Walther P22 - Not Recommended

I think, for the first time, I have to speak ill of a firearm I have fired.  Normally, I'm a fan of almost all firearms, they all have good sides most have similar downsides, but all in all, I'm pretty positive on almost all firearms. 

Today, however, I have to say that I just can't get behind the Walther P-22.  It has some good things going for it, I will admit, but at the end of the day I cannot, in good conscience, tell anyone this is a tool they could defend their life with.

Here's a picture, so you know what I'm talking about:

This is a double action/single action semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .22 lr round.  It is well built and well made.  The size is good, however, it is a little heavy for the size it presents. 

A little bit on the .22lr cartridge, some people will say that you can't defend yourself with a .22.  That, of course, is bollocks.  You most certainly can.  More critters and people have been killed with a .22 than you may think.  These are very, very fast bullets and there are some pretty impressive defensive loads out there in .22.  So don't think that the round itself will be ineffective, it will do just fine.  You may have to unload an entire magazine in to a bad guy, but that's not a characteristic of just the .22. 

Remember, I've said in the past that lethality and stopping power are two different things.  Will a .22 stop a man dead in his tracks and prevent his further aggression towards you, more than likely, it will.  It won't do it in one shot, but very few handgun calibers will.  You have to have good shot placement and keep shooting until the threat abates.

However, here's my shooting impression on this particular pistol.  It's bad.  It is woefully inaccurate.  We're talking missing broad sides of barns inaccurate.  I'm a decent shooter, I can hit what I aim at.  However, I had trouble making consistent contact at 7 yards with this pistol.  Some of that is the .22 itself; it isn't the most accurate round in the world.  However, I can bulls eye 10 head shots in a row with my XD-45 just about as fast as I can pull the trigger... if I did that will the Walther P-22, I'd miss 4-5 times out of 10.

I took a rather inexperienced shooter with me to test it out.  He shot his Model-10 Smith & Wesson admirably.  Got right on the 10 ring at 7 yards.   However, at the same distance with the Walther P-22, he had flyers going all over the place, one which was 18 inches away from center... that's not cool.
So, I have to say that I would not trust the Walther P-22 with my life.  If I can't rely on, at least reasonable, accuracy from a weapon, then I can't carry it.  I'll plink with it now and again, but I will not carry it. 

All in all a good gun, and not one that I would turn down were it given to me, but I just won't carry it.

That's all from me.  Stay safe out there.