Well, you can find a 22 pistol for $149. Heritage makes one.

When you move up to quality guns it costs just as much to make a 22 as it does something larger. The only difference is the size of the hole in the barrel.

 

One difference is the mass of steel needed in firearms chambered in higher pressure cartridges.

A firearm chambered in .22 LR or other rimfire rounds does not need to contain the same pressures.

There is less material and maybe cheaper material used so the cost should be lower.

Machining and assembly might be similar but materials should cost less.

I think it comes down to quantities of scale. There may be more people buying 9mm or cheaper carry guns than there are buying .22 LR pistols. SO just producing more of the centerfire pistols will allow them to be made cheaper.

There are fewer models of .22 LR and other rimfire pistols. That creates higher demand for the fewer offerings and might drive prices up.

 

Cheap to shoot, low recoil that appeals to a broader group of shooters, relatively accurate as a whole, great for simple entertainment. Higher demand = higher prices. 9mm pistols are not that, typically cheaper 9mm guns are sought out by those looking for a defense gun, it’s a whole different, smaller audience.

 

.22’s I have are equal to or less in cost than my centerfire counter parts.
Example: my ..45 1911 was $1100 but my .22 1911 was just under $600 and includes my 90% browning .22’s & .380’s, my .357 S&W was under $800 all my .22 revolvers are $650 or less most of them were under $300.

my S/S single six was the same price as my S&W .357 but as mentioned the cost to make my .22lr/.22wmr single six and my S&W .357 were relatively the same so goes the cost.

 

Keltec P17 $200 and it works. Red dot and slide add $200.

 

I hear that the older folks and women are attracted to the P17 as the slide is easier to rack. Something to consider if you are in that need.

 

tommy,
Well yes, a S&W 41 would cost more than say a Block 19 or a Hi-point! it's all about the quality!

 

Comparing similar pistols in .22 & 9mm from the same mfg: a S&W M&P 22 Compact goes for about $360-$400 and a S&W M&P 2.0 Compact in 9mm goes for about $500-550. Sure you can find cheaper 9mms and cheaper .22s but when comparing pistols from the same quality mfgs and with similar features, typically you'll find .22 are a little cheaper due to the fact that they don't have to be built as stoutly. I own several .22 rifles and centerfire rifles. My least expensive rifles are .22s and my most expensive rifles are .22s. In between those in cost are my centerfire hunting rifles. Quality costs $. It's just a matter of how much quality you need or are willing to pay for.

 

Economics of volume demand, more demand defensive and larger bored range guns then a smaller caliber handgun.
when you get to higher quality non plastic guns like K17 Smiths, Ruger 101s or Mk lV to 1911s, Berreta M92 prices are closer

 

Good thread/question as I was wondering this myself about several items of popularity.

“Popularity” is a bad thing when it comes to the ever so evident price gouging. It is what it is, I’m not on that band wagon. If crap got bad and someone needed powder, primers or what ever and I had it I couldn’t sleep at night saying “sure just pay me 4x what they’re worth”

 

I think I paid 350.00 for my Wifes TX22 recenlty..Within the last could months.. Are they really 500.00 now?

Everyone like plinking and to an extent training with them.. Low priced ammo, fun...I find it hard to believe they are more coslty than the counterpart centerfires.. But they probably make less .22s so demand comes into play? All I know is at my Friends Gun Shop..22s go out at a higher rate than the centerfires do.. So maybe these manufactures should make more .22s.. You would think they would have figured that out by now..

I wish Beretta would get back in the .22 market they are ignoring now.. They have had .22s on the market since 1948 continuously till a year ago or so....Now they do not have a one offering.. And I know they would sell very well if they brought them back..

 

Are they really 500.00 now?

No. The Competition SCR is the most expensive TX22 I'm aware of and they're right at $500
Last couple of plain TX22's I've bought were $200 used. Usually $250-$300 new.

 

i can only suggest that perhaps a significant percentage of gun and ammunition buyers are of mature age. As such the benefits of lower cost ammunition and an appreciation for the benefits of an accurate and low recoiling and well machined format might prove particularly favorable.

 

The Walther P22 is still down under $250 locally at our discount gun store. I've owned one for many years and got it for $190 back when at the same store. A great little .22 at a great price still.

 

I think they are about the same
just most people buy better quality 22 then 9mm or others, meaning a polymer 9mm is less money the then a Stainless Ruger Mark IV, or a high standard
people don't buy the cheaper auto loading 22 IMO because the 22 is not as easy to make work well

there a few pistols that can be had in 9mm and 22LR and are the same or close in price

 

The market is definitely pushing for inexpensive 9mm products. A lot of that is building off of what are basically Glock gen 3 clones and older legacy models. I'm thinking PSA's Dagger and Smith's SD9VE. They don't really need to do much in the way of engineering. That said, there are absolutely some cheap .22 pistols out there. The Taurus TX22 can be had for well under $300 if you know where to look. The Kel-tec P17 can be found for $200.

 

It's cause you get more barrel

 

Quality steel guns cost more, imports cost less. It’s all about the labor. Think Tisas. But Ive not looked seriously at any new .22 pistol in a very long time. My last .22 revolver was a smith 617. I did buy a parts Woodman last year to play with.

 

Right before Christmas my local gun store had the Kel Tec P17 brand new for $159 and I grabbed one. I have been pleasantly surprised how great it shoots and have had fun plinking with it.

 

Keltec hit a home run with the P-17

 

The manufacturers know that people who buy 9mm's have lower standards ? ;-)

 

Everything is sky high. Those little silver trailers at Sam's were $1250 about three years ago when I got mine. Now they're $2500. Everyone wants to blame the manufacturers but it's not their fault. It's the rising cost of raw materials, COVID-induced increases in manufacturing costs and rampant inflation.

 

I have an M9-22 and it is a lot of fun to shoot. It shoots nice tight groups. I'll give 2 thumbs up for that model.

 

That is what I bought the Wife..The compact..With tax it right at 350.00 OTD..

 

I would agree that the M9-22 is not a Beretta, just a wannabe.

 

OK , i just looked back to verify , my SIG M17/P320 was about the same price as my P322 , my BERRETA M9 was about the same price as my M9-22 , my KIMBER M1911 was a bit more than my SIG M1911-22 but the RIA M1911 lower and KIMBER 22 conversion upper combo was a bit more , so some are but not all , rifle wise ive had similar experience with ones that were directly comparable , when it came to my military collectibles the 22s were always more because they were not made in the same quantities - rareness affects pricing ,

 

All the look alike clones in 22 rf made by Umerx are total junk. Some model and brand shoot and function decently but are PP in durable dept. I would write most off as run of the mill plinkers. Now comes the flood of owners that have P22
that outshoot S&W 41s and such. Are you aware Umarex has printed invoices to apply for a new slide assembly for most of these models? No fuss - no muss, send them slide with form and new one comes in mail, quickly. I guess that’s a plus for some but I steer clear of 2nd class firearms. Limited shooting opportunities not to be wasting time and ammo with junk.

 

They cost more because folks keep paying the high prices.

 

I mean.... I paid $499 for my Glock 17... and $349 for my Buckmark. Both in 2023.

Shop around. I had a good experience with a drop shipper for the Buckmark, just gotta be patient and be aware of their cancellation and restocking policies.