.22 hollowpoint Effectiveness

[Miguel Loco]

There are a few more uses for a fire arm other than self defense.....the 22LR hollow point has probably put as much food on the table as any other caliber I have. They are relatively inexpensive, ammo is very easy to carry and they have superb accuracy when set up correctly. I only need 1 self defense weapon......the rest serve other purposes. I wouldn't be without my 22's.

 

[Archie]

I think I'd rather not get shot with one.

If that is the sum total of your thinking and consideration... nope. Never mind.

 

[Archie]

There are a few more uses for a fire arm other than self defense.....the 22LR hollow point has probably put as much food on the table as any other caliber I have. They are relatively inexpensive, ammo is very easy to carry and they have superb accuracy when set up correctly. I only need 1 self defense weapon......the rest serve other purposes. I wouldn't be without my 22's.

Good point. And I wholeheartedly agree. Most firearms serve a purpose, and some do a particular purpose well. No firearm is superlative at everything. Which is one reason I have more than one.

 

[Miguel Loco]

Good point. And I wholeheartedly agree. Most firearms serve a purpose, and some do a particular purpose well. No firearm is superlative at everything. Which is one reason I have more than one.

Me too....and most importantly, that's what I tell my wife!!!

 

[Gone Hiking]

In my own experience, velocity is King with 22's, from my very unscientific shots at water filled Gatorade bottles...


...to live squirrels. CCI Stingers have proved to me to be the most damaging (this pic), with slower CCI rounds progressively less so. With Stingers, it's one shot, lights out, while Standard Velocity CCIs often require one or more anchor shots unless you hit their pea-sized brain.

 

[thunderbyrd]

when i was 14, my uncle, who was a real bad hothead, got killed by a single 22lr fired into the center of his chest from less than a foot away. he was butt-stroking the man who shot him with a shotgun. alcohol was involved. those who were there said my uncle fell down and died very quickly.

so i have always considered the 22lr to be a pretty lethal round. that said, if i was going to choose a bullet to shoot someone who was beating me with a shotgun, it wouldn't be a 22.

 

[mljdeckard]

I'm gonna come down with Frank on this one, word for word.

Any gun CAN stop someone with one shot, if the target is courteous enough to stand there and let you shove it up their nostril before you fire. In real life, there are NO guarantees. In Afghanistan we called an an A-10 air strike on some bad guys in a village. We watched one run away. We caught him in the next hut, he has a 30mm hole through his shoulder. NO GUARANTEES. But there are varying degrees of likelihood.

I have a .22 TCM. I got it because at the time, RIA was selling all of their 9mm pistols as "22 TCM that converts to 9mm." It's fun, big fireball, loud bang. It gets 2000 fps from a 5" barrel. It has roughly the same ENERGY as a 9mm, but the bullet has far less mass and diameter. If I had to use it defensively, I would use the exact same plan as if it were a .22 mag or a .22 LR I would dump as many of them center of mass as fast as possible.

 

[Ranger Rog]

I've had a lot of fun with .22 lr weapons......
Target shooting for the most part.......
Hands down is my 1890 Win WRF pump! Used it several times on AZ culling coyotes, very, very effective......

 

[Autodidactic]

Lots of misinformation and myths out there concerning .22 lethality.
What do you think?

Don't a lot of gel tests show that in .22 LR, for those HP's that expand, they often do not penetrate much, and those that don't expand or round nose, do penetrate sufficiently?

So, for example, many hollow points out of pistols will penetrate 12 inches and not expand, then out of a rifle the same round expands and goes like 8 inches. That's why many recommend simply round nose especially out of a rifle. It's much the same argument as .32 acp and many .380 hollow points.

 

[kje54]

Don't a lot of gel tests show that in .22 LR, for those HP's that expand, they often do not penetrate much, and those that don't expand or round nose, do penetrate sufficiently?

So, for example, many hollow points out of pistols will penetrate 12 inches and not expand, then out of a rifle the same round expands and goes like 8 inches. That's why many recommend simply round nose especially out of a rifle. It's much the same argument as .32 acp and many .380 hollow points.

View attachment 1026857

Everything comes into play, length of barrel, ambient temperature, elevation, humidity, type of ammo, etc. I'm not taking one side of the .22LR argument or another simply posting what Paul Harrell demonstrated and leaving it open for discussion. Given all the factors I stated previously someone doing the test at 5 - 6000 feet above sea level in the middle of winter during a snow storm would probably come up with different results. Or someone at 3000 ft above sea level in the high (dry) desert in the middle of the hot season. How much different is anyone's guess but I'm sure some have worked up theoretical models under laboratory conditions.
I've seen videos where people are getting little to no HP expansion with one manufacturers round then getting full expansion with a different make of ammo. The case Paul's making is that .22LR can be lethal but isn't (as some claim) the most lethal caliber made or the other side that claims .22LR isn't lethal in any self defense application.

 

[Autodidactic]

Everything comes into play, length of barrel, ambient temperature, elevation, humidity, type of ammo, etc. I'm not taking one side of the .22LR argument or another simply posting what Paul Harrell demonstrated and leaving it open for discussion. Given all the factors I stated previously someone doing the test at 5 - 6000 feet above sea level in the middle of winter during a snow storm would probably come up with different results. Or someone at 3000 ft above sea level in the high (dry) desert in the middle of the hot season. How much different is anyone's guess but I'm sure some have worked up theoretical models under laboratory conditions.
I've seen videos where people are getting little to no HP expansion with one manufacturers round then getting full expansion with a different make of ammo. The case Paul's making is that .22LR can be lethal but isn't (as some claim) the most lethal caliber made or the other side that claims .22LR isn't lethal in any self defense application.

I’m not sure your post addresses my point. The point I made is not whether hollow points open or not, it’s whether most .22 hp both expand AND penetrate sufficiently. I’m doubtful that changes significantly based on such factors you mentioned. Barrel length is a major factor. I have no doubt .22 Lr is lethal with proper placement. Yes different rounds expand reliably versus others.

 

[kje54]

I’m not sure your post addresses my point. The point I made is not whether hollow points open or not, it’s whether most .22 hp both expand AND penetrate sufficiently. I’m doubtful that changes significantly based on such factors you mentioned. Barrel length is a major factor. I have no doubt .22 Lr is lethal with proper placement. Yes different rounds expand reliably versus others.

Apparently I didn't understand your point. Sorry.
For me personally the smallest caliber I carry is Mac 9, the largest I carry is 7.62x25. Can .22HP expand and penetrate sufficiently? Don't really know and since I don't carry one I don't really care besides I'm not a ballistics guy. Maybe someone else who carries .22LR as a defensive weapon will chime in. My entire purpose in posting this thread was as an FYI primarily for those in either pro/anti .22LR defensive round camps.
Is the .22LR ideal? No of course not but if it's all ya got............

 

[CDW4ME]

.22LR can be lethal .

.22 Lr is lethal with proper placement.

Lethality is not important, the flu can be lethal but not is not quickly incapacitating upon initial infection.
ASAP incapacitation is important, the goal of hopefully stopping attacker(s) ASAP before they can inflict serious or fatal injury.
Of course, that goal doesn't change based on where we are standing (perceived good vs bad area).
As the chart shows, 22lr can penetrate 12'' or more but not with expansion. Not a caliber I'd want to bet my life on by choice.
ASAP incapacitation potential, not whether ultimately lethal; it does me no good if bullets fail to stop attackers before they can inflict fatal injury to me, but they die later.