Welcome to the Gun Bench. This is a series where we at Straight Talk bring our readers into the thought process behind how we set up our gear for various roles and scenarios. There is a saying that purpose drives gear. In the gun world, that saying rings clear. With each selection of equipment, there is a purpose—whether it be for hunting, competitive shooting, home defense, or survival—that equipment matters and must stand up to the task at hand. This series looks to help with the thought process behind each piece of kit, so that you, the reader, can have the best available information. One important note, Straight Talk is Ohio-based. Some items may or may not be legal in your state. Also, not every state has a Constitutional Carry or Castle Doctrine in place. So please, educate yourself on the laws that you must abide by.

I’m Feelin 22

In honor of Taylor Swift’s record-setting Eras Tour, we at Straight Talk, thought it best to honor her achievements by acknowledging one of her most famous songs. Although we are past the age of 22 (though I keep telling my wife I’m Twenty-Two plus Nine) it got us thinking about the need for a good 22 caliber rimfire pistol. Now, for some clarification for those in the back—when I am writing about 22 rimfire ammo or guns, I’m ONLY referring to 22 Long Rifle (or 22 LR). I am not referring to 22 shorts, 22 longs, 22 magnums, or any other 22 rimfire cartridge. If I do, then I will clarify—now back to the topic at hand.

I think most will agree that a 22 pistol is a ton of fun to shoot. The minimal recoil and affordable ammunition mean people can invest time in it. While many think of shooting a 22 as a casual event, I argue that it can be much more than that. Shooting 22 pistols is a serious training tool and a great gateway to bring new shooters into the conversation. And that’s where the point of this article comes too. Rimfires, whether rifle or pistol, should be considered for serious training, not only casual plinking.

The Types

But before breaking down firearm and gear recommendations, I want to discuss the two main types of 22 pistols—target and training. Many may not realize it, but two styles of 22 pistols dominate the market. The “target” style is the one most are familiar with. This category is made up of the likes of the Ruger Mark series, the Browning Buckmark, the Smith & Wesson Victory, and Model 41, as well as others. The general linking feature between the models listed above is that they use a solid slide where only the—let’s call it bolt—reciprocates. These use single-stack ten-round magazines and are generally rather large guns. The primary downfall is that they aren’t a facsimile of any type of modern duty or carry gun.

As for the training category, they are almost the exact opposite, other than caliber, of target-style guns. First, these pistols have reciprocating slides that better replicate the function of modern handguns. Additionally, the newest models are hitting the market with 16 to over 20 rounds of capacity. Most are coming optics-ready and threaded as well. But they do have some drawbacks. Generally, they are a bit picky with ammo, especially anything under 1200fps, and with the newer higher-capacity mags, I’ve noticed some feeding issues. But most of the drawbacks can be overcome.

Pistol Recommendations

For a long time, the go-to pistols in the training category were the Walther P22, Sig Sauer Mosquito, and the Smith & Wesson M&P22C. I think because of these models, negative connotations have been developed around this style of 22 rimfire. First off, when these pistols were introduced, the availability of high-velocity 22 ammo was severely lacking. Most of it was standard velocity (which is usually about 1000 to 1080fps) and therefore didn’t always have enough inertia to reciprocate the slide rearward. Also, the bullet shape oftentimes caused feeding issues. It wasn’t uncommon for hollow points or soft lead projectiles to cut into the feed ramp usually causing a failure to feed. Many users squawked at these deficiencies without realizing the cause wasn’t necessarily because of the handgun. Fortunately, CCI stepped in with the now common 22 Mini-Mag. This loading pushes a 40-grain bullet at 1200fps giving the energy needed to operate the slide. Nowadays, finding 22 ammo at or over 1200fps is common.

Today, there are more options than ever for quality 22 pistols that match up with current market trends giving the end user a plethora of options. These include the Glock 44, the FN 502, the Taurus TX22 (and TX22c), and the Sig Sauer 322. While more options exist, including the ones mentioned previously, these four have come to dominate the market, however, it is the last two specifically I’d like to discuss further.

Affordable Fun

The Taurus TX22 and its variants offer a ton of value for the price. Usually found for around 300 bucks, the rimfire pistol packs a ton of features. For starters, it broke the trend of magazine capacity by upping the quantity to 16 rounds. Next, the gun comes standard with a threaded barrel and ships with a 1/2x28 adapter in the box so a rimfire suppressor could be added. The sights it comes with are adjustable and adequate, but if you choose the Compact or Competition model, they come optics ready. The primary downside to the TX22 is its size. The gun is a bit large albeit very light. In shooting, it had no trouble with mini-mag ammo, even when run suppressed. Standard velocity and subsonic ammo did not provide enough energy to reciprocate the slide. I cannot recommend the Taurus TX enough for people as a serious training tool, however, its size and geometry mean it doesn’t necessarily line up with an equivalent in a centerfire pistol.

The Ultimate Training Companion

For me, the Sig P322 is the ultimate training companion. It fits in this role for similar reasons why I have subscribed to the Apple ecosystem—compatibility. I carry the Sig 365 and then train with the Sig P320. So having a cheaper training alternative in 22 that feels like my primary guns is beneficial. Some features I like about the gun include optics ready, 20-round magazines, threaded barrel, flat-face trigger shoe (but comes with a curved trigger shoe in the box), and excellent ergonomics. It’s a bit more than the TX22 at $399.99 but is packed with more features at that price than others on the market. I’ve shot my personal 322 a lot and has also become a favorite when I take new shooters out, especially with a suppressor affixed to the end. It runs relatively well suppressed and the only complaint I have is it didn’t initially love running hollow points. To remedy this problem, I polished the feed ramp—which was a bit rough and jagged. I haven’t had problems since, but I feel that this is something that should be a part of the quality control process. Less stress for the owner is always in the best interest of the manufacturer.

Final Thoughts

A 22 pistol should be in the arsenal of every gun collector or enthusiast. But rather than just being utilized as casual plinkers, they should be considered as a serious training tool. The guns are affordable and light recoiling which allows you to spend time focusing on the fundamentals. This will translate into better handling of your primary sidearm. Not only this, but this pistol will be a great introduction for new and inexperienced shooters, which is the best way to spread interest in the shooting hobby. So, with all of that, go out and have fun shooting.