Any gun is better than no gun...
That said, there are so many good compact defensive caliber (380, 9mm, 38SPL/357, 45, etc) guns available today, there is little reason to be using a .22 for defensive use. Not “no reason”, but little reason.
Some reasoning:
1) .22 is probably the least reliable, most likely to misfire, between rimfire and centerfire cartridges. Reliability would be my biggest issue.
2) Stopping power. Even after lethal hits, a threat may not be ‘stopped’ and may continue to attack not acknowledging he is minutes away from being a ghost. Larger caliber is more likely to address a threats forward “momentum”
Agree. I will stick with my Ruger LCPs. No need to change.
Larger caliber is more likely to address a threats forward “momentum”
Said another way: go big or go home.