Single Six .22WMR?

[ZVP]

How do you all feel about carrying a Single Six (.22WMR cylinder installed) as a personal defense gun?
The .22 Magnum has good penetration, decent muzzle energy and with solid points would penetrate easilly into the vitals area or not skip off bone.
Your opnions please?
4'5/8 in barrel for easy concealment and quick handling. Yes I know the longer barrel makes more power but this is a personal every day carry gun.
ZVP

 

[flatgate]

I'd at least double the bore size.

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[ZVP]

Well I have a short barreled .357 Magnum Vaquero but its sorta heavy to carry around every day. I just figgured the Single Six was so much lighter and not too far behind a .38Special in a 4" bbl.
ZVP

 

[E]

I have a relative partial to a 4" Taurus 941 in .22 mag for carry -- 8 shots, DA and probably six ounces lighter than a Single Six. I prefer a bigger bore and shorter barrel for comfort (in both of the aforementioned cases, actually), but I suppose there's worse you could carry than a 4" .22 mag -- I don't want to get shot with one.

A Single Six at least looks the part of a bigger gun. Some of the pocket autos might not convince some people that they are actually a credible threat.

 

[ten22]

There is an interesting thread on this very topic over on the marlin rimfire forum that might be worth a read.

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,63983.0.html

 

[ZVP]

Yes it's hard to believe that a Beretta Tomcat is a s deadly as it is!
I have chronied mine and Winchester standard SuperX fires at 950fps from the stubby little barrel. Definately a bullet noone wants to be in front of.
In any case the determined perpratrator would soon find out the result of 7 of them and then with a quick reload (if necessary) 7 more...
The 4 5/8 Single Six stoked with 6 Solid point .22 WMR is no slouch. Penetration through even the toughest clothing is good leaving plenty of FPE to convince anyone that any unwanted action should be stopped.
Recoil is nil as is muzzle flash.
ZVP

 

[Anonymous]

Hey, I carry a Beretta Bobcat .22LR, loaded with CCI Velocitor to give it more punch. I have two new Bearcats, and debating how they might best be carried.

The ballistics on some of the newer .22 rounds are pretty impressive. CCI has their +V .22WMR rounds to even boost that.

I think .22WMR is sufficient to carry, but I can't imagine carrying my Single-Six. It's a pound more than a Bearcat, pound and a half more than a Bobcat.

NAA has a new ( not quite out yet) break-top revolver in .22WMR that might be ideal for a very small .22 mag carry gun.

http://www.northamericanarms.com/breaktop_ranger.html

 

[Smee781]

Looks like NAA wont be making the top break guns due to cost :(

 

[ZVP]

Bearcatter,
Do you think the alloy frame of the Tomcat will withstand the Velocitor?
I wonder if the shock of this high intensiry round would crack or otherwise harm the frame of the gun.
This is the reason I stick with the standard Winchester Super-X loads for my minature Beretta. I want functioning above getting a couple extra ft/lbs from the little gun.
ZVP

 

[wwb]

A .22 Mag would not be my choice, but it's better than no gun at all.

You said you have a .357.... if the time comes when you're carrying the .22 and you have to use it , you'll certainly wish you had the .357 instead.

 

[Hobie]

If you have nothing else for whatever reason it beats the .22 LR. It is also useful for certain outdoor workers.

 

[mohavesam]

Defense for what?

For snakes, dogs and such, I'm fine with it. I kept a Single-Six WRFM handy as an apartment gun for a year. It was loaded with two rounds of CCI shot first; solids later, then-reasoning that the shot spread would cover 2-3' at face-level in my hallway in a middle-of-the-night shooting. Un-scientific testing showed the shot easily shattered eyeglasses and shredded the "test-eyeballs" on hand (large grapes behind the glasses).

Carry gun - a holstered SA in central CA? Certainly not an "offensive weapon" in the eyes of a decent reasonable badged civil servant and a non-urban surrounding - but there are better choices for anti-personnel effectiveness if this threat-type is actually anticipated.

In CA I'd only recommend whatever your retained attorney recommends. ;)

 

[ZVP]

Self Defense is just what it implies man or beast. These days it'd most likely be a man rather than a bear. I can understand some questions about Open Carry with a Single Six in an Urban Enviornment, it would look sorta odd and might invite trouble.
However for an open carry gun I would not even hesitate to carry my .357 4 5/8" Vaquero! That's another topic alltogether...
From what I have read, most real gunfights take place within 21 feet and last a total of less than 5 shots. Would 1-3 shots from a .22WMR end one? Good question.
With reasonable shot placement and an available 100-125 FP of energy 3 might do... You would need penetration more than looking for expansion however the .22WMR Hollowpoint is a known penetrator with the possibility of opening up a larger wound channel. Simply Killing is NOT the main objective in stopping a gunfight what you want to do is stop agressive action against you and/or loved ones. The .22WMR is heads above the standard RimFire in preformance and is considered a real caliber. The preformance of the little 40 to 50 gr bullet from a 4 5/8" barrel would be aqbout the minimum that you could depend on to stop a fight with2 or 3 center mass hits. One would certainly convince me to het to a hospital!
No the .22WMR is not optimal and it is far behind a .38 Special but I am talking about what you would have with you while afield or in your home.
ZVP

 

[REP1954]

Looks to me like a picture really is worth a thousand words.

 

[REP1954]

Looks like NAA wont be making the top break guns due to cost :(

Yeah, I just couldnt figure out why someone would buy one of those little top breaks at that price when you can buy 2 of the stanard models at the same price and have an even faster reload by using the second gun.

 

[ZVP]

Yes a picture IS worth a Thousand words! Both Cartriges represent state of the art in each catagory.
The .45 Black Talon has to be the best of it's type!
I literally wore my .45 out! After cracking the frame the second time I was very sad to relinquish it to the trash, but it was a lot of fun and a very comforting comrade... Now as my personal gun I have replaced it with a Stainless, 4 5/8" .357 Vaquero.
Nostalgic yes but that shiney Single Action just feels "right" to me these days. It's a formidable house gun and not any more cumbersome to tote in aSholder Holster than the big .45 was. There is no faulting 6 of the Full House 1450 fps 125 gr Remington Soft Points for "Social Work"! I almost bought a wonder9 as a replacement but the Vaquero stole my heart!
The .22WMR in my 6 5/8' Single Six acta like a rifle! I am constantly amazed at the ranges that it shoots flat at! At the Muzzle it really generates all it's worth and is very accurate. It's accuracy really shines when compared to the standard Long Rifle. The long barrel is definatelly made to the .22WMR spec's!
Far as the NAA Break-Top goes, it's sad to hear that that beautifull piece of machiening won't make it to Market. The quality of the workmanship looked to be top end in the GTOW article I read. WHat a classy piece it would have been...
I love to watch a good top Break dump it's empties!
ZVP