We all know that a .45 is better than a .40, which is better than a .35/9, which is better than a .32, which is better than a .25 or a .22... But there are times when a .22 is better than a knife -- or than having nothing in your hands at a knife fight! And that's the reason I recently picked up a l'il pocket semi-auto, the Taurus PT-22.
My buddy has a Beretta .22 with the tip-up barrel and he really likes it. He carries it all the time when anything larger would be too big, plus he carries it as a backup piece while off duty. I wanted one for when I wasn't carrying my larger/heavier Ruger SP101 in .357 Mag. The little PT-22 slips easily into a front or back pocket using the pocket holster I got, or it fits inside the waistband quite comfortably in an IWB holster. The one I got is in their satin-nickel finish and it's a sharp looking little -- key word "little" -- pistol.
![Image](http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Taurus_PT-22_4_.jpg)
The Taurus, as compared to the original Beretta (the Bobcat, I think...), is double-action-only and the hammer is not cockable, but I'm OK with that. Somewhere I found some .22 snap caps and between using those in the cellar and firing live ammo at the range, the trigger pull on mine really has smoothed up some, although it's still too much for my RCBS trigger-pull scale to register. The best news is, I've had 100% reliability with this piece so far, even during the break-in period.
Anyway, I'm really impressed with the groups that I got at 7 yards earlier today, given the shiny/silver diminutive sights that are on this gun. And the shots on this target were all fired pretty quickly too, using a 2-hand hold. Not too shabby I think...
![Image](http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Taurus_PT-22_2_.jpg)
As mentioned at the start, sure, I'd much rather have a major-caliber piece when the $#@& really hits the fan, but for those times when I want the "backup insurance" to totally disappear so just I know it's there, this little piece is just fine for me.
There may be those out there who will still question the effectiveness of the lowly .22 rimfire as a self-defense round, but as one of my fraternity brothers on the NH State Police tells me, "So far, no one who has ever said that has offered to step in front of my backup .22 and take a double-tap to the head or heart".
And this will work on legless snakes, just as well as the 2-legged kind too...
Tight groups!
Old No7