22 magnum for a ccw?

[TTv2]

Here are some stats compiled in an NRA test, which include penetration -- just to correlate with those provided by NAA...

View attachment 936695

Besides the Winchester PDX1 (which is no longer made), I don't question these velocity figures. From a ~2 inch barrel, proper .22 Mag can get 1100 to 1150 fps which would work out to a whopping 110-120 ft/lbs. Compare that to about 80-85 ft/lbs with proper .22 hyper velocity and the question becomes does the slight extra power of .22 Mag make enough of a difference to justify using it in a short barrel?

Clearly in the shortest barrels NAA makes, it's not because the velocity jump isn't enough. Add another inch on the barrel and you effectively double the gain in energy vs the gain in energy with the 1 inch barrel. More is nicer, but is 30-40 more ft/lbs worth the extra blast, recoil, decreased reliability, cylinder capacity, increased ammo cost, difficultly of obtaining proper ammo during a panic, and/or outright lack of being able to buy any ammo during a panic or shortage?

If someone has a .22 Mag rifle and has ammo stocked, it may well be a good choice for them to also own a small .22 Mag revolver. For myself, I have no use for .22 Mag in a rifle and I reload .32, so it's not for me. I prefer an 8 shot .22 LR snub and I'll load it with whatever 40 gr bullet gets the highest velocity. Even if it's stuff like Velocity that costs $8 for 50 rds, that's still half price of the Speer or Hornady .22 Mag short barrel stuff.

 

[JFrame]

Besides the Winchester PDX1 (which is no longer made), I don't question these velocity figures. From a ~2 inch barrel, proper .22 Mag can get 1100 to 1150 fps which would work out to a whopping 110-120 ft/lbs. Compare that to about 80-85 ft/lbs with proper .22 hyper velocity and the question becomes does the slight extra power of .22 Mag make enough of a difference to justify using it in a short barrel?

Clearly in the shortest barrels NAA makes, it's not because the velocity jump isn't enough. Add another inch on the barrel and you effectively double the gain in energy vs the gain in energy with the 1 inch barrel. More is nicer, but is 30-40 more ft/lbs worth the extra blast, recoil, decreased reliability, cylinder capacity, increased ammo cost, difficultly of obtaining proper ammo during a panic, and/or outright lack of being able to buy any ammo during a panic or shortage?

If someone has a .22 Mag rifle and has ammo stocked, it may well be a good choice for them to also own a small .22 Mag revolver. For myself, I have no use for .22 Mag in a rifle and I reload .32, so it's not for me. I prefer an 8 shot .22 LR snub and I'll load it with whatever 40 gr bullet gets the highest velocity. Even if it's stuff like Velocity that costs $8 for 50 rds, that's still half price of the Speer or Hornady .22 Mag short barrel stuff.

I can't address all your points, because my answer in most cases would be "I don't know."

Approaching the statistics another way, would a potential minimum 32% increase in velocity be worth it? That seems like a bunch, even given the pellets being propelled. Or perhaps, especially because of the pellets being propelled.

The muzzle blast is INDEED significant. Is there any chance that the blast would also have a disorienting effect on the perp, who might not be ready for it? I dunno...

I can't imagine that .22 Mag would be any less reliable than .22 LR coming out of my NAA Black Widow or Earl. Given quality ammo, I find them at least equally reliable. If you're talking mechanical reliability out of a semiauto, or something like that, I couldn't address that issue.

Cylinder capacity... My BW and Earl have the same capacity with either .22 LR or .22 Mag.

Recoil... I'm actually not noticing anything more appreciably disconcerting with .22 Mag out of my NAAs than with .22 LR. They have CVang grips, additionally textured with some spare pieces of TractionGrip adhesive I had on hand.

Don't take any of this as endorsement of the .22 Mag in a handgun over any other platform/caliber that a person might choose. Just playing devil's advocate, because stats and stated factors can be spun and translated so many different ways.

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[Hoppes Love Potion]

I've carried the 2" NAA Black Widow for many years. I have a case of Speer Gold Dot and a bunch of other .22WMR ammo, so ammo availability isn't an issue. I also have .22WMR firearms with barrels of 1", 1.875", 4" and 10.5". The destructive potential really improves in the 4" and 10.5", but even in a 2" barrel the Gold Dots are no slouch.

 

[748]

Yah I have a PMR30 and it barks like a 9mm.