Free Republic

These little wheelguns pack more punch than .22 LR pistols. But is it enough to get the job done? In a previous article we took a closer look at using .22 LR pistols for self defense. The conversation was inspired by the release of new rimfire models that look and carry like center-fire models. However, the second most popular rimfire rifle cartridge in the United States, the .22 WMR, has also been pressed into service as a low-recoil defensive option. More commonly known as the .22 Magnum, or just .22 Mag., this rimfire cartridge is carried more often than some...

When 30 carbine was introduced during WW2, many called it inadequate. It became massively popular, and not just with the rear echelon troops. Far from the sheer power of the 30-06, it was more useful to a radio operator, a cook, or a typist. Likewise, 22WMR is nowhere near the power of 223Rem (already deemed inadequate by many), yet its ballistic cousins 5.7x28 and 4.6x30 are well regarded for certain niche uses. Until recently, 22WMR was mostly used in hunting guns, the occasional exception like Grendel carbine aside. But consider it in the Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) format: lightweight, accurate,...