22LR vs 22WMR vs 38 for recoil and efficiency

[philoe]

Lots of opinions here, hopefully one connects with you.
These were the thing important to you, with .22lr, .22 mag and .38 sp being the options:
Recoil tolerance - They can all be soft shooting depending on the weight of your revolver. But that .22 mag is loud!
Effectiveness for EDC- .38 dewc is a very effective threat stopper compared to the rimfires. The .357 meplat is a big hole and the double ended wadcutter will absolutely tumble inside the target and do serious damage.
Range Cost - .22 mag is costly. .22lr will win here, but if you reload those .38s, the 148 gr dewc with 2.7-3 grains of bullseye(700-750 fpsish) you should be $7-$10 per 50. That should keep you shooting.
Easy solution is buy one of each! Go big when you are feeling stronger and carry the rimfire if the body needs a break.

 

[Ed Bulldog]

Lots of opinions here, hopefully one connects with you.
These were the thing important to you, with .22lr, .22 mag and .38 sp being the options:
Recoil tolerance - They can all be soft shooting depending on the weight of your revolver. But that .22 mag is loud!
Effectiveness for EDC- .38 dewc is a very effective threat stopper compared to the rimfires. The .357 meplat is a big hole and the double ended wadcutter will absolutely tumble inside the target and do serious damage.
Range Cost - .22 mag is costly. .22lr will win here, but if you reload those .38s, the 148 gr dewc with 2.7-3 grains of bullseye(700-750 fpsish) you should be $7-$10 per 50. That should keep you shooting.
Easy solution is buy one of each! Go big when you are feeling stronger and carry the rimfire if the body needs a break.

Thank you for response - it is very helpful

 

[Antihero]

The 22 magnum out of a snubby is gonna have very little if any velocity gain over a 22lr. 22mag really needs barrel length to shine.

But I'd pick any center-fire round over a rim fire. If those are your only options, 38 special definitely

 

[GooseGestapo]

Antihero was correct to a point.
The .22mag from a revolver gives you approximately the power of a .22lr from a RIFLE! Around 1,150-1,200 fps whereas the .22lr from a 2” bbl gives 850-950fps.
The muzzle blast from a .22mag is also substantial.
My EDC revolver is now a Taurus 856 Stainless. It’s heavy for what it is, but is soft shooting and laser beam accurate with 148gr match wadcutters and holds 6-rds.

 

[Ed Bulldog]

Antihero was correct to a point.
The .22mag from a revolver gives you approximately the power of a .22lr from a RIFLE! Around 1,150-1,200 fps whereas the .22lr from a 2” bbl gives 850-950fps.
The muzzle blast from a .22mag is also substantial.
My EDC revolver is now a Taurus 856 Stainless. It’s heavy for what it is, but is soft shooting and laser beam accurate with 148gr match wadcutters and holds 6-rds.

Thank you for your response
Recently, Taurus has been the innovator in the revolver market place
Thank you again for your response

 

[Pat Riot]

I really cannot add any more to what @philoe posted.
I like the idea of having a .38 and a .22 option.
I saw a video on the CCI website about the new “Undercut” .22 LR self defense round. That’s something to look into, IMO.
Regarding .22 LR SD ammo take a look at the ammo tested at Pewpew Tactical.

Concealed Carriers Guide to Using .22 LR for Self-Defense

Concealed carry with a .22 LR? Trust us, it can be done! We tackle this topic with tips, tricks, guns, and holsters to set you up for success.

www.pewpewtactical.com

 

[Jim Watson]

I shot some of the gimmick .22s in concealable guns

What did you shoot today?

G42

www.thehighroad.org

22lr carry for defense??

Decades ago I was accidentally shot in the hand with a 22 hollow point. I will agree that whatever the bad guys intentions were will definitely be changed if shot with a 22 LR hollow point. That is pure unwarranted speculation and fantasy. A lot of people have been shot multiple times with...

www.thehighroad.org

22lr carry for defense??

That is pure unwarranted speculation and fantasy. A lot of people have been shot multiple times with stuff a lot bigger than a .22 without stopping. Some people are just not afraid of getting shot. Planning on an assailant giving up because he got shot with anything, let alone a .22 is foolish...

www.thehighroad.org

 

[Ed Bulldog]

I shot some of the gimmick .22s in concealable guns

What did you shoot today?

G42

www.thehighroad.org

22lr carry for defense??

Decades ago I was accidentally shot in the hand with a 22 hollow point. I will agree that whatever the bad guys intentions were will definitely be changed if shot with a 22 LR hollow point. That is pure unwarranted speculation and fantasy. A lot of people have been shot multiple times with...

www.thehighroad.org

22lr carry for defense??

That is pure unwarranted speculation and fantasy. A lot of people have been shot multiple times with stuff a lot bigger than a .22 without stopping. Some people are just not afraid of getting shot. Planning on an assailant giving up because he got shot with anything, let alone a .22 is foolish...

www.thehighroad.org

Thank you for your response
This is excellent information
If I am going to utilize 22LR - it will be in a revolver
I tried a Glock 44 and SW semiautomatics ( great respect for these to manufactures) - I had multiple failures- BUT the Taurus TX22 was a dream to shoot - I am a revolver guy - I am tired of fighting the mind battle of SA vs Revolver

I have three SA - SW EZ 380 & 9 -and- XDE 9mm

 

[GEM]

The problem as mentioned with 22 revolvers is a crappy trigger. That's why the mild 32s and 38s are a better choice, IMHO. As far as the NAA 22 mag mini revolvers - they are a thunderbolt to shoot. It's a psychological warfare weapon! They scare the shooter as much as anyone - as do some of the 327 mag rounds. A 32 revolver with mild 32 SW Longs and six shots. Seems the solution for me. As far as ammo - it's online and if you are not a compulsive shooter and it's just a gun you carry (like most CCW folks), that's not a problem.

 

[Pat Riot]

Thank you for your response
This is excellent information
If I am going to utilize 22LR - it will be in a revolver
I tried a Glock 44 and SW semiautomatics ( great respect for these to manufactures) - I had multiple failures- BUT the Taurus TX22 was a dream to shoot - I am a revolver guy - I am tired of fighting the mind battle of SA vs Revolver

I have three SA - SW EZ 380 & 9 -and- XDE 9mm

I owned a Glock 44. I sold it. Mine was not an accurate pistol. It was also ammo finicky. I know it’s only a sample of 1, but I would never recommend a G44 as something other than a range training pistol.

 

[Ed Bulldog]

I owned a Glock 44. I sold it. Mine was not an accurate pistol. It was also ammo finicky. I know it’s only a sample of 1, but I would never recommend a G44 as something other than a range training pistol.

Thank you for your message
I had the same experience
I selected the Glock because of previous Glock positive experiences
It served it’s purpose - I am staying within my wheel house (poor pun) - revolvers
Thank you again

 

[Tallball]

I wouldn't choose rimfire for SD. They do have more misfires than centerfire, and the cartridges are weak.

I can shoot a 38 for now, so that's what I carry.

I'll be carrying one of my 32 revolvers eventually, as my hands keep aging. 32 S&W long feels like a 22 to me, and 32 H&R magnum has just barely more recoil.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

The expensive answer is to get both a .38 (S&W Airweight or LCR) _and_ a similar .22 LR understudy. Use hand-filling rubber grips like the Pachmayr Compac to help distribute recoil.

The .22 will give the best cost/benefit ratio for useful range practice. For recoil sensitivity with the .38, I'd suggest having some handloads fabricated using ultralight DE wadcutters. Matt's Bullets carries a couple of candidates:

110 Grain Double Ended Wadcutter (.359)-359-110-DEWC

www.mattsbullets.com

75 Grain Wadcutter (.359)-359-75-WC

www.mattsbullets.com

Either of these bullets look pretty good compared to .22 LR, and as much as I love .32s I'd prefer a .38 for this purpose. I made up a bunch of these loaded to around 7-800 fps and they've proven successful with recoil-shy ladies at CCW classes.

BTW, for the less recoil-averse try loading TWO of the 75-grainers per case.

 

[Gordon]

Get a .38 spl. , yes, the light bullet standard velocity loads or, best, the 148-grain target wadcutter. You can find that ammo MUCH easier and even post-apocalypse The increased diameter of the meplat of the .38 wadcutter seems very effective, much more than the old 110-grain +P+ treasury load out of a snub that I have seen the not-so-great effects on those it hit. Ruger LCR revolvers soak up a lot of the recoil into the plastic frame, and have decent triggers. The muzzle blast of the 148-grain target wadcutter load is not too bad, even from the snubs.
Personally, I use this load. It's hard to find and may be discontinued! I bought 250 of them a couple of years ago and still have 150 after sighting them in my various carry guns."

Federal HST Micro 38 Special Ammo 130 Grain +P JHP

Okay, the .38 Special may no longer be the dominant law enforcement sidearm it was back in the days when Colt and S&W were locked in mortal combat for the l

gunsmagazine.com

 

[Antihero]

Antihero was correct to a point.
The .22mag from a revolver gives you approximately the power of a .22lr from a RIFLE! Around 1,150-1,200 fps whereas the .22lr from a 2” bbl gives 850-950fps.
The muzzle blast from a .22mag is also substantial.
My EDC revolver is now a Taurus 856 Stainless. It’s heavy for what it is, but is soft shooting and laser beam accurate with 148gr match wadcutters and holds 6-rds.

In my testing, 22mag out of a 4.75 barrel was actually a bit less velocity than a 22lr stinger. Not by a huge amount though.

 

[1KPerDay]

If you can't handle a standard .38 Spl. load, then a revolver isn't for you for personal defense. You should look at .32 Auto or .380 Auto in a blowback action semiautomatic.

Recoil sensitive. .380 auto in a blowback is the WRONG way to go.

 

[Antihero]

Ballistics by the inch seems to have the same results too

22mag

22lr

They don't real world test the 22mag in a snubby though. Either is about 880fps in a 2 inch barrel

 

[Ed Bulldog]

Ballistics by the inch seems to have the same results too

22mag

22lr

They don't real world test the 22mag in a snubby though. Either is about 880fps in a 2 inch barrel

Thank you for your response
I was reading an article that provided similar data
BUT I ask to get real world experience- unbiased analysis of data is were this fourum is very valuable
Thank you again

 

[Antihero]

Thank you for your response
I was reading an article that provided similar data
BUT I ask to get real world experience- unbiased analysis of data is were this fourum is very valuable
Thank you again

I think for all intents and purposes you can view the 22mag and 22lr as roughly equal in a snubby but there is some caveats.

I think the 22 mag has better self defence ammo options but 22lr ammo is significantly cheaper and easier to find. So it depends if you wanna shoot it a bunch I guess.

But seriously, 38 special is a HUGE jump in power with not much extra recoil.

 

[defjon]

I have it down to the final 3 caliber snubbies
My goal is to have controllable recoil tolerance - effectiveness for EDC - range cost
I am asking for YOUR OPINION BECAUSE there maybe a factor that I am not a are of
THEEE OPTIONS
1) 22LR
2) 22WMR
3) 38 wadcutters-> I have this round and it is only tolerable for me at 142grs
THANK YOU

Effectiveness?

It's the 38 wadcutters. Only round on the list id willingly carry

 

[Varminterror]

The performance difference between 38spcl (and all larger cartridges) and these rimfires is well worth the attention. 38spcl until you really can’t tolerate the recoil any longer.

My solution for several elderly folks in my family and in my training network have been 38spcl revolvers, steel for those needing extra weight, polymer/alloy for those which can handle them, and loading extremely light charges of Bullseye under 93grn LRN’s for practice and 90grn Hornady FTX Critical Defense loads for carry.

Our answer to this question for my mother in law, with the same LCR for my grandmother as well, with the same loads. Taurus 85 + Ruger LCR (357mag version for extra weight):

 

[jmorris]

For recoil sensitivity with the .38, I'd suggest having some handloads fabricated using ultralight DE wadcutters. Matt's Bullets carries a couple of candidates:

Then for fun, I'd suggest you stack two of them on top of one another with a featherweight charge of fast powder.



6 shots.

 

[doubleh]

22 LR beats nothing but ammo brand make a big difference in reliability. It has been my experience in the last several years that CCI mini-mags have less duds than other brands. That is almost none and in all the rifles and handguns I have shot them in. Next is 22 mag which according to my "scientific" test of shooting the same steel swinging target will get you a little more energy on target but at the expense of an ear splitting muzzle blast, blinding in the dark fire ball, and at twice the price for ammo. 38 special gives a much larger diameter hole even with no expansion but I find small revolvers in that caliber unpleasant to shoot. All three will destroy your hearing without protection and there is no time to don that in a SD situation. The 22 mag would do it quickly and I would jump to the 38 for that reason alone. I prefer a hand that gets over recoil fairly quickly to losing hearing that can never return. Neither will be a problem if you don't live through the situation though. Go shoot the same swinging steel gong and see which causes the most movement. Compare it to getting hit with a small machinest's hammer to a 3 # double jack. It's the "get a bigger hammer" effect. The small hammer will swing quicker than the larger but cannot deliver the energy the heavier but slower one does

If hand strength is a factor the long stiff DA trigger pull is a problem with most revolvers. 22 mag is a problem in most semi-auto pistols I have seen. Like always it's best to let the user decide what they prefer.

 

[Pat Riot]

BTW, for the less recoil-averse try loading TWO of the 75-grainers per case.

That’s an interesting idea. I assume you would follow 148-150 grain powder recipes?

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

If your still shopping, and if you can rent a Ruger Sp 101 might be a good option. For you