.22 Mag revolver for defense?

[38snapcaps]

In the latest issue of Combat Handguns there is a quite positive article about the S&W Airlite .22 Mag snubnose.

It seems to me to be an impressive piece and the author thinks it would do fine for defense work for someone that doesn't like hard recoil.

What do you think?

 

[ChristopherG]

That gun is the LONG-delayed brainchild of Bill Jordan, revolver great and author of "No Second Place" (good book in which he actually discusses the idea of an airweight 22 mag and the technical hurdles to be overcome in its production).

As a close-in SD gun for someone unable to step up to a .38, I think it makes good sense. The other option, of course, is the 432 (I think that's the number), a 6-shot airweight in .32 mag--probably preferable ballistically, but harder to feed if you don't reload.

 

[Pistol Toter]

Years ago I bought a .22 mag rifle to hunt with, small game rabbits, squirrel and the likes. I found it to be too much; it destroyed far too much of the game, especially with a hollow point. I did shoot fox squirrel in the swampy area of South Georgia and did OK with head shots. Now, saying all that, I personally would not carry .22 mag as a primary SD weapon, maybe a backup but there are many other offerings in better calibres in compact sizes. Just my 2 cents. I wouldn't. Regards Pistol Toter

 

[R.H. Lee]

I never understood the purpose of the .22 mag. It's expensive, non reloadable, and LOUD. Why not just use a major caliber like .38/.357, 9mm, .40, .45, etc.?

 

[pauli]

recoil, size.

 

[News Shooter]

Speaking of small -Anyone familiar with Taurus .17?

Just curious if anyone has experience with them and how they would work for self defense. Thanks

 

[Moonclip]

I'm not a huge fan of 22mag either but I think it has a place for certain hunting applications, I have NAA mini revolvers in 22mag too but I bet there is no ballistic advantage of that over 22lr in a 1-2" barrel.

I like the idea of a 22mag revolver over a 22lr rifle for walking around in the woods. You are probably getting 22lr rifle ballistics out of a handy to tote package.

 

[mbartel]

If you are ever threatened by a homicidal rodent, I guess the .17 handgun might do the job for defense, but if the threat gets bigger than that, i would suggest the cartridge power goes up accordingly.

 

[pauli]

Speaking of small -Anyone familiar with Taurus .17? Just curious if anyone has experience with them and how they would work for self defense.

there's a line from baldur's gate 2 that i think is somewhat appropo here:

go for the eyes, boo, go for the eyes!

 

[Jim K]

It's sort of funny that everyone denounces the .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .25 ACP as utterly useless for self defense and incapable of doing any harm. Supposedly, anyone shot with any of these calibers, and .32 as well, has to be told about it because he would otherwise not notice. I have also read several macho versions of the "if you shoot me with that and I find out" statement.

I have offered to run tests to prove how harmless these calibers are, and have asked for volunteers to be shot with them. After all, if the damage is less than a mosquito bite, no one should care, right?

Strange, but I have had no takers.

Jim

 

[Moonclip]

It's not that they won't cause damage or death, but the fact that they don't have much power to reliably stop a homicidal attacker in a quick manner, not that any handgun does,but I like any edge I can get.

 

[P95Carry]

I keep as one of my BUG's an NAA Mini in 22 WMR - it is a great lil' gun but - oh my - rimfire is so unreliable!

From an effectiveness POV it is still a useful round tho it will probably not halt a BG in his tracks! However, I am concerned with any rimfire that it will go bang every time - for me the failure rate is too great to regard as totally reliable.

If my mini fails on one shot then it does not take long to crank another round into place but - centerfire is way better - from most angles.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I have offered to run tests to prove how harmless these calibers are, and have asked for volunteers to be shot with them. After all, if the damage is less than a mosquito bite, no one should care, right?

Strange, but I have had no takers.

I have offered to run tests to prove how effective these calibers are, and have asked for volunteers to shoot it out with men armed with .45s and .357s, or hopped up on PCP and armed with a machete. After all, if they are ideal for defense, they should stop these guys, right?

Strange, but I have had no takers.

 

[Skofnung]

My late fater, who was no slouch when it came to guns, carried a NAA Mini or a Hi-Standard 2 shot DA Derringer as "always" guns, when he couldn't carry his Colt. He always told me that he would rather have a .22 Magnum than a .32acp... Funny, I believed him, and still do to this day, though my deep concealment piece is now a P3AT.

Those short barreled .22 Magnums are freakin LOUD! I don't think I have ever fired another gun that had the same effect on my unprotected ears as that NAA Mini. Point gun at snake... trigger squeeze... BEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! I didn't even hear the pop! Just BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! My ears didn't stop ringing until the next morning.

I think a 4" .22 Magnum revolver would be a great gun for folks with arthritis or weak hands. Just make sure they have good ear protection or they are apt to develop a bad flinch.

+1 on .22 Magnum being too much for most small game. I had a buddy back in HS that insisted on bringing his .22 Mag (rifle) on a squirrel hunt against all the older fella's advice. He only brought back three tree rats, but they were all torn up badly. There was a kid that was using a 12 gauge with light loads that did not tear them up as badly.

For long range, larger rabbits, or coyotes, it seems perfect.

 

[SwampWolf]

My youngest daughter is very recoil "sensitive" and, when she was living alone in Toledo, OH., I gave her a little Taurus nine shot, snub-nose .22 Mag. for personal protection. I've taken her to the range on occasion for practice and she does much better with the .22 than any .38. I debated between the .22 Mag. and a .32 J frame but went with the Taurus based on the extra four shots. She is now married and lives with her husband in N.C. but I've always been glad for the peace of mind the little Taurus gave her (and me!) while she was living by herself, a long way from home. By the way, she still has that revolver and is teaching her new husband how to use it.

 

[Sunray]

"...a quite positive article..." Don't believe what you read in the gun rags. Any of 'em. The hacks get all kinds of perks just for being gun rag hacks.
A .22 mag. is better than nothing, but the ammo is expensive and a 40 grain bullet, unless exactly placed in an eye or the carotid artery, will not quickly end a bad situation. Mind you, a poorly placed .45ACP 230 grain HP won't either.

 

[Jim March]

By far the best 22mag self defense loads for short-barreled guns are the CCI MaxiMag +V and +V/TNT. These go like a bat out o' Hades, they're only 30grainers but CCI set them up for performance in short tubes. NAA and others have clocked them at over 1,200fps from a 2" barrel. The energy levels are WAY over the 22LRs from the same tubes.

The original formula has a smaller JHP cavity and should penetrate deeper on a skull shot. The new "TNT" uses a deeper and more advanced JHP design. I doubt it'll matter that much.

CCI rimfire ignition on these is excellent...I haven't seen one not go boom across three 22Mags I've owned.

 

[Jeff Timm]

ChristopherG opined: "That gun is the LONG-delayed brainchild of Bill Jordan, revolver great and author of "No Second Place" (good book in which he actually discusses the idea of an airweight 22 mag and the technical hurdles to be overcome in its production)."

Actually the old S&W 651 was closest to Jordans desire. J-frame, 6 shot .22 Magnum with a 3" barrel and fixed sights.

Geoff
Who saw one once at a Gun Show, but I didn't have the money they were asking...$1200!

 

[Double Naught Spy]

The .22 lr, .22 WMR, .25 acp, .32 acp, .38, etc. are fine rounds for self defense if you are unable to handle/control anything larger as obviously if you can't control anything larger, then you won't be using it for self defense. However, none of the calibers and loads are ideal for self defense and do not seem to perform nearly as well as larger and more powerful calibers.

It's sort of funny that everyone denounces the .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .25 ACP as utterly useless for self defense and incapable of doing any harm.

I have offered to run tests to prove how harmless these calibers are, and have asked for volunteers to be shot with them. After all, if the damage is less than a mosquito bite, no one should care, right?

Strange, but I have had no takers.

Let's see, I don't see people saying the calibers are useless, only that they are far from ideal. I have never seen a post where people claim the calibers are incapable of doing harm. As for nobody accepting your challenge to be shot, don't be silly as your logic is horribly flawed. Just because nobody wants to be shot with those calibers does it mean that the calibers any more dangerous than the detractors feel. It just means they don't want to be shot. I am very confident that you won't be able to kill me or do serious harm to me with my 1960s vintage Daisy Red Rider BB gun from 50 feet, but I sure as hell am not going to stand there and let you shoot me with it. I have been shot with it before and while it may not kill me or do serious harm, it is far from a pleasant experience.

 

[GEM]

The NAA 22 mag minis are loud. I shot one in a range between the lane dividers and I thought that I blew up. I slammed my eyes shut as I felt the blast under my glasses!!

I might carry the mini as a bug or as a snake gun. However, if I'm carrying a J frame size gun, there are milder loaders for the recoil shy.

I had a SW 317 and it had a really crappy trigger. I just wanted a 22 plinker so I ditched it.

Obviously, they are better than no gun but unless you were very recoil shy, like with hand problems of some sort, there are better J frame choices.