Army strategists were looking for a weapon that could be mass-produced quickly for use by insurgents against the Axis powers by underground forces throughout the world.
A .22 LR may not be ideal for self-defense against humans, but it’s certainly much better than a rock, a stick, or any other makeshift tool that you may pick up in the forest.
he most common caliber for self-defense pistols is currently 9mm Luger, which is large enough to be reasonably effective, and small enough that the recoil isn’t a major problem.