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Firearms Legal Protection

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  1. #1
    MGO Member Bikenut's Avatar
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    Phoenix Arms HP22a

    Yeah I know.... It's not only a .22 but is also a Phoenix Arms.

    I seem to have an affinity for cheap guns and can't resist buying them. Of course I have a Hi Point and I also have a Rohm .22 short. I do not have any financial interest in those guns or the Phoenix Arms HP22a Deluxe Range kit I picked up yesterday. I am not a professional gun guy anything but I took it to the range today to check it out. I took it out of the case, loaded it up without doing any prep of any kind, and here are the results:

    The HP22a Deluxe Range Kit contains the gun, an extra magazine with pinky extention, a 5 inch barrel (gun comes with a 3 inch barrel), and some cleaning stuff inside a plastic case. I paid $209 for it.

    I fired 380 rounds of Federal Auto Match 40gr LRN 1200fps ammo with 190 rounds though each of both magazines. And I fired 140 rounds through the 5 inch barrel with 240 rounds through the 3 inch barrel.

    Of those 380 rounds round #298 failed to fire but recocking the hammer for a second strike resulted in the round firing. Then round #375 failed to eject and seemed to be stuck in the chamber. Dropping the magazine and racking the slide resulted in the casing ejecting. That was it. Those were the only failures in 380 rounds. That was not the result I expected.

    The trigger started out gritty but smoothed out by the end of the session. Considering I was more interested in function testing the accuracy at 21 feet was acceptable with shots falling underneath my handprint. I have no doubt accuracy would have been better had I been trying for it.

    The gun is a bit heavy but with this kind of reliability it could be used for concealed carry for those who like, or need, to carry a .22. I will be using this gun at the range for new shooters. And it is a challenge to keep the recoil spring under control when putting the gun back together after cleaning.

  2. #2
    shoot it a bunch, then follow up.

    I have a friend that wanted a cheap 22, his buddy was hard up for money and sold the one with two barrel I think for 99 cash, or 90 cash.

    He barely shoots it up north 1-2-3 times per year, it goes through $5-7 springs like crazy.

    He is 1/3 the value of the gun in springs, and it james on every mag.

    He curses his friend who sold it to me, I like it as an I told you so.

  3. #3
    MGO Member DEVIL DOG's Avatar
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    I have one, also have the longer barrel. Have not shot it a whole lot, but it is accurate as hell with the long barrel at 21' or so. It is a PITA to field strip, but it does get easier with time. Not sure what will happen to it after 1 thousand rounds or so. My older brother has had one for quite awhile. It survived a fire & still shoots good. For what they cost, I had to have one. There are utube videos that show how to disconnect all of the redundant safeties. Runs like a top after that.
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  4. #4
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    Was all your shooting with the 3 inch barrel? If not, which barrel was mounted when you had the FTF and the FTE?

  5. #5
    MGO Member Bikenut's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 10x25mm View Post
    Was all your shooting with the 3 inch barrel? If not, which barrel was mounted when you had the FTF and the FTE?
    I fired 140 rounds through the 5 inch barrel and 240 rounds through the 3 inch barrel. Round #298's failure to fire on the first strike but fired on the second was with the 5 inch barrel. Round #375's failure to eject because the case was stuck in the chamber was with the 3 inch barrel. I'm guessing this failure was due to the 3 inch barrel having had more rounds fired through it than the 5 inch barrel and needing cleaning.

  6. #6
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    It appears you are using the wrong ammunition. If you read the users manual you are only supposed to be using low velocity ammunition (sub sonic). Pg27
    https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/10...34152949560847
    https://www.americanhunter.org/artic...-game-hunting/

    I inherited the HP22LR & HP25acp and have had similar results. Cleaning the slide and firing mechanism helps a lot. If you have continued issues or find the firing pin broken, You can mail the pistol to the manufacture in Ontario California and they will repair it for free and mail it back. Phoenix Arms 4231 E. Brickell St. Ontario, CA 91761 909.937.6900
    It’s a fun little shooter and a nice pistol to start a reluctant new shooter on.

  7. #7
    MGO Member Bikenut's Avatar
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    I've been to the range a few times since starting this review and here are the individual results from each range session follow in the next few posts:
    UPDATE

    Used Federal Value Pack 36gr 1260fps ammo. The results are:

    I fired 110 rounds through the 3 inch barrel with rounds #13, #52, and #61 failing to feed by not stripping off the magazine. Also rounds #57 and #62 failed to eject with #57 staying in the chamber but ejecting after racking the slide and #62 stove piping. Then I changed barrels and fired 90 rounds through the 5 inch barrel with no failures of any kind. Going to apply some red nail polish to the front sight and white to the rear when cleaning is done.

    Conclusion:
    The failures experienced with the 3 inch barrel were not repeated with the 5 inch barrel so the 5 inch barrel appears to be more reliable.
    The sights need help. Or I need new glasses. Or both.
    I bought the range kit to get the extra barrel but just the gun with the 3 inch barrel can be had for less than $140 and the gun has performed way beyond my expectations. Especially considering the less than stellar reputation of one of the dreaded "Ring of Fire" guns.

  8. #8
    MGO Member Bikenut's Avatar
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    Update:
    Took the HP22a to the range this morning and now have 730 rounds total through it. However, at round #727 the slide stuck back. After messing with it the slide returned to normal operation but I noticed there seemed to be a catch close to the end of it's rearward motion. I proceeded to try to empty the magazine and the slide stuck back on rounds #728, #729, and #730. I field stripped the gun and discovered a deep groove across the portion of the slide that the hammer rides across.

    At home I messed with moving the slide across the hammer and yep, the hammer tip was catching in that groove. It appears the hammer edge is.. ummm... hammering that groove into the soft metal of the slide. I sanded the groove out then cleaned the gun and put it back together. The slide now moves as smoothly as when it was new. I wonder if I will have to sand that down every 700 rounds or so until eventually needing a new slide.

  9. #9
    MGO Member Bikenut's Avatar
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    Update

    After today's range visit where I shot another 330 rounds I now have 1460 rounds total through the HP22a.

    Today at around 200 rounds the slide became sluggish in returning and feeding the next round. As I continued to shoot that sluggishness got more pronounced until occasionally the slide would momentarily hang up before returning and feeding the next round on it's own.

    After cleaning and inspecting the bottom of the slide where the hammer rides showed the groove I sanded out after the original 730 rounds appears to not be coming back. There is a mark there but not a groove. I will be keeping an eye on that.

    Anyway, a quick call to Phoenix Arms explaining the sluggish slide resulted in the very helpful and pleasant lady sending out some new recoil springs.

    I bought this gun just to see if cheap equals bad and so far I have had fewer failures with the Phoenix HP22a than I've had with my Ruger SR22 using the same cheap ammo with both guns.

  10. #10
    MGO Member Bikenut's Avatar
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    Another update:
    After today's range session the HP22a has an even 2000 rounds through it. On the original recoil spring too. I won't change the spring until it starts messing up.

    Today the gun ran perfectly until round #1946 where the slide didn't fully close. I pushed it closed and continued firing.

    Got a light primer strike at round #1999 but the round fired when reloaded and tried again.

    I am highly impressed at how light primer strikes and failures to fire have not happened with the HP22a. My Ruger SR22 usually has a few dud rounds within 2000 rounds. And I am using the same cheap 22 ammo I normally use.

    I am happy there just isn't much bad to say about the gun since it just keeps on doing what it is supposed to do. And I suspect that baring some kind of catastrophic failure this little gun might be the most reliable semi auto .22 I've ever owned.

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