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Question about 22 autos. . .which one?

beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
edited August 2004 in Ask the Experts
Hi all.

I'm a shooting novice, and I am looking for some advice and opinions on .22 automatic pistols. I am interested in mainly indoor bullseye shooting, with an eye towards developing myself towards competition. Maybe once in a blue moon said pistol might get used for plinking or shooting pests.

Anyway, I have some experience with the S&W 41, and the Rugers MkII and 22/45, but I have never tried any of the many others out there (Browning, Colt, Beretta, lower-end Smiths, etc).

Any that a lot of people like? Any secret gems or ones that give more "bang" for the buck? Any that really stand out in other ways? Are they all pretty much the same? Any that are really poor?

Also, is it necessary to have a match pistol to be competitive? (I'm not talking the Olympics here!). Is a good revolver even worthy of consideration? I saw an ad somewhere on this site for a Ruger Olympics pistol. . .is that a misnomer or do serious competitors actually use something like that model? (I figure the Ruger probably costs half what the Smith does. . .that's a lot of extra practice ammo!).

Anyway, any opinions, anecdotes, advice, or other musings would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, and I'm looking forward to an interesting thread.

Comments

  • Salvage33Salvage33 Member Posts: 1,182 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    IF you can find one of the old High Standard's you will find it to be one of the best functioning/shooting 22 auto pistols ever made. If my memory serves me correctly, they made an "Olympic" model. Heavy barrel, adjustable sights, and from all accounts, a dream to shoot.

    They are not easy to find, and if you find one, they will not be inexpensive.

    John


    The original point and click interface was made by Smith & Wesson
  • RembrandtRembrandt Member Posts: 4,486 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'd spend the extra money and go with a Smith & Wesson model 41....easy removal of the barrel for cleaning, superb sights, has the balance and feel of a 1911. These guns hold their resale. Like most .22's the gun's accuracy is only as good as the shooter and quality of ammo.

    170079.JPG

    156912.jpg
  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,868 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    here we go again![:D] hi standard hi standard hi standard. now listen...you have to make a choice. if you want to win, you dont trim corners, you pay for the best in everything. put it this way..you spend a week convincing the wife that this upcoming match is the most important thing in the world to you, you gas up your car, travel a 1000 miles to compete, you pay for a week in a motel, you pay for 3 meals a day, you have the best glasses, the best scope, the best ammo, AND THE CHEAPEST GUN? would you put all that planning, prepping, traveling, pressure, and then pick up a cheap gun? NO. youd go to the line with the BEST gun you can. if you want to win and not have to worry about if the bbl is floating those shots or if your mag will jam, or if the sights will falloff, go out and get a hi standard and concentrate strickly on shooting and not on the 'what if's' that can drive a shooter crazy. if you have time on a m-41, anything else is a step down (besides hi standards.) dont even bother looking at the low end guns you mentioned. they are low end for a reason. mfg'ers dont want to spend money on refining them! dont even touch a revolver unless you have a quick thumb, even then, you got to have a weird grip that only wheel gun shooters can explain. revolvers are in a seperate class of shooting. you can mix em up on line, but youd be at a disadvantage to put a wheel gun up against a semi auto. stay with semi autos. bottom line...you havent shot until you shot a hi standard. email me for in depth choices. there were over 100 different types designed to fit the shooter. i can fit you by memory on all of them.

    former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, former navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.
    Retired Naval Aviation
    Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
    Former NSSA All American
    Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
    MO, CT, VA.
  • Salvage33Salvage33 Member Posts: 1,182 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    WOW!!!! bobski agreed with me! Will wonders never cease?

    John


    The original point and click interface was made by Smith & Wesson
  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Whoops. Looks like I spoke too soon. I thought this company was defunct, but I guess High Standards are still production pistols:

    http://www.highstandard.com/guns.html

    Or are these "fake" high standards, not up to the high standard of the previous high standards?

    If this website is up to date it looks like these target pistols really aren't that much more expensive than the SW41, which I understand runs about $750 (new).

    http://www.highstandard.com/prices.html

    OK. . .anyone have anything else to add on these?
  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,868 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    whats the trophy worth to you? hi standards are no more expensive than a 41. you can be serious for under 750.00 and as low as 350.00. life time warrenty? if a gun is perfect, it wont break. my biggest beef with 41's is the bbl to frame lock up. as it wears, the bbl can actually sit sideways on the frame. [xx(] other than that, its a great gun. so much a great gun that hammereli borrowed the design in the 50's. just pick up a hammereli 208 and tell me what it looks like?! bottom line...if youre gonna be a bulleyer the sights are one of most imporatnt features you can have. the bbl is next, and then trigger. on a good gun, you get all those things the day you buy the gun, not by adding them on as time goes by. email me if you want to buy a good one on GB. i track them all and know where the good ones are. i also know what junk is too. many shooters can really butcher a gun up by changing them around thinking its the guns fault for missing x's, instead of their own bad shooting. i can steer you. [;)] do a gun search on GB. pop in 'high standard' and watch all the hits you get. they are not hard to find. over 2 million were made. parts are easy to find and they rarily break. ive been shooting them for 20 years and ive never had a failure. NEVER.
    Retired Naval Aviation
    Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
    Former NSSA All American
    Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
    MO, CT, VA.
  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,868 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    hi standard of houston is the old hi standard carried on under new management. most of the parts they make will fit all the old ones. a fake hi standard is classified as stoeger or mitchell. heck, id rather shoot a mitchell hi standard than a mk2.
    Retired Naval Aviation
    Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
    Former NSSA All American
    Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
    MO, CT, VA.
  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the advice, Bobski.

    Due to the, shall we say, "interesting" requirements to obtain a firearms license in the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I am not in a position to acquire my dream pistol yet. In the meantime, I'm just trying to do my homework so that I can buy one pistol, one time then not have to worry about it for say the next five years. If its OK, I may find you again when I've learned a bit more and am in a position to actually buy.

    (I dont even want to think about if the High Standard is on the People's Republik of Massachusetts "approved" gun list. . .I know the Smith *is*).

    Any other tips in choosing a 22?
  • allechalleyallechalley Member Posts: 888 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    IF you weren't living in the anarchy where you do, I would suggest a Browning Buck Mark or Ruger Target to get started, see if this is what you want to do and use these for knock around guns after you get your target gun. The Hammerli as in #22002132 comes to mind, giving you more than one ammo choice, but they are a little weird in appearance and quite spendy. Gawd, I hate this, but in your situation of having to get on your hands and knees to kiss the proper place to even get a gun, I have to agree with Bobski on the HI Standard. But do get one that fits your hand and what type of shooting you intend. If he can steer you to one that is a keeper and not one of the "also ran" models, I'd be suirreling the green stuff away now.
  • mandersonmanderson Member Posts: 533 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bobski,

    You will be proud of me. This is my new High Standard Model 107, vintage 1969 Hamden, CT.

    1969HS-1.jpg
  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by manderson
    Bobski,
    You will be proud of me. This is my new High Standard Model 107, vintage 1969 Hamden, CT.


    I'm jealous already, and Ive never even seen a High standard before! Is there a story behind that one? Did it cost more than your car?

    Meanwhile I checked, and (big suprise) high-standards aren't on the current MA "approved" gun list. . .which doesn't mean its absolutely impossible to legally obtain one, only that it requires six or seven more flaming hoops to jump through first.

    Apparently S&W 41s are approved, BUT. . .those are on the list of "high capacity" firearms, meaning you need to have the harder to obtain "Class A" license to get one (or really love hoops).

    Again, I certainly don't mind parking a bit of cash into a pistol that will serve me well for several years. . .but that Hammerli. . .I think that's out of my league for now.
  • mandersonmanderson Member Posts: 533 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, I know the Captain is going to lock this soon. But I have always agreed with Bobski (and others) who stand behind High Standard as one of the best .22 autos, especially for the type of match shooting you are interested in. I intend to get involved with the same thing in my area.

    I had a Supermatic Trophy Model 107 with 7-1/2" fluted barrel back around 1978. It was positively one of the best shooting pistols I have ever owned. One of those guns that "shoots better than you can". I should never have sold it.

    Sorry to hear that they are not on the MA approved roster. I think it would be worth the effort to try and get one if possible.

    The prices aren't that bad if you shop around. I know where one is just like mine for $565.00. I paid a little more than that.
  • gruntledgruntled Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Salvage33
    IF you can find one of the old High Standard's you will find it to be one of the best functioning/shooting 22 auto pistols ever made. If my memory serves me correctly, they made an "Olympic" model. Heavy barrel, adjustable sights, and from all accounts, a dream to shoot.
    They are not easy to find, and if you find one, they will not be inexpensive.
    John
    The original point and click interface was made by Smith & Wesson


    I can't be certain but I believe all the Olympic models were chambered for .22 shorts. The one I had was & it also came with a muzzle break. It was designed for the Olympic style rapid fire course. I sold the gun over thirty years ago but I still have a brick of .22 shorts left that I have never gotten around to using.
  • stuartstuart Member Posts: 149 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    just a suggestion....I have a S&W 22A with bull barrell,Smith & Wesson red dot scope and laminated wood target grips and find it to be a good shooter for the money...if you go under gunbroker auction (pistol) and type in Smith & Wesson 22A you will see a variety of possibilities....some with the bull barrell and target grips already on it for appx. $280.00...to me this is a good target plinker for a good price...their are lots more possibilities, Hi Standard, etc. but for a whole lot less money...just depends on what you're looking for..for a good plain old plinker, I enjoy my Walther P22...going to get it suppressed some day...
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