9 rounds of 22 Mag for self defense

I believe the 22 WMR is so underrated for a defensive round

You could always look up statistics, with 22 mag, you will probably get all of the other .22 killings too.

The first result I cam across were calibers used in crimes but there are other study’s.

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https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/GUIC.PDF

I don’t know about underrated but the only time I carry a .22 to defend my life, it is generally a “better than nothing” kind of thing. So, if it’s all he has, I understand that.
 
If it's all you have or you have physical limits, should have ended the discussion many pages ago.
 
.22 mag is very underrated in my opinion. But, I do think there’s a huge difference between a 3” barrel versus a NAAs barrel which is barely an inch long.
That said, I don’t care what you hit someone with. Once they realize that they have been shot…it changes from FIGHT to FLIGHT for a wounded person.
And for that matter, I actually have a NAA in .22 short. In a tiny 1” barrel, I’m guessing that a 22 short is probably close to 80% the same fps
Little data from Balistics by The Inch.
North American Arms 5 shot derringer
.22 short 27 grain Copper Plated Hollow Points give 767 fps and a .22LR CCI 40gr CPHP gives the same 767fps out of a 1” NAA
After reading that, I went with a 22 short for my NAA. I just don’t see the upside of having a 22lr or a 22 Magnum with such a tiny gun. Plus, the 22 short is actually a little smaller size wise. It’s at least 3/4” shorter in overall length.
Anyway, 22 magnum with a 3” barrel is fairly respectful in my opinion.
*** I forgot to include the link
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/22.html
and of course…all the above said… I seldom leave the house with the NAA as my go to lifesaver. God forbid it reaches the point when I have to depend on a NAA to save myself. I’d be kicking myself. At the same time, I’d feel okay with 9 shots of 22 mag HP

I do think it’s underrated. But I think barrel length matters a lot also. I’d prefer 3” or more.
 
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I consider getting a Smith and Wesson 351pd I think it is it's a 22 magnum 7 shot J frame snubby. It was gonna be for a female shooter who was recoiled sensitive however the heavy trigger pull was not to their liking.
A .32 revolver was the way to go.
 
My opinion is that it’s fine. But I carry a single action revolver. By the logic of some members here, I’m as good as dead. Personally I think proficiency in shot placement and execution are more important than the caliber used or the amount of them in the gun.
Late 70's thru about 1985 I carried a 3 screw .357 Ruger Blackhawk under my untucked shirt cross draw while living in rural Arizona. I could draw and shoot from the hip anything that needed to be shot in a blink. 158 grain LSWC powered by `11.5 grains 2400. I couldn't imagine anything needing more than one of those to accomplish the task. Bowed to peer pressure and packed a snub nose. By the way, I wore a Cowboy hat daily back then. Felt it was only proper.
 
Think a 9 shot 4in revolver with Gold Dots in 22 mag would be a good defensive weapon for ccw?

It depends upon what data you look at, but for the moment let's look at the size of the gun itself.

Is a 4" revolver this size going to get carried, how will it be carried, how good is the carrier with it? That's not a compact gun so there are a lot of ergonomic questions that will sort themselves over the first few months carrying it.

As to whether a 22 mag is a good carry caliber...

For the "one shot stop" data, no, if by "one shot stop" you mean damage sufficient to incapacitate.

For the "any gun" data recently seen, sure. The data there tends to say that being shot with any .32 caliber or larger will take the fight out of most assailants.

So where does that leave you? Larger gun to CCW, a caliber that may be sufficient to meet the "any gun" data, but not the "one shot stop" incapacitation data.

YMMV
 
Not a 9 shot revolver but I’ve seriously considered (and still am kicking it around) carrying a PMR30 .22 Mag as a CCW. I shoot it accurately, recoil is more than manageable. It’s VERY light and slim, has been reliable for me and 30 rounds in the magazine with another 30 for backup don’t make me fret about the caliber choice.
 
I hike with an NAA Mini revolver, with Speer Gold Dots, and only 4 rounds. Revolver has a 1 1/8" barrel. Any defense weapon is playing the odds IMHO. I'm not going to take on an armed group with a Mini revolver, but I might chase a fentanyl junky away from a hiking partner with it before we high tail it out of there. 4 inch barrel and 9 rounds, .22 Mag .. if the person carrying it can shoot at all, seems good to me.
 
My wife carries a Ruger LCRx 3" .22WMR, and occasionally the LCRx snubby. That's what she likes and shoots well. It wouldn't be my first choice, but if that's what you have, or if that's what you're comfortable with, it will do the job as long as you do your part.
 
Film495 writes:

I hike with an NAA Mini revolver, with Speer Gold Dots, and only 4 rounds.

Just curious; why not five rounds? All three of my NAA revolvers (.22S, .22LR, .22WMR) have five-round cylinders. I frequently carry the LR as a second (or third), but all have all chambers loaded.
 
I consider getting a Smith and Wesson 351pd I think it is it's a 22 magnum 7 shot J frame snubby. It was gonna be for a female shooter who was recoiled sensitive however the heavy trigger pull was not to their liking.
A .32 revolver was the way to go.
Jerry…great move in my opinion. My dad purchased a Smith Wesson J frame Kit gun in 32 S&W , probably from the late 1960’s. It’s a 6-shot nickel plated revolver. And he purchased it specifically so my mother could shoot it. She was extremely recoil sensitive. (I’ll leave it at that. )
Anyway, that’s got to be one of the sweetest shooting revolvers….sweetest shooting calipers too. It can’t be much different recoil than a 22 mag. But a 32 has to be a respectable caliper when comparing it to a 22. Even to the 22 mag.
That said…. It’s going to cost a good bit more to find a nice Smith in 32. Plus the cost of the ammo is outrageous in my opinion. That said…I like to experiment in making some copper projectiles like the Lehigh Xtreme Defense Bullets.
Also it’s such a concealable revolver. Maybe not a huge difference from other J frames , with both the 31-1 and 640-1 both coming in at 1-5/16” widths. But there must be some psychological issues going on with me because the 31-1 just feels smaller.
Anyway….excuse the rant. Sorry for going off topic. And 22 mag still a decent caliper for those who are recoil sensitive. And that site I posted…”Ballistics by the Inch” has a lot of interesting data. But I just love that old 31-1 . I’m guessing it’s because it was my dads gun….
By the way, the most important thing about any self defense weapon is hitting the target. So if someone hits consistently on target with a 22 but misses with 38…. The the 22 is a better self defense weapon. That said, I can’t imagine being that accurate with my NAA. It’s a trade off with concealing it. The NAA is concealable. That’s for damned sure. But I know that it’s also going to be up close and personal. Much more up close than I’d prefer.
When I had my business, it was strictly 9mm’s that I carried. Sometimes a P7. But usually my all time favorite was my Sig 225. With either of those guns, I could dot an eye from 30’ away….consistently.
 
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Film495 writes:



Just curious; why not five rounds? All three of my NAA revolvers (.22S, .22LR, .22WMR) have five-round cylinders. I frequently carry the LR as a second (or third), but all have all chambers loaded.
I just haven't grown to really trust the safety notch. So, I load 4 and put it on an empty cylinder. You'de have to cock it the whole way to get a round lined up to the barrel with it on an empty chamber, but - if it gets nocked off the safety notch, the cylinder is free to spin and nobody every says that happens, so - I just haven't taken that leap yet and 4 is good for me.
 
If I was going to to buy a revolver specifically for that use the 9 shot .22 would NOT be my choice. If I had one (I do) then I might use it. I see it better as a night stand gun for my wife.
 
If hand strength was not an issue but wrist pain was, I could envision a S&W .22mag snub (351) centennial as a viable revolver for ccw.
 
It is fine for any everyday situation. Most personal attacks are poorly thought out by young fools fueled by marijuana, booze, and testosterone. Anything will change their minds. All the BS hype about drug crazed superhuman zombies is just the same hype as current politics. Total crap. Tell him to practice and be alert. He'll be fine.
Marijuana isn’t fueling attacks lol. It has the opposite effect. Alcohol yes, hard drugs yes.
 
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