Year over year, one of our most frequently asked questions at NRA Women is whether .22-caliber handguns make sense for self-defense. There's a great deal of science and debate that goes into the answer, but we can cut to the chase with a simple phrase: The .22 you have on you is always going to be better than the .45 you left at home. If anything in that previous sentence rings true for you and your personal circumstances, Walther Arms' new .22 Magnum Pistol is sure to be the one you're never going to want to leave at home.
Of course, because it's Walther we're talking about here, this handgun is a high-quality and attractive firearm with Walther's signature èlan. It's a premium shooting experience that includes Walther's patented ambidextrous reloading mechanism. Called the Quad due to its four total activation points, it's billed as the most versatile ambidextrous mag release ever created. But this gun isn't just a pretty plinker. The WMP was designed to optimize the tiny .22 for realistic self-defense.
As you’ll note from the article we quoted above, if you're defending yourself with a .22, shot placement is extremely important. That’s why the WMP ships with two optics adaptor plates so you can affix the reflex optic of your choice. (Of course, the gun also comes with a fiber-optic front sight and a serrated rear sight for out-of-the-box accuracy.) As you’ll further note from that article, if you’re going to rely on a rimfire pistol for self-defense, you should be prepared to fire follow-up shots. The WMP answers that need with a 15+1-round magazine capacity.
The WMP .22 Magnum is also optimized for CCW with an overall height of 5.66″ and total length of 8.2″. Weighing in at 27.8 oz. unloaded, it has a barrel length of 4.5" to squeeze every last ounce of performance from the .22.
Walther Vice President of Marketing and Product Development Jens Krogh had this to say about it: “The WMP puts Walther in a whole new Category, this pistol is a completely new Platform and is a game changer for us and our customers. We have worked tirelessly to create the most reliable and ergonomically correct .22 Magnum pistol ever made and it turned out perfect.” MSRP $549; WaltherArms.com
