22 LR Rounds for "Defense"

Status
Not open for further replies.
The 60gr Aguila SSS tumbles at 25 yards from my Savage. A friend of mine uses it in his AR conversion kit, and it seems to stabilize quite well in that rifle's 1-9" twist, but that is quite a bit different than a standard .22LR at 1-16".

A .22LR rifle for self-defense. I would load it "for serious" with Stingers or Velocitors or Mini-Mags. It would not have a scope on it, unless it was a red-dot or a 1x-4x. It would have Tech Sights - unless I put a red-dot on it. It would be a semi-auto that was proven reliable with one of the defense ammunition choices, and proven accurate enough for plinking at least with one of the cheaper bulk boxes, say Blazer or Federal Automatch.

I guess I would use a 10/22 (use/keep around a couple of 25rd mags, if legal where you are travelling) or a Marlin 60. Heck, just set one of those up as an LTR and you've got it.
 
I've shot lots of small to medium sized critters with 22 handguns. Nothing and I mean nothing puts the killing on things like SSS does. Its literally like you flip their off switch when you shoot an animal with these.

Out to a few yards (across the room range) they will shoot fairly stable in most revolvers but degrade quickly beyond that


I have two boxes in hand in case I need to use my 22 cadix on something alive.

posted via mobile device.
 
...Can't I just shorten that to nix on the .22LR for SD?
Click to expand...

If you want to, yes, but that wasn't the question. If he wants to open it up and say, "what do you do for defense in this kind of situation?" - then we have another question. But when he says, "I have this situation, and I'm going to take a .22 rifle so I can shoot with my grandkids when I visit, but still have a legal gun for SD when I travel. What ammo should I use for SD with my .22 rifle?" - it's probably not constructive to say "Don't." Much more constructive to talk about how to maximize it and make it work.
 
Best 22 LR for defence? whichever one you can get in bulk because you are going to need alot of them LOL Na stick to a 40gr non-expanding, the expanding ones don't penatrate deep enough for a human sized target. BTW most 40gr HPs don't expand in the real world but they do usualy yaw at about 5-7".
 
If you want to, yes, but that wasn't the question.
Click to expand...
Ah, we have a literalist--who may have a blindspot for smilies that look like this: ;) And for posts numbered "21."

My point (for those who missed it!) was that I'm not sure, given the imperfect situation of only being able to choose among .22LR rounds, how much our choice for SD should depend on whether the bullet tumbles at 25 yds.
 
If you are using .22 pistols as SD, make sure you aim for the head and eyes of the attacker. A .40 gr JHP will make a good hole right in the forehead
 
When at the famed Airport Inn near Rockford IL I once asked an officer what the laws were for travelers in the state. His reply was "You are on private property and can concealed carry if you are a guest." I never followed up on the written law and wonder if this was fact.
Click to expand...

Not hijacking but just to let IBEWBULL know, whoever told him that was WRONG in so many ways it's not funny. While in your hotel room, yes you can have your handgun in any manner you wish. The moment you step OUT of that room, you would be in violation of the state laws here. Private property doesn't mean a thing. We can't carry in our own front yards.
 
For my money, 22LR allows me faster, more accurate fire than, say, a 30-cal. Out of a rifle, it'll be fairly competitive in the 'deadly' department. How long it takes to get there is the question.

The only real disadvantage to 22LR as posed is that most shotguns are better at threat neutralization by virtue of being shotguns and are just as legal in most places.

I'd like to point out that the Mossad used 22LR quite successfully at that airport where hijackers tried to take the El Al jet.
 
I have have had excellent luck and performance with CCI Velocitors in every .22 I've tried them in. Ilike that it's a full weight 40 gr bullet and the accuracy & function has always been excellent in every gun I've used it in. I've also never had a dud in many thousands of rounds fired.

For a gun the new 10/22 take down would have a lot of appeal as it holds it's accuracy even if after being taken down and reassembled.

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-1022TD.htm

It also comes with a very nice low profile carry case with plenty of room for spare mags, ammo etc...

The 10/22 also allows the use of the excellent Ruger factory BX25 25 rd magazine for plenty of ammo capacity.

I'd also put a reddot type optic on any such weapon to allow precision shot placement and to gain some low light capability. I have an Eotech 512 on my 10/22 Ruger Charger and it works superb.

One other 10/22 offered through Talo distribution that would have alot of appeal is the folding stock itac version. It comes stock with a BX25 mag and can be fired with the stock folded plus it has provision to ad a weapon light on the front end of the stock.

http://www.ruger.com/products/1022DE/specSheets/1296.html
 
Last edited:
I'm going to add another vote for CCI Velocitors. I've seen some impressive videos of how well they mushroom. They would be my choice if I had to carry a .22lr.
 
22lr as my defensive round? I'd rather get myself a sword, truthfully. A 22 isn't a great defensive round. I recommended a melee weapon because your fear was overpenetration. Overpenetration should not be the defining reason why you picked a certain caliber. It's pretty much dictated by the laws of physics, that if something can kill a man, then it can break through a wall and kill a man, or break through several more walls.

http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/off-topic/31/college-student-kills-a-burglar-with-a-katana/262221/
 
Last edited:
If I had to use .22LR for defensive use I'd use Winchester Super Speed HP for the rifle and Winchester Super Speed round nose for a pistol. The CCI bullets are so fat and overly waxy I've had feeding problems with them. Winchesters feed smoothly and are still a step up from normal "high velocity" .22 ammo.

.22 LR hollow points at close range open up nicely and penetrate adequately when fired from a rifle. A pistol doesn't so much have the velocity it needs for hollow points (never seen one expand from a pistol) so I'd just go with solids to ensure enough penetration and better reliability as .22 pistols are very fickle.
 
stingers and a 10/22, they have the take down model. might be a good option for the situation you described. Also if you are wanting hi cap mags ruger also makes them now BX-25 picked 2 of them up today actually here they work just as good the ruger 10 rounder, which is flawlessly.
 
Freedom_fighter_in_IL

When at the famed Airport Inn near Rockford IL I once asked an officer what the laws were for travelers in the state. His reply was "You are on private property and can concealed carry if you are a guest." I never followed up on the written law and wonder if this was fact.
Click to expand...

Not hijacking but just to let IBEWBULL know, whoever told him that was WRONG in so many ways it's not funny. While in your hotel room, yes you can have your handgun in any manner you wish. The moment you step OUT of that room, you would be in violation of the state laws here. Private property doesn't mean a thing. We can't carry in our own front yards.
Click to expand...


Depends on where you live in the State because of Home Rule, but in general you can carry on your own front yard and a few other places, too. The cop at the Rockford airport was correct. The term abode was also recently expanded in your State.

720 ILCS 5/24-1 (a) A Person Commits the Offense of Unlawful Use of Weapons When He Knowingly:
(4) Carries or possesses in any vehicle or concealed on or about his person except when on his land or in his own abode, legal dwelling, or fixed place of business, or on the land or in the legal dwelling of another person as an invitee with that person's permission.
 
If there's a reason limiting the gun choice to a .22 rimfire, I missed it. If there is, then the new take-down 10-22 loaded with a Ruger 25 rd mag, stoked with CCI Mini Mag HP's.

A take down side by side shotgun is pretty good room defense, as is a folding Kel-Tec Sub Rifle. Both can be very discreetly carried to and from any motel room.
 
720 ILCS 5/24-1 (a) A Person Commits the Offense of Unlawful Use of Weapons When He Knowingly:
(4) Carries or possesses in any vehicle or concealed on or about his person except when on his land or in his own abode, legal dwelling, or fixed place of business, or on the land or in the legal dwelling of another person as an invitee with that person's permission
Click to expand...

Which does NOT include PUBLIC Hotels/Motels. Unless you were given direct permission from the owner of the Hotel/Motel. And if you get caught carrying on your front porch in Chicago and the surrounding burbs, good luck and get a good attorney. Southern Illinois is a bit more relaxed about it because of all us hunters and such. But you would have hell to pay if you stepped out armed, even on your own lawn, up around the burbs.
 
aguila interceptors are 40gr and have a muzzle velocity of 1480 fps, if you do the math its one of the highest kinetic energy 22LR rounds out there (something like 190 ft-lbs). Its higher than the mini-mags but about the same as the stingers, so it comes down to do want a 32gr or 40gr projectile.

never could find a gun that liked them particularly, though. Something like 2 inch groups at 50 yards was average with my nice rimfires.
 
Last edited:
Update From the OP - Thanks

Thanks everyone. This has been a very good thread. I am notorious for starting threads that go nowhere...unlike this one.

Thanks for all the good info. To recap, it's for a rifle...if I could carry a pistol it sure would not be a .22 LR. I am unaware of any state that differentiates between a .22 pistol and a centerfire one...and Illinios sure does not.

I am indeed looking at the 10/22 TD. I will, be using CCI products (Mini-Mag, Velocitors, Stingers) as well as a couple of others that seem to get high marks in this very helpful thread.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

J
  • Locked
Sectional density - help me understand
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
John#2
J
9
  • Locked
Best or cheapest place to Buy Marlin 60 .22 lr
Replies
13
Views
5K
TheGrimReaper
T
R
  • Locked
10/22 Takedown Stock
Replies
2
Views
369
Skylerbone
Skylerbone
S
  • Locked
22 LR Vs 17 HM2, 17 HMR, 22 Mag...
2 3
Replies
68
Views
24K
jrdolall
J
C
  • Locked
.22 LR Butt Stock Sleeve?
Replies
3
Views
935
tubeshooter
T
Back
Top