Compact 22 wheelgun

[MolleMan]

my uncle is wanting a compact pocket 22 revolver and when he asked me about it, I have never heard of or seen one for that matter. figured might give it a shot on here to see if anybody made one.

 

[Phydeaux642]

NAA.

http://www.naaminis.com/

 

[rcmodel]

S&W 317 AirLight is as good as it gets for light, small, and accurate.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57768_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/31/products_id/26989

http://www.gunblast.com/SW_317.htm

rc

 

[MolleMan]

umm oops forgot to mention it needs to be double action. he owns a store and wants it for carry

 

[MgoBlue]

There's a nice S&W 34-1 closing in a few hours. If I hadn't just purchased a S&W 17-3 I'd be all over this .22 snubby!

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=179875638

 

[rcmodel]

Well then, he might want someting a little more powerful then a .22 rimfire if it's for personal / store protection.

A .22 RF would be far down the list of good choices for SD use.

rc

 

[Phydeaux642]

umm oops forgot to mention it needs to be double action.

That rules out NAA. The Smith model 317, as rc noted, is probably the best bet for light and compact, although they can be a bit pricey new.

 

[MolleMan]

Well then, he might want someting a little more powerful then a .22 rimfire if it's for personal / store protection.

A .22 RF would be far down the list of good choices for SD use.

rc

he actually carries a smith 38 spl. so i have no idea what his logic is.

 

[Clifford]

I checked out that gunblast article that RC linked to. Nice little gun, I started to get excited when I saw the gun didn't have the Hillary hole. Then I noticed how old the artice was... damnit! I would imagine all of the 317's made now have the lock. Oh well nice little guns anyway.

Though a .22 is better than a sharp stick, I would reccomend a model 637 or even a shrouded/hammerless model. They are lightweight aluminum .38's. Very light to carry all day and despite the lightweight the recoil isn't bad at all. As a matter of fact my model 60 with the fullsize grip is slower back on target then my 637 with the boot grip. I think it's due to the fact my pinky is under the grip of the 637 and that keeps the muzzle from jumping as much during recoil.

 

[Manco]

Well then, he might want someting a little more powerful then a .22 rimfire if it's for personal / store protection.

A .22 RF would be far down the list of good choices for SD use.

Be that as it may, if a round can give you sufficient penetration, which for most people is 12" and therefore within the reach of .22 LR even in a pistol, then it can be effective with good shot placement. The S&W 317 would be an ideal choice for carry in .22 LR, although I would recommend going with a 3" barrel if possible in order to get enough penetration, even with high-velocity .22 LR loads.

he actually carries a smith 38 spl. so i have no idea what his logic is.

Could you ask him? If it's because he shoots .22 LR significantly better than .38 Special, then it may just make sense for him. Many people who can shoot 9mm satisfactorily say that .40 S&W is too much for them to maintain the same level of proficiency, and if such a small difference in recoil, relatively speaking, can make such a big difference in speed and accuracy, then I bet that many of them could shoot .22 LR better than 9mm or .38 Special, too. Obviously this improves shot placement, which when given sufficient penetration is in all likelihood more important than the diameter of the bullet. And on top of that, with the Model 317 you get three additional rounds in a J frame.

Also worthy of consideration, by the way, is the S&W Model 63, which is a heavier steel-framed version of essentially the same gun. If your uncle can shoot this one even better and doesn't mind the weight (it still only weighs about as much as a Glock), then it may be an even better choice.

 

[TonyT]

I don't know how compact of a gun you desire but the older 22/32 Kit guns/Model 36 were available with 2 inch barrels and round butt.

 

[doc2rn]

He is saying he doesnt like the recoil out of his airweight 38 I'd bet ya. I would have him try a .32 S&W or at the least a .22 MAG.

 

[rcmodel]

Or better yet, standard pressure .38 in his .38.

Not a great choice for SD perhaps due to the very low velocity, but 148 grain target wadcutters don't kick much worse then a .22.

And they would be several times more effective then a .22 RF on a BG.

rc

 

[Bill B.]

Check GunBroker till he finds a used S&W 34 with a 2" barrel and he's in business!

 

[woad_yurt]

If it must be a .22, how about a DA H&R? They hold 9 rounds and are rugged, reliable and very affordable:

​

How compact does he want to get? This one was made by the US Revolver Co (Iver Johnson) and it is tiny. It's DA, has a 7 round cylinder and shoots Aguila Supermaximums all day long:

​

 

[GEM]

SW has Centennial pattern J frames in 22 LR and Mag in the works. Haven't seen one yet but they might do the job. As far as a 22 for SD - I've yet to see compelling evidence that a 22 shot into someone is significantly less likely to stop a crime. Note - not kill dead - but stop the crime.

So it's better to carry it than not.

 

[seeker_two]

If he's fixed on a .22, try to lean him toward the .22Magnum....more powerful, better bullet construction, and not that much greater recoil....Charter Arms, S&W, and Taurus make some good examples in small-frame revolvers....

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Ruger SP101, if you can find one. (The .22 version is discontinued.)