What is the difference between a regular .22 and a .22 magnum? I was thinking of getting a nice quality .22 for self defense purposes. I figure if I use hollows that they would do the job. What do you guys think? I know some call them pea-shooters but can't a .22 do damage especially with hollows in the load? How much tougher is a .22 magnum as opposed to a regular .22? Could a .22 cause enough damage with or without hollows? Looking for pros and cons, .22 shooters give me some oppinions. Thanks
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Are .22 magnums any good for self defense?
- Thread starter Lo-khem
- Start date
Unsegregated .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire Ammunition
Ammunition --------- Velocity -------------- Energy
(grains) (fps) (ft-lbs)
50 Federal Classic JHP -------- 904 --- 90
40 Federal Magnum JHP*------- 1,101 ---107
30 Federal Premium Sierra JHP-------- 1,427 ----135
40 RWS FMJ -------- 1,331 ---- 157
45 Winchester .22 WRF----- 902 -----81
40 Winchester Super-X JHP----- 1,299 --149
34 Winchester Supreme JHP------ 1,456 -- 160
*Ammunition was 6 to 7 years old.
Notes:
Velocities measured 5 feet from the muzzle of a Colt New Frontier revolver's 5.5-inch barrel.
Ammunition --------- Velocity -------------- Energy
(grains) (fps) (ft-lbs)
50 Federal Classic JHP -------- 904 --- 90
40 Federal Magnum JHP*------- 1,101 ---107
30 Federal Premium Sierra JHP-------- 1,427 ----135
40 RWS FMJ -------- 1,331 ---- 157
45 Winchester .22 WRF----- 902 -----81
40 Winchester Super-X JHP----- 1,299 --149
34 Winchester Supreme JHP------ 1,456 -- 160
*Ammunition was 6 to 7 years old.
Notes:
Velocities measured 5 feet from the muzzle of a Colt New Frontier revolver's 5.5-inch barrel.
Ask and ye shall receive. Thanks Ewok!
Comparing that to .38 shows the .22mag lacking just a bit. Perhaps it would be more in the .32 auto range?
(from manufacturers pages I don't have a thingamajig to clock this stuff):
Ammunition --------- Velocity -------------- Energy
(grains) (fps) (ft-lbs)
125 Remington (+P) 975 248
158 Remington 755 200
110 Winchester 975 222
130 Winchester 800 185
110 Federal 1000 245
130 Federal 950 260
Comparing that to .38 shows the .22mag lacking just a bit. Perhaps it would be more in the .32 auto range?
(from manufacturers pages I don't have a thingamajig to clock this stuff):
Ammunition --------- Velocity -------------- Energy
(grains) (fps) (ft-lbs)
125 Remington (+P) 975 248
158 Remington 755 200
110 Winchester 975 222
130 Winchester 800 185
110 Federal 1000 245
130 Federal 950 260
22 Magnums for Self-Defense
I do/did not intend to offend anyone.
I ran the numbers...Velocity and Muzzle Energy and found the 22 Magnum in a 2 inch barrel produces more muzzle energy than a 4 inch 38 Special.
So far as Soft Point V Hollow-Point would have to do with the season of the year and where you live. If you live in New York [Cold] the 22 HP might expand before it goes into flesh. Check the numbers out and see.
MADISON
I do/did not intend to offend anyone.
I ran the numbers...Velocity and Muzzle Energy and found the 22 Magnum in a 2 inch barrel produces more muzzle energy than a 4 inch 38 Special.
So far as Soft Point V Hollow-Point would have to do with the season of the year and where you live. If you live in New York [Cold] the 22 HP might expand before it goes into flesh. Check the numbers out and see.
MADISON
ohen cepel
New member
I have a .22 mag NAA revolver.
Can't say I would want to take it to a gun fight. However, it is better than nothing.
I think people sometimes forget that most humans have a real dislike to being shot. By anything. Therefore, it is much better than poking them with my finger!
I think the .22 mag will work. However, there are a lot of much better choices.
Can't say I would want to take it to a gun fight. However, it is better than nothing.
I think people sometimes forget that most humans have a real dislike to being shot. By anything. Therefore, it is much better than poking them with my finger!
I think the .22 mag will work. However, there are a lot of much better choices.
Walt Sherrill
New member
The "numbers" alone don't tell it all. Part of the value of a bullet hitting the body of an assailant is that its big and hard and tears up a lot of tissue.
Would you rather be stabbed by a toothpick or a sharpened stick?
The weight of the bullet has some relevance, as does its diameter.
A have a friend who works in an Emergency Room (he's a shooting enthusiast and an RN); I have another friend who is an EMS specialist. Both have seen people killed by .22 rounds. But they've also seen a lot of folks shot in the head with a .22 who have the round pulled from under the skin -- it didn't penetrate the skull -- and walk home. That doesn't happen as often with a .38 spl round.
As someone else said: a .22 is better than nothing, but when your life can depend on it, and you can choose other, larger more powerful rounds, you'd be well advised to do so.
(A couple of friends who have seen the bear, either in the military or as cops, feel that a good knife is better than a .22. I think I agree. People don't like to be cut, either.)
Would you rather be stabbed by a toothpick or a sharpened stick?
The weight of the bullet has some relevance, as does its diameter.
A have a friend who works in an Emergency Room (he's a shooting enthusiast and an RN); I have another friend who is an EMS specialist. Both have seen people killed by .22 rounds. But they've also seen a lot of folks shot in the head with a .22 who have the round pulled from under the skin -- it didn't penetrate the skull -- and walk home. That doesn't happen as often with a .38 spl round.
As someone else said: a .22 is better than nothing, but when your life can depend on it, and you can choose other, larger more powerful rounds, you'd be well advised to do so.
(A couple of friends who have seen the bear, either in the military or as cops, feel that a good knife is better than a .22. I think I agree. People don't like to be cut, either.)
The vast majority of .22Mag loads ain't worth spit in a handgun for self defense.
The good news is, there's three really good ones that make the caliber worthwhile. For this reason, you CANNOT "generalize" about how this caliber performs in short barrels.
First thing: go to the NAA Mini website www.naaminis.com - look under Technical, and pull up the velocity data. To read it, you'll need to know that their "Black Widow" is a 2" barrel revolver, while the "MiniMaster" is a 4".
The CCI MaxiMag +V rules the roost. Over 1,200fps from a 2" barrel, over 1,400 from a 4", with a 30grain JHP.
There's another variant of that same load, with a Sierra 30grainer at the same ballistics, but will probably open better. That's the TNT version.
My advice: with a 2" or shorter barrel, the original formula will punch deeper. If you have a 4" or better tube, consider the TNT variant.
Winchester's 33Grain Supreme is a good round too, BUT I find with my two Magnum minirevolvers that primer reliability is unmatched with the CCI, iffy with the Winchesters. YMMV. CCI rimfire ignition is generally excellent though.
One of those loads from a 2" snubbie DA is a superb choice for the recoil-shy. Taurus makes one with an 8-shot cylinder in 2" and 4" variants; unfortunately, no speedloaders are available.
These loads also turn the Ruger Single Six into a reasonably effective defense tool.
As to .22s not penetrating skull: the majority of people shot with .22s are shot by bad guys. Young, stupid bad guys, who don't exactly do careful ammo analysis. They just use whatever practice fodder crapola they can lay hands on fast. I suspect if they used .22LRs of top grade, such as CCI MiniMags or Remington Yellowjackets, they'd kill a lot more people and do a lot more successful headshots.
The better .22Magnums are a good step up from those, even in the shortest barrels. In a 4" or better, they can be *very* effective.
The good news is, there's three really good ones that make the caliber worthwhile. For this reason, you CANNOT "generalize" about how this caliber performs in short barrels.
First thing: go to the NAA Mini website www.naaminis.com - look under Technical, and pull up the velocity data. To read it, you'll need to know that their "Black Widow" is a 2" barrel revolver, while the "MiniMaster" is a 4".
The CCI MaxiMag +V rules the roost. Over 1,200fps from a 2" barrel, over 1,400 from a 4", with a 30grain JHP.
There's another variant of that same load, with a Sierra 30grainer at the same ballistics, but will probably open better. That's the TNT version.
My advice: with a 2" or shorter barrel, the original formula will punch deeper. If you have a 4" or better tube, consider the TNT variant.
Winchester's 33Grain Supreme is a good round too, BUT I find with my two Magnum minirevolvers that primer reliability is unmatched with the CCI, iffy with the Winchesters. YMMV. CCI rimfire ignition is generally excellent though.
One of those loads from a 2" snubbie DA is a superb choice for the recoil-shy. Taurus makes one with an 8-shot cylinder in 2" and 4" variants; unfortunately, no speedloaders are available.
These loads also turn the Ruger Single Six into a reasonably effective defense tool.
As to .22s not penetrating skull: the majority of people shot with .22s are shot by bad guys. Young, stupid bad guys, who don't exactly do careful ammo analysis. They just use whatever practice fodder crapola they can lay hands on fast. I suspect if they used .22LRs of top grade, such as CCI MiniMags or Remington Yellowjackets, they'd kill a lot more people and do a lot more successful headshots.
The better .22Magnums are a good step up from those, even in the shortest barrels. In a 4" or better, they can be *very* effective.
Drifter721
New member
I forget what year it was, or what the little Indian girl's name was now, but a Boone and Crockett world record Brown Bear was killed by this little Indian girl and her .22 (LRF), from her old rifle. I believe the first shot was down the ear canal and into the brain, followed by several follow up shots to the head.
With the .22, it's where the shot goes that is key. That given, one doesn't always have the time to zero in on the perfect kill zone under the stress of a life threat.
A really pi**ed off trophy class wild hog can be brought down with a .22 short placed right between the eyes, or into the ear canal. I've seen it done many times while trapping. Getting that wild hog to hold still for that shot is another story!
For a defense weapon, one has to think about the worse case scenario. A poorly placed shot to a non-vital area. An amped-up crank or meth user desperate for drug funds. A wounded aggressor all stoked up on adrenaline. Heavy winter clothing, etc. In these cases, a larger caliber is going to have more impact on stopping the intent of the aggressor.
With the .22, it's where the shot goes that is key. That given, one doesn't always have the time to zero in on the perfect kill zone under the stress of a life threat.
A really pi**ed off trophy class wild hog can be brought down with a .22 short placed right between the eyes, or into the ear canal. I've seen it done many times while trapping. Getting that wild hog to hold still for that shot is another story!
For a defense weapon, one has to think about the worse case scenario. A poorly placed shot to a non-vital area. An amped-up crank or meth user desperate for drug funds. A wounded aggressor all stoked up on adrenaline. Heavy winter clothing, etc. In these cases, a larger caliber is going to have more impact on stopping the intent of the aggressor.
I've got one of those little NAA minis...
in .22 WMR and as a last-ditch back-up weapon, there are worse rounds out there. This round is a superb rifle round but probably not especially effective unless a gun is stuck up under a perp's chin and fired. As a primary weapon, I would not have a lot of confidence in it's stopping power unless it's fired from a full-sized revolver, such as the one that Taurus offers. Beyond that, there are a lot of better choices out there than this round for a primary self-defense round.
in .22 WMR and as a last-ditch back-up weapon, there are worse rounds out there. This round is a superb rifle round but probably not especially effective unless a gun is stuck up under a perp's chin and fired. As a primary weapon, I would not have a lot of confidence in it's stopping power unless it's fired from a full-sized revolver, such as the one that Taurus offers. Beyond that, there are a lot of better choices out there than this round for a primary self-defense round.