Thought of the Day: Which 22LR for CCW?

[pietro]

If a shooter is highly sensitive to recoil and muzzle blast and the only cartridge that is an option for them is 22LR, what is the best gun for them to carry concealed?

What would you recommend to someone in this position ?

[badwolf]

Just got a new sig 322 holds 20 rds ,very light. Might be a little big for some .

[Tripplebeards]

Picked a bobcat 21a up recently for $325 with 2 extra magazines. It was a month old. I was told the guy who bought and traded it in shot it 40 times and was in the “gun of the month” club. It shoots great! I have it loaded up with 1640 fps CCI segmented stingers. I can dump 7 rounds as fast as I can pull the trigger and it’s accurate to boot. I was making water bottles dance at 20 yards.

[Texas by God]

I have the generic version of your Beretta, Tripplebeards. It shoots good and will fire CBs to Shot as a break open single shot as a bonus.

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[Tripplebeards]

I like the break open barrel. I actually bought it for my dad for a House gun. He can’t cycle semi auto actions but want one. I took it out last week and it sure is fun to shoot. I looked at the new Taurus poly first since it was around $249/$229 most places I’ve seen. The trigger was horrible and the magazine had to be hit hard with the palm of my hand to get it lock in place. If it was a higher quality like an older alloy version like yours I would have bought one. I like the looks of yours. The gun is getting repo’d. I just found it in a desk drawer out in the garage with the garage door wide open. I hate to say it but some people just aren’t responsible to own firearms…including my pops.

[Texas by God]

Beretta made a tip up barrel .380 for a couple of years. I'd like to have one but I don't think I've ever seen one in person.
I wish that this one was single action like the old Minx and Jetfire tip ups but I'll live with it.
Different situation but I left the Wrangler on the tractor for a week; I've no room to talk....

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[Kosh75287]

I'd want the .22 LR (or .22 Mag) pistol with which I could place shots into eyeballs, kneecaps and testicles at ranges over 10 yards with surgical precision under extreme stress and time pressure. AND, I'd want at least two rapid reloads for it.

[Tripplebeards]

Beretta made a tip up barrel .380 for a couple of years. I'd like to have one but I don't think I've ever seen one in person.
I wish that this one was single action like the old Minx and Jetfire tip ups but I'll live with it.
Different situation but I left the Wrangler on the tractor for a week; I've no room to talk....

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He ordered a small tumbler lock gun vault today and said he’d keep it in the house from now on…that is…when it shows up and he earns my trust to get it back. He hasn’t shot it yet. The requirement will be he has to go with me and shoot it, and his vault arrives, before he gets it back. He still has a Dan Wesson 357 air pistol I bought him that he can’t find. He misplaced it last fall. I’ve gone through almost the whole house and can’t find it.

[rbuck351]

If I chose to use a 22lr as a CCW, I would use the Walther built Colt 1911 in 22lr. It's very light weight and the same size as a normal 1911 which makes it familiar to me. Also is uses a staggered 13rd mag, the slide is very easy to operate and plenty accurate. I have only shot a few boxes of ammo through mine and it has fired several brands of ammo without issue

[Daekar]

I posted in another thread about the Kel-Tec P17, which is a 16+1 22LR that is about the size of a J-frame but a lot lighter than my steel versions. I had minimal expectations, but after getting a magazine problem addressed its a hoot. Shooting steel plates at 30 yards is easy-peasy, even at a much faster pace than I can manage with any other pistol. Load it up with the right bullets and I think you could do far worse when choosing a gun.

I haven't been able to get my hands on primers I can bring myself to pay for, so until I can practice with my 357 again (I seem to need consistent practice to shoot it well enough) I may end up carrying one of the 22s.

[jimlj]

I know this is a old thread, 4 pages long with few suggestions in answer to the OP’s question. Here is my input, based on personal experience. I have a Ruger MK II 22/45 that is boring reliable with the proper ammo. It doesn’t like some of the cheap stuff but has been reliable with Federal auto match which is about as cheap as you can get right now. It’s a bit heavy for concealed carry (I think) but would do if needed. I recently bought a TX-22 at a pawnshop. It’s Glock 19ish in size, holds 16+1 rounds and will shoot ANYTHING I’ve put through it including Remington golden bullets which jammed the 22/45 every time I tried them. If I were looking for a CCW, I’d definitely give the TX-22 a look. YMMV

[FrankJD]

There are any number of .22LR semi-autos that are reasonably reliable ... but for SD/CCW/EDC, it's hard to beat a revolver, and an internal hammer snubby at that. They're always ready in condition 2, no safety needed or wanted, and no issues with FTFs or FTEs, small, lightweight, easy pocket or IWB carry with minimal printing, and if fitted with a laser will not require sighting down its nose to aim. Yes, in particular .22LR revolvers will have a hefty trigger pull of near 15lbs, which is part of its reliability to fire and its safety "mechanism". I can "stage" my LCR22 if need be for finer aiming, but it's not necessary, all the little pills pretty much go where intended, where the green laser covers the target, into the eye box @ 10yds.

[FrankJD]

If I were to carry my LCP in 22 it would be with Minimags or Federal Punch which feeds reliably as much as a 22 can. Neither expand and expansion is definitely a drawback. Some LCPs don’t feed the Punch very well so test drive before laying in a supply. So Minimags are numero uno in any small 22 autoloader.

The revolver has serious merit if it also holds more than the ordinary six shots.

For the 38 I’d suggest a deeply seated wadcutter at 660-700 fps for recoil control effective bullet shape and reduced velocity variation which is a problem with light loads and conventionally or shallowly seated standard and lightweight bullets in the caliber.

I do NOT care about or even want expansion from a .22LR. I want to accurately hit what my snubby laser paints and I want Deep Penetration, period.

[Daekar]

There are any number of .22LR semi-autos that are reasonably reliable ... but for SD/CCW/EDC, it's hard to beat a revolver, and an internal hammer snubby at that. They're always ready in condition 2, no safety needed or wanted, and no issues with FTFs or FTEs, small, lightweight, easy pocket or IWB carry with minimal printing, and if fitted with a laser will not require sighting down its nose to aim. Yes, in particular .22LR revolvers will have a hefty trigger pull of near 15lbs, which is part of its reliability to fire and its safety "mechanism". I can "stage" my LCR22 if need be for finer aiming, but it's not necessary, all the little pills pretty much go where intended, where the green laser covers the target, into the eye box @ 10yds.

This is a great point, and the reason that the first small 22LR I purchased was a small D/A revolver. To this day I have never had anything but flawless performance from it.

[sniper]

I'm another vote for Mini-Mags. And as far as the whole 22/self defense debate goes, I'll opine that most of us who own and frequently use a 22 pistol or revolver for recreation, would be pretty proficient in defending ourselves with that weapon. jd

Given a choice, I would carry my GP 100 with .38 +P ammunition, but, it's no skinny chick, and my Mk II Target is about as heavy. But, if I did cary a .22, It would be the Smith & Wesson 63, or the Sig P322 for quality, but loaded with CCI Velocitors, or the Federal Punch ammo.

[rockrat]

I carry either a Beretta 21A, ppk/s or M&P, all in 22Lr. I prefer the Browning or Winchester 1425 fps stuff.

[BLAHUT]

Any .22 you can hit what you are arming at and confidently, or a .22 mag. A pill to the melon will give any, second thoughts ?

[rintinglen]

Bigger (longer BBL) is better, though any gun is better than none. Ballistics by the inch showed that a 4 inch barrel or longer made for significantly higher velocity than the 2 inch and a 6 inch barrel is even better. Granted, dinky guns have utility as CCW, but how often do you need to hide a pistol in your Speedos? If I had to rely on one for home defense, It would be one of these, or an equivalent Ruger. There are a couple of 38's hiding in here, a Colt Police Positive Special and an Officer's Model Match. For carry purposes, that model 63 in the oxblood holster would be just fine.
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[olafhardt]

I have had reason to shoot a few critters with a 22ĺr. They either died or ran off. I think that is the epitome of self defense.