Best .22lr round for personal defense

[DRMMR02]

I know, I know, the first rule about using .22lr for defense is: don't.

But let's play hypothetical, let's imagine a .22 caliber pistol/revolver is the only thing you have on hand(no rifles either), and you're being attacked. What round/brand do you use and why?

 

[MCgunner]

I carry federal lightening in my NAA mini because it's accurate and hits point of aim. I have no other criteria for .22 lr since to be really effective, I have to shoot for the eyes. Fortunately, there's normally a .38 or a 9mm in my pants pocket that I call a primary. I just carry the little .22 because it's fun and easy to tote and, besides, I might get accosted by a mouse, you never know.

 

[C-grunt]

I dont really ever carry my Walther P22, though I did when It was my only pistol available, but I keep a mag loaded with CCI Stingers. I chose them because they were reliable and had more power than the Federal Bulk Pack. Also, if they are close enough, the fireball that comes out the front with the CCIs might burn the bad guy a little too,

 

[Phenom]

How about filling HP 22lrs with mercury or some other poisonous element

 

[lycanthrope]

I'd choose one of the hotter 40gr loads like the Velocitors.

 

[Jim Watson]

It isn't fast acting and it isn't legal.

When I have carried a .22 for self defense it has been with high velocity solids. There is not enough energy to expand a hollowpoint and penetrate to the vitals, both.

They call .22s and .25s, maybe .32s too, "face guns" because the best technique is to shoot for the face and hope a little bullet will go up the nose, through the eye, or penetrate a sinus into the brain. You are shooting to kill with a smallbore for self defense, there is no stopping power at center of mass as for a medium or large caliber.

 

[XLMiguel]

Velocitors +1

Consider the front sight a hook for snagging the nostril, ear canal, or belly button. Squeeze trigger three times, repeat as necessary or until empty.

 

[george29]

NAA mag with snakeshot as backup to my .44 Bulldog

 

[JohnKSa]

Whatever load is most reliable in your firearm.

No, I'm NOT skirting the question, I think that's the best answer I can possibly give.

 

[borrowedtime69]

my 2 cents

CCI Velocitors +2. 40 grain semi-hollow point. out of a 5.5 inch auto pistol barrel its going about 1,100 fps at the muzzle, maybe 1,000 fps at 20 ft. the semi HP will hold together after penetration there-by transfering more energy to the body than the light Stingers or the very frangible quickshocks.

another good point is that CCI ammo is the most reliable primer ignition on the market.
thats my 2 cents, good luck -Eric

 

[Pilot]

I carry CCI Minimags in my Beretta 21A as a BUG.

 

[Onmilo]

I am a big fan of solid High velocity bullets in .22s used for defense.
I second the CCI MiniMags as being one of the better choices.

Hollowpoints sometimes break up and don't penetrate deeply enough to inflict a lethal wound.
Most of the failure reports one will hear about .22LR verses human involve hollowpoint bullets that did not penetrate deeply enough to inflict any real damage.

Ask anyone who has torn their shin open on a metal table edge about how mad a surface wound can make someone.

Ask anyone who has had an object puncture wound how interested they were in doing anything but seeking medical help and I believe to will understand.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

If I was stuck using a .22 for defense my first choice in ammo would be CCI Mini Mag solids, assuming they functioned well in my gun.

 

[Shrike360]

Those Aquila bullets are pretty hot. I saw some 20 grains the other day at about 1700 fps.

 

[foghornl]

CCI Singers or Velocitors, depending on what functions the best.

Now, if I have the .22Mag cylinder in my Single-Six, I have some CCI .22Mags that have the famous gold-dot bullet....

 

[dragongoddess]

What abot shooting for the foot.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I'd prefer a 3" S&W 317 loaded with CCI Velocitors.

Velocitors are the fastest .22 LR 40gr HP. The velocity increases expansion reliability, and the heavier 40gr weight means more momentum for better penetration.

See: http://www.cci-ammunition.com/default.asp?menu=1&s1=3&pg=18&prod_id=14

 

[roscoe]

I am going to go against the grain and say Aguila 60-grain Sub Sonic Sniper ammo. Those things really penetrate. When I used a phone book as a penetration test, they far outpenetrated any .22lr round, including the 'hypervelocity' rounds, and actually matched the .22 magnum. This is out of a 5" pistol, so barrel length may have played a part.

They have a real rainbow arc at distance, but close-up they puch right through.

 

[Plastic Cowboy]

While a .22lr is generally not appropriate for self defense, if you were to rapidly dump a half clip of CCI Stingers into some bad guys chest-- he will be in SERIOUS trouble!!!

Stinger hollow points are one of the highest velocity and most powerfull .22lr rounds commonly available-- that's why they cost more.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I'd say any brand that you can buy in a brick. Use the brick as your weapon.

 

[Gord]

.22 might expand, but .25 doesn't contract!

 

[MachIVshooter]

If I had to choose, CCI mini-mag HP's. While the Stingers, Vipers and other hyper-velocity .22's do boast a significant increase in velocity, they do this in RIFLES by using slower powders. They gain nothing in handguns, and in some cases actually loose perfomance from short barrels. In my own testing, fired from barrels under 6", the mini-mags actually produced more energy than the Stingers. Also, the stingers use a longer case and are pushing the limits of .22 LR COAL; they don't function well in some autoloaders. Also, the CCI mini-mags have proved to be more reliable than most other .22 LR ammo in my experience. They cost 3 times what most other .22 LR does, and I believe this to be the result of better components and better CQ. I don't recall ever having a dud with CCI premium rimfire ammo.

before I got my P3AT, I carried my NAA mini revolver form time to time. I always had it stoked with Mini-Mags.

 

[dogtown tom]

Phenom:

How about filling HP 22lrs with mercury or some other poisonous element

My current carry round is hollow points stuffed with tainted spinach.

 

[sixgunner455]

Somebody said they carry a .22 loaded with shot cartridges? I wouldn't do that if I were intending to use them on anything bigger than a mouse. I shot a quail my Brittany grabbed on the ground and wing-broke. It didn't kill the poor thing. Not even close. Ran away. Dog had to catch it again. Still alive when she gave it to me. When I cleaned it, I discovered that the pellets had barely penetrated the skin through the feathers. Little useless grains of sand.

The only thing I use .22 shot cartridges for is noise training for a dog.

I used to have only one gun, a Ruger MKII Standard Auto. I kept it loaded with Winchester Wildcats because they penetrated better than any hollowpoint I had tried, and were very accurate. Nowadays, when I carry that gun for hunting, I usually have Stingers or Federal HV hollowpoints in it. In a defensive situation, I don't think it makes that much difference. As long as it functions, it will be about as effective or not as anything else in the caliber.

Except for those shot cartridges. Shoot a rabbit or a quail with one sometime, if you really want to know for yourself how useless they are.

 

[Onmilo]

Any brand you can buy in a brick.
Use the brick as your weapon.

I like that!