In defense of the 22lr for EDC

[NHT3]

Depending on the particular pistol as well as projectile weight, there can be a huge difference in the felt recoil of a 9mm. I carry a Glock 19C every day and believe is has a milder recoil than any other 9MM pistol I've shot. I'm sure some would disagree but I would also be comfortable carrying the 22TCM resides in my safe. The pistol is heavy but recoil is VERY mild. If excessive noise is an issue for you the 22TCM is not an option you want to consider.
I don't consider myself recoil sensitive since the 454 Casull I shoot occasionally doesn't bother me. I haven't watched a hundred videos but I have learned from shooting regularly in the Carry gun match that recoil does impact follow up shots dramatically. As a dearly departed friend of mine used to say, better a BB in the eye that a howitzer in the middle of a 10 acre field.
I can only restate what others have stated, there is nothing more important than shot placement in a self defense situation.
[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member / [/FONT]Basic Pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] / RSO[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]"Under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That's why we train so hard" [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Unnamed Navy Seal[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]“Ego is the reason many men do not shoot competition. They don't want to suck in public” [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Aron Bright[/FONT]

 

[BehindBlueI's]

there is nothing more important than shot placement in a self defense situation.

Right, although I think there's often some confusion on what that means. Shot placement, as in placing a bullet in a vital organ or in the CNS. Your perfectly placed shot in the sternum just over the heart is just as good as a graze wound if it can't penetrate and damage the heart muscle.

 

[JettaKnight]

My eyes could read all of that jumble of letters, but I caught the last line:

Anyone else around here us a 22lr for there EDC?

I'm going out on a limb to say, "no".

 

[Vigilant]

I anybody shoots me with a .22 and I find out about it...


seriously, I met a guy that took 5 rounds from a .22LR 3 center mass, 1 in the thigh, and one in the cheek, he’s still walking around laughing at people who carry .22LR for anything but rodents. While he was very lucky, me, being a betting man am gonna stick with 9MM

 

[Hohn]

There a plenty of cases where a guy takes shots like that from a 9mm and is still walking around. Perhaps laughing at people who carry a handgun for anything but rodents.

 

[JettaKnight]

There a plenty of cases where a guy takes shots like that from a 9mm and is still walking around. Perhaps laughing at people who carry a handgun for anything but rodents.

Fortunately, no one's every been shot by a .45 and lived to ponder it's use on rodents.

 

[Coach]

I know, only 2nd post so still a plinkster. I have read 100's of articles, watched 100's of videos and reads lots of reviews on the topic of using a 22lr for self defense. There was a thread on here about 6 years ago and I read that one as well so I am going to give my take on the subject. I currently own a Springfield 40 xd, an M & P shield in 9mm and an SR 22 with the 4.5 in barrel. I have shot every one of my guns, probably 500 our of each of the 9mm and 40 and well over a 1000 rounds from my SR22. My 40 is a little too snappy for me and I like the 9mm but I love the SR22 the most. With all the rounds fired in 22 I have had only 2 ftf, one cci mini mag and one winchester bulk pack. I have read all the studies on shootings from the major guys doing studies on decades of shooting. One study showed the 22 averaging a stop 34% of the time and fail to stop 31% of the time, all the other calibers shot from handguns showed different results, some better then the 22 and some worse. Right now I can rapidly shoot 10 shots from my 22 at 20 ft and it a 5 inch group everytime. not excellent but getting better. Can't do that with either of my other guns and not a fast because of re acquiring the target after the recoil. I have seen all the test using the gel test and different ammo's from each of the guns. Most important that I have learned is shot placement, shot placement and shot placement is very important. At this time in my development I am more comfortable that I can put more bullets on target with my 22 then either of my other guns. My go to ammo will be the cci solid 40 gr hyper velocity. As I continue to shoot all my guns I may get better but for now I have more confidence in my SR22. One last issue I am concerned with is being in a shooting with one of the larger guns, how many of you have been in an actual shooting, without ear protection and fired off 4,5 or 6 rounds and what happen to your hearing. My dad was a detective for the LAPD and carried a 38 revolver as his service piece. He had a bad habit of setting his gun on a blanket in the back seat on his way to work. One day he picked up me and my friend walking to school and gave us a ride to school. shortly after pick us up there was a loud explosion in the car. My friend saw the gun in the back seat and picked it up thinking it was a toy gun and fired it. it went straight through the seat and out the windshield. Missed me by a couple inches, I was sitting in the front seat. My point is I lost the hearing in one of my ears for 2 days with a horrible ringing. In a shooting situation with a 9mm. a 40 or a 45, what is that going to sound like. I may upgrade as I gain more confidence in my shooting and train more with the 9mm but not sure I will ever get used to the 40. Anyone else around here us a 22lr for there EDC?

Paragraphs are a thing.

Watching internet videos does not make one experienced.

Serious people do not use .22 for self defense. But it is a semi free country do what you want.

Ringing ears is a small price to pay for surviving a gun fight.

Sounds like training is needed to learn how to manage recoil.

 

[GIJEW]

One of my bros-in-arms who was in the element flanking the enemies' position, told me of finding a 20' blood trail with a dead syrian with 3/4's of his head at the end of it. The supporting weapons fired were: 60mm mortars, Browning .50cal, and 7.62x51mm.

"chemically enhanced" adversaries were mentioned up thread (this can include adrenaline). Sometimes shot placement doesn't get the job done right away.

I will concede that if someone is frail or disabled and can't handle anything more than .22lr that it's better than just dialing 911 and waiting

 

[sht4brnz]

[video=youtube_share;Cv6PxB2TqLM]https://youtu.be/Cv6PxB2TqLM[/video]

 

[randyb]

I would use a .22 if that is what I had and if that is what my skill level had me shooting best. That said, I prefer .38 special and up. I do prefer the 9mm over the .45 ACP simply because of shot placement and speed of followup shots for me. use what you think is best. Retired Green Beret shoots intruder, gets court martial

 

[JettaKnight]

Retired Green Beret shoots intruder, gets court martial

I can't tell if that was fiction or non-fiction...



PS And as to the video above, there's a whole lot of assumptions presented as facts, and facts over-simplified. Plus, most of it is geared at .380ACP, not a .22LR.

 

[Expat]

I practiced with my .22s today. Ready to roll now.

 

[CPT Nervous]

If all you had was a .22 LR, then go for it. But, you mentioned that you have at least two better options.

If .40 S&W is too snappy, then carry the 9x19mm. Find a lower recoil JHP cartridge, and most importantly, TRAIN.

Don't carry an inferior caliber due to lack of training. Shot placement is great and all, but as BBI stated, .22 LR has a rough time penetrating bone. Also, take into consideration the fact that shooting static targets on a range is a lot different than shooting a charging meth head. You could very well hit him 15+ times and it wouldn't slow him down.

But God forbid you suffer some temporary hearing loss.

 

[printcraft]

tlandon, is that you?

11 rounds of .22lr to the ear canal and the attacker ain't a threat anymore.

We aren't in Fallujah.

...

 

[chezuki]

My eyes and brain hurt.


#holywallofnonsense

 

[NHT3]

Don't carry an inferior caliber due to lack of TRAINING.

IMHO the best advice in the thread.

[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member / [/FONT]Basic Pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] / RSO[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]"Under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That's why we train so hard" [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Unnamed Navy Seal[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]“Ego is the reason many men do not shoot competition. They don't want to suck in public” [/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Aron Bright[/FONT]

 

[walleyepw]

I typically carry a 380 as I am most often wearing dress pants and a tucked in shirt. The 380 is not the best, but in my choices it is one that can be pocket carried (pocket holster) for a reasonable amount of concealment. The only time that I carry less than the 380 is when I am out walking the dog with nylon type shorts (then I carry a a .32 keltec).
For me, I would not carry a 22 lr pistol for self defense, unless that is all I had. I have had bad shots on squirrels with a 22lr (that was not a head shot) and have watch squirrels continue to function and require a better placed head shot to finish them. A squirrel is not as tough as a human.

 

[Dean C.]

Personally the smallest caliber I carry is a 38 Special +P or a .380acp (I consider them roughly ballistically the same). Either a J-Frame or when I can find one a new production Walther PPK.

Most of the time however I carry my Sig P365 in 9mm, for me the 22 is a non-viable option due to lack of reliable cartridge ignition method, it being a rimmed cartridge (only an issue for me in semi-automatics) and as BBI pointed out less than stellar ballistic performance

 

[Denny347]

Carry what you are comfortable with, that you are accurate with. Don't get too wrapped up in the caliber debate as the chances of having to use your pistol in self defense is extremly minute. Just carry what you are comfortable carrying.

 

[Mgderf]

I wouldn't carry it for self defense, but I really like that Kel-Tec PMR30.
If I HAD to carry a rim-fire, it would probably be the PMR30.
It's .22WMR, and 30 round magazines to boot.

As for the hearing loss issue, there is a HUGE difference in firing any cartridge INSIDE of a vehicle.
There is no way for the sound and pressure waves to dissipate like they would in open air, or even in a room. Most rooms would be much larger than the passenger compartment of a vehicle.