Is a .22 lr quality for animal attack defense?

M

MrGreen

New member
Such as a rattlesnake, pitbull, coyote? I don't expect it to have the firepower to stop a person, but what about these other animals that might get aggressive?
 
I wouldnt use it againts big dogs. I carry a shot shell for defense against small animals like dogs and snakes. But my one shot shell is backed up by 4critical defense (38spl) in case it doesnt work. The only problem with the .22lr i see is that your shot placement better be great. My CCI shotshell have a great spread at 10 feet.
 
rattlesnake
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how good a shot are you?
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Pretty much, they make snake shot for a reason

pitbull, coyote
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If it was all you had and had a clean shot at the skull, maybe.
I'm sure it would do the job but I wouldn't try it unless, again, it was all I had.

Sniping a coyote or loose dog trying to invade your chicken coup is one thing, but going against an animal that has had its fight response triggered and an adrenaline dump that goes with it might be a different story.

And - in before lock:D
 
i have witnessed a single 22lr round drop a 300 pound hog like a sack of potatoes many times, shot placement is everything, this is point blank within 5 yards right between the eyes on a domestic pig
 
Is it?

Would the .22LR work against Prey-driven/malicious canines of any type? YES, with out a doubt, the question is are you willing to let them get that close before you squeeze the trigger. In my two experiences the canines both stopped just short of being shot because I stood still and was aiming instead of running(no prey response on a stationary target). Also my family was with me so I stayed put while they backed away so it would get me first and not my family.

Cheers
 
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A .22lr can certainly stop even a large critter if you place the shot in the right spot. However, even with smaller critters I'd want something that gives me a little more room for error.
 
I carry a 22lr Ruger pistol as a "chore gun" on the farm. With a fencepost rest, I can hit the 8" gong @100 meters with 80% of my shots and 90% of those with the first shot. This is theoretically good enough to hit a coyote's chest same distance. I doubt the bullet would carry enough energy to reliably kill the animal at that range but I don't care that the coyote runs off to die later. If a positive kill is required, I'm going to get a lot closer and I won't shoot just once.
 
Depends on how much ammo you got. You can take a bear out with the right shot placements, though I wouldn't do this or want this for SD if it was charging me, but say like you are in a tree and it was blocking you from escaping.
 
Precision head shot from a rifle with high velocity .22LR ammo, the right bullet and the proper angle - yes.

Attacking animal - no.
 
And as far as the shot shells, better be almost point blank. They really just make noise and spread so fast. You can't hardly kill a small bird or a ray at about 10 yards or more. Around here people ( some people) shoot their coon dogs when treeing something other than coon. Just peppers them. I sure wouldn't want those for SD ammo
 
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Not that anyone here said it was, but the .22lr cartridge isn't a toy or a kid's gun. It is not a 1st tier self defense weapon, but it can certainly kill when needed.

Not meant as a huge endorsement, but don't think the .22lr isn't deadly.
 
Killed alot of deer with a 22. Out to about 90 yds I'n the head. No they're not toys but if i had my choice and say a charging coyote , believe me not my first choice. And especially with shot shells!
 
Here is my take on it.

Anything you can hit with a pistol in a defense situation is too big to be defending yourself from with a .22.

Can you hit a running housecat with a .22? IMO, anything bigger than a housecat or small to moderately sized dog will need more than a .22 lr to disable.

Simply put, are you expecting to be attacked by anything over 15 pounds? get a larger pistol. You WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY get hurt if you try to stop a dog with anything less.

Of course, granny smith's toy poodle may roll over and start to whine if you put a bullet in its tail, but many of the small terrier breeds will take that bulletin the spine even, and come back for more if they are really enraged.
 
Um, well, I don't expect someone to be carrying a single shot .22 for defense against an animal. Having more than one round makes a big difference in this case. That having been said, I've had to put down a couple cats and even a Fox with a .22, I always used more than one shot. Yes, a round in the head is likely going to stop an animal, but you WILL have to be able to make a follow up shot, or more if you miss. If you HAVE to kill the animal, don't let it suffer. Animals move fast, at short range you may be better off with a contact weapon.
 
BlackFeather said:
Animals move fast, at short range you may be better off with a contact weapon.
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I can say with conviction that an old school wooden tennis racket will repel a house-cat, and make him actively avoid your property. When I was about 8, my neighbors' giant tomcat attacked my pet cat and I beat him with a tennis racket until he fell into a shallow creek with steep banks and he got away.

Turns out that the cat belonged to friends of my parents, when we went to eat dinner there or whatever, that cat would take one look at me, hiss, and run. They never could understand, because he was such a "friendly" cat. He never did step foot on our property again...;)
 
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