Thanks HR. I agree with you on the ammo...the .22 LR pistols are fussy. I tried a lot with mine and it seems to like CCI mini mag, CCI tactical and Fiocchi Field Dynamic best ( all over 1200 FPS) I tried all the others and they are OK but the Remington and Winchester 32 gr it does not like....so my 10/22 ate them. My SR 22 is the same size as my Max9. I use the .22 mostly for training. I did use it last year for Steel Challenge and it did fine. When new I had few miss fires. Now I have over 5000 round through it and I can't remember the last time it hiccoughed.
I only run CCI mini-mags and my malfunctions are relatively rare. Out of 730 rounds of mini-mags, I had about 2 recorded malfunctions: failure to fire. I do think this one wants HV over standard velocity bulk pack. I think the later P22Q revisions with the captured recoil spring are also more reliable than the earlier ones. Accuracy is pretty acceptable, close to what you achieved. I still view this pistol as a trainer for a beginner to gain confidence to work up to a centerfire option - and it's good at that in my experience. Since it's lightweight and small, most beginners take to it pretty quickly and it feels close to a modern polymer pistol from the way it handles. For those of us stuck in handgun roster states the P22 was one of the few .22 polymer semiauto choices we could get for a while. In a free state, it's not a very appealing option.
I recently purchased a P22Q Military model and have been testing ammo. I have found that cci standard 1070 fps does not fully cycle the pistol with a full mag. It does show very good accuracy. I tested Aquila super extra 1130 fps and this ammo refused to feed at all. Next, I tried Federal auto match 1200 fps - bingo!!! this stuff runs well and shows very good accuracy. I tested CCi mini mag 40gr. segmented hollow point with mixed results. This ammo has trouble feeding from the mag when fully loaded. I am convinced it is a mag problem and not a pistol problem. As I shoot this more the pistol is starting to run much better, and I think a long brake in period will smooth this out.
The only ammo I found in mine that runs well is Winchester White Box and cci stinger. Walther told me in an email, they do NOT recommend ANY Aquila ammo. During the 33 ammo crunch Aquila was the only stuff available
The P22 has the looks, and I like the DA/SA hammer fired option (rare in 2024), but the construction and materials is junk. Zinc alloy slide and cheap plastic receiver isn't confidence inspiring. My Smith Wesson MP compact has been rock solid and it has an aluminum alloy slide. Not a fan of the plastic hinged trigger, but reliability trumps that.
I grinded and polished my hammer on my P22 , now only use CCI ammo and have no issues on my gun anymore. One reason for the jams was the the slide getting caught on the hammer and slightly slowing down the slide which makes it hard for bullet casing to eject properly. I love my .22 . Highly accurate, easy to use, i have a 2.3 sec relaxed reload speed and could probably be quicker if i really tried .
I hated my P22 CA, all kinds of problems. After 500 rounds "breaking in", it became my most favorite 22 for Plinking. I shoot steel at 25 yards, 4, 6, 8 inch targets. I changed the spring, changed to hiviz optic sight. I love my P22 now, very happy, mine loves cheap Aguila 38gr, super extra :-) . Ton of fun :-) ❤❤❤❤❤
Man your tuff enough that's for sure...Brrrr...hey try to get a hold of the same pistol in magnum if you can .. It's a different beast for sure. Appreciate all you honest work.
I have feeding issues with the Remington Golden rounds in a new TX22 Compact. These rounds cycle fine in Ruger and Browning .22 pistols but no so much in the Taurus, which cycles everything else I have put through it. Thanks for the informative video HR. Good Easter to you .
Great video! I think the primary use for the P22 is as a Kit Gun....something for your pocket while doing outdoor activities. I also wonder if the frequent malfunctions you had were due to a combination of low-velocity ammo (these type of guns prefer the HV type) and it being a CA-compliant model (does anything CA-compliant work right?). If you compared it to a current model P22Q, would it fare as well? I'll just stick with my Taurus TX22 and Ruger LCPII. These have been excellent carry companions. And, .22lr for self defense is similar to carrying a foot-long icepick that can stab perps at 10yds multiple times....don't see anyone wanting to be stabbed by one.
Every time I see a semi auto 22LR I'm constantly amazed how good my TX22 and 1022 are. Ive had 2 FTF with the Taurus in 1200 rounds of m22 and armscor. I even bought a target upper for it. Looks buck Roger's as all get out! But its easy to field strip, the magazines are excellent, it has great ergos, and the trigger is better than avg.
Thanks for doing this video in the poor weather conditions. From a self-defense standpoint, I think would rather carry that pot you used to cook the chili. It's probably bulletproof and delivers a real punch. All the best!
TBH, your groups are pretty good for seven yards in that weather. I considered the P22 because Why Not at that price point, but I can get better plinkers for just a little more $. If I had a bunch of other .22 guns and was looking for just another to add to the collection I would get this knowing I'd buy upgrades and spend time tuning it, but I'm not there yet. Great vid!
Using CCI Stingers my P22 functions well. Teaching my son to shoot it, I grabbed some Win. Wildcat LRs from the safe, big mistake, frequent failures to feed and extract. Wildcats were older but stored properly, and cycle others without issue. With the right ammo, it works well for new shooters and plinking (same for the Heritage 22LR wheel gun purchased specifically for instruction)
It's interesting that you shot it much better in defensive drills than when shooting for accuracy. IMO the P22 is a "plinker" and for a fun day of shooting tin cans and the like it fits the bill perfectly. It could be useful for teaching basic shooting skills, especially to women and young people who would later transition to centerfire handguns.
Thank you for the great review and for braving the weather that blew through here (Colorado) too. I love shooting 22lr pistols that actually function. I owned a PK380 for a while until some much better 380 acp options were released. I also bought a P22 2nd gen with the extra Picattiney slots to help me practice the manual of arms more inexpensively with 22. I no longer own either of those pistols. I did get enough for them used to clear out some of the bad taste in my mouth towards Walther. The Ruger SR22 is a much better option even though it costs about $150 more new. It has a better manual safety, US style mag release and better sights from my experience. Mine was not particularly ammo friendly towards the most easy to find ammo either so even though I liked it better than the P22, it's gone too. I still own a TX22, Beretta M9 22lr, Ruger Mark IV and the awesome Ruger LCP II 22lr. Using that last one for a backup/pocket gun self defense option with CCI Stingers or Velocitors is very viable.
I have the P22 and like it. It's setup is a little different than other with the mag release, etc. I use Federal Punch for my EDC. It functions well and is very accurate. Otherwise at the range it is CCI.
Involuntary safety engagement is another issue I had to have addressed when I RMA'd the P22Q for a cracked slide. The hammer block would engage after a few rounds. I could see the safety lever start to fall into the safe position during a course of fire. Also, the plastic front sights can fall off because they pinched in to the zinc frame. The P22Q likes hot ammo to run reliably, but it materials just can't hold up. Now, this has been my experience with this pistol. I would never recommend it.
O! So far my dad is liking that SDS Tisas 45acp he purchased a month ago. I gotta say. I even love the rubber grips tgat Tisas puts on them. Feels dam good in the hands
Your example is the California edition, but the QD version has a decocker which is really nice, and it has the threaded barrel as well (that you can’t have in Commufornia).
My first pistol I bought it back in 2007 I think still have it and bought an update model in 2020 it’s fun to train with and take with you on dog walks or taking out the trash. I love this pistol especially in 9mm as well I’m an walther and Springfield fan.
I had a P22 several years ago (I regret selling it and will have another!) And I had the exact same issues out of the same Remington ammo that you used. I'm starting to think that the P22 itself just doesn't like Remington ammo!
Well I bought mine in 2003, a relatively early gun, and after approximately 2,000 rounds with very little cleaning i have had ZERO malfunctions...I love this gun and it's my constant companion around my 400 acre property....
Good evaluation as always. Don't underestimate the value of a good 22 in training a new shooter especially one with hand strength issues. I bought a Glock 44 specifically for that & it has served quite well. I also see it as a benefit that it runs really well with good ammo but with lesser ammo I get to practice malfunction drills; a lot. That said, I really don't like slide mounted safeties on anything so I never really looked at that Walther. You just confirmed what I suspected about it. On the Golden bullets, the only guns I have that will function with them are an old single shot Marlin(my first gun I've had since 8 years old) & my Ruger SP101 & Single Six revolvers. Every auto including my 10/22 has problems with them. I knew better than to try it but found out my Smith model 41 would bend the bullets trying to feed them into its match chamber. I finally shot the last of them that people had given me 7 or 8 years ago & refuse to buy more. As always, thanks for your video.
Used to carry 380, now Keltek P17 with CCI stingers only. Much much more comfortable to carry and easier to operate. I can easily shoot 4 rounds in 22 in the time to shoot 2 in the 380. I've had trouble with Remington 22LR in the pistol, and with a single action that's not cool at all. Just ordered my P22, will see how it goes. Thanks for the informative video.
Most .22 LR ammo measures .220 in diameter. Most of the CCI ammo, especially the CCI subsonic, measures .225. Makes it somewhat problematic for some semiautomatic .22s and even some .22 bolt actions rifles with a match chamber. I hunted squirrels with a sporterized Win 52-B one season using CCI subsonic HP ammo. It was difficult to chamber unless I used to bolt handle to push the round all the way straight into the chamber until it was fully seated and then turned the bolt handle down. Then it worked just fine. Another thing I discovered was that it was accurate enough to consistently make head shots out to at least 50 yds. Off the rack .22 rifles with a chamber of somewhat looser dimensions usually won't have that situation, but I don't have any .22 rifles like that so all of mine faced the same situation. A number of other hunters that I corresponded with reported the same situation and wouldn't use CCI ammo. I later switched to Wolf Match Target and bought a hollow point tool and made my own hunting ammo. It was superbly accurate even out the longer squirrel hunting distances and killed exceptionally well. The best and most accurate HV .22 ammo I used was Winchester PowerPoint, 40 gr HP. It would really do a job on a squirrel and was accurate enough to confine my shots to the head. Lots of difference between types of .22 ammo. You can't just run down to Mart Mart and pick up a box of whatever they have on the shelf and expect good results for hunting or anything other than shooting tin cans.
@@hrfunk With a handgun like you were testing here anything that would feed through it was good enough. I've owned and shot a bunch of ammo through some good .22 revolvers and even killed several squirrels and rabbits with them in the wild, but the only autoloader I've ever had is a .22 Colt Woodsman 6" from the late '40s that I inherited from my Pop. I still have it and it is about 95% condition. What I've always lusted for is a S&W M41. That just seems to strike me as a well built and probably very accurate target pistol with the right ammo.s Don't know why I never owned one except all my handgun money always went into revolvers in anything that started with 4. Especially .44 spcl.
I’ve had my P22 for over a decade. Still have it. It’s best used as a training aid for clearing malfunctions. Like you experienced, it tends to run well on CCI Stingers, but with most other brands of ammunition, it’s a predictable jam-o-matic. It’s been a safe queen most of its existence, but it comes out about once every leap year or two. Semper Fi
Outstanding review Howard . I am re thinking my EDC Firearm. shot placement is key so I am looking hard at the PSA 5.7x 28 Rock Pistol 25 Rounds , Highly accurate Firepower it hits harder than 9mm and the recoil is light and will penetrates soft body armor :) carrying 4 spare mags + 1 in the pistol 125 rounds total .
Hits harder than 9mm? No Not nearly..those things are measurable you know. No LE or military has ever been happy w real world 5.7 performance and they had better ammo than you. Hit harder in no metric and none that matter perhaps read some actual studies and real organic gel data.
I didn't have a 22LR pistol so I purchased one of these during covid when there wasn't too many options out there to choose from and because all other caliber ammo prices were pretty high during covid, I still wanted to still go to the range and it not cost a fortune to go. It was good for plinking at the range and to teach my daughters how to shoot when they came to the range with me. And now with talk of ammo shortages coming again in the near future, I'll probably be using it more when I do go to the range. It had a few hiccups using CCI Mini Mag 40grain but not horrible, good enough for a range plinking pistol.
I bought my P22 in late 2008 or early2009. It came with a short and long barrel. It is not a California model. It seems to be a better made model P22. I think I have fired 500- 600 rounds with the Remington rounds and had only 3 miss fires. I have yet to use the long target barrel. I guess I will have to try it out to see if it more accurate. I just like the feel of the short barrel so I have never felt the need to make it a target shooter. I failed to mention my P22 was sold by Smith and Wesson through my local dealer.
Thanks for the review. Several modern 22 pistols will run anything you put in them. Unfortunately this Walther isn't one of them. I wonder why they haven't improved this pistol, given the numerous reviews with problems. They make an outstanding 9mm handgun.
Tandemkross extractor and recoil assembly. Polishing and about 1000 rounds before mine was reliable. Ruger SR22 is similar and so much better. I would not recommend the CA version or a old version of this. The new updated is supposed to be better but again. Umarex a air gun manufacturer makes these. This is just a P.O.S for soda cans as you said.
It's basically a plinker, and a trainer for Walther .380 & 9 mm. models. The dealer suggested "Stinger" ammo, and it's worked well. Small lasers are available, boosting the fun factor.
Great review and here in Europe (where hunting is different than in the US) it is a great kill shot pistol for smaller game, for example animals caught with a live trap.
Ruger SR22 is the ticket for a DA/SA small .22LR... especially after adding the Galloway precision guide rod/spring which helps reliability across various loads even more
That looks COLD oh will be 90 here in Central Florida next week one day anyway. Too hot? But most days mid 80's. I like cooler weather native Floridian too. But not all the time. Our winter is maybe 3 months. If we hit 30 1X that would be something.
Nice demo. I had one of these briefly, but it was just kind of "meh". Mine shot really low, so I ended up swapping out the front sight. Finally I just sold it.
Darn, I wanted to like this pistol and to recommend it to two petite women with limited hand strength. But even with improvements in the current model problems persist. Thanks for the review. And thank the folks at HOP when you return it. PS: I did enjoy watching you shoot in inclement weather. "If it ain't raining it ain't training!"
Frank. I humbly suggest you look into the Taurus TX22 or TX22 compact. Plenty of reviews out there. I shoot mine a lot and all my friends wives adore it. Aside from my HK's it might be the most reliable semi auto pistol I own.
@@nathanhuxtable5758 Thanks, I am aware of it. However, I'm in California and have to comply with our Import Roster and its draconian limitations. This particular pistol HR was shooting was a CA complaint. This is new to us! I was excited to see it. The Taurus isn't on our Approved Roster.
I am not an expert im not a gun smith but i have one if these and a gsg firefly most 22lr pistols need a little work when new i like using a bit if valve lapping compound on the slide rails and working the action back and forth several hundred times then clean the weapon and see where it's at after that rhese guns almost always get cerekote or whatever they are using on the slide rails and this trick usually makes them run like butter
Shooting standard velocity ammo with a full mag makes for too much slide drag. Therein, your failures to fully cycle. I suggest high velocity 40gr, avoiding cheap bulk ammo. Another CCW option is Federal Punch 29gr flat point. Consider the Ruger SR-22. It is very similar to the P22 but far more reliable. The Ruger has a fully adjustable rear sight. Both are hammer fired DA/SA. The Ruger's decocker-safety drops the hammer and disconnects the trigger. It also has a magazine disconnector. No mag... Dead trigger. The safety is backwards in function to the 1911. IE: Up to shoot, down for safe. Unlike, the P22, the Ruger cycles almost any .22 LR ammo. Very accurate. Extremely light. More expensive than the Walther. Ask your dealer if they have one in stock.
For whatever reason mine seems to like Remington Golden bullets? I still have to go out and play with other variety's but it's mostly used for plinking.
I have had the same issues with my P22 CA. Tried 1130 FPS, 1250 FPS (full Mags) and could not get it to shoot consistently, Failure to extract & stove pipe. Sent it to manufacture tried again Issue not resolved. Walther recommends a fast round so I looked for the fastest I could find, CCI Stinger and Stanger @ 1460FPS. So now all I have to do is get to the range. Also, found a company that sells captured recoil spring, that whole thing with the dowel is a pain and also got a more aggressive extractor. So far I am disappointed with this pistol but yes it does feel good in the hand. Will make one change at a time to see which actually resolves the issue. I hope things work out. I have to say though I cannot recommend this gun. Maybe things will work out once it gets broken in. I don't like ammo specific guns!
I enjoy your videos. You always give an honest evaluation. I own a Walther PPQ .22. I bought it as a training handgun. My PPQ .22 is accurate and very dependable. I don't see many reviews on the PPQ.22 for some reason. Your thoughts that you should train with what you carry is correct and with that in mind, I will be looking to sell the PPQ.22. I just don't shoot it any more.
You couldn't have chosen a worse day for accuracy testing. The wind was moving your target. As for the Walther P22 I didn't keep mine long, due to its unreliable function. I replaced it with a Glock 44 that's been ultra reliable. However it prefers hi-velocity which is OK as it's the cheap stuff..The rimfire handgun is an older K-22 masterpiece.
Hey HR, I was interested to see you wearing an olive drab M-65 field jacket. They stopped making the green ones back in the seventies, if I recall. I started wearing these back in 1970, when I had long hair, and I still do--minus the hair! So does my younger son, who wears my old one that somehow shrank over the years. Now, the O. D. jackets are made in China. Dang. --Old Guy
The one I’m wearing is actually an Austrian military surplus jacket. It’s slightly different than an M-65, but I like it all the same. It’s been a great jacket. I bought it several years ago from Midway USA for $35.
it seems like it would make a good dry firing gun if it wasn't rimfire because you can keep the safety on and still shoots but you could keep snap caps in it so it won't be damaged
Good morning HR. Your results with the pistol mirror mine when I had one. It wasn't long before I traded it off. For it's purpose, loaded with Stingers it might work on water bottle desperados at close range.😂
Thanks for the honest review, loads of detail and information. I didnt catch however, if this is for a first gen p22 or for the new and (claimedto be) improved p22Q?
Fantastic review/ analysis of this pistol. Well done. Could you do a similar analysis of similar pistols; Taurus tx22, Ruger sr22, ruger 22/45, glock44, etc. Thanks
There are Real Walthers and then there are Umerex made down the street in airsoft factory but branded Walthers....literally different factories. P22 and pk380 or whatever they are called is Umerex. PPQ 22 is real Walther all the other Walthers are real
If someone can’t tell if the safety is in the on or off position, that’s not the guns fault. That’s not a flaw, it’s lack of training like with any other pistol.
My bigger Walther P22 was ammo picky too. I do agree the safety thing will throw people off especially during a stressful situation. I will say that the one time I dealt with Walther customer aervice it was great. I bought my P22 used, it had the compositor on it. I took my grandkids shooting after 200 rounds the compositor flew off. I contacted them and within 3 weeks got it back, they spent more fixing it then I did buying it. They even replaced other parts. Thanks for the review during a storm...LOL
After I broke my p22 past 50 rounds cleaned it I realized 1 clip was giving me issues switched to the 1 clip and I can run federal cheap bulk ammo with 0 issues so far 650 rounds in and 0 problems
Anyone else click the "like" before they even watch the video? I mean, you know it's going to be good. Love the inclement weather shooting, never a bad day for the range!
In another video, he purposely runs 20 rounds of 5 types of ammo through the gun, at which point it is functioning perfectly, and digesting many types including the light hollow point goldens flawlessly. As to the safety...if you drill and practice -as you should - you can build the check into your routine.
I would think, if a person incorporated checking the safety in the fire position to his or her failure drill, it could minimise the short coming that you experienced. Just my two cents and worth everything you paid for it, LOL...
Thanks HR. I agree with you on the ammo...the .22 LR pistols are fussy. I tried a lot with mine and it seems to like CCI mini mag, CCI tactical and Fiocchi Field Dynamic best ( all over 1200 FPS) I tried all the others and they are OK but the Remington and Winchester 32 gr it does not like....so my 10/22 ate them. My SR 22 is the same size as my Max9. I use the .22 mostly for training. I did use it last year for Steel Challenge and it did fine. When new I had few miss fires. Now I have over 5000 round through it and I can't remember the last time it hiccoughed.
I only run CCI mini-mags and my malfunctions are relatively rare. Out of 730 rounds of mini-mags, I had about 2 recorded malfunctions: failure to fire. I do think this one wants HV over standard velocity bulk pack. I think the later P22Q revisions with the captured recoil spring are also more reliable than the earlier ones. Accuracy is pretty acceptable, close to what you achieved.
I still view this pistol as a trainer for a beginner to gain confidence to work up to a centerfire option - and it's good at that in my experience. Since it's lightweight and small, most beginners take to it pretty quickly and it feels close to a modern polymer pistol from the way it handles. For those of us stuck in handgun roster states the P22 was one of the few .22 polymer semiauto choices we could get for a while. In a free state, it's not a very appealing option.
I recently purchased a P22Q Military model and have been testing ammo. I have found that cci standard 1070 fps does not fully cycle the pistol with a full mag. It does show very good accuracy. I tested Aquila super extra 1130 fps and this ammo refused to feed at all. Next, I tried Federal auto match 1200 fps - bingo!!! this stuff runs well and shows very good accuracy. I tested CCi mini mag 40gr. segmented hollow point with mixed results. This ammo has trouble feeding from the mag when fully loaded. I am convinced it is a mag problem and not a pistol problem. As I shoot this more the pistol is starting to run much better, and I think a long brake in period will smooth this out.
The only ammo I found in mine that runs well is Winchester White Box and cci stinger. Walther told me in an email, they do NOT recommend ANY Aquila ammo. During the 33 ammo crunch Aquila was the only stuff available
Another outstanding review. Thanks for braving the cold weather again. 😃
I purchased Walther P22 for my 12 year old. It's a great gun for training and plinking. The safety allows for dry firing without damaging striker.
The P22 has the looks, and I like the DA/SA hammer fired option (rare in 2024), but the construction and materials is junk.
Zinc alloy slide and cheap plastic receiver isn't confidence inspiring.
My Smith Wesson MP compact has been rock solid and it has an aluminum alloy slide.
Not a fan of the plastic hinged trigger, but reliability trumps that.
It makes a good trainer for the PK380 model perhaps? Not well reviewed but is sometimes inexpensive.
I’ve never had a problem with mine very accurate never jams
What brand of ammo do you use? Mine jams, not as bad as in this review; but, multiple times at the range.
I grinded and polished my hammer on my P22 , now only use CCI ammo and have no issues on my gun anymore. One reason for the jams was the the slide getting caught on the hammer and slightly slowing down the slide which makes it hard for bullet casing to eject properly.
I love my .22 . Highly accurate, easy to use, i have a 2.3 sec relaxed reload speed and could probably be quicker if i really tried .
Good! I hope it continues to run well for you.
I hated my P22 CA, all kinds of problems. After 500 rounds "breaking in", it became my most favorite 22 for Plinking. I shoot steel at 25 yards, 4, 6, 8 inch targets. I changed the spring, changed to hiviz optic sight. I love my P22 now, very happy, mine loves cheap Aguila 38gr, super extra :-) . Ton of fun :-) ❤❤❤❤❤
Man your tuff enough that's for sure...Brrrr...hey try to get a hold of the same pistol in magnum if you can ..
It's a different beast for sure. Appreciate all you honest work.
Thanks. I’ll keep an eye out for one.
I have feeding issues with the Remington Golden rounds in a new TX22 Compact. These rounds cycle fine in Ruger and Browning .22 pistols but no so much in the Taurus, which cycles everything else I have put through it. Thanks for the informative video HR. Good Easter to you .
You're welcome. Thanks for watching.
Great video! I think the primary use for the P22 is as a Kit Gun....something for your pocket while doing outdoor activities. I also wonder if the frequent malfunctions you had were due to a combination of low-velocity ammo (these type of guns prefer the HV type) and it being a CA-compliant model (does anything CA-compliant work right?). If you compared it to a current model P22Q, would it fare as well?
I'll just stick with my Taurus TX22 and Ruger LCPII. These have been excellent carry companions. And, .22lr for self defense is similar to carrying a foot-long icepick that can stab perps at 10yds multiple times....don't see anyone wanting to be stabbed by one.
Every time I see a semi auto 22LR
I'm constantly amazed how good my TX22 and 1022 are. Ive had 2 FTF with the Taurus in 1200 rounds of m22 and armscor. I even bought a target upper for it. Looks buck Roger's as all get out! But its easy to field strip, the magazines are excellent, it has great ergos, and the trigger is better than avg.
Thanks for doing this video in the poor weather conditions. From a self-defense standpoint, I think would rather carry that pot you used to cook the chili. It's probably bulletproof and delivers a real punch. All the best!
TBH, your groups are pretty good for seven yards in that weather. I considered the P22 because Why Not at that price point, but I can get better plinkers for just a little more $. If I had a bunch of other .22 guns and was looking for just another to add to the collection I would get this knowing I'd buy upgrades and spend time tuning it, but I'm not there yet. Great vid!
Thank you!
Using CCI Stingers my P22 functions well. Teaching my son to shoot it, I grabbed some Win. Wildcat LRs from the safe, big mistake, frequent failures to feed and extract. Wildcats were older but stored properly, and cycle others without issue. With the right ammo, it works well for new shooters and plinking (same for the Heritage 22LR wheel gun purchased specifically for instruction)
It's interesting that you shot it much better in defensive drills than when shooting for accuracy. IMO the P22 is a "plinker" and for a fun day of shooting tin cans and the like it fits the bill perfectly. It could be useful for teaching basic shooting skills, especially to women and young people who would later transition to centerfire handguns.
Thank you for the great review and for braving the weather that blew through here (Colorado) too. I love shooting 22lr pistols that actually function. I owned a PK380 for a while until some much better 380 acp options were released. I also bought a P22 2nd gen with the extra Picattiney slots to help me practice the manual of arms more inexpensively with 22. I no longer own either of those pistols. I did get enough for them used to clear out some of the bad taste in my mouth towards Walther. The Ruger SR22 is a much better option even though it costs about $150 more new. It has a better manual safety, US style mag release and better sights from my experience. Mine was not particularly ammo friendly towards the most easy to find ammo either so even though I liked it better than the P22, it's gone too. I still own a TX22, Beretta M9 22lr, Ruger Mark IV and the awesome Ruger LCP II 22lr. Using that last one for a backup/pocket gun self defense option with CCI Stingers or Velocitors is very viable.
Starting to remember why I sold mine.
I have the P22 and like it. It's setup is a little different than other with the mag release, etc. I use Federal Punch for my EDC. It functions well and is very accurate. Otherwise at the range it is CCI.
Involuntary safety engagement is another issue I had to have addressed when I RMA'd the P22Q for a cracked slide. The hammer block would engage after a few rounds. I could see the safety lever start to fall into the safe position during a course of fire. Also, the plastic front sights can fall off because they pinched in to the zinc frame. The P22Q likes hot ammo to run reliably, but it materials just can't hold up. Now, this has been my experience with this pistol. I would never recommend it.
That sounds kind of like what I would expect.
I have had mine for 10 years. It is the most picky in regard to ammo selection. I have other 22 pistols which are nearly flawless. Nice review.
Thank you!
O! So far my dad is liking that SDS Tisas 45acp he purchased a month ago. I gotta say. I even love the rubber grips tgat Tisas puts on them. Feels dam good in the hands
I have the P22Q and I only shoot CCI Mini-Mags. Never had a problem. I now have a compensatior on it and it shoots extremely well.
I got one a couple years ago. I have not had the dange issues you did. Running federal American silencer, with a shusher and it runs reliably.
Your example is the California edition, but the QD version has a decocker which is really nice, and it has the threaded barrel as well (that you can’t have in Commufornia).
If the QD version is still in production, it does not appear on the Walther website.
My first pistol I bought it back in 2007 I think still have it and bought an update model in 2020 it’s fun to train with and take with you on dog walks or taking out the trash. I love this pistol especially in 9mm as well I’m an walther and Springfield fan.
I had a P22 several years ago (I regret selling it and will have another!) And I had the exact same issues out of the same Remington ammo that you used. I'm starting to think that the P22 itself just doesn't like Remington ammo!
I think you’re right.
Well I bought mine in 2003, a relatively early gun, and after approximately 2,000 rounds with very little cleaning i have had ZERO malfunctions...I love this gun and it's my constant companion around my 400 acre property....
Good. I hope it continues to serve you well. Thanks for watching.
Good evaluation as always. Don't underestimate the value of a good 22 in training a new shooter especially one with hand strength issues. I bought a Glock 44 specifically for that & it has served quite well. I also see it as a benefit that it runs really well with good ammo but with lesser ammo I get to practice malfunction drills; a lot. That said, I really don't like slide mounted safeties on anything so I never really looked at that Walther. You just confirmed what I suspected about it.
On the Golden bullets, the only guns I have that will function with them are an old single shot Marlin(my first gun I've had since 8 years old) & my Ruger SP101 & Single Six revolvers. Every auto including my 10/22 has problems with them. I knew better than to try it but found out my Smith model 41 would bend the bullets trying to feed them into its match chamber. I finally shot the last of them that people had given me 7 or 8 years ago & refuse to buy more. As always, thanks for your video.
You are most welcome. Thanks for watching!
Used to carry 380, now Keltek P17 with CCI stingers only. Much much more comfortable to carry and easier to operate. I can easily shoot 4 rounds in 22 in the time to shoot 2 in the 380. I've had trouble with Remington 22LR in the pistol, and with a single action that's not cool at all. Just ordered my P22, will see how it goes. Thanks for the informative video.
Most .22 LR ammo measures .220 in diameter. Most of the CCI ammo, especially the CCI subsonic, measures .225. Makes it somewhat problematic for some semiautomatic .22s and even some .22 bolt actions rifles with a match chamber. I hunted squirrels with a sporterized Win 52-B one season using CCI subsonic HP ammo. It was difficult to chamber unless I used to bolt handle to push the round all the way straight into the chamber until it was fully seated and then turned the bolt handle down. Then it worked just fine. Another thing I discovered was that it was accurate enough to consistently make head shots out to at least 50 yds. Off the rack .22 rifles with a chamber of somewhat looser dimensions usually won't have that situation, but I don't have any .22 rifles like that so all of mine faced the same situation. A number of other hunters that I corresponded with reported the same situation and wouldn't use CCI ammo. I later switched to Wolf Match Target and bought a hollow point tool and made my own hunting ammo. It was superbly accurate even out the longer squirrel hunting distances and killed exceptionally well. The best and most accurate HV .22 ammo I used was Winchester PowerPoint, 40 gr HP. It would really do a job on a squirrel and was accurate enough to confine my shots to the head. Lots of difference between types of .22 ammo. You can't just run down to Mart Mart and pick up a box of whatever they have on the shelf and expect good results for hunting or anything other than shooting tin cans.
That's why I took three different types of ammo to test in the P22. Fortunately, the Stingers ran well.
@@hrfunk With a handgun like you were testing here anything that would feed through it was good enough. I've owned and shot a bunch of ammo through some good .22 revolvers and even killed several squirrels and rabbits with them in the wild, but the only autoloader I've ever had is a .22 Colt Woodsman 6" from the late '40s that I inherited from my Pop. I still have it and it is about 95% condition. What I've always lusted for is a S&W M41. That just seems to strike me as a well built and probably very accurate target pistol with the right ammo.s Don't know why I never owned one except all my handgun money always went into revolvers in anything that started with 4. Especially .44 spcl.
I’ve had my P22 for over a decade. Still have it. It’s best used as a training aid for clearing malfunctions. Like you experienced, it tends to run well on CCI Stingers, but with most other brands of ammunition, it’s a predictable jam-o-matic. It’s been a safe queen most of its existence, but it comes out about once every leap year or two.
Semper Fi
Semper Fi!
Outstanding review Howard . I am re thinking my EDC Firearm. shot placement is key so I am looking hard at the PSA 5.7x 28 Rock Pistol 25 Rounds , Highly accurate Firepower it hits harder than 9mm and the recoil is light and will penetrates soft body armor :) carrying 4 spare mags + 1 in the pistol 125 rounds total .
Hits harder than 9mm? No Not nearly..those things are measurable you know. No LE or military has ever been happy w real world 5.7 performance and they had better ammo than you. Hit harder in no metric and none that matter perhaps read some actual studies and real organic gel data.
I didn't have a 22LR pistol so I purchased one of these during covid when there wasn't too many options out there to choose from and because all other caliber ammo prices were pretty high during covid, I still wanted to still go to the range and it not cost a fortune to go. It was good for plinking at the range and to teach my daughters how to shoot when they came to the range with me. And now with talk of ammo shortages coming again in the near future, I'll probably be using it more when I do go to the range. It had a few hiccups using CCI Mini Mag 40grain but not horrible, good enough for a range plinking pistol.
I bought my P22 in late 2008 or early2009. It came with a short and long barrel. It is not a California model. It seems to be a better made model P22. I think I have fired 500- 600 rounds with the Remington rounds and had only 3 miss fires. I have yet to use the long target barrel. I guess I will have to try it out to see if it more accurate. I just like the feel of the short barrel so I have never felt the need to make it a target shooter. I failed to mention my P22 was sold by Smith and Wesson through my local dealer.
I think S&W manufactured them for Walther back in those days. I’m not sure who’s making them now.
Thanks for the review. Several modern 22 pistols will run anything you put in them. Unfortunately this Walther isn't one of them. I wonder why they haven't improved this pistol, given the numerous reviews with problems. They make an outstanding 9mm handgun.
I wonder the same thing.
Tandemkross extractor and recoil assembly. Polishing and about 1000 rounds before mine was reliable. Ruger SR22 is similar and so much better. I would not recommend the CA version or a old version of this. The new updated is supposed to be better but again. Umarex a air gun manufacturer makes these. This is just a P.O.S for soda cans as you said.
It's basically a plinker, and a trainer for Walther .380 & 9 mm. models. The dealer suggested "Stinger" ammo, and it's worked well. Small lasers are available, boosting the fun factor.
Great review and here in Europe (where hunting is different than in the US) it is a great kill shot pistol for smaller game, for example animals caught with a live trap.
Aguila super extra is all I've ever used in mine and it works perfectly.
Good evening, HRFUNK and family. Not to bad of a 22. I'm kinda thinking about purchasing a 22 hand gun. Thinking about a kel tac. 🤷 don't know yet
I'm glad I got a QD model while they were available. Or maybe not... I haven't taken it to the range yet.
Best of luck.
😃😃😃 I bought one of those for the sole purpose of practicing clearing malfunctions with weak ammo. I still haven't gotten around to it
I would imagine any of the CCI "Hyper Velocity" ammo would cycle better. Ive got a tiny pocket pistol and it also functions best with "Stingers"
A possible issue with the P22 is that more potent ammo in the P22 is going to put added stress on the zinc alloy slide.
@hrfunk Wearing out the slide may also help😅 Call it broken in!
Ruger SR22 is the ticket for a DA/SA small .22LR... especially after adding the Galloway precision guide rod/spring which helps reliability across various loads even more
Its literally the same gun ... Like the sw99 is the same
Remington "Golden Bullets" are a "Golden pain in the..." when using my P22CA. CCI Mini-Mags are tried-and true product for all my LR22 needs>
That looks COLD oh will be 90 here in Central Florida next week one day anyway. Too hot? But most days mid 80's. I like cooler weather native Floridian too. But not all the time. Our winter is maybe 3 months. If we hit 30 1X that would be something.
Ha, gets a might cooler than that here.
Nice demo. I had one of these briefly, but it was just kind of "meh". Mine shot really low, so I ended up swapping out the front sight. Finally I just sold it.
Darn, I wanted to like this pistol and to recommend it to two petite women with limited hand strength. But even with improvements in the current model problems persist. Thanks for the review. And thank the folks at HOP when you return it. PS: I did enjoy watching you shoot in inclement weather. "If it ain't raining it ain't training!"
Frank. I humbly suggest you look into the Taurus TX22 or TX22 compact. Plenty of reviews out there. I shoot mine a lot and all my friends wives adore it. Aside from my HK's it might be the most reliable semi auto pistol I own.
@@nathanhuxtable5758 Thanks, I am aware of it. However, I'm in California and have to comply with our Import Roster and its draconian limitations. This particular pistol HR was shooting was a CA complaint. This is new to us! I was excited to see it. The Taurus isn't on our Approved Roster.
@@frankhinkle5772 im in NewYorkistan and the 10rnd version is acceptable to the crown here. I forgot you guys have the roster
Recole spring to heavey slide not comming back
Good review Howard and an honest review ! That’s why I like your channel better than others , you tell it like it is and we appreciate that!
Thank you Jay!
Nice video! You a better man than I shooting in that weather. Thanks for taking one for the team! A dedicated 22LR pistol is not in my future.
nice video. me and my partner are excited to pick up their P22 at the end of the week 🎉
I replaced the recoil spring with a captive one and I haven't had any issues with several brands of ammo including hollow points.
Good! I hope it continues to run well for you!
I am not an expert im not a gun smith but i have one if these and a gsg firefly most 22lr pistols need a little work when new i like using a bit if valve lapping compound on the slide rails and working the action back and forth several hundred times then clean the weapon and see where it's at after that rhese guns almost always get cerekote or whatever they are using on the slide rails and this trick usually makes them run like butter
Great content, delivery, and style. As a Floridian, I greatly appreciate you braving the elements for this video.
Shooting standard velocity ammo with a full mag makes for too much slide drag. Therein, your failures to fully cycle. I suggest high velocity 40gr, avoiding cheap bulk ammo. Another CCW option is Federal Punch 29gr flat point. Consider the Ruger SR-22. It is very similar to the P22 but far more reliable. The Ruger has a fully adjustable rear sight. Both are hammer fired DA/SA. The Ruger's decocker-safety drops the hammer and disconnects the trigger. It also has a magazine disconnector. No mag... Dead trigger. The safety is backwards in function to the 1911. IE: Up to shoot, down for safe. Unlike, the P22, the Ruger cycles almost any .22 LR ammo. Very accurate. Extremely light. More expensive than the Walther. Ask your dealer if they have one in stock.
Maybe I will. Stay tuned!
I had failure to eject issues. Would sometimes have to pry out the spent casings. Good news is Walther's customer service. They addressed it quickly.
I use CCI Mini Mags Brass Tips, no problems. A lot of other 22LR’s just doesn’t work well.
It seems the Stinger ammo runs pretty well too.
For whatever reason mine seems to like Remington Golden bullets? I still have to go out and play with other variety's but it's mostly used for plinking.
I have had the same issues with my P22 CA. Tried 1130 FPS, 1250 FPS (full Mags) and could not get it to shoot consistently, Failure to extract & stove pipe. Sent it to manufacture tried again Issue not resolved. Walther recommends a fast round so I looked for the fastest I could find, CCI Stinger and Stanger @ 1460FPS. So now all I have to do is get to the range. Also, found a company that sells captured recoil spring, that whole thing with the dowel is a pain and also got a more aggressive extractor. So far I am disappointed with this pistol but yes it does feel good in the hand. Will make one change at a time to see which actually resolves the issue. I hope things work out. I have to say though I cannot recommend this gun. Maybe things will work out once it gets broken in. I don't like ammo specific guns!
I enjoy your videos. You always give an honest evaluation.
I own a Walther PPQ .22. I bought it as a training handgun.
My PPQ .22 is accurate and very dependable.
I don't see many reviews on the PPQ.22 for some reason.
Your thoughts that you should train with what you carry is correct and with that in mind, I will be looking to sell the PPQ.22. I just don't shoot it any more.
Nor do I. Maybe if I can get my hands on one, I'll review it. Thanks for watching!
You couldn't have chosen a worse day for accuracy testing. The wind was moving your target. As for the Walther P22 I didn't keep mine long, due to its unreliable function. I replaced it with a Glock 44 that's been ultra reliable. However it prefers hi-velocity which is OK as it's the cheap stuff..The rimfire handgun is an older K-22 masterpiece.
The best rimfire handgun is the K-22 masterpiece, the older ones for sure.
Hey HR, I was interested to see you wearing an olive drab M-65 field jacket. They stopped making the green ones back in the seventies, if I recall. I started wearing these back in 1970, when I had long hair, and I still do--minus the hair! So does my younger son, who wears my old one that somehow shrank over the years. Now, the O. D. jackets are made in China. Dang. --Old Guy
The one I’m wearing is actually an Austrian military surplus jacket. It’s slightly different than an M-65, but I like it all the same. It’s been a great jacket. I bought it several years ago from Midway USA for $35.
it seems like it would make a good dry firing gun if it wasn't rimfire because you can keep the safety on and still shoots but you could keep snap caps in it so it won't be damaged
I've tried rem, federal, and cci. CCI is the only brand that didn't give me any issues.
If HOP can get you a PD380 or PDP in 9mm it’s place in the Walther lineup may become more clear. I’m a fan of the 2a to 1a semi pistol configuration.
Good morning HR. Your results with the pistol mirror mine when I had one. It wasn't long before I traded it off. For it's purpose, loaded with Stingers it might work on water bottle desperados at close range.😂
Thanks for the honest review, loads of detail and information. I didnt catch however, if this is for a first gen p22 or for the new and (claimedto be) improved p22Q?
New&improved.
I don’t know why ammo companies don’t copy CCI more. I don’t bother with anything else with pistols
Fantastic review/ analysis of this pistol. Well done. Could you do a similar analysis of similar pistols; Taurus tx22, Ruger sr22, ruger 22/45, glock44, etc. Thanks
I've got one on the TX22, but I don't recall evaluating any of the others (yet).
There are Real Walthers and then there are Umerex made down the street in airsoft factory but branded Walthers....literally different factories. P22 and pk380 or whatever they are called is Umerex. PPQ 22 is real Walther all the other Walthers are real
Unless I’m mistaken, Umarex owns Walther.
@hrfunk yes but Like towns next to each other....certain 22 and 380 pistols too I believe made in the Umerex plant not Walther plant.
If someone can’t tell if the safety is in the on or off position, that’s not the guns fault. That’s not a flaw, it’s lack of training like with any other pistol.
Nice review. I appreciate your honest and learned opinion as always.
problem with the p22 is not your ammo. it is hammer touching the slide when it recycle
Good review as always.
Try a Glock 44, S&W M&P 22 Compact, or Taurus TX22 compact.
The G44 has been flawless.
Mine work good the firts time the second time got different ammo and jam everytime
My bigger Walther P22 was ammo picky too. I do agree the safety thing will throw people off especially during a stressful situation.
I will say that the one time I dealt with Walther customer aervice it was great. I bought my P22 used, it had the compositor on it. I took my grandkids shooting after 200 rounds the compositor flew off. I contacted them and within 3 weeks got it back, they spent more fixing it then I did buying it. They even replaced other parts.
Thanks for the review during a storm...LOL
Paul Harrell had a wonderful video on "experts" like this guy.
I have never claimed to be an expert.
I am sure that wind pushing on you didn't help but looks like you dealt with it pretty well.
After I broke my p22 past 50 rounds cleaned it I realized 1 clip was giving me issues switched to the 1 clip and I can run federal cheap bulk ammo with 0 issues so far 650 rounds in and 0 problems
HR,
Have you reviewed the KelTex P17? If not, I recommend both the pistol and that you review it.
I have not reviewed one. I’ll keep an eye out.
I have this pistol. Mine runs fine. My guess is that the issue was a bad magazine.
First the Desert Eagle and now the P22. Are there any other useless pistols?
Let me tell you about a little number called the "Grendel."
@@hrfunk Just read about it on Wikipedia. Yep, it looks pretty damn useless.
i really want to love the walther p22 , looks cool but its total dog dust. ppl say it runs just fine with cci ONLY, then in their demo it doesnt work.
Thanks for another good video. If you have a chance try a Ruger SR22 in my opinion a much better pistol.
Hail yes !
Is this a good backup gun
Not for me.
Anyone else click the "like" before they even watch the video? I mean, you know it's going to be good. Love the inclement weather shooting, never a bad day for the range!
Good morning HR
Good morning!
sums it up pretty well... only "purpose" is plinking... it's a 22...
But is it a tack driver?
The conditions were too bad to give it a fair try.
In another video, he purposely runs 20 rounds of 5 types of ammo through the gun, at which point it is functioning perfectly, and digesting many types including the light hollow point goldens flawlessly. As to the safety...if you drill and practice -as you should - you can build the check into your routine.
Shooting in a blizzard! Good video!
Hehehehe. Miserable conditions to shoot in. Oh , wait. You are an old Leatherneck. You are used to it. Great vid as usual.
I would think, if a person incorporated checking the safety in the fire position to his or her failure drill, it could minimise the short coming that you experienced. Just my two cents and worth everything you paid for it, LOL...
Pretty much all .22lr semiauto firearms are ammo picky. The Remington ammo is terrible, I've even had issues with a lever action.
That ammo seems to be very "lot dependent." Sometimes it seems to run just fine. other times, not so much.
Mine likes MiniMags