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Old 06-14-2012, 12:25 PM
andy1962 andy1962 is offline
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Question .22 caliber snub nose revolvers

Hi, any of you use a S&W 317 or 351 revolver?
What is the ballistic of those calibers in the short barrels of those revolvers?
Here, in Italy, it is not allowed the use of hollow point/frangible bullets for self defense.
I wonder if, for a BUG (or as the sole weapons, in rare situations), the 7 shots in .22 magnum or 8 shots in .22LR are a better option than the 5 shots of .38 SPL or the 7 shots of .380 from the weapons i presently own (S&W 638 and Ruger LCP).
Thanks and safe shooting.
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Old 06-14-2012, 10:58 PM
pff pff is offline
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First of all, Welcome!

My personal carry is a .38 Special so I'm somewhat biased towards them.

I suspect a .22 Magnum would at least penetrate adequately but I have no personal experience with it.

The last time I carried a .380 (nickel Colt 1908, for a formal occasion) I also had a .38 in my pocket in case I needed a gun.


Regards,

Pat
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Old 06-15-2012, 12:59 AM
ryanjames170 ryanjames170 is offline
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TBH if you cant use a HP i would get the bigest bullet you can get a 22 mag with out a HP is not even worth considering. i would stick with the 380 or 38 IMO
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Old 06-15-2012, 02:06 AM
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Horace & Daniel Horace & Daniel is offline
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For me, 38 Special is my minimum. I'm not a fan of .22LR as an SD round, simply because it's a rimfire cartridge and is prone to failure. The .22 Mag packs more punch, but suffers from the same rimfire problems. A pocket .380 or .38 j-frame is superior in every way to any .22 handgun in an SD environment.

Check out this link to an American Handgunner article on this very topic: .22 Mag Vs. .38 Special | American Handgunner


Last edited by Horace & Daniel; 06-15-2012 at 02:09 AM.
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Old 06-15-2012, 07:10 AM
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murphydog murphydog is offline
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Limited to non-expanding bullets, I would opt for your model 638 and 158 gr semiwadcutters (SWC). Here in the USA there is a designation for higher-pressure loadings called +P (my apologies if you already know this), and I would use this. I am sure Fiocchi makes ammunition of this type, along with several US companies such as Speer.
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Old 06-15-2012, 08:50 AM
andy1962 andy1962 is offline
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Yes, i agree, bring enough gun! But sometimes it is hard to carry something big, even more in this hoplophobic country;
i am considering other options, for now i will use what i have.
Tank you.
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Old 06-15-2012, 08:59 AM
Packard Packard is offline
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I had a two shot derringer in the early 1980s. It was chambered for .22 magnum. But I always called it my "one shot" derringer because of all the times the ammo failed.

Rim fire ammo will never be as reliable as centerfire ammo, although they seem to be better at it in 2012 than they were in 1982.

A .38 in a jacketed soft point lead would be my choice. I don't know if anyone is making a true defensive round in soft point, but that is what I'd look for.
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Old 06-15-2012, 09:53 AM
MichiganScott MichiganScott is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Packard View Post
Rim fire ammo will never be as reliable as centerfire ammo, although they seem to be better at it in 2012 than they were in 1982.
Apparently you have not shot the newer Remington.

To the OP, "Friends don't let friends carry mouse guns".
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Old 06-15-2012, 11:11 AM
Packard Packard is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichiganScott View Post
Apparently you have not shot the newer Remington....
I wrote: ...Rim fire ammo will never be as reliable as centerfire ammo, although they seem to be better at it in 2012 than they were in 1982...

It is not clear to me that you mean that the new Remington .22s are as reliable as centerfire ammo, or that there have been improvements in production (but not with the Remingtons).
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Old 06-15-2012, 11:34 AM
David Sinko David Sinko is offline
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I prefer the Remington Viper in my 43C. The .22 LR in a good revolver is no joke. First, you eliminate the unreliable feeding found in the autos. Second, if you get the rare dud (and it is rare with good, modern ammo and a good revolver with uncompromised springs) you pull the trigger again. While I believe that five rounds of .38 Special are better than eight rounds of .22 rimfire, the .22 in the hands of somebody who knows how to use it is perfectly viable.

Dave Sinko
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Old 06-15-2012, 11:55 AM
Packard Packard is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David Sinko View Post
I prefer the Remington Viper in my 43C. The .22 LR in a good revolver is no joke. First, you eliminate the unreliable feeding found in the autos. Second, if you get the rare dud (and it is rare with good, modern ammo and a good revolver with uncompromised springs) you pull the trigger again. While I believe that five rounds of .38 Special are better than eight rounds of .22 rimfire, the .22 in the hands of somebody who knows how to use it is perfectly viable.

Dave Sinko
And if someone is recoil sensitive, a .22 or a .22magnum might even be more effective than a .38.
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Old 06-15-2012, 04:29 PM
MichiganScott MichiganScott is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Packard View Post
I wrote: ...Rim fire ammo will never be as reliable as centerfire ammo, although they seem to be better at it in 2012 than they were in 1982...

It is not clear to me that you mean that the new Remington .22s are as reliable as centerfire ammo, or that there have been improvements in production (but not with the Remingtons).
Packard, what I inferred is that Remington's QA is slipping. The older Remington rimfire ammunition I have has less misfires than the reports on the newer production. If your experience is different, it makes me happy because I hate to see old time American manufacturers let their quality slip to compete with the imports.

It would be nice if cheap rimfire ammunition was as dependable as cheap centerfire, but that will never be the case.
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