7 Best 22 Revolvers – 2025

Last updated August 27th 2025

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Best 22 Revolvers at a Glance

Update: Stock lists for the best 22LR revolvers are horrible. Most places are so low they may as well have nothing and certain brands are not easy to find. So if you’re struggling for the gun you want, start here.

• Full range of 22LR wheelguns and gun deals at Guns.com

Intro

The humble 22 revolver remains a perennial favorite at ranges up and down the land.

It doesn’t matter if you’re training for larger caliber handguns, or just enjoying plinking with a low recoil wheelgun. The best 22LR revolvers are a joy to use for experienced hands and new shooters alike, and you might be surprised by some on this list.

With ammo prices on the rise for 44 Magnum and 357 Magnum revolvers, a 22 pistol makes a lot of sense for range work now too. And if you just like shooting boxes of ammo to unwind, the 22 is about the only affordable way to go right now.

So what is the best 22 LR revolver on sale in 2024?

Here are our top picks.

1. Smith & Wesson Model 317 Kit Gun

• Price: $774.99
• Action: Double/Single Action
• Barrel length: 3″
• Total Length: 7.19″
• Weight: 0.8lb
• Capacity: 8

Price	Performance	Weight	Capacity	Prestige
1.5/5	5/5	5/5	4/5	5/5

The Smith & Wesson Model 317 Kit Gun packs 8 rounds into a gun that weighs significantly less than 1lb fully loaded.

That’s a packaging marvel. Honestly this Smith & Wesson Model 317 is the best gun here, if you can stomach the price tag on these 22LR pistols. The fit and finish is close to perfect, and it feels good in the hand.

Based on the iconic J-frame revolver that has provided personal defense for American citizens for decades in 38 Special and 357 Magnum form as one of the best concealed carry revolvers. The 22LR handguns with the same Smith & Wesson AirLite technology and it is way less snappy in this package. It’s also easy to pocket carry and comes with a high visibility front and adjustable rear sight.

A combination of carbon steel, titanium and aluminum alloys produce a gun that is quantifiably lighter than the opposition.

Technically, this S&W Model 317 may be the best 22LR revolver here.

2. Ruger Wrangler 22LR Revolver

• Price: $199.99+
• Barrel length: 4.62 inch
• Total: 10.25 inch
• Weight: 1.875lb
• Capacity: 6

Price	Performance	Reliability	Capacity	Prestige
4/5	3.5/5	3/5	3/5	2.5/5

The Wrangler 22 LR is a cost-effective, simple six shooter. Get the spirit of the Old West, at a price you can afford with one of the best budget revolvers of 2024.

Now this 22LR rimfire revolver weighs about the same as the old Colt Single Action Army. That weight means that recoil isn’t even a thing and you can shoot the Cerakote finish 22 LR all day long. It’s easily one of the best 22 LR revolvers out there today.

For the price, that finish is a luxury touch and you also get a transfer bar safety mechanism and cold hammer forged barrel. It has a fixed front sight and a manual safety on the frame.

It is a great price point and for new shooters that want to try an old American style six with a sweet trigger pull. If you want a six shooter, this might be the best 22lr revolver here.

3. Ruger LCR

• Price: $555.99
• Barrel length: 2″
• Total:6.5″
• Capacity: 8 Rounds
• Weight: 0.84lb

Price	Performance	Weight	Capacity	Prestige
2.5/5	4/5	5/5	3/5	3/5

This Ruger LCR might just be the best gun here for concealed carry, although your definition of concealed carry does tend to change when it’s a 22.

Now the Ruger LCR snub nose revolver is one of the legends of the revolver world and you might want to carry a bigger caliber. But then this is a training pistol for the range and a fun little double action.

That long trigger pull on this Ruger LCR just works and the ergonomics of this small handgun truly are great. Especially for new shooters that want to keep things simple.

It’s a cut frame rear sight and a low drag, light weight gun that is an ideal pocket carry pistol. If you’re determined to use 22LR pistols for concealed carry, this might be the best 22lr revolver you can buy.

4. Charter Arms Pathfinder

• Price: $383.99
• Action: Double/Single
• Barrel length: 2″
• Total: 6.5″
• Weight: 1.2lb

Price	Performance	Weight	Capacity	Prestige
4/5	3/5	3/5	2.5/5	2.5/5

The Charter Arms Pathfinder snub nose revolver is another from the company that always makes an appearance in our lists of the best revolvers in a wide range of calibers.

You can get a larger Target model with a 4 inch barrel, but the shorter 2″ barrel with the exposed hammer fired action is the standard model and we like it. The fixed sights kinda feel right and so does the rubber grip on this 22 Long Rifle wheelgun with a stainless steel frame.

If you don’t want an exposed hammer, the Undercover model with the double action trigger set-up is the one you’re looking for.

You can get a massive range of colors and special editions, too, and there are gun deals to be had with this 6 shot revolver with a manual safety.

They include the Charter Arms Pink Lady, which comes with a pink cerakote finished frame. It is both fantastic and awful, at the same time. You can get some other colors for their 22 LR revolvers, though, and a lot of them are good guns.

5. Heritage Rough Rider Black Pearl

• Price: $118.99
• Barrel length: 6.5″
• Total: 11.75″
• Weight: 2lb

The Heritage Rough Rider 22LR revolver isn’t just a cheap 22 revolver in the old Cowboy style, it has also received exceptional reviews from a demanding press.

With a 6.5 inch barrel there is almost no felt recoil in this full-sized revolver. The steel frame is sturdy and feels like a real lump of old American metal and yet the gun operates like a modern day rimfire revolver. Not bad for such cut price firearms, and they’re surprisingly acccurate.

You can get one in almost every caliber, including a 357 Magnum revolver that we kind of love as a random home defense option.

Then take a peek at the 16 inch barrel version of the that is kind of an old west sniper. There’s even a Heritage Rough Rider Rancher Case hardened, and a long gun with a rifle stock. It’s a lot of fun..

The middle ground Heritage Rough Rider 22LR revolvers are awesome, and there are some weird outliers that we still kinda like. The double action/single action 22LR revolver has a real crisp trigger and we think you’ll like the Heritage Rough Rider low price firearms line-up more than you probably should.

6. North American Arms Mini Revolver 22LR

• RRP: $257.99
• Barrel length: 1.125″
• Total: 3.6″
• Capacity: 5 Rounds
• Weight: 0.25lb

The smallest revolver in the world is a real title that firearms manufacturers fight over. Right now, this North American Arms mini revolver holds the belt.

You can see a surprising amount of detail work for such a small gun with such a light weight.

Obviously the North American Arms mini revolver design is inherently compromised and you wouldn’t want to actually rely on this little hammer fired pistol.

But guys love scaled down engineering. This is just a simple fact. And this 5 shot revolver is awesome.

Men devote years of their life to producing functional small engines, small buildings and small single action 22LR revolvers. You don’t have to plink endlessly with it to have a ton of fun with this tiny revolver. And you won’t, because its small size means stinging recoil and it’s hardly the most accurate gun on this list.

This stainless steel revolver is a gadget to play with while you work, just to appreciate the high standard of craftsmanship and innovation. Just on that basis alone, NAA deserves to sell tons of these 22LR handguns.

7. Ruger Single Ten

• Price: $649.99
• Caliber: 22LR/22 WMR
• Barrel Lengths: 4.6-6.5

This is an intriguing evolution of the Ruger Single Six that remains one of the marque’s best selling guns of all time in a larger caliber.

It’s as fun to shoot as it is ridiculous.

We also like the fiber optic front sight and fully adjustable rear, as well as one of the best shooting 22LR pistols here.

You Sure You Don’t Want a Semi-Automatic Pistol?

Rimfire revolvers are great, but there are some fantastic 22LR semi-auto pistols out there for you to consider as well. It would be a shame if you didn’t honestly.

Have a look at our post on the best 22 pistols. But you know, we’re here and we’ve got space. Soooooo, here are a couple of options.

1. Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Tactical

• Price: $569.99
• Barrel: 6.5″
• Capacity: 10+1
• Weight: 2.2lb

The best selling Ruger Mark 4 semi auto pistol is the best 22LR pistol. Just like the 10/22 is the best 22 rifle.

Now this is a favorite range toy, plinker and super high standard rat gun for way too many of us for it to be an accident. It is even the best home defense gun here, if you’re thinking ‘like that’ with a 22 semi auto pistol. The fit and finish is awesome, and it’s just a fun gun.

These 22LR pistols are easy to shoot, fun to shoot and the single action trigger is famous. So if you want 22LR pistol with a threaded barrel and you’re just not sure which one, you probably do want a Ruger Mark 4 after all. Because it’s the best semi auto pistol chambered in 22 Long Rifle and great for small game hunting with the right optic – like a red dot sight or even a fiber optic.

There’s a whole line of 22lr pistols, from the Ruger Mark 4 standard through to the garish race gun Ruger MkIV Tactical Lite. You will be happy, whichever one you end up with. Inevitably you get an adjustable rear sight and high visibility front, but there is also a Picatinny rail that is optics ready for red dot sights or a scope and a threaded barrel for a suppressor, and it’s a bull barrel too. If you want a bull barrel then it’s this, the S&W Victory or you’re getting into serious competition rimfire handguns like the Volquartsen Scorpion.

Get the full buyer’s guide for the Ruger MkIV 22LR handguns here and buy a gun online now.

2. Sig P322

• Price: $399.99

The Sig Sauer P322 is a great all round pistol and one of the best 22lr pistols.

Use it for defense, or target shooting. I mean it’s a new model and it’s based on the Sig P320, which has taken so much heat for accidental discharges that we’re tempted to bin this striker-fired pistol from every list. But when it’s working right, it’s a great fun and a fun gun to shoot, so we’re torn on these new model rimfire handguns.

3. Ruger SR22

• RRP: $448.99
• Barel length: 3.5″

This is a great gun, a great pistol that is a easy to shoot and a training gun for the best 9mm pistols you carry every day.

Now this is a great way to train for 9mm semi automatic pistols. A light double action trigger and super tight single action trigger help prepare you for something bigger, and also feels nice.

So get a polymer frame Ruger SR22 with adjustable sights, save money at the range with one of the best budget 22LR pistols and enjoy yourself with these high-quality handguns available with the best gun deals.

If the price is right, you might want to upgrade to the S&W M&P 22lr pistols. The Ruger is cheaper, but the S&W M&P is a great option and easy to carry.

That’s what the best shooting experiences are all about with 22LR handguns & revolvers.

We could include the Walther P22 as well, and the Walther PPK. We decided not to. For now.

Where to Buy 22LR Ammo

So really it comes down to where you want to buy your 22LR ammo and our current favorites are Palmetto State Armory, Firearms Depot and Sportsmans Guide.

Palmetto State Armory is normally one of our favorite places to buy guns, too. But their stock of revolvers in the smaller calibers really isn’t that hot right now. So look at Guns.com to buy your pistol, and Palmetto State Armory for your 22lr ammo.

What can we say? The top gun stores tend to change according to the type and Guns.com? It’s a good source of the best 22LR pistol for sale at the moment. Firearms, handguns, rifles, shotguns, revolvers, air guns, all that stuff.

But for 22 ammo, 9mm ammo, rifle ammo, handgun ammo, shotgun ammo and bullets for your 22 LR pistols and revolvers in your gun safes, go here:

• Palmetto State Armory – Ammo for a 22 LR revolver right here.
• Firearms Depot – A great source of bulk ammo discounts.
• Sportsman’s Guide – Ammo, shotgun ammo, for your 22 LR revolvers, 9mm handguns and more.

22LR Ammunition is Specialist Stuff

Because 22LR has become a competition round, and people use it for critter control, hunting and just about everything else, there are some seriously specialist rounds out there. Have a look at the CCIMini High Velocity rounds if you don’t believe me, which are extremely accurate at long distance in the best 22lr pistols.

Gun Parts, Accessories, Optics, Accessories, Red Dot Sights

We have lots of things for you to buy for your firearms, handguns & revolvers, even a wide variety of rimfire red dot sights or night sights can slot on to the top of the best 22LR revolvers.

So if you’re looking for things for firearms, handguns, pistols, revolvers, gun cleaning stuff, the best red dot, well we can help.

You can get a best selling red dot, 22 Long Rifle ammo, most things really, on the site. Just enter your email address up top if you want the best offers.

We got rifles, shotguns, pistols and revolvers, ammunition, scopes, optics, gear, accessories, best pistol red dots, all of it. Gun cleaning stuff too. Again we are going to link to the likes of Palmetto State Armory, Sportsman’s Guide, Sportsman’s Warehouse and maybe a little more Palmetto State Armory.

Can We Sell You 22LR Rifles?

If you want to see a buyer’s guide for bolt action rifles and semi auto 22LR rifles, then check this post out first.

• 22LR rifles – Semi auto and Bolt action rifles

22LR bolt action rifles are some of the best sellers in North America. You can spend hours at the range, control pests and just have fun.

I you’re shopping for 22LR rifles with a threaded barrel then the likes of Ruger, Mossberg, Howa and more have special offers all the time.

Obviously we have bigger calibers on offer, too. 308 Win Mag night be the sweet spot for hunting and general shooting sports. Rimfire ammo has spawned a number of shooting sports, though, and it’s a cost effective way to start target shooting and small game hunting.

Lever Action RIfles Too

Lever action rifles are beautiful things and you get a wide selection to choose from in 22LR. Henry has lots of lever action rifles for every budget and style.

But you can get custom lever action rifles from Marlin, Winchester and Patriot Ordnance Factory that cost well over $3000 and come in serious calibers like 308 Win Mag, and 45-70 Government.

We’ll get round to a lever action rifles piece soon, as well as scopes, optics etc