.22 vs. .38 wadcutter

Which is better for home defense?

  • .22 long rifle

    Votes: 4 2.2%

  • .22 mag

    Votes: 6 3.3%

  • .38 special 148 grain wadcutter

    Votes: 105 57.4%

  • buy a .45 ACP, you sissy

    Votes: 68 37.2%
  • Total voters
    183
  • Poll closed .
.36 WC vs .22LR vs. 22 mag

Look at Brassfetcher.com
148 gr WC expanded to 0.422 and penetrated 16 inches of ballistic gelatin
 
which pistol would I choose?

You list .38 wadcutter, .22 and .22 magnum to choose from. Without a doubt, I would choose the .38 wadcutter. However, a good quality .22 mag with Federal 50 grain hollow points ain't a bad choice either. Either one is better in my opinion than a standard .22lr for self defense.
 
I am not getting a grasp on why low flash or noise is important during a home invasion.
Click to expand...
I don't want to go deaf or blind in a low light situation.
Click to expand...
As opposed to being dead? That "deafness" or "blindness" will be a temporary thing. Dead? not so much.

Really, I'm wondering if you have thought this out...

Honestly, there is no comparison between the effectiveness of the two rounds.
 
I have shot many 38spl +P+ 110gr jhp's in an indoor range during low light simulations and it didn't impair my followup shots on the other targets
 
.500 S&W

The 500 Smith & Wesson Magnum can be handloaded to 800 fps with a 325 grain bullet.

Shoots like a .22 rimfire. Hits like a 45, of any cartridge, ACP or 45 Colt.

Almost no flash.

Two drawbacks. The gun is HEAVY (but you can use it as a club) Only 5 shots.

12 Gauge or 20 gauge is better than any of the handguns named.

Lost Sheep
 
Great thread. It's hard not to like the 148 gr WC loaded at target velocities. Although it is broadly reputed to be a paper punching load, it certainly has the capability to penetrate clothing and flesh at close ranges. I remember a number of years ago when I experimented with loading the HBWC backwards seated flush with the case rim. It had, if I remember correctly, a powder load of 3.3 or 3.4 grains of Bullseye. I fired it from my 52 and the results were impressive. The target was an old tire from a large truck, the bullet penetrated BOTH sidewalls and mushroomed to almost an inch.:eek: I can only assume that a hard cast lead DEWC would have at least this penetration performance. The distance was around 10 or 12 feet.
 
My opinion is that both will do a decent job. A .38 target wadcutter will have less muzzle blast but more recoil, while the .22wmr will have more muzzle blast and less recoil. With a .38 wadcutter you have good penetration but little expansion, while with a .22mag coming out of a snubnose you have a tumbling effect and good pentration. With a .22mag you have a a bullet that is .22 wide and .45 long tumbling thru your body, so that is not to shabbly. What concerns me is what the future of ammo will be. .38 wadcutters are more expensive and harder to find than .22mag ammo.

Gel Test

http://www.brassfetcher.com/38wadcutter.html

Firearm: .38 Special with 1 7/8" barrel

Cartridge: 148gr Federal Gold Medal Match, full wadcutter profile

Block calibration : 8.9cm at 586 ft/sec

Single shot fired at block, bullet penetrated to 16.0" and was found 'sandwiched' between the rear face of the gelatin block and the front face of the polyester bullet arresting box. Bullet recovered at 0.386" average diameter.

The recoil from this round was very slight, penetration depth was more than adequate, and slight expansion occured. I like it as a choice for recoil-sensitive shooters, using .38 Special snubnose revolvers.
Click to expand...

http://www.brassfetcher.com/22WMR.html

Cartridge : 22 Magnum CCI 40gr Maxi-Mag HP

Firearm : Taurus .22 Magnum revolver with 2.0" barrel length

Block calibration : 8.1cm @ 594 ft/sec and 33.7 degrees Fahrenheit

Single shot fired at 10 feet distance into a bare gelatin block. Bullet impacted at 1090 ft/sec, penetrated to 14.3" and was recovered undeformed with a weight of 40.3gr, a length of 0.455" and an average diameter of 0.224".

Bullet penetrated to 2.0" depth when it turned on its side and continued in this orientation until 5.8" depth, at which time the bullet returned to point-forward travel until the end of the penetration.
Click to expand...
 
I think that the 38 wadcutter is under rated and is probably a better choice than the 158gr round nose used for years. A low muzzle flash is a plus in low light (enough light to see and identify but low enough that you have night vision) if a second shot is needed. The 22s are better than a stick but I would take the 38 over the two. JMHO : Bill
 
OK for all the obvious, now for the stupid:

Of the few that voted .22 how could there be more for .22 LR than for .22 mag?
 
.22 mag

There is a good chance with the mag round for over penetration which could also then become dangerous to what you are protecting.
 
.38 Special Wadcutter, but not a target load

The poll question didn't specify commercial target loads. Like Woad Yurt, I have a lot of respect for a 148 grain wadcutter over a stout load of powder. Lee 2nd Ed shows a bunch over 900 fps. There are a number of other loading manuals that show good-velocity wadcutter loads that would work quite well for defensive situations.

A sturdy wadcutter load might not be my first choice overall, but it would be my pick over a .22 rimfire every time.

Forced to choose a factory target wadcutter or a .22, I might ask how many shots I get with each gun; it's almost a toss-up in my mind. With a six-shot revolvers in each caliber, I'd probably pick the .38, but it's real close. Sounds like Box o' Truth time.
 
while I personally use 9mm 124grain+p I think we put to much emphasis on what caliber we use for self defense. What it really boils down to is most of us will never need to use our guns for a situation like self defense but if we do I think it is far more important to concentrate on being prepared and ready to do whatever we need to do. And as long as we practice enough to be proficient with our defense guns we will be fine. let me tell you if anyone put 6 rounds through the middle of my chest I would either be stopped or running the other way. So basically just make sure you will be able to hit your target under stress and you are ahead of the game.
 
What concerns me is what the future of ammo will be. .38 wadcutters are more expensive and harder to find than .22mag ammo.
Click to expand...

Mikeyboy:
Load your own. The .38 SPL is the perfect roll-your-own round. Once one gets past the intial $350 investment for the necessary stuff, wadcutters become dirt cheap, like about 16 cents per round, I guess. You can tailor it to your own needs, too. Ammo makers exist to sell you something. All of these expensive self defense rounds for .38 SPL can't get around one fact, that the caliber itself is a slow moving one and hollowpoints need a little more velocity to work reliably.
 
Last edited:
Hey everybody woad_yurt has pistol primers :p

What I learned from the last gun/ammo panic is centerfire ammo and PRIMER goes bye, bye.

Its real hard to tell someone new to shooting to wait when no one is carrying centerfire ammo, to pay outrageous prices when they find it, or to reload to save money, while .22mags is always available, even at walmart.

I still think a .38 wadcutter is a better choice. Unfortunately in the times we live in, I would not fault someone for going with a .22wmr
 
So if I use a fully automatic .22lr rifle with a 50 round mag is that better than a five shot snubbie in .38?
Click to expand...

That does bring up an interesting point....if she's recoil-sensitive, perhaps a 10/22 with a 25-rd mag loaded with HV solids would be an acceptable choice. Maybe even a Charger (with some work done to the stock)?.... :confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top