.22 LR Self-defense rounds.

There might be significant differences in performance of various .22LR ammo in rifles, but in handguns any performance differences are likely to be very slight. You simply cannot achieve maximum performance from any common .22LR handgun barrel length.

Shot placement will be the key for any potential defensive use.

In my experience (probably a dozen different .22LR handguns over the past 48 years) .22 rimfire handguns are all picky about ammo. What works well in one pistol is just as likely to fail in another.

I would suggest purchasing at least 100 rounds of each premium .22LR ammo (not bulk packs or promotional packs), then carefully evaluate reliability and accuracy in your pistol. When you have decided which functions best I suggest that you purchase a significant quantity of the same production lot number, then use that for practice and carry until it has been used up. Then you will have to go through the process again because performance from different production runs can vary widely.

While .22 would be my last choice to use for SD, IF I HAD TO I'd use the CCI Velocitor. It is the highest velocity 40 grain bullet out there AFAIK. CCI is also the most reliable .22 Rimfire I have used.

I might give the CCI a try. I have had good results with the Aguila Interceptors at the range with both the .22 Compact and the SW22.

My wife carries CCI Stingers in her 22.

Of course reliability is key. If I were to carry a 22LR for SD I would load it with CCI Velocitor ammo. A 40gr bullet with a MV of 1435 fps is no joke.

22 defense rounds

How about the Aguila 60 grain sub-sonic @ 950 fps ? Some tumbling issues , but at short range it's stopping power is measurably greater.

I have a prewar Woodsman originally owned by a preditor control guy in the 1950's and early '60's here in Colorado.

He killed black bear, cougar, bobcat, coyotes and foxes with it using standard velocity solids.

Didn't seem to need Hi velocity or hollow point ammo.

In a handgun, you won't get improved performance from gee whiz 22 ammo.

If the ammo functions in the gun, it's good enough for sd.

Rpg said:

I have a prewar Woodsman originally owned by a preditor control guy in the 1950's and early '60's here in Colorado.

He killed black bear, cougar, bobcat, coyotes and foxes with it using standard velocity solids.

Didn't seem to need Hi velocity or hollow point ammo.

In a handgun, you won't get improved performance from gee whiz 22 ammo.

If the ammo functions in the gun, it's good enough for sd.

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Sounds like my friend named Bud. He carried pre war Woodsman, across Colorado as a trapper and mail carrier. From the 1930's Bud carried this gun exclusively . It was so worn that you could see metal showing under the wood grips. I have carried a pre war for the last 30+ years. I have done some things I wont mention here.

n c rod said:

How about the Aguila 60 grain sub-sonic @ 950 fps ? Some tumbling issues , but at short range it's stopping power is measurably greater.

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Kind of like the British 38/200 - big and slow! It worked for them around the world.

I posted my say up-thread at #7. I'm just commenting again because of some of the velocities they're posting. I'd encourage people to chronograph their rounds out of their guns, because I've run a lot of .22 LR over screens from handguns, and there is a mighty big difference between what companies represent their rounds do from a rifle barrel and what they actually do from your handgun.


Edited c. 1345 MDT to include the following for-instance:
For instance - last spring I ran a bunch of ammo through my LCR-22 with the 1 7/8" tube.
The range was about 80°F, 36% humidity, 5950'>sea level.
CCI 40-gr RNL Mean velocity 927.6 feet per second/Extreme spread 142.3/Standard deviation 50.63
CCI 40-gr copper plated RN M 945.21/ES 56.90/SD 21.19
CCI Blazer 40-gr RNL M 880.2/ES 14.40/SD 9.89
S&B 38-gr RNL M 943.02/ES 128.40/SD 50.50
Geco 40-gr Semi-Auto RNL M 890.5/ES 28.3/SD 19.99
Lapua 40-gr RNL Subsonic 806.9/55.11/24.28
Eley Club 40-gr RNL 901.2
Winchester bulk 36-gr plated HP 951.2/90.42/29.52
Aguila Super Extra 40-gr RNL plated: 934.1/84.81/31.85
Remington 40-gr RNL Target 877.6/91.98/32.96
Eley Sport 40-gr RNL (made by Aguila in Mexico) 830.1/88.46/25.74
Wolf Match Extra 40-gr RNL 858.0/60.31/19.77
Winchester T22 Target 40-gr RNL 868.1/48.12/22.44
CCI Stinger 32-gr plated HP 1112/140.5/61.85
Aguila SSS 60-gr RNL 757.6/31.28/13.49

From an SR22P on an earlier trip (65°F, c. 15% humidity, same range)

CCI Minimag 40-gr RN plated: M 977.9 fps/ES 103.1/SD 30.77
Aguila Super Extra Alta Velocidad 40-gr RN plated: M 1009/ES 21.55/SD 9.43
Aguila Interceptor 40-gr RN plated: M 1098/ES 96.26/SD 39.82
CCI Velocitor 40-gr plated HP: M 994.2/ES 135.7/SD 57.93
CCI Minimag 36-gr plated HP: M 976.3/ES 65.62/SD 26.07
CCI SGB 40-gr lead flat nose: M 971.8/ES 48.04/SD 20.80
Federal Automatch 40-gr RNL: M 995.7/ES 40.92/SD 16.24
(same): M 996.6/ES 10.67/SD 4.69
Winchester Super-X 40-gr RN plated: M 931.0/ES 132.7/SD 59.36
Aguila SSS 60-gr RNL: M 831.4/ES 9.45/SD 3.87
CCI Stinger 32-gr plated HP: M 1127/ES 208.5/SD 90.71
CCI Quik-Shok 32-gr segmented plated HP: M 1159/ES 56.05/SD 24.06
CCI Blazer 40-gr RNL: M 979.0/ES 75.54/SD 29.00

Erich makes an excellent point. One of the reasons I use a 4in barrel with my Ruger pistol to shoot suppressed is because HV ammo (usually rated around 1250fps) will shoot subsonic-- under 1100fps. With all the unburned powder enter in the suppressor it gets toasty hot.

Reliability, velocity and penetration are the 3 keys to .22 LR performance in a self-defense role. Accuracy at self-defense distances is secondary.

I agree with Erich, that solids will offer better penetration - the hollow points not so much.

The guru of gurus, Jeff Cooper, believed that the best tactic for using a .22 against 2-legged beasts is to shoot for the eye sockets. And I would add, keep shooting...

John

Erich, any chance of seeing the Velocitor and Interceptor from the LCR?

What Erich posted above is exactly why I suggested the Velocitor ammo, not because it's a wiz-bang .22 round. I also like the 40gr bullet better than the 32gr bullet of the Stinger from a handgun.

Talldog said:

Erich, any chance of seeing the Velocitor and Interceptor from the LCR?

Click to expand...

Maybe someday, but the chances of it making it into this thread are pretty much nil. Sorry - just too many things to do!

It would seem to me that the big thing with using 22's for SD is the cartridge going bang. With all the comments I've read on different forums about FTFs does anyone have a brand or specific loading they have never had a problem with? I believe match ammo would be at the top of the list of 100% reliability to go bang. Having a misfire in a match is a lot more serious than missing a squirrel. I've been using CCI SGB as well a Eley target as my go to defense round. Comments? Suggestions?

If you're down to 22lr for self defense out of a handgun, you've got bigger problems. Buy reliable ammo, make sure you can hit vital areas, and pray.

A neighbor, who is kindly teaching me to be an eccenrtic old coot like him, carries a Ruger Mk1 in a shoulder holster. He can put all ten into one of those florecent 1.5"-2" stickers in about 5 seconds at 35-40 feet. If I could do that I would feel pretty confident with a .22.

On the net, You-tube........
a test was done with a pistol and rifle per post #14 cci ammo.

Sheetrock was spaced with a 2x4 section, to see how far the bullets would penetrate.

The average for both was at least eight (8) sheets.........
for what ever that is worth.

Britbike has the salient point, reliability! I'd go with CCI solids as they seem the most reliable for me. Current production .22 has gotten less reliable than it used to be, in my experience at least. Many sneer at the .25ACP but it is my belief that it is more reliable than .22 due to having as actual primer.
It isn't always a "one shot stop" but in a Frankfurt bar I saw a German woman put one into the back of her boyfriend at contact distance and all the big *** said was "oof" as he went down.