Finally got my PMR 30 broken in. It's strictly a bedside/trail gun. It now feeds my favorite 30gr V-max reliably and will do so if I clean and oil the gun after use. The V-max seems to be the most accurate round out to 25 yds, and I love the explosiveness. Not the FN 5.7, but close enough. Anytime you can take a grapefruit size cavity from a torso or leave an arm dangling with one shot, it's a great deterrent for such a small caliber.
Anyone A Big Fan Of The .22 Magnum?
- Thread starter Joe_Pike
- Start date
Quote:
The reason is that the .22 mag is cheaper to shoot, it produces energy out of a pistol similar to the 38 special (you can see ballistic info in my previous post), newer ammo is really mean for the 22 mag, and I get 8 rounds in my concealed revolver instead of 5.
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Why anyone would deliberately choose the 22 Mag from a pistol for defense when there are so many better centerfire rounds available is beyond meThe reason is that the .22 mag is cheaper to shoot, it produces energy out of a pistol similar to the 38 special (you can see ballistic info in my previous post), newer ammo is really mean for the 22 mag, and I get 8 rounds in my concealed revolver instead of 5.
Redhawk5.5+P+
New member
Although I'm on the na-say side of the 22Mag handguns, I do think the Kel-Tec PMR-30 is a pretty cool concept.
14oz and 30 shots. That's cool, I'll get one if the deal is right, I even have some box's of ammo I bought years ago.
TBS, I'd also get a rifle if the deal was right.
14oz and 30 shots. That's cool, I'll get one if the deal is right, I even have some box's of ammo I bought years ago.
TBS, I'd also get a rifle if the deal was right.
Back in 60's I bought one handgun for target shooting and squirrels shooting when hiking in the mountains. The primary purpose was the .22lr use. The .22 magnum struck me as 'Frosting on the cake' when I bought the Ruger Super Single Six. When I was hiking I carried the .22 magnum rounds in the revolver. When I wanted to shoot at squirrels I changed cylinders and shot away with .22lr rounds. One hand gun, the Ruger Super Single Six worked for me for several years. I have other handguns now and have not shot .22 magnums in maybe 30 - 40 years. I still have the revolver though and a couple of boxes of .22 magnum rounds.
22-rimfire
New member
I like the 22 WMR round. People believed it would dissappear when the 17 HMR came out. It didn't, and I wager it is more popular than before.
I am not a huge fan of the caliber from a handgun. It is certainly more powerful than the 22LR. The muzzle blast is substantial compared to a 22LR.
Most folks who have the Ruger Single Six seldom change the cylinders out from 22LR. My belief is that you should have a dedicated 22 Mag revolver/handgun if you want to shoot the caliber with any regularity.
I think a rifle in 22 Mag is a very good survival type weapon with fairly broad capabilities along with ammo that is fairly compact.
Most don't shoot their 22 Mags much because of the cost of ammunition. But if you shoot factory loads, it is cheaper than centerfire choices.
I am not a huge fan of the caliber from a handgun. It is certainly more powerful than the 22LR. The muzzle blast is substantial compared to a 22LR.
Most folks who have the Ruger Single Six seldom change the cylinders out from 22LR. My belief is that you should have a dedicated 22 Mag revolver/handgun if you want to shoot the caliber with any regularity.
I think a rifle in 22 Mag is a very good survival type weapon with fairly broad capabilities along with ammo that is fairly compact.
Most don't shoot their 22 Mags much because of the cost of ammunition. But if you shoot factory loads, it is cheaper than centerfire choices.
L_Killkenny
New member
You're so called ballistic info is bunk my friend. The .22m outta a handgun is no where near the .38sp, more along the lines of a .32 long. The special and the .32H&R trounce (and I mean severely) all over the .22M.
Pointshoot
New member
I like it in rifles, not in hanguns. Too loud. I'd rather use a mild 38 Special for general 'woods walking' use, over a 22 mag handgun.
But I usually use a 45 Colt or 44 Special when woods walking. I like to switch to heavier 45 Colts or 44 Mag if big critters may be around (griz).
But I usually use a 45 Colt or 44 Special when woods walking. I like to switch to heavier 45 Colts or 44 Mag if big critters may be around (griz).
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micromontenegro
New member
If I had to sell or give away all of my guns, my six inch Model 48 would be the last to go. It was my first pistol more years ago than I care to mention, and to this day it is the one I shoot best- by quite a margin.
1) The topic at hand is the 22 magnum as a PISTOL round, specifically out of revolvers.
2) It's blatantly unfair to compare rifle ballistics with pistol ballistics, unless you plan to carry a 22 magnum rifle concealed. Or for that matter to compare 22 mag ballistics out of a 6" barrel with a 4" 38 Special.
3) ENERGY IS NOT THE BE ALL AND END ALL BASIS OF COMPARISON SOME PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK IT IS.
Sorry for shouting, but I just made that same point just a few posts ago, apparently not clearly enough. If indeed the energy of a 38 special and a 22 mag out of a rifle were the same, the 38 would still be the better round by virtue of its far greater frontal area and superior sectional density. I know it's tempting to just compare energy figures because it's easy, but in the real world terminal ballistics is a lot more complicated than that.
Hornady out of a 1 7/8" barrel - pretty impressive
http://www.hornady.com/store/22-WMR-45gr-Critical-Defense/
http://www.hornady.com/store/22-WMR-45gr-Critical-Defense/
My answer is .... no I am not. More like indifferent. I do have convertibles, but the .22Mag cylinders have rarely been used. I never did see the point really for general shooting which is 99% of what I do. Buy and expensive box of rounds, and then can't even reload the brass after you shoot 'em? Anyway, I've got gophers and such with the .22LR no problem. Need more I have the .357/.38, need more, I have the .44s and .45s .... But for punching paper, pinging steel plates, tin cans, pine cones, branches, golf balls, etc... nothing beats the good o' .22LR.
22 magnum fan
I am a fan of the 22 Magnum. I have a Ruger Single Six that I shoot almost exclusively with 22WMR ammunition. I have two other 22LR revolvers and two 22LR semi-autos that are more accurate than the single six with the 22LR cylinder in it but the SS is very accurate with the 22WMR cylinder in it.
I would like to have one of those old AMT 22WMR semi-autos (and one of the similar 30 Carbine ones, as well) if I could find one for a reasonable price.
I am a fan of the 22 Magnum. I have a Ruger Single Six that I shoot almost exclusively with 22WMR ammunition. I have two other 22LR revolvers and two 22LR semi-autos that are more accurate than the single six with the 22LR cylinder in it but the SS is very accurate with the 22WMR cylinder in it.
I would like to have one of those old AMT 22WMR semi-autos (and one of the similar 30 Carbine ones, as well) if I could find one for a reasonable price.
FloridaVeteran
New member
jmortimer - your link confirms the point I wanted to make - that ammo makers have recognized the desire for hotter carry-size-barrel ammo and have responded with impressive ammo. Kudos to them, especially since they didn't do it with and "green energy" subsidies.
Critical Defense beats Critical Failure every time. What do you want when the bad guys come Trick or Treating? Windmills, solar panels or dependable ammo?
Critical Defense beats Critical Failure every time. What do you want when the bad guys come Trick or Treating? Windmills, solar panels or dependable ammo?
I got an AMT .22 atuomag II not long ago, and I have to say I love it... Though my EDC is a .40 or a .357 I have used this as my BUG with winchester 50grain JHP. haven't had any issues with it. Only thing I can say as it is a Magnum round it is Super Loud and given mine is the 3/38 barrel it has a hell of a muzzle flash... over all fun gun that I would (and do ) trust with my life...
Natman, The .22 magnum out of my 3" Taurus tumbles in most cases at point blank range in ballistic gel. So its terminal ballistics are quite good. Ps I like the 38 special to. I am just more partial to my 22 mag because of my test at close range. You should embrace the caliber Sir., it will save you money. I say this with the utmost respect by the way. I love defending the .22 wmr, and believe me I have had lots of practice because there are many opposed to the round.
. I say this with the utmost respect by the way. I love defending the .22 wmr, and believe me I have had lots of practice because there are many opposed to the round.Let's make a realistic and fair comparison of the 22 Mag and the 38 Special when fired from a defensive handgun, specifically a snub nose revolver.
According to Hornady their fancy "Critical Defense" load achieves the following:
Test Barrel (1 7/8 V") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 1000 fps /100 ft-lbs
A 38 Special firing 125 grain +P ammo will get about 850 fps for 200 ft-lbs of energy.
The frontal area of a .223 bullet is .35 in^2.
The frontal area of a .357 bullet is .56 in^2, a 60% increase.
A 45 grain .224 bullet has a sectional density of .114
A 125 grain .357 bullet has a sectional density of .139, a substantial improvement.
A 125 grain bullet weighs almost three times (2.777) as much as a 45 grain bullet.
So a 38 special fires a bullet that weighs almost three times as much, has TWICE the energy and 60% more frontal area and better sectional density.
The fancy new 22 Magnum loads are better for SD than 22 MAG rifle loads, but mostly because they reduce flash and blast. They are not magical bullets that transform the 22 Mag into a good SD load. When you cut out the tumbling bullet nonsense, the unequal barrel length comparisons and the wishful thinking, they're just not up to the task.
It's a good thing that they allow more shots, because if you ever actually have to use one for real you're going to need them.
According to Hornady their fancy "Critical Defense" load achieves the following:
Test Barrel (1 7/8 V") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 1000 fps /100 ft-lbs
A 38 Special firing 125 grain +P ammo will get about 850 fps for 200 ft-lbs of energy.
The frontal area of a .223 bullet is .35 in^2.
The frontal area of a .357 bullet is .56 in^2, a 60% increase.
A 45 grain .224 bullet has a sectional density of .114
A 125 grain .357 bullet has a sectional density of .139, a substantial improvement.
A 125 grain bullet weighs almost three times (2.777) as much as a 45 grain bullet.
So a 38 special fires a bullet that weighs almost three times as much, has TWICE the energy and 60% more frontal area and better sectional density.
The fancy new 22 Magnum loads are better for SD than 22 MAG rifle loads, but mostly because they reduce flash and blast. They are not magical bullets that transform the 22 Mag into a good SD load. When you cut out the tumbling bullet nonsense, the unequal barrel length comparisons and the wishful thinking, they're just not up to the task.
It's a good thing that they allow more shots, because if you ever actually have to use one for real you're going to need them.