New 22

optyks · 07-31-2010, 12:33 PM

Went and bought myself a new (used) P22 this week. Have shot 400 rounds through it so far, and it has worked flawlessly! Been using CCI mini mags mainly. No issues at all.

At the range yesterday, i had a guy come up to me who'd been shooting a 460 magnum, 357 magnum, and a modified AR15, and that he wanted to try this little gun out. He'd heard of them but never shot them.
Took a few shots and LOVED it. Wants to buy himself one now.

After that... he let me shoot off a few 30 cal rounds from his AR with red dot sight.

I love that gun.

Anyway, just puttin a positive word in about this little P22

Also, does anyone know if it's necessary to have the barrel wrench and the little plastic spring guide to clean the gun (other than running a bore snake through the barrel?)? I don't have these pieces, didn't come with the gun, so i'm curious as to what I should do.

Sc0tt · 07-31-2010, 02:17 PM

i usually take the barrel out of mine to clean it, so in my case the barrel nut wrench is a must. S&W should be able to get you one relatively cheap. if not, there's some guy on ebay selling machined stainless ones for like $15 0r $20. pricey, but they look nice

the spring guide is useless to me after reading how to reassemble the gun on these forums. simply put the guide rod through the spring, and put the guide rod through the hole in the slide as far as you can. grip the end of the guide rod that's sticking out the front, and put the slide back on the frame while holding the guide rod. it takes a few tries, but once you get it, it's so much easier than using that plastic POS.

Sc0tt · 07-31-2010, 02:18 PM

oh------and welcome to the forum!!!

Chris J · 07-31-2010, 09:42 PM

I am a new P22 owner also, and have to say it is a fun gun and works pretty well. Only problems were some misfeeds early on but that's gone away after about 500 rounds.

Regarding the barrel wrench, is it possible you have a California gun (as I do)? CA guns don't have a removable barrel. Anyway, you shouldn't need to remove the barrel to clean it, and I can't see any real advantage to doing so. A regular cleaning rod will go right through from the breech after the slide is removed.

If the gun is new you should have got a spring guide with it, but it doesn't work well anyway. Much easier to put the gun together as Scott describes.

optyks · 07-31-2010, 10:01 PM

Gun isn't new. I bought it at a Cash America, although it looks like I've shot it more now than it has been since it was manufactured. Theres more wear now.

I don't have the cali version, so i do have a removable barrel and all that. Only reason I asked is because it feels a little loose and I don't know if thats a safety problem.

Thanks for the replies, I'll have to check out the tutorial you referred to, Scott.

bigfatdave · 07-31-2010, 10:05 PM

You'll want a barrel wrench in the long run, at a minimum to remove the barrel nut to clean and loc-tite it into place. Mine would come loose after a few thousand rounds until I did that.
You can get away with a padded mini vise-grip if you can't get a wrench, but I'd think S&W/WaltherUSA would send you a wrench for a very small price, possibly free if you ask nicely and tell them how much you like your p22 first.

The spring guide can be done without, any cylindrical/tubular object of about the right size can fill in for it, I use a section of cleaning rod when I don't use the pull-through method described above.

I'd guess you're missing the stupid internal lock's key as well, don't mess with the ILS and you'll be fine, or ask for one when you call about the barrel nut wrench.

Our p22 likes minimags, fed550 bulk, win555 bulk, and that's about it. Stick to high-velocity plated rounds and keep track of what it doesn't like, and you'll have a fine plinker if not a serious target gun.

optyks · 08-01-2010, 12:24 AM

I successfully finagled the rod into place after stripping and cleaning it. It was a PITA, took ten or 15 minutes, but I got it. Probably in a much more complicated manner than how you guys are referring, since it was my first time and didn't have a clue as to what to do.

As for the barrel wrench, i don't see how i couldnt get one for free, really. It's just a small piece of flat metal, i could probably convince some metal shop to carve a piece of scrap metal for a few pennies.

As for ammo... those other brands will feed and fire just as well as the CCIs? if so, whats the price difference?

bigfatdave · 08-01-2010, 12:46 AM

I can find federal 550 bulk at the nearest WalMart (I hate WM, but their ammo prices are hard to beat) for about $19 for a box of 550, the Winchester 555 is about the same.

And no, they aren't quite as nice as the minimags, but cheap shooting wins out in my case. The fed550 runs pretty clean, as a bonus.

I was pondering the barrel wrench, and I bet that you could have one fabricated if you had a friend with metalworking tools ... perhaps someone remembers the dimensions?

07-31-2010, 12:33 PM	#1
optyks Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3	New 22 Went and bought myself a new (used) P22 this week. Have shot 400 rounds through it so far, and it has worked flawlessly! Been using CCI mini mags mainly. No issues at all. At the range yesterday, i had a guy come up to me who'd been shooting a 460 magnum, 357 magnum, and a modified AR15, and that he wanted to try this little gun out. He'd heard of them but never shot them. Took a few shots and LOVED it. Wants to buy himself one now. After that... he let me shoot off a few 30 cal rounds from his AR with red dot sight. I love that gun. Anyway, just puttin a positive word in about this little P22 Also, does anyone know if it's necessary to have the barrel wrench and the little plastic spring guide to clean the gun (other than running a bore snake through the barrel?)? I don't have these pieces, didn't come with the gun, so i'm curious as to what I should do.

07-31-2010, 02:17 PM	#2
Sc0tt Supporting Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Stockholm, NJ Posts: 287	i usually take the barrel out of mine to clean it, so in my case the barrel nut wrench is a must. S&W should be able to get you one relatively cheap. if not, there's some guy on ebay selling machined stainless ones for like $15 0r $20. pricey, but they look nice the spring guide is useless to me after reading how to reassemble the gun on these forums. simply put the guide rod through the spring, and put the guide rod through the hole in the slide as far as you can. grip the end of the guide rod that's sticking out the front, and put the slide back on the frame while holding the guide rod. it takes a few tries, but once you get it, it's so much easier than using that plastic POS. __________________ Walther P99 QA .40 Walther P22 desert camo Walther P22 nickel slide HK P30L V3 9mm Beretta CX4 Storm .40 Benelli Supersport 12Ga. Browning Gold Hunter 12 Ga. Mossberg 500A 12 Ga. Marlin Mod.50 12 Ga. bolt--damn thats a LONG gun!!! Marlin 60SS .22LR Marlin 883SS .22 mag White "G" series .504 caliber Muzzleloader Savage Model 10 Precision Carbine .308

07-31-2010, 02:18 PM	#3
Sc0tt Supporting Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Stockholm, NJ Posts: 287	oh------and welcome to the forum!!! __________________ Walther P99 QA .40 Walther P22 desert camo Walther P22 nickel slide HK P30L V3 9mm Beretta CX4 Storm .40 Benelli Supersport 12Ga. Browning Gold Hunter 12 Ga. Mossberg 500A 12 Ga. Marlin Mod.50 12 Ga. bolt--damn thats a LONG gun!!! Marlin 60SS .22LR Marlin 883SS .22 mag White "G" series .504 caliber Muzzleloader Savage Model 10 Precision Carbine .308

07-31-2010, 10:05 PM	#6
bigfatdave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: flyover country - ohio Posts: 492	You'll want a barrel wrench in the long run, at a minimum to remove the barrel nut to clean and loc-tite it into place. Mine would come loose after a few thousand rounds until I did that. You can get away with a padded mini vise-grip if you can't get a wrench, but I'd think S&W/WaltherUSA would send you a wrench for a very small price, possibly free if you ask nicely and tell them how much you like your p22 first. The spring guide can be done without, any cylindrical/tubular object of about the right size can fill in for it, I use a section of cleaning rod when I don't use the pull-through method described above. I'd guess you're missing the stupid internal lock's key as well, don't mess with the ILS and you'll be fine, or ask for one when you call about the barrel nut wrench. Our p22 likes minimags, fed550 bulk, win555 bulk, and that's about it. Stick to high-velocity plated rounds and keep track of what it doesn't like, and you'll have a fine plinker if not a serious target gun. __________________ P22 ... P1 ... PPS-9mm Two of the finest firearms I've fired, and a .22 too!

08-01-2010, 12:46 AM	#8
bigfatdave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: flyover country - ohio Posts: 492	I can find federal 550 bulk at the nearest WalMart (I hate WM, but their ammo prices are hard to beat) for about $19 for a box of 550, the Winchester 555 is about the same. And no, they aren't quite as nice as the minimags, but cheap shooting wins out in my case. The fed550 runs pretty clean, as a bonus. I was pondering the barrel wrench, and I bet that you could have one fabricated if you had a friend with metalworking tools ... perhaps someone remembers the dimensions? __________________ P22 ... P1 ... PPS-9mm Two of the finest firearms I've fired, and a .22 too!

07-31-2010, 09:42 PM	#4
Chris J Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 1	I am a new P22 owner also, and have to say it is a fun gun and works pretty well. Only problems were some misfeeds early on but that's gone away after about 500 rounds. Regarding the barrel wrench, is it possible you have a California gun (as I do)? CA guns don't have a removable barrel. Anyway, you shouldn't need to remove the barrel to clean it, and I can't see any real advantage to doing so. A regular cleaning rod will go right through from the breech after the slide is removed. If the gun is new you should have got a spring guide with it, but it doesn't work well anyway. Much easier to put the gun together as Scott describes.

07-31-2010, 10:01 PM	#5
optyks Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3	Gun isn't new. I bought it at a Cash America, although it looks like I've shot it more now than it has been since it was manufactured. Theres more wear now. I don't have the cali version, so i do have a removable barrel and all that. Only reason I asked is because it feels a little loose and I don't know if thats a safety problem. Thanks for the replies, I'll have to check out the tutorial you referred to, Scott.

08-01-2010, 12:24 AM	#7
optyks Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3	I successfully finagled the rod into place after stripping and cleaning it. It was a PITA, took ten or 15 minutes, but I got it. Probably in a much more complicated manner than how you guys are referring, since it was my first time and didn't have a clue as to what to do. As for the barrel wrench, i don't see how i couldnt get one for free, really. It's just a small piece of flat metal, i could probably convince some metal shop to carve a piece of scrap metal for a few pennies. As for ammo... those other brands will feed and fire just as well as the CCIs? if so, whats the price difference?

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