.22 LR as a home defense firearm

[Andy54Hawken]

First up....
And I would like to make this clear....
I am not advocating for the .22LR and a firearm chambered for it...as the number one choice for home defense.

I am saying that it can work if.....

It is what you have in hand ...One gun in the hand is worth two in the safe.
To paraphrase an old saying.
If that is what you have available....no sense in curling up and waiting to die , 'cause all you have is "just a .22."

You have proper ammunition.
Many .22 LR firearms can be picky about what they like....once you find a .22 LR cartridge that works well with your firearm....
And one that you shoot well with....stock up on it.
It is one thing to have your .22 firearm have a failure to fire...feed ...extract or eject when on the range...
It can be life altering if you are in a defensive situation.

And if...
You make a good , solid hit with it.
No matter what cartridge or firearm chosen....hitting what you want is important.
More so with a .22 LR .
it is small ...and light in weight when compared to just about any other cartridge.
Even with a good solid hit the .22 LR may not penetrate or expand, enough to stop the threat.

Making those good , solid hits....
Will be challenging in a defensive shoot.
The threat will not be obliging enough to stand still and present that perfect silhouette target.
The threat might have a barrier between you and him...or have multiple layers of clothing to get through.
The threat probably wants to live , never underestimate the willingness to survive .
Speaking of willingness....your willingness to shoot , will play a role here as well.

The most important factor against using a .22 LR for defense is reliability , as in...
Reliable function in your firearm...and reliable performance.
No matter how well you shoot...no matter how much you like a particular firearm....
If it ain't reliable ....it ain't the first choice to be a defensive firearm.

With all that said...
A .22LR may be the only choice for a defensive firearm due to many circumstances.
It could be the only firearm owned...or in hand.
It might be the only one someone shoots or operates well.

If so....
Practice with it ...a lot
Speaking of a lot...buy a lot of the ammo that works well with it.

Much ink and cyber space has been used with these sayings or variations thereof...
"More people have been killed with the .22LR , than with any other gun or cartridge."
"No one wants to get shot with anything."
"Well ...if it so bad...then do you want to stand in front of me , while I shoot it...?"

My answer to above is So What...?
What is important here is what can you do , with what you have....
Not what someone else can do... Might be able to do...or is supposed to have done.

Again....
Please understand that I am not saying that a .22LR is the choice ...a good choice or even possibly a choice for a defensive firearm.
I am saying that if you have a .22LR firearm...and if you find yourself in a defensive situation...all is not lost....
If you can shoot well...If you have the willingness to shoot...and if you have reliable ammo.
I know lots of "if" up there.
Andy
Edit to add...
Bold for that last bit...'cause it seems to have been missed / overlooked.

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[CountryGent]

I'm hip to this .22LR for HD ...

 

[Tlock]

As ive stated before the 22lr is a very deadly tool, ive taken deer, elk, bears and mountain lions with it. My #1 home defense choice? Probably not.....but i agree 100% with Andy

 

[Tlock]

560 pound bear taken with a 45gr cci sub sonic hp. Rifle was a awc technologies ruger 10-22

Edit: my point was a bears skull is definitely thicker than a human and humans are much weaker creatures.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Lots of folks choose to carry a B.U.G. ( Back Up Gun) in some form, many choose a Derringer type pistol or very small pocket sized revolvers that shoots .22 Long Rifle, and that can be a life saver, especially if you are not able to reach your primary, or are unable to operate it, the .22 is NO JOKE!

 

[po18guy]

Head shots are most distracting. No one, especially sociopathic thieves, wants their pretty face messed up. Rounds left? Groin time.

 

[po18guy]

I'm hip to this .22LR for HD ...

View attachment 2132859

And no can needed! Bystanders will ask "was that a woodpecker?"

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGyLwj_OPQA

 

[orygun]

A couple of weekends ago we had a family shooting day. I took Grandpa's Ruger Standard out for the first time in quite a while. I let everybody shoot it. I shot two magazines thru it, both about as quickly as I could while staying on target. I carried this gun as a teenager and young adult cuz it was the only handgun I had. It's an easy gun to shoot well, and that counts.

 

[wired]

I am solidly of the opinion that you hit just about anyone with any bang device they are going to stop what they are doing and run away peeing their pants. Ive also known people who were severely injured and killed with 22's. Would they have been more killed with something more powerful? Possibly.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I have seen men hit with what the Army euphemistically calls "Light Wounds"....quit fighting...or cease to be a threat.

I have also seen men hit with what should be a killing or at the least a incapacitating hit...continue fighting and being a threat.

I post the above not to argue...
Just to point out that just because you hit the threat...the threat may have other plans.

Andy

 

[orygun]

I post the above not to argue...
Just to point out that just because you hit the threat...the threat may have other plans.

Andy

And I'd prefer to reflect on your experience, not one that may happen to me.
Thanks.

 

[TTSX]

I would imagine the .22 has killed more "things" than all other cartridges combined. "You" happen to be a "thing."

It's not sexy, but neither was that chick I took home from the bar that one time in college.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have seen men hit with what the Army euphemistically calls "Light Wounds"....quit fighting...or cease to be a threat.

I have also seen men hit with what should be a killing or at the least a incapacitating hit...continue fighting and being a threat.

I post the above not to argue...
Just to point out that just because you hit the threat...the threat may have other plans.

Andy

I have also witnessed many of the same!
Dude took a round through the side of his head, should have ended him right there, he not only survived, but recovered likewise, saw a dude take what is best described as a flesh wound, hardly more then a scratch, expired several hours later, likely from shock!

Bullets so funny things in the human body, sometimes a kill shot ends up not killing, other times, it does, no one can explain why!

Had a number of wounded pass through my care, some we were convinced wouldn't make it, yet they did, others we thought had every chance, yet passed away anyway, I raged over the ones that should have survived and didn't, and cursed for those that didn't ever have a chance! One of life's great mysteries!

 

[1911Fanatic]

I wouldn't want to have to use a .22 in a defensive situation. But, I would if I had to.

The Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22 that I have uses 25 round magazines. Actually, I have only been able to load 24 rounds into the magazines. I have tested 6 of the 12 mags that I have for it.

I have put 300 rounds through it the last time I shot it a week ago. It didn't have a hiccup, not even once.

I was able to get a 2 inch group at 100 yards with it using Iron sights. As @po18guy said, first the face, and then the groin. My son, who just got out of the Army and has been in combat many times did just that….many times.

If they don guy was wearing hard plates, he would pick one or the other. The groin is usually not gaurded, or at least guarded very well. It you are a little off, to the left or the right, you will still likely hit the femoral artery. If you are right on point, and the groin isn't armored, you might hit the pubic symphisis, and break the enemies pelvis. He won't be able to stand and he will fall.

If it's a home intruder wearing light clothing, dump a half a mag into him and you just might change his mind. I wanted to get a binary trigger for my S&W, but now there's no point in doing so as they will be illegal to even possess come September.

Now that I have my rifle sighted in for 100 yards (10 yards past the published maximum range for the gun), I need to shoot some more targets at defensive distances to see how high it shoots at those distances.

My S&W M&P 15-22 is a can and watermelon slayer, but that doesn't mean it will be useless if needed in a self defense situation. No excuse to not learn what it's capable of and what is not capable. Any gun that one can shoot well is better that a bigger caliber gun that you can't shoot well, IMHO.

 

[1911Fanatic]

I am solidly of the opinion that you hit just about anyone with any bang device they are going to stop what they are doing and run away peeing their pants. Ive also known people who were severely injured and killed with 22's. Would they have been more killed with something more powerful? Possibly.

I used to work in the ER at McKenzie Willamette Hospital in Springfield. I have seen many people shot with a 22LR resulting in their deaths.

 

[1911Fanatic]

I would imagine the .22 has killed more "things" than all other cartridges combined. "You" happen to be a "thing."

It's not sexy, but neither was that chick I took home from the bar that one time in college.

They all get prettier at closing time. The Beer Goggles with do that to ya.

 

[titsonritz]

Way better than a pointy stick.

 

[Joe13]

View attachment 2132879
View attachment 2132880
560 pound bear taken with a 45gr cci sub sonic hp. Rifle was a awc technologies ruger 10-22

Edit: my point was a bears skull is definitely thicker than a human and humans are much weaker creatures.

So it's hard to see just how big the bear is with you laying in front of it with your hand up like you have a question……

 

[1911Fanatic]

Way better than a pointy stick.

Unless we're talking about a Coyote bubblegum.

 

[Tlock]

So it's hard to see just how big the bear is with you laying in front of it with your hand up like you have a question……

You like? Im bearing it all just for you.....