Something to keep an eye on when it comes to the Phoenix pistols. Had an issue with my HP22A, and decided to do a video showing what it was/how to fix it. Link is below. . Phoenix HP22A common trigger issue. How to fix it in under 5 minutes. Works for safety selector also ruclips.net/video/A1GWrtNrkOs/видео.html
@@a.m.pietroschek1972 Thanks I appreciate that. My goal is to give honest reviews. While these little pistols aren’t without their own issues I have definitely enjoyed both of them.
@2A_CaliGuy You can temporarily disable the magazine disconnect safety by putting a sliver of plastic under it to keep it from engaging and since its removable it does not void the warranty. The mag release safety nub will need to be filed down to prevent it from engaging but you will need a new manual safety/slide catch if it ever needs to be sent in for warranty as filing it down may void the warranty. I disabled those two safeties so the pistol functions like a normal pistol and still have the manual safety and the manual firing pin block safety. I got the Heritage Arms Rough Rider single action revolver and the Phoenix Arms HP22A for practice, training, varmint control, and small game. I did not get them for self defense. I would use them if they were all I had but .22 rimfire is not reliable enough for defense. I would not want to use .25ACP either for defense even though its more reliable than .22 rimfire because the mouse calibers below .380ACP have high rates of failure to stop threats over standard calibers. The reason they have high kill numbers is because they are cheap and cheap to shoot so many folks have them. But they have equally high rates of failure to stop threats. All pistols are poor at stopping threats its just that mouse calibers are worse. Best to use a long gun like a shotgun or rifle that generate higher velocity and muzzle energy. Thanks for sharing.
Your mind is the most valuable asset you have in a self defense situation. Train your body and keep your mind sharp. The weapon is an extension of the user.
.22LR was never designed or intended for a handgun. .25ACP was designed specifically for a semi-auto handgun. In fact, it was created to replace .22LR, as a handgun round, because of the reliability issues of rimfire ammo.
I think rimfire revolvers would be the fix if you're unsure of reliability. Magsafe is really reliable in .22lr. I had a cheap tec-22 as a teen, it never fed reliably even with a flush ruger 10rd rotary mag. Marlin .22 have great reputation for reliability. Ruger .22 pistols are great, but I could spend an hour trying to put it back together after cleaning, lol
Yeah 25 ACP definitely isn’t cheaper to shoot. Even with me reloading for it, and casting my own boolits I’m still above the price of 22LR. . That said if you could only have one for self defense what would you choose?
The . 22 Short was the first of the . 22 rimfire cartridges and is the oldest American commercial self-contained metallic cartridge. It was introduced in 1857 for the Smith & Wesson First Model revolver and intended for serious self-defense. Considering this original cartridge was also loaded with a weaker black powder compared to today's standards, was fired from a cumbersome slow to load single action revolver at rougly half the power of the 22 lr round it and was adequite for self defense back then, it should tell us this little modern pistol with modern ammo should be plenty enough to do the job today. I choose the 22 hp 7 days a week and twice on sunday
We purchased an old Raven 25 auto. Was made in the early 1970s. Picked it up for 40 bucks. After a good soaking in cleaning it fires great. Phoenix arms I believe purchased raven in the mid-1980s. Great inexpensive back up guns.
That’s my understanding as well. Raven, Jennings, Phoenix all based on the same concept. Something the shop said was they were all part of the pacific ring of fire guns. I didn’t look into it much. When I find something inexpensive I tend to just pick it up. Sort of collect them if ya know what I mean. Both my 22/25 by Phoenix have been great. Today I ran a 200 round test on the 22 using CCI 40 grain segmented HPs. Surprisingly I had quite a few failure to fires. . My experience with the HP22 is based only on my experience with a sample size of 1. I intend to do a similar test with the 25, and also to redo the test on the 22 with different ammos.
@@2A_CaliGuy 22. Mag has always been my firearm choice. My dad grew up in southern Virginia. I grew up in Philadelphia. But my dad always used 822 long rifle for hunting and for butchering steer and hog. I started using a 22 single action army handgun. The ballistics were unbelievable. We now hunt, squirrel, rabbit, and groundhog with just the 22 mag bolt action. I also like the inexpensive firearms. I purchased three High Point 45 ACP handguns and three High Point 45 ACP carbines. My Daughter, son and I love them. When I purchased them quite a few years ago I paid less than $1200 for six firearms.
@@SCHUBERT-dd5nz yeah the 22 mag is epic. I have a rough rider in 22 mag, and have been eyeballing a 22 mag upper receiver for another AR build. 22 mag for me is a forever cartridge. It’s got a nice punch. Cheers
I had the HP22a Great little gun ! Acrually its an Amazing piece considering what it costs its hell of a deal! Never jamed on me once I put it through hell at the range and never even cleaned it (back then I was a lazy bastard) . I Highly recommend this little gem to anyone looking for a budget pistol. The damm thing is as quality built as my old Walter PPK/S. No joke.
Nice. I’ve got a buddy that hasn’t ever had an issue with his either. Mine I think needs to go back for service. The 25 though has been amazingly reliable. Bang every time , no jams. I like them both!
@@2A_CaliGuy I am interested in the .25 might pick one up (maybe) Its too bad these guys did not make a wider range of caliber guns like 9mm and up. According to the website they only have the Hp 22 and 25 thats it. If they made a decent quality 9 at lets say $300-$350 they can give some guys a run for there money.
Yes. I taught my sons with a good ol rough rider single shot revolver, and then introduced them to semi autos with these. My youngest son just stepped up from 22LR to 556 for the first time today! He’s 8 now . Proud dad moment seeing him ring steel today at 100 yards. Now I look forward to seeing him progress into long range soon.
I have some .25 acp mouse guns and a .22 lr Phoenix mouse one too. I carry in my pocket the .22, it’s better than a stick on a perp that wants to do grave bodily harm on you. I practice the Israeli draw.
Nice. I agree it’s better than a stick especially if you’re not carrying said stick. I prefer round in the chamber. Mainly because there’s a good chance you won’t have access to both hands in many scenarios. However if practiced you can get quite good with the Israeli draw. Thanks for watching!
Some say I killed warranty, I'm a gun collector, these 2 were real cheap, can always just order the parts and fix them myself, they have never jammed, or misfired as saturday night specials are better than high point, or sccy,
I have one older Raven and two HP25's and one HP22. All are great guns and not ammo picky and all run great. The mouse guns are the easiest to conceal in my opinion.
Nice. Glad to hear they all run well. My issues ended up being the loose grips. I did a repair video showing what it was. The trigger bar was hanging up slipping over the sear which caused light strikes repeatedly
very little technology in 22lr ammo. Either a lead rn, copper plated rn or hp. Same ammo thats been around forever. Before cci it was winchester super x and remington hornets. The biggest downfall of the 22lr is the rimfire primer and it needs a rifle length barrel for full velocity/effectiveness.
Recently purchased hp25a brand new. 50 round box of pmc through it so far. Haven't had one magazine without at least one jam. Frequently have two jams per magazine. Cleaned and lubed, will try some different ammo. I wouldn't buy it again.
Good point. I need to revisit this, and give an update. I have fully serviced the little thing, and it’s just as unreliable 😝, but it is easier to operate. Thanks for watching, and the comments!
@@2A_CaliGuy thank you brother for getting back to me. I havnt looked. Nd just seen it... Im well over 4000 rounds down my acp 25... Still works great. No maintance other then clean.. Because sometimes at range ill just mag dump it.. And usually gets the tip black. Never had 1 problem. And my lr22.. Maybe little over 700 rounds.. Has 1 problem.. I cant miss my target
While I prefer and own .22lr guns. If I only had one of the 2 cals to rely on I’d definitely go with the 25 acp. Great comparison of the guns and calibers.
I’m the opposite. I would go with the .22. More advancement in the technology of the round and loads specifically designed for self defense, better velocity, more foot pounds of energy, better availability of ammo, better price on the ammo. My goodness, what ammo manufacturer doesn’t make a self defense round in.22 anymore. I like the Winchester, Sig, and probably carry the Federal Civil Defense the most !!!
@@thatsmytwocents4372 I’m going to have to start looking for some good quality defense 22. Here it’s mostly bulk box, or CCI. That’s about all they carry. May be worth ordering some online to my local FFL. Sucks that we can’t order ammo to home here in CA
Definitely a great point. I like to clean all my guns after each use, and even though that may be excessive it’s how I was taught. Seems like they all work better that way. . Something to note when I review, or give my opinion on a gun it’s based only on my experience. For instance I only have 1 so it’s not like I tested 100 of each gun, and I may have gotten a good/bad one.
I have both guns, already fixxed the safety's with the saftey mods so now it works like a regular gun I know it is not under warranty any more but I'm a gun collector and I had to fix both.
Same here I have no interest in selling mine. I also like to collect. Cool inexpensive guns will always have a spot for me. If I’m running a dros I feel like adding something neat inexpensive is worthwhile
I’ve shot thousands of rounds through my .22LR Phoenix. It’s a great little gun. Haven’t actually had that many loading misfire problems. I also own a .25 in another brand. Fun. But I can’t afford to shoot thousands of rounds through it. I’m not sure I want to count on a .22 for self defense. I always have a 9 handy. But, I’ve been known to carry it a 22 or 25 (different brand) in places I might not carry a 9. Just saying. I’d rather have it than not. But if you practice enough and have good enough placement I’m better off than the guy with a 45 who can’t shoot well. Oh and if I could only own one gun it would be a 22 and I’d be happy to start with the Phoenix. IMHO
Scott. That’s what I’m talking about. Good shot placement is key. Having such low recoil they are great for some people. My little 22 Phoenix has been a gem. Haven’t had any feed issues. Have put a decent amount of rounds through it. I’d definitely stick with the P365 for carry, but if I could only pick one of the two I’d have to take the 25acp.
@@Another-Address Shot placement is key, and no doubt even after a self defense shooting there’s a battle. . The way I see it is better to have it then not have it. My assumption is that most people will never need to use it, but given the current times who knows. . If I was going to go somewhere, and the thought of I Need to bring a gun came in my head I’d just stay home. Aside from hiking/backpacking where I’d bring it for snakes. The sad thing is places most people go you wouldn’t think you’d need to carry. . Going to the grocery store, the movies, restaurants, the mall. These are places you wouldn’t think I need a gun, but having one, and not needing is better then not having one, and needing it. The whole thing is criminals don’t obey laws, and laws that infringe only hurt law abiding citizens. With firearm ownership come responsibility. If not securely stored they can fall into the wrong hands. However aside from that with criminals they don’t care about laws. It’s illegal to stab people, but criminals do it. It’s illegal to steal, but they do it. It’s illegal to do drugs, but they do them. . Given the current situation with the economy, the ridiculous high rate of crime. Everyone has the right to feel safe, and enjoy life. That’s why the recent ruling about CCW licensing was so big. There’s areas in CA that unless you donated large sums of money you couldn’t get a CCW.
They’ve been great. I do wish I got the range kit that comes with the 5” target barrel. Considering how much fun we have plinking with the 22 I feel like it was a great investment. On the 25acp side we like it, but don’t care for the ammo price vs 22LR lol.
@@2A_CaliGuy yes thought about getting kit to but like it's compact size wear cargo pants all the time so it perfect for side pockets. Live in the mountains so that ph22 is great gun for rattle snakes when out mowing or in the barn or gardening. Great gun for training a beginners or people that don't have good finger strength.
@@anthonyhatter1882 good point. Have you ran any snake shot through it to see how it cycles. I picked up some 9mm snake shot for my P365, but haven’t tried it to see how it cycles. Maybe I should do that.
@@2A_CaliGuy Have snake rounds only in .38 and it #9 shot works well on rats in chicken coop. Have not seen shot shells in hand gun calibers in a long time
@@anthonyhatter1882 yeah some have been hard to get. Luckily by us there’s a place that seems to keep 9/38 in stock, but I haven’t been lucky enough to find any 22 in awhile
If I could only have one.....it would for sure be the 22lr; not the 25. I can buy a bulk pack of 22lr for how much?.....find the ammo it likes, polish here and there and wear it out.....for the price of 500 rounds of .25 caliber a guy can just buy a glock 19 with all the trimmings and forget about bargin guns....ammo price really matters in this catagory....
Extremely valid point. You can train a lot more, and a lot cheaper with 22LR. My opinion is based solely on for self defense I trust any centerfire over rimfire. .25acp is not only ridiculously priced it seems to be tough to find.
@@2A_CaliGuyI bought a Baby Browning on gunbroker. When I found out the price of 25acp ammo, (40 clams), I got into reloading! I'm 65 and have shot thousands of 22lr. Can't remember ever a time when one didn't fire!
@@2A_CaliGuy was lucky enough to score one on gunbroker for only 405 clams! And that's with an extra mag. They usually go for 2 -3 times that, with only one mag!
Thanks for the video. I do not trust the reliability of rim-fire ammunition. The 25acp center-fire ammunition is the smallest handgun caliber I rely on for self-protection.
@@2A_CaliGuy I have never owned or shot a rim fire handgun. I have, however, collected over 200 rounds of failure-to-fire ammo that I have collected at the range.
Fascinating little guns. I have a 25A on its way to my FFL to add to my collection. I don't plan to carry it (a pocket .380 has served me very well for over a decade), but it will be fun at the range.
@@boss94ways51 Sadly, I haven't gotten it to the range since receiving it. Life kicks in sometimes and throws curve balls. No real hurry as it's mostly just for having rather than firing. But I'll get there, probably after the first of the year.
I bought my Phoenix Arms 25 ACP new 3 years ago and have shot hundreds of rounds no problem and use as a carry gun often. It is so easy to hide and carry.
The 25 is solid. Haven’t had a single issue with it. All in all I like them both. The 22 I had to replace some parts, but after that it’s been running great.
Take the left grip panel off the gun. You’ll see a bar that slides up and blocks that mag release when it’s on fire mode. Just trim that bar down and you’ll be able to remove the mag is either safe or fire.
I know most people are buying these as range toys and not to carry, so the safeties are more of an aggravation for those folks, But the way they've designed their safety system actually makes sense for a pocket carry pistol. The main safety blocks you from accidently releasing the mag while you fish this thing out of a small pocket or purse. and the firing pin block is the actual safety while carrying. you use it to safely carry this hammer down and then flip it to fire while cocking the hammer back. it's a little hair brained but you can kind of see what they intended when they set it up this way.
@@2A_CaliGuy the .25s probably what I'll pick up, apparently there's some bullet molds out there on the used market for it, it'd be hella fun to have a reloadable ".22 lr" 😂 although I'd probably want to find the mold before buying the gun
It’s definitely nice to be able to reload. The pain is finding the brass after firing it 😂. I have a Lyman 52gr mold. Lee still Carrie’s them I believe they’re under special order now.
Here in my local gun stores in Massachusetts, 25 acp is about $25 for a box of 50 FMJ, and a box of federal 22lr is $20 for 325 rounds, 22lr is my pick. Although my 9mm or 38spl is first choice, my little 22lr LCP is the most concealable thing I have for those dumb places that may frown upon having such a thing...
I love 22 pistols and have a few but the lcp is hands down the best and most fun to shoot in my opinion. I carry mine with alternating CCI segmented and stingers.
@@Isaac556x45 there’s a RUclips video by Beyond Seclusion where he shoots segmented rounds into cow parts, “ribs and such” and he uses the lcp2. Very impressive! They would definitely ruin someone’s weekend
@@bradleysmith3963 it's funny you mentioned that because I watched that video about a year ago and had never heard of segmented rounds before, but when I saw what they did to that side of beef, I was sold, absolutely incredible damage, 22lr can cause carnage at close range, and I have shot thousands of rounds through my LCP with only a couple little misfires, and I can shoot a popsicle stick in half from 10 yards with it, it's a great gun and ammo combo.
Kel Tec p32 trumps all 22, 25, pistols for CC. 8 rounds of .32acp in Fiocchi fmj has no recoil and plenty of penetration for short self defense distances and easily goes where alot of 9mm and .380s often cannot. Jmo.
In an emergency situation you will not have any ear protection. A 22lr standard ammunition pistol may be an option to protect hearing. Hearing loss and Tinnitus are annoying.
This is true. I ponder because I wear a headset if the situation ever happened would I even worry to cover the other ear. I’ve shot my p365 chambered in 9mm once with one side of the ear pro off. Wasn’t fun.
They are different but are very reliable, never jammed or misfired have both .22 and .25, i did the safty mods and gin works like a regular semi auto..
Yeah after I went through mine they have been more reliable. Mine aren’t big fans of bulk box ammo, but then again not many of my 22s are with the exception of my 10/22s. Thanks for watching!
Once you mod out or off all the safety features, this is a badass little gun…. I sold mine because I cracked the lower frame after 5k rounds or so. A friend of mine still has it, & it still runs with the crack inside the lower frame under the barrel. You can buy 4 of these for the cost of 1 SR22 pistol tho, well worth the $$
Question: Since you have both could you see if the barrel swap is a possibility? 25ACP to 22LR? I am just curious to see since the frame on both look identical, I am curious to see if the barrels and mags are interchangeable. I have seen that they have 2n1 Conversion Kits, but that is for extended barrels. HP22A to HP25A?
Absolutely I’ll check. It does seem it would work with a complete slide/barrel etc swap. The grip module is marked 22/25 on mine. Seems to rack/cycle just fine. . The barrel/mag swap doesn’t seem it would work as re assembly I mixed up barrel, and there’s a cutout preventing 25 from going into 22. Hopefully that answers your question.
@@2A_CaliGuy it did. I was just curious and well if they did. I was going to go buy the 22LR barrel and mag; but if I need the slide as well, doesn’t seem to fun to do since I would just buy a new gun at that point which again isn’t to bad haha 25ACP is just hard to find. Thank you for checking.
You just proved what I've been hearing, that 25ACP is more powerful than 22LR, and it was also said it was designed to be. I have a Phoenix Arms HP25A and I also like ACP over Rim Fire. Never had a misfire with it. I know you had fun at the range with the kids. That's great to see.
I have both and never jammed or misfired so they are both sitting in house I keep the .25 next to me with a beretta 950 .25acp next to it and a .357 next to it, both guns have the safeties fixed so they both act like a regular gun.
I’ve enjoyed both of them. I trust the 25 more then the 22. If I could only have one, and needed it for protection I’d still take the 25. No Jams no failures to fire. Sure ammo is more expensive, and harder to find in some areas, but all of my 22s have had plenty of duds etc. I’d like to get a beretta, or even a seacamp. Recently got a P238 which I like quite a bit.
I recently bought a Phoenix Arms firearm. And I'm not happy at all. First off I didn't get the one I ordered. The firearm came bone dry, and the serial number is extremely hard to read. When I contacted to them about the firearm not being oiled they said they don't oil their firearms.
Aw man that sucks😔, I just started my 10 day background check a day ago but mine came somewhat oiled up, best case scenario just buy a kit or the current one you have for cleaning your tools & do the normal maintenance on it before using it
I was having problems with light strikes so I called Phoenix and they sent me some new recoil springs at no cost. I asked for a new firing pin as well but they told me to try the springs first and call them back if there was still a problem. Good customer service at least.
They definitely have grade A customer service. I contacted them, and after some R&R I got mine running much better. Still has some issues, and I found QC wise the firing pins are not all the same. The new longer pin has almost no light strikes!
I can’t ever remember a 22LR that didn’t fire eventually, but I have had plenty that wanted to be struck again 😂. So if you could only have one would you take the 22 or the 25
The only complaint I have is that your elbows weren't quite to the table when shooting the 22 but they were definitely on the table when shooting the 25 so that little variant might have changed how many the 25 went through
I don't think the Phoenix 25 is worth it. When I got mine many years ago I didn't know the 25 acp ammo was very expensive. Like a box of 50 bullets were $35 and up.. I only shot it once at the shooting range. I regret it.. I should have gotten a Phoenix 22lr.
Ammo for the little bugger is definitely overpriced. I’ve found reloading it makes it more affordable, and because low velocity ammo is recommended I can tailor the loads for it. $0.06 primers $0.02 powder, cast lead bullets from range scrap or wheel weights, and reuse my brass. Thanks for watching. Maybe I should do a video on reloading 25acp
I am 77 years young and hear a lot about 22 cal. dud rounds , which is strange because as a child growing up in Texas we NEVER experienced dud rounds .
It’s possible quality control isn’t what it used to be. As a kid duds were much less common, but then again I didn’t shoot 1000 rounds in a single range day as a kid either.
honestly neither are ideal , that said ..... playing devils advocate here like you said you can purchase 6 boxes of the 22LR for the cost of 1 box of 25acp ... the original premise was "BUDGET" and if you could only buy 1 gun ... ammo cost is or should then be a huge contributing factor as should be easy availability as a gun is useless without bullets ... when using a firearm that is severely under powered ( they both are ) accuracy becomes paramount and to be accurate you need to be shooting and shooting regularly ... if the ammo is expensive and hard to come by that would make shooting regularly difficult or impossible ..... this is the reason 9x18 firearms are much cheaper to buy here in the US than 9x19 , you just cant get the ammo easily and its not cost effective ( also see 380 not cost effective as 9mm and less powerful) ...I own the 22 LR version of this pistol and its a good little gun once you get past its idiosyncrasies and how fussy it can be with ammo , but once you find what it runs well you are golden ... however I bought mine when they were 99 bucks I wouldnt pay the current price for one as there are better pistols at the $ 200 price point that for self defense are much better suited for the task ( such as but not limited to ) sccy 9mm that you can find new online for under 200 bucks often times ... ....
Yes 🙌!! Thank you very much this made my day! I really appreciate you watching, and considering the ridiculous what would you take. I agree 100% neither are ideal!
Agree with getting both. Cheap practice 22LR and reliable SD .25 ACP. Makes sense if you just want a pocket gun or as a backup, and this is all you can afford right now. Far better than nothing. The mag safety can be easily disabled, per many YT videos. But when you can afford to buy better, and want a pocket pistol, I recommend (and have) the Ruger LCP Max in .380, and a 12-round mag. Get the Mcarbo takedown pin and SS guide rod for reliability, and the more powerful recoil spring for softer shooting. Use either ball ammo such as Fiocchi FMJ or a milder HP such as Remington HTP green & yellow box. With the stock recoil spring and powerful SD ammo like the Sig V-Crown, it is very unpleasant to shoot, so people won't practice with it. I'll take .380 ball over .25 ball any day. I mention Fiocchi because it is the most accurate ball I have found, so far. Better than cheap range ammo, and as cheap or cheaper than most. HP is generally a waste of money with these short barrels, but if it's more accurate than ball I will buy it anyway. Shot placement.
Well put. I would love a Ruger LCP max, or even the Ruger LC380 over either of these. Appreciate you watching, and adding some excellent info ! I don’t much care for HP in 380s, and would prefer ball ammo as well.
I own the hp22A and love it for summer CC. She has never had a malfunction outside of dud primers on cheap range ammo (always a good hammer strike). Seriously considering picking up the .25 just for the sake of having a more reliable caliber for the same purpose ❤ amazing little pistols, and highly accurate for their size.
After going through mine it has been a great gun. Possibly I got a bad one, and it didn’t help all the dry fire abuse it was subjected to. The follower mod to hold slide open definitely prevents some of it. All in all great gun. Thanks for watching. I also have the 25, and aside from finding ammo I like it quite a bit
I haven’t had a single issue with my 25acp other then finding ammo, and ammo price 😂. I finally fixed my HP22A. Did a fun velocity test. All in all if I had to pick one I’d still stick with the 25 because it goes bang everytime
My dad was a police officer70s 80s, I remember he said he went on a call, he noticed blood on the porch ,he knocked on the door and a guy answered, he had blood blood all on him and his ear was black, he told my dad he tried to commit suicide with his 22 pistol, he said he stuck it in his ear n fired , he layed down on the couch and got a bad head ache so he went next door and got some aspirin , came back put the gun in his ear and shot himself again? The first bullet went in the ear and down into his chest, the second bullet went through the top of his ear hit the scull went up around his head n out just above his other ear
Jeez. Hopefully he made it through. I’m going to make a ballistic gel block. Take it out with the 2 Phoenix pistols. I’ll try to get the video up this week. I know I wouldn’t want to get hit by a 22, at the end of the day any bullet is bad news.
I’ll do a follow up video. Depending on the revolver/ammunition. For instance my heritage rough rider has about the same amount of failure to fire as this, but they’re both in the same price range. While I was filming the video for 22LR velocity with barrel length I had the opportunity to shoot about (30) different 22LR guns. I decided to use mostly the buck mark footage, but did shoot everything. There’s no doubt about it 22LR is deadly, but 100% it’s not as reliable as a center fired round.
Great video But After reviewing your video, your elbow compared to the edge of the table was further back for the 22 redo it put a blue tape on the table and shoot from the same distance the 25 head a little more advantage
I agree. John Browning agreed too. That why he invented the ACP. A 22 or 25 is (Not always but typically) a deep conceal or last ditch gun. In a defensive role they aren't shot very much. It's not like your 22LR rifle that you may shoot several hundred rounds per outing. These types of pistols normally get practiced with a few times ayear. If the price difference in ammo between 22 and 25 is too much you must consider that there are additonal problems to be addressed in the defense budget.
If the gun is going to be used purely as a defensive weapon, and not to be fired all that often, then .25ACP is probably the better choice. But Dear God! A box of them is going for $40+ in my area as of December 2023. I can polish off a piss load of premium, hot .22LR for $40 vs 50rds of .25ACP.
Just think of these calibers as.."one packer". Lol. You buy one pack a year or in YEARS. You shoot that one pack whenever you feel like it and once you done with it? You done with it. Maybe after x amount of time passes by you might remember and buy another one packer.
Fair enough. I may snag an RG 25 that I’ve had my eye on for awhile 😝. I was actually surprised how well the 25 did in my recent video. It penetrated the makeshift plate, and (3) 1 gallon water jugs. I know when it comes to 22 there’s definitely a fair selection of stuff that’s much more reliable than the bulk box stuff. . Thanks for watching I appreciate it.
.22 is what we started on as kids. I shot 1 time a .22lr with my dad cupping my ears lol I still ran 50ft away...hurt my ears....ah the late 80s. I carry a 1908 .25 when out with the fam. Colt 6 shots or 7 if you put 1 in the chamber. Nice thumb safety, grip safety to. Very safe gun for the user.
@@2A_CaliGuy I have the .22. A close friend has one, I was impressed at how well it performed so I purchased one. The .25 ammo is harder to find so I would choose a .22. plus owning other .22 I don't have to buy more ammo types. I did see a test online comparing the two, the .25 was clearly more effective. There are many reviews on the HP22A nearly all are very positive as has been my experience. It's not my only firearm but it is as reliables as any more expensive ones. I didn't even bother to clean it for a long time but kept functioning fine. As for choosing one over the other, the reviews I have seen on the .25.appear to be as good as the HP22A.
Good to see .25 ACP beating .22LR. But, if I had to buy a budget SD handgun, I’d buy a used .380 LCP or .25/.32/.380 Keltec before throwing away good money on Phoenix Arms products. Thanks for doing that interesting test. 🤙🏻
I like it. They’re both great. I agree with you train with the 22 rely on the 25 if needed. Similar to using the CMMG 22LR AR conversion kit. Great for training, but definitely keep the 556/223 for SHTF situation.
My brother owned a Phoenix Arms .22 years ago and I was one absolute accurate pistol and reliable!!! My personal opinion is I would not want to carry any .22 with less than 3-4” barrel. I will definitely say that I do like small concealable pistols especially the snub nose revolver. I carry a Taurus 605 .357 magnum 2” barrel loaded with .38 +p 125 grain JHP Underwood ammo. I feel very comfortable in that revolver for my total protection if needed!!!
My wife loves her Taurus revolver. She also has the 357, and has the Black Talons in it. Something I love about revolvers they are insanely reliable. Go bang everytime. No issues with cases jamming etc. For what we paid for the Taurus I’d say it could be the best choice for affordable CCW guns. Nice long trigger pull to fire from uncocked, but having the option to cock the hammer for nice crisp trigger is epic. Another perk is less worry of accidental discharge with it in the uncocked hammer position.
@@2A_CaliGuy absolutely agree!!! The only issue I had with this revolver is the small grips and I have big hands. I ordered a new bigger set of Hogue grips & actually replaced them earlier today. I can certainly get a big better grip now and better comfort. I have .357 magnum rounds loaded at present but I think I’m going to switch them out tomorrow with the .38 +p 125 grain JHP by Underwood. I hear the .38+p is a great ammo but less recoil than the .357 magnum
Yeah I’m not a fan of the smaller grips. They work great for my wife. Something I’ve wanted to get is the Rock Island M206 revolver. For awhile they were under $200, but I haven’t seen them in any stores for a good minute. . One of the worst parts of Komifornia is the 1 in 30 rule. Makes it hard to grab something when it comes up unless your not currently running a dros, or the shop offers layaway 😆
@@2A_CaliGuy so sorry you live in California. I hear people are leaving there by the hordes!! I live in VA & we can pretty much buy what ever firearm we want. We do have a state law that only allows us to buy a 1 handgun per month but can purchase as many rifles & shotguns as you want. Very dumbed stupid law!!!! Shotguns & rifles are far more dangerous & lethal than pistols!!!
I've done modifications to mine to where it functions exactly like an 1911. Still as safe as before without the California compliant BS. Gun shoots great, never any misfeeds and very dependable..(as reliable as a .22 shell can be.)
That’s what I’m talking about. I’ve been meaning to do the mods, but just haven’t. Mines also as reliable as the ammo I feed it 😂. Got a bunch of different types of ammo for some other stuff I plan to do reviews on this weekend.
Yes ,I did the same thing. Too many safeties are not what anyone needs to contend with. As a matter of fact they are more of a threat to you if you are ever confronted by a animal be it two legged or four legged. I carry mine while out and about .
.22RF ammo varies a lot in quality. I'd be OK with a ,22 with top grade ammo...CCI Mini-mags or Stingers... the hollow points would cause more damage than the FMJs in the .25, although at pistol velocities that would be marginal. Either will get your attention....
It definitely would get your attention. The last 200 round test I did was with CCI Segmented HPs, but there was an issue found on my Phoenix. I did a video showing the issue. Now that I’ve got it sorted out I’ll have to redo the test. Mini mags are definitely one of CCIs best ammo. Thanks for the comment. I plan to pickup a good variety of ammo soon, and will post a video soon. In the 500 round mossberg maverick video we did Sunday we used a bunch of different ammo, and it felt like a more realistic test of the guns reliability.
Neither hp expand at pistol velocities and a tumbling 22lr bullet does more dmg than a hp. Same reason why the 5.56 in light bullets and slow twist barrels are devastating.
Great video bro. Informative and well put together. Defo would go for the 25acp out of the 2. For £150 bucks can't go wrong reminds me of the hi point 9mm pretty sure that was around he same price. But people I reviews didn't rate it. 👍
After the safety mods my 22 is great. I haven’t had many malfunctions that I can remember, I haven’t shot it in a long while. If you take it to the range and learn what ammo work’s completely reliably, then it can serve in a self defense role. The 22lr has a cool factor with it, and the price can’t be beat. You can spend all day plinking for little money, and keep a bunch of ammo on hand at all times for little money. It’s hard to beat. At some point I’m going to get the nickel version to go with my black one.
Definitely can plink on a budget with them. I really enjoy mine. I reload my 25 so cost is close to the same, but reloading 25 sorta sucks. Very slow going
You have to safty clip on...clip eject..nd put safty back off on the 25 and chamber check..the 22lr will not go out of safty till clip is in..also you can take off handle grip and adjust safty
I’ve heard of a few people that had similar issues. Great for the range, but I agree it’s not something I’d bet my life on. So if you had to pick would you take the 22, or 25?
had good luck with mine , fired a variety of ammo, eject mag and remove all ammo then insert mag and clear it, also the hammer you can pull back again to fire if needed , may or may not work, 25 is hard to find, also you can keep an extra mag of the red snap caps to clear it
The cobra reminds me more of the baby browning then the HP22/HP25. So the question remains!!! If you could only pick one ☝️ which would you take the 22, or the 25?
Good to know they hold up well. From what I’ve heard from a good amount of people they see to last. Aside from a few people that ignored the velocity limits on ammo, or installed the recoil spring incorrectly after cleaning I haven’t heard many negatives about them. Plus the price was great!
@@2A_CaliGuy I am not trying to take over Ukraine with this gun , I am Carrying it to defend myself , and to have fun at the range ! It had been a great gun for me !
Interesting that you mention how much shipping oil is on the .22. Mixup98 reviewed this gun, and complained about how dry it was out of the box, and how it wouldn't function properly until he lubed it.
When we receive them they’re typically coated in oil. After experiencing issues with my first one I reached out to Phoenix arms. They actually have amazing customer service, and a lifetime warranty. I may have received a lemon, and all the excessive dry firing I did to the poor thing didn’t help it. I definitely need to go back, and do another review, because after getting it repaired it has been a fairly reliable gun. I’d still take the 25 ACP over the 22 though for self defense 😆
I also shot over 2000 rounds out of my 25... Still works great..never a problem.. The 22 is really acurate and i only fired maybe 1000 rounds out of it
Even with primers at $150/1k or $0.15 ea I’d say it’s worth it. Shoot if the projectiles cost you $0.10-$0.15 such little powder we’ll call it $0.02 that’s $0.32 ea x 50 ($16.00) now the only thing is where the heck do you find projectiles, or would it be better to cast the little suckers
IDK what the internet commandos say, having a backup of 10+1 in .25acp JHP's on standby in a SOB holster is better than having no backup at all, and that's a hill I'm willing to die on. 🤠 For some strange reason, there's this growing platoon of online/offline self-defense trainers that have concocted a tossed salad approach to Civilian Self-Defense based on Mil-Spec/LEO Tactics, "when in reality" Civilian Self-Defense is nothing like the afore mentioned arenas. Civilians have the coveted "element of surprise via concealment" affording us the advantage of the "unexpected counterattack", and there's hours-n-hours of cctv footage that clearly display how effective just that one advantage can be once it's been deployed. Statistics show that the average civilian gunfight lasts roughly 3-6 seconds, and that's largely to do with the Thugs WTF reaction due to their poorly planned dumb idea that everybody will be scared of "ma gun" and submit to their will, but while they're fantasizing about all the street-cred they're gonna be basking in they never anticipate the wild card that may very well be lurking just beneath a trained civilians garment. ☠☠☠
Solid, and true. They typically expect victims, and when someone comes back with any show of force they don’t know what to do. At the end of the day I’m my own first responder. It’s my job to keep myself, and my family safe. Thanks for watching I appreciate you.
I'd take the .25 ACP all day. Centerfire means that it goes bang a bit more than rimfire. I'll just take a tad more care with my shots. These are pistols for use at "bad breath" distances, anyway. It may not go that deep, but again, you have to choose your shots--and targets--well.
Absolutely, and given the small size/low recoil. Someone with limited dexterity May find comfort in smaller calibers. Also training with 22 is quite a bit less expensive then anything else. All about shot placement. . So if you could only pick 1 would you take the 22, or the 25
I own higher end pistols and long guns but budget guns today are great! I have a HP22 did the mod on the safety so mag will drop. also changed out mag followers have last round hold open makes for much less wear from firing pin . Buy one think you will love it!
The .22 does not bounce around the body out of a .22 pistol. That is the .223 or .556, out of a rifle, out of a pistol .25acp penetrates farther, it beat all .22 or ammo I stacked up against .25acp.
Kinda crazy, and reloading it is kinda a pain. Fun little guns though. Always have had a thing for mouse guns, pocket pistols, micro guns. 🤣 whatever you like to call them. Thanks for watching
Something to keep an eye on when it comes to the Phoenix pistols. Had an issue with my HP22A, and decided to do a video showing what it was/how to fix it. Link is below.
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Phoenix HP22A common trigger issue. How to fix it in under 5 minutes. Works for safety selector also
ruclips.net/video/A1GWrtNrkOs/видео.html
I appreciate your no-nonsense attitude & factual info. Thanks! 🤗 `Helping, to form our opinions is better than trying to convince the salesman way!´
@@a.m.pietroschek1972 Thanks I appreciate that. My goal is to give honest reviews. While these little pistols aren’t without their own issues I have definitely enjoyed both of them.
Thank you, Sir
you mixed up the counting
@2A_CaliGuy You can temporarily disable the magazine disconnect safety by putting a sliver of plastic under it to keep it from engaging and since its removable it does not void the warranty. The mag release safety nub will need to be filed down to prevent it from engaging but you will need a new manual safety/slide catch if it ever needs to be sent in for warranty as filing it down may void the warranty. I disabled those two safeties so the pistol functions like a normal pistol and still have the manual safety and the manual firing pin block safety. I got the Heritage Arms Rough Rider single action revolver and the Phoenix Arms HP22A for practice, training, varmint control, and small game. I did not get them for self defense. I would use them if they were all I had but .22 rimfire is not reliable enough for defense. I would not want to use .25ACP either for defense even though its more reliable than .22 rimfire because the mouse calibers below .380ACP have high rates of failure to stop threats over standard calibers. The reason they have high kill numbers is because they are cheap and cheap to shoot so many folks have them. But they have equally high rates of failure to stop threats. All pistols are poor at stopping threats its just that mouse calibers are worse. Best to use a long gun like a shotgun or rifle that generate higher velocity and muzzle energy. Thanks for sharing.
The Phoenix HP22a is a good little pistol and has earned my trust for reliability and you can't beat the cost or customer service that comes with it.
Definitely worth the price. I’ve gotta send mine in for repair, but regardless I’m happy with it.
Your mind is the most valuable asset you have in a self defense situation. Train your body and keep your mind sharp. The weapon is an extension of the user.
Solid advice my friend.
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I see you've got a helpful cat in your home. 3:56 You dealt with him smoothly, without even breaking stride. Well done.
Yeah she’s awesome. Wasn’t a cat person, but my son found her dipped in red paint. She’s been great. Her names wookie, but I call her wookalus. 😝
.22LR was never designed or intended for a handgun. .25ACP was designed specifically for a semi-auto handgun. In fact, it was created to replace .22LR, as a handgun round, because of the reliability issues of rimfire ammo.
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For both feeding and ignition.
@@brenttesterman3171 Rimfire has no inherent feeding issues. The only weakness of rimfire is the % of misfires.
I think rimfire revolvers would be the fix if you're unsure of reliability. Magsafe is really reliable in .22lr. I had a cheap tec-22 as a teen, it never fed reliably even with a flush ruger 10rd rotary mag. Marlin .22 have great reputation for reliability. Ruger .22 pistols are great, but I could spend an hour trying to put it back together after cleaning, lol
25 ACP currently .58 cents vs. 22LR at .05 cents. 25 ACP is currently more expensive than .45 ACP
Yeah 25 ACP definitely isn’t cheaper to shoot. Even with me reloading for it, and casting my own boolits I’m still above the price of 22LR.
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That said if you could only have one for self defense what would you choose?
The . 22 Short was the first of the . 22 rimfire cartridges and is the oldest American commercial self-contained metallic cartridge. It was introduced in 1857 for the Smith & Wesson First Model revolver and intended for serious self-defense. Considering this original cartridge was also loaded with a weaker black powder compared to today's standards, was fired from a cumbersome slow to load single action revolver at rougly half the power of the 22 lr round it and was adequite for self defense back then, it should tell us this little modern pistol with modern ammo should be plenty enough to do the job today. I choose the 22 hp 7 days a week and twice on sunday
We purchased an old Raven 25 auto. Was made in the early 1970s. Picked it up for 40 bucks. After a good soaking in cleaning it fires great. Phoenix arms I believe purchased raven in the mid-1980s. Great inexpensive back up guns.
That’s my understanding as well. Raven, Jennings, Phoenix all based on the same concept. Something the shop said was they were all part of the pacific ring of fire guns. I didn’t look into it much. When I find something inexpensive I tend to just pick it up. Sort of collect them if ya know what I mean. Both my 22/25 by Phoenix have been great. Today I ran a 200 round test on the 22 using CCI 40 grain segmented HPs. Surprisingly I had quite a few failure to fires.
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My experience with the HP22 is based only on my experience with a sample size of 1. I intend to do a similar test with the 25, and also to redo the test on the 22 with different ammos.
@@2A_CaliGuy 22. Mag has always been my firearm choice. My dad grew up in southern Virginia. I grew up in Philadelphia. But my dad always used 822 long rifle for hunting and for butchering steer and hog. I started using a 22 single action army handgun. The ballistics were unbelievable. We now hunt, squirrel, rabbit, and groundhog with just the 22 mag bolt action. I also like the inexpensive firearms. I purchased three High Point 45 ACP handguns and three High Point 45 ACP carbines. My Daughter, son and I love them. When I purchased them quite a few years ago I paid less than $1200 for six firearms.
@@2A_CaliGuy Great channel keep up the great videos.
@@SCHUBERT-dd5nz yeah the 22 mag is epic. I have a rough rider in 22 mag, and have been eyeballing a 22 mag upper receiver for another AR build. 22 mag for me is a forever cartridge. It’s got a nice punch. Cheers
@@SCHUBERT-dd5nz Thanks I appreciate that, and I’ll definitely keep the content coming!
All ammunition malfunctions.personally, I would not choose a 25 over a 22 Lr. Any day of the wk.
I had the HP22a Great little gun ! Acrually its an Amazing piece considering what it costs its hell of a deal! Never jamed on me once I put it through hell at the range and never even cleaned it (back then I was a lazy bastard) .
I Highly recommend this little gem to anyone looking for a budget pistol.
The damm thing is as quality built as my old Walter PPK/S. No joke.
Nice. I’ve got a buddy that hasn’t ever had an issue with his either. Mine I think needs to go back for service. The 25 though has been amazingly reliable. Bang every time , no jams. I like them both!
@@2A_CaliGuy I am interested in the .25 might pick one up (maybe)
Its too bad these guys did not make a wider range of caliber guns like 9mm and up. According to the website they only have the Hp 22 and 25 thats it. If they made a decent quality 9 at lets say $300-$350 they can give some guys a run for there money.
Considering the price, one of each. One for practice .22 lr and the .25 for self defense, as it is centerfire and more reliable than a rimfire.
That’s pretty much the same way I feel. Much less expensive to shoot/train with the 22LR , and more faith/trust in centerfire then rimfire.
@Roopster .. I absolutely agree 100%
@Roopster .. Crazy lucky is right, holy shit.. A 22lr would have entered his skull spun his brain into cottage cheese
@Roopster dang he’s lucky as hell. I wouldn’t want to catch 22, or 25 in the face.
@Roopster Both lack velocity from these tiny barrels.
There is also a video of a man ending a fight/life with a 25 to the brain.
I used to have two of them actually. Fun little guns. Great for teaching kids (or anyone who has never fired a gun) firearms safety.
Yes. I taught my sons with a good ol rough rider single shot revolver, and then introduced them to semi autos with these. My youngest son just stepped up from 22LR to 556 for the first time today! He’s 8 now . Proud dad moment seeing him ring steel today at 100 yards. Now I look forward to seeing him progress into long range soon.
I have some .25 acp mouse guns and a .22 lr Phoenix mouse one too. I carry in my pocket the .22, it’s better than a stick on a perp that wants to do grave bodily harm on you. I practice the Israeli draw.
Nice. I agree it’s better than a stick especially if you’re not carrying said stick. I prefer round in the chamber. Mainly because there’s a good chance you won’t have access to both hands in many scenarios. However if practiced you can get quite good with the Israeli draw. Thanks for watching!
I have both guns, I already fixed the safety's so guns work normal, as far as wich one would I carry it a no brainers,.25acp
Yup 25 FTW
Some say I killed warranty, I'm a gun collector, these 2 were real cheap, can always just order the parts and fix them myself, they have never jammed, or misfired as saturday night specials are better than high point, or sccy,
I have one older Raven and two HP25's and one HP22. All are great guns and not ammo picky and all run great. The mouse guns are the easiest to conceal in my opinion.
Nice. Glad to hear they all run well. My issues ended up being the loose grips. I did a repair video showing what it was. The trigger bar was hanging up slipping over the sear which caused light strikes repeatedly
With the advances in ammo, especially personal defense ammo, i carry my .22 with no worries !!!
22 is definitely a capable round. I wouldn’t want to get hit by any that’s for sure! 🙌🏻
very little technology in 22lr ammo. Either a lead rn, copper plated rn or hp. Same ammo thats been around forever. Before cci it was winchester super x and remington hornets.
The biggest downfall of the 22lr is the rimfire primer and it needs a rifle length barrel for full velocity/effectiveness.
@@CL-ty6wp I remember the Remington Hornets from the 70's, good tomes.
Recently purchased hp25a brand new. 50 round box of pmc through it so far. Haven't had one magazine without at least one jam. Frequently have two jams per magazine. Cleaned and lubed, will try some different ammo. I wouldn't buy it again.
May need to break in. From one to another in the shop you can feel the difference some are gritty. Hopefully it sorta itself out
You never slid the safty to off without the clip!!!!! Driving me nuts!!!!
Good point. I need to revisit this, and give an update. I have fully serviced the little thing, and it’s just as unreliable 😝, but it is easier to operate. Thanks for watching, and the comments!
@@2A_CaliGuy thank you brother for getting back to me. I havnt looked. Nd just seen it... Im well over 4000 rounds down my acp 25... Still works great. No maintance other then clean.. Because sometimes at range ill just mag dump it.. And usually gets the tip black. Never had 1 problem. And my lr22.. Maybe little over 700 rounds.. Has 1 problem.. I cant miss my target
While I prefer and own .22lr guns. If I only had one of the 2 cals to rely on I’d definitely go with the 25 acp. Great comparison of the guns and calibers.
I feel the same way, and thank you!
I’m the opposite. I would go with the .22. More advancement in the technology of the round and loads specifically designed for self defense, better velocity, more foot pounds of energy, better availability of ammo, better price on the ammo. My goodness, what ammo manufacturer doesn’t make a self defense round in.22 anymore. I like the Winchester, Sig, and probably carry the Federal Civil Defense the most !!!
@@thatsmytwocents4372 I’m going to have to start looking for some good quality defense 22. Here it’s mostly bulk box, or CCI. That’s about all they carry. May be worth ordering some online to my local FFL. Sucks that we can’t order ammo to home here in CA
Wonder what 22 punch would do, since it's designed for short barrel pistols,,? 👍
Or 25 Buffalo bore hard cast
Keep your rimfires clean and oiled. My experience is You do that and they run well with any type ammo.
Definitely a great point. I like to clean all my guns after each use, and even though that may be excessive it’s how I was taught. Seems like they all work better that way.
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Something to note when I review, or give my opinion on a gun it’s based only on my experience. For instance I only have 1 so it’s not like I tested 100 of each gun, and I may have gotten a good/bad one.
love the video but LOL that cat went FLOATING
I have both guns, already fixxed the safety's with the saftey mods so now it works like a regular gun I know it is not under warranty any more but I'm a gun collector and I had to fix both.
Same here I have no interest in selling mine. I also like to collect. Cool inexpensive guns will always have a spot for me. If I’m running a dros I feel like adding something neat inexpensive is worthwhile
Get factory replacement parts, then modify and use them, then your warranty is still useable!
I’ve shot thousands of rounds through my .22LR Phoenix. It’s a great little gun. Haven’t actually had that many loading misfire problems.
I also own a .25 in another brand. Fun. But I can’t afford to shoot thousands of rounds through it. I’m not sure I want to count on a .22 for self defense. I always have a 9 handy. But, I’ve been known to carry it a 22 or 25 (different brand) in places I might not carry a 9. Just saying. I’d rather have it than not. But if you practice enough and have good enough placement I’m better off than the guy with a 45 who can’t shoot well. Oh and if I could only own one gun it would be a 22 and I’d be happy to start with the Phoenix. IMHO
Scott. That’s what I’m talking about. Good shot placement is key. Having such low recoil they are great for some people. My little 22 Phoenix has been a gem. Haven’t had any feed issues. Have put a decent amount of rounds through it. I’d definitely stick with the P365 for carry, but if I could only pick one of the two I’d have to take the 25acp.
@@Another-Address Shot placement is key, and no doubt even after a self defense shooting there’s a battle.
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The way I see it is better to have it then not have it. My assumption is that most people will never need to use it, but given the current times who knows.
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If I was going to go somewhere, and the thought of I Need to bring a gun came in my head I’d just stay home. Aside from hiking/backpacking where I’d bring it for snakes. The sad thing is places most people go you wouldn’t think you’d need to carry.
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Going to the grocery store, the movies, restaurants, the mall. These are places you wouldn’t think I need a gun, but having one, and not needing is better then not having one, and needing it.
The whole thing is criminals don’t obey laws, and laws that infringe only hurt law abiding citizens. With firearm ownership come responsibility. If not securely stored they can fall into the wrong hands.
However aside from that with criminals they don’t care about laws. It’s illegal to stab people, but criminals do it. It’s illegal to steal, but they do it. It’s illegal to do drugs, but they do them.
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Given the current situation with the economy, the ridiculous high rate of crime. Everyone has the right to feel safe, and enjoy life. That’s why the recent ruling about CCW licensing was so big. There’s areas in CA that unless you donated large sums of money you couldn’t get a CCW.
I like mine also.
Bought one a month ago very happy with it.
They’ve been great. I do wish I got the range kit that comes with the 5” target barrel. Considering how much fun we have plinking with the 22 I feel like it was a great investment. On the 25acp side we like it, but don’t care for the ammo price vs 22LR lol.
@@2A_CaliGuy yes thought about getting kit to but like it's compact size wear cargo pants all the time so it perfect for side pockets. Live in the mountains so that ph22 is great gun for rattle snakes when out mowing or in the barn or gardening. Great gun for training a beginners or people that don't have good finger strength.
@@anthonyhatter1882 good point. Have you ran any snake shot through it to see how it cycles. I picked up some 9mm snake shot for my P365, but haven’t tried it to see how it cycles. Maybe I should do that.
@@2A_CaliGuy Have snake rounds only in .38 and it #9 shot works well on rats in chicken coop. Have not seen shot shells in hand gun calibers in a long time
@@anthonyhatter1882 yeah some have been hard to get. Luckily by us there’s a place that seems to keep 9/38 in stock, but I haven’t been lucky enough to find any 22 in awhile
If I could only have one.....it would for sure be the 22lr; not the 25. I can buy a bulk pack of 22lr for how much?.....find the ammo it likes, polish here and there and wear it out.....for the price of 500 rounds of .25 caliber a guy can just buy a glock 19 with all the trimmings and forget about bargin guns....ammo price really matters in this catagory....
Extremely valid point. You can train a lot more, and a lot cheaper with 22LR. My opinion is based solely on for self defense I trust any centerfire over rimfire. .25acp is not only ridiculously priced it seems to be tough to find.
@@2A_CaliGuyI bought a Baby Browning on gunbroker. When I found out the price of 25acp ammo, (40 clams), I got into reloading! I'm 65 and have shot thousands of 22lr. Can't remember ever a time when one didn't fire!
@@jeffwilson1217 I’d love to have a baby browning, it’s on my list along with a seacamp, and Raven. Not sure why I like pocket pistols, but I do.
@@2A_CaliGuy was lucky enough to score one on gunbroker for only 405 clams! And that's with an extra mag. They usually go for 2 -3 times that, with only one mag!
I like my 25 cal.
Thanks for the video.
I do not trust the reliability of rim-fire ammunition.
The 25acp center-fire ammunition is the smallest handgun caliber I rely on for self-protection.
Yeah, I don’t have full faith in rim fire either. I’ve never owned/shot a rim fire that didn’t have an occasional failure to fire.
@@2A_CaliGuy
I have never owned or shot a rim fire handgun. I have, however, collected over 200 rounds of failure-to-fire ammo that I have collected at the range.
Fascinating little guns. I have a 25A on its way to my FFL to add to my collection. I don't plan to carry it (a pocket .380 has served me very well for over a decade), but it will be fun at the range.
I enjoy it. Not my first choice for carry either. My P238 is my favorite pocket gun! Thanks for watching!
So how do you like the 25
@@boss94ways51 Sadly, I haven't gotten it to the range since receiving it. Life kicks in sometimes and throws curve balls. No real hurry as it's mostly just for having rather than firing. But I'll get there, probably after the first of the year.
@@rangersmith4652ok thx im at counter buying one right now as we speak...lol😅
@@boss94ways51have you shot your yet ???
I bought my Phoenix Arms 25 ACP new 3 years ago and have shot hundreds of rounds no problem and use as a carry gun often. It is so easy to hide and carry.
The 25 is solid. Haven’t had a single issue with it. All in all I like them both. The 22 I had to replace some parts, but after that it’s been running great.
LOVE the curious cat 😁
Thanks for the review
Yeah she’s pretty cool. Son found it covered in red oil based paint as a kitten. We cleaned it up, and now she’s part of the family.
Take the left grip panel off the gun. You’ll see a bar that slides up and blocks that mag release when it’s on fire mode. Just trim that bar down and you’ll be able to remove the mag is either safe or fire.
Nice!
I’m planning to order a spare to mod. I also like that you can take 3 small squares of gorilla tape, and stick it under the magazine disconnect.
@@2A_CaliGuy you can just pop that piece out. I did it with a small screwdriver
After trimming the bar, can you pull the slide back?
@@paulbrinker4973 when it’s on fire yes, but on safe no. Trimming it allows you to remove the mag on safe or fire though
Did the same time now i love the little booger
I know most people are buying these as range toys and not to carry, so the safeties are more of an aggravation for those folks, But the way they've designed their safety system actually makes sense for a pocket carry pistol.
The main safety blocks you from accidently releasing the mag while you fish this thing out of a small pocket or purse. and the firing pin block is the actual safety while carrying. you use it to safely carry this hammer down and then flip it to fire while cocking the hammer back.
it's a little hair brained but you can kind of see what they intended when they set it up this way.
I can see that. All in all I do enjoy plinking with them. So now if you had to pick one would you take the 22 or 25, and why?
@@2A_CaliGuy the .25s probably what I'll pick up, apparently there's some bullet molds out there on the used market for it, it'd be hella fun to have a reloadable ".22 lr" 😂 although I'd probably want to find the mold before buying the gun
It’s definitely nice to be able to reload. The pain is finding the brass after firing it 😂. I have a Lyman 52gr mold. Lee still Carrie’s them I believe they’re under special order now.
I have a semi automatic 22LR rifle I bought for $35 years ago and it still works great today
These have both been great. Issues aside they’re both fun to shoot. The 22 gets shot more 😂 price of 25acp ammo is crazy
Here in my local gun stores in Massachusetts, 25 acp is about $25 for a box of 50 FMJ, and a box of federal 22lr is $20 for 325 rounds, 22lr is my pick. Although my 9mm or 38spl is first choice, my little 22lr LCP is the most concealable thing I have for those dumb places that may frown upon having such a thing...
Nice! Yeah 22 let’s you shoot a lot more value wise. Plus there is some pretty reliable defensive ammo available now.
I love 22 pistols and have a few but the lcp is hands down the best and most fun to shoot in my opinion. I carry mine with alternating CCI segmented and stingers.
@@bradleysmith3963 I have the CCI segmented as well, great little round.
@@Isaac556x45 there’s a RUclips video by Beyond Seclusion where he shoots segmented rounds into cow parts, “ribs and such” and he uses the lcp2. Very impressive! They would definitely ruin someone’s weekend
@@bradleysmith3963 it's funny you mentioned that because I watched that video about a year ago and had never heard of segmented rounds before, but when I saw what they did to that side of beef, I was sold, absolutely incredible damage, 22lr can cause carnage at close range, and I have shot thousands of rounds through my LCP with only a couple little misfires, and I can shoot a popsicle stick in half from 10 yards with it, it's a great gun and ammo combo.
Kel Tec p32 trumps all 22, 25, pistols for CC. 8 rounds of .32acp in Fiocchi fmj has no recoil and plenty of penetration for short self defense distances and easily goes where alot of 9mm and .380s often cannot.
Jmo.
Nice I’m going to have to check it out. Wonder if it’s on CA roster.
In an emergency situation you will not have any ear protection. A 22lr standard ammunition pistol may be an option to protect hearing. Hearing loss and Tinnitus are annoying.
This is true. I ponder because I wear a headset if the situation ever happened would I even worry to cover the other ear. I’ve shot my p365 chambered in 9mm once with one side of the ear pro off. Wasn’t fun.
They are different but are very reliable, never jammed or misfired have both .22 and .25, i did the safty mods and gin works like a regular semi auto..
Yeah after I went through mine they have been more reliable. Mine aren’t big fans of bulk box ammo, but then again not many of my 22s are with the exception of my 10/22s. Thanks for watching!
Once you mod out or off all the safety features, this is a badass little gun…. I sold mine because I cracked the lower frame after 5k rounds or so. A friend of mine still has it, & it still runs with the crack inside the lower frame under the barrel. You can buy 4 of these for the cost of 1 SR22 pistol tho, well worth the $$
I agree 100% they’re quite a bit of fun. I still have them both. I just used the 25 ACP for a video I did the other day.
Question: Since you have both could you see if the barrel swap is a possibility? 25ACP to 22LR? I am just curious to see since the frame on both look identical, I am curious to see if the barrels and mags are interchangeable. I have seen that they have 2n1 Conversion Kits, but that is for extended barrels. HP22A to HP25A?
Absolutely I’ll check. It does seem it would work with a complete slide/barrel etc swap. The grip module is marked 22/25 on mine. Seems to rack/cycle just fine.
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The barrel/mag swap doesn’t seem it would work as re assembly I mixed up barrel, and there’s a cutout preventing 25 from going into 22. Hopefully that answers your question.
@@2A_CaliGuy it did. I was just curious and well if they did. I was going to go buy the 22LR barrel and mag; but if I need the slide as well, doesn’t seem to fun to do since I would just buy a new gun at that point which again isn’t to bad haha 25ACP is just hard to find. Thank you for checking.
Yeah the firing pin is different as well. 22 is on edge, 25 is centered.
Only good thing so far I’m able to reload my 25acp for about $0.10 per shot. Most of the cost is the damn primers that are overpriced at $70.00
@@2A_CaliGuy wait you make your own ammo? How do you do that? Possible video; I’m subscribing now.
You just proved what I've been hearing, that 25ACP is more powerful than 22LR, and it was also said it was designed to be. I have a Phoenix Arms HP25A and I also like ACP over Rim Fire. Never had a misfire with it. I know you had fun at the range with the kids. That's great to see.
I have both and never jammed or misfired so they are both sitting in house I keep the .25 next to me with a beretta 950 .25acp next to it and a .357 next to it, both guns have the safeties fixed so they both act like a regular gun.
I’ve enjoyed both of them. I trust the 25 more then the 22. If I could only have one, and needed it for protection I’d still take the 25. No Jams no failures to fire. Sure ammo is more expensive, and harder to find in some areas, but all of my 22s have had plenty of duds etc. I’d like to get a beretta, or even a seacamp. Recently got a P238 which I like quite a bit.
I recently bought a Phoenix Arms firearm. And I'm not happy at all. First off I didn't get the one I ordered. The firearm came bone dry, and the serial number is extremely hard to read.
When I contacted to them about the firearm not being oiled they said they don't oil their firearms.
Aw man that sucks😔, I just started my 10 day background check a day ago but mine came somewhat oiled up, best case scenario just buy a kit or the current one you have for cleaning your tools & do the normal maintenance on it before using it
Yeah the serial on these is a bit tough. To my surprise though Phoenix Arms has an amazing warranty!
The .22LR version is a great cheap pocket pistol. And I know guns, all my life! And this one is amazing bought two for $100 each new.
They grew on me. I will say after I figured out the issues mine had, and serviced it. It has been more reliable. Thanks for watching!
I was having problems with light strikes so I called Phoenix and they sent me some new recoil springs at no cost. I asked for a new firing pin as well but they told me to try the springs first and call them back if there was still a problem. Good customer service at least.
They definitely have grade A customer service. I contacted them, and after some R&R I got mine running much better. Still has some issues, and I found QC wise the firing pins are not all the same. The new longer pin has almost no light strikes!
@@2A_CaliGuy My firing pin barely pokes out of the hole when pressed. Wish they'd just send me a longer one.
I'm 65 years old, and have shot thousands of rounds of 22lr. I can't remember a time where one has ever failed to fire.
I can’t ever remember a 22LR that didn’t fire eventually, but I have had plenty that wanted to be struck again 😂. So if you could only have one would you take the 22 or the 25
@@2A_CaliGuy oh, 22lr most definitely.
@@jeffwilson1217 solid choice. I’ve definitely enjoyed plinking the HP22
I thought I had a malfunction but it was human error with that stupid tab by the hammer 😂
@@arizonaranger527 😂 that happened to me, too, a couple times!
.25fmj "triple tap" two center mass one to the head. if not dead, the surgery and intensive care bill will kill them!
🤣. The little 25 is epic. I got some nice solid copper penetrator tips, and reloaded some. They definitely do what they say.
You can Mod the Mag disconnect. It's fairly simple.
I like the duct tape trick. A guy posted a video about it.
The only complaint I have is that your elbows weren't quite to the table when shooting the 22 but they were definitely on the table when shooting the 25 so that little variant might have changed how many the 25 went through
😝 that’s a valid point. We should make a tape line for the next test. Thanks for watching, and I appreciate the honest opinion!
@@2A_CaliGuy keep up the great content
I don't think the Phoenix 25 is worth it. When I got mine many years ago I didn't know the 25 acp ammo was very expensive. Like a box of 50 bullets were $35 and up.. I only shot it once at the shooting range. I regret it.. I should have gotten a Phoenix 22lr.
Ammo for the little bugger is definitely overpriced. I’ve found reloading it makes it more affordable, and because low velocity ammo is recommended I can tailor the loads for it. $0.06 primers $0.02 powder, cast lead bullets from range scrap or wheel weights, and reuse my brass. Thanks for watching. Maybe I should do a video on reloading 25acp
I am 77 years young and hear a lot about 22 cal. dud rounds , which is strange because as a child growing up in Texas we NEVER experienced dud rounds .
It’s possible quality control isn’t what it used to be. As a kid duds were much less common, but then again I didn’t shoot 1000 rounds in a single range day as a kid either.
honestly neither are ideal , that said ..... playing devils advocate here like you said you can purchase 6 boxes of the 22LR for the cost of 1 box of 25acp ... the original premise was "BUDGET" and if you could only buy 1 gun ... ammo cost is or should then be a huge contributing factor as should be easy availability as a gun is useless without bullets ... when using a firearm that is severely under powered ( they both are ) accuracy becomes paramount and to be accurate you need to be shooting and shooting regularly ... if the ammo is expensive and hard to come by that would make shooting regularly difficult or impossible .....
this is the reason 9x18 firearms are much cheaper to buy here in the US than 9x19 , you just cant get the ammo easily and its not cost effective ( also see 380 not cost effective as 9mm and less powerful) ...I own the 22 LR version of this pistol and its a good little gun once you get past its idiosyncrasies and how fussy it can be with ammo , but once you find what it runs well you are golden ... however I bought mine when they were 99 bucks I wouldnt pay the current price for one as there are better pistols at the $ 200 price point that for self defense are much better suited for the task ( such as but not limited to ) sccy 9mm that you can find new online for under 200 bucks often times ... ....
Yes 🙌!! Thank you very much this made my day! I really appreciate you watching, and considering the ridiculous what would you take. I agree 100% neither are ideal!
I owned one in the range package that Phoenix Arms offered. It worked very well only shoot standard velocity ammo in it. 👍🇺🇸🙏🏽✌🏻😎
Agree with getting both. Cheap practice 22LR and reliable SD .25 ACP. Makes sense if you just want a pocket gun or as a backup, and this is all you can afford right now. Far better than nothing. The mag safety can be easily disabled, per many YT videos.
But when you can afford to buy better, and want a pocket pistol, I recommend (and have) the Ruger LCP Max in .380, and a 12-round mag. Get the Mcarbo takedown pin and SS guide rod for reliability, and the more powerful recoil spring for softer shooting. Use either ball ammo such as Fiocchi FMJ or a milder HP such as Remington HTP green & yellow box. With the stock recoil spring and powerful SD ammo like the Sig V-Crown, it is very unpleasant to shoot, so people won't practice with it. I'll take .380 ball over .25 ball any day. I mention Fiocchi because it is the most accurate ball I have found, so far. Better than cheap range ammo, and as cheap or cheaper than most.
HP is generally a waste of money with these short barrels, but if it's more accurate than ball I will buy it anyway. Shot placement.
Well put. I would love a Ruger LCP max, or even the Ruger LC380 over either of these. Appreciate you watching, and adding some excellent info ! I don’t much care for HP in 380s, and would prefer ball ammo as well.
I own the hp22A and love it for summer CC. She has never had a malfunction outside of dud primers on cheap range ammo (always a good hammer strike). Seriously considering picking up the .25 just for the sake of having a more reliable caliber for the same purpose ❤ amazing little pistols, and highly accurate for their size.
After going through mine it has been a great gun. Possibly I got a bad one, and it didn’t help all the dry fire abuse it was subjected to. The follower mod to hold slide open definitely prevents some of it. All in all great gun. Thanks for watching. I also have the 25, and aside from finding ammo I like it quite a bit
There are a lot of "friendly" pitbull attacks in my city. I bought the .25 acp to defend myself from "friendly" dogs.
I haven’t had a single issue with my 25acp other then finding ammo, and ammo price 😂. I finally fixed my HP22A. Did a fun velocity test. All in all if I had to pick one I’d still stick with the 25 because it goes bang everytime
My dad was a police officer70s 80s, I remember he said he went on a call, he noticed blood on the porch ,he knocked on the door and a guy answered, he had blood blood all on him and his ear was black, he told my dad he tried to commit suicide with his 22 pistol, he said he stuck it in his ear n fired , he layed down on the couch and got a bad head ache so he went next door and got some aspirin , came back put the gun in his ear and shot himself again? The first bullet went in the ear and down into his chest, the second bullet went through the top of his ear hit the scull went up around his head n out just above his other ear
Jeez. Hopefully he made it through. I’m going to make a ballistic gel block. Take it out with the 2 Phoenix pistols. I’ll try to get the video up this week. I know I wouldn’t want to get hit by a 22, at the end of the day any bullet is bad news.
Note to self. 22 is not good for head shot unless the eye
That was probably a 22cal short. Lr would probably killed him.
Im curious to know if the 25 slide, barrel and magazine fit and function on the 22lr frame. Or even the other way around.
I believe I tried before, and there was something that didn’t work.
Correct. But 22lr is very efficient in a revolver or rifle. You should mention that absolute fact to clarify your conclusion.
I’ll do a follow up video. Depending on the revolver/ammunition. For instance my heritage rough rider has about the same amount of failure to fire as this, but they’re both in the same price range. While I was filming the video for 22LR velocity with barrel length I had the opportunity to shoot about (30) different 22LR guns. I decided to use mostly the buck mark footage, but did shoot everything. There’s no doubt about it 22LR is deadly, but 100% it’s not as reliable as a center fired round.
Great video But After reviewing your video, your elbow compared to the edge of the table was further back for the 22 redo it put a blue tape on the table and shoot from the same distance the 25 head a little more advantage
That’s an excellent observation. I didn’t think of making a tape line. Great idea my friend!
I agree. John Browning agreed too. That why he invented the ACP. A 22 or 25 is (Not always but typically) a deep conceal or last ditch gun. In a defensive role they aren't shot very much. It's not like your 22LR rifle that you may shoot several hundred rounds per outing. These types of pistols normally get practiced with a few times ayear. If the price difference in ammo between 22 and 25 is too much you must consider that there are additonal problems to be addressed in the defense budget.
Well put. I trust 25acp more then 22LR that’s why if I could only have 1 I’d take the 25acp.
I think he invented the 380 also and it's a better round.
If the gun is going to be used purely as a defensive weapon, and not to be fired all that often, then .25ACP is probably the better choice. But Dear God! A box of them is going for $40+ in my area as of December 2023. I can polish off a piss load of premium, hot .22LR for $40 vs 50rds of .25ACP.
Made my day. I don’t get why the little suckers are so expensive, and I love my 22LR bulk packs.
@@2A_CaliGuy I misspoke when I said $40 a box. They’re actually $30 a box here in North Carolina….. still the price of two boxes of 9mm target loads.
Just think of these calibers as.."one packer". Lol. You buy one pack a year or in YEARS. You shoot that one pack whenever you feel like it and once you done with it? You done with it. Maybe after x amount of time passes by you might remember and buy another one packer.
@@2A_CaliGuy--Supply and demand.
Great video, thanks! I added a rail attachment if you want to do the same. If you want to see how it looks I have a vid up showing it with a red dot 👍
Nice!!!! I’ll have to check it out thanks!
25 ACP is weeker. I choose the .22. But I have other pistol in .25 ACP, Alpha Proj CZ3035, but the barrel is only 2.5".
Fair enough. I may snag an RG 25 that I’ve had my eye on for awhile 😝. I was actually surprised how well the 25 did in my recent video. It penetrated the makeshift plate, and (3) 1 gallon water jugs. I know when it comes to 22 there’s definitely a fair selection of stuff that’s much more reliable than the bulk box stuff.
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Thanks for watching I appreciate it.
.22 is what we started on as kids. I shot 1 time a .22lr with my dad cupping my ears lol I still ran 50ft away...hurt my ears....ah the late 80s. I carry a 1908 .25 when out with the fam. Colt 6 shots or 7 if you put 1 in the chamber. Nice thumb safety, grip safety to. Very safe gun for the user.
Epic. Colts are hard to come by in ca because of the handgun roster. Thanks for watching, and the comment appreciate you!
If it's all you can afford, it's better than a sharp stick, plus it reliable and accurate, easy to handle.
Would you take the 22 or the 25
@@2A_CaliGuy I have the .22. A close friend has one, I was impressed at how well it performed so I purchased one. The .25 ammo is harder to find so I would choose a .22. plus owning other .22 I don't have to buy more ammo types. I did see a test online comparing the two, the .25 was clearly more effective. There are many reviews on the HP22A nearly all are very positive as has been my experience. It's not my only firearm but it is as reliables as any more expensive ones. I didn't even bother to clean it for a long time but kept functioning fine. As for choosing one over the other, the reviews I have seen on the .25.appear to be as good as the HP22A.
no issues with mine so far....you can actually insert the mag just halfway near the mag release button and actuate the safety to on/off easily.
Nice. Mine works much better after replacing a few things. All in all it’s been a great range plinker. Thanks for watching
There was a case ,(used in a couple of TV shows), were a guy was shot in the chest and died from an embolism. The bullet was found in his ankle
Good to see .25 ACP beating .22LR. But, if I had to buy a budget SD handgun, I’d buy a used .380 LCP or .25/.32/.380 Keltec before throwing away good money on Phoenix Arms products. Thanks for doing that interesting test. 🤙🏻
Solid advice. I like the .380 LCP!
Joey the hit man would argue just how effective a 22 rimfire is.
I have both of these.
I train with the .22 and carry the .25 when I need a pocket pistol.
I like it. They’re both great. I agree with you train with the 22 rely on the 25 if needed. Similar to using the CMMG 22LR AR conversion kit. Great for training, but definitely keep the 556/223 for SHTF situation.
My brother owned a Phoenix Arms .22 years ago and I was one absolute accurate pistol and reliable!!! My personal opinion is I would not want to carry any .22 with less than 3-4” barrel. I will definitely say that I do like small concealable pistols especially the snub nose revolver. I carry a Taurus 605 .357 magnum 2” barrel loaded with .38 +p 125 grain JHP Underwood ammo. I feel very comfortable in that revolver for my total protection if needed!!!
My wife loves her Taurus revolver. She also has the 357, and has the Black Talons in it. Something I love about revolvers they are insanely reliable. Go bang everytime. No issues with cases jamming etc.
For what we paid for the Taurus I’d say it could be the best choice for affordable CCW guns. Nice long trigger pull to fire from uncocked, but having the option to cock the hammer for nice crisp trigger is epic. Another perk is less worry of accidental discharge with it in the uncocked hammer position.
@@2A_CaliGuy absolutely agree!!! The only issue I had with this revolver is the small grips and I have big hands. I ordered a new bigger set of Hogue grips & actually replaced them earlier today. I can certainly get a big better grip now and better comfort. I have .357 magnum rounds loaded at present but I think I’m going to switch them out tomorrow with the .38 +p 125 grain JHP by Underwood. I hear the .38+p is a great ammo but less recoil than the .357 magnum
Yeah I’m not a fan of the smaller grips. They work great for my wife. Something I’ve wanted to get is the Rock Island M206 revolver. For awhile they were under $200, but I haven’t seen them in any stores for a good minute.
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One of the worst parts of Komifornia is the 1 in 30 rule. Makes it hard to grab something when it comes up unless your not currently running a dros, or the shop offers layaway 😆
@@2A_CaliGuy so sorry you live in California. I hear people are leaving there by the hordes!! I live in VA & we can pretty much buy what ever firearm we want. We do have a state law that only allows us to buy a 1 handgun per month but can purchase as many rifles & shotguns as you want. Very dumbed stupid law!!!! Shotguns & rifles are far more dangerous & lethal than pistols!!!
Very nice video man !
Thanks I appreciate it. If you had to choose one of the 2 would you take the 22, or the 25?
I've done modifications to mine to where it functions exactly like an 1911. Still as safe as before without the California compliant BS. Gun shoots great, never any misfeeds and very dependable..(as reliable as a .22 shell can be.)
That’s what I’m talking about. I’ve been meaning to do the mods, but just haven’t. Mines also as reliable as the ammo I feed it 😂. Got a bunch of different types of ammo for some other stuff I plan to do reviews on this weekend.
Yes ,I did the same thing. Too many safeties are not what anyone needs to contend with. As a matter of fact they are more of a threat to you if you are ever confronted by a animal be it two legged or four legged. I carry mine while out and about .
.22RF ammo varies a lot in quality. I'd be OK with a ,22 with top grade ammo...CCI Mini-mags or Stingers... the hollow points would cause more damage than the FMJs in the .25, although at pistol velocities that would be marginal. Either will get your attention....
It definitely would get your attention. The last 200 round test I did was with CCI Segmented HPs, but there was an issue found on my Phoenix. I did a video showing the issue. Now that I’ve got it sorted out I’ll have to redo the test. Mini mags are definitely one of CCIs best ammo.
Thanks for the comment. I plan to pickup a good variety of ammo soon, and will post a video soon. In the 500 round mossberg maverick video we did Sunday we used a bunch of different ammo, and it felt like a more realistic test of the guns reliability.
Also Aguilar works equally as reliable as CCI.
Neither hp expand at pistol velocities and a tumbling 22lr bullet does more dmg than a hp.
Same reason why the 5.56 in light bullets and slow twist barrels are devastating.
22lr hits way harder than the 25aco
25acp 61ft lbs at the muzzle..22lr 110 ft lbs at the muzzle. Do the math
Very good test bro!
I ended up repairing my HP22A, and it is more reliable now, but I’d still take a 25acp over 22 for self defense any day 😂. Thanks for watching!
Great video bro. Informative and well put together. Defo would go for the 25acp out of the 2. For £150 bucks can't go wrong reminds me of the hi point 9mm pretty sure that was around he same price. But people I reviews didn't rate it. 👍
Thanks I appreciate it. I had more failure to fire with the 22 today on the newest video I did 😂 with my homemade ballistic gel
U can unscrew the grip break a small piece of the safety and 💥 fixed I can clear check it without mad in
I used a Dremel to clean mine up. Works much better
There is a mod to override the magazine lock.
Yup. Seen a few videos.
After the safety mods my 22 is great. I haven’t had many malfunctions that I can remember, I haven’t shot it in a long while. If you take it to the range and learn what ammo work’s completely reliably, then it can serve in a self defense role. The 22lr has a cool factor with it, and the price can’t be beat. You can spend all day plinking for little money, and keep a bunch of ammo on hand at all times for little money. It’s hard to beat. At some point I’m going to get the nickel version to go with my black one.
Definitely can plink on a budget with them. I really enjoy mine. I reload my 25 so cost is close to the same, but reloading 25 sorta sucks. Very slow going
You have to safty clip on...clip eject..nd put safty back off on the 25 and chamber check..the 22lr will not go out of safty till clip is in..also you can take off handle grip and adjust safty
I owned an HP22a and after a few years the slide cracked. It was replaced for free but the gun is not something I would bet my life on.
I’ve heard of a few people that had similar issues. Great for the range, but I agree it’s not something I’d bet my life on. So if you had to pick would you take the 22, or 25?
@@2A_CaliGuy I would still choose the 22, even with it being rimfire, you can get better velocity than the 25. Great video!
Fair enough. Appreciate the input!
had good luck with mine , fired a variety of ammo, eject mag and remove all ammo then insert mag and clear it, also the hammer you can pull back again to fire if needed , may or may not work, 25 is hard to find, also you can keep an extra mag of the red snap caps to clear it
Didn’t think of that. I need to get some snap caps.
@@2A_CaliGuy there super cheap and easy to lose i have different colors of them there like a breakable plastic
@@2A_CaliGuy yes it is just called " 22 snap cap, plastic "
Phoenix arms .25 cobra model was one of the best semi autos I ever owned.
The cobra reminds me more of the baby browning then the HP22/HP25. So the question remains!!! If you could only pick one ☝️ which would you take the 22, or the 25?
.25 because it's center fire. Also, if I have to reload, I can!!!
Solid. I found a mold for 25acp, and really like them with some red dot, and hi tek coating.
Subbed after reading the excellent paragraph on your about page.
Nice thanks I appreciate it
I have had the 25 acp for f years now , weekly I shoot at the range where I live it is a good gun , I carry this daily
Good to know they hold up well. From what I’ve heard from a good amount of people they see to last. Aside from a few people that ignored the velocity limits on ammo, or installed the recoil spring incorrectly after cleaning I haven’t heard many negatives about them. Plus the price was great!
@@2A_CaliGuy I am not trying to take over Ukraine with this gun , I am
Carrying it to defend myself , and to have fun at the range ! It had been a great gun for me !
@@kings-bay-2902 made my day 😃.
After upgrades its a fun pistol
Agreed.
You live in California? If you send / receive a firearm for repair, do you have to go through an ffl? Or direct usps? Gets pricey?
Interesting that you mention how much shipping oil is on the .22. Mixup98 reviewed this gun, and complained about how dry it was out of the box, and how it wouldn't function properly until he lubed it.
When we receive them they’re typically coated in oil. After experiencing issues with my first one I reached out to Phoenix arms. They actually have amazing customer service, and a lifetime warranty. I may have received a lemon, and all the excessive dry firing I did to the poor thing didn’t help it. I definitely need to go back, and do another review, because after getting it repaired it has been a fairly reliable gun. I’d still take the 25 ACP over the 22 though for self defense 😆
do you have video of your loading the 22 magazine
How can I carry it with a shot up without worrying that the hammer is backwards????? Thanks
Are you referring to carrying with the hammer down. ( Not cocked )
YO DAWG! I see your gun has a safety, so we put a safety in your safety!
I also shot over 2000 rounds out of my 25... Still works great..never a problem.. The 22 is really acurate and i only fired maybe 1000 rounds out of it
Bought a box of 25acp pmc bronze last winter, for 40 cookies! I was so shocked, that I immediately got into reloading! Haha 😄
Even with primers at $150/1k or $0.15 ea I’d say it’s worth it. Shoot if the projectiles cost you $0.10-$0.15 such little powder we’ll call it $0.02 that’s $0.32 ea x 50 ($16.00) now the only thing is where the heck do you find projectiles, or would it be better to cast the little suckers
@@2A_CaliGuy Graf & Sons Reloading. I believe they were prvi partizan.
IDK what the internet commandos say, having a backup of 10+1 in .25acp JHP's on standby in a SOB holster is better than having no backup at all, and that's a hill I'm willing to die on. 🤠
For some strange reason, there's this growing platoon of online/offline self-defense trainers that have concocted a tossed salad approach to Civilian Self-Defense based on Mil-Spec/LEO Tactics, "when in reality" Civilian Self-Defense is nothing like the afore mentioned arenas. Civilians have the coveted "element of surprise via concealment" affording us the advantage of the "unexpected counterattack", and there's hours-n-hours of cctv footage that clearly display how effective just that one advantage can be once it's been deployed.
Statistics show that the average civilian gunfight lasts roughly 3-6 seconds, and that's largely to do with the Thugs WTF reaction due to their poorly planned dumb idea that everybody will be scared of "ma gun" and submit to their will, but while they're fantasizing about all the street-cred they're gonna be basking in they never anticipate the wild card that may very well be lurking just beneath a trained civilians garment. ☠☠☠
Solid, and true. They typically expect victims, and when someone comes back with any show of force they don’t know what to do. At the end of the day I’m my own first responder. It’s my job to keep myself, and my family safe. Thanks for watching I appreciate you.
I'd take the .25 ACP all day. Centerfire means that it goes bang a bit more than rimfire. I'll just take a tad more care with my shots. These are pistols for use at "bad breath" distances, anyway. It may not go that deep, but again, you have to choose your shots--and targets--well.
Any pistol any caliber in the right hands can kill a perp, .22. 25 or 380.
Absolutely, and given the small size/low recoil. Someone with limited dexterity May find comfort in smaller calibers. Also training with 22 is quite a bit less expensive then anything else. All about shot placement.
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So if you could only pick 1 would you take the 22, or the 25
I own higher end pistols and long guns but budget guns today are great! I have a HP22 did the mod on the safety so mag will drop. also changed out mag followers have last round hold open makes for much less wear from firing pin . Buy one think you will love it!
I’ll have to check that out thanks! I’ve enjoyed these little guns
The .22 does not bounce around the body out of a .22 pistol. That is the .223 or .556, out of a rifle, out of a pistol .25acp penetrates farther, it beat all .22 or ammo I stacked up against .25acp.
25 acp is considerably more expensive than 9mm. 😢
Kinda crazy, and reloading it is kinda a pain. Fun little guns though. Always have had a thing for mouse guns, pocket pistols, micro guns. 🤣 whatever you like to call them. Thanks for watching
It's the Economy of scale. Ammo makers make and sell millions of 9mm rounds per year, maybe a few thousand .25.
I small file takes care of the unessery safety crap
File, grinder, dremel. 😂 thanks for watching. Ordering a spare to put it back to stock for any reason is extremely inexpensive also.