32ACP vs 22RF for SD

J

JJ45

New member
You would think it a no brainer but I think opinions vary. I know this question has been bandied about but maybe there are fresh thoughts due to experience, etc.

In a small auto pistol like a Beretta or Walther (I left out the .25 cartridge) which would you prefer for self protection and why?

Pros and Cons...Thanks
 
Let me first say: I love .22lr pistols. My next statement: .22 long rifle was designed for rifles. You will not achieve a .22’s true capability out of a pistol length barrel. Some .22’s can go up to 1600+fps, but thats out of a 16in+ barrel. And to achieve the 130-200lbf you also need the rifle length barrel. Will a face full of 22lr deter an attacker, you bet, it can possibly kill them too. Will a larger caliber penetrate better, expand more, and deliver more energy to the target? Yes.
 
Center fire rounds are far more likely to go bang rather than click due to far more reliable priming of the case.
 
.32 ACP, is generally the better choice. Center Fire, more energy, larger diameter bullet.

That being said, a .22LR pistol will do in a pinch. Ammo is cheaper, more available on average, and therefore easier to train with.

Regardless, make sure that you use FMJ. JHPs won't penetrate deeply enough in either cartridge to reach vitals, yet FMJ will and generally won't overpenetrate either.

For a pistol, I would recommend the Beretta 21A Bobcat or 3032 Tomcat. If they're too expensive, then Taurus makes a clone of the .22LR model under the name PT22, but sadly no .32 ACP.
Another great inexpensive option is the Ruger LCP-II Lite Rack.
 
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32 ACP over 22 LR for me. Center fire over rimfire for ignition reliability. Apart from that there are good pistol choices in tiny size but also in what today is called compact size (Colt t 1903 "hammerless", and of course the Walther and Beretta lines. 32 has more mass and velocity and is just generally better. Seecamp LWS32 or Kel-Tec P32 in the tiny pocket models for me. I have and like my Tomcat too.
 
Why restricted to those two calibers?
To answer the question, 32 > 22 neither of which would be "preferred"
When I had to wear dress pants and a pocket gun was uncontently the "best I could do", Kel-Tec P3AT/Ruger LCP 380.
Thank God, limited by dress pants is not a criteria I have to use anymore.
 
22's allow for cheaper practice but 32's make a larger hole .
I would have to base my decision on the firearm and it's reliability .
A Walther PPK in 32 acp , 8 shot , that I own , is 99.9% reliable and deserves consideration .
A S&W model 317 AirLite 22 LR , 8 shot , that I own is 100% reliable .
I don't feel naked with either but I will be honest ... the S&W Airlite 22 LR usually ...9 times out of 10 , gets tucked in a pocket and goes out the door with me .
It never failes to fire and it's light and , honestly , I shoot it better because I shoot it a lot more ... Tough Choice no matter how you look at it .
Gary
 
I have both 32's and 22's that I am happy to have on hand for self-defense.

The specific gun makes an enormous difference.

In 32, a Beretta 81 is much more confidence-inspiring (to me), than a Seecamp.

In 22, a Kel-Tec P17 is much more confidence-inspiring than a Beretta Bobcat.

It has a lot to do with the combination of trigger, sights, grip, and firepower.

Comparing the Beretta 81 (in 32) with the Kel-Tec P17 (in 22), I find them pretty close to the same for the confidence they inspire in the self-defense role.

In both calibers, ammo selected for maximum penetration is important. And in 22, maximum primer reliability should also be selected. But 22 has some substantial advantages for practice/training.

16+1 of hyper-velocity 22 in rapid-fire, with good sights and trigger, can be a very serious proposition. Although it's much larger, the Kel-Tec is also just slightly lighter than a Seecamp in 32acp -- an interesting concept.
 
If I am going to carry a 32.cal for self defense it is the Keltec P32. In fact I do carry one in the summer. For 22.cal it would be the Ruger LCR. I love this gun and shoot it so often that proficiency is easily obtainable. 8 fast shots of rapid fire. And I find it very reliable in 22.cal and of course no need for racking he slide if a failure occurs. The Keltec shines with a weight of 6 1/2oz and 8 rounds of defensive ammo when wearing a pair of light shorts and tee shirt.

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I would like to get the new Federal "Punch" 22.cal defense ammo to to test but sold out every where.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9L1Is8MUMQ
 
My wife can put 11 rounds of 22lr out of her Ruger LCPII-22 in a 2" circle quickly at 10 yards. I gave up trying to get her to change. With centerline she anticipates too much to be that accurate. 9mm bedside gun though.

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In my personal experience, .32 acp is a much better choice. Of course, I wouldn't choose either if I could help it.

There was a time when I occasionally carried .32 acp. It was a long time ago, before I had better compact choices and before I was a member of TFL. It's not intrinsically horrible. It's just not very good compared to .380, 9mm, .38 special, or more powerful .32-caliber options such as .32 H&R Magnum and .327 Federal.
 
I’d go with a 3” LCRX in .22RF. It’s lightweight, has good capacity, easy to conceal, easy to shoot, in normal times more affordable to shoot and better ammo availability, reliable, and in case of a misfire just pull the trigger again. Or get the .22 Mag version for a little more oomph.
 
mpolk said:
My wife can put 11 rounds of 22lr out of her Ruger LCPII-22 in a 2" circle quickly at 10 yards. I gave up trying to get her to change. With centerline she anticipates too much to be that accurate. 9mm bedside gun though.

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I packed one of these in an ankle holster as a back up gun for a long time. With good ammo mine was very reliable.
 
I would not prefer to count on either one for SD.

That being said, at least my Beretta 81 was designed to be a weapon. It looks and feels like a weapon. The pistol itself is military or LE surplus (correctional officer?). 32acp was a military and police cartridge for a long time.

I shoot more 22lr through my handguns than any other caliber. I have some nice 22 handguns that are very good at poking holes in paper, aluminum cans, squirrels, etc. They're not designed to be weapons. They're for plinking and small game.
 
If my wife can put 11 rounds of 22lr in someone's eye socket. I'll take that. They ain't gonna get up. Just sayN. And we'll hope and pray we'll never need to know.
 
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