Ruger SR22

[eddieE]

During my search for a 22 pistol, I found the SR22. What is the consensus on this little pistol? I saw some reviews that looked really good.

[Helix_FR]

Its a good little gun. Its on the range program were my shop is. Keep it clean and they run well. I know it definably out runs the mosquito and the P22.

[CampingJosh]

Haven't used one. It seems to continue Ruger's recent trend of copying popular designs, though they have made some improvements on the P22 (instead of straight copies like their versions of Keltec guns).

While it's interesting, I'm too deep into the P22 at this point to feel like switching to almost the same thing.

[CCHolderinMaine]

I've run about 4000 rounds through mine. I really can't say enough good things about it. I love shooting it and everybody I hand it to feels the same way.

[BadWool]

Obtained mine a few weeks ago so it is still near virgin, only has 30 rounds downrange so far. I love how it feels, looks, and performs (so far). Out of the box the sites were pretty well dialed in. The range I took it to has a kid's program twice a month, and I took my daughter to the last one. While there, somebody left their target up and the range guy said I could give my SR22 a try because the lane was open. Wanted to shoot it more but since I'm not a member of the range I didn't want to exploit their courtesy.

Definitely one to enjoy, and it now stands ready to back up the SR9 should I require it for HD.

[ozo]

"It seems to continue Ruger's recent trend of copying popular designs,"--CJ

Of course, Ruger's 'claim to fame' has always been to copy
[and improve] from gun #1 that Bill Ruger produced....
can you say Colt SAA.....

[ozo]

Speaking of .22lr semi-autos....
[and the SR22 if fine]
JLA.....whatever happened to the 'test' you were
conducting on your Bersa .22 ? I have lost track of that thread....
Now THAT is a .22lr semi-auto.......[Bersa Thunder .22lr/Firestorm .22lr]

[eddieE]

Thanks for all the positive remarks. I think this will be the gun I get next. The price is right, $290.....can't be beat!

[ozo]

But don't stop there Brother......

[eddieE]

oh no....I am adding a few new toys to my arsenal..the 22 is for the lady of the house. I have a kimber 45 target II, a few long guns, and I will be ordering a Rock River LAR-15.

I will get her a 38 once she gets the hand of shooting. Looking at a Remington 870 too for HD.

[1917-1911M]

Originally Posted by eddieE

During my search for a 22 pistol, I found the SR22. What is the consensus on this little pistol? I saw some reviews that looked really good.

Ruger makes fine firearms. I have a number of them. However, the SR22 is running second place to the P22 at present. Here is a list of issues that have surfaced.

A number left the factory with a loose barrel. There is a screw that holds the barrel on. It is accessed just in front of the trigger. Make sure it is tight and stays tight or the steel pin that positions the barrel will immediately damage the underside requiring a new barrel

Several barrels have just been no good, bad crowning and no ability to group. Ruger is replacing the barrel.

Some magazines won't lock up or stay locked. Ruger is replacing the locking mechanism.

The polymer take down lever has failed on a number of pistols. Ruger will replace the lever with the exact same one. At present there is not a solution in place. Some owners report their replacement lever was crushed within 100 shots. The lever acts to stop the rearward movement of the slide when firing. Right now some owners are experimenting with a #83 O ring from Lowes plumbing dept which is placed over the existing guide rod and recoil spring where it acts as a buffer until Ruger sorts this out.

Ruger has lengthened the retaining pin inside the magazine floor plate for some reason. Springs jumping the pin and kinking?

Some rear sights have been damaged from trying to adjust them. I think most of these issues were related to bad barrels.

Some pistols are having serious feeding/jamming issues. These need to go back to Ruger.

Ruger will get it sorted out like they did with the LCP but it seems apparent that all firearm manufactures are guilty of rushing new firearms with out thoroughly testing them. M1911

[eddieE]

This is the first I have heard of the problems with this gun. I have read nothing but good reviews....So, what would you say is a better gun, S&W MP22? At least Ruger is making things right for people. I would hope they figured things out, I'm not sure if these issues are ongoing...I will be purchasing one in the next month or so, I guess I still have some time. I was going to get a MKIII, but when I saw the SR 22, I gravitated toward it.

[Rugermanws]

I'd love to see a range report on the SR22. My Ruger Mark II is extremely accurate and I would like to see how close this new entry comes to it. I still like the Marks, it's hard to break from what you know is good.

[eddieE]

I have been looking at the custom 22s....would love one of these....but at $290, the SR22 is a compelling option.

https://www.volquartsen.com/tags/15-...custom-pistols

[CCHolderinMaine]

Originally Posted by Rugermanws

I'd love to see a range report on the SR22. My Ruger Mark II is extremely accurate and I would like to see how close this new entry comes to it. I still like the Marks, it's hard to break from what you know is good.

Don't have any target pics or hard numbers, but from just plain shooting it's about as accurate as you can be with such a short barrel. This isn't a super-accurate match gun by any means. If you want to shoot what feels/functions like a compact center fire at rim fire price. This is a way to do it without a conversion kit for your center fire.

[Zane71464]

I've heard good reviews on them up til now.
One thing I've learned, or still learning....let the newer make's/models be out for a while so that if there is any problems with a newly made model...hope it doesnt fall in your own lap!

[1917-1911M]

Originally Posted by Rugermanws

I'd love to see a range report on the SR22. My Ruger Mark II is extremely accurate and I would like to see how close this new entry comes to it. I still like the Marks, it's hard to break from what you know is good.

Look around the net. There are hundreds of reports. You tube videos, LCP forum, RimFireCentral, Ruger section.....and many more. This is a very popular pistol and should have been everything the Walther P22 isn't. Both manufacturers are slowly bringing them up to speed but I'm waiting until issues are resolved just like I did with my LCP which has been flawless in 3,000 rounds. Otherwise I wouldn't carry it. Early LCPs had a number of issues.....not good at all for a carry pistol. M1911

[eddieE]

M1911- how long does it usually take for these issues to get cleared up?

[1917-1911M]

Originally Posted by eddieE

M1911- how long does it usually take for these issues to get cleared up?

After 10 years of me staying after them.... Walther has finally begun to polish the top of the trigger bar ears. This is job number 1 to check on a P22. Such a simple thing for the manufacturer to fix. Took three years and explicit pictures and hand made extractors to get them to change the design so that spent cases wouldn't hit you between the eyes. But that is Walther, Ruger seems to be much faster.

So you don't have issues with the MK series of pistols because they've been around for 40 years.....uh, well not exactly. When the MKIII first came out with the metal loaded chamber indicator no one liked it but worse was that it was a metal indicator that was pressed out the side of the pistol when a round was in the chamber. Let's see how that works one guy said, rimfire ammo...hmmmm???, steel loaded chamber indicator pivoted off the rim and sticking out the side of the pistol. Wonder what would happen if I banged the indicator into the side of my oak desk...yes, it did, just as nicely as the firing pin. Now how could Ruger have made such a screw up on a pistol they only made a few changes too. Not enough testing and too big of a hurry I'm thinking.

The first couple of series of LCPs had issues and unfortunately this is not only Ruger or Walther. Manufacturers are rushing out new firearms like never before. Darned if there isn't a new on on the market every week. Three or four new Smiths for example this last year.

Most people figure about a year or until they quit hearing about them. There are those that follow the SR22 pretty closely and there are plenty of folks who have had no issues. The loose barrel....just make sure it is tight, no issue. Problem is.....you have to know this. Many folks just took the pistol out of the box, cleaned a bit and went to shooting. Two or three people thought the wobbling barrel was pretty cool. No, it was just loose. But take that for example....just tighten the barrel and make sure it stays tight...no issue. Shame on Ruger for letting them get out of the factory loose and with no wrench in the box and the wrong size wrench listed in the service manual. Too big a rush.

Ruger will stand behind the pistol 100% just like S&W stands behind the P22 100% but it is still an aggravation to have to send you pistol back after 100 rounds to have something replaced. As far as I know there is no fix for the take down lever as of yet. I suggested O rings at another forum and a lot of folks are putting those on the guide rod until Ruger comes up with another lever. Will it help, who knows. Then again a number of owners report thousands for trouble free rounds fired.

The LCP took about a year, into the 373 series. If I were really bucking for a SR22 I'd get one now, hope for the best, check the barrel, check the mags, check to see that it grouped well. If I had issues, back to Ruger it would go on their dime. I'm going to get one but I really have enough pistols...well almost and yet I can barely hold back on purchasing one. How long.....who knows, but you can bet Ruger is working on it. M1911



Damaged barrel from being loose.



Undamaged barrel




Broken take down lever. The top is gone. That is the part that acts to absorb the shock of stopping the slides rearward movement when firing. When it breaks the slide moves too far rearward, clears the rails, the hammer presses it up where the recoil spring then launches the slide downrange. Pretty embarrassing at the range....It is very similar to the P22 lever only the P22 has a solid piece of polymer with no internal spring and plunger. None of them have failed. About the only thing that hasn't.




Here is an O ring, #83 Danko or Danco from Lowes plumbing dept. 10 of em for $2. This one is resting on the muzzle cup of a P22 which is almost identical to the SR22 in design and operation. I have 4,000 rounds on this O ring with only minimal scuffing. Some SR22 owners are adding the same O ring in exactly the same way and reporting that it seems to soften recoil, acting as a buffer. It floats on the recoil spring over the guide rod and sits between the aluminum muzzle cup and the polymer take down lever. Most report that recoil seems a bit softer. Will it save the lever until Ruger comes up with a redesign. Who knows but the O ring is cheap, easy to install and you can't see it so why not.



When the slide compresses the recoil spring the O ring just glides along until smashed between muzzle cup and take down lever.



And the same scheme on the SR22, O ring between the take down lever and aluminum muzzle cup. Rubber buffer.

[eddieE]

M1911, good post. thanks for the information. If I end up with the SR22, I will add the O ring and make sure the barrel is tight. I shoot spring piston air rifles, and those things can vibrate lose. I have a little experience with blue lock tight from my airguns. I will add that to the SR22.

The MKIII and its loaded chamber is troubling if it fires if banged around.

[CCHolderinMaine]

I'm one of those folks who's had no trouble after 1000's of rounds. Of course I've probably cursed myself for saying so. I plan on adding this O-ring anyway. As M1911 says, "why not?"

[1917-1911M]

Originally Posted by eddieE

M1911, good post. thanks for the information. If I end up with the SR22, I will add the O ring and make sure the barrel is tight. I shoot spring piston air rifles, and those things can vibrate lose. I have a little experience with blue lock tight from my airguns. I will add that to the SR22.

The MKIII and its loaded chamber is troubling if it fires if banged around.

Yes blue threadlocker is ok, don't use red. Ruger fixed the loaded chamber indicator immediately. They are two piece polymer now although they still stick out the left side of the receiver. M1911

[Redhawk30]

1917-1911M - just joined this forum BECAUSE of the quality of your post about the SR22 take down lever o-ring fix. This is exactly the reason these forums should exist in my humble opinion. I don't expect this to be a permanent fix but it certainly shows the time and effort you took to share this information with other SR22 owners. It is sincerely appreciated - THANK YOU! Now I'll get the o-rings, make sure the barrel is tight, clean it and lube it in a few spots, make sure the slide lock has no burrs or sharp edges, and start putting some regular ammo through this gun for the first time next weekend. I've had many Ruger guns through the years and don't have reason to doubt they'll stand behind their product now. Thanks again!