[pax]

People who start on a .22 often develop sloppy, lazy habits for how they hold the gun and how they (don't) control recoil. Without truly good grip instruction (which is rare at beginning levels), these people can take their lazy, not-firm hand position and really hurt their hands by holding the larger calibers loosely, without good control. This makes them more likely to not want to move up, or to quit the larger caliber before it seems they've even given it a real try.

(By the way, for counter balance: People who start with larger calibers -- most notably, but not only, the .40 -- often develop a lasting flinch pattern that takes serious work to eradicate.)

There are other reasons to not want to move up from the .22, including poor hearing protection or an exaggerated understanding of what recoil feels / will feel like. Lots of people psych themselves into fearing recoil, who would not be bothered at all if they had someone intro it to them in a matter-of-fact, no-big-deal kind of way. (And plenty of people do have that helpful friend, and fear it anyway, mostly from lack of trust or understanding; I'm not blaming helpful friends here.)

Some people have low tolerance for recoil for the same reason that some people show up to the dojo once and then never work out again -- they're (for lack of a better word) kind of wimpy. These folks may need to be eased into it, but that assumes a level of willingness that may not be present in the first place. Some can be challenged or mock-insulted into it, but that's a tricky dynamic that very much depends on the relationship between that person and their helpful friend.

Tricky dynamic to work around in any case.

And no -- in the absence of strong, physical reasons otherwise, the .22 caliber is not ideal for self defense. There are exceptions.

pax

"There is no exception to the rule that everyone wants to be an exception to the rule." -- George Osner