especially with optics, the answer for foraging small game,when carrying a .30 rifle. If you also have a real sidearm, and if the .22 is silenced, that is certainly an improvent over having no such foraging ability, or the silly single shot .32 ACP caliber converters, or the .22 lr converters for shotguns, or bulky,heavy squib loads for the .30 rifle
However, a scoped, silenced .22 rifle, (which the .22 conversion for the AR IS,ya know) is far more effective at both inflictiing casulties on the enemy, braining deer and livestock, and at taking game at dusk or dawn (which IS when you see most of it)
I DO agree with having a silenced .22 pistol for shtf,but I want it to be an 8" OAL package, 14oz M21 Beretta, with better sights, etc, not a 12", 40oz Ruger. 22 and can. The .22 unit for the AR weighs about 12 ozs. So it, spare mag, AND M21 and spare mag,weigh less than the Ruger, and offer ccw fast draw option,which the big .22 does not. This can matter,when the rifle is taken down and hidden in the backpack. The addition of a 15oz, pocket 9mm completes the armament package for shtf. It's worth1 1/4 lb to me (2 loaded mags) to have SURPRISE ccw stopping power, but it's not worth 5 lbs of openly worn .45, ammo, holster, and mags
When everyone else is carrying an assault rifle, your uses for a pistol BETTER be 90+% handled by the M21. If they are not, you are screwing up too much, and only luck will save you. That being true, 15 rds of centerfire pistol ammo will take you a long ways. A mere barrel swap lets your 356 tsw use 9x19 Luger ammo, so why not have some real POWER, and AP capability in your sidearm, at least for the first 2 magsful, hmm?
