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Do you think a 22 rifle is an option for home defence?

  • Yes

    Votes: 25 92.6%
  • No

    Votes: 2 7.4%
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22 rifle for home defence.

19K views 109 replies 47 participants last post by  gdmoody 
#1 ·
A friend and I were talking about a 22 rifle for home defense. My 1st thought is that it is a bad idea. But when you think it out maybe not. Think about the Ruger 10-22. You can get a 10, 15 or 25 round mag. 10 rounds of 40 grain bullets are a total of 400 grains of lead. You can fire as fast as you pull the trigger. Makes me think it may not be such a bad idea after all.

http://concealednation.org/2017/08/video-is-the-22-rifle-a-viable-tool-for-self-defense/
 
#39 ·
A semi auto .22 rifle isn't really a bad choice for home protection. I've read several times here about 'how you'll get a click instead of a bang'. I don't get many 'clicks' in any of my .22s. Of course I don't buy el-crapo .22 ammo, either, and I keep ALL of my weapons absolutely clean and well maintained.

There ARE better choices in calibers for stopping power, but that still doesn't mean that a .22 long rifle is a bad choice. If you happen to live in town, a .22 might even be better yet, because it won't penetrate as many layers of sheetrock before it stops as compared to a 9mm.
 
#42 ·
It really comes down to personal preference, personal skill and what you have available. This is one of those "no wrong answers" situations, caliberwise. All will work, assuming proper shot placement.
I have 30+ rimfire guns, none are my top choice for home defense, but half of them would do, if one is all that was at hand. But they are not kept loaded.
I have other better guns in centerfire for defense, and at least one is always loaded and within reach.
I shoot often enough to keep my skills up, but have never been in a firefight situation. I won't honestly know how well I will do til it happens.
 
#51 ·
It doesn't matter what gun I'm using in a SD situation, I will be firing more than one shot. Double tap. Shoot em to the ground! That's my philosophy.
 
#52 ·
CCI makes excellent ammo.I keep my 25 rd back to back 10-22 mags loaded with 36 gr Stingers and 31 gr CCI segmented rounds.
I've been killing stuff with a .22 since my age was one digit.Lotta time on farms..22s may not have the one shot stopping power of centerfire rounds,BUT I can put them out of the 10-22 like it's FA and hit where I want them to go.They go off every time and are pretty zippy.
Shot placement is EVERYTHING.
BTW,I was also shot with a single round from a .22 when I was a kid,that hurt like HAIL and it was in my shoulder,ruining my pitching career.Felt like a hammer hit me.
Semper Fi
www.silverbulletgunoil.net
 
#53 ·
I choose to use a large caliber handgun (.357, .45, 9mm) or a shotgun for home defense. Would I use a .22lr if that's all I had? Absolutely.

As far as using them to build de fence around your home, I voted no. .22 rifles might make ok posts, but it seems like a waste to me. Sticking them in the ground and stapling the wire to them would gar up the stocks and they'd rust really fast.. :p
 
#56 ·
For information: Bud's Guns has a GSG 110 round drum mag for the 10/22. Last time I checked around $40. I only load 100 at a time. No problem so far, I use CCI Mini Mags but CCI ARs work fine too. I got the drum because I got a Tommy Gun kit from FunGuns for my plastic stock 10/22 but of course the drum still fits in my stainless laminated stock 10/22. Both are a lot of fun with any size mag.
 
#57 ·
I keep a mag loaded with hollow points nearby. Grab the 10/22, slap in the mag, pull and release the bolt (modified so I don't have to do that awkward 2 handed move). If I have time, I load a few rounds in the 30-30 and hand the Ruger to the wife.
 
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#59 ·
If that's what you have, then OK.
If you're going out to buy a firearm specifically for HD, I think a good pump 12 or 20 gauge stoked with buck trumps the .22 unless I were recoil sensitive.
If you have no way of securing a long gun (vault) consider that at least you can lock a handgun in a drawer or filing cabinet, but that also that with a handgun it will take a considerable greater investment of time and ammo($) to gain some expertise with it in your mitts.

My 2-cents anyway
 
#61 ·
I watched that same video just the other day.
 
#67 ·
Like everyone says if that was my only option then yes grab that .22 & open fire.
But at close distances like across a living room your shot or shots have to be deadly. There a lot of break in's by junkies looking for money or something to sell to get their next fix. If you shoot a junkie that is high on uppers he won't go down like a normal person & even after taking a few rounds in the center mass they will come to take the gun away from you.
So if you are going to use your .22 you will need to practice grouping in vital areas, so you will take them down fast. I recommend having at least 10 rounds in a semi auto & a back up mag close by or attached to the gun.
 
#68 ·
Like everyone says if that was my only option then yes grab that .22 & open fire.
But at close distances like across a living room your shot or shots have to be deadly. There a lot of break in's by junkies looking for money or something to sell to get their next fix. If you shoot a junkie that is high on uppers he won't go down like a normal person & even after taking a few rounds in the center mass they will come to take the gun away from you.
So if you are going to use your .22 you will need to practice grouping in vital areas, so you will take them down fast. I recommend having at least 10 rounds in a semi auto & a back up mag close by or attached to the gun.
If I ever have to shoot a BG, God forbid, I will shoot until the threat is gone. Shoot them to the ground. Don't fire a shot or two then stop to see what the results will be, it might get you killed. Shoot until there is no threat left, no matter what caliber gun is in your hands.
 
#73 ·
Reagan was hit with a small piece of a .22 bullet that ricocheted-not the entire bullet.
I would have no problem using a semi .22 rifle for home defense- and have recommended the same for people who have no handgun experience. The only reason I use a handgun is convenience.
Don Fischer- you obviously need a 30-06 for your use- but seriously forget the apostrophes. You have no idea where to put them.
 
#74 ·
Had a friend get shot with a 22lr rifle 5 times. He stopped what he was doing, but if he was set on killing someone, he would have accomplished it.
When he was walking home, he started feeling badly and stopped at a house so they could call an ambulance.
 
#76 ·
Had your friend been shot 5 times with a 9mm, the results would likely have been the same.
They just didn't shoot him in the right place.
Isn't that always the point?
I'm sure folks have survived .50 BMG hits too.
The point is, "the right place" gets a whole lot bigger with a higher energy round.
You had to hit the death star exactly in the ventilation shaft.
If you had another death star, could could have hit it anywhere :)
 
#84 ·
No, it doesn't get a "whole lot bigger." It gets bigger by the difference in diameter of the bullets-HUNDREDTHS of an inch with handguns.
Really?
So the "kill zone hit" for a .500 SW is a quarter of an inch larger than that of a .25 ACP?
 
#92 ·
The original question; 'Do you think a 22 rifle is an option for home defense?' The choices were "yes, or no".

92.6% have voted 'yes'!
 
#93 ·
All other things being equal, the size of the hole doesn't make much difference.

A single shot or bolt action .22 rifle might not be a good idea for defense, but a repeater-especially a semiauto is not a bad option. As far as rifles, the next step up is .22WMR and they are not common. Next comes the 9mm/.40/.45 pistol carbines-handy if you have one. Then, .223, .30 and larger rifle calibers. Overpenetration could be an issue with all of these-and is minimized with a .22.
Also .22LR from a rifle has the velocity to expand the little lead bullets to much larger diameter (if that means a lot to you.)

A nice little .22 rifle is easy to shoot accurately, has almost no recoil, and if a semi-multiple shots are very quick.

If I KNEW someone was going to attack my home, I would probably choose a larger rifle caliber-but on the off chance that someone MIGHT attack my home, the little Ruger 10-22 would keep me warm and fuzzy.

Besides- it's the Indian, not the arrow.
 
#97 ·
Not likely to be my first option in most cases but I keep two 25 round back-to-back mags loaded for my 10-22.

Dispersing a mob from behind cover is the only scenario I can think of where this would be a first choice.
 
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#99 ·
If that's what I had or felt comfortable with I would not feel under gunned.
I would never use Stingers or frangible ammo. Standard velocity no hollow points.
Frangible ammo like Stingers, first are very light grain 32g. And when you use these they are prone to expand on impact to anything (clothes) I tried hunting with these decades ago in late squirrel season and the squirrels were destroyed and the bullet never passed through one. Had a few other examples of that but tree huggers might get the wrong idea.

Thing is not too many criminals high or otherwise once in your house are going to advance on a muzzle flash and sound once you start shooting hit or miss.
This is much like the ole "EVERYONE FEARS THE SLIDE RACK OF A SHOTGUN" and that wives tale is still alive. Does racking a pistol slide bring fear? Most folks have never heard that sound, its only gun guys who know that sound and folks..........you won`t hear a slide rack in my home. You will hear, stop I am armed and calling the police. Should you advance......the last thing you will see is a bright flash and it won`t be God.
 
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