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The Annoyed Man wrote:In this article, Gun-Tests Magazine compared the SR22 to the Walther P22: http://www.gun-tests.com/issues/24_4/fe ... 949-1.html (requires subscription to read). In their bottom line statements about the two guns, they said:

Our Team Said: We really enjoyed the P22 Walther, wanting only more accuracy from it. The feel, function, looks, balance, and light weight were ideal for fun shooting. The good triggers, both the smooth 9.3-pound DA and clean 4.3-pound SA, made that a joy. Does it have enough accuracy? Maybe, depending on your use for the gun.

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Our Team Said: We ended up being not so fond of the Ruger. The SR22’s trigger put us off. It annoyed us to much we tried an old gunsmith’s trick on it that helped it a lot. With the gun empty of all ammo, we put lots of thumb pressure on the cocked hammer and pressed the trigger until the hammer fell. We did this a number of times and that took care of some of the creep. If the trigger had been clean and a pound or more lighter, we would have liked the gun better. We found the magazine release to be annoyingly hard to use. Either the buttons need to be longer or the frame needs to be relieved to make it easier to change mags. The Ruger had no problems with feed or function with good ammo. Like the Walther, it ran 100 percent. We did not like the DA trigger at all. We did like the sights, the workmanship, the two extension-type magazine bottoms, the zip case, and the comprehensive manual with its wonderfully detailed exploded view.

They are very close in relative size and weight, with the Ruger being perhaps a smidgen larger and heavier, but not enough so to matter:
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The Walther is about $20 cheaper than the Ruger. Accuracy was fairly comparable. They gave the Walther an "A" grade, and the Ruger a "B".

BTW, I can't rate Gun-Tests Magazine highly enough. They take no advertising, so they calls 'em like they sees 'em, and they're not afraid of puncturing anyone's cherished shibboleths.

Good info TAM.

I'll agree with their comments on the trigger on the SR-22. It is too heavy (especially DA), but the SA pull is not horrible. I don't think there's a drop-in trigger replacement available. The grittiness might even out with use. I'll have to try the trick Gun-Tests did to see if that improves it any. The mag release is too stiff (and not long enough) for a gun you'd use at IDPA or something, but for a range plinker mine is fine. For SD it might give me pause. I think I saw somewhere on the web how people were putting something (sticky dot?) on top of the mag release button to make it longer/easier to activate. A little work with the file or dremel might do the trick also.

As for the Walther it has all kinds of bad internet reviews about quality - I had considered it also when I got the Ruger. It was originally my first choice until I got scared off by the problems that were posted. There is a nice book available on the internet to fix your Walther P22 to make it more reliable though - believe it is called the "Walther P22 bible". There are also YouTube vids of some of the most common fixes. It was of inferior manufacture at the time (emphasis on the past tense, these things tend to get cleaned up over time - improved tolerances, etc once they are found). Ruger was new and I jumped on it. The problems with it may be equal to that of the P22, though.

So... combining my two threads, again I'd recommend checking out the PK380 instead, the P22's bigger brother. It was regarded to be of higher manufacturing standards, sharing more functional commonalities with the P99, but with similar ergos to the P22 according to internet hearsay.

Here's some basic info on the PK380 for those interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walther_PK380

Hi there and welcome. I am also in Houston (SE side) and have a Ruger SR22. I like that gun a lot, but like others have said, the 22LR round is not the best for reliability (in a semi-auto) or for self defense. If you want to try out a Ruger SR22, perhaps I can work something out. Teamless and I have met before -- he is a standup guy and took me to the range once to try out a gun and I can vouch for him -- so if you and your husband wanted to go with him to the PSC range, I'd be willing to make arrangements with him to take my SR22 along for the ride so you could try it out also if he was willing to do that. Trying things out before you buy is highly recommended. That can get pricey if you have to rent each one separately. Some of the course instructors around here will bring a bunch of different guns for you to try if you wanted to take a course (basic handgun or basic self defense pistol, etc).

My wife was initially gun-shy - still is honestly - but she shoots a full size 9mm. She really likes the feel of the SR22.

Brands - this is all personal preference, but I would consider Smith and Wesson M&P line, Springfield XDm/XDs, maybe Glock if you like the grip enough, or if not, you can get a grip reduction (they shave down the grip to remove the finger grooves and make the circumference smaller if you have smaller hands). Smith and Wesson M&Ps and Springfields are smaller to start with and have grip panels to increase size if you want that. HK is great but pricey. My wife liked the feel of the HK P30 best of all the guns she handled when picking hers out, but the Springfield XDm was several hundred dollars cheaper and she chose that instead. She also likes the S&W M&P guns as well.

If you are considering a 380 in a compact (but not subcompact) and like the feel of the SR-22, you might take a look at the Walther PK380. It has a very similar look and feel, but scaled up a bit.

You should start with what you are comfortable with and work your way up. Spending time at the range, playing games with targets and your husband to make it fun etc, should help you get more comfortable. One thing to keep in mind is that a slightly larger (i.e. heavier and full size) gun for the range will help you get confident with larger calibers more quickly, since the size and mass of the larger guns help absorb more recoil. But again, try some out.

Good luck. Keep asking questions, keep shooting. We're glad you're here.