Gary Reeder
The 22 mag is a funny bird. There are several
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 11:18

brands of 22 mag and each one seems to be a bit different from the others. That is the main reason why there aren't many 22 mag semi autos. They are very picky. You may have to try 4 or 5 brands of ammo before you find the one your rifle likes and that can get a bit expensive and be frustrating. Most of the 22 mag ammo is made in Europe and their quality runs from pretty good to not at all. I have several 22 mag rifles and about as many handguns. But if you find one that functions reliably hang on to it..I have a couple of 22 mag Winchester model 9422.One is the standard model and the other is the deluxe model. They are just too nice to take out in the woods.They are lever guns so they don't count in this comparison.

Handguns are usually even a bit more apt to be picky. Back many moons ago I grabbed the only 22 mag handgun on the market, that being the Auto Mag 2. I got lucky and it functioned with the first 22 mag ammo I tried, that being the red box Federal.I think the bullet being a bit heavy was the reason it functioned.
Today my favorites are the Kel Tec PMR-30. Ugly but it works with every ammo I have tried.
The Auto Mag 2. You do have to keep it clean.
And the Rock Island XTM. It functions great with Hornady Critical Defense ammo. It is a 1911 style handgun and that's probably one of the main reasons I like it.
I have several 22 mag revolvers with the S&W model 48 being my favorite revolver.I have it scoped for my defense against raging squirrels. I have a couple more 22 mag handguns but they aren't reliable enough or accurate enough to brag about them.
My favorite 22 mag over all the rest is the CZ model 512 rifle. It is a semi auto and shoots groups that are so small it should be illegal. This gun will literally put everything in the same hole. And it does it with any brand of ammo, but like most of the others it really likes the Hornady Critical Defense.