Taurus TX22 shook up the .22 LR pistol market when it showed up in 2019 - a rimfire that actually feels like a defensive centerfire in the hand instead of a toy-sized plinker. It's made in Bainbridge, Georgia, and it walked away with Guns & Ammo's Handgun of the Year that same year, which isn't the kind of thing that happens to a gun that's just okay.
Full-Size Feel, Rimfire Price
A TX22 pistol runs a polymer frame under a hard-anodized aluminum slide, and that combination is what gives it the same weight and grip geometry as a full-size 9mm - you pick it up expecting a plinker and it just doesn't feel like one. Standard capacity sits at 16+1, and the newer TX22 lineup bumps that to 22 rounds for anyone who'd rather reload less and shoot more. Most variants come threaded with a suppressor adapter collar included, so running one isn't an afterthought you have to source separately.
Compact Options That Don't Feel Like a Downgrade
For everyday carry or a smaller hand, Taurus TX22 compact models shrink the frame and barrel without losing the magazine capacity or threaded barrel option. The slide gets front and rear cocking serrations plus lightening cuts, which look good but also do real work balancing things out once a red dot's mounted up top. A lot of the compact lineup ships Holosun K-footprint optics-ready, so that's one less adapter plate to hunt down.
Built for the Timer
The TX22 competition models take it a step further - a 5.4" barrel, upgraded sights, and a slide cut specifically with Steel Challenge and rimfire competition divisions in mind. These usually come with three mags instead of two, because anyone who's actually shot a stage knows two magazines runs out fast. The newer Taurus Performance Trigger System also cleans up one of the bigger complaints people had about the early TX22 - the trigger break is noticeably crisper now.
Browsing Taurus TX22 for sale here covers the whole spread - full-size, TORO optics-ready, compact carry builds, and dedicated competition setups - all built off the same platform that made the TX22 stand out in a market that's usually pretty crowded with forgettable rimfire options.
