The minimum id go with for self defense is 22 magnum. Which I'd also steer you to the Ruger LCR.
Come South, CM. .22WMR all over here...
Yeah. Central IN seems to be a black hole. We've only started seeing 22LR on the shelf since late summer I'd guess. And NEVER at an urban WalMart. They dont even appear to stock it as there isnt space on the shelf. I occasionally see 2-3 boxes of WMR on the shelf at sporting goods stores, but then its pricey.
I could regularly drive to Columbus, OH and see thousands of rounds on the shelf, even at Meijer! It just doesnt make sense to me.
A 22 long/short/mag/anything is still a lethal cartridge.
Falling off a 3' ladder has the potential to be lethal. A .22 won't penetrate muscle and break bone, it will not cause less bleed damage than appropriate calibers, it will deflect off the skull easier, ride ribs easier, etc. It will not deal with intermediate barriers, including things like forearms and heavy coats, and still have the oomph to do much to the torso. The potential for a mechanical disabling of an attacker is significantly reduced. That's "stopping power", not causing someone to fly backwards which is Hollywood nonsense anyway.
I agree there's less power than other rounds and more chance that the bullet is stopped by other things, but it's still going put the hurt on someone in a defensive situation. A 22 is lethal.
I had a victim shot through the gut, side to side, with a 7.62 during a tenant/landlord dispute. He was...hefty. He didn't realize he had gut shots until they got him to the ER. Even the medics didn't notice it as they were treating his hand and arm. The .22 might hurt. They might not notice, or shrug it off. They might run from the noise and the flash. It depends on who they are and how dedicated to ending you they are. If they don't decide to give up, you're in a bad way unless you can work that bullet into some mighty small target areas. This is based on the investigation of a multitude of real gunfights and shootings, not guesswork. Unless there is some physical limitation for the shooter, ie horrendous arthritis or the like, that makes a rim fire the only tolerable option, there is zero redeeming qualities to using a rim fire for defensive purposes.
The SP101's are sweet revolvers.
Very slick trigger right out of the box, that smoothed out even more with some dry-firing.
I have one in .327fed.mag and like it a lot.