22 auto-loader as defense weapon

[Oregongundude]

I would take my .40 S&W over a 22 anyday.

I think if you have a 22 and that's all fine go for it. However, if that women would have shot that man in the mouth with a .40 S&W he wouldn't have any teeth left and would more than likely be dead right there, the man who died in the front yard wouldn't have made out of the bedroom before dropping dead. I believe in the theory that the biggest Caliber wins in most cases. Now the same results would have been acheived with a .45 acp, 357 magnum as well.

let's get a reality check here folks. Yes a .22 can kill, but would you bet your life on it? I guess that the question you have to ask yourself.

Recommendations regarding handgun ammunition for self defense follow:


.22 LR (Long Rifle) Caliber:
One Shot Stopping Success: 21-34% (Actual)
Self Defense Rating: Poor
Recommended Cartridges:


CCI "Stinger" LHP 32 grains 34%
Federal LHP 38 grains 30%
Winchester LHP 37 grains 29%
Remington LHP 36 grains 27%

In a perfect world, the intended victim would be relying on a caliber larger than the .22 for self defense. In such a perfect world, why would one need to defend themselves in the first place? Consider the .22 to be an imperfect solution to a real world necessity, or put differently "something is better than nothing". The diminutive .22 makes sense with citizens reluctant to pack or carry a larger caliber handgun. Some fine .22 caliber pocket autoloaders exist, and 8- to 10-shot .22 caliber revolvers are extremely fun to shoot. Use .22 LR ammunition only.

Or would you choose something like this?

40 Smith & Wesson Caliber:
One Shot Stopping Success: 71-96% (Actual)
Self Defense Rating: Best
Recommended Cartridges:

Cor-Bon "Nosler" JHP 135 grains 96%
Federal JHP 155 grains 94%
Remington "Golden Saber" JHP 165 grains 94%
Federal "Hydra-Shok" JHP 155 grains 93%
Cor-Bon JHP 150 grains 92%
Winchester "Silvertip" JHP 155 grains 91%
Federal "Hydra-Shok" JHP 180 grains 89%
Cor-Bon +P JHP 180 grains 86%


I guess I would choose the .40 S&W over the .22 myself. But to each there own.

 

[keystone hog hunter]

22s

a old friend of mine who had wandered quite a bit ...a22 in the eye beets a 9mm in the chest.... they all work.. some are just messer than others....and you are the most important part..

 

[keystone hog hunter]

ps dosent the s&w in 40 s&w stand for short and weak...45, 44, the rest are just trying to catch up..

 

[gezzer]

.22 beats any other caliber that you do not have right then when it is needed.

Best choice No but read above over again.

 

[RedAlert]

AJAX22

Thank-you, that was the gun I was referring to.

RDF

 

[moewadle]

Remington .22 Yellow Jackets

Can any of you more experienced shooters tell me what the most powerful .22 Long Rifle cartridge would be. Would it be the Remington Yellow Jacket? What are the ballistics on these compared to a 38 grain 22 LR hollow point? How much more damage to, say a wood chuck, or a human chest, would they do compared to a "standard" 22 LR? Thanks.

 

[moewadle]

So, one more thought. If you have to use a .22 LR and you have to use a rifle for home defense than perhaps get a 10/22 in the short version and fill the magazine with as powerful a cartridge as you can get.

 

[Geronimo45]

Lots of high-velocity 22 rounds. I've used the CCI stinger, did a one-shot stop on a sparrow (sort-of. The thing flew away, then dropped dead twenty few feet later). Sometimes the high-V stuff is cheaper than the CBs.
The American 180... on my list of Class III guns, behind the Tommy Gun.
I have an old 22 Marlin autoloader. It sometimes messes up when in rapid fire, but newer models may work better. Don't get a bolt-action 22 for self defense if you can help it. Levers aren't too bad.
Pistol-caliber carbines - if you're getting a lever action, I heard that the .357 carbines are best. Minimal kick for the power they provide.
I guess I'd better say what everybody knows and will say before long.
The 12 gauge pump action is just a little pricier than a 22 autoloader, and probably has more power in one pull of the trigger than a semi-automatic 22 does in most of its magazine.

 

[MartinBrody]

Is the 22 auto-loader rifle the perfect defense weapon? No. But it is nothing to sneeze at, especially when the shooter has practised to shoot quickly and accurately.

Well said, this pretty much sums it up perfectly. They may also have some advantages. They are quiter indoors than most guns (although in most self defense shootings this isn't really a factor). I also think they can be intimidating b/c of how quickly you can fire accurately. People at the range often stop and look when I am shooting my Walther G22 thinking it is full auto b/c of how quickly I can fire 10 rounds. Then the final advantage, after firing as fast as I can pull the trigger I see nothing but head shots from 15 yards when I check the target.

 

[T.R.]

Correction: It was not the dark side of town. It was the side of town with steel barred windows to keep honesty-challenged intruders from entering.

Correction: The men were not colored. Their features had the absence of Caucasian resemblance.

Correction: These men were not minorities as most of Detroit and Wayne County contains this predominant group.

Of course, someone will read this and still be offended. All I can say is this: move downtown Detroit so that your family can experience multi-ethnic culturalism. You'll be glad you did!
TR

 

[Ben Shepherd]

A close friend of mine related this experience:

He was sitting up about 3 in the morning reclined in his lazy-boy. He had just had major back surgery and couldn't sleep. The surgery was major enough that walking was out, all he could do was crawl at this point.

His house is laid out like a capital L so that the front room is the horizontal leg, the rest of the house is the vertical leg. The front door opens into the front room.

So here he sits and the motion lights turn on. Then he sees the door handle being tried. His wife and four kids are asleep down the hall. So he crawls down the hall grabs the only gun he can get quickly(a 10-22), and crawls back down the hall. This causes enough pain he almost passed out. As he's doing this whoever is trying the door is getting rougher and rougher trying to get the door open. He sets up prone in the corner of the "L" shape with the gun pointed at the door, between his family and the door. He then yells for his wife to dial 911.

He then hears footsteps running away down the driveway.

He told me that the only thought in his head was how little actual firepower he had. (he's a very experienced hunter, and understands bullet preformance and power levels quite well).

As we teach in CCW class: 22lr is a good killer, just a piss-poor stopper. And there IS a big difference between the two.

 

[aspen1964]

A 22lr works fine...shoot again and again until the threat drops...eveyone gets stuck on one shot theories...heck I got a whole magazine full at my disposal!

 

[borrowedtime69]

.22 LR & SD

the best, most reliable, hard hitting ammo i know of would be CCI Velocitor.

40 grain semi-hollowpoint: holds together for maximum energy transfer and penitration

CCI has the best record of reliable primer ignition

Hyper Velocity round out of a rifle, handgun speeds, from what ive gathered can range from 1,000 fps - 12,000 fps

if you had a Ruger 10-22 with a 25 round mag of these velocitors i think it might do the trick. now, having said that, i do have a mossy persuader 20 ga loaded with 000 buck. but if i couldnt afford that, i would be relying on my 10-22 and 22/45 handgun as my Home defense.

 

[DRMMR02]

A 22lr works fine...shoot again and again until the threat drops...eveyone gets stuck on one shot theories...heck I got a whole magazine full at my dispos

I am inclined to agree. If I had a BG coming at me and only had my Walther P22, I wouldn't stop with one shot. I would put at least 4 in the chest before pausing to see if he's still standing.

A .22 in hand is better than a .45 out of reach.

 

[roscoe]

Yes - one definite advantage is lack of recoil. Keep the sights on target and unload. For ammo I would recommend the Aguila Subsonic 60-grain loads. they penetrate like crazy. A lot of sectional density there. Plus, they easily cycle semi-autos. They are a shorter-range cartridge because they are moving a bit slower, but they sure do penetrate.