.22LR or .25 ACP?

[USAF_Vet]

I've never held a .25 platform I liked or felt comfortable shooting. .22 is available in everything from tiny pocket pistols to full size 1911 frames. I prefer a larger gun. Because of that, I choose the .22 for this exercise. If more guns were chambered in .25, my outlook might change. I'm concerned with how well I can shoot the gun more so than what comes out of the barrel.
Also, price per round has a lot to do with it. .25 ACP isn't cheap.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

First of all, I wouldn't carry either of them if I had any choice at all.

.25s are tiny guns. Poor grip surface, small sight radius. They are difficult to shoot well for reasons that have nothing to do with the cartridge itself. The short barrel gives an already weak cartridge a range measured in inches.

A .22 is far from ideal as well, but you have much more selection for different guns and ammo. And in my 1911 conversion kit, I can carry 15+1, and dump them all center of mass in a couple of seconds very effectively.

I'm guessing you didn't bother to read my request in the first post or you just don't care what the OP asked for...

I'm wondering why this thread is back after 3 months?

 

[VINTAGE-SLOTCARS]

As a LEO for 32 years in the Los Angeles area, I have seen several persons killed w/a .22 cal. The only .25 acp shooting I worked, a drunk was shot in the forhead. His face looked like a bloody road map. He was really pissed off and refused treatment and plucked the bullet from his wound. I some times pocket a beretta .22 model 948, it has never failed. My first hand experience says a Quality .22 works for me.

 

[orionengnr]

If I had a loved one who was unable to shoot anything more powerful, and assuming it was HD, and not carrying it around... I would probably be more confident in giving her my Ruger MkII with 10+1 rounds of WM Federal bulk pack .22LR.

I have been shooting this pistol and this ammo for about eight years now, trying to make it to the range once a week, and I honestly can not tell you the last time I had a misfire with this combo. Some other brands of ammo have been less than perfect, but the Wally World Federal "brown box" 550 round bulk packs have been amazing.

I have not seen any of them in my 2-3 local WMs for several months...I hope this is a temporary situation.

Come to think of it, I have always been somewhat intrigued by those micro .22LR or .22Mag belt buckle guns...Freedom Arms maybe? I always looked at them as a toy/gimmick, but if I knew someone who would not or could not carry anything better, one of those "might" be better than nothing.

 

[orionengnr]

I'm wondering why this thread is back after 3 months?

Because post #63 chose to revive it from the dead. This put it back on page 1, and others replied, not realizing that it was an old thread.

Happens all the time.

 

[mljdeckard]

Did I not give both reasons why I WOULD use a .22 and why I WOULDN'T use a .25?

 

[thecarfarmer]

And, if people have interest in resuming the conversation... what's wrong with revisiting an old thread?

Seems to me, it makes more sense to have one long '22 vs 25' thread than three or four short ones.

As far as which I'd carry... well, I have a Glock 21 on my hip as I type this - I mention that to state where my prejudices lie.

That being said, I'd choose quality of ammo over caliber between those two - I've seen cheap 9mm that had failures to fire, extract, eject, etc... and nobody seems to feel that 9mm is a less effective SD round than .22LR or .25 Auto, do they?

-Bill