Taurus TX22 guide: the .22 pistol for training and plinking

The TX22 did something unusual for a budget .22 pistol: it became widely respected. A polymer-framed, striker-fired .22 LR with a 16-round magazine, a good trigger and a reputation for running the cheap ammunition that jams other rimfires, it has become the training pistol many Taurus owners keep next to their carry gun. This guide covers the TX22 family, what it is for, and how to keep it running. It is written from Taurus's published specifications and owner reports; we are an independent store, not affiliated with Taurus, and every pistol ships to your licensed dealer.

What the TX22 is

A full-size .22 LR pistol with a 4.1-inch barrel, an overall length near 7 inches, an unloaded weight around 17 ounces and a 16-round magazine (10-round versions for restricted states). The frame is polymer with a rail; the slide is aluminum, which is why the pistol is so light and why it cycles rimfire so easily. The trigger is a flat-faced striker trigger that owners commonly measure around 4 to 5 pounds with a short reset. A manual safety is standard on most versions. The barrel comes threaded on many models, with a thread protector.

The family

• TX22: the standard full-size.
• TX22 Compact: a shorter 3.6-inch barrel and grip with 13-round magazines, sized to mimic a compact carry pistol for training.
• TX22 Competition: a longer 5.25-inch barrel and a slide cut for an optic with a plate system, aimed at Steel Challenge and rimfire matches.
• T.O.R.O. versions: optic-ready slides on the standard and compact models.

Why a .22 trainer

Rimfire ammunition costs a fraction of 9mm, and the TX22's grip angle, trigger and controls are close enough to a centerfire pistol that practice transfers. Owners of a G3c or GX4 often shoot a few hundred rounds through the TX22 for every box of 9mm, working on trigger press, sight alignment and reloads without the recoil or the cost. New shooters learn faster on it. It is also simply a fun pistol.

Ammunition that runs

The TX22's reputation rests on running bulk-pack ammunition that other .22 pistols refuse. Owner reports back that up: high-velocity 36- to 40-grain copper-plated bulk loads from the major makers run well, standard-velocity target loads mostly run, and subsonic and very cheap unplated loads are where the stoppages show up. As with every rimfire, misfires are the ammunition's fault more often than the gun's; the striker is reported as strong. Keep a couple of brands the pistol likes and buy those in bulk.

Sights and optics

Fixed white-dot front and an adjustable rear on the standard model. The T.O.R.O. and Competition slides take micro dots on a plate system, and a dot on a .22 is a good way to learn dot shooting cheaply before putting one on a carry gun. The GX4 guide covers the carry-gun side of that transition.

Magazines

Sixteen-round polymer magazines with a loading assist button on the side. Owners report them as reliable and easy to load with the assist, and note that they should be kept clean of rimfire wax and powder residue, which builds up faster than with centerfire. Extra magazines are inexpensive and worth buying; a range session goes faster with four loaded.

Cleaning a rimfire

Rimfire ammunition is dirty. The TX22 tolerates fouling well but runs best with a cleaning every few hundred rounds: field strip by pulling the takedown, brush the chamber and breech face, wipe the rails and the striker channel opening, and put a light oil film on the rails. Do not over-oil the aluminum slide; oil collects the powder and wax. The threaded barrel's protector should be checked for tightness.

Threaded barrels and suppressors

The threaded barrel is why the TX22 is popular with suppressor owners; a .22 pistol with a can is one of the quietest firearms you can shoot. Suppressors are NFA items that we do not sell, and threaded barrels on handguns are regulated in a few states; check your state before buying a threaded version. Unthreaded models exist.

Teaching a new shooter

The TX22 is the pistol many instructors reach for with a first-time shooter: light recoil, a manual safety to teach, a trigger that rewards a good press and ammunition cheap enough that the lesson can run long. Start at 5 yards on a large target, work on grip and trigger press, then move back. The Compact version fits smaller hands and mimics a carry pistol's size.

Competition

Steel Challenge's rimfire divisions and NSSF Rimfire Challenge matches are where the TX22 Competition lives, and owners report it holding its own against pistols costing several times more. The longer barrel and the optic mount are the differences; the trigger is the same.

Reliability, as reported

Among the most consistently praised budget rimfire pistols of the past several years. The complaints that recur are minor: some early magazines with weak springs, occasional reports of a loose thread protector, and the usual rimfire ammunition sensitivity with the cheapest loads. Owners who keep it clean and feed it decent ammunition report thousands of trouble-free rounds.

Who should buy one

• Anyone who owns a Taurus carry pistol and wants to practice more for less money.
• New shooters learning the fundamentals.
• Small-game hunters and plinkers who want 16 rounds of .22 in a light pistol.
• Rimfire competitors on a budget, in the Competition version.

Buying one

The TX22 is a serialized handgun: order, name a licensed dealer, complete Form 4473 and the background check at pickup, age 21. Rimfire is still a handgun, so the same state permits and waits apply; see the state-by-state guide. If you are choosing your first Taurus, the G3c guide covers the carry side. Search TX22 for stock and live prices, or browse all Taurus.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.