Auto vs. Revolvers - The Firearms Forum

Thomas_1 · 06-16-2007, 10:22 PM

I’m looking to buy a .22wmr pistol. What opionon due you guys have on a auto vs. revolver? I went to the gun shop today and both feel about the same weight. I looked at the Taurus Model 941 revolver and a Ruger Mark III. I’ll be using it for squirrel hunting only.

LDBennett · 06-17-2007, 07:18 AM

Thomas_1:

You say 22WMR but then you say you looked at a Ruger MK III. Do the MK III's come in 22 WMR rimfire? I thought it was only in 22 LR????

If it is 22 LR you are looking for then the most gun for the least money is the Ruger Mk III in a target model (longer heavy barrel, all steel versions). stay away from plastic guns. metal is forever...plastic eventually degrades).

I have found that some people shoot revolvers better than semi-autos and some shoot semi-auto's better than revolvers, at least in 22LR. I shoot semi-autos better and my son-in-lawshoots revolvers better. So try each and determine which you shoot better.

Pistolenschutze · 06-17-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas_1

I’m looking to buy a .22wmr pistol. What opionon due you guys have on a auto vs. revolver? I went to the gun shop today and both feel about the same weight. I looked at the Taurus Model 941 revolver and a Ruger Mark III. I’ll be using it for squirrel hunting only.

For the use you envision, I would tend to go with an auto pistol, Thomas, but that may be difficult or impossible if you want the WMR. If memory serves me, the only company who ever tried to build an auto in .22 WMR was AMT and I'm uncertain if that pistol is even still available. If you're content with the .22 LR, there are many auto pistols available, the Ruger Mk III with a bull target barrel likely being your best choice. If you want a revolver in WMR there should be no problem. Taurus, Smith, and several others make them.

The difficulty in trying to chamber an auto in .22 WMR is the slenderness vs. the considerable length of the cartridge (over 1.5 inches). Bottom line, it tends to feed very poorly from a butt magazine and jam about every other shot.

polishshooter · 06-17-2007, 07:11 PM

While I love autos generally better than revolvers, for some odd reason I seem to shoot big bore revolvers better, BUT I've never found a .22 lr revolver as accurate as a Ruger auto...

But that said, I owned several .22lr revolvers from old Iver Johnsons and various H&Rs that while I would probably not be able to shoot squirrels with them much past 20 yds, the accuracy wasn't that great, but they were handy as heck for carrying when FISHING especially the SS or nickle ones...with the 22lr birdshot loads in alternating cylinders for snakes "just in case..." THAT'S something an auto can't do...

I quit "bank fishing " years ago, so I ended up selling or trading all the revolvers...but a couple of years ago I started "Catfishin'" at a local river, and we are right on the edge of Cottonmouth territory, and have copperheads around too....so while I usually carry my ruger 22/45, I'm always on the lookout for a good deal on another decent "fishing' revolver at shows....

Coltonator · 06-17-2007, 07:54 PM

Ruger Single-Six...you get a .22LR cylinder and a .22 WMR cylinder.

clmanges · 06-17-2007, 10:45 PM

I've got a Ruger 22/45 Mk III, and I can't hit anything with it worth beans. Plus, it's only happy with one particular cartridge. If I had it to do over, I'd have gotten a nice revolver instead. Long ago I had a H&R Model 999 that was very accurate, as well as being about the prettiest gun I've ever seen. Pity they aren't around anymore, I'd go trade the Ruger for one in a minute.

a1huntingsupply · 07-01-2007, 02:18 PM

I would go with a Ruger Single Six if you wan't to shoot 22 mag's

If 22LR is all you plan on shooting then the Mark III is a good choice. I have both (my semi-auto is a Mark II) and they have been problem free for about 20 years now. The 22 mag's are expensive to shoot

. You might want to take that into consideration.

300 H&H · 07-01-2007, 07:26 PM

There is a 22 WMR auto. It was made by AMT and discontinued. the desighn is alive again although it escapes me who is now making it. Gun blasts.com. has a report on one. These are pretty good guns and the muzzle flash at night is impressive! Kirk

clmanges · 07-01-2007, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 300 H&H

There is a 22 WMR auto. It was made by AMT and discontinued. the desighn is alive again although it escapes me who is now making it. Gun blasts.com. has a report on one. These are pretty good guns and the muzzle flash at night is impressive! Kirk

Here ya go:

http://www.highstandard.com/

click on "AMT Automag" in the left-hand column, and they have the .22WMR autos at the top of the page -- two are illustrated, with a compact model not shown. They aren't shown on the recent price list, so I don't think they're in production now. Look nice, though, and they had a gas-assisted action.

Freightman · 07-02-2007, 07:34 PM

The AMT auto mag was a nice shooting pistol, had one and was offered almost four times what I had in it so I let it go, but if you can find one they are fun.

greener · 07-02-2007, 11:24 PM

Add another vote for the Ruger Single Six---you get both lr and mag capability. Last time I bought wmr, they were a bit pricey for punching quarter-inch holes in paper.

Rommelvon · 07-03-2007, 01:22 AM

I had a heritage arms 22 pistol, it came wit an extra cylinder for shooting mags, nice little pistol.....but I sold it to my brother....stillmiss that pistol

berto64 · 07-03-2007, 05:17 PM

I have my dad's Ruger Mark I and a H&R mod 676 with both 22 & 22 Magnum cylinders.

I prefer the revolver for shooting. I've never fired the Mark I.

Lon Norder · 07-08-2007, 02:14 AM

Before you buy a Taurus 941, get a good feel for the trigger pull. The roughness improves in 1200 - 1500 rounds, but the gawd-awful heaviness does not go away or improve. The extremely heavy trigger pull is not fixable. I've seen 2 reports on this gun (Ayoob, and Gunblast.com) where both reviewers had to take the Taurus to gunsmiths for remediation, with some mild improvement. My experience also involved a gunsmith, but there was no improvement in the heaviness of the triggerpull. About 2 months ago, I was present when a gentleman tried to sell or trade his 941 to a dealer at a gunshow. He bought it for his wife, but she was unable to pull the trigger on DA. This is the limit of my experience, and what I've gathered elsewhere. I wish I'd known this before I bought one.

In any event, who wants to buy a cheap gun that then costs another $75 or more bucks at the gunsmith to try to make it useful?

LN

polishshooter · 07-08-2007, 09:09 AM

Here's how to "fix" that Taurus even more cheaply...

Spend your $70 FIRST on an M95 Nagant revolver, buy a box of cheap Aquila .32 Long and shoot THAT double action until the box of ammo is gone...

THEN pick up the Taurus and you will miraculously think..."Now THIS D/A pull isn't bad at all!"

bluesea112 · 10-10-2007, 06:29 AM

I have always been opposed to .22 magnums. You cannot hunt anything with them that a .22 long rifle wouldn't kill just as easily, and the ammunition for the magnum costs 5 or 6 times more than .22 lr. Stick with the .22 long rifle and buy yourself a Browning Semi-Auto Buck Mark. It is the most accurate and durable of any pistol on the market, and it does not cost much more than the Ruger.
Again, whatever pistol you choose to buy.....go with the .22 long rifle. Your wallet will be much happier in the long run and you will come home with just as many squirrels.

06-16-2007, 10:22 PM	#1
Thomas_1 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Fenton, Missouri Posts: 271	Auto vs. Revolvers I’m looking to buy a .22wmr pistol. What opionon due you guys have on a auto vs. revolver? I went to the gun shop today and both feel about the same weight. I looked at the Taurus Model 941 revolver and a Ruger Mark III. I’ll be using it for squirrel hunting only. -->

06-17-2007, 07:18 AM	#2
LDBennett Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hesperia, CA Posts: 5,715	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers Thomas_1: You say 22WMR but then you say you looked at a Ruger MK III. Do the MK III's come in 22 WMR rimfire? I thought it was only in 22 LR???? If it is 22 LR you are looking for then the most gun for the least money is the Ruger Mk III in a target model (longer heavy barrel, all steel versions). stay away from plastic guns. metal is forever...plastic eventually degrades). I have found that some people shoot revolvers better than semi-autos and some shoot semi-auto's better than revolvers, at least in 22LR. I shoot semi-autos better and my son-in-lawshoots revolvers better. So try each and determine which you shoot better.

06-17-2007, 07:11 PM	#4
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,860	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers While I love autos generally better than revolvers, for some odd reason I seem to shoot big bore revolvers better, BUT I've never found a .22 lr revolver as accurate as a Ruger auto... But that said, I owned several .22lr revolvers from old Iver Johnsons and various H&Rs that while I would probably not be able to shoot squirrels with them much past 20 yds, the accuracy wasn't that great, but they were handy as heck for carrying when FISHING especially the SS or nickle ones...with the 22lr birdshot loads in alternating cylinders for snakes "just in case..." THAT'S something an auto can't do... I quit "bank fishing " years ago, so I ended up selling or trading all the revolvers...but a couple of years ago I started "Catfishin'" at a local river, and we are right on the edge of Cottonmouth territory, and have copperheads around too....so while I usually carry my ruger 22/45, I'm always on the lookout for a good deal on another decent "fishing' revolver at shows.... __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.

06-17-2007, 07:54 PM	#5
Coltonator V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 201	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers Ruger Single-Six...you get a .22LR cylinder and a .22 WMR cylinder. __________________ <

06-17-2007, 10:45 PM	#6
clmanges V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 203	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers I've got a Ruger 22/45 Mk III, and I can't hit anything with it worth beans. Plus, it's only happy with one particular cartridge. If I had it to do over, I'd have gotten a nice revolver instead. Long ago I had a H&R Model 999 that was very accurate, as well as being about the prettiest gun I've ever seen. Pity they aren't around anymore, I'd go trade the Ruger for one in a minute. __________________ Happiness is a warm gun

07-01-2007, 02:18 PM	#7
a1huntingsupply Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Deer Park, Texas Posts: 23	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers I would go with a Ruger Single Six if you wan't to shoot 22 mag's If 22LR is all you plan on shooting then the Mark III is a good choice. I have both (my semi-auto is a Mark II) and they have been problem free for about 20 years now. The 22 mag's are expensive to shoot . You might want to take that into consideration.

07-01-2007, 07:26 PM	#8
300 H&H Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,796	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers There is a 22 WMR auto. It was made by AMT and discontinued. the desighn is alive again although it escapes me who is now making it. Gun blasts.com. has a report on one. These are pretty good guns and the muzzle flash at night is impressive! Kirk

07-02-2007, 07:34 PM	#10
Freightman Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers The AMT auto mag was a nice shooting pistol, had one and was offered almost four times what I had in it so I let it go, but if you can find one they are fun.

07-02-2007, 11:24 PM	#11
greener V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 55	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers Add another vote for the Ruger Single Six---you get both lr and mag capability. Last time I bought wmr, they were a bit pricey for punching quarter-inch holes in paper.

07-03-2007, 01:22 AM	#12
Rommelvon Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 1,452	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers I had a heritage arms 22 pistol, it came wit an extra cylinder for shooting mags, nice little pistol.....but I sold it to my brother....stillmiss that pistol __________________ When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. --Thomas Jefferson American By Birth, Southern By The Grace Of God Deo vindice "Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less.” Robert E Lee

07-03-2007, 05:17 PM	#13
berto64 VMBB Admin Staff Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Owyhee County, Idaho Contributor Posts: 7,388	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers I have my dad's Ruger Mark I and a H&R mod 676 with both 22 & 22 Magnum cylinders. I prefer the revolver for shooting. I've never fired the Mark I. __________________ Be who you are & say what you will, Those that matter won't mind and those that mind don't matter. I'm a bitter clinger, One Nation Under God.

07-08-2007, 02:14 AM	#14
Lon Norder Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 31	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers Before you buy a Taurus 941, get a good feel for the trigger pull. The roughness improves in 1200 - 1500 rounds, but the gawd-awful heaviness does not go away or improve. The extremely heavy trigger pull is not fixable. I've seen 2 reports on this gun (Ayoob, and Gunblast.com) where both reviewers had to take the Taurus to gunsmiths for remediation, with some mild improvement. My experience also involved a gunsmith, but there was no improvement in the heaviness of the triggerpull. About 2 months ago, I was present when a gentleman tried to sell or trade his 941 to a dealer at a gunshow. He bought it for his wife, but she was unable to pull the trigger on DA. This is the limit of my experience, and what I've gathered elsewhere. I wish I'd known this before I bought one. In any event, who wants to buy a cheap gun that then costs another $75 or more bucks at the gunsmith to try to make it useful? LN

07-08-2007, 09:09 AM	#15
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,860	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers Here's how to "fix" that Taurus even more cheaply... Spend your $70 FIRST on an M95 Nagant revolver, buy a box of cheap Aquila .32 Long and shoot THAT double action until the box of ammo is gone... THEN pick up the Taurus and you will miraculously think..."Now THIS D/A pull isn't bad at all!" __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.

10-10-2007, 06:29 AM	#16
bluesea112 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West, TX Contributor Posts: 1,257	Re: Auto vs. Revolvers I have always been opposed to .22 magnums. You cannot hunt anything with them that a .22 long rifle wouldn't kill just as easily, and the ammunition for the magnum costs 5 or 6 times more than .22 lr. Stick with the .22 long rifle and buy yourself a Browning Semi-Auto Buck Mark. It is the most accurate and durable of any pistol on the market, and it does not cost much more than the Ruger. Again, whatever pistol you choose to buy.....go with the .22 long rifle. Your wallet will be much happier in the long run and you will come home with just as many squirrels.