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The world of rimfire pistols has quickly changed and revamped. Revolvers and handguns like the Ruger MK series dominated the old era of rimfire handguns. Semi-auto .22LRs were always a bit finicky, and guns like the Ruger MK series and the S&W M22A worked well but didn’t look or function like modern handguns. That’s changed. Guns like the SIG P322, the KelTec P17, and the Taurus TX22 dominate the world of modern rimfire pistols.
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These modern semi-auto handguns are polymer-framed and modular, use modern designs, and feature magazine capacities higher than 10. They also are affordable and somehow found a way to be reliable.
These three modern rimfire guns are functional but can also be used as a training tool that mimics a modern centerfire handgun. When viewed side by side with a Ruger MK series, it’s clear that these guns break from the .22LR mold.
The Best Modern Rimfire Guns
Today, we are going to compare the three most dominant modern rimfire handguns: the SIG P322, the Taurus TX22, and the KelTec P17. These three are the most popular. While guns like the Glock 44 and FN 502 also fall into this genre, they aren’t nearly as popular or common as these three guns. With that said, let’s meet the competitors.
SIG P322
The SIG P322 is odd. Typically, companies produce .22LR pistols that mimic their standard handguns. The P322 isn’t a copy of the SIG P320 or the SIG P365. Its format seems to be nothing more than a generic semi-auto pistol.
The SIG P322 features a 20-round magazine with an extended 25-round magazine available. The pistol has a Picatinny rail, is optics-ready, has a threaded barrel, and even allows you to switch between a flat and straight trigger. It can also accept a Shield RMSc footprint optic.
The P322 comes with two magazines and a magazine loader. It’s easy to use, fun to shoot, and very modern.
KelTec P17
The KelTec P17 is one of two modern rimfire pistols produced by KelTec in .22LR. It is extremely affordable and has a fairly unique footprint. The P17 is the smallest of the three guns and is also the slimmest by far. It isn’t just a modern rimfire pistol but is arguably a modern kit gun.
The KelTec P17 uses 16-round magazines that are also very small and easy to use. The P17 does have a rail, but it isn’t optics-ready out of the box. Users have to purchase an optics-ready slide, and optically, it’s isolated to a somewhat novel Crimson Trace optic due to weight and reliability concerns. KelTec did include a threaded barrel.
The P17 comes with three magazines.
Taurus TX22
The Taurus TX22 is a bit of a surprise from Taurus, and it’s the gun I often point to when we talk about how much Taurus has changed over the years. The TX22 series does not directly represent any one Taurus pistol, but like the P322, it represents the generic modern gun.
The TX22 features a 16-round magazine. The Compact, Competition, and Generation 2 variants are optics-ready, but this Gen 1 model is not. The TX22 series has become quite popular for Taurus.
The TX22 comes with two magazines and a magazine loader.
Reliability
A big problem with rimfire guns is reliability. The .22LR isn’t known for being powerful, so even straight blowback guns can be finicky. The reliability of earlier generations of .22LR semi-automatics required high-velocity ammo, which tended to be less than affordable. I brought three loads of .22LR to test these modern rimfire pistols.
Each gun started with cheap Winchester white box ammo, which is standard velocity .22LR. Then we had the still affordable Federal Automatch, a little hotter, and the real hot stuff, Aguila Super Extra. If one gun couldn’t eat one type of ammo, it’d get upgraded to the next type.
The SIG P322 and Taurus TX22 ate through the Winchester ammo without any issues. It chewed through the standard velocity stuff without a problem.
The P17 had occasional issues with the Winchester ammo. These issues occurred at least once in a magazine, and the most common malfunction was a failure to eject. These issues remained with the Automatch ammo. It was a less common title, but I still had a few failures to eject. When I moved to the Super Extra, the problems disappeared.
The TX22 and P322 tie for this win.
Modern Rimfire Accuracy
I tested accuracy up close and far away. The TX22 and SIG P322 performed about the same up close. The P17 is capable of good accuracy, but it hits way higher than you’d expect. The guns all have adjustable sights. I dialed the P17’s rear sight in to move the point of impact downward, but it did have the amount of adjustment necessary to get a proper POI/POA.
The SIG does have an optic, which might be considered an unfair upgrade. However, it is a Ruger ReadyDot, which cannot be adjusted. It could honestly be more of a detriment. As I shot with the ReadyDot, I realized I had to apply a little Kentucky windage to hit the center. This isn’t a problem at 10 and 15 yards.
However, the final test was a five-shot group at 25 yards. With the P322, the rounds all hit the target but were spread fairly far out. One didn’t hit the black of the target.
Fine-Tuning
It took me multiple attempts to find the right low hold on the P17 so that the rounds would hit the target. Once I found the hold, I landed four of the five on the target. One even hit the Bull’s Eye somehow.
Of these three modern rimfire pistols, the Taurs TX22 proved to be the most accurate. Even with its cheap plastic iron sights, the TX22 put out a very respectable group. All five are in the black, and I walked away very impressed with the TX22.
Ergonomics On Modern Rimfire Guns
Ergonomically, the TX22 and the SIG P322 aren’t too different. The P17 takes a different route, but it’s not bad. The TX22 and P322 use generic pistol controls. They’d translate to modern guns from SIG, Taurus, Glock, FN, and more. The P322 pulls ahead of the TX22 in terms of ergonomics by going ambidextrous.
The TX22 has an ambi safety, but the P322 has an ambi safety and slide lock. The P322 also has a larger magazine release than the TX22. This makes it easier to reach and quicker to reload. It’s a small difference, but it gives the P322 a slight advantage.
The P17 has ergonomics all over the place. The safety and magazine releases are ambidextrous. The safety sweeps downward and is positioned on the frame but a good bit below the slide. The magazine release is very European, with a trigger guard release. I like this type of magazine release.
However, the P17 magazines don’t drop free, so you have to pry them out. The P17 also features a slide lock that’s a bit of a hassle. It’s super small, and you’re guaranteed to get your thumb hit when you drop the slide—a painful little pinch. I’m also not a fan of the lack of curves in the P17 grip. It makes it feel like holding a board.
Ultimately, the P322 has the best ergonomics of the three guns.
Modern Rimfire Affordability
This is the simplest section. What’s the most affordable of the three guns? I went to various retailers, both big and small, to get an idea of the street price of these pistols. I also looked at the cost of magazines to round out the conversation.
The Taurus TX22 Gen 1 retails for right around 299. Magazines cost 24.99.
SIG ups the ante by selling their pistols for an average of around 399. The 20-round magazines cost 29.99, and the 25-rounders top the scales at 49.99.
The KelTec P17 retails for a mere $219.99, making it the most affordable of the bunch by a long shot. The magazines retail for less than 20 bucks, but KelTec sells them for $14.99.
The Modern Rimfires
Modern rimfire handguns are changing rapidly. They are improving while being affordable, modular, and modern. As a guy who loves some rimfire shooting, the more modern pistols we get, the better. Ultimately, each of these guns has its benefits, and overall, I’m fairly impressed by them.
Personally, the TX22 might be my favorite. A Gen 2 optics-ready model would be quite the gun. Still, the P322 and P17 both have some advantages. With that in mind, which would you pick?
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I used to try to ignore Taurus pistols. After a friend always carries Taurus and show good reliability, I find them very good, easily out doing many others; cheaper and more expensive pistols! Sigs are great firearms, but for their cost, I will stay with Taurus!
“Semi-auto .22LRs were always a bit finicky, and guns like the Ruger MK series and the S&W M22A worked well but didn’t look or function like modern handguns.”
Thank God for that. I dislike the way the more “modern” firearms look and I’d be willing to bet that my Ruger MKII is as accurate as any modern pistol. It’s ergonomics are perfect for me and I will never consider getting a more “modern” 22 pistol to replace it. If someone made a less modern looking pistol that fires the new 5.7X28 round I would consider getting one of those but not as a replacement for my MKII.
I really enjoy shooting and training people on my TX22, it easts almost anything reliably and shoots so well.
its as nice to see rugs comparison, now lets add the Ruger offerings and a Glock 44 to the mix.
Agree with other posters re the P17. You must have scored a dud. Got one for my wife to plink with. The different controls took some getting used too, but she loves the size and light weight. Ran 500 rounds of CCI and Aguila Super Extra through it without a single failure of any kind. I might also argue that the P17 trigger is superior to several of my Rugers and S&Ws. Speaking of which, I also have the M&P .22 Compact. With additional capacity (and a bit lower price…), it might have taken the top spot in your shootout. With an aftermarket mag follower that now holds 12+1, it eats everything, drives tacks and just feels right. Easily my favorite plinker.
It seems strange that these are being touted because they are “new” designs.
The “old” HK4 in 22LR did well, and face it, the Ruger is still around because it does it right all the time.
I feel reliable and accurate are the major factors, not “this here do-dad is new” being a reason to own.
I have all three. So far, the P17 shot everything I ran through it without issue. This one is pretty accurate. I just fine loading the mag’s a bit hard if I don’t use the loader. Under 240.00, good bang for the buck.
The TX22 is not suppose to be a picky eater but this one is. However, it is accurate and has good ergonomics, easy to load with or without the loader. Under 300.00, reasonable
The P322 is kind of particular with the way you load the mag’s. Feeding issues will ensue if you don’t use the loader. Feel’s good in the hand.
P322 came with a Romeo Elite red dot, cheep sight for sure but adequate for this gun. It’s the most accurate of them all due to the RD. Overall, I like them all but I would have to say the P322 is my favorite. After all, it’s a Sig and was the most expensive. Got it on sale for around 500.00
I like everything about the 322. Trigger, accuracy and overall feel. I am a .22 maniac so I have every brand and loading of .22’s for comparison tests and function testing. The 322 has a lot of trouble getting through a 20 round magazine without a failure to feed or other problem. Finally, I tried out some Remington Target, the stuff with the light blue on the green box which I bought back when Christ was a child and it works like a sewing machine with this ammo. I keep trying to run as many rounds as possible through it figuring it will loosen up with use and be more reliable with some hotter rounds. Were I in a position of having to depend on a rimfire handgun for serious social purposes I would likely be carrying a 10 shot wheel gun like the S&W 617, Ruger GP100, or that new Colt King Cobra. That would also allow use of the 29 grain Federal Punch or the copper 24 grain Norma ECO. Both of those will knock down steel plates like they are .38 Specials.
I also think you got a bad P 17. I’ve handle 3 different 1’s and they shot well with only 3 hiccups in probably 1000 rounds between the 3. Knowing how finicky 22lrs can be, l shot them slow, quick and as fast as I could manipulate the trigger, And only saw the previously mentioned 3 hiccups. Also you failed to mention how light weight the P17 is. I carry 1 while bow hunting to discourage coyotes, wild dogs etc. if need be. And yes I have my CCW permit so I am legal. Also with 3 mags included most won’t need to buy extras. Now of course this is my perspective and a P17 might not be to your liking but I suggest at least a look at them.
I’d like to see a .22 magnum semi-auto. I think it would add the needed ‘stopping power’. Cost of ammo would be higher, but I’d be willing to pay the extra.
I have a .22 mag pistol, and don’t feel I lose any accuracy, but do gain some ‘stopping power’. It’s my wife’s favorite pistol to shoot. She has had carpal tunnel surgery on both wrist and now is developing arthritis in both. This keeps her from shooting any of my other, larger pistols.
Good article!
I’m disappointed to not see the Walther PPQ in .22 LR featured. Extremely reliable, ergonomically superior and very reasonable which is something important for those who don’t have much disposable income. I’m very happy with it.
I have one that I haven’t gotten to use yet. Does yours have a favorite ammo? I see them for sale everywhere at a seemingly ridiculously low price for a Walther. The mags are not cheap but they are metal, not plastic. It feels even better in hand than the PPQ Q5 which is a simply fantastic pistol.
I have p17 and the magazines drop free easily, and it is super accurate, shooting dead on with very tight groups.. maybe you got a lemon..
this is a great pistol….