.22 revolver, a good sidearm?

[MrMurphy]

While i certainly enjoy .22's including in revolvers, any pistol i carry is for serious purposes.

Except as a coup de grace/plinker/small game gun carried in a pack, i wouldn't be in the woods with a .22 pistol.

In revolvers, .38 Special or preferably .357 is the smallest i go, and in automatics, 9mm or .45 ACP. There are other things i worry about more than skunks, squirrels or bobcats, and I tend to have a rifle along much of the time as well as the only times i get out into the woods anymore is to hunt.

[bigbore442001]

One of my constant woodsbumming companions. The most carried gun for me is my Ruger Single Six in 22 WRM. I did modify it a bit with afternmarket sights. I bought a set of Fire sights for the gun. It is easy to line up the three dots on your target and hit with proficiency. My favorite load is the new Speer Gold Dot short barrel personal protection load for the 22 WRM. It is one of the most accurate loads for my gun.

[BigSky56]

bigbore Iam with you on the six in 22 mag I carry one daily whether Iam in the truck or on a horse, the country Iam in I can run into anything from a brn bear to a gopher havent had a nervous breakdown yet and the mag has accounted for alot of predators. danny

[woods-walker]

For more than 30 years I have carried a S&W Model 34 4" .22 in a pocket or in a Bianchi Outdoorsman holster. Not as easy to hold steady as my K22's but it's so easy to pack that it is there when you need it. I like carrying a big bore as well but when I have the .22 with me I am more inclined to take casual shots at threatening walnuts, pinecones or road apples. I just gave this one away to my youngest Son. It will be a good excuse to buy the S&W stainless Model 63 that I have always wanted.

[O.S.O.K.]

If your looking to holster carry, then getcha a Ruger Single Six with barrel length of your pref and then order a nice El Paso Saddlery holster and be done.

[kevin in nh]

I don't have a photo of my S&W Model 18 but the 4" barrel is a good comprimise to a 2" or 6"

The top is a 1946 pre-17...middle is a 1967 mod 17-2.....and a 34-1



Two Colt Officers Model Match....smooth as glass and accurate


I always carry a pistol or revolver 24/7 and 3 years ago bears were seen a lot more than usual in my hunting area....so one morning I reached in the safe and took my 640-1 .357 instead......sure glad I did....I hit an 8 pointer a little far back with my bow and later I started to track it....wind at my back following the blood trail I hear a grunt and then a large.....bigger than I ever saw in the woods stands up 30 yards away......I yelled at him shaking my bow and he just starts towards me.....the landowner has one rule....no bears as he likes to see them......one round a foot to the bears left and 2 feet in front sends him on his way....it was taken the next day on adjoining property......dressed out at 330 lbs......TR said " Bring enough gun".
Words to keep living by......love my 22s.........k

[TravisM]

I'm pretty new into guns and have only been able to carry in the woods once. That one time, the gun I took was a Heritage Rough Rider revolver in .22lr.

I think taking along any .22 is a good choice.

[BAGTIC]

I have three M94 Taurus. Two 4 inchers and one 5 inch. Never saw a 6 inch or I probably would have one of those too. I did have a 3 inch 941 model (.22 WRM) but sold it as it was too lound. Made shooting unpleasant and in the short barrel didn't do anything the 22 LR couldn't do cheaper and quieter. Never a problem with any of them.

[Hobie]

I occasionally think about getting a revolver, but none of the calibers really appeal to me except for .22 lr. I think I would practice with it more, enjoy shooting it more, etc.

I would probably take it walking in the woods, so I wanted to hear thoughts about having this as a sidearm as opposed to the big blasters. Anyone like/prefer their 22?

I don't suppose you're joking, are you? OF COURSE we enjoy the .22s. There's a few .22 LR Revolvers mentioned herein...

[C. Cash]

When growing up on the desert South West, the 22 was a great round with very little else needed for bumming.

Now I live in the North East woods, where a 22 or even a 357 mag. feel very small when you are in the thick woods with little visibility. You could come up on a momma and a cub real easy and be nose to nose, with little warning. It's those times when your 44 makes you feel a good deal better.

[redlevel42]

It jes' don't get no better'n a S&W .22 revolver . . . .

I picked up this nice little 34-1 on a local GA S&S earlier this summer . . .


I also have a four-inch Model 63 (no dash) and a pre-Model 17 with a four digit serial number. The little j-frame .22s are great to practice with if one carries a j-frame .38 as a defensive weapon. Does wonders for trigger control, muscle-memory, etc. All the S&W .22 revolvers, j-frame or K-frame, are just so much fun to shoot, without making too much racket, and without burning up $200 in ammo in an afternoon. They are wonderful for putting meat in the pot, too. Even the 2" guns are good out to 15-20 yards for a rabbit that thinks he is invisible.

[zoner]

mine is a 5 1/2" stainless Single Six converted to a Bisley......this gun will always be with me. Mike

[Lastmohecken]

.22's are a lot of fun, and when I was teenager, it's all I had for a pistol. I started out with a Ruger Stainless Single Six, and later got a Smith and Wesson K frame. Both are great guns, and I killed all sorts of critters with them. It's funny, but out of ignorance I recond, I never felt undergunned until I started shooting and reading about the bigger calibers.

A .22 doesn't have much bone smashing knockdown but it's deadly in the hands of a cool shot.

[1894c]

Ruger Single-Six...

[Meeteetse]

When growing up on the desert South West, the 22 was a great round with very little else needed for bumming.

Now I live in the North East woods, where a 22 or even a 357 mag. feel very small when you are in the thick woods with little visibility. You could come up on a momma and a cub real easy and be nose to nose, with little warning. It's those times when your 44 makes you feel a good deal better.

I agree about feeling better when carrying a 44 in big critter country, but I always hate leaving my .22 at home, sooooooo. . . . . .I sometimes carry two guns. Why, because I can. I have carried two holstered guns or the big one on my belt and the .22 in my pack or strapped to the pack on the outside. Sometimes the big gun is just too much for the job, like small game. If I'm hunting with a rifle, then the .22 is on my hip, but if I'm woods bumming I have a large caliber as primary and I always have the .22. What type of .22? Makes no difference. I like revolvers best (model 18 S&W), but I also have a Ruger Mark II that is a great gun.

[C. Cash]

When growing up on the desert South West, the 22 was a great round with very little else needed for bumming.

Now I live in the North East woods, where a 22 or even a 357 mag. feel very small when you are in the thick woods with little visibility. You could come up on a momma and a cub real easy and be nose to nose, with little warning. It's those times when your 44 makes you feel a good deal better.

I agree about feeling better when carrying a 44 in big critter country, but I always hate leaving my .22 at home, sooooooo. . . . . .I sometimes carry two guns. Why, because I can. I have carried two holstered guns or the big one on my belt and the .22 in my pack or strapped to the pack on the outside. Sometimes the big gun is just too much for the job, like small game. If I'm hunting with a rifle, then the .22 is on my hip, but if I'm woods bumming I have a large caliber as primary and I always have the .22. What type of .22? Makes no difference. I like revolvers best (model 18 S&W), but I also have a Ruger Mark II that is a great gun.

Sounds like a good plan. A Bearcat seems almost like an afterthought and should do well in that role. I've been alternating between my Bearcat and my Super Blackhawk, based on what kind of concealability I need. The pucker factor is pretty high with that Bearcat in areas that have had a number of Bear/human run ins. I'll be getting my refurbished Ruger Flat Top back from Alan Harton soon so I'll have the best of both worlds. A 22 still makes sense to have along for sure. Those, a knife, compass, dry matches and a prayer and your unstoppable.

[Birdman]

I love shooting 22's. I have my 44's and 357's and wouldn't want to be without them. But if ya want to have alot of fun and kill several hours call your buddies together and tell them to bring only 22's. You'll have a blast all day and still only spend 15-20 bucks. I have a 10 shot 617 and a Ruger Mark II. I prefer the revolver but last weekend I took out my Ruger and my Remington Nylon 66 and had me a S-A shooting day. One thing I always see is the semi auto's are more finicky with the bulk Remington ammo. If I shoot my auto's I use Federal.