.22 LR Pistols

Introduced in 1884, the .22 Long Rifle (or .22 LR) cartridge is not just still popular today. It’s a big draw for many shooters around the globe. It is used in a broad range of pistols, revolvers, rifles, and smoothbore shotguns. Many firearms manufacturers even produce .22 LR conversion kits to enable gun owners to shoot the .22 LR rounds using a firearm chambered for another cartridge.

But what makes both novice and expert shooters buy .22 Long Rifle pistols today when there are other not-so-old cartridges around like 9mm Luger or .45 ACP?

One of the reasons is .22 LR’s low cost. The ammo cost can play a crucial part, especially if you shoot on a routine basis. With the costs per round between $0.05 to $0.20, the .22 LR ammo is the least expensive available on the market. If you compare .22 LR with the second most popular cartridge, 9mm Luger, the costs for the latter are between $0.19 to $1.00. The math speaks for itself.

One more thing that contributed to the popularity of .22 LR pistols is light recoil and soft report. You can’t find a better cartridge for practicing than the .22 LR. A low recoil ensures comfort and prevents the development of a flinch. Flinching is a habit when a shooter makes nervous movements to counter-anticipate the recoil and report of a firearm. With low-recoil pistols, you’ll master marksmanship faster and won’t acquire bad habits.

With so many compact and lightweight .22 LR pistols, some people assume that this is a nice option for concealed carry and self-defense. Well, there are debates on that matter. The .22 LR cartridge is in fact inferior to the most handgun cartridges in demand today. As it is small and lightweight, it possesses low impact energy and travels at lower velocities. This means you need to be close enough to the target (150 yds at max) and that you will probably need follow-up shots to incapacitate.

All this does not mean that a .22 LR pistol can’t be lethal in the right hands. Choosing any defensive handgun is a compromise. You just need to know the advantages and limitations of your firearm to have any situation under control. And since a .22 LR pistol obviously offers some benefits that make it stand out among other handguns, you can easily opt for it.

On GritrSports.com, you’ll find a broad range of .22 Long Range pistols from Ruger Mark IV pistol having an iconic design to Beretta M9A1 modern semi-auto handgun. Make sure to look at our .22 LR ammo as well.