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Gun n00b here

K

kirko

Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Messages
497
I know knives, my roommate knows guns. I am a gun n00b, never owned one, but shoot frequently with my roommates AR, Glock 45, .22, etc. I was wondering what a very light, very reliable, affordable .22 hand gun would be. I want to pack this in my backpack for unforseen survival situations I could encounter when I go hiking. My roomie had a Walther p22, and that damn thing jammed more than anything, even with high quality ammunition. Even a basic innacurate survival gun could be my ticket. Accuracy by volume right?

My other question is how to store .22 safely when hiking. I dont want to put a small brick in my bag, im thinking moisture and possibly them constantly rattling around could be a bad thing. Any insight would be awesome. Thanks guys!
-Kirko
 
kirko said:
I know knives, my roommate knows guns. I am a gun n00b, never owned one, but shoot frequently with my roommates AR, Glock 45, .22, etc. I was wondering what a very light, very reliable, affordable .22 hand gun would be. I want to pack this in my backpack for unforseen survival situations I could encounter when I go hiking. My roomie had a Walther p22, and that damn thing jammed more than anything, even with high quality ammunition. Even a basic innacurate survival gun could be my ticket. Accuracy by volume right?

My other question is how to store .22 safely when hiking. I dont want to put a small brick in my bag, im thinking moisture and possibly them constantly rattling around could be a bad thing. Any insight would be awesome. Thanks guys!
-Kirko
Click to expand...

I'll go ahead and recommend a North American Arms Mini-Master. And, I would store extra ammo in a pack, or whatever type bag you have with you. If you dont have a bag, you could get a small Pelican case and clip it to a belt loop.
 
Just don't load a round in the chamber... and keep the safety on. no possibility of it ever going off. If it's a long gun and you have a MOLLE pack, the eberlestock sidescabbard is awesome for safely carrying your rifle long distances. In my opinion the less working parts, the more reliable it will be-this is generally true for all mechanical devices as there is less room for failure. A break or bolt action should be sufficient and they are much easier to maintain. The Savage Mk2 with a composite stock is a nice inexpensive rimfire rifle. The Marlin model 60 is also a dynamite shooter. The old BRNO 22's are very accurate and break down with a single screw, as does the Remington 510. If you're looking for a handgun, Ruger, Browning, High Standard, Beretta, a dozen companies make great .22's. If you are looking for a handgun, the longer the barrel, the longer the range. CZ makes probably the most accurate sub-1000 dollar .22, the 452, and they have a couple variations.
 
Handgun: Ruger MKII or Browning Buckmark.......everyone has their favorite out of the 2, but both are solid .22 platforms that have been around forever.
 
the rugers/brownings are heavy as a cinder block though! Have you looked at the .22 conversion kits for pistols? That might be an option for you, I know they make some for Sigs which are awesome pistols.
Just something to think about
 
Ruger Mk IIs are very nice. A friend of mine had a Beretta Neos that was a very reliable and accurate gun. It's really odd looking, and if you have very large hands the handle would be a bit uncomfortable, but I put hundreds of rounds through it and it worked great. It's not very expensive, either. The Bearcat is a neat little gun, but it's definitely little. Not sure if it's as accurate as one of the above, either. Should be accurate enough for as far as you'd be shooting with something like it.

Also, be sure you check concealed carry regulations for your area if you're going to carry your handgun in your backpack.
 
Depends on what you consider cheap. If I was in the market for one now I would get the S&W 317 or a Ruger Mk3 with a replacement ultralight barrel. Not sure how much the S&W's are going for now but to do up a Ruger might be $600+.
 
I have a Ruger 22/45 that I carry when backpacking. . . though I carry more with a thought for plinking or possibly dispatching a sick or wounded animal. The MK III 22/45s have a polymer frame which will decrease weight, and they're available with fluted or slab sided barrels which will bring the weight down a bit more. If really want to reduce weight on one and you've got the money, you could get yourself a Pac Lite upper for it. I really don't mind the weight of my stock model with the slab sided barrel though.
 
FWIW dont sell yourself short on quality.

Start with a Ruger MkII, or a Ruger 22/45, or a Buckmark they are quality firearms accurate and feed reliably w/just about any 22lr ammo. They are offerd in several barrel lengths and weights, Also, they will accept scope mounts so you can shoot scoped or red dots if you want.

There are several holster options leather and ballistic nylon for carry. Myself,for carrying a heavy pack I prefer a chest holster to carry my pistol normally my 41 magnum. Belt/hip carry can be troublesome for long journies, and carrying a pistol in the pack negates quick accessability. Thigh holsters work fine.

Field carry 22lr ammo CCI stingers are the soup D'jour.


ST~
 
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Perfect example of a thread that really belonged in Gadgets & Gear, where they discuss this sort of topic regularly. The Wilderness connection is an afterthought.

I understand posting in a forum you feel you know the people best. You will find you know a lot more people in the rest of Bladeforums when you give them a try.

We aren't bouncing posts out of W&SS at this point, but we would like you to consider the times when you would do well to post in a more appropriate forum.
 
+1 for the CZ452.

It's a bolt action rifle with a 5-10 shot magazine. It will outshoot anything under $1000.

edit: oh, you asked for a handgun. Ruger MKII or Browning Buckmark.
 
Looks like gun recommedations are covered so I'm just going to recommend a way to carry the ammo. Either, go buy a tin of .22 ammo and carry the whole tin with you ( the tin can be a multi use item) or you can get a crown royal bag and fill it up with .22 ammo. I know you're thinking that don't relieve your fears about the ammo rattling against it'sself but you don't have to worry about that.

Firstly the tins are meant to be used as I described but( I would say) you need to take the lid off and put one wrap of electrical tape around the top of the tin then put the lid back on, this will make the lid much more secure.

As for the crown royal bag, my uncle has had one that he has used for at least 10 yrs and he'll toss the bag of ammo to another person, throw it in the floor board of his truck whatever. He doesn't worry about it and he's never had a round go off accidentally.

Hope this helps
David
 
Sorry Esav, I didnt really think about that. I am looking for a survival gun only, so I figured this would be the appropriate section...

I really like the NAA mini master, and the beretta suggested to me. I am leaning towards the mini master because if its size. I am not really looking to put more than 20-30 rounds through this just to see how it shoots/make sure it works and then retiring it to my bag for emergencies only, so the mini master seems to be the ticket so far. Comfortable to shoot is less of an issue as much as the space it takes up. I have large hands, but like I said, its only for a matter of survival for food, like small game.
Thanks so far for your opinions.
 
Try and find an older S&W 422 with 4" bbl. Sold mine and wish I hadn't These are the best for lightweight, accuracy, and relability in 1 combination.
 
I think the mini master is an often overlooked ideal trail/hiking gun. +1 to that.

My survival gun is an H&R sportsman .22 revolver- I think that any .22LR revolver that you can reliably hit small game with at 25 yards (supported, with lots of practice) will do fine- going for the smallest possible may not always be the best choice.

What I like about the minimaster is that it's smaller enough to wear out in the field purloined letter style and not freak out people (legal and acceptable aren't alwasy the same thing). What I like better about the Sportsman is the sight radius, effective accurate range, and ease of reloading.

I personally don't recommend a .22 auto for a survival gun, though it depends on definitions. They can be wonderfully accurate, but almost always will be pickier about ammo diet and cleaning. for a week in the woods, not such a big deal, for longer term, you may need to scrounge ammo and such.
 
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