The purpose of the gun is to:
o kill small game
o compete in competition shooting
o build shooting skills using cheap .22 ammo. The skills would be to improve aim and trigger pull. I feel every shooter could benefit from owning and using this gun.
This is not going to be a self defence gun. (ok it will be better than nothing but self defence is not the intention. )
The gun should NEVER jam
The gun should be easy to clean.
o 6 shot plus wheel gun. (I feel the .22 is not a strong enough round and every semi auto will jam on this round)
o You should be able to speed load the gun like you can the S&W .38 with speed loaders.
o The shells should eject easily after they have been shot. (My H&R gets stuck - this might get easier as I pump more rounds through it)
o The trigger should not be so hard to pull on double action. This kills accuracy and fingers. Maybe there is a reason why a wheel gun trigger is so hard to pull that I don't know.
o You should be able to add a scope to the gun or different sights.
o The gun should be easy to clean and field strip. (The rugar mark III may be a great .22 but it's a bear to put back together)
o The grips should be secure and probably use 2 screws to keep the grips on each side of the gun. (My H&R grips broke and I had to glue them back on)
o The gun should cost $200.00 NEW
o The gun should not be super heavy. Maybe we can get lucky and have some of that ultra light material used.
o The gun grip should be extremly comfortable. I am an XD 9mm owner mostly because of the grip. (My middle finger touches the back of he trigger guard on the H&R when shooting. Yea I have big hands.)
o The trigger pull should be between 2 - 3 pounds.
With all respect, I believe your criteria are unrealistic, especially the $200 new price.
What comes closest to your specs is the old Smith & Wesson Model 18 Combat Masterpiece in .22LR, or the older K22s without the current 617's underlugged barrel. But you will not find one of these for $200 these days, even used. Taurus makes a clone, but I haven't shot one, nor do I know what they're going for used.
Be aware that you will not be able to "speed load" a .22 revolver. Oh, you can for the very first cylinder full, if it is very clean, and possibly the second. After that, dirt/lube in the chambers will prevent the light .22 rounds from falling fully chambered of their own weight. You can use a speedloader but you still have to press every round home with your thumb.
I don't agree with your premise that no .22 automatic is reliable enough. The Ruger MK II/III, IME, is about as reliable as ANY .22 firearm gets. You are going to have a certain amount of malfunctioning with ANY .22 due to the nature of the ammo itself. You're just going to have to live with this.
I also disagree with your premise that the Ruger MK II/III is a bear to reassemble. It goes back together as easily as anything else, IF YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT. All you have to do is learn the proper procedure.
Used MK IIs are available on the market in the $200 range. Just pick the barrel length and weight you want. (I include the .22/45s in this as well.)