Ruger LCP .22 for self defense?

[leeroy71]

Well played Mr Dodson. IMHO .32 cal. makes ideal SD gun.
Larger than .22 but not harder to control. Altough i currently do not own any .32's one is definitely in the furture.

However, I DO NOT EVER want to be on the buisness end of any .22!
So many sucessful (ie deadly) shootings can't be wrong.

 

[Patriotme]

I think that many other posters did a good job of explaining that some people can only shoot a .22lr. This is especially true of those with physical disabilities.
A little gun is better than no gun.
One further point, it's probably better to get the .22lr LCR than a .38 Spl snubnose that you are scared of, can't afford to shoot or cannot hit anything with. I would not pick a .22lr as my first choice but it may be the best choice for some.
I remember having a conversation with a coworker and all around (in his mind) gun guru at work a few years ago. He was telling everyone that a 12 ga shotgun is the best home defense gun ever made and that's all that anyone really needs. Then he regaled us with stories of his prowess with the shotgun. When I mentioned that our coworker with carpal tunnel in both hands can't shoot a 12 ga he was stumped. When I mentioned that his wife is not going to carry a shotgun when unloading groceries from the car he seemed puzzled and when I pointed out that it's hard to operate a 12 ga when carrying a toddler to safety he seemed to be without an argument.
Long story short.....we always seem to think that the best choice for us is the best choice for everyone.

 

[JustinJ]

When I mentioned that his wife is not going to carry a shotgun when unloading groceries from the car he seemed puzzled and when I pointed out that it's hard to operate a 12 ga when carrying a toddler to safety he seemed to be without an argument.

I'm a little puzzled in imagining any foreseeable scenario in which a person would need to operate any firearm while carrying a toddler. For unloading groceries i assume a person would use their normal carry weapon. I don't think people who don't normally carry a gun or going to grab one to carrry on their person for chores around the house. For just about any gun one can imagine extremely unlikely situations in which it would not be ideal. Regardless, for bumps in the nights a shotgun beats a handgun. I don't have a disability but aside from those named "lefty" most disabled people could probably operate a rifle with three points of support more effectively than a handgun.

 

[340PD]

Shawn: The .327 is the only viable caliber that would work. I have shot thousands of rounds of wadcutters over 2.5 gr. of bullseye. It also gives them the option of going on to the magnum round as they got more proficient. Thanks.

 

[Patriotme]

I'm a little puzzled in imagining any foreseeable scenario in which a person would need to operate any firearm while carrying a toddler. For unloading groceries i assume a person would use their normal carry weapon. I don't think people who don't normally carry a gun or going to grab one to carrry on their person for chores around the house. For just about any gun one can imagine extremely unlikely situations in which it would not be ideal. Regardless, for bumps in the nights a shotgun beats a handgun. I don't have a disability but aside from those named "lefty" most disabled people could probably operate a rifle with three points of support more effectively than a handgun.

My coworker stated that a 12 ga was the best weapon for home defense. My point was (to him) that it's the best weapon for home defense when you have it with you and ready when needed. Also being physicaly able to handle the gun is a big help. He believed that HIS choice was the best choice for everyone because it worked for him and did not take the limitations of others into account.
I thought my post was pretty clear but I'll try again.
A shotgun may trump a handgun but that shotgun is most likely to be in a closet or corner when needed. Many of us carry concealed but how many carry a shotgun when unloading groceries or even Christmas presents from the car? How many people are seriously going to carry a shotgun around with them as they move throughout the house cooking dinner, doing laundry or talking on the phone? Not many. That shotgun will be in a corner or closet.
As for using a gun when carrying a todler.....if I (as an abusive and violent ex) decide to kick in my ex girlfriend's door she could carry a small child out the back while I enter the front door. She could have a gun in one hand and a child carrier in the other. She could also be on the phone with 911 while covering a door with a handgun. She could even have a handgun ready while getting in a car and attempting to leave. Good luck weilding that shotgun from behind the wheel. There's a lot of women out there buying handguns and they are doing so because they want something that will be at hand when it's needed. A shotgun is great when you have time to get it. A handgun is more likely to already be there.
The original post delt with infirmities and the fact that some people are limited in what they can use for self defense. A .22lr may be it for them. Many people have to struggle just to afford one gun and cannot afford a gun for every situation. In this case it's better to have a handgun which may be mediocre in a lot of situations instead of a shotgun which may be the best choice in one situation. I know people that can barely walk and have arthritis so bad they can barely function. Just because you can use a shotgun doesn't mean that everyone can.
I really think you missed my original point. Any gun is better than no gun in an emergency and some people will have to compromise in what they use. I used a coworker as an example of not thinking through what works for other people and was not trying to turn this into a shotgun vs handgun debate for home defense.

 

[JustinJ]

My coworker stated that a 12 ga was the best weapon for home defense. My point was (to him) that it's the best weapon for home defense when you have it with you and ready when needed. Also being physicaly able to handle the gun is a big help.
I thought my post was pretty clear but I'll try again.
A shotgun may trump a handgun but that shotgun is most likely to be in a closet or corner when needed. Many of us carry concealed but how many carry a shotgun when unloading groceries or even Christmas presents from the car? How many people are seriously going to carry a shotgun around with them as they move throughout the house cooking dinner, doing laundry or talking on the phone? Not many. That shotgun will be in a corner or closet.
As for using a gun when carrying a todler.....if I (as an abusive and violent ex) decide to kick in my ex girlfriend's door she could carry a small child out the back while I enter the front door. She could have a gun in one hand and a child carrier in the other. She could also be on the phone with 911 while covering a door with a handgun. There's a lot of women out there buying handguns and they are doing so because they want something that will be at hand when it's needed. A shotgun is great when you have time to get it. A handgun is more likely to already be there.

Except not everybody feels the need to carry a gun at all times while at home to begin with. In fact i would bet that very few people of the general population are willing to do so therefor regardless of what gun they have for home defense it will have to be fetched.

I'm not arguing that a shotgun is the be all end all gun for all potential scenarios and i think most of us agree that ideally a person will own both a shotgun and handgun. But if a person hears a bump in the night the majority will be far better suited by a shotgun than a handgun. I'm not going to reduce my ability to defend myself in order to hold a phone to my ear so after pressing 911 it should all be speaker phone from there.

 

[hso]

Am I way off base looking into the new Ruger LCR .22 as an option for some students?

IF you're talking about it as their sole defensive handgun you're not even in the ballpark. When you're trying to stop an attack the need is for greater stopping power. The .22 lacks that unless you get very good (or very lucky).

I've primarily taught women to shoot defensively and primarily shooting semiautos. Difficulty with cycling a slide is usually due to using the inferior body mechanics of trying to pull the slide back while holding the frame still instead of the better approach of pushing the frame forward while locking onto the slide with the off hand. With elbows locked into the sides and a solid grip on top of the slide I've had no failures with even frail older women pushing the frame forward to slide stop/release.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

I recently went through this dilemma searching for something for my anti semi-auto wife and daughter to have at home. I got some good advice both pro and con.

One pointed out that if a BG is looking at the wrong end of a revolver they are probably not going to be analyzing caliber. Then there were the usual, and understandable, arguments of .22lr vs the world.

I picked up a beater 4" DA .38 that passed the revolver check-out sticky. I worked it over (basically degunked it) lightened the main spring two coils and they both fell in love with it. They now have a competition going between them. Our next stop is a modern reliable 3-4" DA .357 house gun.

 

[22-rimfire]

Am I way off base looking into the new Ruger LCR .22 as an option for some students?

I personally don't think you're "way off base". But I would condition the recommendation that a larger centerfire caliber would be a lot more effective. If they choose a 22, stress that they need to practice and they need to choose the most reliable ammunition commonly available (probably CCI) rather than the cheapest bulk pack they can find at Walmart.

 

[jwgml]

S&W came out with the similar 43c model a year ago.

I Prefer double action revolvers for 22lr because of reliability. That being said, I have to agree with the crowd and recommend a larger caliber and the greater capacity of good pistol. We need to push ourselves and the people we care about out of the comfort zone. Training, Training, Training. Lives are at stake.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

I am probably going to get in trouble for posting this but, the recent Ohio incident left 3 people dead and 3 injured, he fired 10 shots from a Ruger Mk. III -- which is a .22.

Don't doubt the .22, not my first choice but it will do the job.

 

[AJChenMPH]

I am probably going to get in trouble for posting this but, the recent Ohio incident left 3 people dead and 3 injured, he fired 10 shots from a Ruger Mk. III -- which is a .22.

I was thinking of exactly the same incident when I first saw the title of this thread.

Back in my EMS days, I worked a shooting where the victim took a single .22 round just below the collarbone, no exit wound. It had hit an artery, and he bled out internally and died.

 

[larryh1108]

The OP said he teaches basic firearms courses. More than likely most of his students are new to handguns. Almost every post I read about teaching someone new about handguns is to recommend starting with a .22 until they get comfortable with it and then, when they feel comfortable and confident, they move up in caliber... at their pace.

Here we've gotten to a minimum carry caliber debate again. The OP has it right. Teach them on the .22 and let them decide when to move to bigger bullets. There is no point to teaching newbies with a .357 mag or whatever if they learn to not like the recoil and never persue carrying one or keeping one for SD. Even those "cute" .38 Specials in a snubby are pretty harsh to someone who never shot before. Let them learn, gain confidence and move on when they are ready. It is a natural progression and if they stay with the .22 and get proficient with it it's still better than never buying a handgun at all.

 

[Saddlebag Preacher]

Just looking at this from a retired cop's observation...Look at the damage John Hinkley did during the attempt to kill President Reagan. Dropped 2 cops and Brady wth one bullet each, and almost killed our president. The are nasty little rounds.

 

[GEM]

1. Check out www.corneredcat.com for training women to shoot larger calibers.
2. If that is all that can be handled because of infirmity, yes - of course. Better than no gun and will be much more successful than nothing but waving a frying pan like in some Lifetime Network Movie .
3. Shawn is on the money with the 632s. I bought one of the Pro-tac ones (SS, comped, hammer and longer barrel). It is a sweet heart to shoot with Longs and the 32 HR mags are fine. With it's grip size, it would be good for folks.
4. Similarly, you could could get a Model 60 with light loads.

Most criminals who take a round from them, would cease the action.

But, Pax has tips for the more powerful rounds as you can't argue that if they can shoot them - go for it.

 

[gunsNgearguy]

My wife had a really hard time chambering rounds in her glock. After looking at the corneredcat website she realized that she was trying to hold the gun steady with her grip hand while pulling the slide back with the other. To overcome this, she now holds the slide with her off hand and punches the grip/frame forward with the other.

 

[Lawdawg45]

340PD,

While the .22 wouldn't be my first choice, it's hard to deny the FBI data which shows more people are killed each year with a .22/.25. 8 well placed shots (which IS the key) of a hot .22 hollow point will end the fight, but not quickly in most cases. Absolutely go with the .22, learn trigger control and shot placement, then move up calibers when/if they are ready. BTW, my wife carries a 6 shot .22 mag.

LD

 

[Tex4426]

There is no better self defense weapon than a 12 gauge..nut its kind of limited to the hope or car...anyways if all u can handle is a 22 then use that...with virtually no recoil u can fire 10 rounds pretty damn fast...I use a 9mm..I'm a big Guy and can pop off a 16 round clip at 10 yards in a 10 inch circle as fast as I can pull the trigger..and believe me if my life's on the line I wont stop shooting till u stop breathing

 

[Certaindeaf]

I think a service type caliber is even more warranted for a woman than that same platform used by a man.
Who wants to fend but were it to go there, and it probably will, women can't really fend as well as men. A normal man can usually fend well with the off hand while delivering damage with the gun. And were it to then to go into an all out death struggle/fight, one stands a better chance against an assailant being a man and one's adversary is ,hopefully, rapidly bleeding out.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Ruger LCP .22 for self defense?

For practice yes! In fact heck yes as the cost of .380 ammo is so high the .22 would pay for itself in short order.

But for defense? Well that's a mighty thin reed to stake your life on. So no. I have a S&W 2213 .22 that has something like a 2 1/2 barrel but I sure don't consider it my SD gun!

Yes it can be used for SD but it is not my pick at all.

Deaf

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

First Rule of Gunfighting (per Jeff Cooper)-"Have a gun".
Elmer Keith responded to a reader's letter asking about what Elmer considered
a "mouse gun" by saying it wasn't his cup of tea "but it sure beats your fists."
Or feet, or foul language.
And a hit with a 22 hurts a lot more than a miss with a .357 or 45.

 

[GEM]

IIRC, Keith also said a 22 is small until it is pointed at you.

 

[TimboKhan]

I am going to parrot the reasonable middle ground: Not the best choice, but it can do in a pinch. Really, it's biggest downside is the ability to reliably stop someone immediately. Many, many people have died because of the lowly .22. I am guessing a significantly small percentage of those people died instanty.

Not to sound pompous, but my goal with a handgun in a defensive situation is to stop the threat, not kill someone slowly over time. Fact is, I don't want to kill anyone, but if I need to protect myself, I want them on the ground as quickly as possible, and a .22 isn't likely to do that.

Take away the defensive angle, and I (along with roughly a bazillion other people) believe the .22 is the most versatile cartridge there is. I would take a .22 over any other caliber in a survival situation, unless that situation is fighting bears or something unrelaistic.