Old thread.
I've got a Titan FIE in the safe from many years ago when I bought it from another cop who ordered some on his FFL (cost $35, I think). It stopped feeding and cycling properly sooner than the Jennings .22 I ordered from the same FFL.
Anyway, the advantage of the .25 ACP is that it's a center-fire cartridge. It seems the ammo makers can more easily (and consistently) make rounds which feed and function in a number of the little guns for which it's chambered. The disadvantage is the potential level of ballistic performance when fired from watch pocket guns.
The disadvantage of the .22LR is in the design, manufacturing and method of priming. The soft lead and wax seems to more quickly foul a little gun, too. The advantage of the .22LR, even when fired from an itty bitty watch fob pistol, is that it can apparently penetrate, perforate and otherwise cause wounding which can be lethal.
Pick your balance of advantage/disadvantage in whatever manner best suits your perceived needs, but bear in mind that both are probably more akin to being a "repeating ice pic" (I acknowledge borrowing this description from a gentleman on another gun forum) than a more capable defensive caliber. The .22LR
might have a deeper reach to its ice pick-like nature.
I guess the easiest way to convey my personal opinion, is that while I still own that Titan .25 (which will one day be submitted to be melted down, if I can ever remember it's in the safe), I'll never again carry it, or buy one.
I will, however, carry my little NAA .22LR (and the new .22MAG version I just bought) in those circumstances where I consider the possible risk assessment to be such that I don't feel I'll need to be armed ... but still want to have an "Onion Field" type weapon, other than a blade, on my person.
FWIW, the nicest feeling and functioning little .25 I ever tried was a Seecamp. It was the smaller watch pocket gun a friend carried to complement his Rolex (when he wasn't carrying his Seecamp .32
). I thought it was odd how the Seecamp could make the .25 recoil like a larger caliber, though.
Anyway, some owners might well consider the nicer .25's to be gentleman's pocket jewelry (but let's not forget the ladies who had them), but I'd sooner have a little less "distinguished" watch pocket .22LR, under most circumstances.