Hello and welcome back to another edition of The Rimfire Report. In this ongoing series we discover, review, and discuss anything and everything surrounding the rimfire firearm world. This week I’m going to discuss the Top 5 22LR guns I wish existed. To the best of my knowledge, these guys don’t exist (for sale anyway) and I really hope that someday an enterprising manufacturer will make these guns a reality.

The Rimfire Report: The Top 5 22LR Guns I Wish Existed

1. A SIG Sauer P320-M17 in 22LR

The SIG Sauer P320-M17 is the United States military’s latest semi-automatic pistol to enter service and has also become a popular pistol that many shooting enthusiasts own. While SIG Sauer has many of its other semi-auto pistols available with conversion kits for 22LR the SIG P320 and M17 do not.

This is kind of surprising to me but this gun also feels like it is the most likely of any on this list to have either a conversion or outright 22LR version made. In the past, we’ve been able to have 22LR conversions of every service pistol the United States available for sale from companies like Chiappa, SIG, ATI with the 1911 and Beretta themselves making a 22LR version of the Beretta 92.

2.  FN P-90 IN 22LR

I grew up in an age when Stargate SG-1 was just becoming a somewhat popular Sci-Fi TV show in the late 90s. From the first time I saw it on screen I was curious about it and wanted to know more and eventually, I was able to get a chance to handle and shoot a full-auto version of the submachine gun in real life. The experience was life-changing.

I have seen several people convert their 10/22 rifles into P90 rifles using airsoft gun parts – I even went as far as to do this myself at the age of 18 and it ended up just as horrible as you’d expect. Now that I am older and (somewhat) wiser I figure I’d rather leave the gun engineering to someone else and just pay someone for a factory 22LR P90.

High Tower Armory even makes a custom shell for a 10/22 that makes it look, like a P90 but what’s missing is the side feeding 50 round top-mounted box magazine. I know it would be an engineering nightmare to make work but that’s what I’m looking for.

3. dp28 Degtyaryov 22LR – Post Sampled With a 200 round drum of course

This one is kind of a pipe dream but the DP28 Degtyaryov machine gun is probably one of the most iconic light machine guns in history. Nicknamed the “Record Player” by Red Army troops the pan-magazine fed gun would make a great sturdy 22LR plinking platform.

Even if it were semi-auto the DP-28 would still be fun and cheap to shoot and reloading would be a thing of the past. I know the American 180 exists but that’s closer to a Thompson Submachine gun than an LMG and if you’re gonna go big why not get that SOT paperwork filed and make a post sample just for fun? A man can dream.

4. H&K MP7

The MP7 is already unobtainium in the United States and I have still yet to even so much as touch one or see one in person over here. I know there are a few select places that do have them for rent but I have yet to have the opportunity to visit them. That being said, I feel like that the PDW would make a great candidate for a 22LR replica much like the H&K MP5 did.

The MP7 has been somewhat of a second favorite of mine in the submachine gun world right next to the FN P90. Aside from the cool factor, I feel like the MP7 has better ergonomics and a more familiar manual of arms when compared to the P90 and this alone would make it a great choice for a fun backpack gun or plinking gun.

5. The TSV-1 22LR SVD Dragunov

Fellow writer Hrachya H previously covered the TSV-1 (TCB-1) in an earlier edition of The Rimfire Report. The TSV-1 rimfire rifle was originally designed in the ’60s and made to look strikingly similar to its big cousin the SVD. The purpose of the rifle was to be a training aid for Soviet snipers so they could get familiar with the SVD without being issued the full-sized rifle (and the more expensive ammo along with it).

Unfortunately, the TSV/TCB (Training Sniper Rifle – Тренировочная Снайперская Винтовка) the single stack 10 round training rifle was only made in limited numbers and was actually rejected by the military as they didn’t see a need for large-scale sniper training and thus the rifle was tossed to the wind never to make its way over to the United States.

With semi-automatic rifles being so common and all pretty much using the same general design, I feel that something like the TSV-1 would be a welcome addition to the American firearms market. I know I’d be first in line to buy one if they were ever to be made.

What would you wish for?

These are just the top 5 picks that I’d wish for if I could have a new production 22LR pistol or rifle come to market. What would you be interested in seeing come into existence? Let us know in the comments below. As always thanks for stopping by to read The Rimfire Report. 

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