22 pistol for self defense?

[JBrockman]

My wife also fell in love with the Walther P22 with a laser sight on it I bought at Stout Fiels gun show. It is small feels good to her and she can handle it easily and the sight makes it simpler for her to use.
Besides any low life scum bag that would confront a woman is a coward anyway and then she pulls out a gun and begins to open fire, probably would die of a sudden shock to the system from the quick release of body fluids and solids!
A P22 is still better then a can of mace or pepper spray! Most important thing is that she is comfortable with it and wants to carry it

 

[66chevelle]

Thank you all for you help. I am going to take her to pops this weekend and try a few different guns out to see what she likes the best. I didn't know that walther was coming out with the 380 anyone know when this will be available?

 

[Griffeycom]

Wow, that Walther is great. +1 on the release date. Anyone know!?

 

[cosermann]

Thank you all for you help. I am going to take her to pops this weekend and try a few different guns out to see what she likes the best. I didn't know that walther was coming out with the 380 anyone know when this will be available?

The Bersa Thunder 380 (or Sig 232, or Walther PPK) is about the same size as the P22 she was looking at (although a tad heavier), but the recoil is milder than the P89 she tried. Getting her out looking at things will help her see what fits her hand.

 

[Wesley929]

If she likes the feel of the P22, have you had her check out a P99, or the much smaller PPS?

We've shopped around and held numerous pistols in small and mid sized frames. She doesn't like the XD9sc we've rented that one and she's intimidated of it a little. We still have the G26, G19, P99, Bersa .380, and an M&P 9c on our list of guns for her to try out. She's held a PPS and its too thin. Its uncomfortable in her hand.

Thanks for the input. I really like the looks of that PK 380. and she likes the way it looks. We'll shop around and rent, share, and shoot the others on the list until that comes out. If she finds one great if not she shoots the p22 very very well. I'll just do some research and get it loaded up with the best ammo for the job.

 

[Snake Eater]

kel-tec. 32 or 380! My wife loves them.

 

[Jack Ryan]

My wife has her heart set on a P22 because she says it fells the best to her. I don't think she should because I don't think a 22 round is good for self defense. I carry a 45 or a 357 as my carry gun but she says they are to big for her to be carrying. I took her out shooting Saturday and she said that my P89 had a little to much recoil and was to big for her hand. I would like to see her get a 380 or a 9 but I also don't want her to be scared of it either. I am not saying that a 22 isn't a good round but I just don't think it is big enough for a carry round. . What are you opinions on carrying a 22 and what are your opinions on like a 25 or a 32 if she wont go to a 9? Thanks for all your help.

22 is better than the 25 or 32 but they aren't as good as a hefty rock. 380 is probably a little better than the rock.

 

[smokingman]

Walther 380 is already available.You should be able to order one from any ffl.
Category - Walther Firearms

 

[Donnelly]

I would encourage her on using and carrying the P22. I would also think about buying the PK380 and slowly encouraging her to practice with it at the range when you go together. A couple years down the line, she might even take over the PK380 all on her own, and she will feel empowered because she made the decision. If not, like they said above, a .22lr is better than a scream and fingernails. It may not be an immediate man-stopper, but I sure as hell don't want shot with one, and neither does a BG. Criminals tend to avoid pain, just the same as everyone else.

 

[snake-doctor]

Since I had my neck surgery I have found I don't like shooting almost any caliber anymore. I don't like anything from .380 on up. I think I'm going to get a Walther P22, or a Sig Mosquito. I have a .22 rifle and the ammo is cheap and I now prefer shooting .22s. The money I save by shooting 22's exclusively will finance more trips to the range to practice more.

 

[restonlane]

.22

A .22 could just make the intruder mad...

 

[Coach]

Shot placement will be everything. At what range can she hit a tear duct with the first shot every time?

Confidence is important. She just has to realize what her effective targets are. Effective self defense with a .22 is going to require a cool hand. But it can be done.

 

[Donnelly]

A .22 could just make the intruder mad...

So are you volunteering to stand in front of someone's Walther .22 while they empty the magazine and see if it just makes you mad?

Didn't think so...

I'm not saying it would be my first choice, but it most certainly is better than nothing at all.

 

[Coach]

I did a search to check out this P22 that has been talked about here. I like the way the pistol looks. .22 for self defense is going to be a very precise adventure, and the website almost had a disclaimer about accuracy. Said something to the effecth this is not a competition pistol and not being billed as one. Said it would stay within 3-4 inch groups at 20-25 yards. I cannot remember for certain. Perhaps this is a case of underpromise and over deliver. Only ten rounds is aother thing that bothers me here. I can carry any number of 9mm handguns and have over 15 rounds in the magazine.

It is better than nothing, but not ideal any way you want to measure it.

 

[bwframe]

So are you volunteering to stand in front of someone's Walther .22 while they empty the magazine and see if it just makes you mad?

Didn't think so...

A real question is how far they'll get into that pea shooter magazine while taking rounds fired from a gun with a caliber designed for stopping humans?

.22 LR is a wonderful round for plinking, practicing and small game. It would be better than nothing for self defense against an unarmed attacker. If you can count on unarmed individual threats that will stand there, letting you shoot them multiple times, it might save your life. Change that to an armed attacker, or worse yet two, and you might well have made a fatal mistake settling for the .22.

 

[Nathan]

A real question is how far they'll get into that pea shooter magazine while taking rounds fired from a gun with a caliber designed for stopping humans?

.22 LR is a wonderful round for plinking, practicing and small game. It would be better than nothing for self defense against an unarmed attacker. If you can count on unarmed individual threats that will stand there, letting you shoot them multiple times, it might save your life. Change that to an armed attacker, or worse yet two, and you might well have made a fatal mistake settling for the .22.

agreed. i tried carrying my .22 with me for a month or so off and on, but i felt so naked and inadequate

 

[Coach]

A friend of mine was going to buy a handgun for self defense a couple of years ago. He really wanted a .380. He repeatedly asked me if I thought that was a good idea. I kept saying no, and he kept asking. He wanted my endorsement for some reason. I finally said the .380 was a great round if you were shooting naked people, and asked how often he had a chance to do that. He finally bought a 9mm. This thread makes me think of that conversation.

 

[G McBride]

Do you think the Zombies will be naked when the show up?

 

[JByer323]

The OP doesn't happen to reload, does he?

38 Special can be a lot of things to a lot of different people, depending on who is rolling them.

 

[Coach]

Do you think the Zombies will be naked when the show up?

I hope not. But if you only have a .380 it would be handy. Of course zombies require head shots correct. So if they are not cowboy zombies or helmet wearers everything should be fine.