22 for Concealed Carry

[DMNewton69]

I was wanting to know if a Walther P22 would be a good or poor decision for my concealed carry. I know it doesn't have a lot of stopping power but in my opinion its all about shot placement. And I would still have my old trust S&W 357 in the glove box. Just thinking about the walther cause it is light and easy to carry. Just let me know what you think Thanks

 

[GaryTX]

I was always told to carry atleast a .38. This was from my father and my CHL instructor (from Texas). Yes, a well placed .22 could stop someone, but under stress that might not be possible. I carry a 9mm and feel anything in ceter mass will stop the treat.

 

[gglass]

If you have to ask, you probably know that it is a questionable decision. Why would you trust your life to a questionable decision?

I have absolutely no questions about any firearm I carry for the protection of my family and myself.

 

[BumpShadow]

I was always told to carry atleast a .38. This was from my father and my CHL instructor (from Texas). Yes, a well placed .22 could stop someone, but under stress that might not be possible. I carry a 9mm and feel anything in ceter mass will stop the treat.

Well, the 9mm stopping power is far from unquestioned.

The .22 protection argument in a nutshell;

The second rule of a gun fight is to have a gun. The .22 fills this requirement.

The same rules that apply to making any gun effective, apply to a .22

Practise practise practise...

 

[JohnP82]

A .22 is certainly better than nothing.
I agree, shot placement is most important, but my issue with the .22 is that rimfire ammunition in general just isn't as reliable as centerfire ammo. Just my

 

[wolfts01]

If you already own a P22 then I'd say it's a fine choice; something is better than nothing. I don't know off the top of my head, but the capacity on that is going to be greater than any full-blown handgun caliber (of that size). I actually looked at the P22 for a while as a training gun (my only .22 pistol is a revolver), but I got into reloading 9mm instead. I would certainly not be scared carrying it.

If you can purchase another gun I highly recommend the Walther PPS. I have one in 9mm and carry it quite frequently. It is lightweight, thin, compact, and very reliable. I've had one ammo-related failure to eject in probably 700+ rounds, with no problems with the gun whatsoever.

If you're dead-set on a smaller caliber, have you looked at the Kel Tec PMR-30? It shoots .22 magnums and was designed to compete with the FN FiveSeven pistol. I've also seen some nice personal defense ammunition made in that caliber, so reliability should be up to that of centerfire cartridges. Oh, and the PMR-30 has a 30 round flush magazine. I hear finding one is a pain, though. But that can only mean it is good, right?

My second pistol purchase will definitely be some kind of hi-cap .22 to help with training expenses.

 

[rotortech]

As the debate rages on about stopping power you must consider the trade-offs and judge for yourself what will work. The benefit to the 22 is that the gun will be small and lightweight, thus easy to conceal. It will also be cheap to do a lot of practice with it. I am not comfortable with relying on the 22 LR as a defense round. As others have said, it is better than nothing when the time comes. Why not carry the 357?

 

[Benny]

I was always told to carry atleast a .38. This was from my father and my CHL instructor (from Texas). Yes, a well placed .22 could stop someone, but under stress that might not be possible. I carry a 9mm and feel anything in ceter mass will stop the treat.

Why would you ever want to stop a treat?

 

[Bapak2ja]

You can get weapons the same size as a .22 in 9mm and in .40, so why take a light caliber? Even those who debate the "stopping power" calculations agree that the 9mm and the .40 are stronger than the .22.

The Ruger LCP/LCR, the Taurus air weights, and the Taurus 709 & 740 are all light, small and easy to shoot. All are far superior to the .22 in terms of stopping power. They can also be purchased within your price range. There are also a number of .38 and .380 models that meet your criteria—light, easy to carry, economical.

Having your trusted .357 in the glove box will not do you much good unless you are sitting in the car when the SHTF. It would be as useful as a calling 911—help is minutes away when seconds count. With one in the chamber the Taurus 709 gives you eight rounds. Eight well placed 9mm rounds will solve many problems. Carrying it will be just as easy as carrying a .22.

You have time to contemplate the matter. Give it some careful thought.

 

[woowoo2]

The .22 will be great when a rouge squirrel wants your wallet.

 

[Coach]

The purpose of carrying a hangun is to be comforted by the security it provides. You should have the ability to use it with good effect. The purpose of EDC is not for it to be comfortable.

EDC guns should include the following:
1) Be absolutely reliable. It has to go boom everytime you pull the trigger. Everytime.
2) You have to be able to shoot a threat in a very precise spot with every shot, every time. Not in a general area
3) You have to have it with you in the momment of truth.
4) All handgun cailbers are puny and there is not likely to be a one stop shot.

The above are the facts as I see things. What follows are some opinions.

1) Too many people are carrying the wrong guns for proper self defense.
2) Many people carry guns that are too small in caliber. (smaller than 9mm)
3) Many people are carrying small guns with big calibers that cannot be shot well.
4) Many people don't carry a reload for their EDC gun.
5) Many people think that they are going to shoot their little bitty, large caliber gun well while holding a flashlight in one hand.

Now something specific about the .22:

How often can you draw and hit a dime in 2 seconds with it?

In General;

Perhaps you are good enough because it is not going to be about the gun. Perhaps you are not good enough with any gun and it won't matter at all. The gun is the tool. It is the individual that makes the difference. If the individual is not willing to carry a proper tool are they really able to have the mindset and toughness that will be necessary to prevail? I am not trying to be confrontational to anyone with this but just ask some good questions that all of should think about if we carry.

I need more practice.

 

[daspurlock]

Made this statement in a different thhread, seemed like a good place to make it again. I would rather hit you 10 times with a 22 then miss you 7 times with a 45 that I cant afford to practice with. They kill 800 lb gators with 1 will placed shot, oh did i mention they use a 22 to do it with.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Made this statement in a different thhread, seemed like a good place to make it again. I would rather hit you 10 times with a 22 then miss you 7 times with a 45 that I cant afford to practice with. They kill 800 lb gators with 1 will placed shot, oh did i mention they use a 22 to do it with.

I agree, if you get a rope round round the neck, or hook in the mouth of your potential attacker first, heck a .22 is a fine weapon.

 

[DMNewton69]

One reason I was thinking 22 was because how cheap it is to shoot and practice with, and how easy it is to carry

 

[Stubz]

The purpose of carrying a hangun is to be comforted by the security it provides. You should have the ability to use it with good effect. The purpose of EDC is not for it to be comfortable... <snip>

If it isn't comfortable, you aren't going to want to carry it. If you don't carry it, none of the rest of what you put matters.

#1 rule of EDC should be you have to be willing to CARRY it EVERY DAY

 

[HandK]

You can kill someone with a 22 and he won't know he is dead for four min, and four min in a fight for your life is an eternity!! Pres Reagan was shot in the heart with a 22 and lived long enough to get to the hospital and in the OR to fix it! The 22 generally will not cause enough damage to stop the assault. Hope this helps!

 

[Coach]

If it isn't comfortable, you aren't going to want to carry it. If you don't carry it, none of the rest of what you put matters.

#1 rule of EDC should be you have to be willing to CARRY it EVERY DAY

I agree 100%. My point was that if the first consideration about carry is your comfort then you are not going about it right. If you are serious about carry then carry the right tools for the job. You don't go out to plow snow with a Ford Focus. Change your will and carry a good gun.

Anyone who can afford the gun can afford the ammo to practice a sufficient amount. What is your life and the lives of those you love worth?It does not take a high budget to practice a lot. Dryfire only costs your time.

 

[leftsock]

If the P22 is the largest caliber in a compact format that you can comfortably carry and handle, then go for it. There are plenty of .380 and 9mm pistols in compact formats that are very easy to carry too. I have an Ruger LCP and it's very easy to carry.

 

[VERT]

No!

Now that is out of the way. Yes a .22 is great for practice because of cost. Maybe consider a P22 for general practice and a PK380 for carry. The PK380 is only a bit larger and in my opinion much better built. It is a nice choice if a person needs a lightweight, low recoil weapon. Otherwise 9mm will provide a bit more punch and be cheaper to shoot.

 

[2cool9031]

I carried a Taurus 22 mag revolver for awhile and felt comfortable with it.