The Criteria and the Ammo
While there are many other plinking rounds available, .22 LR is the most prevalent and notorious. The criteria were to fire at least 200 rounds through each gun using a variety of ammo. We used bulk Value Pack ammo from Federal, along with some Auto Match. In addition to the Federal ammo, we had some CCI Varmint and CCI Match along for the ride.
Some guns got more ammo through them than others due to mags available and enjoyability of shooting, but the minimum for all of them was 200 rounds. Again, we were looking for more target shooters than tactical plinkers in this roundup, so the subjective “pure enjoyment” factor is how I decided to rank these guns.
Finally, I wanted a well-rounded lineup. So, I included some older guns, some guns that are very familiar among plinking aficionados, and even a couple that might not be as well known. With that said, let’s reveal the guns and take a deeper dive on each.
Related: Top Picks In Over-the-Counter Precision Rimfire Pistols
The Browning Buck Mark is renowned among plinkers for being an incredibly accurate and enjoyable shooter. Browning has released many iterations of this pistol over the years, I happened to request a Certified Used Camper URX model, but the qualities of accuracy and reliability always seem to shine through on each one. The Buck Mark we had on hand certainly lived up to that hype, being the only semi-auto in this collection that didn’t have a single malfunction.
The Buck Mark features some of the most modern features, which made it both enjoyable and familiar to shoot. The gun features fiber-optic sights, the ability to mount an optic, a lot of third-party accessory support, and a robust grip texture. Of course, the crown jewel of any Browning Buck Mark is that golden trigger. This single-action trigger was crisp and responsive. Any target shooter or occasional plinker would love the feel and accuracy.
The one downside I could find was that it has a magazine disconnect safety. Some people absolutely hate this feature, and I think it makes sense to hate it for a defensive gun, but for a target shooter like this it didn’t make a huge difference for me.
Pros:
- Beautiful (both function and appearance) single-action trigger
- 100 percent reliable during testing
- Easy to use and manipulate controls
- Incredibly accurate
- Lots of aftermarket support
Cons:
-
Magazine disconnect safety
Beretta U22 NEOS
With its sweeping lines and Atomic Age look, the Beretta U22 NEOS has been on my list of guns I’ve wanted to shoot for a long time. I’m sucker for Atomic Age design and all things strange in the firearms world so wanting to shoot this gun was mainly for the looks. A few things aside from the looks of the gun initially stuck out to me.
One, the grip angle seems so pronounced and unique. It swoops in even more than the Ruger Mark IV I had on hand, which I thought was kind of wild. Yet, despite the uniqueness of the grip, it fit well in the hand and pointed naturally. The other unique aspect of this gun is the location of the takedown screw and the process for field-stripping, with the whole top slide lifting off the frame of the gun.
The position of the magazine release was also a bit distinct, with the button slightly forward and just above the trigger. I could see accidentally engaging the mag release if the shooter wasn’t careful. This pistol comes with fairly standard three dot sights, with the front sight being rather large and blocky. I didn’t particularly care for that, and if I were keeping this gun, I would add an optic. And if you wanted to stick with the three-dot setup, there are plenty of people making aftermarket front sights.
I’m not sure whether it was the sights or the trigger, but something about this gun made it particularly difficult to keep on center for me. The trigger does have more squish and a longer reset compared to a lot of the other guns on this list, but I also don’t think the front sight was doing me any favors.
Because it was so big and blocky, it covered most of the intended target, unlike the Buck Mark, which left space on either side of the front sight like a typical pistol. While the rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation, the front sight is static. Overall, this pistol had a handful of malfunctions, but it also had the easiest magazines to load. There is certainly some good with the bad on this Beretta, but it was an enjoyable shooter.
Pros:
- Easy to load magazines
- Unique look and design
- Optics-ready
- No magazine disconnect safety
Cons:
- Tricky safety to manipulate without breaking grip
- Sights weren’t the best
- Trigger has most sponge and longest rest of this group
-
Most inaccurate gun of this group
Colt Service Model Ace
Since backyard plinking with .22 LR seems to be iconically American, I thought I needed an iconic American gun in the bunch as well. Not only does the 1911 design fill the void, but the Colt Service Model Ace was a true triple whammy because of the name, model, and history attached. I knew I had to get it into my hands on it and send some rounds downrange.
While I don’t have a backyard range, I do have a local rod and gun club that seems to be mine for the taking most days. This gun had to feel the most American during testing. The red, white, and blue just seemed to drip from my hand after shooting as the whispers of John Moses Browning rustled through the trees, “Two world wars, baby.”
The gun employs all the same controls and features of your standard 1911, so I’ll save you the time of going through my opinions of these since they are already readily available online. The one thing I will comment on is that my biggest complaints I have with most 1911s is the grip safety, but this one melted into the hand and never presented a single issue while shooting.
Shooting yielded a couple handfuls of malfunctions, which was to be expected. Though I would say that the malfunctions seemed to be limited mostly to the hollow-point CCI ammo. Loading those mags wasn’t the easiest, either, with just a tiny tab to help. This led to not wanting to shoot it as much as some of the others that were easier to load.
The other small complaint I have is that the front blade sight can easily get lost since it doesn’t really stand out from the rear sight or slide. One could add a little nail polish, but that would be unfathomable on a gun of this age and historic value. Old eyes certainly don’t help to pick up the sights. Overall, though, the experience of shooting was undeniably fun and enjoyable.
Pros:
- American made
- Classic 1911 styling
- Ergonomics paired with .22LR make for enjoyable shooting
- Very cool history
- Beautiful single-action trigger
Cons:
- Prone to some jams
- Some wear and tear with age
-
Basic sights, especially front sight
Smith & Wesson Model 41
I’ve been a fan of Smith & Wesson firearms ever since I started shooting, and I have wanted to shoot the Model 41 since I first laid eyes on it. This experiment gave me the perfect opportunity. This also checked another box for me on this list: a pure target plinker with the larger Olympic-style grip.
S&W has been producing the Model 41 since 1957 and still manufactures new models, so there is a clear demand for this target plinker. With its 7-inch barrel and large grips, this gun appears almost comically large, like a gun the Joker would carry around – the Jack Nicholson Joker, mind you. But once you get it in the hand, all jokes are tossed aside. It feels amazing, filling the shooting hand nicely while giving ample room for the support hand. I especially love the thumb rest. Everything about the grip feels balanced and well-thought-out.
The blacked-out target sights are nothing special, but unlike the Beretta, the front sight is small enough to allow some space on either side. The rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation, though it was spot-on out of the box. I feel like this really helps in my accuracy with this gun, and I had a great time shooting it. There were a handful of malfunctions, but those were few and far between, and I kept returning to this gun.
The single-action trigger is the star of the show with this gun and was among the top triggers I tested in the group. It was the main reason I wanted to shoot this gun over and over. The only problem with shooting the gun repeatedly was the magazines were some of the harder mags to load. The round circular tab was not the easiest thing to use to load the mags, even though that is clearly its intention.
I often found myself using the even smaller tab just above it to aid in magazine loading. The only other small issue I ran into with this gun is that was difficult to actuate the controls without breaking the grip – not a huge deal, but something that should be noted.
Overall, I would rate this as the most enjoyable and certainly one of the most accurate shooting handguns on this list. I’m not sure if it’s the one I’d finally choose, but it would certainly be in consideration.
Pros:
- Awesome grip and feel to the gun
- Long barrel aids in accuracy
- One of the best single-action triggers around
- An iconic S&W design that has been around for years, cool history
Cons:
- Had to break grip to manipulate controls
-
Difficult to load magazines
Ruger Mark IV
The Ruger Mark series of target guns simply couldn’t be left off this list because of its prominence in not only the gun world but throughout pop culture. It’s been seen in numerous television shows and movies, typically suppressed and used by the nefarious types. A prime example is Vincent in Michael Mann’s classic assassins’ tale, "Collateral." However, it’s not just confined to the bad guys. The Navy SEALS have a limited number of these for when things needed to get extra discreet, with famed Travis Haley even pictured sporting a suppressed version.
While its prowess with fictional assassins and real-world operators is legendary, its time on the bullseye ranges around the country holds the same prestige. There is a reason that some variation of this pistol has been in production since 1949.
Related: My Quiet Practice Gun – Reviewing Ruger’s .22 Mark III Target Model
The gun I received, the Mark IV, started production in 2016 and has been going strong since. What initially stands out about this gun, much like the Beretta, is the sweeping lines and pronounced grip angle. Just like the Beretta, it fits the hand nicely and points naturally. We ran into a couple malfunctions with the Mark IV, both of while shooting the Federal Value Pack.
It certainly has a nice trigger as well, which can be customized to be even nicer. But if you’re going to be a casual plinker at the range, this probably isn’t necessary. I felt like my accuracy with this gun was similar to that with the S&W 41, which proves it can be very effective right out of the box.
About the only complaint I have about this Ruger is that you have to break your grip to manipulate some of the controls, but this seems to be a common theme at this point. The other complaint I have is that these stock sights are very basic.
But therein lies the beauty with the Ruger Mark series platform. If you don’t like something about it, there is plenty of aftermarket support. Companies like Volquartsen and Tandemkross, to name a couple, have built solid reputations off serious customized versions of this pistol.
Pros:
- Huge number available, both new and used, at a good price
- Very accurate right out of the box
- Nice trigger
- Handles and points well
- Tons of aftermarket support
- Many custom shops, including one from Ruger
Cons:
- Basic sights out of the box
-
Have to break grip to manipulate controls
Smith & Wesson Model 17
The Smith & Wesson Model 17, aka the K-22 Masterpiece, fills the last substantial hole in this list with its revolver action. What would this list be without a revolver? Though I’m not the biggest revolver fan, some just call to me. This S&W 17-6, with its full underlug, was one of those revolvers.
Though the gun is heavy, it is well-balanced and proved to be an accurate shot in single action. The double action left something to be desired for me, but I don’t think I would like to do a lot of shooting that way. The single action more than made up for the double action, with the trigger proving incredibly light and crisp. It was also one of the most accurate shooters for me this way.
Related: Smith & Wesson Delivers Plinking Fun with Model 17
Overall, this revolver was probably one of the most enjoyable shooters I had on the range. In single action, it was pure bliss and held a certain romanticism to it. I would consider this in the top two or three guns that I would want if I were looking for my first plinking handgun. It’s a great gun, but it’s also one of the priciest – something to consider if you’re on a budget.
Pros:
- Heavy but well-balanced
- Incredible single-action trigger
- Very accurate
- Feels great in the hand
- Great S&W reputation
Cons:
-
Double action is a bit wonky
Bonus: SIG Sauer P322
If you just have to have a modern-day “tactical plinker” on this list, may we suggest the SIG Sauer P322? We took this out for a spin when it debuted in March of 2022 and found that there was a lot to like about the design and features of this gun. The 20+1 capacity and standard fiber-optic sights were among some of the many compliments we had. But would it shoot and be reliable?
Well, four months later we put over 3,222 rounds through it and found that it ran superbly, with only 15-ish malfunctions, mainly due to a dirty gun. That’s to be expected when you’re running a gun like that for failure. Overall, we found the gun to be one of the better “tactical plinkers” on the market today, and if you already carry a P320, it should be a no-brainer.
Related Review: 3,222 Rounds on the Sig Sauer P322
Conclusion
There is never a bad time to do a little plinking, and these guns are some of the best for the job. Certainly, there are more than just these guns that can accomplish the task. What did you think of the list we put together? Is there a gun you would add or subtract from this list? Let us know in the comments below.
