Lethality and effectveness are two very different things,
22 magnum for defense in a revolver
- Thread starter 357smallbore
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Totally agree but if you train with what you have you can be effective.
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357smallbore
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One only needs to watch the video of president Reagan assassination attempt. 5 shots from a little short barrel .22, and president Reagan was shoved into the limo and taken to the hospital with life threatening injury from a ricochet, 3 big men down. Brady suffered permanent brain damage. I think anyone watching that may want to think again about this round being a fight stopper in a situation where all you want is to stop the threat. If what is seen there is any indication it is far far better than harsh words. Out of the 4 people hit with the 5 shots fired, all were down. Best choice? Likely not. But keeping it in perspective, and with the sole purpose of self defense, instead of apprehending bad guys for a living, don't underestimate the .22 lr , 22 WMR or the 32 acp. The internet tends to be an echo chamber of popular thought, not of critical thinking.
Secret Service Agents will take a President under fire down very quickly
dickydalton
Member
I have a model 51 S&W in 22 Mag and it's a fun shooter and only 6 shots.
In reference to the Reagan assassination attempt, the 22lr snubbie itself put the "3 big men down".
Several very professional folks think the SW or Ruger 22 mag snubbies make fine going to the mail box, mowing the lawn or BUGs. Not EDC primaries though.
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/what-about-the-22-magnum
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/22-magnum-is-pretty-good/
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/what-about-the-22-magnum
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/22-magnum-is-pretty-good/
GeoDudeFlorida
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Your profile says you’re in South Dakota; is that where you will be camping/fishing? If so, I think a 4” .22WMRF is a good choice so long as you can hit a beer can in-flight at least twice before it hits you. Animals are fast and agile. Don’t try to apply static-target statistics to the purely chaotic circumstances of big cat deciding you are an interesting new play-toy.
Practice point-shooting with your .22 and if you do good then by all means, take it with you into the camp. Best advice I can give.
https://media1.tenor.com/images/8a2633c6f9a206eac66aedaba021f8d4/tenor.gif?itemid=5487747
I am close personal friends with 2 unrelated guys that run hounds for lions, some years back I had a FFL and coincidentally both of them asked me to get them a Taurus 941 with I believe 1 7/8" barrels, I incredulously asked each why to which they both replied "put one in the lungs and a lion is done", those words from experienced lion killers - That said, a lung shot could be difficult in the event of a front on attack but then lions are not known for that tactic either - If it's all I had it would be what I used for sure, 45 grain or heavier and probably not a hollow point - If a person found himself under attack by a lion and still conscious, a short barreled 22 mag in the chest holster might be a lifesaver - FGS ! don't do that with a bear though
Armored farmer
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I am a long-time fan of .22mag. My Single-Sixes have been camping/ woods bumming more than any other gun I own. They are or have been my primary barnyard pest management guns for decades. However, my part of the world is about as domesticated as a neutered house cat.
I am ok with 22magnum around here. I dont take a .22magnum as primary defensive gun when I am away from my area.
I am ok with 22magnum around here. I dont take a .22magnum as primary defensive gun when I am away from my area.
Risky buisness
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22 mag as a defensive hand gun..... if I was old and frail with bad arthritic wrists, recoil sensitive, or it was the only option avaliable to me for whatever unknown circumstances, then I guess any firearm is better than none. The annotation of snubby. 22s being so deadly or such a terrific fight stopper in my opinion is ridiculous, as is the idea of brandishing any hand gun to potentially stop some aggression.
Handguns are underpowered generally and even the hottest loadings in the popular carry guns have numerous failures to stop a determined aggressor. They are simply easier than carrying a rifle of which usually has sufficient power to one stop shop some would be thug or reticent beast. Which makes using one of the highest power level with appropriate ammunition carry guns, again, in my opinion the sensible option.
Handguns are underpowered generally and even the hottest loadings in the popular carry guns have numerous failures to stop a determined aggressor. They are simply easier than carrying a rifle of which usually has sufficient power to one stop shop some would be thug or reticent beast. Which makes using one of the highest power level with appropriate ammunition carry guns, again, in my opinion the sensible option.
pairof44sp
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Been wondering why they don’t do an S333 Thunderstruck Mountain Gun with a three inch ported barrel and Hogue Grips.
You could do worse than two 22 mag rounds out of a three inch barrel. Not very much worse, but still, worse
Llew Taranau
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Varmint, yes.
Apex Predators, no.
YMMV.
Apex Predators, no.
YMMV.
This has been carried in a front pocket a lot of miles, it's just so easy to conceal when you are running around in 90 degree heat with nothing but jeans and a t-shirt. I made the little holder to keep it cleaner and make so it wouldn't print so much. Yes, there are better options, but anything bats the larger gun you left at home. It's perfectly adequate at up close get them off of you distance. More powerful than some folks think.
There is your answer, lots of people use them , good guys & bad guys, I myself survived a 22 LR HP but was lucky.
The main issue the thread seems to ask is about STOPPING POWER, how fast will it stop a charging animal, or a home invasion
type situation. Perhaps [ms6852] may have some info on this, maybe not.
My wife is older now & used to use a 40mm then a 9mm now a 22lr, age & condition makes this difference, but we are seldom apart
so perhaps I carry or can grab more STOPPING POWER even out in our own property we have large black bear sows which can
& do get aggressive at times with, a 357 fired in the ground has turned one back but can't depend on that being the case every time
because the cub ran past her & the sow follow followed it = reluctantly.
Her main concern is moving up to a 22 magnum which might help STOPPING POWER, then will it stop a home invasion guy before he fires back
or enough to repel a bear or dog or werewolf.
She wants to know about the Kel-Tec 22mag that holds so many rounds, if it is reliable without malfunction, wouldn't that be a better option?
We were leaning that way to look up info on it before all this hording started.
.
ECVMatt
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I like to take my SS on camping trips because it if fun to shoot and accurate. It is nice to drop in the .22 mag cylinder at the end of the day and have a decently powerful gun for protection. I also like to take it on my put/put motorcycle trips through the desert where space is limited. It is definitely not a .357 mag, but a step up from the .22LR. If I have real concerns for my safety, I would bring a bigger gun.
Really I am lusting for a Single Seven in .327. That would check more of the boxes and still leave me with a relatively small gun for the kit.
Really I am lusting for a Single Seven in .327. That would check more of the boxes and still leave me with a relatively small gun for the kit.
I love hiking and being in the back country and depending where one goes hiking or camping it is always wise to choose a firearm such as a handgun or rifle that is appropriate for what one may want to protect themselves from. If you happen to be in country that is abundant with black bear than it would be wise to choose a caliber that will be effective for black bear, but also know that what is effective for black bear may not be effective for brown or grizzly bear.
When I read about some one asking what caliber handgun is best for bear defense I wonder if that individual asking really knows that just because there are handguns powerful enough to kill bear that a handgun may not be the best route to take. Reason I make that comment is that many do not realize that the recoil from said caliber may render the handgun useless because you may miss a charging bear, and the main cause is recoil. If one does not practice shooting such a powerful handgun until they are competent and familiar with it, that powerful handgun becomes just as ineffective as a smaller caliber.
@ACES&8S when it comes to home invasions most people do not realize how fast things happens. It takes a split second to kick a door open and it may take you or me a matter of seconds for the brain to register what has happened. By the time you realize and act it may be too late. I personally like to carry a small handgun when I am home. It will be a NAA loaded with 22 mag or the 22lr 60gr SSS . If not that I carry a 911 in .380. These guns are what I like to call my pajama guns or lounge wear guns. They are always on my person, and because I have a gun with me always, I stand a better chance of thwarting the threat and surprising the home invaders instead of them me, which they still will. Carrying such small guns is comfortable and it is meant to give me a fighting chance to get to my larger caliber HD handguns or shotgun.
I have the Kel-tec PMR 30 and it is a great handgun and on occasion when I am dressed with very light clothes in the summer I carry it instead of my .357. But you should know that at the beginning it had its reliability issues and eventually I worked out the kinks, like shooting every single brand of 22 wmr to find out what it liked and performed best. Also I made it a point to only load the magazines with 25 rounds instead of 30, this helped to lessen feeding issues. Now after breaking it in and only use 40 grain cci or aguila rounds it runs flawlessly. I have other brands that it does not like but still load the magazines with about 4 or 5 rounds randomly at the range, which this helps me train and practice with misfires. Training and practicing is the only thing that will make you more effective with what ever caliber handgun you decide to shoot. You have to commit to the time it takes to train. Not shooting frequently diminishes your skills, which is why I shoot and practice a lot with rimfire ammo, it is cheap on the wallet.
When I read about some one asking what caliber handgun is best for bear defense I wonder if that individual asking really knows that just because there are handguns powerful enough to kill bear that a handgun may not be the best route to take. Reason I make that comment is that many do not realize that the recoil from said caliber may render the handgun useless because you may miss a charging bear, and the main cause is recoil. If one does not practice shooting such a powerful handgun until they are competent and familiar with it, that powerful handgun becomes just as ineffective as a smaller caliber.
@ACES&8S when it comes to home invasions most people do not realize how fast things happens. It takes a split second to kick a door open and it may take you or me a matter of seconds for the brain to register what has happened. By the time you realize and act it may be too late. I personally like to carry a small handgun when I am home. It will be a NAA loaded with 22 mag or the 22lr 60gr SSS . If not that I carry a 911 in .380. These guns are what I like to call my pajama guns or lounge wear guns. They are always on my person, and because I have a gun with me always, I stand a better chance of thwarting the threat and surprising the home invaders instead of them me, which they still will. Carrying such small guns is comfortable and it is meant to give me a fighting chance to get to my larger caliber HD handguns or shotgun.
I have the Kel-tec PMR 30 and it is a great handgun and on occasion when I am dressed with very light clothes in the summer I carry it instead of my .357. But you should know that at the beginning it had its reliability issues and eventually I worked out the kinks, like shooting every single brand of 22 wmr to find out what it liked and performed best. Also I made it a point to only load the magazines with 25 rounds instead of 30, this helped to lessen feeding issues. Now after breaking it in and only use 40 grain cci or aguila rounds it runs flawlessly. I have other brands that it does not like but still load the magazines with about 4 or 5 rounds randomly at the range, which this helps me train and practice with misfires. Training and practicing is the only thing that will make you more effective with what ever caliber handgun you decide to shoot. You have to commit to the time it takes to train. Not shooting frequently diminishes your skills, which is why I shoot and practice a lot with rimfire ammo, it is cheap on the wallet.
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reloaded_in_pa
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Never under estimate the 22 mag. I wouldn't want to meet an angry grizzly with only that but it can stop most 2 & 4 legged critters.
herrwalther
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22 magnum is better than a stick. How much better is determined how much you practice with the stick and the round.
Choosing a caliber is always a compromise. Very few people have the discipline to carry a double stack 9mm that weighs a few pounds everyday. A 22magnum is remarkably small, especially in the NAA models. And if 22mag is what you carry, it is better to carry that than nothing.
Choosing a caliber is always a compromise. Very few people have the discipline to carry a double stack 9mm that weighs a few pounds everyday. A 22magnum is remarkably small, especially in the NAA models. And if 22mag is what you carry, it is better to carry that than nothing.
Zendude
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If that’s the gun you have that best fits the role of a camping beater, then you have to use what you have.
pairof44sp
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To judge from that picture, with everyone looking in the opposite direction, there must have been something more interesting than the shooting going on somewhere else.
Probably Hinckley being dragged away.
FL-NC
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I think the 22 mag revolver is a viable defensive choice for people who may have physical limitations. I don't think mountain lions are overly aggressive- from what I have been told, they are pretty skittish. Just firing the thing would probably make it bolt. As far as a handgun for fishing, a friend keeps a cheap RG 22 revolver in his tackle box loaded with shot for reptiles, since there is no shortage of cottonmouths here- in addition to his regular carry pistol.
pairof44sp
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Someone needs to get good shooting one of these, then put up a vid on Youtube showing how it’s done.
There are many NAA vids on Youtube, but it’s mostly guys failing to hit stuff
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