I’m looking for a moderately priced da rimfire that’s slightly smaller than my M&P22 Compact and light weight enough to be casually carried in a light jacket or cargo pocket. I have been considering the Berreta 21 and Taurus P22. Can any of you provide comparison (+/-) experience with recently mfg versions? I’ve read the previous threads I could find here but am having a hard time deciding on a direct benefits vs drawbacks for these. Any other current mfg that I should consider will be appreciated. I use dao semi autos for most defensive carry situations (P229DAK, P290Rs, 3953) when out and about. Little gun for around the farmstead, dog walking, small pests, and “FUN”.

I was somewhat surprise and certainly pleased by the level of response to my quest. Thank you all. Lurking on the big GB site I watched availability and sales $$ for the little pistols discussed here. I was successful in winning a very low cost Taurus PT22. I’ve had a chance to give it a clean and lube and taken it to the backyard range for trials. It is not perfect in appearance or function but so far seems to perform acceptably with both Federal and Winchester hv round nose loads. Definitely not as reliable as I would want for personal defense; but that was not the role I intended for it to fill. I am happy to have it in a pocket as I do chores and walk the mutts around our 3+ acres and dispatch the farm rodents lurking about. Thanks again to all who contributed!

I’ve done a lot of searching for the perfect 22 carry piece. My wants go further than the OPs. In this pocket pistol class the Berreta 21 is hands down winner in what you would call 25 frame.
It is very dependable and surprisingly accurate. It’s no target gun but best in class.
I gave up and went to 32 frame size. None of the 1911 style shot for beans, including a new SIG Mosquito that I dropped near $400 on when first out. None were giving me adequate accuracy for my purposes.
The Walther PP copies were the same thing.

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I have extensive experience with the Taurus PT-22.
Excellent guns.
Advantages: really good sights, chamber can be safely loaded/unloaded without operating slide or hammer.

Disadvantages: for all practical purposes when magazine is shot dry, you cannot replace magazine and work slide to get back into action. If you have to deal with a self-defense problem, you had better solve it in 9 shots or less because that’s all you are going to get. The slide spring is extremely heavy and the slide serrations are not deep enough to get a good grip on to work slide. You have to press the barrel pop-up lever to expose the chamber, pull the top round out of your loaded magazine, insert it in the chamber, snap barrel back down and shut, insert loaded magazine, and you are ready to go.
I carry one in a pocket holster almost every day.
I do carry a spare magazine most of the time in case 9 shots are not enough and a rapid reload is not required.

I have two PT-22’s, and have found them both to be way more accurate than a pocket sistol should be.
They are what I call “ rabbit hunting accurate “ out to 10 to 15 yards or so

Ruger LCP 2.

As posted in previous threads, I have a Love -Hate relationship with my 21a. It will fail to eject, reload, etc.
Have been unable to relate if this a Ammo specific situation.
Have pretty much concluded it’s more of a Hot Dirty gun situation.
If I shoot 5-6 Mags pretty fast, it will hang up.
One or two? Probably not.
So what’s a Mother to do?
Ruger LCP 22 you say.
I just bought one.
So far it’s a lot like the 21a except I’ve had some Failures to Fire.
Federal Punch you say? Just got 500 rounds, haven’t had a chance to shoot any.
So if I feel the need to carry a Pocket Pistol, which one?
Ruger LCP MAX. So far Have fired 150 rounds of Ball, 4 different Brands, with ZERO Problems.
Or it Could be the 2 inch 63 if the Old Revolver Evil Twin Me reappears.

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Beretta model 21, I have 3 and one in .25. My pocket .22 for years.

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SWCA #2817

I agree the Beretta 21A should be the standard but I have yet to own one that would function! I’ve had three of them and none have been consistent performers. Even those who swear by them in this thread admit to their reliability issues. I really wish they would work as I love the concept of a pocket .22.

I think a better choice would be the model 70 or 71 by Beretta, still a .22 but slightly larger but way better in terms of reliability. I’ve heard good things about the poly PT22 by Taurus but have never owned a Taurus.


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Beretta Model 21A hands down. My DIL and SIL both carry them.

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John

My favorites are
Beretta 21A,
Walther TPH,
North American Arms derringer
Iver Johnson 22 ppk

I've had 2 Iver Johnson TP-22. Gave one to my son and kept this one. I've run a couple of 1000 rds thru this one and not one problem. I carried them on the farm as they easily carried in the pocket.
If you can find one. I haven't seen one for sale for quite a while.

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183rd FBINA

Another vote for the Ruger LCP II .22lr. Mine has had some teething issues, but is actually getting better the more I shoot it. Mine is a little ammo picky, but it last weekend I shot 120 rounds of Remington Golden Bullets through it without an issue, and 100 rounds of Winchester Silvertip with one failure to fire. Prior to that range trip, Winchester Super X performed terrible with many failure to fire with multiple tries but the same round would fire in my Taurus TX-22. Had some light strikes with Mini Mags as well. Ruger says to run about 500 rounds through it before worrying about those issues and that it will work itself out.

If I had any inkling of carrying a 22 as a SD gun...it would be a revolver.

Don't get me wrong. I'd love a Beretta 21 or a Taurus PT22 as much as anyone here, but not for SD.

In fact, I've carried this many a time. It's my Model 34.

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S&W Mod 317 . 8 shot 12 oz.

S&W 43C. 11 oz. and as trouble free as you can find. Fits in just about any pocket and you will probably forget you are carrying it,,, love mine.

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For my purposes I went a little bigger but not much sacrifice in weight.
S&W 422, 4”.

I bought a Beretta 21A 25 years ago and have been happy with it ever since. It likes round nose ammo but other than that, it's been surprisingly accurate and reliable over the years.

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Regards,

Tom

The Beretta is hard to beat, though I had a Walther TPH that was sexy as all get out. I sold it for an obscene amount to a collector. Loved that little gun. I would also love to get a Beretta Minx in 22 short.

My local shop has a nice example in Charlotte with box and docs, I think they want $230 for theirs. I asked to look at it bad they said “you don’t want that. They are garbage and don’t function.” However when I looked them up there seem to be quite a few satisfied customers on gun forums!


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My wife has a PT-22 that can be a fun little plinker when it decides to cycle, but not trustworthy enough to rely on as a personal defense tool. Thank goodness she now has a Shield EZ 380. Just as a matter of fact, the grip on the PT-22 is wider than that of my M&P Bodyguard 380.

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M&PC FS BG Shield+ 642 686+

I'll second this one.
I also have a Sterling model 903 in stainless about the same size.
The Sterling is a better quality gun, but the TP22 has the advantage of being DA/SA.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

I have the 21A and in a pocket holster the thing is invisible and weight barely noticed. Having said that, I'd wonder how much larger/heavier the 32 ACP version is by comparison.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the S&W 2213 or 2214. I have a 2214 and it is just as reliable (100% with Mini-mags or Stingers) as my 422 or 622, although I do not have nearly as many rounds through the 2214. Understand they are hard to come by and pricey, and that magazines are borderline ridiculously priced. They are also larger than Beretta 21’s but still fairly lightweight with an aluminum frame. I would like to get one of the Ruger LCP2 .22’s but they’re unobtainium around here.

Not trying to start anything here on calibers, but why not a KahrP380, Ruger LCP II, or Ruger LCP Max or that size. Less than 10 ounces and can pocket carry all day. I’ve had about 5 pocket guns and the KahrP380 is the easiest,lightest of them. I’ve actually been considering the LCP22 but then I talk myself out of it. Ha. Just my thoughts

before you buy, take a look at the Ruger LCR, I like mine...pull trigger=fire,IIRC it can be had in .22mag also

The Taurus PT-22 can be a wonderful gun, but there are dogs so it comes down to getting a good one. There are two major variants, the "old" and the "poly". Either one is fine - I'd try the poly first if I had a choice. Trigger is long but smooth. Sights are tiny and pathetic, a little paint helps.

They definitely have a more hand-filling grip than most small guns.

Previous poster is right about the slide - you probably won't be able to shoot it dry and then reload quickly. So the key is to swap the mag before you run out, if you can. "Did I shoot 9, or only 8? Do I feel lucky???"

You can remove the finger-rest pad off the mag, makes it a little more pocketable.

Beretta 21A. High quality. Has always run nicely. No issues.

Good luck in your search.

The Beretta 21 is small enough it’s not a bother to carry, that’s a big plus.
It’s capable of accuracy level that makes it a serious choice. Also dependable and durable. I suppose there are lemons but I think far and few between.
What I don’t know, has the quality of the 21 dropped due to cost cutting?

I sorta have a thing for Mouse Guns and have several. For a pocket gun I much prefer .25acp over .22LR. Much more reliable ignition of the centerfire cartridge over the rimfire. Especially since the great .22 shortage a couple of years ago. I've found current .22 LR ammo to be somewhat unreliable with several FTF in every box.
I had a IV TP-22 some years ago. Good little gun until the day I racked the slide and it slam fired on me. Its gone.
The Beretta 21A is a fine little gun. But as mentioned, count your rounds and reload before it runs dry.
My favorite .22 pocket gun is the Walther TPH. However, they are expensive and the .22s are known to be extremely finicky. I had to send mine to an expert Walther gunsmith to get it to run reliably.

This is bigger than the other guns but very shootable, accurate, and a lot of fun. If your going to use a .22 for defense you better be accurate with your shots. I'm talking about a Bersa Thunder which is about the size of a Walther PPK but with better ergonomics. It has a steel slide so you have to use powerful .22 ammo and I buy bricks of CCI Blazers and its 100% reliable and I love it and doubt I will ever part with mine.

I guess I'm not understanding the concern for running the Beretta Model 21A to an empty chamber and then loading another magazine. My Model 21A will chamber a round from a full magazine and empty chamber with no difficulty at all. Maybe they've changed the design since I bought mine some time around 1993? By the way, mine is chambered for .25 ACP, but the instruction manual that came with mine states that it is for either chambering, .22 LR or .25 ACP. The manual describes two methods of loading; via the tip up barrel, or by inserting the magazine (Beretta calls it a clip) and racking the slide.

Mine has had somewhere around a thousand rounds fired through it in the last 28 years or so. It has never misfired, and has never jammed. I have two original Beretta magazines, 8 round, and two MecGar magazines. 9 round. They all work perfectly.

Some time around 1994 on a range practice day, I loaded the Model 21A with 10 rounds of Winchester 50 grain ball and shot offhand at one of my IPSC targets that was set up 50 yards away for practicing Standard Exercises. All 10 rounds landed in the "A" zone. My eyes used to be a lot better than they are now.

Beretta Model 21A

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Dave Brown
SWCA #3279

I had a 21A many years ago and liked everything about it. I just got the
crazy notion that I needed to carry a bigger caliber, so I traded it off. The
biggest advantage is the tip up barrel. No slide racking necessary. Very
good feature for those with weak hands, arthritis, etc...

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In Omnia Paratus

This was my thought, albeit a little on the pricey side.
PeterJ, did you have any issues when you first bought it? Mine seems awfully ammo-sensitive,

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Because of the metric system?

Both the Beretta and the Taurus have one issue worth considering. With the tip-up design, there's no extractor. So if you get a misfire, or a case that sticks enough to not eject, you're in for some fooling around before it's back in action. Racking the slide won't do it. Flipping the barrel open might fling out the dud, but you better have a loose round to replace it with (or be able to rack the slide).

I carry a .22 Woodsman when I’m working on the 33 acre property I own but a .38 spcl or .380 when in town. .22s are fine in the field but potentially too easy to jam or misfire to use for ccw imo.

Fun thread to read. Hard to not love 22lr guns!

I had hoped to hear more comments about the LCP2 in 22lr, but now you guys have me watching a few 21A's for sale.

I recently bought a Taurus 942 2" 22lr. My first Taurus and didn't know what to expect. Proving to be a good little revolver and was priced right when I got it. Prices are up now that they are harder to find. (MSRP $406.47) Build seems very good and it goes bang every time for me so far. Ameriglo has a nice upgraded front sight for $30 that I installed. It does have a case of "sticky extraction" but hopefully the cylinder reamer helped that...still needs test fired. Of coarse in a revolver if a round doesn't fire, you just pull the trigger again.

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Ruger LCP 22 you say - shot mine yesterday.
It functioned fine with all ammo tried including new to me Federal Punch.
Finally got some Punch, cost 30 cents a round. Ouch!
Had a fail to fire, Federal Auto Match. Have experienced several fails to fire , with different Ammo, including CCI.
Then there’s the 21a. It wouldn’t feed the blunt nose Punch.
I had loaded Mags to try the Punch in the 21a, but that was a No Go from the Git Go!
I have 6 - 21a Mags and I had 2 loaded with Punch.
The 21a did fire Federal Auto Match and MiniMags without incident.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Mine seemed to be able to use any ammo I could find with no issues. The only real problem I have had is if you run 3 or 4 cylinders of ammo real fast, the cylinder will get pretty tight and harder to swing out.

I also had one of those, back in the early 1980s. For the relatively short time I owned it, it seemed to perform excellently. One employee's wife was having harassment problems from men (she was highly harassable), and she wanted a gun. He talked me into selling mine to him. I wish I had kept it.

I will never buy another Kahr, partly because the factory insists that you fire at least 500 rounds thru it to break it in so that it works properly. Really? At the price and a ailabilit of ammo nowadays?
Kahrs are not exactly cheap, and if Glock, S & W, Ruger, Bersa, and others can send a gun out the door for the same or less money that is ready to go, then why can’t Kahr?

I like the feel, size, and looks of the Kahrs, but I swore off them 12 years ago after persistent reliability issues even after well over 500 rounds. Over several years I owned at least 4 different models and sizes.
And another thing: their magazine springs are WAY too long and strong. Clipping at least 25% of each magazine spring off usually helped reliability, but was never enough to eliminate feeding problems, even with FMJ.

I'm going to watch for one of those. I like the sights.

If you want to make your .22 Beretta completely reliable....buy it in .25.

Otherwise, try a Seecamp in .32 acp. Smaller and more reliable than the 21A.

The CW380 was the least reliable gun I ever owned. Was...it's gone now.

Got to wonder about a shop that takes a gun in on trade. Offers it for sale, but when someone shows interest, they tell them, it’s junk.
If it were my shop that clerk would be flippin’ burgers.
I was at.a Gander Mtn. when a customer was asking about a new Ruger in the case. The clerk said he’d NEVER buy any Ruger. When asked why the clerk stated empirically “Rugers are all junk!”
Another burger flipper candidate.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

The shop I worked in sold plenty of those garbage little cobra arms ca380 and cobra denali pistols. Every one went out the door with the "these pistols suck, buyer beware" warning. Plenty of people got steered to better guns, and the ones that didn't couldn't come back and throw a fit about being tricked into buying a piece of junk.

Yeah I found that situation very interesting as they have never steered me away from a purchase before. I figured either they really new something about that pistol they weren’t willing to share or they didn’t need my money. Either way it’s probably best for me, last thing I need is another .22! LOL


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Don’t know that I ‘need’ another 22.
But I like them and lately shoot them more and more.
I like my Ruger LCP II 22.
As posted, functions well, have experienced some failures to Fire.
Also have a Ruger LCP Max. No Problems!
Bought the Max at Cabelas and the 22 from Buds.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

High Standard 22 Mag.

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Overalls will be required for pocket carry when this pup is completed.
22Mag was my goto when crawling around yachts long ago.

We have a couple of Bobcats in 22LR, matte and inox.
When carried we load CCI mini-mags 40gr.
Some people can shoot a ragged hole at 5-7yds.

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Have Fun/Stay Safe

Don't rely on ANY .22lr for your life.

Rimfire ignition is nowhere near as reliable as centerfire, because of the way the primer is made.

Heel crimped lead bullet feeds poorly in semi autos. Rim cartridge feeds poorly in semi autos.

Bullet is too light and slow to reliably penetrate.

Avoid it if you value your life.

I used to give my concealed weapons license training to small groups, and
even one on one occasionally. I recall one time I went to the home of a
little old lady to give her the training she needed to get her concealed
weapons license. First thing, she wanted to show me her little pistol.
She told me a grandson had given it to here, and showed her how to shoot.
I don't even remember the make and model, but I do remember when she
handed it to me she said "be careful, it's loaded".
I dropped the magazine out, and racked the slide back to be certain there
wasn't a round in the barrel. There wasn't. I explained to her that her
pistol was not really loaded, without one in the chamber.
Then I showed her how to rack the slide to get the top cartridge from the
magazine into the chamber. Just as I suspected, her frail old arthritic
hands prevented her from operating the slide.
I just happened to be carrying my Beretta 21A in an ankle holster. I took
it out, and demonstrated how you can put the magazine in, but also put
one in the chamber with the tip-up barrel.
She said "I think I will ask my grandson to trade mine in for one like yours".
I said I think that would be a very good idea.

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In Omnia Paratus