10. FEDERAL PREMIUM PUNCH 22 LR

With CCW permit applications on the rise and gun sales skyrocketing, there are many new shooters who may not be comfortable with the muzzle rise and recoil of a large-caliber centerfire pistol. The .22 LR, by contrast, produces very mild recoil and is easy for new shooters to manage. There are many compact, easy-to-conceal .22 LR revolvers and pistols available, and these guns boast significantly higher capacities than centerfire counterparts. Lightweight, low-recoil .22 LR handguns have always been ideal for concealed carry, but were limited by a lack of effective self-defense ammunition. Until now.

Punch 22 LR from Federal Premium is a first-of-its-kind: a 29-grain nickel-plated lead-core bullet that is pushed at maximum velocities for deep penetration through short-barrel handguns. So, whether your customer wants to carry a .22 LR pistol as a backup gun, doesn’t feel comfortable with centerfire pistols, or simply wants to get more versatility from their rimfire, Punch makes the .22 LR cartridge a viable choice for the first time ever.

The bullet itself is a departure from standard .22 LR design. It features a flat nose and utilizes a heavy nickel-plated jacket around a lead core. So not only does it travel faster than competing 22 projectiles, but its design also deliberately minimizes expansion and retains weight to maintain sufficient straight-line penetration. That is a lot to ask from a .22 bullet, which is why other manufacturers have shied away from the challenge. But Federal’s engineering team pulled it off, giving America’s favorite cartridge a chance to prove itself for protection.

The cartridge delivers a maximum velocity of 1,070 fps when fired through a 2-inch-barrel handguns, 1,650 fps out of a 24-inch rifle barrel. The nickel-plated case helps ease extraction and provides corrosion resistance. SRP: $9.99, 50-count box. (federalpremium.com)