Honest Review: Kriss Vector .22 LR

The Vector from fun range toy to defensive dynamo is clear …

One of the most unique firearms in my collection has to be my Kriss Vector, with the Super V Recoil Mitigation System. It’s truly unique in the industry. I own a .45 ACP Vector, and my only complaint with it is that it is too much fun to shoot. I can quickly eat through a couple hundred rounds of .45 ACP, and in today’s economy, you need deep pockets to keep her fed. Since the Vector’s initial launch, Kriss has released multiple calibers, including 9mm, but the one that has me the most excited is Kriss’ newest Vector, the .22 LR version.

With .22 LR not only are you getting the savings per box of ammo, but the cost of the firearm itself is about half of the larger-caliber versions. And with a .22 LR, I get the chance to shoot magnitudes more rounds on target. For the same price as 50 rounds of .45 ACP, I can shoot 250-300 rounds of .22 LR.

Of course, .22 LR does not recoil anywhere near what my full-size Vector does. But what the .22 LR Vector does give me is more trigger time on the platform to master it. All Vectors, no matter the caliber, are the same size, with all of the controls and feel the same throughout. I love that things like the short throw ambidextrous safety and trigger work.

The .22 LR version of the Kriss Vector does not use the downward recoil mitigating system of the .45-caliber; instead, it’s a true standard blowback design. The reason why is that .22 LR firearms can sometimes be the hardest ones to make work properly. The quality of .22 LR ammo is all over the chart, leaving some firearms to be finicky when it comes to reliability.

Trying to give Kriss the best chance for a good impression I decided to start with my tried-and-true go-to ammo…the CCI Mini Mags. Only the best for my new toy! For the first 200 rounds it was chef’s-kiss perfection, she ran like a top. Ugh now I have to make a decision and continue with my CCI mini mags top shelf selection, or drop down to some mid grade. Mini Mags are expensive in this economy and I have plenty of some budget Magtech thats just itching for a test run. I hate to call it rotgut … but at $3 per box, it’s as cheap as they come.

I hate to be boring on the subject, but the Vector .22 LR seemed to like the cheap stuff just as much as the expensive ammo. My only two malfunctions were with two rounds that did not want to ignite even after resetting the hammer. I am sure if I tried subsonic rounds, I could make it short-cycle, but that’s not a fair test. Instead I only used the subsonic while shooting suppressed, and that was enough to make sure the firearm ran more reliably than its bigger-bore brothers. You read that right: I have had more feeding issues with the .45 ACP Vector than I have had with the .22 LR version.

The controls and basic manual of arms for this rimfire Vector is identical with all of the Vector firearms. I will say that I like the trigger better on the .22 LR out of the box. Mine came with a factory trigger pull just under 4 pounds and settled in nicely at around 3.5 pounds after a couple hundred rounds. If you are buying this as a plinker, the good news is that the factory includes a nice set of flip up sights. Bring some ammo and the Vector .22 LR is ready to work out of the box.

My single, solitary quibble is this, and it’s not much of one: I would recommend buying a couple extra magazines, since they are proprietary to the Vector .22 LR. Nothing you currently have will work. Available in 10- and 30-round capacities, they are relatively inexpensive at $34.99 each.

Current street pricing on the Vector .22 LR is around the low- to mid-$700 price range. These have been out a couple years now, but unfortunately the price is not getting any lower. www.kriss-usa.com

—James the “XDMAN” Nicholas, Mr. UnPewFessional Himself!