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Is a .22LR round plausible for self defense?

MrMichaelActual said:
Okay Okay, since this topic was broached in a Rabbit trail on the .357 thread, I thought I might as well make a thread for it.

Can a .22LR be a good defense round?

For me the answer is a solid no, let me explain why. (Opinion Only)

First, any round can kill an opponent when placed perfectly, so this is not about that.

Most of the argument for the .22 for defense we read about or have any data on is related to, you get almost no recoil so weak shooters can put X rounds on target, or you have 79 rounds with which to hit your target so... and the FBI stats show that certain .22LR rounds can penetrate deep enough to meet their own gun buying standards (10-12 inches), but in my humble opinion those are outliers.
What are other consideration? Well, when shooting in combat, running and gunning under pressure, putting that tiny round exactly on the X may be harder than you think. Note: I have never tried this with a .22 pistol, I am a GWOT Army guy...
When acting under duress in order to stop an attacker, I dont know that I want to depend on micro precision with a tiny round, hoping that I hit an organ or other incapacitating point, when if I were shooting a 9mm or 10mm or another defense round, one bullet near that area would stop an attacker.
Another thing in the back of my mind is the condition of the attacker. If a person is high on whatever drug, you can stitch them up with rounds but unless you hit an organ that stops life or a bone structure that stops movement, that high person would still get to you, this has been seen all over the world in combat. In this case you could potentially mag dump your .22 on someone who was high and barring that perfect shot you could still get killed.

There is a lot more to this but these are my initial thoughts.
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If we have a choice of calibers... and are talking about pistols, then no, choose a larger caliber you are comfortable with; but if we are talking about revolvers, because you can get 8 rounds off rather than 5 or 6, then yes, .22 is a valid argument under certain circumstances. That said, you do want to choose a round that isn't going to exit the target, since you want all of the energy to be absorbed by it. Also, the 22 round will bounce around inside the target causing potentially much more damage than a straight line.
 
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HayesGreener said:
I would like a full English breakfast now. When I was first assigned to England I couldn't wait to order tea and crumpets. Couldn't help but think of Dick VanDyke and Julie Andrews. But that was
a disappointing breakfast
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Heck yeah.

I can take or leave the black pudding, but extra beans for me, thank you!

My wife & I go to Ireland or the UK every other year or so…the breakfasts are one of the things I do look forward to.
 
trader said:
sausages are bangers. Remember though the Brits would say that they invented the language, and we stole it.....chuckle.
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and cigarettes are ............. oh never mind it would just get censored, or I would get banned. ;) :LOL::LOL::LOL:.
Not arguing with you Trader, but with the Brits. They didn't invent the language, they got forced evolution by getting they're @$$ES kicked by the Anglo/Saxons and then by the Normans.
 
bc22wm said:
and cigarettes are ............. oh never mind it would just get censored, or I would get banned. ;) :LOL::LOL::LOL:.
Not arguing with you Trader, but with the Brits. They didn't invent the language, they got forced evolution by getting their @$$ES kicked by the Anglo/Saxons and then by the Normans.
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You know when people have a mutt and then they try and convince everyone it’s some sort of special breed? Y’alls know what I’m talking’ bout, raht?
 
Warrior9(Ret) said:
Yep🤠

this visual aid should answer your question. Squirrels.YES. People. NO! The key words. Self Defense.
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This, plus large aggressive predatory critters. I’ve heard the argument for years that “A mag full of.22 whatever the newest LR round is” will stop anybody,and maybe it would if anybody’d stand still and let you shoot ‘em full of holes. Problem is I doubt that many assailants are going to be that cooperative. IMHO a”Defensive” round needs the hp to stop an attack right Now, with one good hit. I carry a handgun because a 12 gauge with slugs is too big and heavy to conceal-not because any handgun is the best. A .22 beats a sharp stick but will never be a better defensive round than a heavy caliber, and the heavier the better.
 
I grew up on a farm. Whenever we had to put a cow down for whatever reason, it was done with a .22. But this was done with a well-aimed and well-placed shot to the head at very close range. One time we mistakenly grabbed the box of hollow point .22. It did not kill the cow. The hollow point just disintegrated against the outside of the cow's skull. Luckily, we were quickly able to get another box of .22 solid points. One shot of that killed the cow instantly. A .22 will work for self-defense if that is all you have, but I prefer to carry something bigger and more reliable than a rim-fire. Just my opinion, you do you for what you think you need for self-defense.
 
OldGrunt said:
I grew up on a farm. Whenever we had to put a cow down for whatever reason, it was done with a .22. But this was done with a well-aimed and well-placed shot to the head at very close range. One time we mistakenly grabbed the box of hollow point .22. It did not kill the cow. The hollow point just disintegrated against the outside of the cow's skull. Luckily, we were quickly able to get another box of .22 solid points. One shot of that killed the cow instantly. A .22 will work for self-defense if that is all you have, but I prefer to carry something bigger and more reliable than a rim-fire. Just my opinion, you do you for what you think you need for self-defense.
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This. .22 is definitely lethal, however it is not necessarily incapacitating in the short term. Self defense goal is not to kill, it is to Stop attack, asap.
 
I don't know. I think .22 is great. Im sure that when I'm a geezer I'll be running a micro .22. My big gun will be either a .32 ACP or. 380.

Hopefully by then red dots will have shrunk enough i can have one on my 2050 LCP (LCP XII?). With real sights.

Actually by then I'm hoping the laser isn't just a sight.
 
Shibadog said:
This. .22 is definitely lethal, however it is not necessarily incapacitating in the short term. Self defense goal is not to kill, it is to Stop attack, asap.
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My wife has a .22 mini-revolver that fits in her hand. It's about the size if a wallet.

I wouldn't take it big game hunting (I can't find a scope mount for it), but it makes a pretty big bang and a BIG flash.

It's a serious deterrent, if you want to call that a weapon.
 
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