im not sure which pocket .22 to get.

C

cajun47

New member
this is not a topic about the .22 for self defense. the main purpose would be to plink with then pocket carry as a backup to my glock 19 and when im sure i don't need to carry.

i can't decide between the beretta bobcat and the north american mini revolver. the beretta would be much easier to reload while the nna can be switched to .22 mag, im looking at the 4" barrel. im also considering the ruger lcr 22.

which of these would you pick and why?
 
i have the 22 beretta bobcat. very small, semi auto, easy to load and reload with extra mags. of those 2 choices, no contest, the beretta.
 
I have a Bobcat and wouldn't mind having all three of the guns you mention (although the NAA revolver would just be for the collection most likely). The Bobcat is perfect for conceal carry. I keep it in a front pocket and never know it's there. But make sure you break it in and use the right ammo (CCI mini mags or stingers work well like everyone says).

The big problem with the Bobcat is having no ejector and combine that with 22 LR ammo which can have issues it makes the gun maybe a little less reliabale than many would want. Out of the last 150 rounds I fired I had two failures to eject which lead to the next round getting stuck. You can't do a tap and rack - you have to remove the mag, get the miss fed round out of the way and pick or poke out the round that didn't eject. The two rounds at issue each had a slight crimp in the casing which caused them to stick in the chamber so I don't think they were the gun's fault, more an issue with the ammo. But in any case clearing a failure is a bummer and not something you can do quickly. Reloading isn't as quick either since you normally have to load the first round using the tip-up barrell -the slide is VERY stiff and a little hard to get a hold of (still easier than the NAA if it's the type where you need to rmove the cylinder).

All that said I still like the gun. It is fun to shoot and for the most part doesn't give any problems - I will check the ammo a little closer especially if I carry it. But the LCR 22 looks like a great gun that would be more reliable even though it would be a little harder to CC (but so would pretty much anything compared to a Bobcat).
 
Just another option for your consideration,,,

To answer your question though,,,
I would go for the Beretta over the NAA Mini.

I find the NAA Mini's to be difficult to deploy,,,
By that I mean they are so small that they are difficult to cock.

If I needed the gun in a hurry,,,
I don't believe it could be deployed fast enough.

That's just my opinion though,,,
Someone with different hands might do better.

I do own and frequently carry a pocket 22 semi-auto,,,
This little pistol has performed perfectly for me.

Taurus 22-PLY
33-scilla.JPG

I broke it in with 150-200 rounds of MiniMags,,,
Now it runs Federal Bulk Pack flawlessly,,,
Although I carry it with MiniMags.

8+1 capacity,,,
DA only with tip up barrel,,,
I keep it well oiled and it simply works every shot.

The polymer frame makes it a very lightweight gun,,,
PLY-hand.jpg

It fits my K-frame hands very nicely.

Like I said,,,
It's just another option you might not have known about.

Aarond

.
 
I have owned 2 Bobcats and never was really satisfied with either. I then picked up a Taurus PLY22 and have been loving it ever since. The grip on this gun is fantastic and the sights are even usable. I bought mine about 6 months ago for plinking, the same use as you want one for. Until recently it went every week to the range with me and got shot. Now it's spot in my shooting bag gets shared with a SR22P which is just as fun to shoot.
 
I Happened to pick up a Beretta Bobcat yesterday and it is a very well made gun. As a comparision though it is not as pocket friendly as my Kel Tec or Taurus 380. The Beretta is both heavier and thicker than than the 380s

I also handled a LCR 22lr and it is quite a bit larger.
 
well heres to making this fun. semi autos here DO beat revolvers out simply in the reloading competition. however, i dont think most people here would be able to discern any real difference in speed of firing.

this is were i believe skelton had it right when it came to 22 rimfires as a backup. smith and wesson revolver, snub nose. really dont see how you can go bad with that choise either. even a ruger lcr or sp101 would be ideal in a 22.
 
I like the Walther TPH. It's very shootable like the PPK. Small and flat enough for most back pockets. The stainless American made ones can be ammo sensitive. I had one that jammed a lot and now have one that's very reliable with nearly anything, so I guess it's hit or miss. Or perhaps just the early ones sucked and they got it figured out.

There are German pre-ban blued TPHs but they are quite collectible and pricey. Very reliable with standard velocity ammo though.

I've owned NAA minis and a Beretta model 21, no comparison. You can hit something with the Walther. The others, not so much so don't bother.
 
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I have the naa 22, I added the folding handle on it. It works, but I am looking for something else. I don't like the fact that I have to cock it each time to shoot. If my life was threatened I want to be able to unload it all if I have to.
 
Have you looked at the S&W 317? Super light! I have the "kit gun" with 3" barrel and 3-finger grip, but they also make one with 1.875" barrel and a 2-finger grip that would disappear in your pocket.
 
I never could get a Taurus Pt-22 to run with all kinds of ammo and a friend's Bobcat had the same trouble. So you have to really work with them to trust them.

NAAs are a pain to plink with due to the reload cycle. Too bad the topbreak didn't work out at a reasonable price point.
 
I normally stick to the question asked, but...

Why a .22?
The Beretta (or most .22 semi) is as big as a LCP or P3AT 380.
Why carry something just as big, but less powerful?
IMO the 380 in the above pistols is the way to go for semiauto pocket carry.
 
Yeah, but let's stick with the question. BTW, on the 317, I didn't like the trigger.

I bought a Bearcat SS to plink but that's not a pocket gun either.
 
i can't decide between the beretta bobcat and the north american mini revolver.
Click to expand...

I've never handled one of those NAA minis. But my sis-in-law has a little Beretta Bobcat that I've shot a few magazines through. Nice little pocket rocket. Small, light, works well, everything in its favor. Being a .22, it's reliability would match the quality of the ammo it's fed.
 
+1 on the S&W 317 trigger. It's heavy and long, and a sharp contrast to a semiauto, if you are going to use it as a back up for that. It took some real training to get any accuracy out of a gun so light with such a heavy trigger. That said, I like it.
Previous experience with pocket .22's raised some real questions on durability, I hope some of the newer models out there are better.
 
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