Would you buy a 'compact' .22 mag? (.22WMR)

[DoctorChops]

(ed: Compact *semi-auto - kind of an important detail )
Just curious to see what other people thought about something like a compact .22WMR handgun? Something let's say around LCP or PF9 size.. and competitively priced of course

This is something I've been thinking about lately.. 22WMR is a pretty impressive round all things considered (and better numbers than .380acp if you ask Wikipedia.. so you know you can trust the info lol). There's an amazingly small number of semi-auto 22WMR handguns around, and all are pretty far from compact (See: AMT AutoMag ). 22 mag's got a few things going for it: It's really only second to 22lr in terms of price, it's impressively powerful for it's size and the ammo and tends to be pretty well built.

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[daoism]

The issue w/ rimfire ammo isn't "stopping power" or penetration (although most will agree that it's fairly anemic). Rimfire is a poor choice for personal defense because it's inherently less reliable than centerfire cartridges. Period. If I get a few bad rounds out of a bulk box of .22 I think nothing of it. If I had the same rate of failure from a .380 or 9mm, even if it's the cheap stuff, I'd never buy that brand again even for plinking....let alone personal defense.

 

[pdxcat]

I had a S&W J frame in 22 mag. - 8 rounds cylinder. It was a pretty gun and very comfortable to carry at a little over 10 oz, but it had the crappiest trigger out of the box of any revolver I have even owned. Rimfire cartridges need strong hammer springs in order to ignite reliably. I had the trigger cleaned up, but any attempts to use a lighter spring (even with C&S extended firing pin installed) resulted in light strikes.
I was never able to master that trigger - I shoot my LCR and any j frame in 38s a lot more accurately. That 22 mag would also get insanely dirty with unburnt powder.

The only cool thing about it was the huge fireball out of the barrel. You could seriously roast a bad guy with it.

I would think the same issues would apply to a small pistol in 22 mag.

 

[Pandaz3]

Kel Tec does make the PMR-30, but it is not a pocket pistol. I have a S&W J frame seven shooter (351PD) that has a great trigger and Ruger now has a LCR six shooter in .22 Mag (I have the LCR eight shooter in .22 LR) I also carry everywhere my five shooter, single action NAA, with the .22 Mag cylinder installed.
One of the problems seems to be semi-auto feeding and ejecting. This is mechanically a LOT longer round and therefore you need a lot more slide movement.

 

[deen_ad]

I bought an NAA in .22WMR as a pocket pistol of last resort thing. Comfortable to shoot? NO!! One shot stopper? NO WAY, but I don't think anyone would want to get hit by it.
1100fps out of the NAA barrel and 1700fps out of a rifle. Pretty hot little round and I have Critical Defense WMR in it so they will expand.

 

[trainsktg]

I bought an NAA in .22WMR as a pocket pistol of last resort thing. Comfortable to shoot? NO!! One shot stopper? NO WAY, but I don't think anyone would want to get hit by it.
1100fps out of the NAA barrel and 1700fps out of a rifle. Pretty hot little round and I have Critical Defense WMR in it so they will expand.

My job forces me to be very discrete and this is what I've carried for 17ish years.

Keith

 

[mjbskwim]

Well one problem with 22mag is it doesn't cycle reliably so I would always go with a revolver.

And I would rather have a 22mag than a 380 any day.
The 22mag has more speed and energy than a 38 special at the muzzle.And there is some great defense loads out there now.
8-9 rounds of 22 mag will definitely stop a guy's momentum.
Heck a friend was a cop in Reno and his huge partner was dead before he hit the ground from a 22 mag

Think control-ability

 

[thorborg]

It would seem the bigger the bullit one carries the more the 22 mag gets trashed. Though not my first choice for personal defence it has my respect. 1956 I watched my uncle drop a muley doe with a single shot to the head maybe 40 to 50 yards with a 22 mag pump. I saw this done five times by the time I was fourteen. Setting aside current ethics, legality and the fact it was from a 22 inch barrel, I was then, and still am, impressed. I too carry a NAA 22minimag usually backup, but always. Also, I'm not on board with the rimfire reliability statements made here about duds. Yes for 22 longs but I've never had a misfire with CCI mags in the Naa I've even fired it under water in the Umpqua. Look to the fireing pin striking surface if the spring seems reasonable. mini 22 mag auto's may be something else I have none my otherwise PMR 30 while flawless (for me) is not the latest in conceable for sure.

 

[Medic!]

You can't count on rimfire ammo to cycle a semi-auto handgun. That and it's too dirty for anything but varmint work. You know? when if it don't go off you cycle to the next round, or stop and do some cleaning? For a couple more bucks there is a center fire bullet called 9mm that has many small guns made for it. And they will realy work when you need a gun. Now I'm not a 22mag hater. A 22mag is my second favorite round in a rifle. In a short barrel it's not the same bullet. It's just not. So don't read energy results from a 22'' barrel and think you will be getting anything close to that in a pistol/revolver. In my 9422 it dose more work than it should be able to. So don't put it in a position to fail.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Only one I would consider is the NAA revolver, for a 3rd BUG in my boot. Never as a primary

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Have you checked out a Kahr PM9? It's not much bigger than your NAA and probably weighs about the same.

I'm just saying I've carried larger in non-permissible environments where the risk of inadvertent bump frisk was common place due to proximity of others and I assure you discovery would have been a bad thing. I would not have thought of attempting it with a strong side carry, even IWB.

PM9s have checkered reliability ratings

 

[Blitzkrieg]

It would seem the bigger the bullit one carries the more the 22 mag gets trashed. Though not my first choice for personal defence it has my respect. 1956 I watched my uncle drop a muley doe with a single shot to the head maybe 40 to 50 yards with a 22 mag pump. I saw this done five times by the time I was fourteen. Setting aside current ethics, legality and the fact it was from a 22 inch barrel, I was then, and still am, impressed. I too carry a NAA 22minimag usually backup, but always. Also, I'm not on board with the rimfire reliability statements made here about duds. Yes for 22 longs but I've never had a misfire with CCI mags in the Naa I've even fired it under water in the Umpqua. Look to the fireing pin striking surface if the spring seems reasonable. mini 22 mag auto's may be something else I have none my otherwise PMR 30 while flawless (for me) is not the latest in conceable for sure.

Was that mule deer attacking your pa at point blank range with a bowie knife?

 

[thorborg]

"Was that mule deer attacking your pa at point blank range with a bowie knife?"

No Blitzkrieg, not my Pa, my uncle, Rosberg Area bull of the woods for two major loging outfits at his passing in 1968. Call it what you will but bringing home the meat was still quite common in the 50's And point blank? It was not a NAA mini revolver, a re-read may be useful to you. I can't relate the need to spit on people? Would have been better to pick on my flawless expirence with the PMR 30 as many have not enjoyed the same and could relate.

 

[Medic!]

A NAA 22magnum revolver with a 1-1/4'' barrel will shoot a 40 grain CCI Maxi mag at an average of 824fps.
Go to their site they post there own balistics.
The problem with carrying this gun is you may need to use it. Like I needed it! I gave the men my money rather than try to stand off all five with the mini revolver. Realy it turned out better just handing over my money rather than starting a shooting. Still I kept my hand on the gun in my pocket when I handed over my cash. Just in case they deciced to give me a beating allong with taking my cash. Heck,at least I could go down with a fight. I will never forget the feeling I had. I just kept wishing I had more gun in my hand! I mean when you wish you had a .38 j-frame [my other carry gun] in your pocket to fight off five men. You are realy up against a wall!

I never carry less than a .38 now. I bet that I would have kept my money had I produced a j-frame and put it in the gang leaders face. Rather than handing him my cash. The little NAA 22 mag would have got my but kicked. It lacked any ability or fear factor. What a waist carrying that thing. My S&W Titanium 11oz 38, or 15oz Rohrbaugh 9mm are small enough to have with me all the time now days. It took a hard lesson that scared me pretty bad, to go from a comfortable, to comforting gun. I shiver whey I think what may have hapened to me if I needed a gun that day? Or even what would have hapened if they found me carying a gun? You have a responsibility to produce and use a gun befor it's discovered, and someone takes it away! Please make it enough gun to stand a fighting chance. I just did not think five men would walk up at once and rob me.
I will say it again. A 22magnum is not the same bullet as a 22magnum in a rifle.

 

[mjbskwim]

Medic the 22mag from the 1 1/4 barrel will hit the ground at about 20 yards.
I sighted out to about 50 yards and saw the dust at about 20
I would guess from the NAA minis 3 feet would be about the longest effective range for any more than some skin.

Now my black widow was pretty good out to about 50 yards. Never put rounds into something to explode (fruit or pop can) but it was accurate out to about 50 yds. It did drop off fairly fast after that too

 

[Blitzkrieg]

"Was that mule deer attacking your pa at point blank range with a bowie knife?"

No Blitzkrieg, not my Pa, my uncle, Rosberg Area bull of the woods for two major loging outfits at his passing in 1968. Call it what you will but bringing home the meat was still quite common in the 50's And point blank? It was not a NAA mini revolver, a re-read may be useful to you. I can't relate the need to spit on people? Would have been better to pick on my flawless expirence with the PMR 30 as many have not enjoyed the same and could relate.

What I'm saying is that what can kill game with time and a clear shot and what will stop a dangerous human fast are two entirely different matters

 

[Blitzkrieg]

A NAA 22magnum revolver with a 1-1/4'' barrel will shoot a 40 grain CCI Maxi mag at an average of 824fps.
Go to their site they post there own balistics.
The problem with carrying this gun is you may need to use it. Like I needed it! I gave the men my money rather than try to stand off all five with the mini revolver. Realy it turned out better just handing over my money rather than starting a shooting. Still I kept my hand on the gun in my pocket when I handed over my cash. Just in case they deciced to give me a beating allong with taking my cash. Heck,at least I could go down with a fight. I will never forget the feeling I had. I just kept wishing I had more gun in my hand! I mean when you wish you had a .38 j-frame [my other carry gun] in your pocket to fight off five men. You are realy up against a wall!

I never carry less than a .38 now. I bet that I would have kept my money had I produced a j-frame and put it in the gang leaders face. Rather than handing him my cash. The little NAA 22 mag would have got my but kicked. It lacked any ability or fear factor. What a waist carrying that thing. My S&W Titanium 11oz 38, or 15oz Rohrbaugh 9mm are small enough to have with me all the time now days. It took a hard lesson that scared me pretty bad, to go from a comfortable, to comforting gun. I shiver whey I think what may have hapened to me if I needed a gun that day? Or even what would have hapened if they found me carying a gun? You have a responsibility to produce and use a gun befor it's discovered, and someone takes it away! Please make it enough gun to stand a fighting chance. I just did not think five men would walk up at once and rob me.
I will say it again. A 22magnum is not the same bullet as a 22magnum in a rifle.

I once, long ago pulled a .22 on 4 crazy drugged up and drunk creeps.. only because I forgot to get my .357 magnum out of my sister's car and put it in the moving van (was helping her move, they were threatening to rape my sister and my wife, the .22 was a BUG in my pocket) never again!

 

[thorborg]

What I'm saying is that what can kill game with time and a clear shot and what will stop a dangerous human fast are two entirely different matters

You are absolutely right! Looks like I can't relate to cryptic messages either, thank you for the clairfication,
I put the 22 mag is in the same catagory as my knife, since I cant fight, and barely run, its meant for temples or knee caps one on one. In the right context, it's showing up for a gunfight with a baseball bat.

 

[Redcap]

The only advantage that a .22WMR would have is control. If a 9mm will not reliably stop a man, why risk it on something that pokes even smaller holes?

 

[Pandaz3]

Ok, I'll admit to using a XDS in .45 as my Primary CC relegating a 9MM to a nightstand, but I have great confidence with my .22 Mag's and for that matter a .22 LR is in fact deadly. Yes I am more comforted with a larger caliber, but any caliber comforts me more than having nothing. My NAA BUG would not be a great gun against multiple offenders and it could cause me pause about using it, the real situation is in fact much more "Real" in person as opposed to my imagination