I am probably going to look at .22 pistols this weekend at some point and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations. I have looked at a Walther P22 which I really liked (fit nicely in my hand) and a Beretta U22 Neros which I didn't like. The Walther is at the upper end of my price range. I want a semi-auto that is very reliable. That is all my requirements.
My first and only handgun is a Ruger SR22. I looked at and shot the P22 but the Ruger, even though it's relatively new, is more reliable. Similar size and feel. I've put a few thousand rounds of bulk ammo through it with no issues and only a couple fail to ejects. Super fun and cheap to shoot.
Ruger MkI, MkII, MkIII, or the 45 gripped variants thereof. Reliable as a hammer, easy to reassemble if you have any mechanical aptitude whatsoever. They shoot nice dead stock and are very upgradeable.
Love the 2 Browning Buckmarks I have. Unfortunately they are more expensive than the Walther P22, but in my opinion way nicer and worth it. As Kenny mentioned, the Rugers are very nice, and can be had for cheap. The rimfire bullseye league is comprised of mostly Rugers and Brownings.
As toad mentioned the Browning Buckmark is a superb .22 pistol and is accurate and reliable. The Walther is a love it or hate it kind of gun. There have been issues with slides breaking as they are cast from a soft metal. There is also the SIG Mosquito which has a metal slide and polymer lower and it is slightly larger than the Walther. Another favorite of mine is the old Beretta 71 Jaguar in .22. That was actually the first semi auto I ever fired when I was a kid. Great little gun.
i'll second the ruger mk3 or 22/45 variant. theyre kind of big/heavy compared to the composite stuff but i really like the 22/45 as the lower half including grip angle, safety, mag release, etc. are all basically the same layout as a 1911, but with a mk3 upper half.
ive wanted a 22/45 Target for a while, but i noticed a new 'Lite' model that has an alloy upper that has me intrigued...
Forgot to mention, the Mk II is considered the best. The Mk III has a slightly different trigger setup to incorporate a magazine disconnect safety, it's sole purpose is to make the trigger gritty and protect morons who cant clear an automatic properly. It is not however, hard to delete, there is a man in Canada who makes a bushing you that you use to take up the space filled by the magazine disconnect, I highly recommend it. Or you buy a Mk II aftermarket trigger kit. The Mk III also features a loaded chamber indicator, some people have a problem with it, mine never gave me issues. Deleting the mag safety allegedly allows you to use Mk II magazines as well.
I have a Walther P22 with a can (Class III is legal in AZ). Super cheap to shoot and no problems with several boxes (500 round @$15ea) through it. Kinda small in my mid sized hand and hard as F to be accurate with, especially with the can blocking the front site. But a ton of fun around the campsite. Its like a BB gun without the pumping.
the ruger is what I want and would have if I lived on any amount of land... nothing like .22 for cheap, plinking fun...
I also hear good things about the Beretta Neos for inexpensive .22 shooting fun ($250 or so new)
If they ever become widely available and cheap, the keltec PMR-30 is on my list of "Stupid, impractical guns that I want to own because they sound cool"
(.22 handgun with 30 round clip.)
http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/pistols/pmr-30/
They're supposed to have keyhole issues, though. 
Another gun on my "stupid things I'd like to own" list is the Chiappa Rhino. I just think it looks cool.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2010/10/chris-dumm/gun-review-chiappa-firearms-rhino/
(not a .22, though)
JoeyM wrote: If they ever become widely available and cheap, the keltec PMR-30 is on my list of "Stupid, impractical guns that I want to own because they sound cool" (.22 handgun with 30 round clip.)
Also, the pmr is .22 mag...
Joey
I'll try to upload a video of me shooting the Ruger MkII. Sounds like a friggen machine gun. That Keltec sounds cool.
+1 for Browning Buckmark. Can be had in your price range, even in stainless if I'm not mistaken. By far the most enjoyable gun to shoot I've ever owned. Also looked at Ruger's, but found the grip angle somewhat odd and uncomfortable. I've found the Buckmark has a very similar "feel", weight and balance to my tactical tupperware (Springfield XD), so its a ridiculously cheap way to stay proficient. I've loaned mine out at the range a few times, and most of those who have shot it ended up buying. If I could get paid for all the Miata and Buckmark sales I've facilitated, I could probably retire.
My first purchase was a Browning Buckmark. Back then they were $199. In the years I've owned it, it has been reliable and accurate. No complaints.
I haven't fired it, but a former coworker had the Keltec. It felt really nice in my hand, looked like a prop from Buck Rogers and weighed less unloaded than my keys and cellphone. I'd love to put some rounds through it, it just seemed....fun. Besides, 30 rounds? Helz yeah!
ultraclyde wrote: I haven't fired it, but a former coworker had the Keltec. It felt really nice in my hand, looked like a prop from Buck Rogers and weighed less unloaded than my keys and cellphone. I'd love to put some rounds through it, it just seemed....fun. Besides, 30 rounds? Helz yeah!
That's what I'm thinking.....a 30 round clip in a handgun just sounds cool.
Kenny_McCormic wrote: Ruger MkI, MkII, MkIII, or the 45 gripped variants thereof. Reliable as a hammer, easy to reassemble if you have any mechanical aptitude whatsoever. They shoot nice dead stock and are very upgradeable.
Here you go. Lots of experience with several of these. Best value and a classic to boot.
I've got a P22 and it's had some reliability issues for me. The biggest problem it's had is the barrel would work loose, even with red loctite on it. Otherwise it's a fun little gun.
That Ruger 22/45 posted above is a fantastic gun. That would be my recommendation.
I will have a look at the Browning Buckmark, the Ruger MK guns, SR22 and SIG Mosquito. To be honest, I am not sure about the MKII cause I swear I have shot one and I didn't really love it.
I was thinking last night and I decided to hold off until after the New Year and put a budget of $450 on the gun. So I don't know if that opens up any options. 1911s in .22 sound appealing.
I had a Neos. It looked just like this:
The only reason I traded it in was I didn't shoot it enough and I wanted a larger caliber pistol.
RossD wrote: I had a Neos. It looked just like this:
FTFY 
I even had a halo sight then a red dot on it. It reminded me of a pistol from Perfect Dark Zero on Xbox 360:
Another vote for the Ruger Mark II here.
I've also spent time with Browning Buckmarks and Smith and Wesson Model 41s. Both are super high quality and probably a little more accurate out of the box than the Rugers. But that being said, if you want to have fun shooting and you want to shoot a lot, it's hard to beat a Mark II.
I have a pair of them. One is completely stock and I threw a Volquartsen catalog at the other one. There are a million aftermarket parts for them and you can customize them any way you want. Factory replacement parts are cheap and easy to get. Combined with an Ultimate Cliploader, you can turn a pair of 525 round boxes of cheap bulk ammo into separate piles of brass and lead in less than an hour, though you'll want a bull barreled version if you're planning to generate that kind of heat.
They are fun little guns.
The other issue that swayed me from the Ruger is a reputation for being a bear to break down and clean. The Buckmark is stupid easy provided the previous owner hasn't lost the main spring retaining clip.
I have a Ruger Mk1 as well as a colt woodsman. I prefer the Woodsman (the later one).
Grips are better, the sights are adjustable.. Just all around more comfortable.
Bonus if you can find a later colt woodsman match target model.
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