Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol – Superb Compact Rimfire Handgun

Description

The Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol is the California compliant version of one of the most widely sold rimfire handguns ever made. It carries a 3.42 inch barrel, weighs about sixteen ounces and feeds ten rounds of 22 Long Rifle through a double action single action trigger. Small, light and cheap to feed, the Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol has introduced an enormous number of people to handgun shooting. MAG5 Firearms stocks it for new shooters, instructors and anyone who wants an inexpensive gun to shoot often.

Why This Design Sold So Well

Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol size is the first reason. At six and a half inches long and roughly a pound unloaded, the pistol fits smaller hands comfortably and does not feel like a scaled down version of something larger. It handles like a real handgun rather than a novelty, which matters when the point is teaching fundamentals.

Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol cost of ownership is the second. Twenty two Long Rifle is the least expensive centerfire alternative available, and a shooter can put several hundred rounds downrange for what a single box of defensive ammunition costs. Skill is built through repetition, and cheap repetition is the whole argument here.

The double action single action trigger deserves a mention on its own. The first shot comes on a long deliberate press, and every shot after that breaks short and light. Learning to manage that transition on the Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol teaches a skill that transfers directly to hammer fired centerfire handguns.

Controls, Sights And Everyday Handling

The Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol pairs a slide mounted safety with a loaded chamber indicator, and both are easy to check by feel. For a pistol that spends much of its life in the hands of newer shooters, having a positive manual safety and a tactile chamber indicator is a meaningful practical advantage rather than a marketing bullet.

Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol sights are low profile three dot combat units with a windage adjustable rear. They are perfectly adequate for the ranges a rimfire pistol is used at, and the adjustable rear means the pistol can be zeroed to a preferred load rather than lived with as it came from the box.

Polygonal rifling and a light sixteen ounce weight make the Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol easy to carry on a trail or in a range bag. Recoil is close to nonexistent, so a full afternoon of shooting leaves the hands fresh instead of sore, which is exactly what a training session should do.

Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol Specifications

• Caliber: 22 Long Rifle
• Barrel Length: 3.42 inches
• Capacity: 10 rounds
• Action: Double action first shot, single action follow ups, hammer fired
• Trigger: Approximately 11 pounds double action, 4 pounds single action
• Sights: Low profile three dot with windage adjustable rear
• Safety: Slide mounted manual safety
• Loaded Chamber Indicator: Yes
• Rifling: Polygonal
• Overall Length: 6.5 inches
• Weight: Approximately 16 ounces
• Manufacturer: Walther Arms

Buyers should be honest with themselves about the role. A compact rimfire pistol is not a defensive handgun, and nobody should treat it as one. Where it earns its keep is as a 22 LR training pistol that gets shot ten times more often than a centerfire gun ever would. If you are choosing between a compact rimfire pistol and a small centerfire for a first handgun, consider buying the 22 LR training pistol first and the centerfire second, because the skills built on the cheaper gun carry over completely.

Why Buyers Choose The Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol

Ammunition sensitivity is the practical caveat with any small rimfire pistol. Blowback actions need enough velocity to cycle reliably, and the cheapest bulk ammunition sometimes will not run. Standard velocity target loads and high velocity rounds from established makers generally work well, and a little testing settles the question.

Cleaning is not optional. Rimfire ammunition leaves carbon and unburned powder behind quickly, and the small parts in this pistol will start causing malfunctions if neglected. A gun cleaned every few hundred rounds runs reliably; one cleaned once a year does not.

Capacity is ten rounds, which suits California and other restricted jurisdictions. Spare magazines are worth buying at the same time, since feed lip condition is the most common cause of malfunctions in rimfire semi automatics and a fresh spare quickly identifies the problem.

Who Should Buy The Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol

This pistol fits new shooters learning fundamentals, instructors running introductory classes, parents teaching a first handgun under supervision, and experienced shooters who want cheap trigger time. It also makes a reasonable trail or camp gun where a rimfire is appropriate. For anyone in a capacity restricted state looking for an affordable and pleasant gun to shoot often, the Walther P22 CA 22 LR Pistol remains hard to argue with.

Learn more about this pistol from the manufacturer, or see more firearms available at MAG5 Firearms.