I went to the gun show a few times and my mind went blank when it came to choosing a gun. What kind of put me off was that some of the guns had a plastic feel to them. I haven’t seen a hand gun in about thirty years so I was expecting them to be all metal. When I picked up some of the guns, they felt so light that I put them down again thinking this doesn’t feel right.
The reduction in weight using a plastic frame is well worth it when doing concealed carry. What you want to look for is something that can be carried with a round in the firing chamber so it can be fired with just the pull of the trigger.
A revolver has six or seven or more firing chambers. It is designed to have a live round in each firing chamber and rotate the firing chambers to the firing pin location. A semi automatic has one firing chamber, but feeds rounds to that single firing chamber by firing, ejecting, then shucking another round intot he chamber.
If you have a pistol which can be carried with a round in the firing chamber which can be fired by merely pulling the trigger, you are milliseconds ahead when milliseconds count.
Additionally, learning to fire the first shot by pointing rather than aiming using the sights will make you a better defender of yourself.
I carried a .22lr semi-auto for years and practiced a lot, so I felt competent to make head shots (or bladder shots, which will also stop an attack very quickly) and a hot .22lr round is more than adeqaute to do the necessary work. However, as my eyes have gotten cloudier, I have upped my carry to a 9mm semi, with a 22magnum derringer revolver back up for very close range work.
I also carry extra magazines for the semi, since the 'flashmob' phenomenon is rising in America, though not yet in my region of the South. I'm an aging man, but I can shoot 9mm effectively since my grip is still strong and recoil of a 9mm is not a problem. My first shot will not be as fast or as accurate as when I was younger, so I want more mass going 'downrange'.
If you're thinking home defense, the 1911 .45acp is a hard pistol to beat, and the recoil of an all steel frame is surprisingly manageable. You can now purchase single action or double action .45acp pistols with thirteen round capacity in magazine and one int he firing chamber. I have one, a Taurus 45 OSS DS which is completely reliable and can be upgraded with a laser to help with 'pointing'.
If you're thinking of something to carry which will get the job done and you will actually carry it everyday, then I can say an SR22 is an excellent choice. But you should practice point-shooting especially with a lower caliber handgun. With a carry .22lr think penetration and muzzle energy ... the CCI Stinger is an excellent round for .22lr self defense pistols.