.22 LR Is it enough

Mickey · March-16-20 18:03

Is the .22 LR enough for a defense situation? I've gotten comfortable with my .22 mag Wasp 1" barrel.

LHB · March-16-20 19:03

My self, I carry the ,22 mag, and I don't think there is enough difference in size to make stepping down to the LR worth the change. Of course the keyboard commandos will tell you that if it don't start with a 4, it ain't worth carrying, but I have also read accounts of where that drug crazed psycho they worry so much about absorbed 5 center mass slugs from a 12 gauge, and beat the officer that shot him to death with the empty shotgun before going down.

bearcatter · March-16-20 19:03

You're gonna get a lot of yes, no, and maybe replys. I myself prefer the .32 Guardian, over any .22, largely because rimfire ignition is less trustworthy than centerfire. The bullet size is not so important to me.

Canoeal · March-16-20 20:03

I am a .22 mag only guy. No sense in not using the most you can get out of your mini. For me it is .22 mag Gold Dot and Hornady CD.

OV-1D · March-17-20 04:03

I figure a sharp ,not even sharp ,pencil is a very good weapon when needed . :}) Either one will get the point across .

Anything up the old nostril will definitely do the job except a fat finger , yuck .....

Wumbey Goomba · March-17-20 04:03

Yes it's enough.

top dog · March-17-20 05:03

Mickey,
Some years ago,John Hinckley stepped up to the stage and in less than 3 seconds had Pres.Regan and three others on the ground.

He was using a total POS Ruhr revolver in 22 lr.

In 1969,Rich Davis (later founded bullet proof vests "Second Chance") while delivering a pizza encountered and defeated three armed robbers. He was using an old,used H&R revolver in 22lr.

Are there other calibers more effective? Of course,but will you always have that piece with you?? I doubt it.

I would say that it is a safe bet that all members of this forum have a NAA mini on them in either 22lr or Magnum.

I,for one,would not want to stop either round.

Top Dog

Boisesteve · March-17-20 09:03

What Top Dog said.

Rule number one is 'have a gun'.

Or, said a different way, a person at a gathering asked an off-duty officer who was there, "I see you're wearing a gun. Are you expecting trouble?" And the officer replied, "no, if I were expecting trouble I'd have a rifle."

Size matters, but in my opinion is secondary to 1) having a gun on your person at all times,
and 2)tactics

flash · March-17-20 10:03

Any handgun is a compromise. Anyone willing to carry a pocket pistol has already compromised further. We're all playing the odds that what we choose to carry will be "enough".

Any handgun is fine ~95% of the time because that's about how often just presenting the gun, with a willingness to use it, is enough. Pulling the trigger not required.

22's are not good at instant stops a.k.a. involuntary incapacitation but are lethal. However there are plenty of examples of when a .22 was "enough". Like has been said, I would not stand in front of one.

https://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2013/10/25/a-22-will-kill-you-further-than-you-can-shoot-it-accurately/

FWIW 22 Short was created in 1857 as a personal self defense round. Anemic compared to 22 LR but still potentially lethal at close range. I would not stand in front of one of them.

https://northamericanarms.com/ballistics/ball-22s/
https://northamericanarms.com/ballistics/ball-22lr/
https://northamericanarms.com/ballistics/ball-22ms/

However -- if you already have a Wasp, perhaps just stick with that?

I carry a 22LR at times (I alternate between that and a Guardian) but if I'm being honest sometimes I wish I'd picked up a Magnum instead of the 22LR. Not because 22LR can't be "enough", just that the .22 Magnum is "more" but still easily concealed.

OV-1D · March-17-20 10:03

The biggest choice is WILL YOU USE IT OR NOT .

Uncle_Lee · March-17-20 15:03

Quote from: OV-1D on March-17-20 10:03
The biggest choice is WILL YOU USE IT OR NOT .

I will.
Always wanted to but never had the chance. Time is running short for the chance to come about. Hands are getting shaky and eyes ain't so good anymore. It would have to be hand to hand to be able to hit the target I fear...

Dinadan · March-17-20 17:03

Quote from: Mickey on March-16-20 18:03
Is the .22 LR enough for a defense situation? I've gotten comfortable with my .22 mag Wasp 1" barrel.

How much is enough? Some folks say any caliber smaller than .40 is too small, other say smaller than 12 gauge is too small.

Personally, I think that if you are carrying a one inch barrel .22 Magnum, then you could switch to .22 LR without surrendering too much defensive stopping power.

Every Mini will probably have slightly different ballistics, but generally I think that for each gun the advantage of the Magnum round will increase as barrel length increases.

I carry Magnum Minis of various barrel lengths, but these days I always use the LR cylinders with Velocitors for ammo. I just do not like Magnum rounds. I do not shoot them for practice, so I do not carry them for defense. If I get killed after shooting a BG with LR, then everyone here can say: If only he had carried magnums ...

heyjoe · March-17-20 19:03

i've carried the 22 short

Dinadan · March-17-20 20:03

Quote from: heyjoe on March-17-20 19:03
i've carried the 22 short

Good thing you live in a safe and peaceful milieu!

stantheman86 · March-17-20 23:03

My .22 WMR Pug is my daily carry and I feel comfortable with .22 Mag as a defensive round.

I also have a .22 LR Mini and I carried that for a time, yes I feel a cylinder full of .22 LR Stingers is effective but not "ideal " .

I feel my NAA Mini's are "shoot and scoot" or "get off me" guns . Also no one wants to get shot . Especially in the face, with a .22 LR.

I just fired both of these today and I can crank out my 5 from the hip at 5 yards . That said I prefer the Magnum. I even put a few on a 25 yard target.

top dog · March-18-20 08:03

All of the above is very good but remember ,like John Steinbeck had once said" The ultimate weapon is the brain".

Seeing that sage advice given by members of this forum on any subject pretty much gets me thinking that they are using their brains.

Top Dog

Bigbird48 · March-18-20 09:03

Quote from: top dog on March-17-20 05:03
Mickey,
Some years ago,John Hinckley stepped up to the stage and in less than 3 seconds had Pres.Regan and three others on the ground.

He was using a total POS Ruhr revolver in 22 lr.

In 1969,Rich Davis (later founded bullet proof vests "Second Chance") while delivering a pizza encountered and defeated three armed robbers. He was using an old,used H&R revolver in 22lr.

Are there other calibers more effective? Of course,but will you always have that piece with you?? I doubt it.

I would say that it is a safe bet that all members of this forum have a NAA mini on them in either 22lr or Magnum.

I,for one,would not want to stop either round.

Top Dog

With proper Trainnnning SIR! Thats a Fact Jack

jstert · March-22-20 16:03

i find that 22wmr (even short barrel specific ammo) out of a snubby is too much flashbang for me to enjoy practice, and i only carry what i practice with alot. i got rid of a ruger lcr 22wmr but carry a ruger lcr 22lr. i jumped on the bugout1 22lr when it came out. 22wmr out of a 5.5" ruger single six is another story...

bluecow · March-22-20 17:03

I'd just as soon not be shot by one thank you vary much.

Uncle_Lee · March-23-20 05:03

Quote from: bluecow on March-22-20 17:03
I'd just as soon not be shot by one thank you vary much.

I don't even like to get a shot at the doctor's office.

stantheman86 · March-25-20 20:03

I'd say the standard 1 5/8 Magnum Mini with the LR cylinder , loaded with Stingers would be the best compromise.

Or a .22 LR Black Widow.

Ask any inner city EMT about how many people have been put in the city Morgue with cheap .22 LR or even Short pistols .