it’s my guess that a 22wmr revolver is often suggested as an alternative to 22lr for an infirm shooter for protection because “the former is more powerful and more reliable but still a rimfire, so should be easy,” perhaps so the thinking goes. i respectfully wonder if such a suggestion is backed up with personal ownership experience.
i have at hand these 22wmr handguns: a ruger lcr, a ruger single six, a heritage roughrider, a pmr 30. the flashbang is tremendous. to someone infirm and/or a gun newbie expecting a gentle trot it would be a wild gallop. how much of this flashbang yields meaningful result? is one more inch of penetration by a single aimed and relaxed shot into ballistic gel worth it? 22wmr is $15-$20/50, and arguably the best 22lr ammo for protection is cci stinger at $10/50. might not someone practice more with softer and cheaper ammo? are deliberate, multiple, rapid and successive hits with a 22lr better than hearing- and vision-shocked, flinched misses after one hit with a less-practiced 22wmr handgun?
in some hands, chambered in certain firearms and under some circumstances, 22wmr is a superb caliber. a single action, 5.5” or 6.5” ruger single six is an essential outdoors tool (22wmr for business and 22lr for fun), and simply a time-tested must-have for learning and teaching. the rss gives one the option of dialing down to a tamer round as an infirmity worsens. a 22wmr rifle is an excellent all-around long gun that serves several roles kinda well enough, yet as a rimfire flies under the anti2a radar of places like california and new york. so imho 22wmr comes with too many caveats to be a one and done, fast and easy, solution.
