22lr hitting power

T

trg42wraglefragle

New member
I decided to make me some steel targets the other day as I was sick of shooting at paper, so I found some 3mm thick mild steel (thats about 1/10th of an inch),
I made up some rectangles of different sizes, I thought they would work well.

I took them out the other day and did some shooting at 50 yards, to my surprise my tiny little 22 sent some 2" by 4" targets flying about 20 to 30 feet! And it put some massive dents in the steel.
It may not be the thickest hardest steel but it sure surprised me, when someone doubts the power of a 22 now ill be able to tell them other wise.
In an SD situation, I think I wouldn't feel under powered with my 22.

I've attached some pictures of the damage done to my targets.

I've also got some cool perfectly flat 22 projectiles now, I'd attach a pic but I left them at my girlfriends house.

Sam
 

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A .22lr isnt my prefered SD caliber but I agree that it can be effective. I knew this guy who killed his wife, brother, dog, shot an employee who lived, and killed himself all with a 10rd. mag and a 10/22. There is also a story in this months issue of american rifleman's the armed citizen where a man shot an intruder once in the chest with a .22lr rifle and killed him. I think in a close quarters situation you could do alot of damage with a .22lr.
 
In an SD situation, I think I wouldn't feel under powered with my 22.
Click to expand...

remember that "hitting power" does not matter at all, penetration does. In comparison to the human body, the difference between the momentum of a 44 magnum and the 22 LR are neglectable. The 22 LR doesn't penetrate too good however, and this would make me feel more comfortable with a 9mm then a 22 LR. If you're shot placement is perfect, then you shouldn't wory with either, but if the 22 hits the skull in an angle, it's possible that it wouldn't penetrate.
 
I can't imagine a intruder being able to function overly well if they've just had a 22lr bullet bounce off their skull. And if I were armed with my Remington 597 there would be another bullet or nine heading there way, provided it hasn't jammed :D

I know its not the best gun to have on hand, but if its all I had i think i'd still feel reasonably comfortable.
 
trg42wraglefragle,

I don't think the 22 LR is a bad SD round. But overall, you've more chances of survival with a 9mm IMHO. Most people won't be to active when they're shot regardless of place and caliber due to the psychological effects and pain, but those who don't need very exact shot placement and sufficient penetration.

If you ever need to use it for SD (I sincerely hope you'll never be in such a situation), aim for the cranio-ocular cavity in order to hit the medula oblongata or the cerebellum. Hitting one of those will imediately stop every movement. I've practiced myself to always aim for that region on pictures. Even with bigger calibers it's the best option.
Medulla_oblongata.gif
Cerebellum.gif
 
My grandfathers brother was killed by a .22 lr.
His "friend" showed up one day at the house, his wife answered, when he came to the door he was shot through the screen door. One shot through the door, hit him in the heart, was dead before the ambulance got there, about 4 minutes.
Never did find out what the reasoning was for shooting him......
Is it a good defense round?...... No.
Will it be better than chuckin a rock?........ Yes.
 
Try a .22 magnum on 1/4" thick mild steel,I love the .22 magnum because its cheap ammo,just a tad bit higher than the .22 lr rounds! You get a better bang for your buck,as far as home defense/self defense. a .22 rifle or pistol will do just fine because you certainly are going to daze the attacker just like a punch to the face in a fist fight,just make sure you have a semi-auto if that should ever happen!:eek:
 
Kid got killed with a .22 in the neighborhood next to ours when I was young.

He was shooting at a target on a tree and the bullet ricocheted back and hit him in the head. That was the story anyway.

How far away was he from the tree? Dunno. (Where was his dad? Too far, apparently.) Are kid's skulls less dense than adults, yep.

"Ain't none of them tickle." Be on the safe side of the .22 when it fires.
 
Most 22LR deliver 80-100 ft-lbs on impact. If you shoot a human (self-defense or otherwise) it will likey kill them. It is not a stopping round, which most people look for in a SD firearm, but it is nothing to sneeze at either. Lots and lots of people have been killed with 22LRs.
 
I made a set of round steel targets, about 3 in in diameter out of 3/8 inch steel and a hit with a .22 lr sends them flying about 2 or 3 ft. Even a .22 short reliably knocks them over.
 
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