M22 Pistol
Austrian gun designer Wolfram Kriegleder ,who designed the Walther P22, has designed a new pistol in response to what American shooters said they wanted in a target and shooting pistol.
The M-22 features:
* 3.5″ or 5″ match barrels.
* adjustable rear sight.
* Weaver style rails.
* Multiple safeties (many will call this a bug not a feature).
* All black model or nickel framed two tone model.
The “multiple safeties” probably means a magazine safety like the P22. The pistol will be imported by Austrian Sporting Arms and is said to be available in Spring 2009. MSRP is $400.
Promotional video:
Hat Tip: Shooting Wire
Ouch. A .22 LR Glock is nice, but in 2008, why so many mechanical safeties ? If it’s like Walther P22, it may even be lacking a decocker.
I like, but then again I like the P-22.
I think Wolfram Kriegleder needs a better focus group. Slide mounted control is not what I call “wanted” by Americans target shooters.
What Americans would like to see is a low cost versions of Olympic target pistols and not a tactical target pistol.
I sure hope that M22 slide isn’t made out of pot metal like the P22 and sig mosquito.
Reminds me of those .22lr glock conversions.
Wait. Is that a hammer poking out the back. That is so not right.
Well… it felt real good ! I had the pleasure of handling it this friday..
Pardon my vitriol, but if the same guy here is responsible for putting the non-locking safety on the single-action capable P22, and this idiot does the same thing on this pistol, I will personally ensure that we will *NOT* carry it in my store.
Any gun that leaves you hangin’ with the hammer back, unlocked, over a pin block safety that may or may not work at any given time is UNSAFE, a FAULTY DESIGN.
I have personally inspected this weapon and it is build sound. The gun has multiple safetys including a switch saftey, a trigger lock and a system that will not allow the hammer to cock unless the saftey is not engaged. this weapon has a decocker. This gun has been thourly engineered. It looks and feels like a glock.
I saw the M-22 for the first time, today. Very good looking pistol and really hard to distinguish from a Glock until you make a close inspection. Very smooth to operate, but I thought the trigger was a little sharp around the edges. Looks like quality throughout. Sites are pure Glock style. Nice feel to the weapon, although I did not fire it.
Given the price, it looks like a reasonable buy. Certainly interesting that it comes with two springs for SV and HV .22 Cal ammo, . I did not find the safety features to be an obstacle, but very useful for instructing a new shooter. The side slide releases may be a problem with holstering, but not sure.
I do not see many people shooting .22 at the range, but given the price of ammo and where it appears to be going (UP), .22 cal then has it’s advantages. You can shoot all day at low cost verses .9mm, .38 Super, .40, .45 or long guns. I for one like to first shoot my high caliber pistols and then spend most of the day with practice using my .22 cal HV (Kimber and S&W).
On a scale of 1-10, I would give this pistol a 9.
GRN