Well, it's true I was relying directly on what I was told - but both were a little more than a store "clerk".
The "logic" made sense to me. I was basically told this. First they both recommended shotguns as the best home defense. When I insisted on a pistol they both asked about my living situation, Did I have children, where they sleeping on the same floor etc. They asked how much I would practice shooting.
A 22 with hollow points holding lots of rounds was as close to a shotgun in pistol version. Use the spray and prey method.
Factor in the panic thing.
On the off chance a a round made it to one of the children it could only be a fragment of a small bullet and unlikely to do fatal damage.
I never suggested a 22 has much stopping power with a single round.
BTW - I bought the .357 that day.