What Ammo are You Using For Self Defense and Why?

[ChanceMcCall]

I have a .22 short and a .22LR I carried for years as either 4th and 5th backup while a federal agent. I still carry them as backup off and on. I have just gotten a sidewinder with both cylinders and intend to carry the .22WRM as backup, rather than the .22LR most of the time.

What ammo are you using and why? In .22LR and in .22WRM.

Just to clear the air, my primary carry is a .45 followed by a 9MM as backup number one.

[billmeek]

I don't carry 22LR when I have the option of 22 Mag.  It's just not as effective of round.

I did a lot of reading/watching videos about 22 Mag ammo out of short barreled pistols and settled on 'Speer Gold Dot - Short Barrel' as my 22 Mag carry ammo.  I've shot a few boxes of it through the Pug and have yet to find any keyholed rounds.   

A couple of threads you might find interesting:

http://naaminis.com/smf/index.php?topic=15168

http://naaminis.com/smf/index.php?topic=15532.msg158926#msg158926

[heyjoe]

I have a .22 short and a .22LR I carried for years as either 4th and 5th backup while a federal agent. I still carry them as backup off and on. I have just gotten a sidewinder with both cylinders and intend to carry the .22WRM as backup, rather than the .22LR most of the time.

What ammo are you using and why? In .22LR and in .22WRM.

Just to clear the air, my primary carry is a .45 followed by a 9MM as backup number one.

***.... dont fall in any puddles you might drown......

[Canoeal]

I only have the m BW in 22 mag. In carry mode (all the time) it is usually Gold Dots, In my BW it does have the 12" of penetration and it does expand; that is what I wanted. In rare cases, it has Hornady Critical Defense as that is what I heep in my 4" Charter Arms...I feel that works better in the longer barrel. I use CCI HP+V 30 grain at the range, but I an not a fan of using it to carry. Seems less dependable as I have had FTF in that.

[Talldog]

I use Hornady Critical Defense .22WMR in my Black Widow because that's what I used in my LCR, and I have a lot. It's a good round.

Oh, and I use Speer Gold Dot 147gr in my Glock 26 and SIG Elite 100gr in my Glock 42.

[ChanceMcCall]

I have a .22 short and a .22LR I carried for years as either 4th and 5th backup while a federal agent. I still carry them as backup off and on. I have just gotten a sidewinder with both cylinders and intend to carry the .22WRM as backup, rather than the .22LR most of the time.

What ammo are you using and why? In .22LR and in .22WRM.

Just to clear the air, my primary carry is a .45 followed by a 9MM as backup number one.

dang.... dont fall in any puddles you might drown......

I can swim pretty well. I don't like getting shot. Often the two NAAs were all I could carry as I would be in situations where I was heavily searched before going into situations. Given where I carried them they were never found unless a metal detector was going to be used, and I had a workaround for that as well.

[bearcatter]

If I had and carried a mini, I'd want to carry .22LR Velocitors over any WMR. A lot of WMR benefit gets lost using a super short barrel. Velocitors would do a bit better, I think, if they didn't beat up the gun.

My main carrys are either a:

Guardian 32 with standard FMJ ammo, because hollow point .32 or .380 in pocket guns just doesn't expand well or penetrate well. FMJ gives good penetration, at least.

SP101 .357 using Hornady XTP .38 Special, because it expands well and penetrates just enough.

[heyjoe]

I have a .22 short and a .22LR I carried for years as either 4th and 5th backup while a federal agent. I still carry them as backup off and on. I have just gotten a sidewinder with both cylinders and intend to carry the .22WRM as backup, rather than the .22LR most of the time.

What ammo are you using and why? In .22LR and in .22WRM.

Just to clear the air, my primary carry is a .45 followed by a 9MM as backup number one.

dang.... dont fall in any puddles you might drown......

I can swim pretty well. I don't like getting shot. Often the two NAAs were all I could carry as I would be in situations where I was heavily searched before going into situations. Given where I carried them they were never found unless a metal detector was going to be used, and I had a workaround for that as well.

a 22 short at the bottom of a soda cup or coffee cup has been used in the past

[Canoeal]

If I had and carried a mini, I'd want to carry .22LR Velocitors over any WMR. A lot of WMR benefit gets lost using a super short barrel. Velocitors would do a bit better, I think, if they didn't beat up the gun.

My main carrys are either a:

Guardian 32 with standard FMJ ammo, because hollow point .32 or .380 in pocket guns just doesn't expand well or penetrate well. FMJ gives good penetration, at least.

SP101 .357 using Hornady XTP .38 Special, because it expands well and penetrates just enough.

Funny given that Gold Dots and Hornady critical defense are designed specifically for short Barrels...I agree it works better in a 2" barrel and that is why I like the BW...I don't want a non-expanding 22 round that penetrates 9 " or so...

[gadget]

I use CCI segmented in my BW LR. These used to be called Quik-Shoks. And CCI Speer Gold Dots in my BW 22 mag. I found the Gold Dots to be a little more accurate in my guns. The Segmented LRs are nasty when they hit a water based medium.

[Canoeal]

Yep in water...not so much in penetrating gel or maybe flesh. 7-8 in of penetration.

[Bigbird48]

Since our body's are 60 to 70% water I would say were a water based medium

[bleak_window]

I've always carried Speer Gold Dots in my 2" Black Widow.  Never a failure and also the most accurate.
Sometimes hard to find locally, I usually just get them on Gunbroker in 500 or 1000 round lots.

Hiding a .22 short mini under my sack "taint" my idea of a good time, so thanks for your service ChanceMcCall.

[Uncle Pepper]

My Black Widow and Ranger 2 both like Horndady Critical Defence.  At the range I would use these that's as good as it gets.

[riadat]

I use cci 36 grain mini mags in my 22 and Hornady critical defense in my magnum.

The reason for the 36 grain cci is I like it, find it to be reliable and high quality, it is available, and I saw video of it getting 12 inches in gelatin out of naa with 1 inch barrel with zero expansion.

I figure it will penetrate and it is up to me to hit something vital, ie a head or heart/lung shot.

[BillsNAA]

I currently own 8 NAA revolvers. After extensive research, I have settled in on the long rifle 1 1/8 inch barrel with CCI Stingers.

[adp3]

There's a"Ammo Quest" YouTube series from "ShootingTheBull410" where he test beaucoup .22LR types in a 1 1/8" barrel NAA mini LR. CCI Mini Mag Hollow Points came out on top in his tests in ballistic gel. He gives velocities and penetration data. I carry CCI Mini Mag HP's or Velocitors in my .22 LR Mini. I've had the best results in a Pug and Black Widow with Speer Gold Dots. I haven't shot .22 Shorts since the 60's so my best advice is found out which round has the highest velocity and go with that. Midwayusa.com usually has velocities in the "details" section of an item. The fps will probably be from a rifle.

Best Regards,
ADP3

[SteveZ-FL]

There's a"Ammo Quest" YouTube series from "ShootingTheBull410" where he test beaucoup .22LR types in a 1 1/8" barrel NAA mini LR. CCI Mini Mag Hollow Points came out on top in his tests in ballistic gel. He gives velocities and penetration data. I carry CCI Mini Mag HP's or Velocitors in my .22 LR Mini. I've had the best results in a Pug and Black Widow with Speer Gold Dots. I haven't shot .22 Shorts since the 60's so my best advice is found out which round has the highest velocity and go with that. Midwayusa.com usually has velocities in the "details" section of an item. The fps will probably be from a rifle.

Best Regards,
ADP3

Thanks for the informative video link.   Here's another practical one that I like (https://youtu.be/ob8w2u99YeY).

While the FBI may recommend 11+ inch penetration, the 8-10 inch range that a lot of the tested ammo provided is more than satisfactory for me.  In my tee-shirt Florida environment, the potential of having to first penetrate multi-levels of cloth or leather is not an expectation.  That being the case, and preferring the round remain within the target to mitigate any collateral damage, the "mid range" ammo in the ShootingTheBull410 video fits my needs.

[RICKS PLACE]

I carry the Hornady Critical Defense 45 grain in all my magnums for defense.  If you feel better with a .45, .38, or .25 ACP, carry it.  For those that have read my posts I have seen a man shot in the back of the head with a .45 acp walking with a cane a few weeks later, watched a man shot in the back with a .22 short die on the table, saw a man hit with a 12 ga. (bird shot) in the chest at close range, he lived, and reviewed the case of a woman hit in the chest with a .410 at close range (bird shot) was DRT. (dead right there)  I could go on. It all just depends on if it is time to go.

[Dinadan]

These days I mostly carry LR Velocitors in my Magnums and in my LR. When I carry magnum ammo it is Gold Dot.

[Mr.Mini]

Hornady Critical Defense. It's a proven round. I like the gold dot but it seems the Hornady is more  readily available.

[linux_author]

i use whatever i can find on sale, and for .32ACP its FMJ, for .38spl use 125gr fmj fn, and 9mm 124gr fmj reman ammo made locally... a lot of the 'defense round' ammo is a bit of a hoo-hah IMO, but i do see a difference in Gold Dots and CCI TNTs in .22mag AFA accuracy

keep in mind, this is all for belly guns, not the 100-yd competitive shooting mindset

willie
on the Gulf of Mexico