Self-Defense: 22 Magnum in a Snub Revolver ... Yay or Nay?

[LightX]

Hello fellow 2A supporters & NWF members,

I am serious and curious to know what the general consensus is here (FORUM) concerning the 22 Magnum for Self-Defense with respect to "Concealed Carry, Snub Revolver i.e. Ruger LCR and or S&W 351C. HENCE, not a Ruger vs S&W as to which brand is better to question. But, rather the effectiveness of the 22 Magnum.

I would like to know your opinion(s), thought(s), and or perspective(s).

If you know any good reads about this specific or related to my questions, please by all means feel free to mention them.

Feel free to elaborate.

Thanks,
LightX



"

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[Member 53328]

Personally it's a NO from me.

 

[Wookie1]

My first thought is no just based off it being rimfire. While I have had better luck with 22 mag over 22lr they are considered less reliable.

 

[Knobgoblin]

I would. If you find a decent trigger that also offers significant reliability.

 

[oregonPlinking]

Hello fellow 2A supporters & NWF members,

I am serious and curious to know what the general consensus is here (FORUM) concerning the 22 Magnum for Self-Defense with respect to "Concealed Carry, Snub Revolver i.e. Ruger LCR and or S&W 351C. HENCE, not a Ruger vs S&W as to which brand is better to question. But, rather the effectiveness of the 22 Magnum.

I would like to know your opinion(s), thought(s), and or perspective(s).

If you know any good reads about this specific or related to my questions, please by all means feel free to mention them.

Feel free to elaborate.

Thanks,
LightX



"

I really wouldn't trust my life to rimfire anything.

 

[titsonritz]

Better than a pointy stick but not my first choice. The main reason for going there would be severe recoil sensitivity. Even then I'd try a .32 for the centerfire over the rimfire.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Questions back at you. Why? Capacity? You already own a ton of .22mag?

And why not .38spl instead?

 

[titsonritz]

Questions back at you. Why? Capacity? You already own a ton of .22mag?

And why not .38spl instead?

...or .327 Fed Mag, gives the ability to handle .32H&R Mag, .32 S&W Long, .32 Short...pick your recoil threshold.

 

[Member 66129]

Unless you're extremely recoil sensitive, I'd say no. I'm a fan of . 22wmr and I own a couple of f pocket pistols in the caliber but they are only ever carried when nothing else is feasible.

As was mentioned above, I would recommend. 327 federal.

 

[Spitpatch]

Purpose: To kill something. (Or at least stop whatever that something is doing at that moment.)

I cannot speak for any experience fulfilling that purpose with a .22 WMR in a snub-nose revolver.

But with a 6.5" barrel, given a well-placed shot (which the cartridge itself facilitates), it has repeatedly proven reliable to me when directed at critters even in the 150-200lb class toward the Purpose above.

 

[CO136]

I like .22 Mag. Cool round, but I would not carry a rimfire as primary. I do not trust rimfire like I trust centerfire. I have a LCR in .22 Mag that I carry in my shirt pocket when I go on my walks in the neighborhood. Usually loaded with snake loads & a couple of solids. But, I also carry a centerfire under my shirt...

 

[Koda]

Hello fellow 2A supporters & NWF members,

I am serious and curious to know what the general consensus is here (FORUM) concerning the 22 Magnum for Self-Defense with respect to "Concealed Carry, Snub Revolver i.e. Ruger LCR and or S&W 351C. HENCE, not a Ruger vs S&W as to which brand is better to question. But, rather the effectiveness of the 22 Magnum.

I would like to know your opinion(s), thought(s), and or perspective(s).

If you know any good reads about this specific or related to my questions, please by all means feel free to mention them.

Feel free to elaborate.

Thanks,
LightX



"

effectiveness: In those pistols the rounds should be effective but my limited experience with 22WMR ammo is there are a lot of duds.
Size of gun: in those pistol sizes there are much better calibers even for recoil sensitive, see calibers mentioned above. IMO the only way I would rely on a rimfire is if the pistol itself was significantly smaller, enough to fill a concealment niche, but a rimfire would never be a primary self defense gun.

For the size of gun your looking at why a revolver? What about a 380 auto?

 

[solv3nt]

No love for the rim job?

 

[bradsteen]

Personally .22 mag wouldn't be my first choice for carry if other options are present. As mentioned above, if recoil is an issue .327 mag would be a good option for the ability to choose between 4 different calibers depending on what level of ballistic performance & recoil you are willing to accept.

That being said, I would be fine carrying a .22 mag revolver in a pinch, or having it as a backup gun. The link below demonstrates how .22 mag performs in short barrels. To summarize, overall penetration appears to be adequate for defensive purposes (12" - 18" in ballistic gel), though you won't get any expansion.

Pocket Pistol Caliber Ballistic Gel Tests - LuckyGunner.com Labs

Pocket pistol caliber ballistic gelatin results. We tested dozens of different loads to give you an idea what's best for self-defense.

www.luckygunner.com

If I were to carry any rimfire cartridge for defense I would do so in a revolver simply for reliability's sake - if a round fails to fire just squeeze the trigger again to fire the next cylinder. Rimfire has gotten a lot better and more consistent over the past 20 years, but I still don't trust it enough to use it in a semi-auto for anything other than plinking.

I'm of the mindset that having a gun is better than not, having a gun you can shoot comfortably and accurately is better than one you have a hard time controlling. In tiny revolvers controlling recoil can be a serious challenge, so I wouldn't dismiss .22 mag as an option if you're comfortable with it and can get consistent shot placement at defensive distances.

Others will disagree, and they have good reasons for doing so. Rimfire presents a reliability risk that some are not willing to take, and doesn't have great terminal ballistics compared to modern center-fire cartridges. The question they will ask is, why would you carry a rimfire cartridge when center-fire options are available? It's a legitimate question, one you should think about before committing to a course of action.

Ultimately it's your life, and your choice on how best to protect it. Listen to the feedback, do some research, and let us know what direction you decide to go.

 

[Joe13]

I carry a Walther P22 .22lr in my cargo shorts pockets on hot days and have no issue feeling safe***

***
This is given that I'm not in a high risk area.

But I'm a big dude and carry multiple knives so I guess it's whatever you are comfortable with.




Hornady makes a short barrel .22 mag round. I've never had a dud but haven't shot a lot of it either. CCI mini mags almost always go boom and a put fresh ammo in my P22 a couple times a year.

 

[TTSX]

I'd go .22LR before I went with .22WMR in almost any circumstance. If there's not the barrel to burn the powder, what exactly do you gain with more powder, besides an emptier wallet?

 

[WAYNO]

.22WMR as a first choice? Never. But as an only choice, maybe. Sure beats a stick.

The centuries old rhetorical argument was, you could kill an elephant with a .22 rimfire. Maybe so. But not likely instantaneously. What we hope for is quick incapacitation. The larger, or faster, or heavier, or bigger the bullet , all helps with this incapacitation thing. Quick bleedout, shock, bone or soft tissue damage, or nervous system stoppage is what hastens incapacitation. A rimfire round is comparatively anemic compared to a .45, .40, or even 9mm. Where the .22 comes in, is stopping a person just because of the instant pain and even the muzzle blast. To some nut jobs, or otherwise drug-induced people, this effect of a rimfire just may not be enough to make them stop doing what they're intent on doing.

All this said, some folks may not tolerate shooting anything other than a mouse round, so there's the better-than-nothing argument.

I also do not buy into at all, "I'm not in a high crime area, so a .22 rimfire is enough" argument. Doesn't matter if you're in a nice mall, or if you're passing through the ghetto, people intent on harming you need to be stopped immediately, and they don't stop easier just because you're in a nice neighborhood.

Bottom line... If I have to, or for a quick convenience, I just might grab a .22 rimfire handgun. But it's a lazy choice that could bite me in the arse really quick.

Lastly. The argument continues on not enough barrel to burn all the powder, hence reduced velocities. Yes, but at the same time the LR round is also further hindered by a shorter barrel. The WMR round will always have better performance than a LR in the same length barrel.

 

[LightX]

Questions back at you. Why? Capacity? You already own a ton of .22mag?

And why not .38spl instead?

Good question to ask, but not looking for a resolution. Albeit, it's just an intellectual curiosity. I am not sure if you're aware that Federal, Speer, and Hornady are producing 22 magnum ammunition as self-defense loads. i.e. Federal Premium Punch in 22 WMR, Speer Gold Dot in 22 WMR, and Hornady Critical Defense in 22 WMR, and not to forget Winchester's Silver Tip & PDX1 in 22 WMR. Do you suppose they got it wrong??? Certainly, a centerfire cartridge is much more reliable than a rim fire cartridge, and not to forget better ballistics in semi-auto 25acp - 10mm. Nevertheless, I am curious as to what you know about the caliber itself, and if you have any experience with it. For the record, I have zero experience with 22 Magnum. Most of my experience has varied over the decades with semi-auto calibers and two different revolver calibers.., such as the .38 Special & .357 magnum. As for the semi-autos it ranges from .380 all the way up to 10mm. Hope that answers your question to my original question.
Best,
LightX

 

[LightX]

I would. If you find a decent trigger that also offers significant reliability.

Good to know.

 

[LightX]

My first thought is no just based off it being rimfire. While I have had better luck with 22 mag over 22lr they are considered less reliable.

Indeed!