Phoenix Arms HP22A?

[littletommy]

I have one, and it's a good shooter. The safety/s are a pain in the butt, but it shoots fine as long as you keep it squeaky clean. I wouldn't pay $175 for one. To be clear, I don't use mine as a carry weapon, although it is very concealable, but I take it to the range occasionally and it is fun to shoot.

 

[MAJB Retired]

I've had a P22 for several years (bought it new) and love it. As a first gun I think it is perfect, under $300 (less used), feels like a real gun, fairly accurate, and after a little breakin, shoots just about everything. The comments about the recoil spring are accurate, but with the provided guide rod, I never have an issue.

 

[holejack1]

I know others have had good luck with them, but I did not. So I'd recommend you shoot it some before you buy, or take a pass not knowing whether of not it functions well.
Bought one at auction on a whim because I couldn't believe the cute little thing was going to go for only $80 if I didn't bid. Now I know why. Won it for about $100 as I recall. The safeties sucked. The sights sucked. The trigger sucked. Mine had a problem with the trigger not returning propperly and I could never shoot a whole mag without problems. The recoil spring is difficult to keep in place while reassembling, and easilly lost. And they will rape you for shipping when you call for a new one, which you will need to do several times before you surrender. Which I did and got maybe $75 out of it in trade ultimately. So there you go.

 

[Hornett]

I called Phoenix Arms and they said they would send me a new spring for .75 + $12 S&H shipped FedEx. I asked if they could just drop one in an envelope and ship it for 44 cents, but they refused.

Originally Posted by cmstuard
I have one and the company is great in replacing broken parts to the original owner. They sent me a new firing pin and springs with just a phone call. I also had a piece break on the slide after thousands of rounds...

I probably shouldn't have called on a Monday...

Who did you talk to, Jamstutz?
I've had 2, and for the right price (read < $120) I would not hesitate to buy another.
The first one was really worn looking and has never failed me one time.
The mag release was worn and the mag would fall out if you touched it wrong.
I called Phoenix and they sent me another mag release free of charge in the mail along with installation instructions.
So I bought another one and it looked new.
When I took it apart the piece that holds the recoil spring was broken.
Phoenix sent me a new part and a recoil spring FREE in the mail.
It had some failures to extract so I sent it to Phoenix and they rebuilt it FREE.
And sent it back to me with an extra magazine.
I told them all 3 times that I just got the gun used and was not the original owner.
I traded the second one, but I still have the first one.
I will probably keep it for a long time.
It's so much fun.

 

[MrSmitty]

I've got two, one I bought from a fellow INGO'er, both shoot fine, had some issues with the first one I got, sent back the part, they sent me a new one a week later, Phoenix Arms customer service is great! $175 is steep, but I guess with the range kit, that would be fair. I like mine, but my son thinks it's loud (he's sensitive to loud noises anyway) They are ammo specific, try out differant rounds, mine doesn't like Winchester white box, but federals are fine, and STAY AWAY from Armscor ammo for any gun, total crap!

 

[spencer rifle]

I have 2 complete range kits (one blue, one satin nickel) and they both work great after the safety/mag drop modification (which you can do yourself in less that 10 minutes). More accurate than they have any right to be. Heavy enough that recoil is non-existent. Barrel change is easy once you get used to it. Great gun for the kids - my lefty 9 year old had no problems at all, and shot it well. Sights are a bit small, but so is the whole gun.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I've got one of those little guns. I don't shoot it much because it always seems to take a little too much TLC to get it to go into battery, clear a jam, etc...sort of takes the fun out of shooting it. It was cheap and if I had to do it all over again, I'd have saved my money and resisted the urge.

 

[jamstutz]

Who did you talk to, Jamstutz?

I called, was placed on hold, person answering said, "Sales." No names.

 

[T-DOGG]

I've owned/sold 3 so far in my lifetime. All shot fine for me with no major issues. 2 things I did not like: too many "safety" features & customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Other than that they are inexpensive and fun to shoot (surprisingly even for larger hands).

 

[ghitch75]

i have one and the only trouble i have had 5k+ was the slide safety wouldn't stay up...was used when i got it.....call them and sent the slide back and a new one showed up......has been 100% ever sense.....they have great CS

 

[RBrianHarless]

If I remember correctly, Phoenix took over where Jennings left off? I did own one is .380 that I picked up real cheap at a gun show. Needless to say I did not own it very long.

 

[T-DOGG]

If I remember correctly, Phoenix took over where Jennings left off? I did own one is .380 that I picked up real cheap at a gun show. Needless to say I did not own it very long.

Jennings became Raven Arms, then George Jennings retired and sold Raven Arms designs to Phoenix Arms. Phoenix is headed by George's son Bruce, George's ex-wife & children. The quality of Phoenix is far superior to Jennings firearms. Jennings are junk guns that sell used for $50, Phoenix will still bring $100-$150 all day long (especially for the range kits). The only hiccups I have ever experienced with any that I have owned were caused by weak bulk ammo that failed to cycle the action, also experienced same issue in my 22/45 Ruger. Also Phoenix does not make a .380, they make .25 and .22 caliber. The .380 would have been a Jennings/Bryco Arms junk piece of crap, like I said $50 (think about it).

 

[Sullivan_pbr]

I had one as my first handgun. Never had any trouble with it. It was a pain to field strip though. I'd buy another if I came across a cheap one. Lots of fun.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Well thanks for all the feedback. I'd say much more positive than I expected. Gonna have to get one of these and give it a whirl.

 

[MrSmitty]

The first thing I did to mine was epoxy the hammer drop safety ( I call it the get me killed lever) in the up position, so it can't be accidently lowered and cause a "click" instead of a bang! and the mag disconnect is easy to bypass....uh from what I've heard...uh yeah that's right.....

 

[SigSauerTom]

Iffy Product Terrible Customer Service.

I picked up one of their pistols for a cheap time at the range. The only ammo that I have found that reliably works in this thing is the federal value ammo, it may be too many fps though(as my frame cracked in half and broke maybe 3-4 other parts.) After weeks of calling Phoenix Arms to no avail, a woman answered. She asked me the problem and told me I could drive it down to the manufacturer since I lived close. She said she would be leaving the office at 330 so I made sure I was there by 230, but when I arrived the whole place was closed up for the day. A guy in the shop was nice enough to help me out and take my gun and fill out the paperwork needed. That was 7 weeks ago that I dropped it off. It took them 2 weeks to figure out they would not be fixing the gun, instead would be replacing it entirely and would be sending it back to me via FFL dealer and that it would take 10 days to two weeks. the 10-14 days they promised has now been 6 weeks. I wouldn't buy from them again.

 

[Deucemizer]

Phoenix .22 was my first pistol. Still have it, still shoots great. I tried to fowl it up first thing shooting cruddy ammo through it, I never got it to fail.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Forgot I started this thread till now. I bought one not long after I started it. I've had no issues with it in the 2500 or so rounds I've put through it. I will be replacing the springs though as I have read several reviews saying that weak springs start happening between 2500-3000 round mark and that is usually what causes the cracks in the frame that these are sometimes prone too. Either way It wont hurt especially since they are free from Phoenix arms. Well worth the $130 I paid for it for sure.

 

[Dave A Wood]

Bought mine at a gun show in Crown Point MANY years ago, along with the target barrel and an extra clip ....had noproblems at first other than the fact it was horribly inaccurate regardless of the brand of ammo........after about 1000 rounds the slide cracked on the right side.....i sent it back to them and after about 3-4 weeks it was returned with a new slide and a new extra clip..... still no accuracy......less than 1000n rounds later the slide cracked again in the same place...........never sent it back is now used as a paper weight. used only standard ammo....never any hyper velocity............one good thing about it, i never had any FTE or FTF with it.

 

[tatters]

My very first real firearm was an HP-22. I bought it new in 1995 from a pawn shop in Kileen, Texas while I was in the Army. I put it in layaway while I went off to play at NTC. I came back, picked it up, and fired the heck out of it on the civilian side of one of the ranges. I still have it, or at least a replica of it, as it has been pretty much all replaced, on the Phoenix dime. I have had nothing but good experiences with their customer service. I once melted the grips a bit using brake clean on it..They replaced them for free. It still shoots well, and actually cycles pretty darn quickly. I like mine a bunch and experience tells me it is very reliable. Probably one of the guns I would not part with. In fact, if I could find a decent holster, I might carry it once in a while.