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22 Magnum S&W revolver

29K views 70 replies 48 participants last post by  AzQkr 
#1 ·
Cant get enough revolvers! I lie in bed at night and dream about what new revolver i should get. Was thinking about adding a j frame 22 Mag for fun, but was wondering about its effectiveness in self defense situations?? thoughts on purchasing?? types of ammo? carry rotations? bunker
 

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#3 ·
I am the same love my revolvers as far as deffence probably not the best choice but then again i always liked the expression nobody likes to leak. I do have a favorite 22 mag for my single action the cci maxi mag TNT its a 30 grain hollow point moving at 2200 fps works great on rabbits.
 
#7 ·
Well, I would think a 22 magnum in a revolver would be a decent self defense gun. With the revolver you'd probably get, what, 9 shots? Not only that, but you wouldn't have the inherent reliability of feeding issues you'd get with an automatic. That is why I've always stayed away from 22 mag auto's. And with the 22 magnum, I think there is plenty of power there.
 
#29 ·
With all due respect to the truly numerous experienced and tested opinions on this site, this is the inherent problem with DC: that you tolerate such unsubstantiated viewpoints that will get someone killed. No offense, but .22 is for shooting cans off fence rails, or killing a squirrel. If you're truly interested in saving your own life with a gun sometime in the face of the most extreme, gravest danger, please consider a service caliber round.
 
#9 ·
Up here the 22mag in a rifle is called the poachers special, some guys tell me their fathers/grandfathers took more whitetails with 22mags than 30.06. I got a used one with a wannabe sniper scope and out of the 20" barrel it vaporized a woodchuck head and proceeded to exit just in front of the hind leg at 50 yards. Not sure who was more surprised me or the woodchuck. I have gained a new respect for the 22mag but still not using it for SD.
 
#10 ·
I would think the .22 mag. could do some real damage " up close & personal." As a BUG or run to the local store for a loaf of bread, how bad could it be? But for a steady EDC, I don't think so!:gah:
 
#13 · (Edited)
rimfire !

A long time ago I had High Standard Sentinal MK IV.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=260501374#PIC

I carried it a few times for SD but always went back to a larger caliber.

Out of the short barrel the high vilocity .22 mag bullets would quite often "key hole" at distances past a few yards.

If you really want a .22 mag revolver I would get one with at least a 4" barrel.

Good Luck

OS
 
#15 ·
The short 2" barrel did not allow the bullet to stabilize in the particular gun that I had.

Perhaps there have been some improvements since then.

Certain caliber cartridges work better in short barrels than others.

The .22 mag has not been known to be one of them.

OS
 
#17 ·
If I were to get a .22 mag revolver, it would be a single action model with the .22 lr cylinder, too.


My little brother has a cheaper Heritage version, talk about super-happy-wonderful-fun time :biggrin2: That thing is a ton of fun :yup:
 
#34 · (Edited)
I have one of those too. I think brand new it was 170 bucks and came with both cylinders. Dollar for dollar, I think I've gotten more enjoyment out of it than any of my other guns. I plink with it and use it for rodents. The 22 mag wouldn't be my first choice for carry, especially in a gun this size, but for being sort of a cheapie, mines been very accurate.
 
#19 ·
Good looking little revolver that .22 mag S&W! It would make a great little trail/ woods bumming gun. You would be far from defenceless with a cylinder full of .22 mag hollow points. Seems like any holster that would fit a J frame would fit the little maggie. Wonder if anyone makes a speed loader for it?

Good job Bunker.....now I want one......
 
#20 ·
I'm a big .22 WMR fan, though it would never be my first choice for self-defense. CCI/Speer has recently released a "Short Barrel" .22 WMR load that I'm in the process of testing. It's a 40gr. Gold Dot bullet in a nickeled case. The nickeled case is significant, as many .22 WMR revolvers have tight and/or rough chambers, and the plated cases extract more easily than do bare brass ones. Here are the results of my limited testing, so far:

1 5/8" Freedom Arms: Avg. 1124 fps.
ES 45 fps.

Kel-Tec PMR-30: Avg. 1273 fps.
ES 95 fps.

S&W 8 3/8" M 48: Avg. 1591 fps.
ES 174 fps

The large extreme spreads in the longer barrels were disappointing, but I've come to expect high ES with .22 WMR ammo of most varieties in most handguns, and am always pleasantly surprised when the phenomenon doesn't show up. A good comparison of the above numbers is that one is basically getting .22 lr RIFLE ballistics from a short-barrelled handgun. That's nothing to sneeze at.

I have a 4" Model 48 Smith that I originally helped a friend find for his elderly father. The old fellow had a lot of arthritis in his hands, and even .38 Special recoil caused him too much pain. He kept the Model 48 for self-defense use, and after he died, I bought the gun from my friend.

I've shot lots of critters with .22 WMR from a handgun and a rifle, mostly jackrabbits and prairie dogs, and I wouldn't likely ever choose it for anything much bigger, but I've seen enough to have a healthy respect for it. I sure as hell won't stand in front of one.:wink:
 
#21 ·
I wouldn't consider carrying this, I like carrying my PM9 and my SI Micro Compact too much. But I could sure see buying one of these for the fun of it. Just to shoot .22 all day, even magnums. It's probably a lot of fun to shoot.
 
#23 ·
Anyone know what a reasonable price for these is? I looked at the S&W site and almost dropped my false teeth, and I don't have any false teeth. Then I looked around and saw them from an on-line store for around 600 bucks. That seems very high, though it is sort of a specialty item. Anyway, what do these go for realistically in ordinary local shops.
 
#25 ·
That's quite a bit, considering that a .38 can be had around $400
 
#28 ·
We have a PD series S&W as a rental and it has been flawless, not many of our rentals are after long term use. It shoots much better than the Kel Tec PMR we have that keyholes with everything. Some .22mags are sensitive to bullet weight so shop around. I think it's a good SD gun for the recoil sensitive, but I would prefer a SJHP, a FMJ, or one of the new loads made for personal defense over the super light, super fast varmint bullets.
 
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#30 ·
John mentioned the new Gold Dot load; there is also a new Hornady Critical Defense load out in .22 mag. I think one of those two new loads might make a dandy SD round for a BUG. I've had similar thoughts about the viability of the .22 mag in a light, short-barrelled revolver. Best,
JD
 
#31 ·
I view the 22mag as a hunting round. I view 22 handguns as plinking guns and 22mag is too costly when compared to 22LR for plinking. I can shoot centerfire rounds cheaper than 22mag. Factor in rimfire reliability vs center reliability (ignition) and centerfire wins out for me. The only time I ever carry a rimfire for self protection is when it would be illegal to carry a centerfire (in the woods at night with a flashlight).
 
#33 ·
If you can carry a .22 mag in complete concealment undetected (Consider a .22mag NAA revolver with pocket holster), and you can get to it quickly, safely, up and close bullet delivery. Why wouldn't you ? Your in the walmart parking lot and approched by an individual who wants your money or he will hurt you. Hes in your personal space. He says he has a knife but you don't see it. You deploy that NAA swiftly and put it over his heart or against his head with it cocked. Hes crapped his pants. Ask me how I know this.
Its a different type of carry conceal, mind you. Up close and personal.
Now if your going into a rough neighborhood, etc. its big bore centerfire time.
 
#35 ·
I'm considering the S&W 351pd for a carry piece. Maybe 12oz loaded. I am 70 years old and want something I can fire one handed or from flat on my butt ect. My idea is to get very good at close range SD. CCI is making some 22wmr for short barrel firearms . I have a Ruger S/A 22lr/22mag and I really like the 22mag. I believe if someone is hit a few times with a 22mag they will have had enough. I have a SP-101 357 and a GP-100 357 and a New Superblackhawk .44mag I love the black hawk just kinda heavy to tote.



Rich:yup:
 
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