.22" Rimfire Revolvers for Self Defense in USA:

I'm still patiently (!) waiting for my Ruger SP101 8 shot Revolver to land from the US of A and I'll be looking forward to handling it and reporting on its capabilities and more importantly - its trigger weight and usability.- While I read many American stories about self-defence - here in New Zealand licenced shooters are specifically instructed by Police that they require that we have no intent to use firearms for self-defence.

I get Greg Ellefritzs e-mailed Active Response Training Blog Posts and the latest contained a link to an article about self defence use of carrying the .22 Revolver in preference to both the semi-auto .22" and indeed - the use of other larger calibre heavier hitting rounds.

S&W J-Frame Model 317 8 Shot  .22" R/F Revolver.

This story by Dr. Martin D. Topper points-out that there are many folk who just can't manage the larger firearms - perhaps due to arthritis or injury,- or simply due to not being comfortable managing the larger and noisier handguns. - Another very good reason for preferring a .22" is simply the lower cost of running the small calibre - especially if you practice with your gun regularly - as you should. 

Ruger LCR Revolver.

- An interesting aside here is that our New Zealand Police have a requirement that all endorsed target pistol shooters must attend their club range and shoot a minimum of twelve times a year. - This is perfectly reasonable and sensible - and I'd be happy to go every week if I could - But I do observe that their own police officers - whos lives, (and those of the public) may depend on competence with their Glock weapons - are not required to regularly train or practice other than an occasional (annual?) 're-qualification exercises'.

RUGER SP101 8 Shot Revolver.

Dr. Topper says that there are very good reasons why maybe as many as 20 Million .22" Handguns are owned in America (according to the US Bureau Of Justice Statistics). - They may not be the very most effective of firearms for stopping a deadly attack - but they are effective and easy to shoot accurately.

- He claims that there have been nearly 4,600 .22R/F shootings in America in the last 30 years and he recommends the use of CCI. Stinger ammunition.

The Ruger SP101 in .22" Uses The Same Speed-loader as the S&W.

It is certainly correct that a .22" Revolver with 8 chambers will be more reliable than a semi-auto in that chambering - my experience is that a .22" semi-auto pistol is a great tool for practice at clearing stove-pipe jams and other failures to feed - and as the semi-auto pistols normally hold only 10 round magazines there is little loss of capacity with the revolver - although re-loads will be slower. - Unless you invest in 8 round 'Speed Loaders' and train with them.

Marty K
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