The Power of the .22 Magnum for Pocket Pistols

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 2/13/2019 | C Cocoles

[Jewbacca]

Better than nothing, for sure. And sometimes a very small pistol is all that works.

But there are .380 that are almost as small, and it’s a much better round.

I’m a pilot and my shot placement has always sucked. I want whatever edge I can get.

[George Rand]

12 to 15 pounds?!

JEEEEEEEEZZZZZ

[SpaceBar]

The lowly .22 is joked about as a baby round unsuitable for little more than pest control and plinking, but a .22 mag hollowpoint is a pretty formidable round, especially if used with a longer barrel for accuracy and muzzle velocity.

[Travis McGee]

I’d by a Kel-Tec PMR-30 today if 22 magnum rimfire wasn’t just as expensive as 9mm. And I’d by a CMR-30 carbine tomorrow. Superb lightweight high capacity platforms.

BUT....
Why is 22LR under 5 cents a pop, or even 3 cents in bulk, but 22 mag costs 17-20 cents a pop? It should cost about 10 cents at most.

Great caliber for many purposes, but absurdly expensive for what you get.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

The .22 Magnum is an excellent round. If some gun maker would design a 22 magnum semi-automatic that holds seven or eight rounds, they would have a hit.

[A strike]

Yeah; good shot placement with a 12 to 15 pound trigger pull ?!?

[Celerity]

A pistols design is 10% engineer, 90% lawyer.

[eastexsteve]

Maybe they get so many successful defense numbers is because so many people are shot with .22s. You’re only taking about a 35 to 45 grain round here. That not much lead when it comes to a crazed attacker. You’re much better off with a .38 Special.

[Delta 21]

4TH grade grammar instruction should be a job prerequisite for ASG in particular. Scary these guys play with guns.

[Bringbackthedraft]

What ever became of the tackle box 22? it had a longer barrel. I need one for night time walks in my area. Not for crime, just coyotes, bob cats snakes and gators. Its a no gun discharge zone, so I need not make too much noise, it may wake up the seniors.

[keat]

Very first sentence is ... not a sentence.

[litehaus]

” If some gun maker would design a 22 magnum semi-automatic that holds seven or eight rounds, they would have a hit.”

Mr.Keltec wishes to say Happy PMR 30 to you...

[Yo-Yo]

Never, EVER trust your life to a rimfire cartridge if other options are available.

For the same cost, size, and weight of a .22 Magnum revolver, you can get the same revolver chambered in .38 Special, which is a much more reliable round both in terms of stopping power and ignition reliability.

If you simply MUST carry a .22 Magnum, then please do so in a double action revolver instead of an semi-automatic pistol. At least with a revolver, if you get a failure to fire, your immediate action drill is simply another trigger press.

As a last ditch backup to your backup for your regular carry gun, the North American Arms .22 Magnum miniature revolvers are a viable option, but because of its very short barrel leading to poor ballistics even in .22 Mag, and its single action only operation, I personally would minimize my use of an NAA mini revolver as my primary concealed carry.

But they are very cool at the range, and there are lasers for them that make them surprisingly accurate at distance.

[sport]

The .22. It can’t do this and it can’t do that. All it can do is kill you.

[Buttons12]

I’m a petite female so I have few options. But I would think that a .22 will present an assailant with the possibility that he’ll have a problem that will consume all his time and attention for the indefinite future. This should discourage most evildoers; but if not, they get the substantial distraction and inconvenience.

[Who is John Galt?]

Better than nothing, for sure.

Speaking of "better than nothing" (and "shot placement" as well ;^), I've always thought that KYJim's 'Rules of Carry' summarize things nicely:

1. Any gun is better than no gun.

2. A gun that is reliable is better than a gun that is not.

3. A hole in the right place is better than a hole in the wrong place.

4. A bigger hole is a better hole.

I will add another, that a lot of folks don't seem to consider:

5. Don't carry it, if you can't afford to lose it.

(And that relates to the tendency of LEOs to seize firearms, and the extreme difficulty involved in having the firearm returned to the owner, NOT to 'ditching' a gun like a common criminal... )

[rebel25]

Shucks I was carrying a glock 26 9mm but have since switched to 40 s&w for self defense. I would have to have gotten a glock 27 but open carry is finally settled in AR case law so i have the full size 15 plus 1 Glock in 40.

[real saxophonist]

Exclusive video of w1n1 testing the latest technology for his next article

[SpaceBar]

Look into an FN Five-Seven. The downside is they are pricy, but not even in the same league as say a Kel-Tec.