Tag Archives: .22 lr

.22 mag for Self Defense?

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by Woodsbum

There seem to be all sorts of debates around what is the best self defense round and firearm to carry. The LEO community always seems to think that the subcompact framed semiauto pistols are the only way to go where many of the tactical guys advocate carrying their favorite Glock or 1911 at all times. There is a startling reality in the world of self defense carry…….   Those large pistols cannot be carried at all times because they are TOO DAMN BIG!!!

Seriously. How many of these “I carry all the time” guys actually carry at all times? There is no way that someone advocating the carry of a Combat Commander can carry that huge monstrosity while working out at the gym. If they say that they do it is a lie. How can you conceal it? This is simple. You can’t.

This leaves you with pocket guns or mini revolvers. Of those, you really have the following calibers:

  • 380 acp
  • 32 acp
  • 25 acp
  • 22 mag
  • 22 lr

Now the big debate comes in as to which one to carry. Most of the time it comes back to the bigger is better debate, which is what got you in this pickle to begin with. If you pick too big then you can’t conceal the firearm and are back to square one. If you go too small then there might not be enough stopping power in the cartridge to save you if you need it. Truly, this is a sticky situation that leaves you without any real answers and just more questions.

Let’s look at the ballistics of each of these calibers. Maybe that will help you make your own decision. I am picking some decent loads and will try and stay with the same brand for each caliber. The 22 lr and mag will be different obviously. If you want to do some detailed research you can check out http://www.ballistics101.com for a huge list.

Here are some Hornady Ammo comparisons:

Hornady Ammunition Ballistics
Round Type Weight Muzzle Energy ft·lb Muzzle Velocity ft/sec.
32 ACP XTP HP 60 133 1000

Hornady Ammunition Ballistics
Round Type Weight Muzzle Energy ft·lb Muzzle Velocity ft/sec.
25 ACP XTP JHP 35 63 900

Hornady Ammunition Ballistics
Round Type Weight Muzzle Energy ft·lb Muzzle Velocity ft/sec.
380 Auto FTX CD 90 200 1000
380 Auto HTP HP 90 200 1000

Here are the specs for the CCI rounds I use in my .22 lr and .22 mag:

Maxi Mag # 0024

Caliber Bullet Weight (gr) Bullet Type Box Count
22 Win Mag 40 JHP 50
Velocity, ft/sec

Muzzle 50 yards 75 yards 100 yards
1875 1574 1438 1319
Energy, ft-lbs

Muzzle 50 yards 75 yards 100 yards
312 220 184 155
Trajectory if sighted at 100 yards

25 Yards 50 yards 75 yards 100 yards
0.1 1.0 1.1 0.0

Mini-Mag HV # 0030

Caliber Bullet Weight (gr) Bullet Type Box Count
22 Long Rifle 40 CPRN 100
Velocity, ft/sec

Muzzle 50 yards 75 yards 100 yards
1235 1092 1040 998
Energy, ft-lbs

Muzzle 50 yards 75 yards 100 yards
135 106 96 88
Trajectory if sighted at 75 yards

25 Yards 50 yards 75 yards 100 yards
0.7 1.3 0.0 -3.3

As you can see, there is a huge variance in the actual loads. The energy from the 25 acp, 32 acp, and 22 lr is really kind of dismal. There is not much energy to create a lot of hydrostatic shock and the bullet weights are not big enough to create a very large wound channel. This means, in layman’s terms, that these calibers just will not do a lot of damage. Of course you have that debate of damage versus firearm size. If you can get by with an LCR in size then do it. If you have enough fat rolls to hide an AR15 pistol then you are set. It all comes down to what you are comfortable concealing and carrying in various situations.

The 380 acp and 22 mag both have much more energy and or bullet weight. The 380 has over 2x the bullet weight, but only 2/3 the energy of the 22 mag. Again, you have to figure out if you want the blooshot meat or penetration/wound channel.

No matter what you use it comes down to one important factor. Are you TRULY going to carry your pistol with you EVERYWHERE you go? If not then quit bugging those that do about the size of your firearm or power of your pistol’s cartridge. It won’t matter because you won’t have your pistol with you anyway…….

This is just my take on the situation, but it stands to reason that those that do carry 100% of the time have the advantage over those that don’t. This also brings up the point that there is no reason why I can’t slip my M&P into a shoulder holster when I have on clothing that can conceal it – then I am carrying 2 pistols to your 1.

Think about it before you make up mind on what you really want to carry. Personally I will keep carrying my .22 mag for self defense and backup because it literally is with me 24/7. Of course I toss in a larger firearm if I need to.

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Ruger Single Six 3 Screw

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by Woodsbum

As of late, I have purchased several new additions to my firearms collection. The newest one is a 1960’s Ruger Single Six .22 cal revolver. Being a hunter, I have always felt that everyone needs a .22 pistol to take rabbits and grouse while hunting other game in the field. These tend to be targets of opportunity and by carrying a small pistol it makes harvesting this game much easier. This was the way I was taught and have lived my entire life of hunting, so having a .22 pistol was just a natural thing. My current .22 pistol is a Beretta Neos and I have carried it for quite a while. Both my father and my brother have Single Sixes so when I ran across this one at a fair price, I went ahead and snatched it up.

My Single Six

My Single Six

The Ruger Single Six is a single action revolver that came with 2 cylinders. One was .22 lr and one was .22 mag. Used Single Sixes tend to have only the .22 lr cylinder due to the other one having been lost years before from lack of use. These pistols tend to be very accurate, are extremely tough and don’t really tend to have any mechanical issues so they are great carry pistols for small game.

The older models are called 3 screws due to the 3 screws used on the frame. They tend to have great triggers and are fairly collectible. The early ones have a flat feed cover while the ones like I picked up have a rounded one. The flat ones are more collectible, but either way they are great users.

Mine actually has the .22 mag cylinder with the .22 lr having been lost years before. Ironically, my brother’s is only 8000-ish numbers newer in serial number and has only the .22 lr. This brought me to looking around for a solution to my single cylinder problem. This is where I found an 8 shot cylinder solution from a very nice man names Al Story.

Borchardt Rifle Company

Borchardt Rifle Company

While speaking with him on the phone he said that these are made for the newer Single Sixes, but with a little sanding/fitting they would work for the older ones as well. He also said that he checks each one for timing to ensure that they will work without issue. This is a very important piece because dealing with Ruger is a nightmare.

Here is that story:
I called Ruger’s customer service to ask about getting a new cylinder for my pistol. After being transferred a couple times a gentleman answered my call. I told him about my desire to get a new cylinder and asked him about pricing, process, and time frame. Here is what I found out.

  • Ruger will not touch anyone’s older Single Six without installing a transfer bar and putting a HORRIBLE trigger into the pistol. For those that have fired a converted Single Six, you know exactly what I am talking about. The new ones are fine, but the older ones with the transfer bar installed no longer have the nice, smooth trigger. It catches and almost “clicks” when you pull it.
  • If I do have the upgrade done, then it will cost $180 for the cylinder. There might be a discount if I send it in because of them wanting to “get all the old style pistols converted” because “in this day and age all guns have to be as safe as possible.” In another words, they will hold your pistol hostage until you agree to what I call a downgraded action.
  • I will have to pay UPS or FedEx $100 to ship them the pistol. After some inquiry as to what he was talking about, he said that was some Federal law and I could get around it by paying Ruger $30 for a shipping label….. If they felt like offering that to me. I mentioned that S&W, Glock, and Colt pistols that I or my family have had to send back to the factory were covered by the manufacturer and I was very confused as to why Ruger would not cover those costs like other companies. He told me that they “might” cover the cost if they could get the pistol back to install the transfer bar, but I would probably have to go get the pistol shipped via UPS or FedEx at $100 cost to me.
  • I then asked how timing worked and if they also did any reconditioning, checked out the pistol, or anything else for the $180 cylinder cost. I asked because I found the drop in ones from Al Story for only $120. He said that I could “buy one from another gun but I had less than a 10% chance of it working.” In reading reviews and speaking with Al, I beg to differ. I am not a gunsmith and have not tried an after market solution, however. If I go that route, I will update everyone.
  • Ultimately, he was very dismissive and all conversations started off at a high priced solution that might get cheaper if I do “x” or “y.” This almost seemed like he was trying to gouge me for additional money throughout the entire process. This has been BY FAR the worst conversation I have ever had with a firearms manufacturer. Every other one has bent over backwards to make sure I was happy, so this almost seems out of place. Then I called my father and my brother. They both confirmed that dealing with Ruger has been a nightmare for them as well. Their suggestion was to get the Al Story cylinder and then have a gunsmith check it out.

Although I have not taken this pistol out and fired it yet, I am very excited and have high hopes for it. The reputation of this pistol has always been impeccable, so buying it was really a no brainer. Once I get it all cleaned up, tested, and a new cylinder for .22 lr I will post some more on it.

My final recommendation is as such. If and when you run into older pistols, make sure you research them. Don’t think that just because it is an older or discontinued style that it is no longer worth looking at. Some of the best users are those that have been used before.

Happy woods bumming!!!!!

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