22 LR for carry?

[7V8]

I know conventional wisdom is against .22 LR for carry but I was wondering if any of you do on occasion carry one? I was just gifted a Taurus 9 shot revolver and I REALLY like this thing. My EDC is a full sized 1911 but I find myself in certain situations leaving the gun at home due to concealment issues with the way I am dressed. AGAIN I am not talking about using it as an EDC but a drop in my pocket to run to the store kind of thing... would you or not?

On the (very) rare occasion that I have carried a .22LR for SD, I have done with the hottest 40 gr. solid that I can find (CCI and Federal usually) and planned on unloading the entire magazine into the threat if need be. Like many others here, I agree that it is not the best choice, but having something other than harsh language, even if it is just a .22, is a desirable thing.

[carmen fovozzo]

What does planning on unloading all the mag on the threat mean ?

[Tweed Ring]

To me, it means one shoots until one's threat has ceased being a threat.

[carmen fovozzo]

Oh...

[Brian D.]

Carmen, I've always felt like it COULD be necessary to shift to attempting head shots (eye sockets if my skills allow) when using a .22 L.R. handgun for self defense. Note I said "could", people have been known to drop in their tracks from a single, peripheral .22 handgun hit.

And if my years of EMS experience, plus the shared experience of colleagues in other departments means anything, the .22 L.R. out of a rifle length barrel seems to be a much better fight stopper than out of a handgun.

[carmen fovozzo]

Sorry guys..I just don't like the phrase, empty the whole mag into someone..what ever....

[Klingon00]

Sorry guys..I just don't like the phrase, empty the whole mag into someone..what ever....

I'm with you there. But I do recognize that we must do what it takes to stop the threat. It is foreseeable that such a thing (or more) could be required to stop a potential threat but my game plan is never to just empty an entire mag into someone and pray for the best.

[curmudgeon3]

Gotta keep in mind that 6' 4" 286 lb predator is gonna get mighty PO'd about half-way thru that .22 mag, so some kind of backup would be a good idea. (Running shoes ?)

[Tru-Heathen]

If running was an option , it should have been taken prior to using deadly force.

[curmudgeon3]

Yeah, bad decision.

[7V8]

To me, it means one shoots until one's threat has ceased being a threat.

Exactly.

Some may be offended or annoyed by the words that I chose to describe my plan of action for the rare occasion that I'd have to depend upon a .22 for my defense but that is my plan -to get as any rounds as possible into whoever is intent on trying to put an end to me. After that, the gun becomes a club if I still have the ability to use it in that manner. If that plan makes the faint-of-heart uncomfortable, there is not much that I can do about that.

The fact is that with little bullets like those fired from the .22, the best chance for success is to put as many rounds as possible into the largest target available (hopefully the COM) and hope that they're enough to do the job. If someone can do better than I and hit an eye socket (a very, very tiny and highly mobile target) under stress of a life-threatening event at range (other than direct physical contact), then more power to 'em.

We had a OIS here a little more than a decade ago where an Officer had a bad actor reach in and crawl partially through the open passenger-side window of his (stopped in traffic) marked unit in an attempt to stab him with a knife. Investigation revealed that the Officer fired eight shots (9mm 147 gr HydraShoks) all of which hit the guy in about 2-3 seconds. The first four JHPs struck him in the chest, the second four hit him in the back after he fell face-forward into the passenger-side seat from the first four so it can be done with the full-power service calibers, too.

[carmen fovozzo]

I'm not offended or annoyed.....thanks for your polite response .....unlike your PM to me.....

[Zen]

+1 for the Velocitor 22LR ammo. Left 3/8" holes in a varmint I tested it on.

[Javelin Man]

If running was an option , it should have been taken prior to using deadly force.

Easier to outrun them when they're leaking. And leaving an evidence trail, hopefully to your benefit.