Please tell me the Black Mamba did NOT come with those ugly-azz Hogue grips on it?

This is just my opinion so it could be wrong. The rifling in your 22 is probably just full of lead. Personally I have a couple of hundred thousand rounds through a Beretta 22 and the rifling on it is as strong today as when it left the factory.

For the money nothing beats a Smith & Wesson Model 41 if you're looking for a top tier 22.

As far as best .22, what if you add in a suppressor? Does that change things?
I have a Mark II target model with a bull barrel and a Mark III with a fluted barrel. I’ve toyed with the idea of threading one of them. But buying an aftermarket barrel or another gun entirely may be wiser. Hope I’m not too far off subject.
It seems there are lots of good .22 autos. And many opinions. I like my Rugers, but never shot anything else.

Got a Omega Switchback in the safe for it. Yes, it screws off.

0 rounds through it, very few through the rifle

I suk

I know , really !!!

I'm looking at VZ Grips but I have no idea what color would look good. Maybe just black?

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Agreed. You might not see much rifling, but your solution is a bore brush. If you really want to make it easier, cork the end of the barrel, fill it with Kroil, let it sit for a week or so before you brush it. I'd be willing to bet it isn't shot out. I was a smallbore shooter for years and shot 3-5 hours/day, 5-7 days/week, 9 months of every year and never shot out a .22 or heard of one being shot out. We still issued out rifles from the '50s and '60s to new team members in the late '90s that held their own, too.