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November 2008

Affordable 22 LR Revolvers: S&W’s Air Lite Redeems Itself

We dissed S&W’s 317 aluminum-frame 8-shooter in a previous evaluation, but this time is different. Taurus’s gun shot great—when it shot—and Charter Arms might be a bargain for some.

As the cost of centerfire ammunition continues to ascend, many gun owners will turn to the standby 22 LR round as a way to shoot economically, whether those pursuits include knocking over cans, punching holes in paper, or killing the occasional rodent. Of the many available guns chambered for the rimfire round, perhaps the easiest to load and shoot and enjoy is the revolver.

Taurus Model 94B2UL Ultra-Lite Nine, Charter Arms Pathfinder, Smith & Wesson Model 317-2 Air Lite

Clockwise from left to right: We recently tested a trio of wheelguns chambered for the 22 Long Rifle cartridge: a Taurus Model 94B2UL Ultra-Lite Nine, a Charter Arms Pathfinder No. 72224 and a Smith & Wesson Model 317-2 Air Lite No. 160222. The Air Lite, previously ranked a ‘Don’t Buy’ in 2006, redeemed itself here with good accuracy, dependable function, and easy portability. The blued Taurus, in contrast, went from penthouse to cellar because the cylinder on this sample got in a bind. The Charter Pathfinder was significantly flawed, but perhaps not fatally so, depending on your needs and your budget.

We recently tested a trio of wheelguns chambered for the 22 round, and versions of two of them have previously been tested and graded for their utility. For example, just over a year ago (October 2007), we shot the Taurus Model 94SS4, $406. That stainless-steel gun with…

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