple of Walther P22's , Ruger 22/45, a couple of Browning Buckmarks and a GSG 1911-22. The P22 gets shot a whole lot more than the other and I find it surprisingly accurate. Best part is how easy it is to take down for cleaning, especially compared to the Ruger which is a real pain in the butt to reassemble. My children, all teenagers, seem to gravitate to the P22 also. That being said, I'd have to say that the Rugers and Brownings are more accurate and there is no doubt they will outlive my P22's due to their much better overall construction.

If you like the Sig or P22 for their looks then I'd go for one of them - you won't regret it. Both will provide inexpensive fun. If you want something that will outlive them, and that you can easily find cheaper on sale, I'd look at a Browning Buckmark Camper. BTW - Sportsman’s Warehouse, if you have one nearby, has a Buckmark Practical on sale for $299 from $349 until December 9.

[mcp1810]

Sig has a sale on right now of their .22 conversion kits for $249 with free shipping. Turn your P228 into a .22 for training and cheap practice.

[alachner]

I recommend the Walther 22.

[Superhouse 15]

I have "long term" experience with both. We use both as rentals at the range where I work. Ours see more use and abuse than most guns ever get in a lifetime. Both break after a few hundred thousand rounds. Sometimes a sear spring breaks, a firing pin cracks, or a slide falls apart. The difference is that S&W will fix the P22 fast and free every time. Even the same gun multiple times (now we sell them after a year or so, we used to recycle them). Sig is the worst for warranty and customer service.

And if you're interested, and you should be with new shooters, the P22 is a better host for a suppressor IMHO.

[edclacro]

I bought my wife the P22 and she loves it. It's her 1st gun. She has put about a 1000's thru it and so have I. No problems. It is a little tricky to reassemble cause of the long spring. But I am a guy that is all thumbs. All I can say is we are very happy with it.

[babyhulk]

There's a similar thread running where I inquired about the Walther P22.
You migh to a search for it; it'll give you a few more detailed responses on the specific model.

[Ram Rod]

I've looked a quite a few offerings in the dedicated 22LR pistols over the last couple of years and handled them, and I've seen the Walther P22 in action during a competitive shoot. If I were ready to buy today, the Walther P22 is more than likely the one I'd go for myself.

[MSteve]

Thanks for the input. I'm pretty much decided on the P22. I had been concerned about the material reliability of the slide, but several people now have told me how good S&W is with repair. I have seen the conversion kit for the Sig P228, but would rather have the dedicated platform.
Thanks for the responses.

[jwhite75]

Sig has a sale on right now of their .22 conversion kits for $249 with free shipping. Turn your P228 into a .22 for training and cheap practice.

That would be my recommendation, right there. Probably cheaper than the Mosquito and will use your regular holsters at the range.

[rammerjammer]

It may not have that EDC look but take a serious look at the Ruger Mark III

[waltherize]

I have a P22 which I love. I have used cci mini mags , cci stingers, and Winchester super x, and some philipino arms Corp ammo and German stuff. All are good, and everyone should have a .22 for recreation and training purposes. It is quite accurate and I can pick off soda cans at 40 feet.