.22 rifles

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How strong are .22 rifles? So they're the same size as the .22 pistol caliber but because they're rifles, are they more powerful?

I'd like to get one to have fun at the range. Is the ammo just as cheap as the pistol ammo?

And if I need to protect myself, will the rifle be good protection? Thanks.
 
".22 long rifle" (.22 LR) is the cartridge used in most .22 pistols and rifles. It is one cartridge so the cost dosn't change whether you're using it in a pistol or rifle.

Rifles will be slightly more powerful because of the increased barrel length but it's not a huge difference.

.22 is useless for self-defence, it has no stopping power.
 
.22 is useless for self-defence, it has no stopping power.
Click to expand...

Hmmmmm...

About 20 years ago in Royal Oak Michigan, a disgruntled ex-postal worker / wacko, went on a rampage killing 4 former co-workers and then himself. His weapon of choice was a Ruger 10/22 semi auto rifle in .22LR. My parents mailman was there on site and saw it all happen.


I would not recommend a .22 for SD, but if that's what you have it is better than throwing rocks.
 
While working in emergency rooms as an Air Force medic, I saw a few people who were shot with .22's. It was about 1/3 self-inflicted. 1/3 accidental by a friend, and 1/3 on purpose. I don't remember any of them feeling all that spunky.

Like N4Z said, it wouldn't be my first choice, but I wouldn't be inclined to give up if it's all I had.
 
Fosberry is right on with points #1 and #2.

I take issue with #3: I'd rather have an AR-15 than a .22, but I'd rather have a .22 than a cricket bat. You can still smack someone with a .22 buttstock after you shoot 18 rounds out of it.

.22 rifles are a must for any serious shooter. At 1.3 cents per shot, you can afford to spend a lot of ammo honing your skills.

Here in Texas, I routinely find Marlin, Savage/Stevens, and other .22 semi-auto and bolt rifles for about $50 at pawnshops. You have to be willing to bargain and dicker a little bit to get good prices. Or you can pay about $100 brand-new for the same rifle, either way is good.

For a little more money ($150ish) you can get a Ruger 10/22, but I like Marlin more.

-MV
 
Perhapse 'useless' was a bit strong but if you're buying a gun for defence, you don't buy a .22. In a pinch or if that's all you can own, it's better than no gun.
 
"...are they more powerful..." No. The longer barrel will give slightly higher velocity with the same ammo though. Both the .22 pistol and rifle usually use the same ammo. However, most target shooters, pistol and rifle use target ammo or standard velocity .22 ammo. The price of .22 ammo can vary between $2 a box of 50 to $10 a box of 50 for target ammo. Higher priced ammo gives no guarantee that it will shoot well out of your rifle or cycle a semi-auto pistol or rifle. Once you get one, you will have to try as many brands as you can to find the one or two that will cycle and shoot well out of your rifle. Cycling doesn't apply to a single shot, bolt action or pump action rifle, but you'll still have to find the ammo that the firearm will shoot well. Even two exactly identical .22's, of any kind, will shoot differently with the same ammo. Mind you, this applies to any centre fire rifle too.
"...stopping power..." There's no such thing. No calibre will give 100% guaranteed one shot stopping of anything everytime.
 
A standard , high vel 40 grn 22 bullet, will penetrate a 2x4 at 200 yds.
i also remember reading somewhere, that since the inception of the metallic cartridge, the 22 has killed more people worldwide than any other bullet.
 
Quote:
.22 is useless for self-defence, it has no stopping power.


Hmmmmm...

About 20 years ago in Royal Oak Michigan, a disgruntled ex-postal worker / wacko, went on a rampage killing 4 former co-workers and then himself. His weapon of choice was a Ruger 10/22 semi auto rifle in .22LR. My parents mailman was there on site and saw it all happen.
Click to expand...

There is a world of difference in "stopping power" and "killing power". There is no question a 22 LR will kill, the need in a defensive weapon though is to "stop" your attacker NOW, not have him crawl off and die in 5 minutes.

As others said I would rather have one if I was attacked then be unarmed, but it would not be a choice for my first line of defence.:D
 
"A standard , high vel 40 grn 22 bullet, will penetrate a 2x4 at 200 yds."

Do you have data for this? Or a link?
Penetrating a 2x4 at 600ft seems like wishful thinking.
 
i shoulda been more clear, yes with a good shot , or lucky , a 22 will kill you dead as dillinger. That being said, i'd rather have a 45 to stop someone from advancing for short range, and a 308 or 762 .39, for anything outside of 25 yds.
 
While my Marlin 60 (holds 13 or 14 rounds, I forget) wouldn't be my first choice for self defence, If that was what I could get to first, I's use it. Will it might or might not be fatal, I suspect it would still make the BG reconsider his actions, and allow me to get to a "better" gun.
 
There is a world of difference in "stopping power" and "killing power". There is no question a 22 LR will kill, the need in a defensive weapon though is to "stop" your attacker NOW, not have him crawl off and die in 5 minutes.
Click to expand...
You beat me to it. Too many people confuse stopping with killing, either in the legal debate or the terminal ballistics debate. There is no doubt whatsoever that the .22 LR can kill people. The question is whether or not it is a reliable stopper- and to me, it's not much of a question. It isn't.

Mike
 
How strong are .22 rifles? So they're the same size as the .22 pistol caliber but because they're rifles, are they more powerful?

I'd like to get one to have fun at the range. Is the ammo just as cheap as the pistol ammo?

And if I need to protect myself, will the rifle be good protection? Thanks.
Click to expand...

generally, if you buy a .22 rifle, you will not break it with normal use. the bullets are the same rounds shot from pistols, but because of the longer barrel they build up a little more speed. i think it is usually 200 fps(?) more, something around those lines, not a huge jump. in my experience, used/abused rifles shoot straiter than similar pistols.

i assume you want a semi auto if you are even considering defence, but you've heard enough rambling about defence...

the Ruger 10/22 is a very popular .22 semi-auto rifle. if you get bored with it, you can order ANY part you want off the internet. From target barrels, smooth triggers, and really cool looking stocks, to full auto and gatling gun kits. really a good option that you will never wear out.

other good ones are:
marlin 60 and 795
Saveage 64F (i own one, abuse it, still shoots strait after a couple thoursand rounds.)
Walther G22 (cool factor of 10, but mixed reviews)
Browning Buckmark rifles are pretty cool looking, but i dont hear much about them
Remington 552

hopefully some others will chime in with more options and opinions of them. you really cant go wrong as long as you like the feel of the gun and it fits you good. If you think its junk because it keeps jaming and not feeding, you are using the wrong ammo. buy a different brand and keep shooting!
 
I have shot both Fed510 and CCI Velocitor hp's thru pine 2x4's at 50 yards on multiple occasions. The hollowpoint going though was a bit of a suprise.

Sorry, don't have any pics but it would be no big deal to replicate.

Not so sure about that happening at 200 yards though like the above poster.


And so solly about confusing "stopping power" vs killing capability. For stopping power I opt for shotgun, .30cal and up caliber rifle, .357mag, and really good baseball bats. in that order. :D
 
Poachers kill many deer at night with .22's (ask your local game warden). I have killed several wild dogs with a single shot from a Remington TargetMaster. The last shot at over 100yds using a CCI Stinger.
While the .22 is not an ideal rifle for protection it can and will work.
 
A .22 rimfire is not my first choice in Home/Self defense situation, but if my Ruger MKII or 10/22 or Marlin 99 was what I had in my hands when the "Vigoro Strikes Mixmaster", well . . . . Run Whatcha Brung.

I would use said arms until threat ceased to be a threat, or I got to one of my pieces of 'heavier artillery'.

The .22Long Rifle round will gain some velocity being fired from a rifle vs. a handgun....but it is still the same .22LR Rimfire round. IIRC, the velocity gain was about 200-250FPS for an 18" rifle vs. a 6" handgun

Not entirely sure, but I sort of very vaguely recall seeing somewhere that the .22LR round maxes out velocity wise in about 18" to 20" of barrel.
 
22 rimfire is what we used for killing steers we had fattened for the table.
Shot was from only a few inches away--mafia style. Never had to use a second shot to do the job.
 
Mike is right. 22LR is useless and you would be better off running around flapping your arms and squawking like an endangered Attwater Greater Prairie Chicken. It will confuse the enemy and it has more stopping power. Once, when I was an Army Seal I did this in Afghanistan and took out a whole platoon of communist gooks. They never saw it coming.






Seriously though. A 22LR is the perfect plinker and is better than not having a gun when it comes to defense. Prior to the popularity of the 9mm it was hugely popular in shootings. It is also great to train on. You just have to be a bit better with shot placement compared to larger calibers when it comes to self defense.
 
.22 have killed more people outside wars than any other round so while not perfect can do the job well enough to have a massive death count on both animal and people, light, little recoil and a brick of .22 rounds is negligable in weight compared to most other rounds. People often underestimate their usefullness.
 
For those who do not believe the .22 fired from a rifle or handgun is good for nothing but plinking take a like minded friend out and you guys can take turns shooting at eachother. Then have a big laugh as you drive yourselves to the hospital.
 
Shoot thru a 2x4? I'm not too sure about that. Our target stands at our local range are made of 2x4's and I 've shot the stands plenty of times, I don't remember seeing my .22LR shots going thru them.
Click to expand...
In middle school I did a science fair project on the effects of HP vs FMJ rounds in different mediums including soap, wood, etc. (I don't believe ballistic gelatin was around back then). I used a ruger 10/22. For the wood test i had 4 2x4's set up in a frame with about 4" between each one. The HP went through 2, sticking in the 3rd, and the FMJ went through 3 and embedded itself into the 4th.
I got 1st or 2nd place IIRC :D
These days I'd be labeled a terrorist and expelled from school for doing a project like that I bet. :banghead:
 
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