22LR for concealed carry

[vito]

I know that 22LR is not the ideal round for self defense, but if one is using a 22LR semi auto for that purpose, what specific ammunition would be the best to have loaded in that concealed gun? I have a choice locally of Winchester Super X 40 gr, CC Mini Mag 36 gr, or CCI Mini Mag 40 gr.

[2wheelwander]

Have you searched youtube on this subject? Seems like this would have been done with gel blocks by somebody by now.

[44 AMP]

but if one is using a 22LR semi auto for that purpose, what specific ammunition would be the best to have loaded in that concealed gun?

The one that works best in your gun.

Yes, that is a serious answer. Fired from a handgun, particularly a short barrel handgun, the difference between down range performance between any of the different .22LR loads, while measurable, is generally not enough to be real world significant in terms of self defense use.

.22lr semi auto pistols are the most picky guns out there when it comes to what they will operate reliably on. And, its very often an individual gun matter. One may run fine on Brand A, and the next might choke on the same ammo.

Small differences in the terminal effect of the different ammo's bullets are immaterial if YOUR gun won't feed them reliably. There is no "standard" here, one gun might run flawlessly on the cheap stuff and choke on the high grade ammo, and the next might do the exact opposite, or be the same, or be somewhere in between.

The only way to know is to personally test the ammo in your gun. Test with the gun in the condition it is likely to be in when you need it the worst. Meaning, as dirty as it gets from you carrying it in between full cleanings. If you carry it in your pocket where it gets exposed to dirt, lint and who knows what else, test it in that condition. Something that works when the gun is clean and properly lubed ALSO has to work when the gun is "dirty" and "dry", and if it doesn't, you're not protecting yourself.

Test until you find the limits of what will work in your gun when it is at its worst, so you know what point that is. Once you know that, you can keep the gun from getting to that point, and have something reasonable reliable to depend on.

As an example, some years back I bought a (used) .22 pistol from a shop, because the price was heavily discounted. The shop was upfront about it, they were selling it cheap because they had (briefly) used it as one of their range rental guns, and said it was a "jammomatic" and they were selling it cheap to get rid of it.

I took it home, fired a magazine and they were right, it was a jammomatic, over half the rounds didn't feed or cycle the gun properly.

Then, I OILED it. Ran flawless after that!

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by vito

I know that 22LR is not the ideal round for self defense, but if one is using a 22LR semi auto for that purpose, what specific ammunition would be the best to have loaded in that concealed gun? I have a choice locally of Winchester Super X 40 gr, CC Mini Mag 36 gr, or CCI Mini Mag 40 gr.

You already know that .22 rimfire is "not the ideal" (that's putting it mildly) for self defense, so I won't belabor that point.

CCI Mini-Mag is generally regarded as among the more reliable .22 rimfire offerings. The problem with .22 is that it makes a very small hole. If you use hollow points to try for some expansion, there's just not a lot of energy behind it, so then you sacrifice penetration.

If all I had was a .22, I would consider alternating the CCI 40-grain round-nose with CCI 36-grain hollow-point. If you can keep a few shots on target, that would give you a few with some penetration and a few with some expansion.

[Nathan]

Look at Federal Punch or CCI Uppercut.

[Drm50]

I don’t give a hoot about gel blocks, with a 22 I want ammo that is dependable to function in that particular pistol.

[Nathan]

I don’t give a hoot about gel blocks, with a 22 I want ammo that is dependable to function in that particular pistol.

22’s have 2 main issues for self defense, right? Reliability and bullet wounding performance. Why would you not care about one of them?

[jetinteriorguy]

Personally if I were to use .22LR for SD I’d use a small revolver. I’d go for a Ruger LCRX 3” that holds 8 rounds. If it misfires just pull the trigger again.

[seanc]

+ 1 for Federal Punch or CCI Uppercut.


22plinkster's review of the CCI Uppercut, and a little .22LR philosophy at the end to load rounds alternating between Uppercut & Punch:
https://youtu.be/rvg6rszReBw

The problem with Uppercut is, I haven't seen it in stock for months anywhere online.

[44 AMP]

22’s have 2 main issues for self defense, right? Reliability and bullet wounding performance. Why would you not care about one of them?

Without reliability through the entire cycle, feeding, firing, extracting, ejecting, and feeding a new round into the chamber, NO semi auto is a good choice for self defense.

A bullet's performance in the target (penetration, expansion, energy transfer, wounding power, stopping power, any and all factors you choose to look at) is largely irrelevant, if the bullet doesn't get there because your gun jammed.

So, for a .22 semi auto pistol, and the ammo used in it, I would place reliable function at the top of my list of requirements, and everything else below that.

[Shoots Left]

Originally Posted by jetinteriorguy

Personally if I were to use .22LR for SD I’d use a small revolver.

My thoughts as well. If it's an option go for the revolver in 22lr.

[vito]

I understand the advantage of a revolver as a means of handling dud rounds, but I just love the little LCPII. Weighs not more than my keys in my pocket and gives me 10+1.

FWIW, I just discovered that I cannot order CCI Stingers online for delivery to me in Illinois. Another reason to detest this corrupt state.

[L-2]

For Post 1 and others, here's what I found from LuckyGunner, perhaps 5 years old.
I don't own a .22LR firearm and didn't yet read through what I'm referencing:

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/poc...-results/#22LR

[Drm50]

The little difference in 22LR ammo is less on my mind than dependable functioning ammo.
I leave it to others to sit in armchairs and argue over what’s the deadliest 22 cartridge.

[Nathan]

One thing to consider is in a gunfight, i believe it is reasonable to put 2-3 quick shots on an assailant to stop the attack.

I know from an experience i can teach new shooters to put 1 9mm per second is possible, but not more. That is not enough. Getting 2-3 accurate shots per second is key.

The 22LR makes that a much quicker learning curve. Rounds like uppercut give some real wound performance with the ease of 22 shooting.

I think there is value in that.

[sigarms228]

I have shot thousands of CCI MM, mostly 40gr over the the years and don't recall having a single problem.

While understanding 22LR is not optimal, I would not hesitate to CCW my S&W M&P 22 Compact with CCI Mini Mags if need be. It has been utterly reliable with a wide range of ammo other than a brick of Winchester Wildcats that have failed to fire in all my 22 LR firearms even with a good dent on the edge where the firing pin hits. I think it is just a bad batch..

[farmlife247]

I wouldn't want to be on the other end of a .22lr
Any caliber is better than being unarmed IMO.

[Scorpion8]

People get caught up in "size matters" comparison and many here are right, the 22LR will do just fine with the right ammo, the right gun that you can shoot well, and shot placement. It's better than a stick. I often carry a small Beretta 21a for that reason. And it just plain works.

[Shadow9mm]

A 22 beats a pointy stick, but there are lots of great compact 380 options id pick first

With that said, seen lots of good stuff on the federal punch in 22lr.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

CCI Stingers have a longer case and more powder. When I used to carry 22lr that's what I'd put in my gun.

[wild cat mccane]

The "new" defense 22 ammo is total hype.

Not one isn't already in the marketing line. Shame on CCI/Federal/Vista or us for pretending nickle plating 22 is some how more reliable or better performing.

22JHP is for rifles. FMJ is for pistol length.

There is no 22 auto in current production that is better functioning than the lowly LCP gen2 single stack 380. There just aren't

Revolvers aren't the holy grail of reliability either. PARTICULARLY true in 22.

[Nathan]

The "new" defense 22 ammo is total hype.

You might look into that a bit more. Federal punch is a merge of 22lt bullet tech and solid tech from centerfire. CCI Uppercut are new bullets that are more like Centerfire technology in their hollow point bullet.

https://www.federalpremium.com/rimfi...11-PD22L1.html


https://www.cci-ammunition.com/uppercut.html

[Jim Watson]

But function with the funny shaped bullets is less certain. I will stay with MiniMags.

[DT Guy]

My wife is *extremely* recoil and (especially) blast sensitive, as she has misophonia.

Her carry gun is an LCR .22 with Federal Punch in it; Federal has claimed that Punch is 'premium' ammunition with more stringent QC, and in the 3-400 rounds of it we've used, it's been perfect.

Her immediate action drill is to 'pull the trigger again' if there's a failure. And while I loathe that revolver, she's not only shot perfect scores on every CCW qualification with it, she's actually been high shooter a couple times.

She understands that .22 isn't optimal, but has trained to shoot rapidly at the face (if very close) or upper chest, understanding it will take multiple rounds to win a fight.

Is it ideal? I don't think so. Is she prepared to defend herself effectively? Absolutely.

Larry

[Tool]

Please check out the new product from Federal:

Personal Defense Punch Rimfire, 22 LR

https://www.federalpremium.com/rimfi...11-PD22L1.html