Recommend a .22LR pistol for defensive purposes (I know, I know).

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Dedicated .22 conversion on a 1911 frame - full capacity, can be reliable and certainly an edge on appearance.

Wilson used to catalog a classic in .22 only (no centerfire top end though a center fire top end could be added later) at a decent price - something like that would be my choice for defense

- for a kit gun anything - the S&W in an airweight or hard to find a Ruger double action revolver in .22 are good choices.
 
Whatever you get, definitely get as long a barrel as you can comfortably carry. You'll need the additional velocity for such a tiny tiny round.
 
I gotta say, when I read the first post here and imagined myself in the poster's position, my thoughts went to the Bersa/Firestorm .22 like PX15's pic above. Just 10 rounds though.
 
Here's my two cents on .22 rimfire. I've owned Ruger, Colt, S&W, Browning, Tarus, High Standard, H&R pistols and revolvers and they are all good. I keep reading about the unreliabilty of the .22 rimfire and I've never had one that didn't go bang whenever I pulled the trigger. When I was a little boy I had an old S&W, I believe it was a model 17 and it kept the squirrels on the table. Theres nothing wrong with a .22 rimfire as long as you can hit what you aim at. You might have to keep hitting it depending on it's size, so be it.
 
benEzra,

Some of these "laws" are downright confusing.
Game & Fish and whomever regulates CCW - need to be made aware of such confusions.
I would get something in writing from the AG.

I've heard some regs state the gun has to be a dedicated ____, meaning one cannot use the .22 conversion.

WE are still allowed to hunt , with lights at night for Raccoons - using .22 short ammunition.

Some folks got sideways, being out with 10/22 and 1911 conversions.
This got a warning, stern one, still...

Single shot .22 rifles, Rem Speedmaster and Fieldmaster repeating rifles for etc, that do shoot .22 short, and I'd have to double check, but still if the handgun barrel was 4" or longer, and shot .22 shorts, like a revolver, these were fine to hunt Raccoons at night.
Lots of fun, with the dawgs treeing the coons.

So checking the regs of both Game & Fish, and whomever is in charge of CCW, and getting the AG to write it up, and having a hardcopy is wise .

Like they say in Real Estate: Location, Location, Location.
 
I haven't tried one (yet), but I would think the new S&W model 63 would be one that I'd look into closely. J-frame, all stainless, 8-rounds, and a 5" barrel. With a cylinder full of Velocitors, I'd feel pretty confident.
 
Dedicated .22 conversion on a 1911 frame - full capacity, can be reliable and certainly an edge on appearance.

Wilson used to catalog a classic in .22 only (no centerfire top end though a center fire top end could be added later) at a decent price - something like that would be my choice for defense
Click to expand...

kIMBER makes a .22 based on the 1911. You can't use a center fire upper on it without a lot of work as there is no ejector or feed ramp. The standard mag holds 10 rds but the Ceiner 15rd mags will work. Looking at the muzzle end of it it is hard to tell that it's only a .22.

Tim
 
This one's definitely retro, but it's my all time favorite .22 rimfire- a Beretta Jaguar/70 series/70S, if you ever run across one. They haven't been made for 20 years or so but they do turn up used every so often. They are awesome little pistols.

And there are non-thumbrest grips available for the 70S, if you find one still in its GCA'68 "target pistol" garb.

lpl/nc
 
I am always surprised at the number of people that can't be bothered to read and understand the question before they post.

Anyway, .22lr is not the most reliable ammo in the first place. If you are looking to maximize reliability, I would stick with revolvers over autos. It just takes a few problems out of the equation.

Look into the S&W revolvers or if you are on a budget, the Taurus revolvers. I never recomend Taurus but there is a big price difference between the .22lr of S&W and Taurus so it may pay to look at them.
 
22lr S&W

Just bought a 22a with a 5.5 in barrel.
Wire brushed and polished the slide and action.
Just put 300 rounds of bulk through it this past weekend-

accurate, cheap, and FUN.
 
I would suggest a Ruger Mark II with a 5" barrel because they are not fussy about the ammo you use in it. I suggest a 5" barrel because I feel a 7" barrel is to hard to carry comfortably. A 5" barrel is probably workable and will allow the bullet to gain a lot if it's intended speed.

Since all you can carry is a .22 then you should use the best ammo you can find. I would suggest CCI Velocitor even over CCI Stingers. Even though Stingers have a velocity of 1640 fps and 191 ft/lbs of energy the projectile is only 32 gr. Velocitors fire a 40 gr projectile but still reach 1435 fps with 183 ft/lbs of energy. I would feel safer with the heavier bullet especially since it's get plenty of speed and energy.

I didn't know the law allowed you to carry a .22 pistol in a State Park. Thank you for that information.
 
Anbother vote for the revolver. Unlike another poster, I have has 22 LR fail to go boom, in not one but several 22s. It's rare, but happens frequently enough to be bothersome.

I'd pick the S&W 10 shot all steel 617 six inch. I've had enough trouble with Taurus revolvers that I don't trust them.

If the 617 is too heavy, have you gunsmith mill off part of the underlug.

Yes, they are costly.

If you feel comfortable with the ruduced capacity of an old rimfire revolver, a K-22 (model 17) would be my pick. The 34 or 63 kit guns work as well, and are smaller and lighter, but you will only have a 4 inch barrel. Still, it's easy to pack a kit gun, and you can pick one up used for a easonable amount of money. And as someone else noted, a your kids could use it.

Unfortunately, model 63s are commanding a premium as they have become collectable. You can still get a nice 34 for around $400
 
Damn, what a stupid law. OTH, here in PA it's illegal to carry in state parks, period.

Anyway, I would go with whatever .22 handgun you feel most comfortable with but select the longest barrel possible to wring the most velocity out of the .22 rounds. Since open carry looks like it's legal I would forgo the small guns and go for something full sized. I like the idea of a 1911 with a conversion kit -- it may give you an edge because it looks like a .45, not a mousegun, unless the potential shootee is close enough to see the muzzle.

Aside from a 1911 with a conversion kit, my first choice in an auto would be a Browning Buckmark with a Ruger second. I'll respectfully disagree with sm WRT to the Mark IIIs. We have a 22/45 Mark III that works well.

K-Frame revolvers work, and you can get speedloaders for them.

As much as I like the Ruger Single Six, I'd prefer a double action since you can't use the .22 Magnum cylinder.

When choosing ammo skip straight past the cheap bulk ammo (except for plinking) and buy CCI Mini Mag solids. CCI rimfire ammo is uniformly high quality. I can't recall ever having a dud. I would avoid HPs because penetration with a .22 LR is going to be iffy already.

It occurs to me that in addition to the pistol, a stout walking stick and/or big belt knife would be awfully good to have.
 
Revolver all the way, Smith and Wesson, Taurus. I'd probably just carry my Rossi M511 sportsman. It's only 6 shots, but it's VERY accurate and all stainless construction. It is a "kit gun", J frame size with adjustable sights and 4 inch barrel. Head shots with that thing at 25 yards is NO problem, it's a real accurate little gun. Up close, screw it in his nose and pull the trigger. That little Rossi is REAL reliable, something I cannot say about any auto regardless of price.

I do have a few autos, but I really prefer revolvers in .22 if there's any chance I have to use it for self defense, parish the thought. I've seen all manor of jams and misfires with high quality semi autos in rimfire. No thanks. And, yes, I'd use CCI ammunition for reliable ignition. This is a fact.
 
What's the going rate for a Firestorm .22?

I did some Google-fu and found that the older Bersa model 23 and 223 were similar; are they any cheaper? I can't find any on Gunbroker.

I used to have a Bersa 383DA and loved it; I'd love to have the same gun in .22LR.
 
Here in NE Pa I paid around $270 ( with taxes ) with an extra mag. A lot of people complain about the price of the mags, but I've found them to be no more expensive than any other make. I ordered mine thru my gun guy, hardly ever see them on a shelf in any shop they sell so fast.


Kevin in Pa
 
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Jeff Cooper occasionally suggested a Walther, either PP or PPK but not PPKs - IIRC he and his daughters especially often carried one in the field. I think he emphasized precise shot placement along the lines of if you aren't carrying a 1911 then shoot for tear duct.

Seems to me Paris Theodore suggested as part of his Guttersnipe System with the off-hand eye a lay the head over rapid fire technique with the .22 - it's been suggested by others that a machinegun technique with the .22 can be almost the equivalent of a load of buckshot - 40 grain bullets being buckshot size. I'm not sure that's quite true - I think simultaneous impacts have more shock effect but then relying on shock effect is fine till it fails. I have seen live fire by an AR180 in .22 rimfire that looked like pumping a Model 12 with the trigger held back - faster than my eye could follow lots and lots and lots of suddenly empty space on the target.
 
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A charter arms pathfinder in 22 mag...

or an naa mini mag in .22 mag or a black widow in the same
 
Another vote here for the S&W 617 6-inch 10-shot. Utterly reliable, durable, practical, and fun to shoot. Its perfect complement, of course, is the 686+, for those occasions when you might be permitted to make more of an impact.
 
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