best pocket 22 lr?

[Gallahad]

I've looked at jennings, sterlings, and thought there were more choices out there. the taurus's and berretas, phoenix's, are not as compact as a jennings, so Im looking at that size pistol. Whats the best quality manufacturer of this size 22lr?

[Flynmoose]

If it has to be a 22lr, a Smith and Wesson Model 61 is hard to beat. They are hard to find and a bit on the pricey side. They are small and shoot very well for a pistol with that short of barrel.
FM

[Ranger99]

i'm really happy with my teeny NAA
.22 . i have the .22 mag not the l.r.
but i'm sure it would be the same quality.
if you can find one of the old jennings
at a good price you may want to snag
it up. i don't know what they go for
now. back when i got my last 2 they
were $67.00 . i still have a box with
the price on the front. the mags were
7.95
i'm sure it's a different game after all the
recent panic, so you may not find anything
priced decent.
i have another, an iver johnson tp-22 that's
a good one i got for a good price.
if you have the bucks to spend, you might
find a walther tph - the inspiration for the i.j.

[tobster]

I have a Hi Standard derringer in .22 mag with the wallet holster. Easy to carry and it goes bang every time I pull the trigger, unlike some of the pocket autos. The obvious drawback for some would be the 2 shot capability. I still kick myself in the donkey for passing up a Smith and Wesson 63 stainless steel 4" revolver in 22 rimfire at a gunshow way back when. I thought $225.00 was a little steep!

[goodshot]

NAA pocket revolver is dependable and ranks highly with those who consider cuteness as a factor.

[ironglow]

I would tend to look at this one.  More money for sure..but value, resale and more dependability..And like all revolvers, you can use any kind of .22 LR ammo..hollow point, solid point, short, shot, subsonics, standards, shorts CBs, High velocity or hyper velocity...8 shots, and you can load it intermittently..different round in each chamber if you wish.
 
  http://www.ruger.com/products/lcr/specSheets/5410.html
 
  It is surprisingly compact!

[FPH]

I carry a Derringer at times,but it is in .357 mag.

[ironglow]

I have a Phoenix and it shoots surprisingly well..  must be 20 yrs old, and I recently found it to have a broken slide..which Phoenix replaced..no questions asked.  I assume some of the early ones had a problem with broken slides.
  Were I to go for a deep cover again..I think I would go with the 8 shot revolver.
  Most autos have problems with certain rounds..whether hyper or subsonic, hollow point or CBs or shorts..a revolver will dependably cycle all of them ...without a moment's hesitation..

[mcwoodduck]

Walther TPH all the way.
Similar size to the Jennings alot better materials.
Mine fires everything from stingers to the 60 grain aguilla rounds.
I'll try to post a picture of one.
 

[lakota]

My anti gun father in law has a little Beretta Tom Cat that shoots shorts. He should give it to me so that I can properly dispose of the evil little thing.

[griz1]

Hard to find but nothing better than a Beretta model 70s.  They are the most reliable 22 I have every shoot. I think the last year they were made was 1984.  Hard to find mags but what a gun.  Just recently purchased mine and couldn't be happier.  Google the history of this gun, very interesting.

[Winchester59]

One of my favorite handguns is A S&W 317 Airlite with 1 7/8" barrel & holding 8 rounds of .22. It is not cheap at around $500 new, but it is probably the handiest gun I own. I removed the stubby little hammer spur & with the slick rosewood grips it slides in and out of a pocket with ease, and is light enough to carry in a shirt pocket, which I often do. Smith's new 43c (hammerless Centennial) or their 351c in .22 Mag. would be very similar. Thanks and good shooting!

[Ladobe]

For a pistol (not revolver) as mentioned the S&W 61 Escort is the smallest, but my choice is the Beretta 21 Bobcat which is among the smallest in quality choices.   I had a couple of Jennings in the early-mid 60's... never again. 
 
The Escort was discontinued in 1973 after only about 3 years, so may be harder to find mint, I've seen them run from about $300 up $700 to buy depending on condition, etc.  While a little bit smaller overall I believe it is thicker than a Bobcat in the slide area at least, is DA only with a 5-shot mag.  I don't know whether it can handle the hyper velocity ammo, and there are tales of reliability issues that may have had some to do with its demise after going through 4 versions in only 3 years.   
 
My Beretta Bobcat is my second.  Not much bigger in profile than an Escort, drops in a pocket with ease, with a lightweight holster not noticeable as a pistol at all, almost not even without the holster in the shorts I wear.   Both DA & SA... DA even from half cock with the safety off.   With it's 7-shot mags and tip up barrel you can easily start with 8 (so a second mag gives you 15 - 33% more than the Escort w/2), and it will handle the high/hyper velocity ammo.   This is my second I just got to replace the one I should have never sold.  I never had any reliability issues even with cheap bulk ammo with the first even though they say high velocity minimun in them for reliability.   In mine now all mags are loaded with CCI Velocitor's that are rated in the top choices for personal defense.   The one I just bought is the higher grade discontinued polished blue model from the early 90's, is in mint condition metal with a few small bumps in the beautiful wood grips and I got it for $230.   You can find brand new or near mint matte 21's for about $300 - stainless for about $60 more if you shop around, maybe less if you luck into one like I did.
 
The Walther TPH is quality, but is well known for it's bite (slide), you'd be looking around $500 plus for one and over $100 per for extra mags.
 
The others I would call quality are mostly larger - and still others I would call junk. 
 
All just IMO - YMMV
 

[theratdog]

that half breed plastic ruger is to pricey.

[gcrank1]

Which pocket do you want it to fit? A 4" S&W Kit Gun or a Ruger Bearcat fits a jeans pocket, front or rear. A jacket pocket is another animal.....
Had two Jennings way back, and like Ladobe, never again. Had a fine condition Iver Johnson TP22, touchy about ammo and terrible for slide bite. Have had J frame 22's and 38's so when I couldnt find a S&W 22 last year (affordable, like when did they become collectables?) we bought a new Charter Arms 2" Pathfinder. after some padded hammer dry firing to smooth it up a bit it has become the pocket 22 of choice. Also once had that HS Deringer 22LR, nice solid gun and fit my hand pretty well, but that dbl action only pull was horrendous. I suppose in a crisis I'd never notice.

[wvjoetc]

North American Arms 22 mag, goes with me every day.  The new Hornady CD ammo sounds interesting.
 
Joe
 

[goodshot]

Bersa/Firestorm 22 is an option also, I find them to be quite accurate and fun.

[SHOOTALL]

Walther TPH all the way.
Similar size to the Jennings alot better materials.
Mine fires everything from stingers to the 60 grain aguilla rounds.
I'll try to post a picture of one.

good choice , Bretta with the flip up barrel is also nice.

[mcwoodduck]

Walther TPH all the way.
Similar size to the Jennings alot better materials.
Mine fires everything from stingers to the 60 grain aguilla rounds.
I'll try to post a picture of one.

I just picked up a second one today.
Unfired by the customer, all the paint is bright and in tact, no scratches, 4 mags (no box) instruction manual for $510 out the door.  They are out there you just need to look.  Oh and it is 8,000 less in the serial number less than my other one.

[Cheesehead]

A Ruger LCR-22 fit nicely in all my pockets.

Cheese

[NRAJOE]

[gcrank1]

Joe, you got big pockets; I do like the one we have too, it has become the semi-auto kit gun of choice and does fit in my jacket pockets, just not so good for me as a CCW with my summer clothes. For the size I'd likely go for a 9mm though.

[45-70.gov]

ruger LCR


after that  taurus  with the tip up barrel....DAO
berreta makes the same gun  but it is  DA/SA.......more dangerous

[darkgael]

One of my favorite handguns is A S&W 317 Airlite with 1 7/8" barrel & holding 8 rounds of .22. It is not cheap at around $500 new, but it is probably the handiest gun I own.       

This^^^^^^.a great little gun.

[cwlongshot]

If I had to have a semi auto, 22LR pocket pistol, my first choice would be the Walther, TPH. Finding and AFFORDING it is another story.

The Beretta is another one that always seems to work. Taurus copies it fairly well. But for the cost, I would go Beretta over Taurus.

BUT My top choice is the NAA and its not a LR its a MAG. ZERO reasons not to do same, its same size, can be had in BOTH calibers. Its built as a deep cover gun, its small, light stainless steel and simply works. Mine has been everywhere with me, its shot all sorts of small critters, even finished off a bunch of deer. The mag is doing better then what the LR will do out of a rifle. Very little recoil, but it is loud. Carry... pocket, neck, Boot, heck most could conseal it in jonnys!! Being that its sts, mine has been under water they shoot shot EXTREAMLY well too!

But I am a little bias,



CW

[JB Weld]

I like the Taurus PT-22 (it would be a little big though).
I also like the NAA revolvers.

[darkgael]

The Beretta is another one that always seems to work

y'know....lots of positive feeling about the little Beretta. My experience was quite different. It was the least reliable pistol that I have ever fired and the only one that I have ever gotten rid of.
 I really wanted to like that gun. Tried at least a dozen types of ammo. Only rarely would it fire a magazine without jamming.
Pete

[Couger]

I've looked at jennings, sterlings, and thought there were more choices out there. the taurus's and berretas, phoenix's, are not as compact as a jennings, so Im looking at that size pistol. Whats the best quality manufacturer of this size 22lr?

Does your pocket gun choice have to be semi auto?  With a less than 3inch barrel?
 
I've owned the Beretta 21A and Jetfire (in .22S), as well as the Phoenix.
 
Would now only carry a .22LR wheelgun like an NAA Mini Master or kitgun like the 317 S&W!  The revolvers maybe slower to reload, but more accurate with better sights and performance.   

[cwlongshot]

I've looked at jennings, sterlings, and thought there were more choices out there. the taurus's and berretas, phoenix's, are not as compact as a jennings, so Im looking at that size pistol. Whats the best quality manufacturer of this size 22lr?

Does your pocket gun choice have to be semi auto?  With a less than 3inch barrel?
 
I've owned the Beretta 21A and Jetfire (in .22S), as well as the Phoenix.
 
Would now only carry a .22LR wheelgun like an NAA Mini Master or kitgun like the 317 S&W!  The revolvers maybe slower to reload, but more accurate with better sights and performance. 

The biggest reason I like a revolver for a rimfire in a defensive situation is WHEN you get a misfire, you just squeeze the trigger or thumb the hammer and squeeze the trigger. In a auto, its a tap rack and hope for a bang.

CW

[darkgael]

I was just reading through this oldish thread...seven years since last post.
I wonder if any attitudes toward pocket .22s have changed in the last seven years.
Pete