Best Small .22 Revolver... does it exist?

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  • weezy

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 11, 2010
    37
    8
    Indiana
    I am in the market for a small .22 revolver. I have heard lots of the arguments against .22 caliber and I get it; I'm not here to try and argue that though.

    I want a .22 because I want to be able to shoot a lot without feeling bad about it or breaking the bank. I want a small one just because I would prefer that it is concealable and I have always liked them.

    What I am not looking for is opinions on how a .22 is a bad caliber for concealed carry and has no stopping power.

    I am looking for honest opinions on a reliable small .22 revolver with a hammer. So far I have stumbled upon the:

    -Taurus Model 94 2 inch Ultra Light

    &

    -Smith & Wesson Model 351 PD

    Seems like a lot of people think it is hard to find a reliable revolver in a .22.. is there a reason for this?

    Also, is the price between .38 special and .22 caliber very significant?

    Thanks for the opinions!
     

    oldpink

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 7, 2009
    6,660
    63
    Farmland
    Bigtanker,

    Do they make a model with a hammer though?

    The only version of the LCR that comes with a hammer is chambered in .38 Special, and it's called the LCR-X.
    I bought one for my wife.
    You're right that you'll have people recommend against .22 LR for self-defense, and not just because it's a marginal round from a ballistics aspect, and that reason has to do with the somewhat unpredictable dependability of rimfire ammo.
    You can mitigate that problem a bit by getting high end .22 LR ammo, but even the best .22 LR ammo will still not be nearly as reliable as good quality centerfire ammo, and paying the roughly $10-$20 for a box of RWS or Eley .22 LR ammo largely obliterates the price advantage you are hoping for.
    If you want to shoot for fun, .22 LR is just fine, but if you're intending to use your handgun for social work, you're far better off with something on par with .38 Special.
    You could borrow a friend's .22 LR revolver for most of your practice to learn trigger discipline and marksmanship, then use a few boxes of inexpensive ammo for your own .38 Special (or something else in that category) for acclimating yourself to your defensive handgun, select a good defensive load and shoot a box of that to ensure your point of impact, then carry that.
     

    Amishman44

    Master
    Rating - 98%
    48   1   0
    Dec 30, 2009
    3,678
    113
    Woodburn
    I would recommend an LCR in .22lr...but the .22lr is not available with a hammer as it's only offered in the DAO model.

    In 2011, I purchased an older, 4" Ruger SP101 in .22lr...and it has become one of my favorite little guns to shoot!

    Here's just a short-list of the benefits of having it:
    1. It's incredibly accurate...and when people are accurate, they feel successful, and tend to enjoy shooting even more!
    2. Ammo (as you know) is cheaper...
    3. I've used it to teach all 3 of my kids how to shoot (ages 12, 9, and 8) and I use it to teach: safety first + proper skills development
    with an easy shooting revolver...and they will probably use that until they move up to heavier calibers in a few years when they are teens...
    4. My wife LOVES it and does her 'warm-up' with it every time we go to the range and it saves on 'wasted' 9mm ammo and she's much
    more comfortable when she does pick up her HK...
    5. I've taught an unknown number of 'newbies' how to shoot safely with it...
    6. It's a great 'plinking' gun...
    7. It's a hoot-to-shoot...

    A buddy of mine asked, "What's the best revolver to get as a 'first gun' for my son's high school graduation?" I recommended the SP101 in .22lr and, after a bit of research, he went with it...he loves shooting it too!

    You can buy a new one...personally, I prefer the way the older, original model looks better...mine has a tritium front night sight on it from XSSights.com.

    Occasionally, there'll be a 2.25" version appear on gunbroker.com...and I'd grab one in a heartbeat if I ever saw one again...but they're well worth the investment for a very nice and very fun gun to shoot!

    Best in your search!
     

    Hopper

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    31   0   0
    Nov 6, 2013
    2,291
    83
    Hamilton County
    My favorite 22LR revolver so far is my S&W Model 63 3". I'm admittedly a S&W fan for all things revolver, and with the Apex spring kit (but NOT the extended Apex firing pin... it's too sharp and wants to puncture the rim of the brass vs. striking it), the action has become very smooth and pleasant. It's an all-steel J-frame, just like the Model 60, so it's not as light as other kit-type guns out there, but it's like shooting a squirt gun. Plenty accurate, and a real joy for first-time shooters who might be a bit recoil sensitive starting out.

    20160204_131135_zpswzfhlwh1.jpg
    [/URL][/IMG]
     

    BehindBlueI's

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    29   0   0
    Oct 3, 2012
    25,890
    113
    Seems like a lot of people think it is hard to find a reliable revolver in a .22.. is there a reason for this?

    Yes. Because it is difficult to find a reliable revolver in .22. In real broad strokes, you've got to have more energy to touch off rim fire vs center fire. Energy can come from velocity or mass. Small guns with lighter hammers need to get the hammer moving faster, which means heavier springs. Heavier springs means heavier trigger. So much so that the LCR's .22 trigger is roughly double the pull weight of the .38/.357 versions. You can swap in the .38 springs, but then it's a paperweight as it won't touch off the rim fire ammo. The lightweight internal hammer of the LCR exacerbates the issue. If you have a big beefy hammer with more mass, like some of the big .22's, you don't need so much velocity. You won't find that in a compact .22.

    What I am not looking for is opinions on how a .22 is a bad caliber for concealed carry and has no stopping power.

    You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need. The .22 is a bad caliber for self defense, especially out of a short barrel. You are largely relying on a psychological stop even with a well placed round. I've worked a LOT of people shot. People shot with .22s do not generally seem that bothered by it. Recently I had a guy shot three times through his car window. He ended up with a bloody lip and chipped tooth from one shot, a hole in his upper arm that didn't get into his torso from a shot, and a shot in the shoulder that didn't do anything significant. Buy one to practice with, not to carry. There's nothing wrong with having a .22 SP101 to supplement a .38 SP101. Throw a Wolf spring kit in the rimfire (which is VERY simple to do), and the trigger will be similar. Practice to your heart's content with the rimfire and the fundamentals will transfer over. Alternately, buy a .38/.357 and in inexpensive reloader. I can load wadcutters for about the same as I can buy rim fire ammo.
     

    blue2golf

    Expert
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 13, 2008
    1,130
    99
    Evansville
    Ruger Single Six. Carry mine in the woods all the time, but I recommend something bigger for real self defense which is why I tote a Ruger LC9s on a daily basis.
     

    indiucky

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Yes. Because it is difficult to find a reliable revolver in .22. In real broad strokes, you've got to have more energy to touch off rim fire vs center fire. Energy can come from velocity or mass. Small guns with lighter hammers need to get the hammer moving faster, which means heavier springs. Heavier springs means heavier trigger. So much so that the LCR's .22 trigger is roughly double the pull weight of the .38/.357 versions. You can swap in the .38 springs, but then it's a paperweight as it won't touch off the rim fire ammo. The lightweight internal hammer of the LCR exacerbates the issue. If you have a big beefy hammer with more mass, like some of the big .22's, you don't need so much velocity. You won't find that in a compact .22.



    You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need. The .22 is a bad caliber for self defense, especially out of a short barrel. You are largely relying on a psychological stop even with a well placed round. I've worked a LOT of people shot. People shot with .22s do not generally seem that bothered by it. Recently I had a guy shot three times through his car window. He ended up with a bloody lip and chipped tooth from one shot, a hole in his upper arm that didn't get into his torso from a shot, and a shot in the shoulder that didn't do anything significant. Buy one to practice with, not to carry. There's nothing wrong with having a .22 SP101 to supplement a .38 SP101. Throw a Wolf spring kit in the rimfire (which is VERY simple to do), and the trigger will be similar. Practice to your heart's content with the rimfire and the fundamentals will transfer over. Alternately, buy a .38/.357 and in inexpensive reloader. I can load wadcutters for about the same as I can buy rim fire ammo.

    BBI's right....

    I shoot .22 revolvers and insane number of times per week....What I don't do is carry one for defense....I always have a Ruger Bearcat or a Smith and Wesson K 22 (in shoulder rigs) when walking about the woods, but back on my hip is always a revolver in a "real" cartridge...The .22 revolver is a great training tool and woods gun...As cool as a multi tool can be it can not be everything and you eventually have to go to the tool box for a "real" set of pliers or a screwdriver...

    Your gun safe is a tool box...Let each tool serve it's purpose....

    Listen to BBI and don't let that big city demeanor fool you...He's a Hilljack possum slayer from way back...:draw:
     

    GGF

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 26, 2008
    68
    8
    Southern Indiana
    As you may gather from my avatar, I'm partial to S&W revolvers.

    As has been stated a Mod 34 has become pricey and the new Mod 63 might be a better choice for what your looking for but I don't think you'll go wrong with either.
    I agree with the line of thinking of buying a rimfire for fun and practice and a companion gun of the same configuration in a centerfire for a CCW.

    GGF
     
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