Ruger 10/22 as a home-defense weapon?

[The Unknown User]

After I get the proper paperwork, I'm thinking of picking out my first firearm. I'm leaning heavily towards a Ruger 10/22, as I intend to get into shooting as a cheap, enjoyable hobby with tangible results.

Translation: I want to put little holes in paper bad guys and not go broke.

But, at the same time, I recognize the necessity of being able to defend myself. Is a .22 going to work?

I hate to say it, but I always got this idea that a .22 was a "pea-shooter," and not really apt for doing much damage to anything of decent size, hence why I often read about .22s being used to hunt small animals, like squirrels, whereas you'd use a larger caliber for a deer, for example.

I guess in the worst case scenario, I just get a Remington 870 Synthetic 18" 7-shot.

So educate the new guy on .22s.

 

[Jimmie]

Sharpshooters use .22s with great success. If you were one of them, you wouldn't be here asking advice from us laymen.

IMHO, a .22 is inadequate for HD. If it's all you have, use a high cap mag full of top quality ammo and don't stop shooting until the threat is no longer a threat.

 

[EHCRain10]

Id have to vote for a shotgun as your HD weapon
the 22 can be deadly but it is more than likely not to be
if your worried about not being able to handle the recoil of the 12ga shotgun, go with a 20ga, at HD distances it will be just as effective and alot easier to control and learn
go with a Mossberg 500 or a Remington 870 get one with two different barrels so that you can hunt with it and then change barrels and have a good HD shotgun

 

[cslinger]

1st assuming you don't fall into one of the following your chances of home invasion are pretty low.
1-Do drugs.
2-Sell drugs.
3-Known to have large sums of cash.
4-Sleep with another man's/woman's spouse
5-Involved in any other criminal activity.

That being said a .22 would probably do you just fine but if HD is more your concern then plinking then I would suggest a nice 9x19mm handgun or carbine. The ammo is still reasonably cheap while offering a whole hell of a lot more bang if need be.

10 rounds of .22 to the face and neck would likely ruin anybody's day though. Just learn to shoot.

 

[The Unknown User]

1-Do drugs.

I can't afford them. (I'm kidding--I wouldn't do them if I could afford them or not.)

2-Sell drugs.

You have to have money to make money. (Again, I'm joking.)

3-Known to have large sums of cash.

Hahahahahahahaha

4-Sleep with another man's/woman's spouse

Women? What is that? Can you provide a link to your source?

5-Involved in any other criminal activity.

None. I'm quite proud of my clean record.

The biggest thing I want to know is whether a .22 is a weak round or not. For example, lots of rifle rounds are pretty powerful, although it seems that the lower the caliber, generally, the lower the power of it.

So is it just a misconception that a .22 is "useless"? What about in Shooter when Swagger takes out those three guys on the dock with a .22? Hollywood BS?

 

[CU74]

Rob87 - I think you have the answer in your post, (assuming you take the advice of posters #2, #3, #4). If you decide your "worst case" is more imminent, get the 870 and start saving for the 10/22, else do the reverse.

I use a 10/22 for plinking fun. I have a Mossberg pump in my bedroom.......... (I don't shoot well enough to place a .22 bullet into an eye socket at 20 paces every time, therefore I don't use anything smaller than 9mm in a handgun, .30 cal in a rifle or 20 gauge in a shotgun.)

 

[cslinger]

Yes .22 is the weakest commonly available round as far as what comes to mind at the moment.

In terms of killing power you are looking at basically a rabbit type gun. Now .22 has killed more people then any other round as far as I know but they tend to stagger around and hang on for quite a bit before they expire. .22 has also taken LOTS of dear and with the proper shot can bring them down, poachers do this all the time. (This is generally illegal, likely inhumane and NEVER should be done unless your life is on the line.)

You will be able to shoot out to about 100 yards with your 10/22 with reasonable accuracy. Your stock trigger will hold you back the most.

Again like everybody else said if you are truly looking for a one gun to have fun and act as SD I would highly suggest the afore mentioned 9x19 carbine in a rifle or a 9x19 pistol in a handgun. You basically have move up the power level exponentially and have a wide variety of ammo/bullet choices from very effective HD ammo to cheap round nosed plinking stuff.

A box of good .22 will run you about 7 bucks for 100 rounds. 9x19 plinking ammo will run you about 11-12 bucks per 100 so its not exceedingly more expensive then the decent .22 ammo. Yes you can get 500 round bricks of cheap .22 for around 12 to 15 bucks but this ammo is more likely to cycle poorly in your semi auto, not be as accurate and although fun enough to plink with I think as you become a better shot you will gravitate towards the 6-7 bucks a 100 stuff.

At any rate a .22 rifle is a blast and a Ruger 10/22 is a killer starter rifle because you can build it to your taste over time and it will teach you a lot about shooting, gun care, etc. So whether you get something more potent first or not a good .22 rifle is a MUST.

Chris

 

[Pigspitter]

I don't think that a 22 has enough energy to be used as a HD gun. If you wanted a cheap pistol go with a Nagant and shoot .32 long out of it.

 

[brian923]

police will go into a hostage situation if there is a 9MM involved. they WILL NOT enter an enviroment if theis a 22 LR present. the thing with the 22 is that it can enter your thigh, and travel upwards into your gut.

that being said, i witnessed my grandfather kill 3 deer with a 22, and have dropped coyote at 50 to 75 yards with a 22. shot placement is kean, but if you are an intruder, you will flee at the sound of any gun. and if you are hit with 10, 22 LR rounds,i am SURE you are not having a good day. i think that it would make a great home defensive round.

another good thing about 22LR is overpenitration. there is none. better chance of NOT shooting your son, daughter, and or wife in case of a fire fight. (or the neighbors)

shotguns, i believe are the best HD gun, but anything in the hands of a tranded shooter will do good. train with it, and you can overcome.

 

[The Unknown User]

Thanks guys.

Out of curiosity, what 9mm firearms should I consider? (I'll eventually ask for help choosing a CCW, but now's not the right time for that. )

 

[deputy tom]

Back when I was young and first married the hot set-up for lower income couples(like me and other married friends) was a Ruger .22 pistol loaded with CCI Stingers for HD.One of our un-married friends bought his frail Mother a .22 semi-auto rifle (either a 10/22 or nylon 66,can't remember) and loaded it with Stingers as well.While a 12ga SG might be a better HD choice you learn to get what you can when in need.10 Stingers in any area of the body has to hurt , I would think.If you have no gun at this time,I'd get the SG first and get the 10/22 as quickly as you can afterward.tom.

 

[hobgob]

i second the shotgun as a HD weapon, however even if you dont do drugs, sell them, have lots of cash or sleep with other mens wifes, there is still the chance of home invasion, one of my neighboors was held at shotgun point while his house was looted. He doesnt do drugs, doesnt sleep with other guys wives or any of that other crap. HD is about being prepared for the worst, and in that case you would want something bigger than a 22lr. I own a beretta px4 9mm, good gun, not to big, not to small, you could use it for ccw! great ergonomics, and its beretta so you know its quality, has lots of safety features which was what sold me on the brand.

 

[Oppy]

Ruger Mark II Owner

I won't speak to the knock down power of the .22...obviously less than larger cal. But better than a spoon from the kitchen drawer. But I have had my mark II for 15 years and it is a great little gun. However the first time I broke it down to clean, it was a B*TCH to put back together. I actually took it to a dealer for help.

 

[Fast Frank]

I've said this before...

I wouldn't reach past my .45 to grab a .22 when trouble is near, BUT-

If a .22 is what I have, I'm quite sure I can defend myself with it.


If you want a 10-22, get one.

It's a great way to find out if you are a "Shooter" or not.(It's not for everybody, you know)

It's also a great way to develop some gun handling skills.

If you are the kind of guy that takes to shooting, then you will get an 870 soon enough. For us "Gun Guys", no one firearm is enough.

In the mean time, have some fun!

 

[yesit'sloaded]

I shot a paper plate at 200 yards with a .22 for giggles once. I quit laughing after I counted the holes in the plate. A Stinger going out of the muzzle is a 28 grain projectile going 1600 feet per second. It will kill you dead. Placement, placement, and placement are key. I know people who hunt quail with a .22 pistol by shooting them in the head. I agree there are better things for self defense, but a .22 makes a great first gun and is still a very deadly weapon.

 

[collateral]

for a human target, yes a .22 is underpowered. Lots of people have died at the hands of a .22, but that doesnt mean it's ideal for the task.
My first rifle was a 10/22. I still have it and I love it. Its a handy little all-purpose carbine, and the ammo is dirt cheap!

If you want it for HD, get yourself one of these!
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=139904
I'd also suggest a butler creek 25 round mag. Make sure you get one with the steel lips, or break the plastic one in. The first hundred rounds or so out of my plastic lipped mags jammed up ever 2 or 3 rounds, now they work fine.

 

[elmerfudd]

A .22's not an ideal self defense weapon, but I wouldn't be too quick to write it off either. I might not be Lennox Lewis, but if I put a couple of 22 caliber holes in someone's chest first I'm pretty confident I could finish the job with my fists. Now, if the other guy's also got a gun, then I might be in trouble. Still, I'd rather have a .22 than a baseball bat, a kitchen knife or pepper spray if someone were in my house.

 

[Sgt.Dusk]

10/22 WMR could be a better bet for HD situations.

 

[glockman19]

Is a .22 going to work?

For HD/SD probably not. I'd get the 10/22 for target practice and fun but get a Remington 870 Express 12 gague shotgun for HD/SD.

 

[chris in va]

A 22 is far...far...from impotent. I've seen first hand what it can do in a BG's hands. Two shots to the head, poor guy was out in a second.

Keep in mind also the 22 has very little recoil, and follow up shots on target are pretty much guaranteed. No flinching either.

Would I pick it over say, a 45? Nope. But if it's all you have, by all means be aware it is in fact a very lethal round.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Home defence round? you betchya! 1 86 year old lady shot an intruder with a 22 revolver and he couldn't get out of the door fast enough, took 6 hours of surgery to get him straight after that and then he faced trial. Most people think Pistol, Pistol, Pistol and in a sense they are right. But that 22 rifle is still a rifle. It isn't shaking in your hands like a pistol is and you are holding and pointing that rifle. Wait until you have to use a pistol under duress and you will think again all about the meaning between a pistol is a pistol and a rifle is a rifle.
I think that 10-22 can be a smarter choice for some who are not experienced when using a pistol. IMHO a pistol is to get and keep someone off of your person and a rifle away from you and off of your property. that 10-22 has that capability. I see way too much shooting from way too many people. Shotguns are great but too few use them, I advocate in using a shotgun and I advocate in the training in the use of one. If a 22 is all that you can afford than get you one then get a good pump shotgun and my vote is a remington 870.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Hey---if a 10/22 is all you have--get some hi-cap mags and you should be ok.

Not the best choice--but certainly better than nothing.

 

[Sgt.Dusk]

Hi-cap mags and a fast trigger finger.
Shouldnt be too hard to make 5 or even 10 shots right where you want.
Only thing that may affect your accuracy is that the BG is probably moving (towards the floor) after 2 rounds.
And afterwards when using 22lr you dont have to suffer ringing ears for a month.
But...I still like shotgun better...

 

[CZguy]

Home defense round? you betcha! 1 86 year old lady shot an intruder with a 22 revolver and he couldn't get out of the door fast enough, took 6 hours of surgery to get him straight after that and then he faced trial. Most people think Pistol, Pistol, Pistol and in a sense they are right. But that 22 rifle is still a rifle. It isn't shaking in your hands like a pistol is and you are holding and pointing that rifle. Wait until you have to use a pistol under duress and you will think again all about the meaning between a pistol is a pistol and a rifle is a rifle.
I think that 10-22 can be a smarter choice for some who are not experienced when using a pistol. IMHO a pistol is to get and keep someone off of your person and a rifle away from you and off of your property. that 10-22 has that capability. I see way too much shooting from way too many people. Shotguns are great but too few use them, I advocate in using a shotgun and I advocate in the training in the use of one. If a 22 is all that you can afford than get you one then get a good pump shotgun and my vote is a remington 870.

Best advice I've heard on this subject. +1

Hey---if a 10/22 is all you have--get some hi-cap mags and you should be ok.

Just make sure that you test the hi-caps enough to know that they are 100% reliable. Most of the aftermarket ones aren't. You may be better off with a ten round factory magazine that works, rather than a twenty five rounds that fires one or two shots.

One other consideration is that the vast majority of home invasions are not in squad strength.

One more though, it might be difficult to convince a jury of your "peers" (read anti gun) that you needed to shoot the guy who broke in fifteen times.

 

[mljdeckard]

brian923, what the heck is this?

"police will go into a hostage situation if there is a 9MM involved. they WILL NOT enter an enviroment if theis a 22 LR present."

I am not aware of any police policy that makes this kind of distinction.

Use what you have, but if all you have is a .22 get something else.