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The Walther G22 22LR Bullpup had lots of potential. A 20” barrel with an overall length of only 28”. A bit heavy for a 22 at 5.9 pounds, but it balances well with a buoyant muzzle. It has proven very reliable with 400 rounds fired with zero malfunctions.
So why was the G22 discontinued?
Where did Walther fail with the G22?
Number one was failing to design it to be mag interchangeable with P22 mags. The mag bodies and followers are the same, but the P22 baseplate does not fit the G22’s magwell…at least not without grinding back the baseplate. And the G22 mags will not fit in the P22.
Factory G22 magazines are rare and expensive to acquire, but Taylor Tactical offers baseplates that convert P22 mags.
Second is the carry handle pic rail that puts polymer between your optic and the barrel. I did not like this on the Hellion. Not as big an issue on a 22, but still not optimal.
Many claim the G22 is ambidextrous. It is not. It can be configured as left Or right hand, but doing dynamic Ambi shooting will drag the charging handle across your face. Downward ejection like the RDB would have been worth pursuing.
Some consider the trigger awful, I found it adequate, not great, but not horrible either..
Mag release is similar to the RDB so I like it, but since they used a P22 inspired grip, they should have stuck with the P22 paddle mag release.
The stock has provisions for sling swivels, but the sockets require proprietary studs that were never really available in the USA. Possible that they could be drilled and tapped for standard 10/32 threads. Just one more design deviation to undermine the G22.
Field stripping needs to be improved. I'd rather field strip a Ruger Mk III
With these faults, I still like the G22. With a 20” barrel all of the powder is spent so it has minimal muzzle flash and is fairly quiet…really quiet with CCI Quiet 22LR but reliability drops off a bit. I bet it will run well with CCI Subsonic. Lacking a threaded muzzle it's not ready for a suppressor.
I tried an AQT. Started off with a perfect offhand score. Overall I shot a 227. But in stage two, I shot one of my best squat groups ever…just low on the target so I reshot it adding in four more points for a 231. Shooting without a sling so I'm very pleased with the results. Very pleased.
Walther really needs to revisit the G22. Make field stripping something that can actually be done in the field. Full mag compatibility with the P22…or Ruger rotary mags. Firm up the optic rail to barrel connection. Shave a half pound off the weight. Steal Keltec’s RDB trigger design. Upgrade the pistol grip to the current P22Q style…without a thumbhole. And, if possible, implement downward ejection.
Even in its current state, if you're a P22 owner I highly recommend the Walther G22.
So why was the G22 discontinued?
Where did Walther fail with the G22?
Number one was failing to design it to be mag interchangeable with P22 mags. The mag bodies and followers are the same, but the P22 baseplate does not fit the G22’s magwell…at least not without grinding back the baseplate. And the G22 mags will not fit in the P22.
Factory G22 magazines are rare and expensive to acquire, but Taylor Tactical offers baseplates that convert P22 mags.
Second is the carry handle pic rail that puts polymer between your optic and the barrel. I did not like this on the Hellion. Not as big an issue on a 22, but still not optimal.
Many claim the G22 is ambidextrous. It is not. It can be configured as left Or right hand, but doing dynamic Ambi shooting will drag the charging handle across your face. Downward ejection like the RDB would have been worth pursuing.
Some consider the trigger awful, I found it adequate, not great, but not horrible either..
Mag release is similar to the RDB so I like it, but since they used a P22 inspired grip, they should have stuck with the P22 paddle mag release.
The stock has provisions for sling swivels, but the sockets require proprietary studs that were never really available in the USA. Possible that they could be drilled and tapped for standard 10/32 threads. Just one more design deviation to undermine the G22.
Field stripping needs to be improved. I'd rather field strip a Ruger Mk III
With these faults, I still like the G22. With a 20” barrel all of the powder is spent so it has minimal muzzle flash and is fairly quiet…really quiet with CCI Quiet 22LR but reliability drops off a bit. I bet it will run well with CCI Subsonic. Lacking a threaded muzzle it's not ready for a suppressor.
I tried an AQT. Started off with a perfect offhand score. Overall I shot a 227. But in stage two, I shot one of my best squat groups ever…just low on the target so I reshot it adding in four more points for a 231. Shooting without a sling so I'm very pleased with the results. Very pleased.
Walther really needs to revisit the G22. Make field stripping something that can actually be done in the field. Full mag compatibility with the P22…or Ruger rotary mags. Firm up the optic rail to barrel connection. Shave a half pound off the weight. Steal Keltec’s RDB trigger design. Upgrade the pistol grip to the current P22Q style…without a thumbhole. And, if possible, implement downward ejection.
Even in its current state, if you're a P22 owner I highly recommend the Walther G22.
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