.22 mag....new pistol member and shooter has questions

[dolphin62]

Hello I have not a pistol yet..still waiting for my permit. I live in New York that should tell you all you need to know. I will most likely be buying a .357 to shoot .38 s. I have a press and dies, brass the whole yard. I even have 100 shells loaded so when I get the gun I will be able to shoot and not be gun poor. I did this when I bought my first 28 gauge shot gun.

Anyhow my question ids about 22 mag. As a young kid I use to shoot a rifle in this caliber and it was a hot shooting rifle to say the least. I see that you can buy revolvers in this caliber, I bet that must be a real force to mess with. My question is could you buy a small 3 inch snub nose in .22 mag and use it for a carry defense gun. I don't know much at all about pistols I have been shooting trap and skeet the last years and just caught the interest in pistols.

Any help would be great...god knows I will be asking lots of questions.

[PNWTO]

My question is could you buy a small 3 inch snub nose in .22 mag and use it for a carry defense gun.

You could, but I wouldn't place any faith in the .22 Mag if I have had a .38/.357 or 9mm/.40/.45 weapon available. Check out the Ammo sections for some stickies on good loads for the chamberings I mentioned.

[Hizzie]

Smith and Wesson makes several but no 3". They have the 351 with a 2" tube and 48 with a 4". Ruger makes the LCR in 22 Magnum but again a 2" barrel.

[Peally]

I definitely would not use .22 anything for anything more than recreational activity.

[Malamute]

A 22 mag is a dandy small game and small varmint round in a rifle, but in a short pistol barrel is about in 22 LR rifle power category. It also has a pretty fierce muzzle blast in short barrels. I had one of the older High Standard 22 mag derringers a few years ago, I was surprised at the muzzle blast.

Your choice of 38 special or 38s in a 357 is a pretty good one, better than the 22 mag unless someone was handicapped in some way that they couldnt handle the 38 special recoil. Even then, light loads like mid-range target wadcutters make it fairly tame to shoot. I think even 38 Short Colt loads in a 38 special may be a useful step up from 22 mags in short barrels.

With the cost of 22 mags currently, its cheaper by quite a lot to shoot 9mm factory loads. Not sure what the current cost of 38 specials is, I dont recall the last time I bought factory loads, or at least target or economy level loads. If you are reloading, youre going to shoot 38s far cheaper than 22 mags.

Couple years ago, I believe somebody here (LE) knew of a thug shot by a 22 mag from a derringer. It was a fmj bullet I believe, but not positive. In any event the bad guy was taken to the hospital, checked out, nothing important was hit, and he walked out with a bandaid on each side from the entrance and exit holes.

[dolphin62]

thanks for the input. After checking out the price of 22 mag ammo. 38 reloaded or store bought are much more economical.Plus the 38 makes a bigger hole.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Stopping power aside, as there is the well known case of the officer killed by a 22 mag from a NAA while his assailant absorbed 357 rounds (IIRC), the 22 mag revolver triggers are not that great.

There are folks we know who do recommend a 22 mag as a bug or even a lazy EDC.

However, guess what - choosing the gun is a touch of putting the cart before the horse. Better off spending the money on a good handgun class as compared to reloading stuff. Just my opinion.

[Peally]

To be fair, I'm sure plenty of people have died from cutlery wounds too.

[dolphin62]

Stopping power aside, as there is the well known case of the officer killed by a 22 mag from a NAA while his assailant absorbed 357 rounds (IIRC), the 22 mag revolver triggers are not that great.

There are folks we know who do recommend a 22 mag as a bug or even a lazy EDC.

However, guess what - choosing the gun is a touch of putting the cart before the horse. Better off spending the money on a good handgun class as compared to reloading stuff. Just my opinion.

your right I should be spending money on a gun course...but in new York they wont let you until you have a permit. The loading equipment was inexpensive, I have been reloading for years. Shot gun

[secondstoryguy]

.22 Mag is the awkward middle child of the .22s. In rifles there is no real reason to have one since .223 is just as cheap to shoot and in handguns there are many better answers out there. Besides, I don't think there's enough difference in a .22 Mags performance over a .22LR out of a 2" barrel to really make a difference.