.22 as a home defense gun?

[ms6852]

A 30-30 is not a good sniper round, but I would hate to get shot in the head with it. Same thing applies to the 22lr. The 22lr is not a good home defense gun but it is a lethal round. And if that is all you have than use it.

The reason that rimfire should not be considered a PRIMARY home defense round is that they are NOT RELIABLE. How many times have you been to the range or in the woods and have a misfire. I have never experienced one with centerfire but always with rimfire, even the better quality rounds like wolf match extra, eley, and so on. At the moment that you need it to go bang it might just go click. Are you willing to take that chance?

[marlin795]

Originally Posted by ms6852

A 30-30 is not a good sniper round, but I would hate to get shot in the head with it. Same thing applies to the 22lr. The 22lr is not a good home defense gun but it is a lethal round. And if that is all you have than use it.

The reason that rimfire should not be considered a PRIMARY home defense round is that they are NOT RELIABLE. How many times have you been to the range or in the woods and have a misfire. I have never experienced one with centerfire but always with rimfire, even the better quality rounds like wolf match extra, eley, and so on. At the moment that you need it to go bang it might just go click. Are you willing to take that chance?

God post. I bought a new shotgun for home defense. I love my .22 but I need some punch if someone comes breaking through my door or windows.
I bought an H&R pump 18 & 1/2" barrel 6 shot shotgun. Nice gun, a bit on the heavy side though.

[JLA]

Those pardner pumps are rem 870 copies. Basically a 'great value' brand rem 870. You did not go wrong with that choice. keep a selection of #4 buckshot, '00' buckshot, and 1 oz slugs for HD. #4 Buck is an all around favorite of mine. it has heavy enough shot to give excellent penetration yet the payload is dense enough to give a good spread guaranteeing a good solid hit..

Keep in mind #4 Buck is far bigger shot size then #4 shot, so pay attention when you buy it. #4 shot is roughly .13" (13 caliber) and #4 buck is .24" (6mm, same size as airsoft) caliber balls.

[ms6852]

I use a 20 gauge shotgun. This way my wife is not afraid to use it to. I use 000 buckshot or 00. I read some where that the birdshot does not really penetrate into the vitals but creates a nasty wound but the criminal still survives the blast if you want to go that route.

[ms6852]

My next home defense weapon will be in 12 gauge I am thinking more along this lines.

http://www.keltecweapons.com/news/pr...ec-shotgun-ksg
http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/kel-...tical-shotgun/

[ctswamphunter]

I'm a bit old fashioned I guess, what do you think?

[JLA]

love it! 1851 army replica?

[ctswamphunter]

Originally Posted by JLA

love it! 1851 army replica?

It is a 1860 Colt Army .44 replica

[JLA]

Ive always had a sweetspot for the ol BP wheelies. My fav is the 1858 REM.

[JLA]

And make no mistake fellas. These ol BP frontloaders will kill you just as dead today as they did 150 years ago. They would be a viable HD weapon, especially for someone stripped of their rights to own firearms, since these would not qualify as firearms. considered antiques and do not require BATFE paperwork.

[ctswamphunter]

Originally Posted by JLA

And make no mistake fellas. These ol BP frontloaders will kill you just as dead today as they did 150 years ago. They would be a viable HD weapon, especially for someone stripped of their rights to own firearms, since these would not qualify as firearms. considered antiques and do not require BATFE paperwork.

Bravo, excellant reminder. My is never to far away.

[RunningOnMT]

Here is my unexpert opinion which I imagine is as valid as any other unexpert opinion. The handgun in any caliber is a relatively ineffective man stopper. Anyone placing stock in the idea that a .45 guarantees a one one shot stop is deluding himself. The .45acp happens to be my caliber of choice, but I am always prepared and in fact expect to make multiple shots to neutralize a threat.

Common sense will tell you that if a 230 gr .45 isn't a guaranteed one shot stop, then a 40 gr. .22LR is a very poor choice for home defense. Well I believe common sense in this case is wrong. A reliable semi auto .22 can definately be an effective home defense weapon, IF you can deliver multiple shots rapidly to several critical areas...more so if you are good enough to place a shot in an eye or better yet in the center of the face between the nose and the approximate location of the adams apple into the brain stem. Hitting the chin could be problematic for a light caliber due to the possibility of deflection off higher density bone.

The only guaranteed one shot stop is one penetrating the brain stem. A heart shot can be a one shot kill but a person potentially could live for up to 20 sec, continuing an attack after having their heart totally destroyed. Other stoppers are massive blood loss say when a major artery is severed and shock. Multiple shots in a number of critical areas has a good chance of stopping most attackers due to pain and shock. I'd prefer a .22 rifle such as a 10/22 over a handgun. Emptying 10 rds of .22 cal at close range should stop all but the most determined attackers. Avoid extra fleshy areas like the thighs although a few rounds into the knees or shins can force the nervous system to shut down resulting in fainting. Belly shots can be extremely painful. Spread the shots out between the head, sternum, lower abdomen and groin, and the lower extremities.

Where this strategy has a weakness is when facing an intruder on drugs. The shots may well result in their death but not quickly enough to prevent them causing injury to you or a member of your household. I'm assuming that because you are defending your home and it's occupants that you can assume a position with some degree of tactical advantage and cover over the intruder. In a straight out gunfight out in the street, a .22 would be an extremely poor choice but in the home with a little preplanning it could do the job quite effectively.

Firearm effectiveness can be a quirky thing. A single shot in the right location from a .22 stands a fair chance of resulting in death and yet it is not unheard of for a BG to take a half dozen rounds in the critical area in the center of the chest from one of the big calibers, and survive. That makes predicting the effectiveness of firearms in various scenarios highly speculative. That's why most people opt to go with a more potent caliber for most applications.

[Palmetto]

We had a kid down in our area that recently killed himself in an accident with a 22lr. I also read in Combat Handguns about an elderly lady that killed a thug with a 22 caliber NAA Mini Revolver recently, shot him in the head. The .22 is a lethal round and it all comes down to shot placement. Unethical people have been taking game as big as deer down for years with the 22lr round with shots behind the ear.

[JLA]

yep. my grandad never used a centerfire to kill deer. He always hunted them with an ol stevens favorite 'crackshot' .22LR. and shot them right behind the eye socket. bullet penetrated the brainstem there and the deer dropped everytime. No squealing no sqwaking, no running 30 yds before dropping, no flopping, just a complete relaxation of muscles causeing the animal to collapse, then the normal post mortem muscle tremors.

I wouldnt call it unethical, in the right hands...

[Regular Joe]

Consider that a .22 bullet is the same dia. as #4 buck shot, with a better ballistic shape. The only 2 bullets that I consider adequate are the Aguila Interceptor and the CCI Velocitor. Both leave a rifle muzzle at over 1,400 fps. I've never had to shoot a person, but if one of my 10/.22 carbines were all I had, I wouldn't feel "naked". In my testing, I found that a fast double tap in wet phone books produced a "wound channel" that converged after 7" of penetration, and then looked very similar to the channel left by a 9mm Golden Saber.

[dustydog]

To borrow an old saw from a "swamp Yankee" friend of mine up in northern Vermont,"ten hits with a .22 sure as h**l beats 7 near misses with a .45!".

[Freebore]

Get it right the first time....it may be the only time you have. Home/self defense is not a job for 22's

[evan03]

Of someone comes in my house I will not aim to kill. Want them to remember the rest of they're life the intruded on the wrong house.

[evan03]

I'd almost give the same advice for a deer rifle and shoot what your comfortable with it does no good to shoot something that you can't hit the broad side of a barn with.

Ill admit when I've been sea from town my wife has had the 10/22 loaded and in a handy place. She has not tried the 45 yet and most Lilly wont shoot my 12 gauge and I'm 99.9 % sure if she did shoot it she wont shoot it again. So she has close what she likes and is accurate with. I guess that better than nothing at all

[Brisk44]

Winchester 40grn Hyper Velocity 1430 fps at muzzle or Aquila Interceptor 40grn 1470 fps @ muzzle both are well over 100 foot lbs. of energy in that first 30 feet.

[jeffreyB]

US Navy SEALs used the Ruger MK II for a number of years. With a 30 gr, HP at 1650 fps, nice quiet piece. Heart shots won't put them down, the heart might keep pumping on pure adrenaline. (or PCP)
Head shot is best, but there may be an expansion problem; or in the neck more or less at the C2 position. (severs the spinal cord.)
This for close up work, but let's face it, home defense is usually within 7-10 meters.
What the hell, if he doesn't go down, you can always beat him over the head with it

[Big Shrek]

Originally Posted by JLA

dadgum shrek, whats that ol calico .22 hold?? Bout a million rounds??

100 rounds per mag...

Lets describe what the average Zombie horde would have to get thru to get into my bedroom...
.22lr
1-Calico M110 pistol with red laser sight & 100-rd mags.
1-Calico M100 Carbine with CP 3x9x30 scope & 100-rd mags
1-Marlin 989M2 with multiple 13 & 25-rd mags...
1-Marlin 795 with even more 10 & 25 rd mags...

.22WMR
1-Grendel P-30 pistol with multiple 30-rd mags
1-Grendel R-30 carbine with more 30-rd mags

If yer gonna go Rimfire, go Hi-Capacity!!!

[masterdave]

I traned a friend in Florida 15 years ago. She could not get comfortable enough with a centerfire hand gun to qualify [ to my standards ] but did well with the rimfire pistol.
After the standare NRA personal protection and markmanship regement she decided she wanted to buy a gun . we visited a Orlando shop and range where we did her range live fire stage and was told by a kid [ salesman ] I DONT RECOMEND A 22 FOR HOME PROTECTION
I told him you didnt train her , I did , just what do you think is more effective 10 solid hits with a 22 or a lot of near misses with a larger gun?
Now please show us your stock of 22 auto loadeing pistols with ADJUSTABLE sightes
or we will shop else ware
Trudy bought a Browning Buckmark from his shop that day , I pitty the fool that comes up the stares to her bedroom in the middle of the night
THE BEST DEFENCE FIREARM IS ONE YOU CAN HIT WHAT YOU SHOOT AT






































now please show us your stock of 22 auto loaders with ADJUSTABLE sighter

[Old Grump]

I traned a friend in Florida 15 years ago. She could not get comfortable enough with a centerfire hand gun to qualify [ to my standards ] but did well with the rimfire pistol.
After the standare NRA personal protection and markmanship regement she decided she wanted to buy a gun . we visited a Orlando shop and range where we did her range live fire stage and was told by a kid [ salesman ] I DONT RECOMEND A 22 FOR HOME PROTECTION
I told him you didnt train her , I did , just what do you think is more effective 10 solid hits with a 22 or a lot of near misses with a larger gun?
Now please show us your stock of 22 auto loadeing pistols with ADJUSTABLE sightes
or we will shop else ware
Trudy bought a Browning Buckmark from his shop that day , I pitty the fool that comes up the stares to her bedroom in the middle of the night
THE BEST DEFENCE FIREARM IS ONE YOU CAN HIT WHAT YOU SHOOT AT

And that my friend, is why I always start new shooters, young and old, large and small, male and female with a 22. As their skills increase and their ability to handle any type of firearm develops they can move up in caliber and power to their comfort level, in the meantime there are a lot of bad guys who met their demise at the hands of old people and children with 22's and an adult armed with one is much better off than somebody only armed with a stick and a can of pepper spray or a whistle.

[vireya]

I have the stick and a can of pepper spray

but where do I get an adequate whistle?