This is an interesting thread, with some interesting claims.
Back in the 1960's the most common weapon that caused
death in the United States was the 22 lr.
The 22 hand gun was known as the mob's hit gun.
While this may be true, there's some difference between "execution" style killing, accidental killings, and self-defense.
If you shoot someone with a .22, and they still attack/kill you, but then die 4 hours later in the ED of your local hospital, then the shooting wasn't effective enough to save you.
Yes, I'd use a NAA mini if that's all I had, but I can easily carry a snub .38 with me
anywhere I go.
The .22 LR/mag can be effectively used for self-defense, but don't consider it "better" than larger cartridges like the .38, .357 mag, 9mm, or .45 ACP.
I recently had a "stand-off" with a (very large) pit bull at point blank range. I had a snub .38 special loaded with Gold Dots, and I was fairly confidant in my ability to stop that dog had it become necessary.
I'm pretty sure I'd not have been as confidant with a NAA mini, even in .22 mag. Penetration is not the only issue in SD.
I have killed several steers with a 22 rifle. Shoot'em right between the eyes, or behind the poll. A 45 colt will ricochet off a cow skull at point blank range. Penetration is king, if you hit the target. 22 mag is a great penetration round.
I guess that might depend on the load, the skull, and the angle. Rubber bullets, perhaps? I'm pretty confidant in a 300 gr .45 bullet at 1200 fps not ricocheting off of much. In fact, I'm pretty sure it'd shoot through a fair sized steer lengthwise.
If, as you say, peneration is king, then trust me that a 40 grain lead bullet at 1200 fps WILL NOT out-penetrate a 300 grain lead bullet at the same velocity.
And you speak of using a .22
rifle for the purpose, but we're talking
handguns in this thread. You'll not get that 1200 fps from a short barreled .22 handgun.
Not even if it's a ,22 mag.
I get something like 1650 fps from the same .45 Colt load in my rifle, and it'll blow through a steer like so much hot air.
But so much for comparing grape seeds to grapefruits, and lets get back to the realistic topic at hand.
A handgun is, at best, something for a person to fight with if it becomes necessary to defend their life. Think about that, and ask yourself if a mini-revolver is really adequate for what you need.
And I can't answer that question for anyone but me, nor can anyone else.
For me, I think back to that pit bull a month or so back, and I'm pretty sure I'd have not been very confidant with a mini-revolver like the NAA. I'm not even sure I'd have been very confidant in a full sized version in the same chambering, although that would have been preferable.
As it was, I was
fairly confidant in the .38 special I had, with the loads I had in it. It was not optimal, but it gave me enough confidance to stand my ground and hold my fire 'till the very last second, and it probably saved me a lot of hassle. In the end I stared the dog down (over the sights of my EDC), and I'm sorta glad I didn't have to shoot it.
The couple walking down the street in the background were definitely a concern, as well, and it's amazing to me how clear everything around you becomes under that level of stress.
Daryl
