FreedomFriedFather

I dare say no caliber is more enjoyable to shoot than .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR). It appeals to shooters of all experience levels, from first-timers to competitors, thanks to its low cost, minimal recoil, high availability, and versatility. Whether firing an $89 Heritage Rough Rider or a $3,000 Vudoo target pistol, it’s hard not to have fun with a rimfire handgun. That is, unless it malfunctions.

Rimfire ammunition and firearms are generally less reliable than centerfire counterparts, owing to the priming compound and heavy carbon-lead fouling, which make semi-automatic rimfires sensitive to ammo quality. Budget shooters often reach for the cheapest bulk .22 LR, only to face frequent failure-to-feed or failure-to-fire issues. In my experience with various .22s, most show strong preferences (or aversions) to specific loads, with few exceptions.

To minimize malfunctions, I usually stick to premium hard-plastic-packaged options like CCI Mini-Mags or Winchester Super-X in semi-auto rimfires. But my wallet craves cheap loose-packed bulk ammo. So when I repeatedly heard and read claims that the Grand Power K22 X-Trim MK23 “eats just about anything,” I had to test it myself.

The K22 X-Trim MK23 is a rimfire clone of Grand Power’s X-Calibur 9mm competition pistol. It shares a nearly identical polymer frame with its centerfire sibling, including ambidextrous oversized controls, swappable backstraps, and a standard accessory rail. Inside sits a billet steel chassis housing the double-action/single-action trigger and STI-style hammer. The trigger has advertised pull weights of approximately 4.5–5.6 lbs in single action and 7.9–9.0 lbs in double action.

The K22 X-Trim MK23 features a highly skeletonized steel slide that, paired with a dual recoil spring, enables reliable blowback operation in a full-size platform chambered for .22 LR. Weight is further reduced by skeletonization beneath the optics plates. Unlike the rotating-barrel 9mm X-Calibur, the K22 has a fixed, threaded barrel ready for suppressors, along with a highly polished feed ramp from the billet chassis.

It ships with a red fiber-optic front sight and an adjustable green fiber-optic rear. The rear sight sits on a removable plate that can be swapped for one of four included polymer optics plates, accommodating Docter/Noblex, RMR, Shield RMSc, or C-More footprint red dots. The pistol arrives in a hard case with three 10-round magazines, a cleaning brush, and three backstraps.

Initial impressions: The K22 X-Trim MK23 is unequivocally a full-size .22 LR pistol. Visually, nothing betrays its rimfire chambering except the “22 LR” barrel engraving, it’s not a scaled-down version of its 9mm sibling. The moment you handle it; Grand Power’s intent becomes clear: the Slovakian engineers designed this as a true full-size trainer that replicates the feel and handling of their competition-ready X-Calibur.

I tried all four included friction-fit backstraps and settled on the factory-installed one, which filled my hand comfortably thanks to its slight palm swell and mild beavertail.

While the backstraps have aggressive texture, the rest of the polymer frame is relatively slick, with only narrow side strips and subtle front ridges for grip. Grand Power could take a page out of Springfield Armory’s book and add a little bit more “grip zone” to the design.

The reversible magazine release is excellent, with an enlarged button that’s easy to reach yet unobtrusive, providing crisp tactile feedback. Factory polymer magazines drop free vigorously, even when empty.

The pistol ships with oversized ambidextrous safety levers, almost comically large, but include slim, low-profile replacements that can be swapped individually or on both sides.

Though nearly flush with the frame, the slide-stop levers are highly usable thanks to serrated texture and smart leverage, allowing intentional activation without accidental engagement.

The polymer trigger shoe has a standard curved profile.

The factory fiber-optic sights impressed me immensely: a narrow red front paired with adjustable green rear fibers for excellent contrast and a sharp sight picture.

That said, I quickly mounted a Vortex Defender-CCW “Black Out Edition” red dot on the included Shield RMSc plate (one of four provided). I also added a Holosun P.ID weaponlight, since this “trainer” likely won’t see a holster, why not opt for a less common choice?

Despite having more skeletonization than a red anodized 3-Gun competition AR from 2012, there is not a single sharp edge or burr anywhere on the slide. Grand Power did simply lovely job with the fit, finish, and tolerances of the steel slide and chassis.  Even the flashing on the polymer frame is almost non-existent.  It also takes almost zero effort to rack the slide thanks to a buttery smooth action and no grit or resistance. It almost feels light enough to “air rack” like a well-used and tuned 2011 . . . almost. 

Range Day:  I brought 6 varieties of ammunition including CCI Mini Mag, Winchester Super X, Remington Thunderbolt (loose packed), Remington “High Velocity”, Norma, and Centurion ammo with published velocities ranging from 1100 to 1300 FPS.  The mix included round-nose and hollow-point bullets with uncoated lead, copper/brass-washed, or wax-coated finishes. I realized I failed to lubricate the gun (beyond any provided from the factory) and didn’t pack any gun oil in my range bag, but the show needed to go on. So, I started off by loading the magazines with Winchester Super X to dial in and zero the Defender-CCW optic. 

I quickly discovered the gun was an absolute tack-driver, zeroing the Vortex Defender-CCW without finishing a single 10-round magazine. The combination of a crisp ~5 lb single-action trigger, fixed barrel, full-size weight and dimensions, negligible .22 LR recoil, and a force-multiplying red dot makes the K22 X-Trim MK23 feel like a video-game cheat code.

With accuracy confirmed, I moved on to testing reliability with varied ammunition. CCI Mini-Mag, Winchester Super-X, and Centurion ran flawlessly. The Norma ammo is notoriously waxy and oily; the projectiles themselves were honestly dripping with the substance.  I had one failure to feed on the first round I attempted to chamber of the Norma. I cannot recall if I used the slide release or the slingshot method when I attempted to chamber the round, but I chalk the malfunction up to me and the first round.  I proceeded to shoot the remaining 39 rounds without a hiccup.  I also brought with me a Ruger MK IV just to function check any problematic ammo; the Ruger ate up the remaining 10 rounds of Norma without a malfunction. 

Now onto the Remington Thunderbolt, the cheap 500 round loosely packed ammo that the neckbeards love to hoard from big box stores during panics.  I loaded all 3 magazines up with cheap Thunderbolt and the K22 X-trim MK23 ate every single round without hesitation.  No failures to feed due to the poorly seated projectiles, no failures to fire, not one single malfunction.  Like a Frat brother chugging cheap Natty Lights, the Grand Power loved every round of the cheap stuff.

The final test was Remington “High Velocity”, copper-washed rounds with aggressive knurling on the bullets. On the first slide release, the slide failed to close fully, leaving a gap roughly the length of a projectile. I tapped it forward; the round fired and ejected normally, but the next one repeated the issue—and this time wouldn’t seat with a tap.

Suspecting fouling, I pulled the round and ran the included polymer-bristled brush through the chamber and bore. Retesting yielded two successful cycles before another identical failure-to-battery, again with the slide stopping short by about a bullet’s length.

These weren’t the typical rimfire nose-dive malfunctions caused by magazine geometry or soft projectiles hitting the feed ramp wrong. The Grand Power K22 X-Trim MK23 magazines have a very shallow feed angle, and the highly polished feed ramp merely have to suggest the bullet goes into the chamber for it to properly feed; it is an impressive design for a .22 LR.  Inspection revealed the culprit: the heavy knurling was dragging excessively in the tight chamber throat. I set the remaining High Velocity aside and fed it to the Ruger MK IV instead. The Grand Power happily digested several hundred more Thunderbolt rounds without further issues.

Throughout the range session, I found the magazines an absolute pleasure to load; far superior to most single stack rimfire designs. Though technically single-stack with a 10-round capacity, the polymer bodies are full double-stack width, matching a standard 9mm magazine. The follower depresses easily via ambidextrous side buttons/tabs, making loading and unloading effortless. This is a significant improvement over the Ruger MK IV’s factory magazines (which have a button on only one side) and other .22 pistols I’ve used.

As previously noted, the single-action trigger proved highly enjoyable and capable of fast splits. However, the added weight of the Vortex Defender-CCW red dot, combined with varying bullet velocities across ammunition types, caused noticeable changes in slide cycling speed. This disrupted the rhythm during rapid fire, particularly when switching loads or mixing ammo within a magazine. Sticking with a single ammunition choice avoids this disruption of pace of fire.

The double-action trigger pull felt like the heaviest I’ve ever encountered on a magazine-fed pistol, far heavier than necessary for this design. A rumored single-action-only conversion sounds highly appealing, especially with the enlarged ambidextrous safety. The heavy DA seems better suited to a traditional DA/SA duty pistol with a decocker rather than a manual safety. This is a minor complaint, however, as I rarely started from double-action unless intentionally riding the hammer down (easily done thanks to the STI hammer’s design).

While some shooters complain about the oversized safety levers interfering with controls, I found no such issues. As a right-handed shooter, I used the left-side lever as a comfortable thumb rest during firing. If swapping to the included low-profile levers, I’d likely do so only on the right side, where the large lever made minor contact with my strong-hand knuckle.

In Conclusion: Firing the Grand Power K22 X-Trim MK23 is a unique experience. Its full-size frame, enlarged controls, and double-stack magazine dimensions lead you to expect the recoil of a 9mm or .45 ACP, but instead you get virtually zero recoil, no muzzle rise, and video game-like controllability from its .22 LR chambering.

I must agree: the Grand Power K22 X-Trim MK23 truly does eat almost anything you feed it. In my experience, reliable function with loose-packed bulk .22 LR in a semi-automatic pistol is exceptionally rare.

While the failures with Remington “High Velocity” caught me off guard, they were clearly due to the aggressive knurling on the bullets clashing with the pistol’s tight chamber throat, a compatibility issue rather than a design flaw. Given that I’ve yet to encounter any .22 LR handgun that runs 100% with every ammunition type, this single outlier is easy to overlook. Overall, I’m thoroughly impressed and content with its performance.

While other .22 LR “trainer” pistols exist, such as the Glock 44, Smith & Wesson M&P 22 Compact, and Walther PPQ 2, the feature-rich Grand Power design stands out. Even as a standalone rimfire, the K22 X-Trim MK23 is excellent, limited mainly by sparse U.S. aftermarket support and its pricing relative to competitors.

Retailing for around $650 through exclusive importer Global Ordnance, it costs notably more than popular trainers like the Glock 44 or S&W M&P 22 Compact ($375–$450) and budget favorites like the Taurus TX22 (roughly half the price). That said, $650 aligns with premium rimfire target pistols such as higher-end Ruger MK IV, S&W SW22 Victory, and Browning Buck Mark variants. Unlike those, which often feature odd grip angles, single-stack magazines, and distinctive aesthetics, the K22 X-Trim MK23 mimics the look and feel of a modern centerfire duty pistol (easily mistaken for a tricked-out Sig P226 or Beretta M9).

Overall, the K22 X-Trim MK23 is a fantastic pistol, packed with modern features out of the box: an excellent trigger, optics-ready slide, quality sights, swappable backstraps, accessory rail, and impeccable fit and finish. If you’re seeking a target-quality rimfire that replicates the ergonomics and operation of a DA/SA full-size service pistol, this is an outstanding choice.

For full disclosure, I am an affiliate of Global Ordnance and have been for several years.  You can use code FRIED for free shipping on orders $99+ (including on ammo or the Grand Power K22 X-Trim MK23) at Global Ordnance.  I receive a small commission in return for saving you money.