Suggestions for CCW .22LR

[Gryffydd]

A 22 for self defense with ammo is better than any other caliber if the gun is empty.

And a .380 that's not empty is better than a 22. So make it not empty. Carry your .22 for a few weeks until you get your hands on some ammo if you need to.

We can't even argue reloads either because in some areas primers are just as hard to find.

I just got in 5,000 small pistol primers...had to wait 6 weeks, but that's not a big deal. If you really want to protect yourself you'll make sure you have ammo. You just came in at the wrong time.

 

[outerlimit]

Walther TPH looks so awesome. I've never handled one, but I've heard less than glowing reports about them. Against my better judgement, I still want one for a plinker.

 

[ravonaf]

Carry your .22 for a few weeks until you get your hands on some ammo if you need to.

When I can I Open Carry a Glock 17. I bought the Bersa for it's size and because the 380 round would be a bit easier for the Wife to practice with. I hear the Bersa is a nice gun, It's just very frustrating not being able to shoot it.

 

[DeepSouth]

I'll second the NAA Mini-Revolvers and I'll also tell you that I have Walther P22 and it is the worst semi-auto I have ever bought. For pocket carry it is way to big, and after the first 500 rounds or so mine started jam BAD, if you buy one don't expect it be reliable. I have had nearly every possible failure you can have with it. The only thing it will shoot half way reliable is CCI stingers and with those it doesn't hit the rim hard enough to fire it about 1 out of 10 times.

 

[Gryffydd]

I'll second the NAA Mini-Revolvers

They are the one gun that is at least reliable and smaller than you can get a .380.
Unfortunately, the OP specified Autos only.
That and they hold 5 shots, take about 30 seconds to reload, and have dinner plate accuracy at 6 feet...
All in all they're not bad for the size though, that's for sure.

 

[30mag]

Advice: lots of clearance drills.

 

[sgb]

......... wow ...........

 

[gbw]

The prices have gotten quite high lately, but if you can find one get a Walther TPH .22. Very small, slender, clean in outline, reliable, accurate, true DA / SA action, beautiful guns. You MUST replace one too-weak hairpin type spring first, a very simple task.

BTW, I tend to agree with you. For untrained civilians (includes 98% of the BGs we ordinary citizens would encounter), I'd speculate that 98% of the time the mere appearance of ANY gun will have the desired effect. For 98% of the remaining 2%, being shot at or shot with ANY gun will have the desired effect. 98% of the remaining .04%, shot placement would be key. For the tiny fraction left, well if you run up against one of them then your luck is just terrible. We'll let the big bore guys argue about them.

Did I get the arithmetic right?

The Beretta 21 is somewhat thick in cross section, but they work well also and are less expensive, and the prices are jumping fast. The IJ TP-22 is a little bulky and unreliable in my experience, but they are inexpensive and work well MOST of the time. This model is also available on GB sometimes with other makers names on it. The PPK and PP and PPK/S .22s are fairly large and very expensive. The Walther TPH is the class of the group by far.

 

[ronto]

I have one and it makes a good paperweight...

If you like living...Don't even think about a Taurus PT-22 tip-up.

 

[Jim Watson]

Not an automatic as originally specified, but a friend of mine carries a .22 Magnum NAA. He calls it his "15 foot switchblade" and is dead on target in rapid fire at that range and out to at least 7 yards. But he practices with it. A single action revolver, especially a small one, is not something you buy, load, and forget. Not if you want it to save your bacon.

 

[usp9]

I've carried my little Walther TPH when my normal pocket gun was in for a check up. It's a competent shooter. The small PX22 is of the same ilk. As you can see, the Seecamp is as small or smaller and comes in .25acp (used only), .32acp or .380acp. Here's a pic to compare.

 

[GZOh_Jr]

Bersa makes a .22 patterned after the Walther PPK (and branded as "Firestorm"). Their Thunder series comes in several different calibers, and the series is generally highly regarded, yet inexpensive. But I understand they are hard to find these days. You may want to try Bersatalk if you want more info on it.

http://bersatalk.com/forums/default.aspx
http://bersatalk.com/forums/19/ShowForum.aspx I just checked, and there are some fresh threads on the Firestorm .22.

http://www.firestorm-sgs.com/380.htm

Good luck!

 

[usp9]

GZOh_Jr reminded me of the very competent and reliable Daewoo DP52, about as hard to find as the Firestorm FS22. I have both and I'd carry the Daewoo instead of the Firestorm as the quality and reliability is substancially higher. I'm not going to claim either one is a real pocket gun though.

 

[torpedoman]

buddy got his wife a small 22 beretta it is a very accurate and easily hidden gun. Placement is more importain than caliber.

 

[bob.a]

If a Walther TPH is in the running, it's worth considering that the German-made examples have an alloy frame and are significantly lighter than their US-made cousins. There are folks who feel the German pistol is more reliable, and rather better-made. They are scarce and more expensive than the US pistols.

For that matter, the German PPK-L (again, alloy frame) in .22 cal is also a very neat little package, somewhat larger than the TPH but with correspondingly increased capacity. This one, too, is not readily available, but can be found, with patience and a fat wallet.

Given the realities, most examples of these pistols reside in safes rather than pockets. If you can find an example with enough wear to short-circuit the collectors market, you might come up with an affordable carry piece.

 

[Tiomoid]

I'll also tell you that I have Walther P22 and it is the worst semi-auto I have ever bought. For pocket carry it is way to big, and after the first 500 rounds or so mine started jam BAD, if you buy one don't expect it be reliable. I have had nearly every possible failure you can have with it. The only thing it will shoot half way reliable is CCI stingers and with those it doesn't hit the rim hard enough to fire it about 1 out of 10 times.

Call Walther/S&W and send the gun in for repair. They will make it shoot as sweet as can be. If you are against that you can sell yours to me for $180 like the last guy I ran into with a "bad" P22. With a little TLC I made mine shoot like a dream and is my favorite plinker now.

 

[Murdock]

Another vote for the Walther TPH

The TPH is just like a gun, only smaller. It has excellent quality and accuracy, if one can live with the dinky sights. I have much better choices at my disposal for CCW, so I have only carried this in very special situations, but I have owned one of these in .22LR for almost 20 years, and it's too cute to part with. I have three extra magazines for it, and it reloads quickly even with the Euro-style, butt-heel magazine release.

I also owned an earlier P22 long enough to dislike it. The laser sight that came with it would not stay zeroed for a full magazine, and it would not fire DA. Sent it back to S&W. They repaired the DA operation and also replaced the laser with new. The new laser didn't stay zeroed either.

I have found Stingers and Velocitors to be the best (i.e.; most likely to function reliably) .22LR cartridges in the TPH. The biggest problem with reliability is with gripping the gun too high (as one might easily do in a fight) and tying up the slide with the web of the thumb.

Did I mention how cute it is?

 

[FROGO207]

I have a Walther P22 and it is OK if you use CCI Maximags or stingers after I modified the slide as found on rimfire central.com. I also have an AMT Automag II in 22MAG with a 4.5" bbl. It is also OK but shoots a 2 foot flame when fired. I also have a Jennings J22 that was given to me. It is NOT OK. Best advice is to unload it and use it like a rock!! What I use is a S&W 457 in 45ACP BEST CHOICE!!

 

[AKElroy]

Not quite sure why so many feel it necessary to criticize and ridicule over another's choices or preferences. Silly little comments about mall security, etc are really quite unecessary. My experience was not the point of this post, I was merely looking for actual experience from those who own this type of gun. Grow up fellas.

You really should carry more gun. Just kidding. The Jetfire & Taurus copies are tremendous shooters. I plinked with one recently & could not believe breaking dirt clods @ 30 paces with such a tiny pistol. Cheap practice, and certainly challenges the shot placement vs. knockdown debate. Of course, this assumes that afflicting the attacker with a drawn out, 10 day, ultimately fatal case of peritonitus is the goal. Again, just kidding. Kind of.

 

[Tiomoid]

I carry large for the most part, but if I have to go small I know that 10 rounds of .22 in center mass will make someones day a whole heck of a lot worse.

 

[David E]

Sorry, but anyone wanting to carry a .22 pocket gun on purpose for defense hasn't given the matter the serious thought it requires.

.

 

[WTBguns10kOK]

^^^You should try to be nicer. You don't know if someone has CTS or some other wrist problem, if they are afraid of recoil, if they need extra deep concealment or any other number of reasons for a .22. Not to mention it's cheaper to shoot and become proficient with. Methinks you've never given this any thought, let alone enough thought. Grr.

 

[usp9]

Sorry, but anyone wanting to carry a .22 pocket gun on purpose for defense hasn't given the matter the serious thought it requires.

You are wrong on many counts. The lowly .22 is lethal. I attended a funeral that decisively proved that point.

 

[PaperScraper]

Tarus 22mag revolver... knock off of the S&W 351-2

You can carry it in your pocket, in a pocket holster, inside belt holster, ankle holster or where have you and none would even know.

Or the Rugar sp 101 327 FD Mag, less kick than a 38 almost ballistics of a 357... (alternate possibility)

 

[Jim Watson]

I recall reading that Paris Theodore, maker of the highly regarded Seventrees holsters, carried and had used a Walther PP .22. Jeff Cooper, Mr .45 ACP, liked that particular gun, too; and said "You may defend yourself with a .22 when you can hit a tennis ball from anywhere on the court."