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Fast Reload for PT-22 Poly?

3K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  Montkun 
#1 ·
Has anyone yet come up with a fast way to reload a PT-22 in the event that you shoot one dry?

For me, racking the slide after inserting a fresh magazine is inserted is pretty much impossible. And I'm not a little wimpy guy either. I'm 6'-2" and 250 pounds, lift weights at the gym, and have shoulders so wide that I have to twist a little sideways at the waist to get through a 30" interior passageway door of else I'll bang one or both elbows painfully on the doorframe. I just can't get a tight enough grip on the slide to cycle it.

So far I've tried popping the barrel up and feeding the top round out of the mag into the popped-up barrel with my thumb, but that doesn't work as my thumb is too wide to get a good purchase on the top round in the mag. I wonder if anyone makes something like a Bianchi Speed Strip for .22LR?

Any other ideas?
 
#2 ·
Nope. At least not that I'm aware of. I think that as cool as the tip up barrels are, that's also the major drawback to them if you're unable to slide the rack. I'm not sure the philosophy of that design included reloading. I think they were meant to be small, last resort guns that you drop when empty, but that's just my thought.

This has been my experience, anyway. Maybe someone will come and enlighten us both.
 
#4 · (Edited)
The wide base of a PT22 magazine doesn't lend itself to carrying a spare magazine anyway. You could almost carry another PT22 as easily.
That's one advantage the Beretta Bobcat has over the PT22. The little Bobcat has an exposed hammer that you can thumb-cock. With the hammer cocked it is much easier to rack the slide because you don't have to overcome the hammer spring. I am a huge Taurus fan, but the little Beretta trumps the PT22. I was a bit dubious when I bought my PT22. But when I realize how much I loved the little gun, and how accurately I could actually shoot it, and knew I wanted to make it a permanent resident in my blue jeans pocket, the better attributes of the little Bobcat won out and I ponied up the extra money and got one. The Bobcat is also a DA/SA gun, so after that first DA pull, all subsequent pulls are a much easier/crisper SA pull. The Bobcat now lives in my blue jeans pocket and the PT22 on my nightstand.
 
#7 ·
Ah, interesting. I've got the original PT22 alloy. I've read the poly can't use the old style mags, but the original PT22 can use either mag. Too lazy to dig out my PT22 and take mag pics, but here's a pic of the mags I use I just found on Ebay. They're as narrow as any other mag.

 
#8 · (Edited)
Does the poly have an exposed hammer? On my old PT-22 if I thumb the hammer back it is easier to rack the slide.

I'm trying to remember, but I think I need to pull the trigger slightly to get the hammer back enough to finish pulling it back. It has been a while since I messed with it.
 
#9 ·
I do things one of two ways with my Poly for a fast reload if you can call it that. One is to strip a round off the mag and insert it into the up turned barrel, then put the fresh mag in the well. If not then for a rack of the slide I hold onto the slide tightly and push the body of the pistol forward. When the body of the pistol and slide are at full extension I let the slide go full forward without assistance. The slide slams home and takes a fresh cartridge from the fresh magazine which is inserted and then the "gun rack" is done.
 
#10 ·
I forgot to mention that I have several single nylon mag carriers that fit the belt and have a flap. The mag carriers are slim enough and not bulky at all. These were purchased some years ago. Have not seen any since offered at other places.

None of this makes for a super fast reload, but does give one a chance to accomplish a reload if needed.
 
#12 ·
One does not rack the slide. Hold onto the slide tightly and push the body of the pistol all the way and release the slide. Works with mine.
 
#13 ·
One does not rack the slide. Hold onto the slide tightly and push the body of the pistol all the way and release the slide. Works with mine.
Guess you didn't see "impossible"? Getting the slide to come back over the frame is called "racking the slide' no matter how you do it. The only possible way I could do it would be to clamp the frame in a vise and use a big pair of pump pliers to pull the slide back.
 
#14 ·
I did not say it worked for everybody. but it works for mine and some others. I practice the rip one round from the top of the spare mag and load it into the open barrel and then stick the mag into the butt of the Poly. I offered two possible ways to get the gun back into action. I prefer the one round loaded up the spout and then insertion of the mag as the reload. It's not a great and fast way to load the gun, but with practice the POLY can be brought back into action with some speed.

I have never in my many years have seen a recorded case where someone had to "speed load" a POLY or PT-22 in a defense scenario. Not that it may never have happened. The same goes for the Beretta 21A.

In a majority of self defense scenarios there is little need to use a reload. It may be needed, but not probable. If one wants to rely on the PT/PLY-22 for defense one has to be aware of its limitations and the user's shooting limitations. One can make up for it's limitations to a degree.

I have in the last few years either carry the second gun or a reload for said main gun.

In the hot and humid summers we have round here I either carry two PLY/PT-22s or a Taurus 732 in .32 ACP and the PLY/PT-22 as the backup gun. These combos can be carried on the body around the house as well so am always armed.

I have switched to a Taurus G2S as the primary carry piece and the PLY or 732 as the backup gun.

Use what works for you.
 
#15 ·
Oh yes. The PT-22 was my first Taurus pistol. Beretta 21A production had waxed and waned and at one time stopping altogether.

Since the PT-22 fit my hand and the double action pull trigger is the same for every shot that is what I went with.

The skinny trigger of the Beretta was a non-starter for me. The double action for the first shot and single action for each shot after was also a concern.

The Beretta and Taurus have been bought by the shiploads by their users. Those are both fine pistols.

Since this is subjective to a point and for each person it is a case by case basis what fits me may not fit others well. Use what works for you the best.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I will probably never fire my Bobcat in Double Action mode, will always thumb-cock the hammer for the first shot. Same for my Taurus 605. Same for my Bersa Thunder Plus 380. I believe there is only one reason for Double Action and that is if you have the muzzle shoved into a perp's gut and can't possibly miss or are so close that you can't possibly miss.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Being able to cock a gun when the chips are down in a fraction of second, or fractions of a second, and hit the target are near impossible. The gun gurus and personal experience bear this out. Granted, there are exceptions to this, but overall no.

The double action pull for the PLY-22 and PT are at least non-variable shot to shot.

The very small pocket pistols in .22 long rifle and .25 ACP were not designed with tactical or other reloads in mind. They never were. One has to do things within the limits of the guns designs and guns limitations of this class.

If you want a quick reload that is easier then going to the bigger caliber pistols is the way to go. That's what real world experience has shown. Or carry two small guns of the same kind.

You want the Beretta, fine. Those who choose the PLY-22 need to realize that the small pocket pistols have real world limitations and are not do everything guns. For shooting at longer ranges than say beyond 7 yards, and it happens in the real world, there are longer range and better hitting pistols. Ranges for real world gun fights are not always at bad breath ranges or with the attacker right on top of you.

I carried the PT-22 when I could afford nothing else until I could afford a larger caliber gun. Dr. Martin Topper, gun writer and real world gun guru made the same choice back in the day. There are many other gun savvy writers and credentialed been there and done that trainers out there who did this as well. Everyone of them and myself (using their sound real world advice) went to what works for them and larger caliber guns for the reasons listed in this thread.

The PLY-22 has it's limitations and good points as well as the Beretta 21A. If that is all you want to use, fine. Just be aware of real world limitations and abilities of the gun, the same for your self, and with plenty of practice the Beretta or PLY might well get you through the day. Use what works for you and no one should judge you for that.

Being able to cock a gun when the chips are down in a fraction of second, or fractions of a second, and hit the target are near impossible. Being under great duress The gun gurus and personal experience bear this out. Granted, there are exceptions to this, but overall no.

The double action pull for the PLY-22 and PT are at least non-variable shot to shot.

The very small pocket pistols in .22 long rifle and .25 ACP were not designed with tactical or other reloads in mind. They never were. One has to do things within the limits of the guns designs and guns limitations of this class.

If you want a quick reload that is easier then going to the bigger caliber pistols is the way to go. That's what real world experience has shown. Or carry two small guns of the same kind.

You want the Beretta, fine. Those who choose the PLY-22 need to realize that the small pocket pistols have real world limitations and are not do everything guns. For shooting at longer ranges than say beyond 7 yards, and it happens in the real world, there are longer range and better hitting pistols. Ranges for real world gun fights are not always at bad breath ranges or with the attacker right on top of you.

I carried the PT-22 when I could afford nothing else until I could afford a larger caliber gun. Dr. Martin Topper, gun writer and real world gun guru made the same choice back in the day. There are many other gun savvy writers and credentialed been there and done that trainers out there who did this as well. Everyone of them and myself (using their sound real world advice) went to what works for them and larger caliber guns for the reasons listed in this thread.

The PLY-22 has it's limitations and good points as well as the Beretta 21A. If that is all you want to use, fine. Just be aware of real world limitations and abilities of the gun, the same for your self, and with plenty of practice the Beretta or PLY might well get you through the day. Use what works for you and no one should judge you for that.
Quote:
Not under adrenaline dump, extreme stress and duress, fine motor skill loss, heart pounding, fight or flight situations is one going to realistically calmly shoot the human target/s as if on picnic and out for relaxation.
Quote from another thread by yours truly:



 
#19 ·
I wouldn't recommend loading the 22 Poly by racking the slide, because the spring weight is so heavy you can potentially cause a slam fire on rim fire ammunition. Learned that from personal experience with my 22 Poly.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Hello... a few things... and yes this will be a long post because I LOVE the PT22. Before my hand injury and operation last year, I "was" able to rack the slide on my alloy frame version of the PT-22, I found "after many years" of shooting I was to rack the slide holding the gun downwards.... as pointing it straight down to the floor.. while racking the slide.. Also to note, the alloy version has a trigger rest on the front of the trigger guard that the poly does not (and I do not know why Taurs never did add that with the poly version of the pt-22, a good feature) so I could get more grip. BUT NOW after my injury and the mobility issues I have with that one hand, I can't rack that gun. Also to note... at some point, I "WILL" own a POLY PT-22, because I really like the PT-22 as a platform, "that much".

I'm not going to get into my lines of work, but once in a while.. I have the PT-22 with me as a defensive firearm. I also, at times.. have this as my night stand gun.. sometimes. And if I'm working outside my house on my own property, I legally carry this concealed.

For fast loading, keep your magazine loaded, and then you could do three things load a round into battery:

1) As reference above, take the first round on top of that magazine, pop the barrel and load the round into battery.

2) Use a .22LR "speed strip" and keep that in you pocket or in the gun case.

3) I bought a few weeks back and it works well, is a leather .22LR/.22MAG ammo holder that goes on my belt (or in my pocket) or in my gun case. I protected the leather a bit with balistol gun oil. I use copper/platted round nose ammo like cci mini mags or aguila super extra high velocity rounds as that cuts down on the lead on the inside a bit more. This is not my picture, but it the model I bought:
Hand Leather Gun accessory Fashion accessory Glove


As a tip, use "empty" shells/casing with an "empty mag" to practice speed loading the pop up barrel. Also some people use a drywall anchors, look for "Hillman Hollow Wall Anchor 4 - 6 - 8 100 / Box " again "empty magazine".
 
#22 ·
If you were to disassemble the magazine for cleaning and just happened to drop the follower, and it bounces across the table to the open tin snips, which cleanly cuts the point of the spring side down a teeny tiny bit; you can fit the extra round to load the barrel.

Or so I've heard... [emoji849][emoji849][emoji849]

Sent from my BND-L34 using Tapatalk
 
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