Is the .22 Rimfire a viable self defense round?

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ChuckC

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I know this isn't the classifieds, but would you consider selling either of those rounds?
 

criticalbass

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Marginal. Like several have said, better than nothing, but can and often does fail to stop an assailant soon enough.

I once read something that could have been titled "the psychology of being shot." I think that wasn't the title, but it was the subject, and as I recall it said that stopping power depends to a great extent on the mindset of the person shot. I'm sure that's what is behind the stories we hear about drugged up or crazy persons absorbing major lead and continuing to march for a while.

Again, the .22 is better than nothing. For whoever lumped the .25 with the .380, these two rounds are a long way apart, though I do consider the .380 marginal. For many years a high percentage of European LEOs carried 9x17 guns, though the ammo tended to be a little hotter than cheap .380. Some of the self defense .380 is now pretty potent.
 

steelhorse

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Like most have already mentioned, .22lr wouldn't be my first choice for self defense but if it was the most recoil that I could handle, I would be practicing a lot of double taps(or more). I like the 60gr Aguila Sniper sub sonics. A little rat shot to the face out of a revolver would make a bad day also.
 

O4L

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Like many have said, .22LR is not the best choice, but a viable option. If it was a better SD round, it would be what I used. I like the light recoil for multiple shots.

I would not feel at all uncomfortable carrying a .22 Magnum with the new Self-Defense loads for a lightweight option.
 

Fyrtwuck

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Shot placement means a lot. I had to help patch up a club owner after a robbery one night. He had been shot 6 times with a .22. He had one shot to the lung with a sucking chest wound and the others were in different locations with a couple of shots to the upper legs. He was moving and talking the entire time. I think if he had had a gun and had the presence of mind to do it, he could have fought back.
 

Lightsluvr

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I know you've seen this one before, but modified it for this thread:

This is a story of self control and marksmanship with an itsy bitsy 22 caliber handgun by a woman against a fierce predator.

"While hiking in Alberta Canada with my boyfriend, we were surprised by a huge grizzly bear charging at us from out of nowhere. She must have been protecting her cubs because she was extremely aggressive. If I had not had my little Ruger 22 with me, I would not be here today! Just one shot to my boyfriend's knee cap was all it took…….the bear got him and I was able to escape by just walking away at a brisk pace."

:buttkick:

Now back to the original question...

LL
 

SMS

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I'm not volunteering to be shot by one, but I'm not volunteering to carry one either...unless it's all I have, and I have so many other options.
 

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