22 magnum as a self defense round

[Dirty Bob]

Maybe we all be careful with "horror tales" of cartridge failures. What you hit is still a whole lot more important than what you hit it with when it comes to handgun calibres.

I can agree with your statement, in general terms, but if you could have a 9mm with JHPs or a .22, and you could shoot both equally well, which would you choose? I like to suggest that people carry the most effective cartridge they can shoot effectively and are willing to practice with. If that's .38 target ammo in a Model 10, or .380 in a Makarov, or .357 in a lightweight snubby, or .22Mag in a snubby, so be it. Do the best you can.

I find that the medium calibers -- 9mm and .38/.38+P -- can be mastered by the vast majority of people, and both can be very capable in good hands. If all I had available was a .22, then that's what I'd work with, but I prefer to try to stack the odds in my favor.

Regards,
Dirty Bob

 

[defiant73a]

While I don't own or carry a .22 Magnum, I'm not sure there are any firm "rules" (or "laws") when it comes to the effectiveness of handgun calibres (other than placement counts). Given good placement and adequate penetration, they'll work about equally well (but they're are many trade-offs between the various calibres).

 

[BADUNAME13]

I do NOT recomend a rimfire (Of ANY kind) for self defense. That said I carried a NAA .22 Mag before I was old enough to buy a REAL pistol.

Shameless plug: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=257869
The SA minirevolver is hard to cock (And can be dangerious under stress) at least this way you get off 2 shots...

 

[p35]

I've mentioned before the case I was involved in where a guy got shot in the hip with a .22 Mag from a Single Six- clipped both femoral arteries, ME said he probably lived about two minutes, but in that time he ran about 100 yards through heavy brush. Not really a stop in my book.

 

[runninmike]

My opinion is that a .22 wm is a fast effective round for it's intended purpose-small game. It shoots hard and fast, but from a handgun, it needs the longest bbl available to even begin getting into true .22 wm velocities.
Something that must be recognized is that even though it shoots fast and may penetrate well, it does not carry enough weight or width to do what we need a defensive cartridge to do with each shot-hopefully stop the attacker.
I have the long 9.5" ruger in this caliber, and it is excellent for causing gophers to literally pop in half, but this is not happens to larger game animals let alone a humans when hit with it. I would be wary to have to depend on it for defense, but I would if I absolutely had nothing larger. My SD calibers go from .38 +p thru .45 acp, and hopefully if it comes time to have to deliver, I will be looking down the sight of a shotty.
Best-MC

 

[rockstar.esq]

Stupid idea.

My faith in a CCW piece when it's caliber starts with a "4"..

I have a P32 that runs backup to my aforementioned piece mostly because it weighs so little that it's easy to bring along. As an added plus it gives me the option of arming my wife (non CCW holder) as well. At a bare minimum the 32ACP is a substantially superior round to the .22Mag but I'm really picking between turds here.

 

[mes228]

.22 Magnum

In my ignorant youth I killed one of the biggest whitetail deers I've ever killed with a Ruger Single Six .22 magnum. Absolutely bang, flop!! Dead on the spot.
The .22 magnum out penetrates .38 special easily. We had an old cast iron sign on the farm and I've shot it with several handguns. The only one that would penetrate it was the .22 magnum. I think they are very under rated. Wear hearing protection because they are painful and damaging to the ears in a hand gun.

 

[defiant73a]

As a rule, and as well illustrated in this thread, people tend to underestimate the .22 and overestimate their favourite calibre.

 

[BigG]

As a rule, and as well illustrated in this thread, people tend to underestimate the .22 and overestimate their favourite calibre.

Ditto - and although I never want to be shot at I would rather be shot at with a 45 auto than a 22 Magnum.

 

[DAVE RICHARDS]

The only reason for using the smaller calibers is if their is some sort of physical limitation that prevents someone from using a bigger caliber. A female friend has diminished hand strength from an injury. All she can shoot is a .22. Literally. So I got her a Ruger MKII. Loaede it with Stimgers and taught her to shoot with it. The best bet for her. 11 rounds of super hot .22lr fired from a very accurate gun that had a long barrel. Stictly a HD gun.
Most folks recommend nothing smaller than a .38/9mm and up. These calibers have loads which reliably expand and can penetrate deep enough to reach vitals. That's the most you can ask for from any handgun.

 

[Dirty Bob]

A female friend has diminished hand strength from an injury. All she can shoot is a .22

This, along with financial issues, are two reasons that I could see for choosing a .22. I wouldn't feel great about the choice, but if the woman mentioned above practices with the gun, she would be a formidable opponent for an attacker.

Regards,
Dirty Bob

 

[Koblenz]

I think the issue here is whether the .22 Mag is suitable for a small, highly concealable "mouse gun". Of course, a larger caliber would be preferable if you can conceal it, but in some cases a "mouse gun" is all that one can hide.

That being the case, the .22 Magnum is the better choice between .22 lr and .25 acp. It has the velocity to do serious damage with a head shot, which is where one should be aiming if armed with such a gun.

 

[Halo is for Kids]

22 Magnum from a North American Arms revolver with 1 1/8" barrel:

http://www.brassfetcher.com/NAAminiRevolver22Magnum.html

Shots were fired at 10" distance from the block - as such, impact velocities were not recorded.

Shot 1 - CCI Maxi-Mag HP +V 30gr, penetrated to 11.4". No expansion/deformation present.

Shot 2 - Winchester 40gr Semi-jacketed hollowpoint (part #X22MH), penetrated to 10.6". No expansion present.

Shot 3 - Winchester Supreme 34gr JHP (part #S22WM), penetrated to 11.0". Minimal expansion of copper jacket took place, no deformation of the lead inner core.

Shot 4 - Remington 40gr JHP (part # R22M1), penetrated to 9.0". No expansion present.

Shot 5 - CCI 40gr TMJ (FMJ bullet), thru penetrated the 16.0" block and was not recovered - estimated penetration depth was 12.5" plus some.

 

[doc2rn]

I tried one of those $500 S&W 451pd's in .22 Mag, and it was never accurate at 15yds. The other I tried was the Taurus 2" 9-shot, it would hold a good group but it was too heavy for anything other than OWB. Too bad it went from $4 box to $10 I really like it in my Ruger 77 MkII.

 

[Timthinker]

A .22 Magnum handgun with a barrel length exceeding 5 inches seems comparable to a "hot" .22 long rifle bullet fired from a carbine/rifle. The only real gain for the .22 Magnum handgun here is that it is a more compact package. Think about the matter in the following manner. Is a .22 long rifle carbine what I would want to depend upon for self-defense? If you sincerely believe this is "good enough" for your needs, then a .22 Magnum revolver with the barrel length I described will suffice. Personally, I would want something larger. I hope this presentation has been useful in your search.


Timthinker