What is your reason for wanting a .22 for defense? It's way underpowered and poor in terms of stopping power. If you're serious about personal defense, get something .38/.380 as a minimum if this will be your primary weapon.

Now, I have heard that the P22 makes a real nice plinker.

Originally Posted by Snowman

What is your reason for wanting a .22 for defense? It's way underpowered and poor in terms of stopping power. If you're serious about personal defense, get something .38/.380 as a minimum if this will be your primary weapon.

Now, I have heard that the P22 makes a real nice plinker.

I was thinking of something for the MS, I have 2 .45's and she is getting use to her SW 38 Airlite. But I noticed that she was eyeballing another shooter at the range that was using it Walther. And she keeps bring it up in conversations.

Well then pick one up for her! But give her something a bit more effective for carry. The P22 is fun, but not a good choice for that use.

I really don't think it's a great idea. There are some cases of attackers being killed by a .22 but they are pretty few. IF someone were violently attacking you or her, their blow/stab/shot would in all likelihood still land before they even realized they were being shot. It just doesn't have the power to do enough damage to stop someone. Hell, there are a lot of arguments that a .32 or .380 doesn't either. I think her .38 is a great choice.

Originally Posted by PanaDP

I really don't think it's a great idea. There are some cases of attackers being killed by a .22 but they are pretty few. IF someone were violently attacking you or her, their blow/stab/shot would in all likelihood still land before they even realized they were being shot. It just doesn't have the power to do enough damage to stop someone. Hell, there are a lot of arguments that a .32 or .380 doesn't either. I think her .38 is a great choice.

Her .38 is nice, but it has a wicked kick (being lite) I'll just let her get more use to her shooter before introducing her to something else. Off the subject, one of the shooters there had that Taurus Judge, and he let me shoot a 410 round, dang that was like catching a 2x4 in your hand that someone was swing at you... you felt it. Way cool gun and pattern.

Have you thought of changing the grips on her .38? A lot of times different, fuller grips will reduce felt recoil a lot. I assume she's carrying in her purse so slightly larger grips may not be a big deal.

If you carry a .22LR for defense, it would be natural selection to get killed by a mugger...

Oh, and Gears of War sucks...

Originally Posted by Alaskan_Viking

If you carry a .22LR for defense, it would be natural selection to get killed by a mugger...

Oh, and Gears of War sucks...

How friendly.

Originally Posted by Alaskan_Viking

If you carry a .22LR for defense, it would be natural selection to get killed by a mugger...

Oh, and Gears of War sucks...

1) GoW rocks
2) GoW Rocks
and 3) GoW Rocks LOL Thanks for making me laugh today AV

I did mention to her to try some diferent grips. She also switched hands and shot better and did'nt complain about the kick back either.

Hehehehe, I love using the Chainsaw on Xbox live, then listening to the guy (whom I've just killed) say what a "noob" I am, for using the Chainsaw instead of the Shotgun. now I play Rainbow Six though... oops, Off topic.

But seriously, I can't imagine the P99 having that much more recoil in 9mm, especially if you're gonna be using it for defense.

Originally Posted by PanaDP

How friendly.

Inside joke; his Avatar is from a popular Xbox video game.

The .38 kicks? Maybe try a lighter load. Federal makes a low recoil, Hydra-Shock P.D. load. http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...732&t=11082005 (from the Midway site)
For practice try something like these Remingtons. They're only listed at having a muzzle energy of 185 ft lbs. (also from the Midway site)
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...692&t=11082005
I'm sure that there are others light loads.

Originally Posted by drummin man 627

The .38 kicks? Maybe try a lighter load. Federal makes a low recoil, Hydra-Shock P.D. load. http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...732&t=11082005 (from the Midway site)
For practice try something like these Remingtons. They're only listed at having a muzzle energy of 185 ft lbs. (also from the Midway site)
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...692&t=11082005
I'm sure that there are others light loads.

I think (now) that it's mostly likely the way she and I held the gun. For me it's really kinda small. And for her I think it was more of her getting use to the gun.... I think I should move this to the SW section

But as for the Walther I think I might look into a 9mm.

I would also recommend a centerfire over a .22 for SD, but I also have a wife who likes a small and comfortable-shooting pistol. She found a Beretta 21 at a gunshow (she likes going with me to these things), and likes shooting it quite a bit. She also has a .38 snubbie to carry when she travels, but she doesn't always carry it. She wanted a .22 to keep in her purse at all times, and chose the Beretta as it is quite small.

She knows the limitations of the caliber, but she is her own person and does what she wants, and I am just glad that she carries at all. Her Beretta is loaded with CCI Quick Shok, which is one of the more damaging .22lr rounds. Although one shot might not stop an attacker, it will most likely stop or at least deter most people. Three or four of these things into COM will stop the really persistant.

We also have a P22, used as a range fun-gun. It's ok, but the Beretta makes a better SD pistol as it is much easier to conceal. Some others to look at would be the Bersa/Firestorm line of .22's, and of course there is also the Walther TPH, if you can find one...

PhilR.

I generally move quickly from the discussions on "which gun for SD" posts, they have no ending. I prefer centerfire for SD. I own a P22 and am not a big fan of the pistol. One of its plusses is that fires reliably with most ammo.

I recently read a story about a retiree who, after being stabbed in the arm, used a P22 to kill the attacker. It took several rounds, but the pistol did the job. I can't find a link to the story. But it does validate, IMO, that a .22 can be successfully used in SD situations if you have the presence of mind to use it in the situation. It may take several rounds, but I bet that centerfires may take more than one round.

I do my darndest to avoid being in places that I feel the need for heavy firepower. You never get to pick the time, place and circumstances for the need/use of a CCW. The P22 is light, easy to carry and shoots pretty reliably. It is accurate enough at close range to be used. My guess is that it would do reasonbly well if the carrier is ready to use it and can use it effectively.

For self defense I would never carry a 22 unless it was the only gun I could conceal. It's better than no weapon at all!!

Years ago, I met a man that was shot 3 times with a 38. He was hyped up on something. He beat the crap out of the Cop that shot him!!

When I learned of that, I replaced my 38 with a 44 special. I replaced my .380 with a 10 mm. I got rid of my 9mm. When my wife got her first gun she didn't bother with small calibers. She got a .357 mag.

If you are ever involved in a gun fight. Have a weapon that will do the job!!

Originally Posted by SAS MAYHEM

I was thinking of something for the MS, I have 2 .45's and she is getting use to her SW 38 Airlite. But I noticed that she was eyeballing another shooter at the range that was using it Walther. And she keeps bring it up in conversations.

Why not take a look at the P99C or the PPS. I don't know why she liked the P22 but if it is because of its looks either one of these should fit the bill. They wouldn't overwhelm her with power. They would be a much better option for SD that a P22.

22LR should only be aimed at the eyes ears nose and throat
but who is that accurate especially in a stressful situation -
keep the 38 for her BUT....
also buy her the 22 also
she will love it at the range and will practice a lot more and become even more profecient

to sas mayhem
buy her the 22
one she likes it and will have fun shooting it and get REAL comfortable
then get the PPS because it is the same dimensions - identical except for the external safety
once she is comfortable with the size and feel of the 22 it would be a very easy pic for her to pick up the PPS - she should feel verycomfortable with the 9mm

Originally Posted by hideit

to sas mayhem
buy her the 22
one she likes it and will have fun shooting it and get REAL comfortable
then get the PPS because it is the same dimensions - identical except for the external safety
once she is comfortable with the size and feel of the 22 it would be a very easy pic for her to pick up the PPS - she should feel verycomfortable with the 9mm

Yeah I'm getting the P22, very comfortable pistol to shoot, and then I'm move to the P99. And it looks damn good.

P22 is going to be my next gun purchase. I can get one for $269 as opposed to $390 for a ruger. It looks damn nice, but I havent shot one yet. As far as .22 for concealed carry I would agree that it would be better than nothing. Hell someone might have a better chance at getting several .22 shots on target if they cannot control a larger caliber. My wife is still learning how to shoot and she can hit very well with a .22. She has trouble still with my 9mm and cannot hit anything with my buddies .45. So I would feel more comfortable with her carrying a .22 as opposed to a .45. As for a 9mm I think she still needs practice and will be able to master it eventually.

I was an LEO for 32 years. On one occasion I went to a house on an assault call. The "victim", who personally came to the door, turned out to be shot in the upper eye socket with a .22 (self-inflicted). He looked like he had been worked over with a lead pipe, but he was able to walk and talk and nobody knew he was shot until the hospital couldn't figure out why he was responding so peculiarly to treatment and xrayed him. When I came into work the next day they told me he had a bullet in him. I wouldn't go below a .380 for self-defense and even that is marginal.

I'm kind of stumped on why people complain about recoil for a SD gun. In the event of ever using one, the last thing that's gonna be on your mind is "wow this gun kicks pretty hard." I realize that follow-up shots will be harder to hit on target because of the recoil the higher up in caliber you go, but generally speaking SD gunfights happen in the area of 2-7 yards. At two yards, you don't bother aiming, you just point and shoot. And if you can't put a bullet anywhere near your attacker at seven yards with a .38+, you won't do it with a .22. If aiming the second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. shots is a priority, I would think the added damage/trauma you would acquire on the attacker after scoring a hit with a much larger caliber would outweight the disadvantage of having to take a split second more to aim properly on subsequent shots. But that's just me.

Originally Posted by fivehourfrenzy

I'm kind of stumped on why people complain about recoil for a SD gun. In the event of ever using one, the last thing that's gonna be on your mind is "wow this gun kicks pretty hard." I realize that follow-up shots will be harder to hit on target because of the recoil the higher up in caliber you go, but generally speaking SD gunfights happen in the area of 2-7 yards. At two yards, you don't bother aiming, you just point and shoot. And if you can't put a bullet anywhere near your attacker at seven yards with a .38+, you won't do it with a .22.

Any defense gun must be trained with. A gun that intimidates the shooter is one that he/she won't shoot in practice. We may not notice the recoil when shooting for blood, but we notice it at the range, and it is (partially) at the range that we learn how to survive the fight.

A .22 that she shoots well and enjoys is far better than the .38 she dislikes and doesn't carry. Just train for rapid bursts to the head, which is easy with a .22. A .22 in the eye will end most fights pretty quickly.

As I believe Mark Moritz wrote: "The First Rule of Gunfighting is: Have a gun!"