Is a .22 calib. pistol with hollow point bullets enough for home protection?

Answer 1

I prefer a 12 gauge double 18" barrel thunderstick myself, as I don't want an innocent neighbor to get hit by accident. But; if all you have is a 22 pistol then it is still better than a friendly smile. I assist with a concealed carry class, and I always ask the class "what is your best weapon?". The correct answer is "the one you have in your hand when you need one".

Answer 2

If thats all you have then it's certainly better than nothing. The 1 advantage that ,22s have is they don't have enough energy to exit if a body shot is made, which means they fly around tearing up insides til they stop. If you actually have to shoot someone plan on shooting them more than once, even with a larger caliber you should make at least 2 shots. 22 is better than .25 or .380 but 9mm or bigger would better.

Answer 3

Absolutely not, no way, and no. A .22 rimfire is something you use for self defense when you don't have anything else available to you. While it is plenty capable of killing a person, it is very incabable of stopping aggression. Many attackers have been shot with .22 bullets and didn't even realize they had been shot until hours later.

The purpose of the defensive handgun (or rifle for that matter) is to allow the user to regain control of his/her immediate environment, it is NOT to kill the attacker. It takes a larger caliber projectile with substantially more energy to incapacitate a person who is high on adrenalin (and/or drugs) with only one or two shots. The bullet MUST transfer a good dose of energy to the attacker in order to incapacitate, and it must strike the attacker in an area that will cause a disruption to the central nervous system. The .22 rimfire does not have sufficient energy to begin with and it is imparative that you make a cranial shot, or ocullar cavity shot to cause incapacitation.

You would be much better off to use something in the 9mm - .45ACP range for self/home defense, IMO.

Edited to add: I really have to wonder how many of you people that would recommend a .22 rimfire for personal defense have any clue whatsoever of what you are talking about. Have you ever asked yourself why there are no police departments that use .22, .25, .32, or .380 pistols? Have you ever wondered why none of these rounds are used as a personal defense weapon by any military personel? Have you asked yourself why almost every law enforcement agency in the United States forbids their officers to carry any of these weapons for even a backup gun? Or have you ever wondered why no professional personal defense instructor would ever recommend anything less than a .380 for concealed carry? Using these "mouse guns" for self defense is simply a death wish. The only time I would recommend that somebody use one for self defense is when it is the only weapon they have at that particular time. When it get's right down to it, the .22 rimfire is only slightly better than a baseball bat, and that is only because you can hit your attacker with it from a longer distance.

You people all need to understand that we are talking about life or death here. This is not a game or a television show where you pull out your gun, fire it into the attacker, and he drops to the floor or runs away from you. This is deadly serious business. In a situation where you are lawfully justified to use deadly force to defend yourself, you will not have the time available to wait for a .22 rimfire projectile to stop your attacker. You need immediate incapacitation and in a lot of instances, even a big bore caliber like a .357 Magnum or a .45 ACP cannot get the job done quick enough.

To the asker - Please do yourself a favor and seek out the advice of a professional defensive handgun instructor before you get yourself killed by listening to the uneducated opinions of some of the people on these boards.

Answer 4

A 22 can cause fatal injuries, but shot placement will be vital. Odds are you will probably not be calm enough to place well aimed shots at you intruder.
Since you ask about 22, I would assume that you are concerned about recoil. A 9mm or 380 would be a much better choice. Shot placement will not be as critcal, these rounds will do more damage, and recoil is pretty mild on both.

Answer 5

not really, it is under powered and doesn't carry enough energy to stop an attacker with out getting very very lucky in shot placement. Still, it beats using a club!!
Minimum caliber would be a 38 special with GOOD ammo. Better would be a 40 s&w or a .45acp. (9mm only with some of the newer T.A.P. type or similar ammo)

Answer 6

That depends on whether you want to be a Victim or Survivor*... You need nothing less than a 357 Magnum or 45 Acp*... You can also shoot 38 caliber in the 357 Magnum*{ two guns in one*}.. 12 Gauge shotgun is your other option*....

Answer 7

You know....the Mossad uses an extremely accurate .22 caliber weapon as their primary assasination weapon. It appears that their tactics work well in the hands of a well trained person.

I can tell you from personal experience, a .22 round is enough to make you want to run in the other direction.

Answer 8

absolutely. Domestically here in the U.S., more people are killed by .22's than any other gun. I prefer larger caliber pistols though. The knock down power appeals to me but I'm sure getting shot with a .22 isn't much fun either.

Answer 9

Hollow point bullets are deadly if you hit the intruder in a vital area. The bullet enters and spirals. When exiting the body, it leaves a huge hole when the bullet exits the body. Make sure your firearm has at least a 3 inch barrel to insure hitting your target. Snub nose guns are useless unless you are at very close range.

Answer 10

Yes, it is enough. Just focus on shooting the attacker in the center of the chest or head. A .22 bullet is easily capable of killing. Just pick up any newspaper if you don't believe me.