The Absolute Best .22 Pistols for the Money

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A good .22 pistol can end up being one of the most-used guns you own. Ammunition is inexpensive, recoil is practically nonexistent, and a rimfire handgun lets you work on trigger control and sight alignment without burning through expensive centerfire ammunition. It also happens to be one of the easiest ways to introduce a new shooter to handguns without overwhelming them.

The best values are not necessarily the cheapest pistols on the shelf. A gun that costs another hundred dollars but has a dramatically better trigger, easier maintenance, better magazines, or much greater long-term durability can be the smarter purchase. The .22 market is also unusually broad, with everything from inexpensive polymer trainers to serious target pistols. These 20 deliver the strongest combinations of price, performance, and usefulness.

Taurus TX22 Gen 2

The TX22 Gen 2 may be the easiest value recommendation in the entire rimfire handgun market. Taurus gives you useful magazine capacity, excellent ergonomics, a good striker-fired-style trigger, and dimensions that make the pistol feel much more like a modern centerfire handgun than a traditional target .22. That makes it useful for casual plinking and inexpensive defensive-pistol practice.

The biggest advantage is how much shooting you get for relatively little money. You can run high-volume range sessions without feeling like you bought a stripped-down economy gun. Current versions have also kept the platform relevant with optics-ready options and larger-capacity magazines. There are more refined rimfire pistols, but very few give the average shooter this much capability per dollar.

Ruger Mark IV 22/45

The Mark IV 22/45 combines one of the best-established rimfire pistol designs with grip geometry that feels familiar to shooters accustomed to a 1911. The fixed-barrel layout gives it excellent accuracy potential, and the pistol has an enormous aftermarket if you eventually decide you want a better trigger, different grips, an optic, or nearly anything else.

What really separated the Mark IV from earlier Ruger rimfires was maintenance. The one-button takedown system eliminated the frustrating disassembly procedure that generations of owners complained about. That matters more than it sounds because .22 LR ammunition is dirty and rimfire pistols benefit from regular cleaning. The Mark IV is not the cheapest choice, but it is one of the safest purchases if you want a rimfire pistol you may still be shooting decades from now.

Smith & Wesson SW22 Victory

The Victory is one of the strongest alternatives to the Ruger Mark IV because Smith & Wesson gives you a substantial metal-framed target pistol without immediately pushing the price into serious competition-gun territory. The 5.5-inch barrel, good sights, and substantial weight make the pistol extremely steady when shooting from a bench or standing position.

It is also a platform that can grow with you. Barrels, grips, triggers, optic mounts, and other components are widely available, so you are not stuck with the original configuration forever. Out of the box, however, it already shoots well enough that most owners can leave it alone. If your priority is accuracy and target shooting rather than mimicking a centerfire carry pistol, the Victory is difficult to beat for the money.

Browning Buck Mark Camper

The Buck Mark Camper does not need a complicated feature list to justify itself. Browning has been building Buck Marks for decades because the basic formula works: a rigid barrel, comfortable grip, clean trigger, and substantial aluminum frame that makes the little pistol extremely easy to hold steady.

The Camper is particularly attractive because it gives you the important parts of the Buck Mark experience without charging for elaborate barrel profiles, fancy grips, or competition styling. Accuracy is excellent for casual target shooting and small-game use, and the pistol feels far more refined than many inexpensive polymer rimfires. If you want a traditional target-style .22 and do not care about maximum magazine capacity, the Camper remains one of the smartest purchases available.

Ruger Mark IV Target

The Target version of the Mark IV is heavier and more traditional than the lightweight 22/45 models, but that extra weight is exactly what makes it so pleasant on the range. The bull-barrel configurations stay extremely steady, and the fixed-barrel design gives the pistol the accuracy needed to make small targets genuinely interesting at longer rimfire distances.

The Mark IV Target costs more than entry-level .22 pistols, but very little of that money feels wasted. The pistol is durable, easy to maintain, and backed by one of the largest aftermarket ecosystems in the rimfire world. It can remain a casual plinker forever or gradually become a serious target gun. That ability to grow with the shooter makes the purchase easier to justify.

KelTec P17

The P17 is one of those pistols that makes you wonder how the manufacturer managed to hit the price point. It is extremely light, carries a useful 16-round magazine, and gives you a threaded barrel and surprisingly decent trigger without costing much more than some basic single-action rimfire revolvers.

It does not feel as substantial as a Mark IV or Victory because it was never intended to. The entire point is giving you an inexpensive, lightweight .22 that is fun to shoot and cheap enough to throw into a range bag without worrying about cosmetic wear. For someone who simply wants maximum trigger time for minimum investment, the P17 is hard to argue against.

SIG Sauer P322

The P322 takes the modern-training-pistol idea seriously. The controls, grip shape, and overall proportions feel much closer to a contemporary centerfire handgun than a traditional rimfire target pistol, and the magazine capacity is considerably higher than the old 10-round standard.

That makes it especially useful for shooters who want to practice draws, reloads, and general pistol manipulation without spending 9mm money every session. The trigger is good, optics-ready configurations make sense for modern training, and the pistol is suppressor-friendly. It costs more than bargain rimfires, but the feature set is substantial enough that the extra money does not feel wasted.

Glock 44

The Glock 44 makes the most sense for someone who already shoots Glocks. It closely mirrors the dimensions and controls of the Glock 19, which allows you to practice presentation, trigger manipulation, reloads, and general handling with cheap .22 LR ammunition.

As a pure rimfire value, other pistols offer higher capacity or more target-oriented accuracy for similar money. As a training tool, though, the Glock 44 has a very clear purpose. If your centerfire carry or duty pistol is a Glock, the familiarity can easily be worth more than an extra few rounds in the magazine. You are paying for training continuity as much as you are paying for the pistol itself.

FN 502 Tactical

The 502 Tactical gives rimfire shooters features that used to require aftermarket work. It comes optics-ready, suppressor-ready, and shaped like a modern defensive pistol rather than a conventional target gun. The controls also resemble FN’s centerfire pistols, making the 502 particularly appealing to shooters already familiar with the brand.

It is more expensive than a TX22 or P17, but the additional money buys real features rather than decoration. The larger magazines, optic compatibility, threaded barrel, and substantial grip make it a very flexible range pistol. It is especially attractive if you want one rimfire that can serve as a trainer, suppressor host, and high-volume plinker without extensive modification.

Smith & Wesson M&P 22X

The M&P 22X brings Smith & Wesson’s modern service-pistol ergonomics into a rimfire format while maintaining the low recoil and inexpensive operating costs that make .22 LR so useful. It is designed much more like a modern training handgun than a traditional bull-barrel target pistol.

That is where its value lies. If your goal is learning practical pistol shooting rather than punching tiny groups from a bench, controls and grip geometry matter just as much as mechanical accuracy. The 22X gives shooters a familiar modern layout while still being inexpensive enough to shoot constantly. For someone building fundamentals that will eventually transfer to a centerfire pistol, it makes a lot of sense.

Ruger SR22

The SR22 remains an excellent choice for shooters who want a compact rimfire handgun without dropping all the way into miniature pocket-pistol dimensions. Its interchangeable grip sleeves, easy-to-reach controls, and traditional hammer-fired layout make it approachable for new shooters.

It is also more versatile than its small size suggests. The pistol works well for plinking, introductory training, and carrying around the farm or property where permitted and appropriate. Capacity is modest compared with newer rimfires, but the pistol has proven popular because it is comfortable and straightforward. Not every buyer needs 20 rounds or a competition optic. Sometimes a handy little .22 that simply gets shot regularly is the better value.

Browning Buck Mark Practical URX

The Practical URX moves slightly upscale from the basic Buck Mark Camper while still avoiding the cost of Browning’s most elaborate rimfire models. The contoured grips provide excellent control, and the longer barrel gives the pistol a stable, target-oriented feel.

The Buck Mark trigger is another major reason to consider one. It tends to feel cleaner than what you get from inexpensive service-style .22 pistols, which becomes obvious when shooting small targets. The pistol is not trying to imitate a carry gun. It is trying to make accurate rimfire shooting enjoyable, and it succeeds. For buyers who care primarily about marksmanship, the extra money over a budget plinker is easy to justify.

Taurus TX22 Competition

The Competition version takes the strong basic TX22 design and gives it a more serious accuracy and optics setup. The optic mounting arrangement is tied to the barrel assembly rather than riding on a conventional reciprocating slide, helping keep the sight stable while maintaining the lightweight cycling characteristics that make the TX22 reliable.

It costs more than the standard TX22, but the additional money buys meaningful capability. You get a rimfire pistol suitable for steel matches, target practice, and high-volume optic training without approaching the price of specialized competition guns. If the standard TX22 is the value plinker, the Competition version is the value performance model.

Beretta 92FSR

The 92FSR is appealing because it provides the general look and control layout of Beretta’s famous 92-series pistols in a low-recoil rimfire package. That makes it useful for shooters who enjoy the larger Beretta platform but want substantially cheaper practice.

The full-size dimensions also make it exceptionally easy to handle. There is plenty of grip, very little recoil, and enough sight radius to make accurate shooting easy for beginners. It may not have the target pedigree of a Buck Mark or Mark IV, but it fills a different role. If you want an inexpensive trainer with the feel of a full-size service pistol, the 92FSR offers a lot of shooting for the money.

Walther P22Q

The P22Q has been around long enough that newer high-capacity rimfires can make it look dated, particularly with its 10-round magazine. It remains popular because the pistol is compact, light, comfortable, and genuinely fun to shoot.

The interchangeable backstraps and small overall dimensions make it especially useful for shooters with smaller hands. It also works well as an introductory pistol when a full-size target gun feels cumbersome. There are better choices if capacity or ultimate accuracy matters most, but the P22Q still delivers a lot of practical enjoyment at a reasonable price. Its greatest strength is that new shooters frequently find it unintimidating.

KelTec CP33

The CP33 is not the conventional choice, but few rimfire pistols deliver this much entertainment in one package. The 33-round magazine dramatically reduces how often you stop shooting to reload, and the long sight radius and fixed-barrel-style configuration give the gun better accuracy potential than its futuristic appearance might suggest.

The downside is that those magazines need to be loaded carefully, and the unusual design is not as straightforward as a Buck Mark or TX22. Still, value is not always measured by simplicity. If your idea of a .22 pistol is something you can bring to the range and burn through boxes of ammunition with almost no recoil, the CP33 gives you an experience very few other handguns can duplicate.

Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Lite

The 22/45 Lite costs more than the basic Mark IV models, but it earns its place because the lightweight upper completely changes how the pistol handles. It is much easier to hold up during long range sessions, yet the fixed-barrel layout still delivers excellent accuracy.

The threaded barrel and broad optics compatibility also make it one of the better suppressor-ready rimfire platforms available. You can keep it stock and have an excellent plinker, or turn it into an extremely refined range pistol over time. The initial price is higher, but the combination of durability, aftermarket support, easy maintenance, and long-term flexibility makes it one of those guns that can justify the cost over decades of ownership.

Browning Buck Mark Plus Vision

The Plus Vision takes Browning’s proven Buck Mark action and trims barrel weight through a lightweight sleeved-barrel arrangement. That gives you the excellent trigger and grip ergonomics of the platform without the front-heavy feel of some traditional bull-barrel target pistols.

It is more expensive than the Camper, so it is not the best choice for someone looking for the cheapest possible Buck Mark. The value appears when you want something that already feels upgraded from the factory. It is accurate, nicely balanced, and distinctive without becoming gimmicky. For shooters who know they want a dedicated rimfire range pistol, the Plus Vision can save them from buying a basic model and immediately modifying it.

Heritage Manufacturing Rough Rider

The Rough Rider is not going to outshoot a serious target pistol or mimic a modern defensive handgun. What it does extremely well is make rimfire shooting available for very little money. The single-action operation slows everything down, and that can actually be valuable for beginners learning to deliberately cock the hammer, align the sights, and press the trigger.

It is also just entertaining. There is something satisfying about loading a rimfire revolver one chamber at a time and shooting cans or steel without worrying about ammunition cost. The finish and refinement reflect the low price, but expectations should too. As an inexpensive plinker that can introduce somebody to handgun shooting, the Rough Rider gives you a lot for very little investment.

Smith & Wesson Model 617

The Model 617 is expensive for a .22, so calling it good “for the money” requires looking beyond the initial purchase price. You are getting a stainless-steel revolver built on Smith & Wesson’s K-frame, with substantial weight, excellent durability, and a 10-round cylinder. It feels more like a serious centerfire revolver than a lightweight rimfire toy.

That matters if you plan to keep it for decades. There are no magazines to lose, ammunition compatibility is broad, and the heavy frame makes .22 LR recoil essentially irrelevant. The double-action trigger also gives you inexpensive revolver practice that translates directly to larger Smith & Wesson wheelguns. It costs much more than a basic plinker, but as a lifetime rimfire revolver, the 617 can still be excellent value.

Ruger Super Wrangler

The Super Wrangler costs more than the most basic single-action rimfire revolvers, but Ruger gives you enough additional quality and versatility to justify the jump. The adjustable sights are a major improvement for anyone who actually wants to zero the revolver rather than simply accept wherever fixed sights happen to hit.

The interchangeable-cylinder capability also adds flexibility, allowing the platform to accommodate .22 WMR with the appropriate cylinder in addition to ordinary .22 LR. More importantly, it feels like a gun designed for long-term use instead of a disposable bargain plinker. If you like the deliberate pace and old-school appeal of a single-action revolver but want something a step above the cheapest options, the Super Wrangler hits an excellent middle ground.