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Did you guys notice that it looks as if the entire barrel shroud screws on and off (my guess is that the threads will be way back near the breech), probably as a means of trying to deal with the California situation.

 

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Mosquito Owners' Manual Here: http://www.sigarms.com/documentation/Mosquito_manual_USA.pdf

Observations:

1. Not as similar to the P22 as we thought.

2. Barrel looks to be an assembly that comes away from the two side plates differently. Based on the diagram, I'd wager that the barrel shroud comes from the factory "epoxied" to the inner tube. Looks **** tough to add a can to this configuration.

3. Uses a REAL hammer spring set up with a vertically acting hammer strut and spring. (Much better, as the angles on these REDUCE force as the hammer is all the way cocked).

4. Mag looks VERY easy to mod to 13 to 15 rounds (just need to dremel out the little cutout on the side deeper. Strong type spring, too. A slightly extended floorplate (ala the Wilson mags on a 1911) and you can probably easily get to 16 rounds.

5. Internal mechanism looks a LOT more complicated than the P22, and it appears to be a real bear to detail strip. Lots (LOTS!) more parts than a P22.

6. SHIPS(!!!) with two recoil springs, one for standard velocity, one for high velocity. (My P22 shoots both all day without complaint or protest, so I think that's better!).

7. "Integral lock" looks to deal with the mainspring and hammer strut.

8. Much different magazine safety situation, may not be as easily removed as a P22's

9. Its got a paddle sear, which in theory means a pretty good S.A. trigger.

 

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Gonzo, your #3 point is interesting as I notice two things on two of my 1911s. The tip of the hammer is machined flat and the hammer pressure reduces as the hammer approaches the cocked position. Something that would benefit the P-22 regarding slide wear and drag on the slide as it moves over the hammer. 1911M

Yup. The hammer strut, because of the tortional angle where it attaches behind the axis of pivot has a force multiplying effect as the strut gets to the "full cock" position. That is, the angles are such that the hammer increases its advantage vis a viz the hammer spring the further back it is cocked. This makes for better triggers, but allows a stronger spring to ensure reliable firing. The spring's power with respect to the hammer increases during the "fall" so that the hammer is seriously accellerating during the "locktime." I'm a BIG fan of that approach, which you'll find in the Mark II as well, and now in the Sig. The spring set up like on the P22 is less frequently seen.

Did you notice how SHORT and small the rails are on the Mosquito?

Look at this:

 

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Part of the problem is that "recoil operated" and "blowback" are not actually the same thing.

"blowback" -- while not a technical term -- is more accurate in terms of describing an unlocked breach system where pressure of the cartrige casing under firing conditions opens the unlocked breach (held closed only by the intertial weight of the bolt/slide and the recoil spring.

"Recoil Operated" can also refer to locked breach guns. Consider the Franchi shotguns where the bolt is LOCKED to the barrel and the entire barrel and bolt assembly recoils back together, only unlocking at the rear of travel, whereupon the bolt is held, the barrel springs forward, then the bolt moves forward for the next round. (Also known as the "long recoil" principle).

1911 handguns are also recoil operated, strictly speaking, albiet under a "short recoil" system where the barrel and slide recoil back just slightly while locked together, then the link pulls the barrel out of the locking recesses and the slide keeps going.

.22 rimfire semi-autos are "blowback."

 

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Is the Mosquito smaller in size than the P22?

The pictured hands/thumbs/pistol combo (above) indicate a small i size pistol.

Has anyone seen the two side-by-side?

The Mosquito has a 4" barrel, so its got a longer slide. I'd say its a bit bigger than the p22, but not much. Its about 3/4 the size of a regular SIG.