Best Walther P22 Magazine [2024]

Cover Photo Credit – A. I., CC BY-SA 2.0

The Walther P22 pistol in the .22 LR caliber might be one of the finest plinkers you can find on the market today. It’s a budget-friendly .22 pistol that suits both rookies and veterans, and it’s a great self-defense option as well.

But, what really makes the Walther P22 a popular pistol is the abundance of aftermarket customizations and parts you can find. If you want to customize it to your liking, there are a couple of very interesting upgrades, and one of the priority addons is a new magazine.

Today, we’ll take a look at the best Walther P22 magazines and we’ll talk about their characteristics, what makes them tick, and whether or not you need them. There’s also a buyer’s guide where we discuss the important factors you need to consider before you make your purchase.

Image	Product	Price
	Walther P22	Check Price
	Walther P22Q 10-Round Magazine With Finger Rest	Check Price
	TandemKross Wingman +5 Rounds Magazine Bumper for the Walther P22	Check Price
	Walther Arms Colt 1911 Magazine	Check Price

First, let’s take a look at the Walther P22.

The Walther P22 handgun, chambered in the .22 LR caliber, is a German-made semi-automatic pistol with a compact build made for conceal carry and target practice.

It has a 10+1 round capacity, a crisp DA/SA trigger action, an external hammer, and an ambidextrous magazine release lever, which many left-handed shooters will greatly appreciate.

The newest Walther P22Q version (not to be confused with the Walther PPQ) has different grips, and there’s not much difference between it and the original model, so don’t worry about any incompatibilities.

On the outside, the Walther P22 is similar to the lightweight Walther PK380, which is a .380 ACP caliber pistol and has an 8-round capacity. You can check out the Bersa Thunder 380 if you need a more powerful pistol in this self-defense caliber.

The Walther P22 has a concealable stature for a .22 LR pistol. The 10-round capacity is the standard plinking capacity and their factory magazines that come with the box are usually good.

If you need a .22 LR pistol for self-defense, I think that the 10-round capacity should be enough to cover your bases. But, if you’re looking for some hard target practice for the shooting ranges, I highly recommend you get yourself a couple of magazines.

I’m sure that if you’re a casual plinking enthusiast, you’ll probably need one or two spare mags, just for good measure. On the other hand, you can never be too careful when the unforeseen happens. Walther is a reliable brand, but jams, stovepipes, and feeding failures happen, so you need to be on your toes for this one.

Still, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you really need those extra rounds. You could consider extending your rounds with a magazine bumper extension as well. This ultimately means less reloading, and I believe this is essential for any serious gun owner or a target practice enthusiast.

• Our Top Pick – Walther P22Q 10-Round Magazine With Finger Rest
• Best Addon for Your Magazine – TandemKross Wingman +5 Rounds Magazine Bumper for the Walther P22
• Best Budget Option – Walther Arms Colt 1911 Magazine

As of September 2021, there are far too few magazine types and extensions for the P22, but I believe there’s no need for more models and types as the ones available are reliable enough and do their job just fine.

Let’s start with our top pick.

Our Top Pick – Walther P22Q 10-Round Magazine With Finger Rest

Usually, the simplest solution turns out to be the best. The Walther Arms P22Q Magazine comes with your handgun’s order, but apparently, you can never have too many mags.

The Walther P22Q .22LR 10-round magazine is nickel-plated, it’s compact enough to be easily concealed, and it’s the most durable of the bunch. What’s great is that this magazine has a finger rest and is compatible with the former model, the Walther P22.

The nickel-plated construction makes sure it won’t get damaged if it falls and will last for a long time. How many times have you dented your magazine while you were reloading and you failed to grab it with your palm below? Exactly.

It’s important to note that almost all of the damaged magazines are due to negligence, and there are a lot of gun owners that rely on muscle memory alone for proper reloading methods. Luckily for you, this magazine withstands all kinds of stress and impact and it’s one of the most cost-effective magazines you can find.

This magazine line is practically made for it, so expect no jamming and reloading issues. The internal mechanism and springs may as well be one of the best on this list.

I’ve found no downsides and complaints about this one. It’s durable, small, doesn’t bulge, and it’s pretty lightweight for its construction, so I can safely say that it’s a great target practice option, not just self-defense.

Best Addon for Your Magazine – TandemKross Wingman +5 Rounds Magazine Bumper for the Walther P22

One of the most popular choices, the TandemKross Wingman is a favored aftermarket bumper extension that adds 5 rounds. Obviously, this isn’t a magazine, but rather an extension, and I’m certain you’ll need those extra rounds. In a practical sense, it does the same job an extra mag would.

Furthermore, the bumper extends the bottom of the mag, so if you need more grip space, this is a no-brainer purchase. Not only does it extend your rounds, but it’s a perfect fit for those of you with larger hands for whom the Walther P22 might just be a bit too small.

It can fit most Walther P22 magazines, gives you an edge in competition shooting and target practice, and it’s compact enough for concealed carry. It’s made of Zytel material that offers unmatched durability and it can also serve as a base padding to cushion your mag’s fall.

The downsides are that the spring tension is really tight. There are reported problems with the last two or three rounds in the mag that may cause feeding failures and jamming. I hope that TandemKross resolves this spring tension issue with newer models because it’s an otherwise essential aftermarket part for your Walther P22.

Overall, the TandemKross Wingman mag bumper offers smooth shooting at a decent price. It’s pretty easy to install and most users like how straightforward the installation process is without any additional tools.

I strongly recommend you grab this little mag bumper not because a 15-round Walther P22 sounds fun, but you really won’t notice the difference in how compact it is. Here’s the 2-pack order if you’re interested.

Best Budget Option – Walther Arms Colt 1911 Magazine

Most folks keep wondering about this one, and I can see why it may come across as confusing. Yes, the Walther Arms Colt 1911 Magazine is compatible with the Walther P22, and no, it won’t cause any malfunctions; It can be a hassle to load it, though.

Either way, the Walther Arms Colt 1911 is our final suggestion for your P22, and it can house another 10 rounds for when you get in the groove at the ranges.

For what it’s worth, this mag has a steel construction that can withstand serious stress and impact, so it can take a beating and lots of falls on concrete. It’s built to fit into the handgun nicely, but its durability is what sells it. I’m unsure how the price remains low in contrast to how sturdy it is. 

The steel construction works well with the design and internal mechanisms. There’s a lot of customers that have tested it and are happy about the reliability and smooth handling, even after hundreds of rounds. Although you may come across some unlucky models, the chances for misfires and jams are still low.

The downsides that I’ve experienced are that of how much time it takes to get used to the feeding because it’s far less smooth than the stock Walther P22Q magazines. It’s near perfect, but it has its faults with the loading by hand, and given how bulky it is, don’t expect to find holsters for it.

That being said, it’s a durable and often overlooked (because of the model name I think) magazine for plinkers that can last for a long time. It’s a great option if you’re on a tight budget, and I’m sure you’ll grab another one when you see how it works with your P22.

There aren’t many tips & tricks about these types of mags because the market isn’t exactly saturated, as you may see by our suggestions.

The choices you have when it comes to the Walther P22 are few, but the ones that are there tick all the boxes. We even managed to include a mag bumper.

Having said that, feel free to take the pointers we share here and use them as criteria when browsing on your own. The same factors, frequently asked questions, and things to look for when you’re too indecisive still apply.

One of them is the size of the magazine.

Size of the Magazine

First off, the size of the magazine dictates whether you’re going to use the pistol for concealed carry or if it fits in the holster of your choosing. The rule of thumb is to go for shorter round magazines if you’re meaning to use your gun as a CCW.

Larger capacity rounds mean longer magazines. If you’re a target practice and competition shooting enthusiast, going for more than 10 rounds is the obvious choice.

Steer clear of 10-round capacity handguns if you’re going for self-defense conceal carry. For self-defense and concealed carry, all you need is 8 rounds, in my honest opinion.

Self-defense plinking handguns in the .22 caliber usually go with 10 rounds like the HK P2000 or the Ruger SR22.

Material and Durability

Steel construction is one of the most durable materials for a magazine build that can withstand high amounts of stress, pressure, and fall damage. It’s also one of the heaviest, so keep this in mind.

Then you have the TandemKross Wingman mag bumper which is made of Zytel, a highly durable nylon resin combination that offers durability without adding weight to the handgun.

Make sure you check out all your magazines, loaded and unloaded, and see how they feel and how they work. Additionally, I’d recommend you always go for the more durable option, no matter how heavy it is. But, that’s just me.

Let’s wrap this up. When you order a Walther P22 handgun, it usually comes with additional magazines, and this is one of the reasons why it’s popular among the plinking community. The manufacturer is generous with the price as it is.

It’s important to note that the P22 and the P22Q magazines work the same, so you need to check all retailers and make sure you browse all the models. Both models work as intended, and if one isn’t in stock, the other one might be.

Chances are, you have the P22Q version, and if you need extra magazines, the Walther P22Q 10-Round Magazine With Finger Rest is where it’s at. Additionally, I advise you to go for the TandemKross Wingman Magazine Bumper because who doesn’t need extra 5 rounds anyway.

To sum up with a friendly reminder, aftermarket customization aside, the most important thing is taking care of your handgun. With the proper gun cleaning kit, as well as CLPs, solvents, and gun oils, cleaning and maintaining your handguns is the number one priority if you want the Walther P22 to function properly.

And that’s it. You won’t go wrong with these options; I hope I’ve cleared up any questions you might have about the different Walther handgun models and magazines. Just remember to keep a spare magazine and everything will be dandy.

Stay safe, shoot straight.