Just throwing it out there

[double8]

Just asking for thoughts on a .22 high capacity semi-auto pistol for personal defense. To be able to place successive shots in a small area, recoil, muzzle blast can be a bit off putting. At 25 ft, with a 4" Buckmark .22, I can put 10 rounds, pretty much where I want them, very quickly. My .380........not so good.

[jmort]

It will work, but one of the most often discussed threads. Beat to death. Lots of assassinations/killings chalked-up to the .22 LR.

[tengaugetx]

My biggest problem with a rimfire, especially a semi auto rimfire is the unreliability of the priming system. Put that in a semi auto and you could be in a whole lot more trouble than you started with. At least with a double action revolver you could squeeze off a second attempt at a shot. Remember my opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it.

[double8]

Had an S&W snubby .38, couldn't hit with it, and it hurt my ears and hand....

[Love Life]

I wouldn't want to be shot with one.

[popper]

A killer round for sure but no guarantee it would STOP an attacker. Get GOOD ammo, if you can find it. Better than throwing a shoe.

[DHurtig]

Define high capacity. And speaking of high I wouldn't trust it to stop some one that is high on who know's what. On the flip side , there has been a lot of deer poached with a 22 LR. I would much prefer a 38 snubbie. In a high stress situation I believe a double action revolver is more fool proof. Point, squeeze, bang, repeat as necessary. As was stated before, this is only my opinion. Dale

[gon2shoot]

Much better than a pocket full of rocks.

[Hamish]

148gr HBWC with 3.8gr of 700X is what the wife can tolerate in her Smith snubnose to practice with. *Gotta* be better than .22, IMHO.

I would think that if you have to have .22, then you better get good putting them between the landing lights.

[theperfessor]

Years ago I took a girl I went to HS with out shooting at a local abandoned quarry. She had an RG revolver in .22. Not the best gun, not the best caliber, but I saw her point shoot six shots in a target at across-the-room range that you could cover with a playing card. And all were in the crotch. Her Dad taught her to shoot and she freely admitted she didn't think she could stop a determined aggressor, but that they would never have enough workable equipment to rape her. That was one scary b***h when she had a gun in her hand, otherwise one of the sweetest, nicest people you would ever meet.

[Dale in Louisiana]

Any gun is better'n no gun. with proper shot placement, the .22 is certainly lethal, but you're kind of in the position of this guy closing on you and beating the tar out of you while he's dying...

dale in Louisiana
(.45ACP & 12 gauge for social situations)

[Rooster]

Sounds like my wife perfessor.

[eljefe]

You may want to consider one of the double action revolvers
chambered in 22 magnum. Ruger makes one, and Taurus does,
as well. The 22 mag has a good bit more energy, but is still easy
to shoot and a revolver has second strike capability. If you decide to stay
with 22 lr, take a look at CCI Velocitors. They are high velocity
rounds that will give some advantage over slower cartridges.

[jmort]

I have had a couple .22 mag handguns and really like the .22 mag, but it is way loud compared to a .22 LR.

[MtGun44]

.22 LR beats harsh language and misses. The first rule of a gunfight is "have a gun".
Do whatever is necessary for YOU to not violate Rule 1.

I suggest that you look at a Keltec .32 ACP. Substantially more effective than .22 LR,
very small and flat. The same package in .380 is admittedly a handful, but the .32 should
be more controllable.

There are 6 shot S&W J-frame .32s that will be far more effective than .22 LR, and the
centerfire ammo is far more mechanically and ignition reliable. I shot a lightwt J-frame
S&W in .32 Mag that was 6 shots and easy for me to control, but may be too much for
you. I believe that this gun will shoot regular .32 Long ammo, too.

If you can shoot it well, the Keltec .32 is FAR, FAR more carryable - in a pocket than
ANY revolver, VERY flat and has no different controls, just pull the double action trigger.
It may still give more recoil that you can deal with due to being quite light.

http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/pistols/p-32/

If you can stand the thicker size - cylinder diam - but S&W is no longer offering it new.
Will be available used. Lots of steel framed J-size .32s were made, should be
readily available. Here are a few. 2" can go in a pocket, MAYBE 3", but the
others are holster guns. 3 or 4" bbl will be VERY controllable.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=349021676

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=349791715

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=349249980

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=349737191

It may be possible to train up to deal with recoil better, but I do know that some
people have hand issues that are not fixable (arthritis, old injuries, etc) so
this may not be an option.

Bill

[wv109323]

12 Gauge with 00 Buck. 9 -32 cal. bullets with one shot. This is an article in last months American Rifleman that degrades the .22 WMR as a self defense handgun. The .22 LR is a lot less powerful than a .22WMR.
Though,A well placed .22 LR is a lot better than the powder burn of an errant .44 Mag.

[double8]

As I said, I am very proficient with my .22. I typically shoot many 10 round rapid and timed fire NRA targets. Used to shoot in competition.
I have a single action .22/.22 mag. Ruger convert, but wouldn't carry it.
Ya, arthritis, and 72 years starting to tell...

[MtGun44]

Work out what is best for you. Be aware of the mechanical integrity and priming
reliability limitations of .22 LR. Revolvers eliminate the mechanical integrity issue
largely, and a double action brings up a new round instantly. Semiautos
load up a mechanically weak cartridge, and require racking the slide to
clear a misfire. When I was a kid, I don't think I saw 1 misfire in 10,000
seems like one in 100 these days. I think the quality of ammo has dropped.

If your hands can work a double action revolver trigger, this may be a
good direction.

I have a VERY light S&W 317, 8 shots and small, 3" bbl, decent sights with a
fiber optic front. Might be a good choice if you don't want to move up to
a steel .32. I think the 317 wieghs 10 oz. empty. This will ride in a front
jeans pocket (with holster!) very well.

http://www.gunblast.com/SW_317.htm

http://www.gundigest.com/gun-collecting-firearm-collecting/gun-review-sw-317-airlite

Bill

[double8]

Thank you....I was also entertaining the idea of a Browning 1911/22 compact. I've handled one and liked it very much. My old Erma .25 ACP is with me sometimes, but probably not much better than a .22, and it is short barreled and not accurate. A belly gun for sure.

[searcher4851]

I think I'd prefer one fairly well placed shot with a 1911 in .45acp than plan on having the time to empty a mag of .22's into an advancing attacker. At least that's the logic I've applied to my personal defense.

[429421Cowboy]

What about a Kel-tec PMR 30 .22 WMR pistol? 30 rounds of .22 Mag would likely make just about anybody think twice about whatever it was they were doing!

[1Shirt]

There are a group of no win arguments associated with this thread, and most of them are based on emotion of one sort or another. l in a pinch you use what ya got, golf club, Louisville slugger, 22 LR, 24acp or a 12 ga., who cares?
1Shirt!

[jcameron996]

Your original post mentioned a high capacity .22 autoloader. Something else to keep in mind is there is a reason that you don't see very many .22 magazines that are not single stack. Rimmed cartridges dont work very well in a double stack mag. With that being said you have to carry what works for you and if that is a .22 so be it.

[Outpost75]

What about a Kel-tec PMR 30 .22 WMR pistol? 30 rounds of .22 Mag would likely make just about anybody think twice about whatever it was they were doing!


I was not at all impressed with the LMR30 I tried, Was not reliable, real Jam-O-Matic with every ammo I tried, except for CCI FMJ, velocity in handgun barrel no better than CCI Blazer LR fired in a Ruger 10/.22 and accuracy was not as good as my 2" Ruger SP101 firing. 38 +Ps in DA.

Rimfire ammo is less reliable than centerfire. You must test and only use ammo proven reliable in your gun. My experience is that. 22 hollowpoints do not expand in handgun barrels shorter than 4". You are better off with. 38 wadcutters in a .38 snub if recoil is an issue.