Who Says the .22 Doesn't Have Stopping Power

In my search for my first hand gun, I was generally directed away from .22 calibers. The reasoning is that a determine assailant would not be phased by the small caliber bullet. They are good for target practice.

As I thought about it - could a criminal honestly tell what caliber I had aimed at him? Wouldn't have a .22 pointed at an attacker be a lot better than being completely defenseless?

Here's an article about how .22 caliber revolver saved an elderly couple from being accosted:

While returning to their car after visiting a cemetery, an 82-year-old man and his 76-year-old wife were accosted by a man wearing a mask. The suspect drew an illegally possessed gun and ordered the couple to the ground. But his elderly targets were no easy victims. The husband, who has a concealed-carry permit, drew a .22 cal. revolver from his pocket. The suspect took cover behind a pine tree and both men opened fire. The husband's shots forced the suspect to retreat from the area. Police arrested the suspect and an alleged accomplice, aided b y a witness who described the getaway car as white with an "abnormally loud muffler."

Originally printed from Chronicle Independent, Camden, SC 12/17/10, transcribed from American Rifleman March 2011.