The London Metropolitan Police Commissioner stated that increased bullying and hostility on social-media websites, and mobile-phone applications such as YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram were partially to blame for the rise in the bloodshed. So, clearly, banning handguns does NOT reduce crime!
Proper ammunition selection also makes a difference in stopping power, for self-defense situations, so I rigorously tested seven different, popular .22 Long Rifle loads for their possible self-defense potential from the Walther P22Q. I fired each of them into wet, natural, modeling clay to provide a reasonably accurate measurement of bullet penetration, expansion, and temporary wound cavity. These included:
Águila Interceptor 40-grain hollowpoint (HP.)
Browning BPR 40-grain HP.
CCI Mini-Mag 36-grain HP.
CCI SGB, 40-grain, flat-nose lead (hunting round.).
CCI Stinger 32-grain HP.
Remington Viper 36-grain, flat-nose lead.
Remington Yellow Jacket 33-grain HP.
The results were mixed, but the best-performing loads by far were these two:
Browning BPR 40-grain HP: 1,010 fps velocity, with 91 foot-pounds of kinetic energy. Temporary cavity = 3.25 inches wide, penetration = 10.6 inches deep, and bullet expansion = .382 caliber. The ragged, breathtaking, temporary cavity was as large as that of some 9mm rounds, and indeed the very largest of the test group, with adequate penetration, great expansion, and a rough, gaping, entry hole. This would be an excellent self-defense choice.
CCI Stinger 32-grain HP: 1,112 fps+ (Mach .984) velocity, at 88 foot-pounds of kinetic energy. Temporary cavity = 3.125 inches wide, penetration = 8.5 inches deep, and bullet expansion = .403-caliber! This load proved itself to be quite formidable, with an instantly impressive, temporary cavity, rivaling some 9mm bullets, the second-largest of all tested rounds, evoking a stunned, “WOW!” response from me.
During the January 2024 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, CCI introduced its brand-new, .22 LR Uppercut Defense ammunition, a 32-grain, jacketed hollow-point round, with a demonstrated muzzle velocity of 958 to 985 feet per second from a Walther P22Q. It uses a 17.8mm CCI Stinger casing and the same weight of bullet, but is about 11 to 12 percent slower in muzzle velocity.
The unique, Uppercut design features the thickest jacket of any CCI .22 LR bullet, enabling the bullet to retain its weight while reaching the critical penetration depths required for self-defense, and nose skiving ensures that the petals peel back for uniform and consistent expansion.
CCI states that the bullet penetrates consistently from eight to 12 inches, which is well in line with other .22 LR ammunition. One YouTube video test using ballistic gelatin demonstrated 9.5 inches of penetration, and .320-caliber expansion from a Walther P22Q, not quite as good as my clay-block testing with the Browning BPR and CCI Stinger rounds.
During my own ballistic testing, the CCI Mini-Mag hollow-point (HP) penetrated 11 inches, compared to 12 inches for the flat-nosed CCI SGB, 8.5 inches for the CCI Stinger HP, 10.6 inches for the Browning BPR HP, 12.2 inches for the Águila Interceptor HP, 12 inches for the flat-nosed Remington Viper, or a mere 6.5 inches for the Remington Yellow Jacket HP.
In a sudden self-defense situation, where all you have is a .22 LR pistol, every small advantage counts, and your ammunition choice could be a decisive factor. If I had to defend myself against an armed human assailant with only my trail gun available, I’d want ammo with proven, reliable penetration and expansion from a small handgun, which is exactly what the Browning BPR or CCI Stinger ammunition demonstrates.
Coming back to the Walther P22Q pistol itself, my experience with it over the years has been that it is compact, lightweight (only 16 oz. empty), reliable, easy to load-aim-fire, and exceptionally accurate at close range. While I normally prefer a 9mm handgun in self-defense situations, the P22Q could easily save my life in a very bad confrontation someday, so I would never underestimate its tactical abilities.
My very latest modifications to this fine pistol include a Hi-Viz fiber-optic front sight directly from Walther Arms, and a suppressor adapter from Silencer Central, upgrading it to the factory, P22Q Tactical standard. A legally-purchased, Dead Air Mask HD Black titanium suppressor ($459), also from Silencer Central, nominally reduces the report from 155 decibels to 114 decibels for subsonic ammo (or 119 decibels using CCI Mini-Mags), and the pistol is shockingly quiet, even with high-velocity ammunition, which remains subsonic from the Walther’s short, 3.42-inch barrel.
This suppressor uses a 5.1-inch-long, titanium outer tube with eight conical, stainless-steel baffles inside, resulting in extremely efficient sound reduction, with no visible muzzle blast or flash. It’s easily disassembled and cleaned, even with very sooty components, using an ultrasonic cleaner with a solution of Simple Green and tap water.
When I tested-fired the suppressor for the very first time, my neighbor, an NRA-certified firearms instructor, was absolutely astonished by the sound-reduction level, with the loudest noise being the cycling of the slide between shots. We looked at each other in wide-eyed amazement! In fact, all ammunition tested remained subsonic and very quiet, except for the CCI Stinger rounds, which just barely went supersonic (1,138 fps) about 25 percent of the time, resulting in an audible, whip-like “crack” sound. I’d probably choose a slower load for suppressor operations, such as the impressive Browning BPR.
It’s no wonder that certain .22 LR pistols, including the Walther P22Q, are still employed in covert operations with a suppressor, as a superb, close-range weapon for very quietly removing enemy sentries or guard dogs. And, in the civilian world, it’s remarkably efficient for euthanizing very sick, rabid raccoons (I’ve had to do that once), or for quiet target practice without any noise complaints from the nearby neighbors. This great handgun is absolutely full of surprises!
American Conceal and Carry, LLC, recently concluded that, “The Walther P22 is a well-designed and user-friendly handgun, suitable for recreational shooting, training, and self-defense purposes. Its compact size, lightweight construction, and ergonomic features make it an ideal choice for shooters of all skill levels…Overall, the Walther P22 is a versatile and dependable handgun…a compact pistol for target practice at the range, or a reliable firearm for personal protection.”
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Warren Gray is a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer with experience in joint special operations and counterterrorism. He served in Europe (including four years in Germany) and the Middle East, earned Air Force and Navy parachutist wings, four college degrees, and was a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Intelligence Operations Specialist Course and the USAF Combat Targeting School. He is currently a published author, historian, recreational shooter, and hunter, who has owned two Walther pistols, formerly a PPK/S in .380 ACP, and currently a P22Q Tactical Military in .22 LR.
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