.22 caliber.

Would you use a .22 for a carry?

Geez. you call my quad a barbie toy then ask a question like this. Ok... sure I'd use a .22 for carry. IF I WERE A LITTLE GIRL! Man up sugar, .357 all the way.

First:

I carry every day, always. A .357 is too heavy and big for me when it comes to an everyday carry. I've carried everything from A-Z. Rule number one, don't let anyone know you have it. Most large or medium framed guns require a straped holster. I dont mind it so much in the winter, cause you normally wear a jacket, no big deal. I prefer to holster a weapon on my waist. You can carry a small framed gun undetected on the waist, and not have to wear a jacket or windbreaker.

Second:

I'm cheap. IMO, you have to shoot a pistol regularly to be any good at all with it. Last month I paid $30 for 50 rounds of .380 from the Marksman, and it was just average ammo. Throw in $10 for the range and you spend too much money to shoot as much as I think you need to. Even if you reload, it's still pricey. 500 rounds of .22LR is $25. The plus ammo for .22 is a little more $, but thats not a problem either. So I sold my .380 carry I'd had for years in favor of a good sub-campact .22 semi auto. Ammo was very tough to find for the .380 because all the .380 manufacturing equipment is loading .9mm right now, with only limited production of .380.

Third:

Say what you want to about the small caliber, but .22 semi-auto actions are more consistant than larger calibers, even with the same type action. Better .22's also have a larger mag capacity for the amount of space they occupy.




I do however worry about the lack of stopping power. There's no replacement for displacement with firearms or cubic inches. In the end I decided the other factors involved outweighed the stopping power issue.

Your thoughts?

Get yourself a pink one! (I cant help myself, we've been tossing crap back and forth for years..)

If I have to be serious... .22 is worthless as a side arm in my opinion for just what you said, stopping power. If you looking to shoot targets or pop cans, by all means. If you're wanting to stop an attacker(s), you may as well use mace.

OK elkrun, you spray me with mace, I'll shoot you with my .22.........

OK, I spray you first! Then take your .22 and beat you about the face and head with it while your blindly thrashing on the ground.

Hairlip,
Although a .22 wouldn't be my choice as a carry gun I think it's better then nothing. If you decide to go that route at least fill it with mini mag hollow points. Or maybe consider a .22 mag instead. I think a better choice for a small easy to conceal carry gun would be a 9mm auto like a Glock 19. Ammo for the 9mm is much cheaper then the .380.

Thanks Duro. I did the 9mm, Kimber, Ruger, XD, all great guns. But mostly because of my gut (I carry front), they're too big for the waist. I mean you can do it, but it's not comfortable. The .380 I had was a Bersa. I found the thin smaller frame to be very comfortable. So comfortable I noticed I carried more often, much more often. The .380 is a decent caliber despite what the experts (children) here say. I'd still be using it if ammo was affordable.

The .22 mag rounds are bitchen, but the LR has superior actions available for less money. I think .22 mag is a super rifle round, accurate as hell. No bargain in the wallet though.

Basically, I think if a pistol is light, comfortable, and well concealed, you just improved the odds for success in a close quarters engagement because you will carry more often in your everyday routine. I laugh at how many of my budd's carry the large calibers (compensation for other areas) a few times a year and think that's reason enough to bag on everyone else with smaller calibers. With 90% of any threat being within less than 20', I'm confident that my Walther will exhaust all 10 rounds without fail, on target, and do the job.

I'd like to try it out on one of the shitbags using cops, soldiers, and fellow employees, as targets. Can you believe this shit? WTF is going on in this country. "Viva la Revolution"

You keep talking about the .22 being easy on the wallet.. how many people you planning on shooting? I could see worrying about price if it was something you were planning on shooting everyday. I understand that you want to practice, but seriously, I shoot my .357 about twice a year and I could absolutely guarantee that at 20 feet I would hit every round. I just dont think the stopping power is adequate for a .22 as a protection carry. You're just going to piss some fricken crackhead off with it. He'll still get in too close before he realizes he's been hit. If nothing else use something bigger just to keep the body fluid off of you!

Obviously in my line of work, I cant carry. I still think that those of use with CWP's should be allowed to carry in school. I know the number of innocent children killed in school shootings would be drastically reduced if we were. Its almost funny the logic behind it... We are subject to far greater scrutiny than the average working Joe (FBI background checks, etc..), generally considered some of the most dependable people in society (cant have afelony and teach), and in charge of what most people would consider the most important thing in their lives. However, we cant do anything but shut the lights off, lock the door and teach them to cower in the corner if trouble comes. That seems ass backward to me. Thats what makes schools an easy target. No possibility of resistance.

Oh I forgot to tell you all....Hairlip is into torture...he likes to piss off people

I get the loss of energy in a .22LR. It's a factor for sure. Like Duro pointed out, ammo can make up for some of that. We were joking around today at the range about the .22, there was some serious perspective with the guy next to me shooting a Colt .44 mag. Hearing protection test, and you needed tinted lenses for the flash. Hell, I could see the damn concussion wave, shiiiit! Tight quarters for a cannon.

Fortunately, the P22 mag capacity is more than one. I only went out to 20 yards today, the first time out with mine (though I've shot several others), and it was 6" with 2 and 3 round bursts, until the front sight white indicator dot fell out of the front sight. After that it was from the hip like there were no sights. Even in the Bullseye with next to no freekin lighting, it was in the zone. The P22 is very easy to shoot in bursts. 3 shots as accurate as one. Not much worry about collateral damage either.

I'm going to step up to the longer barrel kit, that should help with energy loss a little.

I'll try to remember to write the name of the gun down next time the gal on TV is blowing watermellen to bits with a .410 pistol, you can reload and save money and you'd only need one shot . shotgun-I think only one shot any way?

A S&W .38 air lite, 5 shot is a good PD pistal and you can reload to save money.