I am wanting to know what y'all think about the 22 Magnum as a viable option for concealed carry. Anyone here have experience or extensive knowledge about this particular round? It appears that the major ammo companies are producing and marketing 22 Magnum rounds for self-defense. i.e. Federal, Hornady, Winchester, CCI / Speer. I am seriously thinking about getting myself a S&W 351 C or the Ruger LCR chambered in 22 WMR.

Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject matter.

Thanks,
Data

My thought is why carry anything rimfire for SD when you can get the same size and weight in a centerfire. If you need to use a handgun for SD, then you need stopping power - NOW.

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S&W factory revolver armorer

Those 2 firearms you mention are both excellent choices for those who may be recoil sensitive, in my opinion. 8 rounds of 22 magnum up close is no joke.

I don’t think the trivial increase in velocity the 22 mag offers over a 22 long rifle in a revolver is worth the trouble. It’s much more expensive, difficult to find, uncomfortably loud and offers nothing at self defense ranges the 22 lr doesn’t.

All you get is a very loud revolver: so loud as to make it very uncomfortable to shoot.

In the self defense realm, I’d much prefer the 22 long rifle to the magnum variety. They’re much easier to shoot quickly and precisely than the magnum.

An individual with good skills is formidably armed with a 22 long rifle handgun.

The 22 magnum is worth having in a rifle, but not in a handgun.

I like the .22 mag out of a 16" barrel ..... muzzle energy equal to a 9mm

2" J-frame..... any .38 special load even RNL or wadcutter !

guarantees a .38 hole..... shot placement is King!

If you have a gun, at least you meet the first rule. People today make a religion out of calibers and techniques (and the personalities who advocate them), but I'm a polite person, so I don't discuss religion or politics in public.

My wife and I did a lot of research on this for her. She wants a J frame but can't consistently shoot my 38 specials, even with light loads, so a 22 seemed a good choice. In looking at the ballistics on a 2" barrel there's basically no difference between 22LR and magnum. The Federal Punch 22 LR ammo gives a consistent 13" of penetration with a 2" barrel. We're going to be ordering her a 43C very soon. I love the fact that ammo for it is so cheap and plentiful. You can buy a 50 round box of the Punch for only $11 directly from Federal. I've already bought a bunch in anticipation of getting the gun, and I can shoot it in the 22 rifle. I wouldn't want to face someone armed with 8 shots of 1100 FPS 22 caliber bullets.

Welcome to the forum. I have come to believe that a carry gun is for punching holes and making that feller stop what he's doing and make him want to be somewhere else. Your choices check those boxes.

Tip-o-the-hat to our member from flyover country.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

I own a number of 22LR and one 22 Mag, 651 Handguns.
I also like Punch Ammo, prefer Ruger LCP or Model 63 2 in for concealed carry.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

.22 magnum needs barrel length to do its job.
You will trade velocity for noise with a handgun.

There are .22 Magnum defensive loads now that are designed for best possible performance out of handgun barrels.

Is it enough to matter? You be the judge.

Best answer in this post.

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S&W Accumulator

Check out Lucky Gunner Lab

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/poc...-test-results/

An in depth comparison of the two.

The Mag. definitely holds an edge

As an 'intimidator', a .22 chambered handgun works as well as most anything else...the problem arises when intimidation is not enough and the 'victim' must shoot to stop an attack. Most training sites have advised to carry the largest caliber that one can shoot well. YMMv, Rod

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Vote the bums out!

Welcome aboard from coastal North Carolina.

My neighbor has a NAA .22 magnum mini revolver that he's been carrying in his back pocket for years.

He says if you're within beer breath distance from someone who wants to kill you that you are better off than someone who left their bigger gun at home. Poking an eye out with a .22 magnum can be effective.

Hickok 45 did a video on his mini revolver.

I love the .22 magnum cartridge. There...I said it. Also, I have two revolvers chambered in .22 WMR...a Ruger Single Six and a Smith and Wesson model 48. And I love shooting both of them. Now, the question....would I use a .22 magnum as my primary concealed carry firearm? Probably not.

Here's why. The .22 magnum chambered in a short-barreled revolver is really not much more than a souped up .22LR. Seriously, that's about it. And there are other, more effective calibers chambered in small handguns that are much better suited for what you have in mind.

Now, when you chamber the .22 magnum in a rifle, you've got a whole new ballgame. You've got a great shooting varmint rifle. I use mine for coyotes...which, by the way, we seem to have in abundance this year. Do I still carry a .22 WMR revolver along as well? You betcha!! But for concealed carry...probably not.

Just my view from the saddle.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

I can invent a half-dozen reasons why the .22 WMR is unsuitable for defense, but in the end I wouldn't want to be shot with one, so if you've got a good, reliable .22 magnum and want to use it for such, have at it.

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Pisgah

Understandable; however, I would probably consider the (CF) .327 Magnum if (SD) ammo wasn't so scarce. It would be nice to train with it too. In contrast, the .22 WMR is much, much more abundant in JHPs & FMJs and readily available in my region. The CF is less to be desired, but in a revolver it's nice to know that you don't have to go through a series of malfunction Clearance Manipulations... when dealing with a squib load. Just pull the trigger and move onto the next round. It's that simple. Back in the day, I've had my share of Stove Pipes, Double Feeds and Squib loads with respect to owning a Full (Gov.) sized 1911... which of course resulted in a major change of caliber and different type of semi-auto. aka Glock 9mm. Due to being a fragile old man and being weak as a result of a related health issue, I have once again find myself opting for a better firearm that requires less dexterity skill or skills and more use of gross movement. Hence, the Revolver. No slide to rack, No round to chamber, no clearing out a SP,DF or Squib malfunction. Love the simplicity of a double action revolver. Well, that's my two cents worth on the matter. ;-)

My wife carries either a Ruger LCRx snubby or LCRx 3" in .22WMR with Hornady Critical Defense. She just bought a 351PD, and I suspect that it will become her EDC. That's the caliber she likes and shoots well, so that's what it is. I've been to a few SD classes over the past 5 years or so, and every time I go, I ask the instructor's opinion of .22WMR, and none of them has had anything bad to say about it.

A .22 Mag out of a any handgun is an ear splitter. I'm sure a snub .22 Mag would ring your bell. My 4 5/8 Ruger SS without hearing protection hurts. Its a different loud. But, none the less I would carry one if that's what I wanted, and wouldn't feel under guned

Don’t know why not, fellas here think it’s similar to the 5.7.

Rusty, Ohio is a fly around state.

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213th FBINA

re .22 Mag SPL decibels vs the rest of the pack.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Only when I am sunbathing.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

The 351PD is such a nice concept, 7 shots of .22 WMR in a very small, super light gun with little recoil that could be shot from a pocket if need be. But as others have said, it's a rifle round, you lose so much energy when going to shorter barrels. Maybe that's the reason for S&W making a 4" 617 but not a 4" 648.

The only time my primary carry is .22 Magnum is when I'm on the tractor and wearing ear protection. The PMR 30 is very effective on small to medium sized varmints. I don't expect to encounter a miscreant while I'm mowing or moving dirt, but the PMR would be adequate for that use as well. Just my opinion. My EDC is a Glock 19 and I occasionally have the NAA revolver as a backup.

So it is quieter than a .22 LR and .25 ACP

But isn't as loud as a:

.45 ACP
.380ACP
.38 Spl
9mm
.41 Mag.
.357 Msg.
.44 Mag

So does that give pause to using most all other handgun calibers?

They sure made a bunch of 4” 48s.

There’s been an “as new” 351PD sitting at a LGS for 6+ months, or least it was there the last time I was in the states. Been thinking about it since I first saw it. Just got back to town last night. Will go look at it again. Hopefully, he’ll come off $795.

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213th FBINA

So when my Kokomo Buddy Carl discharged that Black Widow into the floor right between his feet and my feet,
160 decibels .
I knew it was loud!
Between Airplanes, Guns and Rock and Roll -
I’m lucky to hear anything!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Besides the fact that there are much more effective choices for SD, rimfires are just not as reliable as centerfire as specially with lower quality ammo. Many of the guns in this category also have very heavy triggers to make them more reliable and if the trigger is lightened, it can cause ignition problems.

My thinking is that if a .22 LR or WMR is what you can comfortably carry and shoot, it is a whole lot better than nothing! Let us know what you decide!

And welcome to the forum. I thought you might be just stirring up conversation until I read you second post. I understand better now, and thank you, Data, for explaining why you are thinking in this direction.

First, the proper choice is what she likes and will carry. Second, if using a 22, you want to use solid bullets, not hollow points. It is penetration you want to get to vital areas.
Third, you also are better off to go with a revolver because of possible ignition problems with a rimfire.

My personal options, I would also consider a high quality automatic myself because the likelihood of a misfire or misfeed is very low in a good pistol and the 22 is easy to rack. My wife's personal favorite was a Ruger Bearcat. She was very accurate and fast with it. Her second choice was a Model 66 in 4 inch with +P+, but she said it was a "Purse Full"

An, welcome to the Forum

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Kind regards, Heinz

I think it is a viable option for concealed carry. I own a 351C and compared to several different J-frames I have owned over the years, it's been the lightest one to carry and easiest to shoot. It's known that J-frame revolvers in 38/357 can be hard for a novice to shoot well. The only negative I have is that rimfire triggers do have a heavier pull. So even though recoil is light make sure to take that into account if you have weak hands.

Also the ammo companies mentioned; Hornady, Federal, CCI/Speer, have all been manufacturing 22 mag rounds made specifically for short barrel revolvers. Having the right ammo is key with this caliber. The majority of 22 mag is designed for rifles. Speer Gold Dot is one of my favorites. Hornady's Critical Defense is also a serious contender for anyone wanting to conceal carry. There are lots of Youtube videos out there showing expansion and penetration. I'll post one below but you can search those on your own time.

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

At 152db and 157db respectively there is a 5db rise between a .22
LR pistol and a .22 Mag pistol report.

A 1 dB change in a sound equates to about a 26% difference in sound energy (remember that a 3 dB difference is a doubling of energy levels). In terms of subjective loudness, a 1 dB change yields just over a 7% change . A 3 dB change yields a 100% increase in sound energy and just over a 23% increase in loudness.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Welcome to the campfire!

Data wrote:

I have a twin brother who doesn't know a muzzle from a hammer and he is not at all weak but his reasons for wanting a revolver are exactly the same as those I highlighted above. Whether he ever gets his New Jersey permit and then obtains a revolver is a whole nuthuh smoke but at least our Mr. Data here is ahead on that score, he knows he needs a gun and he wants it forthwith, etc. As long as he's armed with something, as an earlier post pointed out. You've got to have a gun in a gunfight!

I can attest to the decibel level of the .22 Magnum. I haven't fired this weapon in years but it resides in the pocket of my robe so that even at home I have a handgun on my person, not just in special locations around the house that I have to "get to".




Of course, it doesn't go into my pocket unsheathed:




Years ago a Forum member described using just such a gun to escape from captors in Vietnam. An interesting story and the best use of a .22 Magnum that I ever heard..

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Come and take it!!

That's all well and good, so does that give you pause to using most all other handgun calibers?

Why would it? In the astronomically unlikely event that I have to discharge a carry piece in self defense the last thing on my mind in that split second won't be "am I going to hurt my ears"?

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

So how loud is the bad guys gun? Is that uncomfortable too?

Good grief.

You seem to be arguing that its overly loud.

I am arguing nothing. Others, not I, opened the SPL door on the .22 Mag
allowing me to walk in. I will leave you to tilt at this particular windmill alone.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Boy, that was nasty.

I was merely having a conversation. Obviously I shouldn't have bothered. I made no claim you had stated a position.

I would have no problem with a 22 mag for self defense. I am waiting for for the prices to drop on the Taurus 942 light weight 22 mag 2”bbl revolver with a 8 round capacity to carry around the property when out and about.
In a self defense situation, you shoot to stop the threat.
120 decibels is the threshold of pain. At 157, the person you are defending against might decide the blast from a 22 mag is to much and stops their attack.
If 8 rounds doesn’t do it, maybe a shattered eardrum might.
Just Sayen

US Border Patrolman Bill Jordan thought that an airweight J frame in 22 magnum would be an ideal concealed carry gun, and he discussed it in his book, No Second Place Winner. Finally, decades after that recommendation, S&W finally made the gun Jordan thought would be ideal.

Once more into the breach. A HS .22 Mag derringer was my "Onion Field" gun on the job. Small enough to be missed in an amateur frisk and also small enough that it wasn't recognizable as a gun in my hand. My purpose was not to deter or take into custody, but to kill my captor and escape. I thought the derringer a better option than a .25 auto. Today I might opt for a micro .380.

A J-frame size revolver has the same intimidation factor regardless of caliber, so if that was all I could handle for self defense, I would do so.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Anything that pierces skin is worrisome to me.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

<Info to know >

Snub Nose Revolver Capacity
Chambered in .22LR and .22RFM

S&W 43C .22 LR = 8 Rounds Weight = 11.4oz
S&W 351C .22 WMR = 7 Rounds * Weight = 11.4oz

Ruger LCRx .22 LR = 8 Rounds. Weight = 14.9oz
Ruger LCR(x) .22 WMR = 6 Rounds * Weight= 15.4 & 16.6oz

Taurus 942 .22 LR = 8 Rounds n/a
Taurus 942 .22 WMR = 8 Rounds n/a

We keep an old HS 22 Mag Derringer around.
Carried it without grips while working on boats long ago.
Snakeshot for garden work.
Index finger along barrel.
Trigger pull with middle finger.

A Smith or Ruger snub in 22Mag works more better.

Walther has this.... but not in all steel.
WMP – www.waltherarms.com

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Have Fun/Stay Safe

Not viable. Better than nothing, but only if it's all you have.

#1 tiny projectile
#2 rimfire

No go for serious business.

Good grief! You are showing your age with the “onion field” gun comment I carried one also for the exact same reason.

IMO the .22 Magnum with short-barrel ammunition is superior to the.J-Frame size 2” barrel 38 Special revolver. Even out of a 4” barrel the .38 Special struggles in knock-down power. It generally needs a JHP at 1100 fps for expansion. From a 2” barrel not likely to get that. (I know,I know that they also come in .357 Magnum but let’s get real about shooting a five rounds double action rapidly and hitting the K-Zone).

I have a Taurus 8 round .22 Magnum revolver. It came with a test target with a 8 shot group measuring 1 3/4”. I shot a slighty better 1 5/8” 8 round group with Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Ammunition.

(I actually think the J-Frame snubby in .32 Magnum is superior to both of the .22 Magnum and .38 Special but the .32 has fallen by the wayside).

My J-Frame .38 revolver is my fishing gun. It is stainless steel and I load 2 or 3 shot shells and 2 or 3 158 gr. Lead Semi-Wadcutters. Shotshells are for snakes and the lead semi-wadcutters for other critters including those that walk on two legs.

I think 22 Magnum ammunition is made to a higher standard than 22 L.R. as I have never had a misfire with the 22 Magnum. Speer Short Barrel Ammunition is high quality.