I am often amused by what topics get folks all riled up on social media. The mere suggestion that the tiny rimfire .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR) cartridge might be viable for defensive carry is one of those topics. I won’t be surprised when I receive angry comments when I share this post on social media. In fact, I expect that. Especially knowing that most folks end up replying without clicking the link and reading the post. But I digress.

Defaults are a thing. Defaults are what we do when there isn’t an articulable reason to do something else. In terms of defensive pistol cartridges without any additional context the default is the ubiquitous 9mm. There is no shortage of reliable pistols suitable for defensive carry that are chambered for it. It has a proven track record. It’s abundant and affordable. It has very little recoil. It is quite literally the cartridge that will get the job done that just about anyone can handle.

Oftentimes, 9mm is painted to be the least powerful cartridge suitable to defend one’s own life with or as the bare minimum standard. The thing is when folks hear this enough it becomes an absolute in the mind of the masses. Hearing anything to the contrary then becomes an aberration. Blasphemy even. I wasn’t immune to this. Frankly, up until a couple of years ago, I probably would have been one of the many commenting how carrying anything less powerful than a 9mm was a foolish and reckless idea to anyone suggesting otherwise.

So what changed? Well… a dear friend and mentor injured his wrist. That injury made short practice sessions exceptionally painful with his P365XL which forced him to make some changes. Those changes involved finding a gun chambered for a cartridge that he could practice with and carry. He landed on Ruger LCR chambered for .22 Long Rifle out of necessity.

That context changes everything. It was an articulable reason to deviate from the default.

Let’s get a couple things straight about .22 LR as a defensive cartridge. It is suboptimal compared to 9mm. Even with premium defensive loads, it is going to penetrate less and have a hard time punching through hard barriers (including bone). Additionally, rimfire cartridge ignition is less reliable than centerfire ignition. This means that failures to fire are more likely to occur with rimfire cartridges. If we’re being honest, then we should be able to agree that .22 LR kinda sucks for self defense. As such, .22 LR is not a suitable replacement for 9mm for defensive applications all else being equal.

Don’t believe me? Then go take a look at the data from Lucky Gunner’s ballistic gel test results for .22 Long Rifle and compare it to their 9mm ballistic gel test results.

However, that doesn’t mean it won’t do the job and it very well may be the only suitable option for folks with injuries or ailments that make painful recoil from larger cartridges a nonstarter. In some cases, a .22 LR handgun might be the only handgun one has without the means to acquire something more suitable. Other folks may have their own reasons for choosing a .22 LR handgun over a 9mm. Regardless of whether or not we agree with those reasons, everyone has the exact same right to self defense that you or I do.

Cool. You can sub-2 Bill Drill with your Roland. Congratulations, your dick is much bigger than arthritic grandma’s. 🙂

John “Hsoi” Daub, Stuff from Hsoi

What’s the first rule of a gun fight? Have a gun.

Let’s break it down a little more.

Criminals that may present a lethal threat prey on people who are not paying attention to their surroundings and are unlikely to resist. They are looking for compliant victims and prefer members of vulnerable populations which include those who are visibly injured, out of shape, or in their senior years. In other words, they prefer to prey on folks who are the mostly likely candidates for carrying a .22 LR handgun.

Most of these criminals are criminals of opportunity who are looking for an easy payday. These are also the same types of criminals who immediately remember they have somewhere else to be in a real hurry when a gun is presented. Meaning that the lethal threat will be neutralized without a single shot fired. The fact that the gun was a .22 LR is of no consequence here.

A subset of criminals are career criminals who may not be deterred by the presence of a gun. However, these types are often susceptible to FIBS syndrome. FIBS is short for “F*ck! I’ve Been Shot!”. Common symptoms of a flare up include mild to severe bleeding, screaming, and a sudden need to disappear. In some cases, FIBS may result in death.

Putting a few into a dude’s snotbox at three to five yards is bound to have an effect, rimfire or not.

Tamara Keel, View from the Porch

The last type of criminal is the rarest type, but it is the one that avid practitioners of self defense train to deal with because they post the gravest threat. These are the apex predators. The ones seek the fight because they enjoy it. They are not susceptible to FIBS and will keep on fighting until they physically can not. Neutralizing this threat requires loss of consciousness. The two most effective and efficient means for this are rapid exsanguination or central nervous system disruption which is possible with .22 LR. It may require an increased number of well placed hits when compared to 9mm cartridges. And a little luck always helps.

Those interested in learning more about how .22 LR stacks up against other cartridges in terms of stopping power will find Greg Ellifritz’s study on the subject insightful.

In closing, I will continue to encourage folks who can carry and use a 9mm or larger pistol to do so over a .22 LR handgun. For those who are limited to .22 LR for whatever reason or opt for one instead, I will suggest loading their defensive handgun with premium defensive ammunition like Federal Punch. I will also suggest opting for a revolver, like the Ruger LCR, over a semi-automatic pistol to mitigate stoppages from an ignition failure. It’s far easier and faster to press the trigger again on a revolver than it is to clear the malfunction in a semi-automatic pistol.