Is a 2"bbl. .22lr good for anything?

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Glenn E. Meyer

New member
Is it useful as a self-defense gun? Elmer Keith said a 22 is a small gun until it is pointed at you. Claude Werner tells of a guy being carjacked. Pointed a 22 at the hijacker and said : Do you want it in the belly or the teeth? The Gentleman Left the Scene.

SW is coming out with a line of Centennial 22s - look like fun for practice as compared to the 38 Js. Also useful for the recoil shy.

Would you like someone who is recoil shy to face an opponent without putting a few 22s in said person?
 
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BBroadside

New member
SW is coming out with a line of Centennial 22s.
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No kidding? I want one. (That's a wise buyer for you, wanting to buy something I've never held, never seen a pic of, never even seen the specs for!) You are describing a .22 revolver (6- or 7-shot?), concealed hammer, 2", is that right?

Small-sight-radius shooting seems like a great discipline to master, and I like hammerless guns. And cheap ammo is always good. On the whole I endorse the .22 snubby concept.
 
D

darkgael

New member
chrono

Paul: Those chrono figures are much better than I was able to get. Impressive amount of data for that little gun. The energy figures are more competitive with handloaded.25s, both the Stingers and the Win HPs being in the 80 ft.lb arena. The CCI Mini-Mags (which are what I tested) are in the low 60s (63).
Pete
 
M

Mobuck

Moderator
I got my daughter a new Taurus 94 3-4 years ago. She wanted something small and she has RA so can't handle much recoil. It was disappointing. Hard trigger pull and very stiff. I couldn't even handle it DA. I'm sure it will smooth out some but don't think she's shooting it much now. Best part is the 9 shots and the Crimson Trace grips available for it. The CT grips lessen the sighting problems of the short barrel and help you work on the trigger management.
 
B

BBroadside

New member
Glenn E. Meyer speaks truth. The .22 Centennial (J-frame internal hammer) is already out, and has its own page. I guess I didn't look hard enough on their site, but in my defense I do find the site a little hard to navigate.

Eight shots. MSRP is a little bit depressing, but maybe I will get a raise some day. Then again, it's for Personal Protection and Law Enforcement, and no one wants to skimp on that, so I can't complain about the price.

Say what?! I guess they mean it's for training for personal protection and law enforcement.

(And here's the 22 Mag version.)

Nice-looking little things; 11 ounces.
 
C

Chesster

New member
I don't think I would ever carry it as a SD gun,,,
But since it is the exact size, weight, and feel of my Model 36,,,
It is the perfect companion gun (S&W's wording) for inexpensive practice.
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I've found this to be true.
 
J

Johnny Guest

Moderator in Memoriam
My experience has been very pleasing

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I've had my two-inch round butt S&W .22/.32 Kit Gun since 1971. I saw it in the case at a Gibson's Discount store in Fort Worth and couldn't believe the low price on the tag. It was about $40 under list for a new one. The clerk said yes, it was brand new, and the price was correct. I liked this guy and really didn't want to see him get in trouble for the error. He reached into a cabinet, found the invoice and showed me that the marked price was about 5% above their cost for a Model 34-1 with that serial number. ENOUGH SAID! I wrote a check then and there, knowing I'd go without buying lunches a work for a long time.

I'd given my wife my Chief's Special but she didn't much enjoy shooting it. I figured the Kit Gun would be a good training piece, and it worked fine for that purpose. What amazed me was the accuracy I could get with the short barrel AND the short sight radius. Back then, I could hit a quart oil can at 50 yards standing, and at 100 with a rest. That dove season, the little revolver found a home in my hunting vest. I've since packed it many a mile and I've never regretted those missed lunches.

I ran across the four-inch 34-1 about three years ago at a local pawn shop. No box or papers, but like new. It, too, was priced well below current market value. I use it mainly for teaching. I can't really discern any greater accuracy with the longer tube, though of course, it gets a little greater velocity with any given load.

According to SCS&W, third edition, my two-inch was shipped in 1969. The four-inch is from 1981.
 

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S

Stumper

New member
The expansion ratio of a 2 inch barreled .22lr revolver (effective barrel length is greater than 2" due to the cylinder) is roughly the same as a 5' barreled .45 ACP or a 24 inch barrel 30/06. It doesn't get you all the velocity that the round can produce but it gets you most of it. 2" .22s routinely generate over 1000fps with high velocity ammo. 4" or 6" barrels get you more sight radius but gain very little velocity in a .22 revolver.
 
D

darkgael

New member
routine

2" .22s routinely generate over 1000fps with high velocity ammo.
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Not routinely. Stingers....evidently yes... but not so much other rounds. You have to be picky.
See Paul105's data in post 19. Leave out the Stingers and nine of ten shots were under 1000fps....some substantially under.
Regular CCI HV out of my 2" barrel was even slower.
Pete
 
D

Deaf Smith

New member
seeker,

The 2 inch snubby .22 has two VERY good places.

I have a Smith 2 inch 63 that is the understudy for my carry Smith 642. I shoot that 2 inch .22 about 100 rounds before I shoot the .38 in practice. Retention shooting, hip shooting, one handed shooting, pivots, draws under t-shirts, etc.... and it saves MONEY!

Then the .22 snub makes an awful good kit gun to take fishing or hiking. A box of .22 don't take up much space and it most certainly can kill a rabbit or squirrel size critter.

Yep I like the snub .22.

Deaf
 
A

aarondhgraham

New member
S&W .22 LR snubbies have risen out of sight,,,

I bought a 2" Model 34 in .22 LR.

I got mine a few months ago from my Evil Pawn Shop Guy,,,
I felt fortunate to have gotten it for $450,,,
It was in VG to Exc condition.

At recent gun shows I've seen them priced at $600 and up,,,
Gunbroker prices for a Model 34 snubbie are hovering around $550.

The way I justified the price for mine was the savings in ammo cost,,,
I have gone through three 550 round value packs @ $56.97,,,
That's the same as 33 boxes of 50 rounds per box,,,
That ammo in .38 Special would be $559.35,,,
It paid for itself in cheap trigger time.

So I believe that provides at least one good answer to the OP's question,,,
Is a 2"bbl. .22lr good for anything?
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Yes, cheap trigger time. :)

.
 
2

2rugers

New member
What Deaf Smith said about the cheap practice.

We own both 2" and 3" sp-101's in .357.

I looked high and low for a .22 sp-101 before finally lucking out on a 4" from a gentleman in Ft. Worth at a fair price.

After an even longer search and passing on a couple, we finally picked up a 2" .22 sp-101 from GunBroker.

The .22's have the same feel as their bigger caliber brothers and allow for much cheaper practice.

The 2" is harder to fire accurately due to the short sight radius but is every bit as accurate as the 4".
 
R

Ron Bernert

New member
I've never met a gun I didn't like....

That being said, a .22 snubbie -especially one on the cheap- would be a welcome addition!! I currently own.. Well, let's just say... More than one .22 revolver. I love everyone of them. I have one locked in a safe in each car. This way I can go to a target range at a moment's notice and have fun shooting (which actually happens more times than I'll admit) at a moment's notice.. BUY IT!:D
 
A

aarondhgraham

New member
I am so jealous of your .22 SP-101's,,,

I bid on a 4" model about 6 months ago,,,
It got way out of my range real fast.

But if I ever do get my hands on one,,,
It will be the perfect excuse to get a 3" SP101 in .357.

See, there's method to my madness. :D

.
 
D

Deaf Smith

New member
Guys, I kick myself for passing up a Charter Arms pathfinder .22 lr, 3 inch barrel, Stratford made, about a year ago.

I think it was for $199. And if you guys find something like that, and you pack a snub, GET IT!

I do reload .38s, but .22 Federal ammo at wal mart is far cheaper than any .38 reload!

Deaf
 
C

celtgun

New member
317 Owner

I own 2 317s, the 2" and the 317-3 with the Hi-Viz sight. The 317-3 is a great
"kit" gun, light, perfect for fishing or plinking. The 317 snub is just a safe queen, I reload for pactice with my 38 snubbies.
The only reason I need to own a S&W is that it is a S&W.
Nuff Said.

Pray and Shoot Daily.
Lee Jones(Celtgun)

Elmer Keith said a 22 is a small gun until it is pointed at you. Again Mr. Keith is right.
 
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