Changing my edc gun to 22 LR (new info at the end of thread)

[spad124]

I think you've made a good sound reasoned decision. I'd rather carry a pistol and cartridge I know I can shoot without the risk of worrying about my own physical condition than a combination that only deteriorates my condition.

The fact that the M&P pistols are very ergonomic and spread out the recoil in your hand must also help. I've had very few misfires with Mini Mags in my M&P 22 FS. My M&P seems to prefer hotter ammo anyway

 

[white cloud]

I believe you are on the right track with your thinking.

Messing with someone armed with a .22 and can shoot it well sounds more dangerous to me than messing with most of the people I see at the range shooting 9MM and such. Bottom line, you have to be able to hit what you are shooting at. My father was 82nd Airborne and a pretty good shot with rifles, shotguns and handguns. His "go to" handgun was a .22 Browning Challenger.

 

[kthom]

Each of us must do what we have to do. Each of us is different and have different challenges. I believe you have made an informed and intelligent decision for yourself. If you are confident you can get good hits with that .22LR, and if you can shoot it enough to remain proficient with it, then you are doing the best you can do with what you have to do with.

I like to remember that nine 22LR rounds to center mass equals the same number of hits that you get with a standard 12 gauge 00 Buck shotgun shell. 9 forty grain 22 LR bullets equals 360 grains of lead! Best part of the deal is each of those rounds are going to strike in a sllghtly different location, and the chances are pretty good that one or more of those bullets is going to strike something important. They give enough penetration to get inside where the important stuff is located. There will be several places inside that are leaking red water!

I investigated a shooting that involved one round of .22LR. It entered the abdomen area of a large man's body, struck the pelvis, richocheted upward to a rib bone, down again to the pelvis and back up into the stomach. Autopsy revealed 29 perforations of the intestinal system, including the stomach. One kidney was nicked and some other important stuff was damaged. The pathologist was heard to remark that the man died from a really bad gut ache!

Every shooting is pretty much a law unto itself. No real telling what is liable to happen. I will say this. I'd rather take my chances being shot by one or maybe two rounds of any caliber than six or eight or more of .22LR. Experience tells me that the outcome of the latter is very likely to be a very negative experience!!!

I applaud you for making the necessary changes in order to keep on shooting and protecting yourself for as long as you can. The time will come for each of us, if we live long enough, that we will have to give up shooting altogether. I have watched this happen to both my dad and my FIL. Neither of them were pleased to give it up, but there simply was no other option. The last handgun my dad possessed was a K22 that I gave him back in the 80's. I've seen him kill several jackrabbits that were definitely a good rifle shot distant. But for the same reasons you state, it got to the point where he just did not have the hand and arm strength to use it. Sad day for both of us!

Good on you, Sir! I wish for you several more years of being able to shoot with your .22LR. I think you are pretty well covered!!!

 

[forrestinmathews]

You need a fan behind you to push the smoke away from you. The exhaust fan in the window isn't enough. Probably also a good idea to tent your range in plastic then you'd keep the lead out of the basement if you're going to go high volume in your practice. Just my $0.02 as a rimfire rifle competitive shooter in college.

 

[Walkingwolf]

It rumored that Ruger's gonna come out with an LC380s.
If they actually do, it might be worth looking into.

They have had one out for years, BUT it still has some recoil. My wife has a Witness Pavona in 380(compact CZ clone) and it is still snappy.

Ruger does make a SR22 that is compact, but they could go smaller. The CCI mini mag has a good reputation for reliable ignition, and feeding.

The 8 shot 22lr LCR would also be a good option.

 

[Walkingwolf]

You need a fan behind you to push the smoke away from you. The exhaust fan in the window isn't enough. Probably also a good idea to tent your range in plastic then you'd keep the lead out of the basement if you're going to go high volume in your practice. Just my $0.02 as a rimfire rifle competitive shooter in college.

He could also get a S&W M&P gas blowback airsoft. There is still the green gas used, but it is not going to be a problem with ventilation.

 

[swsig]

richardw, I'm going to approach your problem differently from everyone else. Instead of suggesting a change of caliber, I'm going to suggest a change in statins. I am 73, and a year ago, I was in the same situation you are in. I'd developed lots of pain in my shoulders which spread to my wrists and hands. I had to install an Apex kit in my M&P 40 so I could pull the trigger. I could barely lift my range bag. My Harvard med school trained hand doctor said he'd never seen a case like mine, and wasn't sure what was wrong. I didn't fit into any traditional arthritis category.

Subsequently, my primary care physician's nurse practitioner hypothesized I was having a reaction to atorvastatin (generic Lipitor), and told me to stop taking it. I told her I'd been taking 40 mg per day for 15 years without a single side effect. She said give it a try, so I did. I stated feeling better after a week, and after a month, all of my shoulder pain and 90% of my wrist and hand pain were gone. My cardiologist then prescribed a low dose (10 mg) of rosuvastatin (generic Crestor), which has controlled my cholesterol as well as the atorvastatin did, with no side effects.

As a result, I can now shoot what I want. Today, I went to the range and fired 150 rounds of .45, and 100 rounds of .40 with no problems. If your situation is anything like mine, you might want to check your statin to see if it might be the culprit. However, if you are one of the 1% of the people in our age group who is not taking a statin, good for you, and... never mind!

 

[Drm50]

A 22Hp is going to make most humans mighty sick and in most
cases all they will want to do is get away. Not much has been
said on 32acp. They have some fancy bullits for them now. There
is some recoil, but very little. The only keeper small pistol I own
is a PP, 32acp. It is heavy by today's standards, but very reliable.

 

[686-380]

O.K., my .02. I recommend a Ruger 22/45 Lite and a silencer. Hey, if you have to go the .22 route, why not make it as FUN as possible? Plus it makes firing it much more tolerable indoors. With subsonic ammo, it could be quieter than a pellet gun.

Good on you and keep on shooting!!

 

[amcline82]

As long as your comfortable with what you carry than that's all that matters.

Friends don't let friends buy Taurus.

 

[OLDSTER]

.22 LR EDC

I am 70 and starting to experience that same issues. My 642, even with light "plinkers" is gettin painful for my wrists (until recently, I could shoot 100 rounds with no problems). Even my Bodyguard .380, which I really like, hurts. But I love shooting my Ruger MKIII .22. So I've decided to buy a small .22 revolver ( for the ability to pull the trigger on a fresh cylinder if the inevitable "dud" should happen). This is a great thread for us old guys and I'm getting some great suggestions on what to buy . Good luck to you sir. BTW, for those who say the .22 LR is not "enough" gun; there are millions of ghosts throughout the world that have been intentionally dispatch for many decades by "professionals"

 

[SuperMan]

I'm 65 and heading in your direction... Last year I tore a muscle in my upper right arm and also had rotator surgery at the same time...have lost about 50% of my strength in some directions with the right arm...

Have also been a CC/personal defense instructor since 1991 and have taught many older shooters. Many could handle no more than a .22 accurately and comfortably..

I also spent 30 years in LE and saw .22s kill a lot of people....the last three shootings I worked were all .22s...and everyone not only stopped their criminal activity but also died...

My favorite .22 for personal defense is the Beretta 87 Cheetah. Very smooth DA pull and can also be carried cocked and locked like a 1911. Three of my students carry them...

And forget HP ammo...at 950 fps it isn't going to expand reliably anyway and if it does penetration is going to go down. Instead I use a HV round nose and use one of the Paco Kelly tools that make a nice sharp flat point...have had no feeding issues with the guns I have tried them in.... The CCI Small Game Bullet is close to that design...

Bob

 

[BAM-BAM]

Got my wife a Compact several months ago......loves it.

If you are going to carry it I'd stick with CCI vs. the "bulk stuff" someone mentioned....... check out the CCI Velocitor round in your gun....muzzle energy is 183 ft/lb vs 127 for Mini-mags ( assume rifle barrels)

I've got a .32 PPK/s ....... found it used with 4 magazines for <$300....... never shot it......need to dig it out.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I did want to toss out the main problem that I would have relying on a 22LR for self defense. My main issue is with ignition reliability in a rim fire cartridge. I'm sure we've all been at the range having fun going through a large box of 22's. Inevitably, a few of those rounds just won't fire- not even after several attempts. I just wouldn't trust that the round I might have to fire to save my life wouldn't be one of those "duds".

I agree.

If I were to carry a .22LR I'd chose a revolver over an autoloader for that reason. Something like the Ruger LCR 8rd .22LR.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I agree.

If I were to carry a .22LR I'd chose a revolver over an autoloader for that reason. Something like the Ruger LCR 8rd .22LR.

My choice too if he can handle the heavy double action trigger needed for rimfire...... but I thought he had an issue with that?

 

[serger]

25 years ago I bought a Beretta 21A in .22lr. Then my reasoning
was when I got to the point recoil was a problem I would also
have to deal with reduced pinch strength. Up until that time I had
"ASSumed" I would still be able to rack the slide on my 1911.

With that revelation, I bought the 21A. With the tip up barrel it is
easy to load. Using Aquila 60 grain subsonic ammunition I gain
50% in bullet mass. Also this ammunition has a shortened
case. This aids in ejection which is a good thing since the 21A is a
blowback pistol with no ejector.

I practice with the 21A and am hand size accurate at 10 yards. I
think this pistol would be for me adequate at that range. In reality
it's probably a contact weapon. In that case the extra mass of
the Aquila rounds might help.

I'm still in my 50's( barely ). However practicing the 6P's is
always a good thing now that I can see the decrepitude of aging
creeping in. richardw, you made a good choice not to be a victim.

I hope I have.

 

[Old cop]

Nothing wrong w/a .22, I saw more people stopped w/these when I was a cop (30 yrs.) than almost anything else. I carry my LCP more than the 340 M&P due to back and hip problems. For me it's all about the weight. Getting old (70) is not for sissies.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

My choice too if he can handle the heavy double action trigger needed for rimfire...... but I thought he had an issue with that?

If he did I missed it.. speed reading ain't easy.

 

[gman51]

Take ten 22lr bullets set together and you will see that makes for a really big hole. Besides that the 22lr can enter say the shin and still find its way to the heart. The 22lr can be an amazing cartridge.

As far as a 380 IMO it isn't much less felt recoil than many 9mm. In some really small 380 guns the recoil is worse than many 9mm guns.

A 22lr handgun can be very lethal and even a one shot dropper. Added benefit is a 22lr is so much easier on the ears as well as the wallet. Can cost wise sling a lot more shots with 22lr than any other ammo which makes for a whole lot more affordable practice.

All this 22lr talk has got me thinking to get out today and shoot a brick just to see how well or poorly I can shoot with it.

 

[richardw]

shoot the 22 but carry the Lc9s .. by shooting the 22 you will stay proficient but carrying the 9mm you will keep the stopping power you might need ..

Doing this won't hurt your thump by shooting the 22 ..

After my fourth tour in Nam which was ended by my second Purple Heart my Infantry career was ended due to a spinal injury. Upon recover I was reassigned to train Marines post their boot camp training. The Corps wanted and still wants Marines to be highly proficient with their assigned weapons.

There was talk at one point about saving money by substituting smaller caliber training rifles to save on ammo expense. That talk lasted about 48 hours because the trainer cadre went ballistic. Our collective opinion was that it was critical to make shooting your assigned weapon in pursuit of excellence was critical to personal and unit effectiveness.

I am now proficient with my 22 compact, but I continue to train with it. I have shipped my Lc9s to my son in CA because he wanted a house gun. But even if I had it I would train and carry only with the 22. The ergonomic difference between the 22 Compact and the Lc9s is major. The 22 is a pleasure to grip. The Ruger was not.

My experience between tours in Nam when they took away my M14 and gave me an M16 was that I really felt uncomfortable. I suddenly has a rifle that I had practically no training with. It was a very uncomfortable feeling.

So I am an advocate of continuous training with the gun you are going to carry. Better to be highly proficient with one edc gun than to play the field and be moderately proficient with several guns.