Beretta U22 Neos shooting session

I went out Saturday with my “newest, new” Beretta U22 Neos.  I call it that because it is the second new one I have had.  As written in previous posts, I purchased the U22 and had a small problem right out of the box.  The rear sight would not adjust.  I hesitated sending it back to Davidson’s because it shot so darn well!  I wondered if the replacement would shot like the first.

Beretta U22 Neos .22LR Target Pistol

I don’t think it’s luck.  I think Beretta has made a near perfect .22-target pistol.  The second one shoots just as good as the first.  I have owned and do own .22LR semi-automatic pistols.  I have read many reviews of such and there is always one reoccurring theme.  They can be picky about the ammo you feed it!.  I used to own a Ruger Mark II pistol.  I loved the gun and kick myself for selling it.  It was very accurate, but, you had to feed it a particular brand and type of ammo to get consistent feeding.  Even so, there was an occasional hiccup.  The same can be said about the Taurus PT22 I have.  If I try to feed it anything other than CCI Mini-mags, it will not feed well.

The Beretta U22 Neos breaks the mold!  I have fed it several types of ammo.  I have fired over 500-rounds through two different pistols without even one malfunction!  Beretta has got it right.

My older eyes don’t get along with iron sights.  I usually try to add a red-dot scope to the firearm if possible.  But, I wanted to give the U22’s iron sights a try.  I did much better than I thought I would!  Here is an example:

Five rounds from a Beretta U22 using iron sites at 7-yards.

Not bad!  The U22 has a Weaver-type rail system so why not add a red-dot scope?

I added my cheap red-dot scope I have used on other guns.  It’s is no where near the quality of a EOtech or AimPoint, but, it serves my purposes.  Here are the results using the red-dot scope:

Three rounds from a Beretta U22 using a red-dot at 15-yards.

WOW!  I doubled the distance and reduced the pattern by half. 

I just love my new Beretta U22 Neos.  It is fun and inexpensive to shoot.  I can see that if you used a 4-power scope, you could make decent shots at 50-yards and beyond.  I will be on the lookout for such a scope. 

If you are in the market for a .22LR target pistol, consider the U22.  It sells for around $250.  I would highly recommend getting it through Gallery of Guns.  They can ship it to your local FFL dealer and you will have the “lifetime replacement guarantee”.

This is why I will only buy from Davidson’s

Davidson’s Online is a firearms distributor for many FFL dealers as well as running Gallery of Guns.  Gallery of Guns is a website where you can shop for firearms and select from a list of FFL dealers to finalize the purchase.

I have purchased several firearms from Gallery of Guns.  One of the main reasons I like them is that they offer a “Lifetime Replacement Guarantee”.  Most people will never have to use that feature, but it is a comfort knowing you have it!

I recently purchased a Beretta U22 Neos.  This is a fine .22-caliber target pistol, but there was a problem.  The rear sight is adjustable…At least it was supposed to be.  Mine would not let you turn the screw to adjust the windage.  The screw was so “stuck” that it broke the adjustment tool!

I considered sending it to Beretta for repair, but I remembered I had the “Lifetime Replacement Guarantee” with my Gallery of Guns purchase.  I called Gallery of Guns and explained the problem and that it was present right out of the box.  They were fantastic!  There were no accusing questions that often follow when you report a problem.  She found the details of my purchase and said she still had the U22 in stock.  She reserved one for me.  This is important because of the firearm shortage going on right now.  All I had to do was take the pistol back to the FFL dealer that finalized the purchase.

I took my U22 back to Bull’s Eye Sporting Goods.  There was a prepaid shipping label waiting.  Once the firearm has shipped, Davidson’s shipped the replacement.  Yes, a brand new firearm was shipped before they even examined the pistol!  Now that’s customer service. 

I can not recommend Gallery of Guns enough.  Their prices are reasonable.  Sometimes they may be a little more that you can find at a gun show, but, the peace of mind you get is priceless.

Taurus PT-22 magazine modification

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I have had a Taurus PT-22 “pocket pistol” for many years.  It has served me well, but I have noticed a certain “quark” that I have finally fixed.

The factory magazine for the PT-22 has a finger grip extension.  For those with smaller hands, I guess this would work well, but, my pinky finger puts pressure on it skewing the alignment ever so slightly.  This sometimes causes misfeeds.  To solve this problem I would drop my pinky finger below the extension relieving the pressure.   I was afraid that if I ever had to use the pistol for its intended purpose, I may be under enough stress to forget this “solution”. 

The picture above depicts the Taurus PT-22 and magazine as it originally came from the factory with the exception of the fine Pearce wrap-around rubber grip.  Notice the grip extension on the bottom of the magazine.  I never did like it.  Now I have solved the problem.

Use an Allen wrench or punch to disassemble the magazine.  I think most of you know how to do this so I will not go into great detail.

Use caution when removing the floor plate from the magazine.  The spring will shoot across the room if you don’t retain it with you finger.  You now have the magazine disassembled enough to make this minor modification.

Take a flat head screwdriver to remove the screw holding the plastic magazine extension to the metal floor plate.  Now separate the floor plate from the magazine extension.  Keep the screw and magazine extension as you may want to put it back the way it was later.

Now reassemble the magazine.  There will be a “dimple” protruding from the bottom of the metal floor plate that is only cosmetic and causes no functioning problems.  Here is the finished project.

The removal of the magazine extension makes the gun more comfortable for me.  The overall size is reduced, a little, which only helps it to be a more effective concealed-carry weapon.

I really enjoy the Taurus PT-22 pistol.  It makes a good “summer” carry gun.  Some think that .22 LR rounds are underpowered.  They are right!  Most pistol ammunition are underpowered.  This pocket rocket is very accurate up to 7-yards.  I can routinely get all nine rounds in a 3-inch group at 7-yards.  And this is handheld and semi-rapid firing.  I feel safe with my little friend!

Shooting Session With The Taurus PT-22

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As mentioned earlier in this blog, I had sent my Taurus PT-22 out for repair. Taurus replaced the slide under the lifetime warranty at no charge. I finally made it to the range to make sure everything function properly. Everything works great!

I shot at several distances from 3-yards to 7-yards. This is what I feel is the effective range for this firearm. The Taurus PT-22 is not a target pistol. It is a compact, concealable, personal protection weapon. It that role it is more than adequate.

Some say that a semi-automatic pistol firing .22-caliber rimfire ammunition is not reliable. This is too much of a blanket statement to be true. I have found that up to 125-150 rounds, the Taurus PT-22 functions perfectly, but after this amount of shots, the gun gets sufficiently "dirty" and will have some failure-to-feed malfunctions. I have had the Taurus PT-22 for over a decade and this has been true from day one! I don't see this as a problem since I clean my guns often and usually after every firing session. I carry this pistol concealed from time-to-time when a larger pistol is not practical. If I ever have to use it for its intended purpose, I don't forsee shooting more than 18-round anyway!

I have a few targets to show you. I started at 3-yards and fired a 5-shot group. I then moved it to 5-yards and 7-yards. I ended with a 9-shot magazine dump quick fire (1/2-second per shot) at 3-yards. Here are the results. Note: For scale, the center "white" circle is 1-inch in diameter. Each ring out for the center is in 1-inch increments. So the center "white" circle is 1-inch, the next ring is 2-inches, etc.

3-Yards, 5-Shots


5-Yards, 5-shots

7-Yards, 5-Shots

9-Shot Magazine Dump
Quick Fire (1/2-second per shot)
3-Yards

I am very happy with the Taurus PT-22. I am not the best marksman. I am getting old, fat, and blind! That being said, the results show that the average shooter can expect 3-inch or less groups up to 7-yards. The quick fire magazine-dump at 3-yards really blew me away. I simply presented the weapon to the target and fired quickly. Yes, the .22-caliber cartridge is an underpowered round. But, most every handgun cartridge is! I think 9-rounds in a group that small will do the job.

As mentioned, I have had it for quite a while and have fired over 2000-rounds through it. It still looks and functions great thanks to proper care and the lifetime warranty. One final note about most .22-caliber handguns. They are usually finicky about the ammo you feed it. You will probably have to try several brands and loads before you find the right match. I found the best results with CCI Mini-Mag High-Velocity copper plated round nose bullets. Many purest will say to use hollow points, but with a .22-caliber long rifle shell, I feel penetration is more important than expansion. That's why I don't use hollow points in this caliber.

College Students Save Their Lives Using A 222-Year Old Document

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Two criminals bent on rape and murder burst into the apartment of a group of students in College Park, Georgia. The students were forced into two rooms. One for the men and the other for the women.

When it was clear that murder and rape would soon follow, one student exercised a right affirmed almost 222-years ago: The right to own a firearm to protect yourself guaranteed by the second amendment of the United States Constitution! To read the actual news article and view a video, visit this link.

It is important that we all are able to protect ourselves. To pretend that removing guns will remove evil people is naive. Thinking the police can protect you is wishful thinking. This is not a bash on the police; they are doing the best job imaginable. They simply can't get there in time to stop the crime. They usually have to "clean-up the mess" and try to catch the criminals.

My politics usually lean towards the liberal side. I do differ with my liberal friends on the second amendment rights. I hope they will read this and take it as an opinion of one of their own. Just because many people exercise the right documented in the Constitution to protect themselves and their country, it does not make them "gun nuts". I invite you to read a paper written by LTC (RET) Dave Grossman titled, "On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs". This illustrates my beliefs on gun ownership in our country.

Food for thought on your next handgun purchase.

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When I make a firearm purchase I look for long term value. I don't have unlimited funds so I try to find a bargain. I have a couple Taurus handguns. I find that the Taurus line of handguns are very good quality for a good price. One more thing. They come with a lifetime warranty!

If you use a handgun long enough you may need some repairs. This can be pretty expensive if the gun is out of warranty. Not to worry with Taurus! They have a lifetime warranty on the firearm. This is not a warranty for the original purchaser, but for the firearm, no matter who owns it! If you purchase a used Taurus handgun, you also have the lifetime warranty. Something to consider when purchasing used firearms.

I have a Taurus PT-22. I have had it for around 12-years. This is a sub-compact semi-auto handgun that looks like a miniature PT92. This is a good handgun for concealed carry if you have the permit to do so. I'm sure it was never intended for heavy usage, but I have shot a few thousand rounds through it.

There is a "U" shaped steel strap that connects the front left and right slide. This fits under the barrel. It is a weak point and it did break. No worry! I just sent it to Taurus for a free repair. Now it's like new again.

Taurus and Kel-Tec both offer lifetime warranties. I think Kel-Tec's warranty is for the original purchaser only, but that's still better than most warranties. Something to consider on your next firearm purchase.