Walther P22

jesserk · January-03-12 17:01

Thoughts on the Walther P22?



   Anyone own one?



   What's your experience with them (Good or Bad)?



   I remember when they first came out that they were ammo finicky. Has this issue been resolved?



   Thanks in advance.

wiseguy · January-03-12 17:01

Bought mine new in 2007, the only problem I ever had with it was when I used any standard velocity or slower ammo. Any high or hyper velocity is the way to go. 100% reliable and great fun to shoot.

jesserk · January-03-12 17:01

Thanks for the review Wiseguy. What ammo do you prefer with this gun?

westerly1965 · January-03-12 18:01

Don't have one but got to play with my Uncles when I was back home the last time. Great little gun put alot of rounds through it and never had a problem. I do believe we were running all CCI ammo though and that stuff is hotter then most.

chopprs · January-04-12 09:01

Two budz have them. They both went crazy trying to find ammo that would work. We spent many, many days at the range and in my field shooting (or trying to) hundreds and hundreds of rounds. I shot them both with many different types of ammo and they both consistently jammed. Just when you think you have it running good it would stop working all together. very much reminded me of my Jennings J-22. One of them sold his and the other chucked it in the safe in frustration and has not played with it since spring time. They were both new about a year ago.

   I also saw a younger chap at the range with one having serious difficulties making it work. The Range Master asked him to leave as he kept inadvertently pointing it in the wrong direction whilst loaded, trying to get it to fire. Not my idea of fun.....too bad because I really liked the way the gun fit my hand.

   There are some that have them and love them. There is one guy on here that has one with a supressor and swears by it but that has not been my experience.

   I would look at something else.....

cedarview kid · January-04-12 09:01

I've got one. It's not my favorite gun. I like the looks fine, but it hasn't been the most reliable or most accurate gun I have. I much more prefer a Smith & Wesson 22A.

I've considered selling the Walther, but it just hasn't seen the chopping block yet. I don't hate it, but I don't love it, either.

jesserk · January-04-12 12:01

Thanks, NAA.

How about the S&W M&P22?

cedarview kid · January-04-12 14:01

Hmm. Just looked it up. I have no experience with that one. I'll have to check it out. I have two S&W 22A's, though, one of them in standard blue and a Talo model in stainless. I'm always looking for another great .22, though!

wiseguy · January-04-12 18:01

Jesserk, CCI. stingers are pricey but worth it. If not those then the CCI mini mags work great too.

blitzkrieger · January-05-12 22:01

I have one and absolutely love it, the wife loved it too so she had to ger her own. At first when new and under 500 rounds, Rem. yellow jackets didnt like to feed correctly. Maybe just a break in period or something but have had no problems other than that. It does tend to get a little picky when dirty and under-lubed, but what gun doesnt.

adsinger · January-06-12 14:01

I have one as do two of my shooting buddies. Fun for plinking. All eat CCIs with no issues. The red dot sight is cool to play with. I actually have a cased two barrel set but have used only the short barrel to date. They are OK guns. The wife likes it because it's light and fits her hand. Doesn't hold a candle to the Ruger Mk.II w/5" bull barrel.

Alan.

lauraslookout · January-06-12 20:01

I've had 2 of them in the past. "HAD" being the key word. They weren't reliable. Sent one back to the factory, still ejected empty hulls (when not jamming) right between my eyes where they would lodge behind the bridge of my eye-glasses. Not a pleasant experience. Jim

grayelky · January-07-12 21:01

Mine is a little over 7 years old, and I have no problems with it. The newer ones seem to have a problem finding ammo they like, but once they get broken in, they seem to work a little better.

Go for the Ruger Mark III, unless you just want a smaller pistol.

argleargle · January-09-12 11:01

Walther P22 here, bought it new.



   Lurking forums taught me that you must use "B" series or later magazines. Avoid "A" series and magazines numbers starting with no letter.



   The short barrel is the one with the cycling issues, while the longer barrel "works better."



   Ignore failures to cycle until the pistol has a few hundred through it. Use hyper velocity for break-in and "high velocity" after that.



   Federal "Automatch" bulk .22lr cycles my P22 just fine (after break-in, it didn't want to cycle the first three rounds out of a full magazine at first.)



   Also, I have read that if you buy a current production model that you AVOID ALL OF THE PROBLEMS people complain about with a P22. Mine's pretty new.



   There is an online document called "The P22 Bible" that details all of the mods to bring a "first edition" p22 up to current standards. Mine had an outstanding single action trigger out of the box. (double action smooths up only if you fire double action.)



   Good luck. I enjoy the crap out of my P22.

cedarview kid · January-09-12 12:01

I bought mine used a number of years ago, so mine's probably an early model. I got both the normal barrel and the extended barrel. Another thing that has prevented me from selling it is that my wife got me a laser sight for it for my birthday a few years ago. I could probably use it on something else, though.

Maybe I need to see if I can "upgrade" it to reliability. LOL. Guess I should go back and re-examine it.

argleargle · January-09-12 13:01

Naa_Coll; I have the Walther accessory laser as well. It's "right handed only," you switch it on and off with the tip of your right index finger while holding it. I like it a lot and think it adds to the pistol.



   If you're interested in P22 "toys," consider this:

   http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GNS057-1.html">http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GNS057-1.html



   It's an adaptor to take the factory threads (don't forget your barrel is threaded with a thread protector unless you got in in California)



   This adaptor takes the barrel to "standard" 1/2"x28tpi. Now you can take a flash suppressor intended for say... an AR-15/5.56 and install in on your P22. This is also for suppressors with that thread pitch.





   Last thing: My favorite P22 ammos:



   1. CCI Stinger

   2. Remington Yellow Jacket

   3. Winchester SuperX (silver box) High velocity round nose.

   4. Federal Automatch (it's cheap, bulk pack, and doesn't seem to FTF on me.)



   I, personally, have not had hollow point feed issues (AFTER THE BREAK IN), but your mileage may vary.

cedarview kid · January-09-12 14:01

My wife didn't get me the Walther laser. It's a much more generic brand. Just a standard lower-rail mounted laser.



   Yup, my barrel is threaded. Don't wanna mess with that Kommie stuff. LOL. Got some friends who've been working on me to get a suppressor. :-)



   Thanks for the info. Maybe my P22 just needs more love.

argleargle · January-09-12 14:01

naa_coll; No problem, glad to help.

Most folks I've talked to who complain about the P22 sold/gotridof theirs before getting a few hundred rounds through it. Early versions DID have lots of problems, and I think the consumers have been incredibly slow to forgive... even if the old problems are currently fixed. At least, they seemed to be in mine.

argleargle · January-09-12 14:01

Crap, meant to add that adding a flash suppressor can increase cycling reliability when using the short barrel. Ah well. HERE YA GO!

blitzkrieger · January-09-12 14:01

I want to get the silencerco sparrow for mine but again, gotta get past the wife first. lol

cedarview kid · January-09-12 15:01

Silence is the key, Blitz. ;)

blitzkrieger · January-09-12 15:01

Yes it is.

   And that is how I am going to covertly buy myself a Beretta 85fs that she said no to.



   Only problem is when I take her out to make a little music, she'll notice the addition to my/our arsenal.

cedarview kid · January-09-12 15:01

Concealed is also key. LOL.

grayelky · January-10-12 23:01

I have had a couple of customers tell me if you have accuracy issues, tighten the barrel nut just a little at a time. They claim it helps a lot.

argleargle · January-11-12 08:01

Don't forget to blue loctite the thread protector on a P22 if you ever remove it.

zippovarga · January-16-12 21:01

Okey dokey.....Had this.......

   Upgraded it to this.......

   Mine was POST problematic. They had "corrected" most of the problems associated with previous models, BUT....The mfg still suggested a 500 round "break in period." This was not a joke...it took every bit of 400 rounds by the time it became reliable enough that I trusted it to carry. With that.....I ran into a guy who was DYING for a Walther P22 because of a friend who had one who said it is an awesome firearm. Now, that said....I happily traded it for a NIB Ruger Mark III Hunter.



   If you are wanting reliability right out of the box, my recommendation is to go with the time tested Mark series Ruger. A 22/45 has a Zytel polymer frame to keep the weight down and in MY personal opinion, you would be much happier going this route than with the Walther. Not knocking the Walther......once I had mine broken in, it was very reliable, but it never would cycle CCI Stingers. Although I have the Mark III Hunter in all stainless, the mechanics are nearly identical to the 20/45 and this format has been around since 1949. Yes, I said 1949!!! If that isn't reliability and popularity defined, I don't know what is.



   This is ALL of course, in MY opinion. Albeit somewhat biased due to a lifetime of experience with Rugers.



   The current Mark in the family.....And, thanks to Louie once again for the awesome Hogue Grips!!!

coinchop · January-17-12 10:01

Zippo...

   "Lifetime of experience with Rugers"

   Been there, done that.

   First gun show,1962. Bought a Ruger Target

   Mark 1 with a factory muzzle brake, used.

   Still have it. That was just the begining.../



   That Ruger cost me $45, and I got 3 boxes of shells with it. Don't remember for sure, but

   that was probably a half a weeks wages back then.

blitzkrieger · January-21-12 15:01

Was out shooting in the middle of winter a few years back when I fired a round and the front sight bead popped out and landed in the snow somewhere never to be seen again so I modified both front and rear sights with some fiber optic color.

zippovarga · January-23-12 01:01

There it is! Looks great Blitz!



   Coin.....I would go out into the Kentucky Country side with my 10/22 and Mark I along with enough returnable pop bottles to buy 100 or 200 rounds, depending on how many bottles I had collected and I wouldn't come home until I was out of ammo! Good times for sure. Is the Mark I the only Mark you have? One of the upgrades I DO like on the Mark III is the relocated mag release. The magazine disconnect is long gone (which would hang up the mag and force you to get up in the well of the grip and ick the mag out) Now, the mag falls out like on the 1911. At any rate.....Those times of high quality Remington ammo are long gone along with the $1.00 to $1.25 you would pay for a box of 100 plated round nose. But I digress...as least we still have pieces that either remind us of our past firearms or ARE those gems bought in a different era. Cheers Coin and Blitz!



   Oh hey Coin....you still plinking with the old Colt?? Later!

coinchop · January-23-12 08:01

Zippo...

   Picking up pop bottles was most of my income when I was a kid. After school I would go where my dad worked and beg for a nickle for a pop, drink the pop and go across the street, get 2 cents for the bottle and buy 2 jawbreakers.

   I have and have had a lifetime supply of Ruger Marks, but never a Mark III. I have ran tens of thousands of rounds through a couple of Mark II's with 10 in. barrels.

   I havn't shot the Colt Scout much since that first day I got it out, but I will. It won't be going back into that dark place for a long time. I picked up a 3rd issue Colt Woodsman 6 in. a couple of weeks ago and have been playing with that lately.

   Most of my shooting lately is double action 22 shooting with some S&W s but I branch out a lot.

   Plinking is good=life is good. Gone.../

flyinbiker2001 · March-28-12 04:03

Mine works like a swiss watch with a can on it firing anything but will only fire good ammo without and it dont like being dirty-however Ruger has come out with one that from all accounts is much better then the P-22 or Sig

plinker631 · June-03-12 07:06

Walther's web site recommends CCI Mini MAgs for the P-22, so does the owners manual...

adsinger · June-04-12 22:06

I've got the two-barrel kit version of the P22. Two shooting buddies also have P22s. They all run fine on CCI Mini Mags but none as accurately as my Ruger Mk. II.

alan.

cedarview kid · June-04-12 22:06

Guess I need to try CCI's then. I also have the dual-barrel set. And, it's one of my "off the books" guns--which is my favorite type!

blitzkrieger · June-04-12 23:06

Question for you folks that have the 5" barrel.

Does it really improve accuracy say compared to a Mark I, II or III?

I have been thinking about buying one for mine but am unsure if it would be worth it since the P22 is really a fun POS that is great for 100 rounds before a serious douching is needed.