I've recently fallen in love with pistol shooting and I'm out to buy my first pistol. I'm looking into a .22 (easy enough to use and cheap rounds!)
I was hoping to get some advice about different guns. Right now I'm looking into a Ruger, Bersa Firestorm, or Sig Trailside. I'm hoping to find a gun under $300 (a college kids budget isn't that big!)
I resently purchase a Walther P22 for my wife and she loves it. I think I paid $249.99 for it. The only bad thing I can say about it that each one is very picky as to which ammo it likes. On ours, it had issues loading the first couple rounds. Some would stove pipe, some would just not auto load. After those first couple rounds it shot just fine. So my suggestion if you get one is to buy a small box of a few different brands of ammo and see which one it likes.
My understanding is that Sig has discontinued the Trailside. If that is the case, you will find ones leftover or used. Either way, no big deal. I own several.
I enjoy the Ruger 22/45. Taking it apart is no big deal. Putting it back together is insane. Still, it is my wife's favorite.
I personally love the Buckmark Camper model. I also have a Beretta Neos that is not bad. It is ergonomic and I like the balance.
Others I have are smaller and more for concealment, but if you are looking for something for plinking and can do some decent (but certainly not competition level) target shooting, I have been happy with my choices.
Troy one of my friends as a kid his Dad had one of them Flash Gordon raygun looking pistols, never fired it have always wondered why, but I sure loved shooting my Daddys lil MAB 22, don't recall what model it was though.
__________________ "You can have my Freedom when I'm done with it!"
I'd vote for a Ruger Mark III 22/45. I have one in blued (black?) with a 5 inch bull barrel. Only cost 269.
I bought mine for $180 used. It looked like it had been fired only a couple of hundred rounds maximum. It was pristine. I got a similar deal on the Buckmark. I paid $199 for one that looked like it had never been fired before. The paperwork suggested that an Airman at a local Air Force Base bought it, never used it, and had to sell it to a local gun shop. I didn't mind getting a deal on it as a result, though.
Re-assembling a Ruger is not difficult if you read and follow the instructions. You almost never have to take it apart anyway, so no big deal.
Learn to shoot with a .22. Ruger's are a good choice. Just make sure you have an accurate pistol/ammo combination. Nothing discourages a new shooter more than an inaccurate gun. Get a good shot to wring out your gun, and get a good instructor to help you learn. Practicing bad technique is not conducive to developing good shooting.
Re-assembling a Ruger is not difficult if you read and follow the instructions. You almost never have to take it apart anyway, so no big deal.
I followed the manufacturer's instructions, as well as those on a web site devoted to the very same pistol, and even had a buddy of mine follow both sets to see if he had any different result. He had the same re-assembly problem that I did. Fortunately, I have developed a relationship with a competent gunsmith who was familiar with the Ruger and he got it back together while showing me the trick to it. The funny part was that he had some associates in his shop who also got it wrong as they all looked at it. These are guys who have been selling guns, been in the military, teach CCW and defensive tactics for a living, and make custom holsters. They all struck out at the "Chinese puzzle" called the Ruger 22/45.
On your budget a used Ruger is a good bet. I like CCI ammo. In "The Gun Digest Book of .22 Rimfires" the author compared the rim thickness of many .22 cartridges and the CCI's were thicker than many, and more uniform. The Remington Golden .22 (sold in 550 packs at big box stores) are inconsistent and dirty. I have had a lot of misfires with them. However...for cheap range shooting they are okay. I take a rod and a few patches along with a small can of WD-40. When the fouling gets bad I run a wet patch through the barrell, and inside the breach.
You can never go wrong with a Ruger Mark I, II, or III. They are great guns. They'll out last their owners and shoot phenomenally. I've never been without one in 25 years of shooting. Currently, I have a Mark III stainless setup for bullseye matches.
