1. A .22 through the eye socket is going to take the fight out of just about anyone.
2. It's ~real~ difficult to hit the eye socket with a snubby handgun beyond anything other than contact distance and especially if the target is moving.
3. If a .22 snub is all a person can handle, it's better than nothing.
All true, with particular emphasis on #2. And imo the only reason to arm in this caliber for defensive purposes is #3. With the exception of some deep cover assignments or as a last ditch backup. And that was the point. If you have a person who cannot, or will not, become proficient with the weapon then well...like an earlier post...you take your best shot and someone wins. It is better than nothing. But can anyone name one person who is a reputable source or trainer who would advocate this caliber as a primary defensive one? Just one will do, in .22 LR please.
I've spent a lot of years wearing iron daily, and it was my distinct misfortune to have to use it. My comments are not based on internet theory, idle conjecture, or gunstore conversations. And other than personal involvement, I've investigated a whole lot more. A self defense shooting is not cool, or romantic, or gutsy. It is, in point of fact, extremely brutal, horrific, very messy, and "normally" short in duration from start to finish. It has emotional and legal consequences that last much longer than the events themselves. And the whole point of the entire matter is that YOU can lose your life. Or your mates life. Or your child's life.
So...knowing what I know, what I've seen, and what I've experienced, it seems to me to be idealistic and unrealistic to make the choice being discussed for the intended purpose of stopping a determined person from trying to kill or harm you. They already made that choice, what you've done up to that second will determine whether they win or not. You want to bet your life on your skill at a moving and/or charging target with a .22 loaded with rat shot for a couple of rounds (which frankly, regardless of eyeball or not, is not the smartest idea I've heard of late) then more power to ya. Or rather less power to ya as it were.
Don't think anyone is going to change anyone else's opinion at this point. Others have expressed theirs, I've given mine. God Bless to all.