I can assure you that no one wants to get shot with even a .22lr !!!

I know a fellow who I could probably get to tell you what a 22lr HP did to his body when he got struck with a stray bullet at a bar one evening.

I like my Ruger single six has both cylinders so I can use 22lr ammo when it is around and 22 mag cylinder when 22lr rifle is not on the shelves.


:D Al

Agree that no one wants to get shot with a 22, but the whole idea of a concealed weapon in a deadly force encounter is to stop the aggression as quickly as possible. A 22 simply will not reliably cause enough damage to do that. It will cause enough damage to kill, but will take time to accomplish this. A larger bullet will create more of a wound channel, and cause more shock to the system, causing a quicker incapacitation.

Would you use a 22 to hunt deer? Ethical hunters would not because it will not reliably drop the game quickly. Just saying.

I would suggest getting a good .22 to get started with. I like stainless in handguns and would go with a revolver with a longer barrel, 6 inches or so and decent sights. That is a good safe choice to learn with, fairly inexpensive and should last a lifetime. Something like the Ruger Single Six as already mentioned. When you are confortable with that try the various handguns used for personal defense. Here again, I would go with a stainless firearm or one that is protected from rust. I think .380 us usually sited as the minimum caliber for use here, a compact 9MM would be much better. Two guns for two uses.

Ruger SP101 double action 22 long rifle. Fantastic kit gun, great small game killer and great range plinker. Nothing complicated to learn, but will let you develop a proper handgunning technique that will be transferable to any other handgun you shoot in the future. My "standard" first handgun recommendation for the last ~15yrs has been a Ruger Mark II or III semiauto pistol in 22lr, but the 4" SP101 rimfire has simplicity and sex appeal on its side, so I'm torn between which of these to recommend over the other.

(Buying both is the best option, of course!!!)

If you're considering a higher powered revolver small game weapon, then I'd HIGHLY recommend the 327Federal Ruger Single Six or Blackhawk. Great speed, but without quite as much 'overkill factor' that a 357mag might have with 125-180grn bullets.

Don't underestimate the effects of a .22 to the brain....We killed and smoked 20 hogs a year when I was younger, all killed with a .22 short to the brain...

I've killed a couple of dozen deer with a .22 to the brain all dropped on the spot guess, I'm unethical... :happy0001:

A brain shot in a high stress life and death situation is nearly impossible for the average person. That is why we teach shots to center mass, a bigger target, easier to hit in high stress situations.

Not insinuating that you are unethical, just that most hunters choose to use a larger caliber to hopefully facilitate the best outcome.

i'm not sure but there are revolvers out there that convert between .22 lr and 22 mag that could be a consideration ? i would also suggest a kel-tek pmr-30 but you live in russia i mean new york !!

As most mentioned .22LR for small game and target practice!
.22LR Browning Buckmark Contour 5-1/2 barrel one sweet handgun!
.22LR Ruger revolver with interchanging barrels the 2nd one the .22WSM (Magnum)!
.22LR Walther P22 another nice handgun

For Conceal protection get a 9mm,.380,.45 or better/larger!

How about the ruger sr22, then the ruger sr9, sr40, or the sr45.
http://ruger.com/products/sr22Pistol/models.html
http://ruger.com/products/srSeries/index.html