If you were going to carry a .22lr in a defensive role, what round would you choose?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you were going to carry a .22lr in a defensive role, what round would you choose?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just as with any other relatively under-powered caliber that will likely have difficulty pushing a fully expanded bullet to a depth of at least 12 inches, I would go with something that offers as much penetration as possible. In the case of the .22LR, I'd go with the CCI 40-grain SGB (0058) or the CCI 40-grain Mini-Mag CPRN (0030).
Last edited by the Schwartz; 01-20-2020 at 08:40 PM.
''Politics is for the present, but an equation is for eternity.'' ―Albert Einstein
Full disclosure per the Pistol-Forum CoC: I am the author of Quantitative Ammunition Selection.
CCI MiniMag if restricted to 22LR, but my preference would be 22 WMR, with either CCI MaxiMag, Speer Gold Dot or Hornady Critical Defense. In my experience 22 Magnum ammo is more reliable and higher quality than 22LR. I can’t recall ever experiencing a misfire with 22 magnum ammo.
The first indication a bad guy should have that I'm dangerous is when his
disembodied soul is looking down at his own corpse wondering what happened.
I run CCI Stinger in my Rule #1 LCR. Confirmed 36 grain Mini-Mag hollowpoint (for some reason more reliably reaches 12"+ in gel than the 40 grain solids) also runs reliably and hits to point of aim but had a few reasons of varying significance for choosing the Stinger as a carry load:
1) It's decidedly louder and the extra muzzle blast/flash might make a psychological stop more likely.
2) Nickeled cases don't get so grungy before cycling out my carry ammo.
3) Longer cases less likely to give me brass under star. Bulk pack in standard cases only do so once in a great while while very lazily and absentmindedly half-assing my ejector rod stroke but better safe than sorry.
4) Extra velocity pokes through some materials Mini-Mags don't quite.
5) Unlike the 36 grain Mini-Mag, Stinger runs reliably in my Beretta 21A so I already keep it on hand for my favorite little tippy barreled range toy.
I'd like to try Velocitor in the LCR but have heard of iffy reliability in someone's 43C so keep putting it off. The wax on SGB gets melty and keeps fresh cartridges from wanting to fully seat without a Speed Beez or even more necessity to run my thumb around the charge holes after loading from a strip in warm weather and is inconvenient for pocketed reloads.
A friend's LCRx doesn't like Winchester ammo in the least. Runs Maxi-Mag like a top though so he carries it with that. Don't think he's yet tried Gold Dot or Hornady.Originally Posted by LtDave
Last edited by SCCY Marshal; 01-21-2020 at 12:17 AM.
I carry Stingers in my 43c. I believe Chuck Haggard prefers the Velocitors over the Stingers. In my testing the Stingers have been 100% reliable whereas the MiniMags have not. Keep in mind that some semi auto pistols will not reliably cycle the Stingers and Velocitors as they are slightly longer than a standard .22 LR.
As always, accuracy trumps caliber, expansion, and capacity.
Men freely believe that which they desire.
Julius Caesar
I have had several misfires with Winchester Super X in my 351c. Premium ammo seems to be more reliable.
Men freely believe that which they desire.
Julius Caesar
Velocitors 40 grain run 970 fps in my 43c and Mini Mags 40 grain go about 925. I haven't tried Stingers yet. I carry Velocitors. And yes, you do need to keep the chambers clean. I've had no problems with clean chambers.
Ditto!!!!!!!!!
I'll be following the thread re brands but my starting place is a premium 40 grain copper coated solid. My wife's 351 is loaded with CCI 40 grain FMJ. If I had a .380 it would be loaded with FMJ. Hollow points start at .38 and 9mm for me.
“Remember, being healthy is basically just dying as slowly as possible,” Ricky Gervais
To provide alittle more info, the gun in question is a semi-auto. I’d heard CCI in the past, but wasn’t sure which variety of Mini-Mag, Stinger, or Velocitor was optimal for a sub-optimal defensive gun/round. Since this gun is far from being my primary carry/defensive gun, I didn’t want to spend too much time testing myself. Don’t get me wrong, I will test which ever ammo gets the nod for functionality and reliability. But so far internet searches have yielded little info. Thanks for the replies so far.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote