.22Mag vs 38

R

rprouty

New member
I'm reading on different forums where some folks recommend carrying a .22Mag revolver over a .38 cal revolver for CC.
What would be the pros and cons for each caliber.
Reason I ask is I believe my wife would be more comfortable with the .22 Mag and she would practice more with it.

Thanks

Rod


Our preferred shooting:)
www.pbase.com/rprouty/land
 
Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement. I can't stress that enough.
I myself am looking at the 22 mag for cc. Recoil is much less which means a day at the range gives you 100 shots with no sore wrists. Also that 100 shots cost you 30 bucks in ammo as opposed to...50?
I'll say it again, shot placement. 1 shot to the neck or forehead with a 22 mag will drop a bad guy as quick as 3 shot to the torso with a 38.

Read this.

http://www.iashooters.org/showthread.php?431-An-Alternate-Look-at-Stopping-Power

Click on the title beneath the post title
 
Last edited:
Centerfire ammunition has more reliable ignition than rimfire ammunition.

There are two sounds you never want to hear: A bang when you expected a click and a click when you need a bang.

38 Special (especially out of a short barrel) has more momentum and more energy than 22 magnum.

22 Magnum guns are smaller, more concealable and have less recoil (because they have less momentum and energy) than 38 Special. So, are likely to be carried more often than the larger 38 Special.

In similarly sized guns, the 22 Mag is likely to have more rounds than the 38.

22 Magnum may be marginally cheaper than 38 Special (an important consideration, as a lot of practice should be done).

In my opinion, between the two, the 38 wins the claim to be a carry piece unless size of the gun makes 38 impossible.

Lost Sheep
 
Last edited:
The thing I hated the worst about the .22 WMR in a pistol was the noise. for some reason that high velocity crack would hunrt my ears more than my .44 Mag did. the WMR was fired out of my long gone Super Single Six 5.5 inch barrel. Of the two since I reload I would prefer the .38, and load it down to a very gentle beginning round, probably cheaper than .22 WMR
 
Don't forget that in a j frame sized .22 they do not have as good a trigger as a centerfire revolver is capible off. Those heavier trigger can cause some to not shoot them as much as a 38sp cowboy load while for gitting use to it or for practice Anyone can stand up to a few 125gr +P for carry.
 
.38's are snappy in J framed size revolvers. I know a few girls who have tried mine and hated it. The .22 magnum is perfect for them. You also get one extra round in a LCR and 2 extra in a Smith.
 
The best choice is the one she's most comfortable with.

.22 Mag is a nasty little round that will do its part if your wife does hers.
 
.22 Mag would not be my first choice but if she can consistently place shots in the right places under duress then she'll be fine with one. Shot placement is everything.
 
Since we are talking about a Lady Shooter, recoil comes into play in a serious way. Most lady shooters will not carry a heavy gun. An airweight 38 kicks to the extent it is unpleasant for me to fire with +P carry ammo, and I shoot way more handgun ammunition than average.

For a lady for concealed carry the new LCR 22 magnum would be a pretty good choice with some of the new carry ammunition. My theory is a gun she will pack and shoot is way better than one she hates to shoot and left at home.

If she can tolerate a 38 airweight that is great, and she will be better armed. If she can't handle 38 airweight recoil, the 22 magnum is way better than pepper spray.

NOTE: Get her a good set of hearing protection to wear when practicing!!!!

Bob
 
My oldest daughter picked har own CC's handgun. Its a 13oz 38sp revolver. 3 finger grip and practices mainly with some nice cowboy loads but shoots enought hot +P ammo to know what it does and what to expect. She does not like those +P loads but she smart enough to under stand the difference. She also likes the trigger on the 38 better than the small .22's also.
 
I went through the same thing with my wife,now she has both guns.A taurus mod.85 in38 and a snubnosed 22 mag.After shooting the 22 mag. a few times she decided because of the noise that the 38 wasnt that bad.The short barrell on the 22 mag. is harder on the ears than my 357 in 6 1/2 in.It is the loudest gun we have.
 
I love the 22 mag,
but as a tactical weapon the downside is rimfire priming,
it simply is not as reliable as a centerfire cartridge with a primer,
other than that the 22 mag has lots of power penetration,
I would take a 22 mag over a simple 38
 
I would also cite Jeff Cooper's contention that bullet weight and bore diameter outweigh muzzle velocity every time.
 
38s are notoriously underpowered on human targets,
and both cartridges are on the low side of adequate pistolero
in an armed encounter
 
A compromise is an all-steel J-frame .38 Special. My 640 no-dash weighs 21 ounces unloaded, not a real burden. The extra heft and Pachmayr Compac grips make it comfortable to shoot with +P ammo--important to me due to severe arthritis.

I'm a great believer in Murphy's Law and the unpredictability of SHTF incidents. Precise shooting can be extremely difficult in extremis. Pesonally I don't want to entrust the safety of my elderly bacon to anything less than .38 Special +P.
 
Reason I ask is I believe my wife would be more comfortable with the .22 Mag and she would practice more with it.
Click to expand...

That being the case, she will likely be more proficient and confident with the .22mag versus a .38 special and probably more apt to carry it rather than leave it at home in a drawer.

After she becomes more experienced, she might graduate to something more substantial, but at least a .22mag will satisfy the first rule of a gun fight, which of course, is to have a gun.

The important thing is to let her choose which one she is the most comfortable with.
 
In my youth, I had a Ruger single 6 combo. The mag cylinder was my hd gun. I would not make it my first choice but it is an acceptable choice if needed..
 
Am I the only person who has never had a rimfire round misfire on me? I trust those little buggers more than some of the centerfire stuff being sold.
 
Crazy88, no you are not alone, I have never had a rimfire fail to go pop. Back when I had semi auto .22 pistols, I had a bunch fail to WORK :rolleyes:. My wife carries an LCR. She loves the thing. But for me with my large hands and the smaller crimson trace grips it is horrible for me to shoot. But for her it fits and she is dang good with it. Here is how I started her quite some time ago. We went to a range and I checked out the biggest, heaviest, .357 Revolver they had. I believe it was a Ruger. And I loaded it with the weakest .38 Special range rounds they had and I let her shoot that a few times out to that range. Before long, she started saying this thing is too heavy and too bulky. So we dropped down a size of revolver, again same ammo. Then before long, it was the same. She said it was too big. Then we arrived at the snubbies. But by then she was used to the recoil. And before long, she came to me and said she wanted the LCR. You can't take a new lady shooter in a gun shop, buy her a 13oz Revolver, then load it with +P and expect her to not be shocked and then scared of the thing. You have to ease them into it. Just my rambling .02
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top