.22 lr or .25ACP: Can they be reliable backup calibers?

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Sorry Firepower,

I didn't see your last post. I personally would not count on either of them if given the choice. As some have said, any gun can stop a threat. Realistically speaking though, I wouldn't say either of them had true "Stopping Power". And with the new small guns that are comming out, I would suggest looking bigger.
 
I classify these calibers as "better than nothing" calibers...but not by much. Are they reliable stoppers? Not really but once again they are better than nothing. I really dont see any point to carrying these calibers as there are better calibers like the 32 and 380 in the small platform sizes that the 22 and 25 were originally chambered in. Also, I wouldnt ever trust rimfire cartridges in a semi-auto, even if it is a backup gun as the chance for a misfire is too great, leaving a worthless round in the chamber.
 
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Of the two choices I'd go with the .25 for reliability. I don't see the need for either since the .32 and .380 are available in similiar sized guns and have significantly more power.
 
I am aware of a range accident out in Arizona some years back where two shooters were engaged in horseplay with with a Raven .25 acp. The gun went off, striking one guy in the chest. The bullet penetrated the sternum and went deeply into the heart and the guy was dead in less than two minutes. .25 acp DOES had the power to kill someone, and quickly too, if the shot is placed right. I later bought the pistol but finally sold it off.
 
Hi, In the for what its worth department I was also curious about this and checked the FBI stats. According to the Feds approx. 14% of all firearms deaths are from .25 cal guns. So to answer your question I would use one for backup but would follow SNS guidelines and aim for the face. Torso shots were not recommended. Ralph
 
.22, .25, and .32 pocket guns definately serve a legitimate function. When a larger gun CAN"T be carried, these are sure better than going unarmed. We all know they lack power and penetration, etc. BUT would you want one pointed at you?:eek: I don't want to be shot with a bb gun, much less a .25 ACP pistol.
 
There are no .32 or .380 pistols the size of a Baby Browning, Bernardelli VP, or Mini Revolver.
There are larger caliber guns the size of a Raven .25.
 
I hear often the complaint that anything smaller (thanks Smaug!!) than a big bore handgun doesn't have enough "stopping power" to be useful in a self defense situation.

But it's not always about stopping power. Actually, I dare say that the vast majority of the time it's not about stopping power..because the weapon is not even fired.

No, I believe that a weapon is most effective as a deterrent. That being the case...caliber doesn't matter because the gun will likely not be fired anyway.

And if it is fired..it doesn't have to kill. It doesn't have to knock the bad guy off his feet even. It just has to hurt like heck. And I can almost guarantee that getting shot with a .22 or .25 will create enough hurt so that most bad guys are going to turn and run the other way rather than risk getting shot again.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
 
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Danzig - two thoughts about your last post:

1) in the first sentence, I think you meant to say "...smaller than a big bore..."

2) I bet that in a shooting situation, the attacker won't feel it even if it is a 44 Magnum. At least not instantly. Adreneline does weird things. Strength becomes superhuman, fine motor skills go out the window, pain & hearing are deadened.

Best bet is to carry the biggest thing you can shoot well. If that is a 22LR, so be it. For bigger calibers, it is a fine line between shootability and power.
 
I shot into the ground a few days ago with a 2"bbl .22 loaded with mini-mags.
The dirt was a limestone powder, and was moderately densly packed. I had to dig the bullet out of the ground with my tire iron. I found the bullet buried about 6" into the ground, and was mushroomed nicely to about .32"
I know that shooting into different things will reveal different results; but it sounded good.
 
Smaug, on the whole I agree with you completely..in an event where shots are fired. But most of the time such conflicts are resolved without the need for actually firing the weapon.

Both of my handguns are .45s. I carry them (one at a time! ;) )on a regular basis and cannot see myself carrying anything smaller by choice. But....45s are not practical for everyone. Sometimes smaller is better..and as stated previously, smaller is always better than nothing at all.

It's a tough call really. It's great to be prepared for any eventuality..but if most conflicts are resolved without shots being fired then the need for a large bore handgun can be called into question.
 
Here is a picture of two of my pocket carry guns. the one on top is a .44 magnum Bond Arms Derringer. it will throw a 240gr bullet at 1100fps for well over 600fpe. The little guy is the Bauer .25 - a stainless steel copy of the baby Browning. I can get away with the derringer in the back pocket of my jeans. When dressed for work in professional attire, the little Bauer is light, small and easy to carry in slacks. It WILL get 7 rounds off as fast as I can pull the trigger. It is accurate. I have a real hard time believing that it will not give me an advantage if I ever suffer an encounter. They still do have their place. Even a slight increase in size to a .32 or .380 would cause me more difficulty in concealment.
 

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Now that there are such tiny .380 pistols like the Ruger LCP readily available, there is now no longer any legitimate argument at all to support carrying anything less than a .380

Anyone who carries anything less is making a very, very big mistake.

One would have to virtually be a nudist to not be able to easily conceal one of these micro .380 handguns.

The upcoming Kahr 380 is going to be even slightly smaller than the Ruger:

kahrpm40.jpg

.
 
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Even a slight increase in size to a .32 or .380 would cause me more difficulty in concealment.
Click to expand...

You sound like you are extremely concealment challenged. Is your normal attire perhaps a swimsuit?

I have no problem at all concealing either my Kahr PM9 or my Taser C2 in a front pants or jacket pocket. And they are both much larger than your .25 Bauer.

taser_kahr_on.jpg
 
Mmmmm...Kahr P380...sweet.

That Kahr P-380 has my name on it. I already have a PM9 that I carry nine months of the year (and a Kahr P45 for the other three months).

Back on topic: I also have an LCP that is so small and light that I would never consider a .22 or a .25. And I am not a big guy--5'9", 145 lbs. If I can conceal an LCP, anyone can.
 
I looked at a P3at Kel-Tek the other day. I WILL be getting one! Super small and Easily concealed It is no bigger then those tiny .22 and .25 autos that I've seen. Heck, it's not much bigger than a .22 derringer! I bought a P11 and it seems HUGE next to a P3at!
 
The Keltec P32 is actually a little smaller than the P3AT, which is slightly smaller than the LCP.
None are as small as the Browning.

"Anyone who carries anything less is making a very, very big mistake."

Horse hockey!
 
.44

Canis:"a .44 magnum Bond Arms Derringer. it will throw a 240gr bullet at 1100fps for well over 600fpe."
That's a fearsome piece of artillery. I wonder about your energy citation, though. A 240 grain bullet at 1100 fps sounds like ballistics from a longer barrel. Of course, I could be wrong; have you chronographed that load from that gun? Maybe that is Bond Arms data?
I have toyed with the idea of having a Bond derringer (can't imagine holding on to a .44); nice to see the size comparison to the .25. The Bauer looks like my little Bernardelli.
Pete
20158-1.jpg
 
If you carry a .22 rimfire then the gun should be a revolver or have second strike capability IMHO. Either .22 or .25acp have a long history of useful, dependable BUG use.
 
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