Ruger SR22

[Lon]

Even though I need another .22 like a hole in the head, I bought an SR22 from Hoffman's this afternoon. I did it primarily because I wanted a plinker smaller than my MkII and High Standard Trophy Supramatic match guns. BTW, they have lots of them and I was in and out in a little over 20 minutes.

Obviously I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but here are a some preliminary observations.

- the price is right - $289.95
- it's a nice compact size; good for small hands
- it's a good looking little pistol
- it has a magazine disconnector! Totally disconnects the trigger. I do NOT like this.
- it has an ambidextrous safety
- the safety operates just the opposite of every other semi-auto I own - up for fire and down for safe; don't like this either
- initially, the ambidextrous magazine release is very hard to operate
- it has a rail; I guess that's a good thing
- it comes with two magazines, which is a good thing as Hoffman's doesn't have any spares - yet
- as is now customary, the manual is 75 percent warnings and 25 percent information specific to the SR22
- the barrel is user-replacable and Ruger sells threaded barrels
- it comes with two slightly different interchangeable grips
- it comes with two floor plates per magazine, one flat and the other with a small pinky extension

Time will tell if I like it, but with the two minuses I mentioned, it looks like a keeper.

Note: Anyone have an idea why Ruger gave two different guns essentially the same model number?

SR22 pistol
SR-22 rifle

[Alan Laidlaw]

Even though I need another .22 like a hole in the head, I bought an SR22 from Hoffman's this afternoon. I did it primarily because I wanted a plinker smaller than my MkII and High Standard Trophy Supramatic match guns. BTW, they have lots of them and I was in and out in a little over 20 minutes.

Obviously I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but here are a some preliminary observations.

- the price is right - $289.95
- it's a nice compact size; good for small hands
- it's a good looking little pistol
- it has a magazine disconnector! Totally disconnects the trigger. I do NOT like this.
- it has an ambidextrous safety
- the safety operates just the opposite of every other semi-auto I own - up for fire and down for safe; don't like this either
- initially, the ambidextrous magazine release is very hard to operate
- it has a rail; I guess that's a good thing
- it comes with two magazines, which is a good thing as Hoffman's doesn't have any spares - yet
- as is now customary, the manual is 75 percent warnings and 25 percent information specific to the SR22
- the barrel is user-replacable and Ruger sells threaded barrels
- it comes with two slightly different interchangeable grips
- it comes with two floor plates per magazine, one flat and the other with a small pinky extension

Time will tell if I like it, but with the two minuses I mentioned, it looks like a keeper.

Hi Lon, so far my SR22 has been flawless and my last 20 or so students have shot it and love it.

One thing about the safety, it is actually a dec*cker, when pressed down it will dec*ck the hammer so the gun can be carried safely in double action mode, and the gun can  then be manually c*cked for first shot single action if desired. I put the pinky extention on all my mags. Also I just received 3 more mags from Midway today,(ordered them Monday), they now have them in stock at $28.95 each.

[Alan Laidlaw]

PS....the new pistol is officially known as the SR22P to designate pistol.

[Lon]

One thing about the safety, it is actually a dec*cker, when pressed down it will dec*ck the hammer so the gun can be carried safely in double action mode, and the gun can  then be manually c*cked for first shot single action if desired. I put the pinky extention on all my mags. Also I just received 3 more mags from Midway today,(ordered them Monday), they now have them in stock at $28.95 each.

Yea, I discovered that the second time I read the manual. It's just like my P95 in that regard. I just checked Midway and they didn't list mags for the SR22; I'll have to check again. Two simply aren't enough; I like at least four.

The SR22P and SR-22R is weird, though.

BTW - I figured you'd be the first to respond.

Just checked Midway again - out of stock until the 16th.

[Alan Laidlaw]

Wow I guess I hit Midway at just the right time. I have been checking them everyday since I got the gun and early Monday morning they were showing them in stock, so ordered three at like 3:00 am and UPS brought them tonight. Two is definitely not enough when you have a class of 5 or more people.

[Lon]

I wish the trigger lived up to Ruger's hype. It's not light in either single or double action, by any stretch of the imagination. It will be interesting to see if 500 to 1,000 rounds smooths things out.

Of course, I'm spoiled by the trigger pull on the MkII and High Standard that are measured in ounces, not pounds.

[MrNuke]

I shot a friends' SR22 today and must say was impressed.

It shot well, very accurately at 10yards, didn't have any issues with only 3 mags, grip felt nice, not as tiny as the walther p22's.

I'll probably be getting one in the future for plinking.

[Lon]

I finally had a chance to go to the range and put a few rounds through the pistol - 200, to be exact. With two exceptions, I am pretty satisfied with it.

- while the single-action pull isn't too bad and is fairly smooth, the double-action is terrible - heavy and rough. But since I don't plan to do much DA shooting with it, I can live with it.

- what IS a real pain is the magazine release. The release just barely extends past the frame and, on my gun at least, it is impossible to do a one-hand mag drop - from either side. Doing a speed reload is simply not possible. Hopefully this will change with time.

That said, I had no problems keeping 10 rounds in 2 inches at 10 yards. I managed to hit soda cans at 50 yards most of the time.

I have a feeling my grandson is going to want to shoot this one all the time and give me back my S&W M34.

Alan: Be glad you got your mags when you did. The BO ship date last week was the 16th, Yesterday it was the 26th and today Midway says the 29th.

[thiago203]

seriously considering buying the sr22 any negative complains besides the trigger lon? ive shot alan's very nice lil pistol I would if anybodys had a serious problem with it.

[Lon]

seriously considering buying the sr22 any negative complains besides the trigger lon? ive shot alan's very nice lil pistol I would if anybodys had a serious problem with it.

I have about 500-600 rounds through it now and the trigger, both SA and DA, has smoothed out nicely. After reflecting upon the probable uses of the SR22, I rescind my objections to the magazine disconnector. It looks like a nice beginner's first pistol as well as a good plinker. I have no problems recommending its purchase. BTW, the mag release still sucks; it takes two hands to make the mag drop most of the time.

My eight year old grandson has been shooting my S&W M34 up to now, but the next time we go shooting I'm going to let him try the SR22 and see what happens.

[thiago203]

thanks for the feed back Lon, I currently own a sr40c very happy with it so far my next purchase might be a sr22 for plinking of course.

[Lon]

thanks for the feed back Lon, I currently own a sr40c very happy with it so far my next purchase might be a sr22 for plinking of course.

Everyone needs a .22 pistol ... or two or three.

This is my third current .22. My other two are a Ruger MKll and a High Standard Citation SupraMatic. Both are set up as match guns with triggers far too light for my grandson - 18 and 14 ozs respectively.