What's the smallest, lightest .22 pistol?

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Pokajabba said:
I'd like to know if there are any .22 LR pistols out there that are the same size or about the same size as a .25 ACP Baby Browning or similar sized gun.

Don't bother telling me about the Taurus PT-22, grip is bigger than I'd like.
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From quality made worthwhile designs I would say Walther TPH. Not sure how reliable this pistol is, but .22lr ammo is less reliable than centerfire type.
 
Smallest I have seen was a single shot that looked like a zippo lighter closed.
 
I'm guessing by your use of the word "pistol" rather than "handgun", you're focusing on semi-autos.

The smallest .22 I've experienced was the Beretta 950B Minx. However, it was in .22 Short and I believe it's limited to that (no .22LR option). The same may be for the comparable Astra Cub, but I believe I did see an ad for a .22LR Cub at one time.

There exists a MAB Mikros that is sickly small (smaller than the baby browning) but again, in .22 short.

If you're thinking more along the lines of current production pistols, the Walther TPH is likely the smallest, as PabloJ mentioned.
 
The Wilkinson Arms/FTL AutoNine is around the same size as the Baby Browning. You'll want the one with the pinned extractor. Next would be the Budischowski/Norton. It's a little bigger than the Beretta 950 but smaller than the Beretta 21/Taurus. Good luck with your quest!
 
Snowdog said:
I'm guessing by your use of the word "pistol" rather than "handgun", you're focusing on semi-autos.

The smallest .22 I've experienced was the Beretta 950B Minx. However, it was in .22 Short and I believe it's limited to that (no .22LR option). The same may be for the comparable Astra Cub, but I believe I did see an ad for a .22LR Cub at one time.

There exists a MAB Mikros that is sickly small (smaller than the baby browning) but again, in .22 short.

If you're thinking more along the lines of current production pistols, the Walther TPH is likely the smallest, as PabloJ mentioned.
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Best reply thus far.

Yes, I am strictly referring to semi-auto's here, NOT revolvers. From what you're telling me, it seems mainly that the Shorts are what represent the .22 caliber and not Long Rifle. At that point, with .22 Shorts being about as common as .25 ACP that one might as well go with the 25 for the obvious reasons of centerfire and slightly larger bullet.

If the Walther TPH is the only choice available, that's a pretty poor choice in its theoretical use when compared to a Ruger LCP or a Kahr CW380 or P380. Heck, with only six rounds it's barely better than an NAA mini.

Thanks for the input. If nobody else can think of another .22 that's as small or smaller than the TPH, it's not worth burning Neurons over.
 
it's not worth burning Neurons over.
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That's it in a nutshell.

Back in the day, there was an attitude that using a .22 for defense was justifiable because it came in an ultra-small pistol that was super concealable and or super comfortable to carry.

Today, however, you can have a super lightweight plastic pistol that's only a little larger than the old "Mouse Gun"... and it's chambered in a for-real caliber that will knock a bad guy for a loop if you use it on him.

I'm not one of those guys that thinks a .22 will bounce off the bad guys, but if I can have the more-or-less same size gun with 9MM in it I'm going to go that way.
 
At that point, with .22 Shorts being about as common as .25 ACP that one might as well go with the 25 for the obvious reasons of centerfire and slightly larger bullet.
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The only .25 I own is simply because the ammunition is more reliable than rimfire IME.
 
Yes, micro-sized .22LR pistols are hard to come by. The length and design of the cartridge makes it difficult to get below a certain size threshold and still have reliability.

I own the PT-22 and the Bauer 25 (a Baby Browning clone.) The .25 is indeed dwarfed by the Taurus (I also own the Taurus in .25, picked up on a whim a while back.)

The Jennings/Jimenez .22 pistols are about as small as I've ever handled. I've never seen the Walther TPH in the flesh, but I expect it's similar in size, which is about that of my Kel-Tec P32.

I can see having a "cheap-to-shoot" pocket .22LR pistol. If there were one between the size of the Bauer .25 and the Jennings, and it was known to be reliable, I'd probably pick it up. Incidentally, I did recently take delivery of a NAA Mini-revolver (1.125" bbl), but do not consider it for carry other than as a second gun (or even a third.)
 
The beretta 950 (.25/.22 short) isn't a lot larger than the little revolvers, and has enough other advantages over them I will generally stick it in my pocket first, if I can't carry "a real gun".

IMG_20160202_120056_097-1_zpsdaduodgj.jpg
 
PokaJabba

The smallest .22LR I owned was an FTL AutoNine. Truly a small pistol unfortunately it was very unreliable and I traded it in on something else, probably a Beretta Jetfire. Had a Sterling Model 302, also unreliable and also traded away. Only sub-compact .22LR pistols I had that worked alright and were dependable enough were the larger Beretta Model 21A Bobcats.
 
The 21 will get you to long rifle, it's just a bit larger than the 950's.

MVC-005F-1.jpg
 
Beretta 21 is about as small as it gets for 22LR and still somewhat reliable. I have both a .25 and a .22lr Same size pistol for both calibers.
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Onmilo writes:

Since the OP didn't specify revolver or semi auto.
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Not initially, but he did come back and do so in post 9, after Bobo's post.

I would also have mentioned the NAA revolver line had he not done that. I just got one myself.
 
alleycat7002

I think the Colt version of the Astra Cub was only in .25 and .22 Short. I had an Astra Cub and I marvelled at the workmanship that went into making such a neat little pistol.
 
I have the Astra Cub, in 22 short . Not had a bit of trouble with CCI 22 shorts . But for carry I prefer my Beretta model 20 25 auto Its a DA/SA 950 . Smaller better that the 21 .
I will take my 950's and 20 over a 21 any day smaller and better made . Yes I have a 21 and its not fired much.
 
I think it is the 21a, I have 3 of them, one in gloss blue, one in flat black, and one in nickel. All are very reliable.
 
See if you can get Ruger to make the LCP in .22 like they do with the LCR.

Even compared with the 950 it's about the same length/height, thinner and weighs less.

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