Is .22 LR Too Unreliable for Self-Defense?

[@defenstrator4660]

The only issues I’ve ever had with 22 is in automatics. Revolvers and lever actions zero problems. I’d take either of those over a knife any day.

[@SeemsLogical]

Knives work best as a tool.

[@rockspoon6528]

Idk, a good karambit is arguably better than 5-6 rounds of .22, at self-defense range. Masalong (search on Amazon) makes incredible knives for the price points, I carried one for a year while living in South America.

[@byronhamilton6061]

I've had a marlin model 60 with 18 shot tube since I was 7 and maybe had 2 or 3 jams between 7 and 32 lol

[@Izzys-kitty]

Rockspoon yeah knifes are cool as tools but this isn’t the Stone Age. The whole point of self defense is not only to make it out alive but also to make it out unharmed (not injured) in general..and in order to effectively defend yourself with a knife you would have to be an arms distant from your attacker which puts you in a much more vulnerable position for them to injure or kill you than popping them with 5-6 rounds when they are still 2-7 yards away from you would. So no..not better than 5-6 rounds of .22 lr

[@rockspoon6528]

@@Izzys-kitty in most self defense situations, you will be in knife range. I don't know what fantasy you have about gunning an attacker down who's charging at you from 20 yards away, but that doesn't happen.

[@NotAltergeist]

This is one of the highest quality gun channels on KZbin.

[@EastCoastMan603]

Ultra2k agreed. The amount of topics they cover is unparalleled.

[@jeffhouldsworth4808]

Ultra2k m

[@crazeeaz]

I'd trust him more if he had a grey mustache but I do watch a lot of their content.

[@chuckbridgeland6181]

"one of the highest quality gun channels" -- agreed, but it's not (alas) a high bar. There's a lot of dreck out there.

[@quaranjones2359]

Completely agree

[@dannypreece8932]

A young woman in our area shot a guy who laughed at her for threatening him with a 22 when he was going to come through a screen door and attack her. She warned him and as he cut through the screen she shot him in the heart. He dropped dead instantly.

[@Frenchfrys17]

Show me the police report or any sort of evidence that happened.

[@markedman3990]

@@Frenchfrys17 no one has to prove crap to u! Get a life!...i'm sure this type of thing happens a lot! Who the heck do u think u are demanding anything?

[@Ryan.......]

@@Frenchfrys17 Is your skepticism directed toward this particular story or to the claim of the lethality of .22 LR?

[@Frenchfrys17]

​@@Ryan....... The vast majority of peoples reaction to a hit to the cardiovascular system (heart, blood vessels) and central nervous system (brain, spine) is extremely different. Difference is time until incapacitation.

[@Ryan.......]

@@Frenchfrys17 Your response does not address my question.

[@mitchellconant9336]

If it puts a hole in somebody where there wasn't one before - well, it's sure better than nothing.

[@martinleavitt6094]

Well said Mitchell..thats the bottom line!!👌.22 rounds entering the body....youll need more than a band aid....to heal up...

[@_baller]

But then so is a knife....the point of a gun is to stop someone

[@BmgGunsAndStuff]

Some pellet rifles are just as deadly it’s nuts

[@felixgutierrez993]

Right but some fuckers on adrenaline can tank out 9mm rounds and stay active BEFORE they die I SEEN IT. You fuckin shoot a hyped up dude with a .22 he will laugh that shit off and still try to kill you. Even if you shot him where he will die...doesn't matter if you die too. Just buy a damn .45/357 three shots no matter how hyped you are your body will fold on itself mate

[@tatskamaster]

Sure it is, but why would you ever choose a 22lr instead of 9mm to defend your life..?

[@benthere422]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You just identified the reason so many people have reliability issues with 22lr. THEY DON'T CLEAN THEIR GUN! My Dad drilled the importance of cleanilg my gun(s) after each & every use. And I have had about 3 FTF in the last 10 years with 22lr. And all these were cheap, bulk box ammo.

[@danielginther4879]

2 ways I've had issues with the .22 round, 1st is the use of cheap ammo and 2nd is my failure to keep the firearm clean.

[@OGbqze]

Clean your guns after everytime you shoot. They'll last forever.

[@lancerevell5979]

My experience over decades of shooting is that .22 guns like a lightly fouled bore. First shot from a squeaky clean bore will usually give a different POI than succeeding shots. Serious target shooters fire a couple fouling shots before shooting for group. My experience shows this to be true. But... do keep the actions clean and lubed.

[@deaczorz]

modern ammo vs old myths

[@elonmust7470]

Old .22lr ammo, stuff from the 70s, way better ammo that what's out there today.

[@destynova4512]

Could agree only ammo I've ever had problems with in .22 lr was simply because it was old ammo from the early 80s. No problems with newer stuff. Though not sure if it just comes with age or is down to they make them better. I have .22 ammo that's older than me lol.

[@susanwojackass9162]

@@elonmust7470 sure

[@elonmust7470]

@@susanwojackass9162 It is...

[@grits_taste_good415]

Shots fired

[@GmanTheTank]

There are people who don't clean their firearms for thousands of rounds!? I do mine every time I put anything through them.

[@LuckyGunner]

When you shoot weekly or more and go through a few hundred rounds each time, cleaning after every range visit gets really tedious.

[@bobanddonnareynolds1226]

I clean every single time after I shoot without fail.

[@yui907]

I seem to hear that cleaning daily prematurely wears the firearm. I'm a soldier in the British Army and heard it from an unreliable source though.

[@yui907]

@Mark W That's what I heard, because the British Army issues patches and brushes, though many of us buy boresnakes to better maintain our issued weapons.

[@bw83m94]

Sometimes you just don't feel like it. Firearm/ammo dependent though. Modern guns using non-corrosive ammo simply don't need it. Dad has a Ruger Mk2 that's older than I am with never more than a patch ran through the bore. Zero reliability issues and still drives tacks. About the only time I'll clean every range session is when shooting suppressed or it's my carry gun and I don't want a messy gun pressed up against me for 10+ hours.

[@gypsy8961]

Very informative video. I've carried a 22 for many years and in that time I've learned that keeping silica packs in my ammo boxes and a little bit of chapstick around the bullet keeps moisture out. I've rode a motorcycle in the pouring rain a few times and my revolver still fired. Every few months I'd empty and reload, just in case. Being a bouncer & repo man...22 was a lightweight & reliable back up. Thanks. I enjoy your videos.

[@BaritoneMonkey]

This right here is a literal pro tip. Does the chapstick work with center-fire too, or do the exposed primers allow moisture in?

[@technovikingBubba]

I remember the older .22lr ammo having miss fires a lot when I was a kid. now days I really cant remember having issues.. cci ammo is great

[@Atclav]

I just bought a Walther P22. First gun purchase. Bought it for practice and home defense. This is all new to me. I bought the pistol to practice and move up to higher caliber.

[@captinkinty]

you got the worst one

[@Atclav]

@@captinkintyShoots well feels good in my hand. Whats bad about it?

[@joegraves3596]

@@Atclav He's just talking smack. I have the P22QD and I think it's a nice gun. The older ones had some issues but the new ones are a-ok! 👍

[@Atclav]

@@joegraves3596 Thanks I love the feel and the way it fits in my hands. My kids love it too.

[@royalloyalty8248]

@@Atclav he doesn't know what hes talking about. Ignore obvs troll

[@PPISAFETY]

I would absolutely second your recommendations of using high quality .22 ammo and using a revolver if a rimfire is chosen for self-defense. My experience has been that CCI ammo products in the individual round packages give very little trouble in terms of ignition in a good revolver, although I've seen some very small autos that didn't have a hard enough firing pin strike to adequately crush their rim. I spent years running the firing line at indoor Bullseye matches, and the sheer number of rimfire "alibi" strings we had to run every match taught me a lot about bad things that can happen to .22 ammo. I'd avoid the bulk stuff like the plague for actual defense use. Last weekend alone I had a 5% ignition failure rate with some El Cheapo bulk pack .22 LR in several known reliable firearms. Good video, thanks for doing it.

[@graybeard7408]

This is why I only use CCI ammo in my S&W semi auto. I also have had no failures to feed after highly polishing the feed ramp. It is very reliable and easy to shoot accurately.

[@RnW4MangooP]

David killed Goliath with a rock, remember that.

[@Eray-fy5bz]

Enough said ... Lol

[@Roi509]

But he used a big rock... 😂

[@RnW4MangooP]

Roi509 no he used a pebble

[@RnW4MangooP]

Elite Soviet no he used a pebble

[@RnW4MangooP]

Mert Çuhacı atheists like you don’t last long, get right with God

[@bigaarmory100]

Great information in this video!!! Both my teenage daughters are very comfortable shooting a 22LR pistol, but not so much even when they step up to a 9mm pistol. They find the 22LR pistol (M&P 22 Compact) very controllable and they are not afraid to squeeze the trigger when shooting. When shooting a 9mm pistol (Glock 17, Glock 43, Ruger 9E, or Canik TP9SFX) they tend to flinch with each squeeze of the trigger because they don’t really want to squeeze the trigger. I have had 100% success with CCI Mini Mag ammo in my M&P 22 Compact and Ruger 10/22 rifle and it’s great to see that your efforts have produced the same results.

[@dmacmillion]

For her 21st birthday I gave my daughter a .22wmr revolver for the same reasons: Shooting a .38 or 9mm made her wince, but she was never scared of her .22. Gotta take care of our girls.

[@Jar0fMay0]

Let them try a .45 handgun. My aunt and cousins carry a .45 1911 and something else and are very comfortable with it. They have the same problem with 9mm and .380 handguns where they keep flinching after every shot. You get less ammo but it's a lot more reliable than .22lcr.

[@bigaarmory100]

Jar of Mayo - I have an M&P 45 full size and for them that is worse than the 9mm pistols. Also the grip width becomes a little more of an issue with them and the 45 pistol. As they get older things may improve but right now it’s a no go for them.

[@anvior45]

Maybe try to step things up with babysteps? Perhaps they will find .32 acp acceptable? A walther pp is not that tiny, so easy to shoot.

[@bob15479]

I'm almost through a box of 1000 Armscor high velocity .22 with my 10/22 and not a single failure.

[@darthhodges]

Paul Harrell recently did a video where he fired several thousand rounds of 22 out of several different firearms to see if different brands or loads were inherently more or less reliable. While there was a difference between the more and less expensive ammo, they all had a much higher out of the box dud rate than centerfire ammo. Out of none of the brands did he have zero duds.

[@clementello]

really?! which video is it?

[@darthhodges]

@@clementello It's an hour long as he recorded every shot he fired. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJqwf3SJqtxpb7c

[@MarikHavair]

@@clementello It's a 1 hour long video titled "Reliability of 22lr Ammo" published 4 years ago. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJqwf3SJqtxpb7c Edit: And if you don't know Paul Harrel, yes the video is literally 1 hour of him firing thousands of rounds of 22lr on the spot, you've been forewarned.

[@EthanDyTioco]

@@clementello It's called 'Reliability of 22lr Ammo'. Published on Mar 21, 2019, 1 hour 5 min long

[@EastCoastMan603]

Out of the hundreds and hundreds of 22 I’ve shot I’ve had maybe 2-3 ftf - that’s from a ruger 10/22 and a mark iv. I only buy cci which I do believe make the best most reliable 22.

[@lescouse]

C.E. VIII 10/22s are super reliable. Mine was always filthy, cos I’m idle and hardly ever misfired.

[@keithgraham9547]

I'm 60 and never had any cartridge of any kind fail because of the cartridge. The ftf's have been due to the firearm. No ftf ever in a revolver of any caliber. Had some ftf in a .308 out of the box because it needed cleaned first.

[@slongger]

22 are plenty reliable. most problems ive seen is due to worn out autoloader rifles not the shell itself

[@John5.56]

I've personally fired thousands upon thousands of rounds of 22lr with only a handful of problems. One being the gun was too dirty simply from being such a dirty round, and the second being bricks of 22 thunderbolt

[@kaiki8318]

22lr rugers are the truth 🙌

[@sisleymichael]

Again, your advice is reasoned and well thought out. Also, presented pleasantly, not gruffly and "ready to kick your butt" style that so many try to do on the internet.

Your advice of changing out the ammo every couple of months is good opportunity to use the ammo in target shooting to keep your skill up.

[@h2o2go141]

I think it's an excellent idea to change your carry ammo monthly. Not only is it a great way to get some experience with your self defense ammo of choice it's also a great way to know what you should expect if you ever need to use your gun on something more dangerous than a sheet of paper. Running a dozen or so rounds you've actually carried through the gun you've actually carried once a month can be an excellent confidence booster. Or it can highlight some potential problems with your chosen equipment!

[@tonysexton9863]

I was not surprised with the results of the test, I've hunted with all types of 22's in all kinds of conditions and I can't remember the last time I had a malfunction with the ammo. Great information, great advice, great video, great channel!

[@grampabadger]

.22LR unreliable? I shoot a lot at my own range and I shoot almost entirely .22LR. Out of the last 3000 rounds fired here, I have had only one fail to fire. That is actually pretty reliable in my book. Yes, I have been shooting for 65 years and the key is to keep the guns cleaned and tuned. If you don't care about your guns, you don't have any room to complain about ammunition.

[@wampastompastomp]

This video is so much better than a lot of the fear mongering against .22lr.

[@vgamedude12]

@GYPSY KING FURY Hickuck fuddy five*

[@KaiserXionTV]

I tell all the "gun guys" at work I want 22 WMR for EDC and I hear it all! No stopping power, unreliable, not intimidatiing enough? Yeah, all sorts of fear mongering for real.

KaiserXionTV Dude, I’ve been preaching it for years but haven’t had the money to buy a nice one that’s reliable, .22 magnum is the way to go for personal protection. Higher capacity, non existsnt recoil, plenty of power, very light guns...oh yeah. There was a Savage .22 mag at Shiptons, it was a bolt action wood rifle, not good for what we’re talking about but I certainly considered getting it, I love .22 magnum

[@BZB2000]

KaiserXionTV I’m sure people who see you pointing a .22 at them will just laugh. Seems like an appropriate response.

[@mr.browning7.624]

@ 22mag is wholly adequate for self defense. It's got the velocity to really penetrate sufficiently. Although 22LR will do the job as well. I tend to tell anyone looking at 22 for self defense to look more towards a 22mag. It's not as cheap as 22lr but not what I'd call cost prohibitive either. Good quality ammo in a 22 mag revolver and you're set to deal with a majority of issues you could possibly run into as a concealed carrier. I've even seen people use them for home defense, a 22 magnum out of a rifle length barrel is nothing to sneeze at.

[@Fasdaff01]

My anime waifu uses a .22lr pistol and has never encountered reliability issues of any sort so based on that I can highly recommend using a .22 for self defense.

[@desupocalypse]

Case's closed, boys.

[@DPoner]

Okay, this is epic...

[@DPoner]

Xaro Xhoan Daxos Just imagine how Anchovy’s feet smell.

[@ajopasoij9d00]

Is she Kino?

[@ajopasoij9d00]

And does she use a Colt woodsman ?

[@Werewolf600r]

i was raised on a farm and we put cattle down and hogs one shot behind the ear puts them to sleep ready for the table

[@mzaite]

Works for the mafia too.

[@DentSideDee71]

Down south they use .22 rifles to put down alligator 🤙🏽 one to the head and there dead.

[@wampa4321]

I rarely ever have any issues with CCI mini mags threw my P22. I feel 100% comfortable carrying mine as a edc.

[@firereaper35]

Want to thank you for being very through with the information you release and backing it with your own tests

[@homeboyteddyisaliar]

1:30 When you need toilet paper and your hand touches the raw cardboard of an empty roll.

[@JC-fg6rz]

🤣

[@herewardthewatchful1014]

Awe naw! XD

[@Raptor-gd6sk]

😂😂😂😂.. true

[@saltydiarrhea386]

@Damien Luciershower curtains are generally nearby

[@Ranstone]

Have you heard of this new type of toilet paper that comes when it's called? You might know it as, "the dog".

[@sean7456]

Awesome, love how you guys test tons of the gun myths and "facts" that are repeated ad nauseum across the gun world. No BS, great information and good prices on ammo!

[@justinlarsen2281]

Before using CCI I would say yes, I was having constant jams in all my .22s. SR22, P22 and Ruger MK2. After switching ammo the dependability went way up

[@kylehelton432]

Literally one of the most detailed and thorough gun Channels on KZbin. Love how this guy tests and tests to make it scientific

[@positivechange2000]

Knowing how to clear a jam quickly is very important. A failure can happen with any gun.

[@eastcoastgrandison4855]

Exactly right

[@PetuniaIii-pd1ww]

Amen...! our .45 going to the gunsmith tomorrow...we own a s&w .380 that is almost useless...a ruger that we don't trust...small moving parts in any machine subject to failure, whether firearms, cars, lawnmowers, etc....

[@janmale7767]

You mean any semi auto, they are fantasticly slick works of mechanical art when they work,and that is most of the time,but for the Jo average the simplicity of the revolver is better choice!

[@richardjohnson4238]

This has quickly become my favorite "gun channel." Very professionally done. Keep up the good work, all of you.

[@anemoneyas]

With my 10/22 I get malfunctions every 10-20 rounds with bulk federal ammo and a 25 round mag. With CCI mini mag I've gone through 500+ rounds without a single issue. Not a pistol but the same principal applies.

[@kelseyrainwater3918]

Same out of 300rounds of thunderbolt ammo i had probably 6 rounds that didn't go off or would jam in my 1022

[@decodeddiesel]

I used to carry and shoot my Beretta 21A a lot. It was mainly a backup and a deep concealment piece (has been replaced with a Glock 42). It doesn't like bulk pack of any kind. It definitely prefers hotter .22, and especially CCIs. It is VERY sensitive to being dirty. I usually try to clean the barrel every 100 rounds, or after every range session.

[@mikespillman3075]

@kilroyvolvo1 CCI Stingers....my favorite.....

[@randowa3rd]

At the end of the day if you own any firearms and can’t hit the broad side of a barn you are up the creek without a paddle (Shot Placements)

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

I shot about 550 rounds of CCI Mini Mags and had 2 light primer strikes, put them back in the mag, turned the round so the 1st hit was up top and both fired off on that 2nd hit.

[@ChristianAmericanMan]

I recently ran across a box of .22 shorts in my ammo stores that belong to my dad- they were probably (at least) 30-40 years old. Some were so oxidized, they wouldn't even chamber. But if they went in the pipe, they went bang.

[@kenhawk1235]

I have been into guns for only about 8 years now and after trying many kinds of guns and in different calibers I have come to the conclusion that if you have a good quality 22 pistol like the Ruger SR22, M&P22, Beretta Bobcat, or the Browning 1911-22, keep them very cleaned and moderately oiled and using CCI ammo works even better then the 25 or 32. CCI Stingers are the king of reliability and are my C&C ammo of choice.

[@Weisewulf]

Tried shooting any of those suppressed? If not you need to try it .22s suppressed are soooooo much fun

[@robertnation3077]

That .22 torture test did surprise be a bit. I wonder how bulk packed bargain priced Wally World stuff would have held up.

[@bw83m94]

Robert Nation From personal experience probably nowhere near as well. I always get a decent amount of failure to fires with bulk stuff, and federal seems to be worse than the others.

[@alexoelkers2292]

@@bw83m94 that's been my experience as well

[@jonjonr6]

Recently suited a large surplus of 22lr ammo, including some CCI, Blazer, Winchester SuperX, Remington golden bullet, bulk boxes, etc. Been taking it to the range for testing. A lot of the Remington golden bullet was stored in a glass mason jar. It gave me a handful of failures to eject. Some of the Winchester boxes have the purchase date written on them, 1985. No failures. The Blazer had a purchase date written on it, 1995. No failures. So far, despite the age, the ammo all fired. The only failures were ejection, and occurred with ammo that was not properly stored. Pistol used was M&P22C

[@Deanothefordtech]

Growing up in Lynchburg Va as a kid, we lived off 22mag.

[@Candid1ify]

Semi auto feed failure is about the same across all the various calibers > Lesson buy good ammo to begin with. Good advice on changing ammo every couple of months. Only buy cheap ammo when your going to the range .

[@danew637]

22 LR is cheap enough to rotate it every range trip

[@KN-op3et]

Great video. I think when you start going into the .22LR handgun discussions, trigger pull will be a key factor to discuss. Many of the .22LR revolvers have extremely stiff trigger pulls vs. their .38/.357 counterparts. So while someone with a physical limitation may want to (1) pick .22LR and (2) pick a revolver (no slide racking, easier to deal with a misfire), they may still be better off with a .38spl due to trigger pull weight. The discussion matrix gets more complicated when you add up all of these layers and I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

[@LuckyGunner]

Spoiler Alert: Ruger LCR in .327 Federal Magnum loaded with .32 H&R ammo is the magic Goldilocks answer :)

[@KN-op3et]

@@LuckyGunner I think that is a good answer for firearms-savvy folks. I wonder how a layperson would take that advice -- some folks are already confused by 9mm vs 9x19 vs 9mm Luger vs. 9mm Parabellum. Telling someone to get a .327 Federal Mag but load it with .32 H&R... and maybe .32 ACP for range practice... might blow up their brains.

[@LuckyGunner]

Depends on the person and how committed they are to learning what they need to know. If it's the spouse/significant other/friend of a gun enthusiast, they'll get some help on buying ammo.

[@reptilesgamers00]

agreed i had a 9 shot 22lr revolver.sold it because the da trigger was like 14 pounds. impossible for me to enjoy shooting it.

[@PetuniaIii-pd1ww]

.22 revolver triggers have to be heavy in double action, no way around it...the only answer is under duress would it even be noticed in the excitement...? as for the possible dud round (two consecutive duds extremely unlikely), squeeze the trigger again the most instinctive reaction...sometimes our NAA is carried, single action is slower, we practice 2 quick shots at 10 feet, figuring the 3rd might be at point blank...not ideal, but the NAA can go anywhere, and a chance beats no chance...

[@williamprince1114]

Back a couple decades ago I regularly shot 4 position NRA small bore rifle competitively and ammo selection was critical. Shooters obsessed about quality and reliability even amongst the most premium of ammo like RWS and Eley. Guys would argue not just about ammo but which production lots of a particular ammo offering was best. As years have gone by I have noticed fewer and fewer of these rhubarbs and I think that as time has gone by all the rimfire companies have tightened up their quality with better chemistry and better automation. It is hard to find crappy 22 lr these days. Some is better then others but the days of 5-10% failure rates are past.

[@HillbillyMusings]

Agreed William Prince....22 Ammo reliability has DEFINITELY improved in the last decade.

[@silentbigsteve3429]

@@HillbillyMusings Yea, I've shot about 200 cartridges 100 through a .22lr revolver pistol and 100 through my lever action .22lr but however the rifle itself sometimes I'll have to cock it for it to fire

[@silentbigsteve3429]

Note please I just started shooting...

[@williamprince1114]

@@silentbigsteve3429 Not sure if I am understanding your question. Are you saying you have to recock your rifle and strike the cartridge a second time to fire a round?

[@JamesThorWolf]

William Prince I think it means the hammer doesn’t set but rides the bolt, on the lever my Winchester it has had that happen a couple times where I don’t work the lever with enough force to set the hammer but enough to cycle the action and chamber a new round,. Although in my guns case it is almost 60 years old and was kept as a truck gun most of its life.

[@royalloyalty8248]

Here in Canada lots of people use .22 for self defense. i have seen alot of gang members carry it

[@MPGunther1]

Excellent video series, keep up the great work. I have a Walther TPH and it runs pretty well with Stingers

[@Soldier4USA2005]

I just came across your channel and I have to say that this is a great show!!! Simple, to the point, no fuss or blabbering on about nonsense or reading from a "sponsor of the week" cue card. It's awesome. Subscribed!!!

[@MrZipperhead16]

Over 40 years, I can count on one hand the number of bad .22 rounds I've ever had and I've fired thousands.

[@SDGLFDNC]

Agreed. I have had every trainer I’ve spoken with speak highly 22 as a training round, and I’ve shot around 100,000 rounds of it over the past 3 years. I’ve not really had that many issues, even with cheaper ammo.

[@MrZipperhead16]

@@SDGLFDNC I did have trouble with some Concord .22 years ago but not because it didn't go bang; more because it went BOOM so it was shot in a bolt action only.

[@billpohlman803]

Great video! I have thousands of cci mini-mags and velocitors through my ruger 22/45 with no failures; I clean my firearms after every range outing. Some of the bulk ammo will produce a problem sometimes so I stick with cci-the most reliable .22's made-lol

[@northidahoguy5549]

Got to love the CCI MINI-MAG!!!

With the salt water test, you should have kept them in a very warm room - to simulate salty body sweat carried close to the body. Keep the container in a humid room, like a shower.

[@rebelboy77collins82]

I was shot with a 22 long rifle years ago hurts like hell

[@737215]

That sucks, but you're still here typing comments, which lots of .45 ACP shooting targets are just pushing up daisies

[@peacefulwarrior4078]

@@737215 all depends on exactly where you get hit by one

[@3x739]

@@737215 id rather be shot by a .45 in the foot than a .22 in the chest. it’s all about shot placement

[@keithclark486]

@@3x739 Prove it.

[@royalloyalty8248]

@@keithclark486 what?? He's absolutely right

[@humantacos9800]

I've put hundreds of rounds through my Ruger 10/22 without 1 issue. It's small enough to navigate around hallways and has a 25 round magazine. A few .22 to the stomach and one to the crotch will stop any intruder.

[@matrixmirage2148]

Man, shit. I seen a tiny-ass .22 round-nose drop a n%%% plenty of days, man. Motherfuckers get up in you like a pinball, rip your ass up. Big joints, though... Big joints, man, just break your bones, you say, "fuck it."

[@joedouche3818]

Agreed! I'd rather swiss cheese someone with a .22 then 1-2 of another caliber (and probably miss).

[@eliaspadilla876]

Dude , don't settle just ask your wife permission to buy a bigger gun 😆😆

[@bluebeastsrt]

While I would say a 22 is better than nothing. (I own two 10/22 rifles). But shooting someone 25 times with a 22 isn’t really putting you at a tactical advantage. The idea of home defense is to stop the intruder as soon as you can! I use 12 guage buck shot for home defense in a bullpup shotgun. You might stop someone after 15 shots with your 22? One shot with a 3 inch 12 guage magnum round will stop a fight instantly! I don’t care how big. How much clothing an intruder has on and how high he might be. Stopping power matters. And your little 10/22 is at the wrong end of the spectrum in stopping power!

[@garytate5139]

I like a .22lr because I like to be able to listen for the sirens after the fact instead of hearing nothing but ringing for days. I am not blinded by the flash at night in case I need more than one shot. No overpenetration that would put a hole in my 72 inch tv. I can clean up with a paper towel instead of a shovel and mop. No excessive use of force charges since it is only a .22. My back up gun is a .300 Winchester Mag.

[@BuickDoc]

My experience from the Emergency Room and Operating room makes me think that I would rather use a .22 than a .25 ACP. I remember one guy who was shot in the side of the head from 2 ft. away with a .25. It nocked him unconscious, but the bullet only penetrated the outer layer of bone (outer table) of the skull, but did not penetrate the inner table. So he had a concussion and a bad headache, but he didn't get his brains scrambled. I have never seen someone shot with a .22 that didn't have significant injuries. Now 'stopping power' is another question. The most extensive injuries, short of death, was with a 30-30. Apparently, the guy fell down just as the bullet hit him in the butt. Everything in the pelvis was gelatinized: colon, urinary bladder, ureters, as well as the blood supply to the penis and testicles, which had to be amputated. But that's another story...

[@garyK.45ACP]

Those of us who have hunted and killed many man sized animals (deer, bear, boar) know what to expect when you open an animal shot with a high velocity rifle bullet. Basically pink gruel pours out and there is little to distinguish which mess is from which organ. Handguns are different entirely, and for self defense the purpose is to "change behavior" not to kill quickly and humanely. Attitude adjustment, so to speak. An assailant attack you, you shoot him in the torso with a .22, he runs away. SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!! You changed his behavior, stopped the attack and his future condition as a result of being shot is irrelevant to YOU, the intended victim.

[@Skinnymoose]

@@garyK.45ACP Unfortunately some peoples behavior doesn't change until they bleed out or their CNS is shut off. 22 is woefully inadequate for those individuals.

[@SANTANA1deep]

@@garyK.45ACP good point

[@BaritoneMonkey]

@@Skinnymoose wouldn't a CNS shot with a 22 fix that?

[@wehrewulf]

@@garyK.45ACP Until you are sued...

[@frankdillon6127]

had a 50 year old box of Peters 22lr, in 1962 all shot perfect amazing.

[@Just1American1966]

I've fired probably 20k rounds of .22LR ammo, perhaps half of which was CCI MiniMags. I've also shot about 15k of centerfire ammunition, of various types. I've had three ammunition failures, two of which were centerfire (and one of them was a commercial reload.) One was in .380, and the other in .38 Special. Both fired on their second attempts. I've had one rimfire failure, with a round of Remington Golden Bullet ammo, and it was in a newly-acquired Heritage Rough Rider. That round never did fire and was destroyed. So, that's been my experience. If I have to depend on .22LR ammunition, I'm confident that CCI MiniMags, especially those sourced from the 100-ct plastic sleeves, will step up and serve me well.

[@twalk6164]

Thank you for a clean straightforward approach to this sometimes controversial subject. While not my EDC, sometimes in hot weather all I can tote is my Ruger LCP.22. I feel better now doing so, and of course enjoy shooting it anyway.

[@stevenbass732]

Just a passing FYI, the 22lr is the round of choice for assassins. Low noise, penetration but not much exit wounds.

[@Schwarzvogel1]

Assassination != self-defense. I've heard that certain Mafia hitmen who were quite proficient at their dubious trade and liked to use ice picks and sharpened screwdrivers. However, I don't think that anyone will seriously claim that ice picks and sharpened screwdrivers make good self-defense implements, though.

[@stevenbass732]

@@Schwarzvogel1 True. However with ice picks, etc. You have to get up close and personal and there's always the chance you may miss. The 22lr has a longer reach. I'd not recommend it for long range, but it's still effective. Plus, it's ballistic curve is almost flat.

[@jamesricker3997]

It doesn't have the power to exit human skull, it just bounces around inside a couple times

[@stevenbass732]

@@jamesricker3997 Precisely.

[@freddymarcel-marcum6831]

It's what the Mafia used to kill Robert Kennedy.

[@tamirobo]

Good Channel. I like the videos. Concise, factual with proper disclaimers and claim parameters. All so far are interesting. Keep it up.

[@johnbarker9994]

I did a similar test, I left different brands soaking in a glass of water for 90 days, only the Aguila super extra red and yellow box all shot 100% CCI Stingers shot at 90%.. all others failed to shoot 0%

[@mwilliamshs]

Shooting 100% and failing 0% mean the same thing.

[@mateobrainardo4770]

Or was that “failed 0%”? Oh guys and bawls is that funny!

[@sabaof8]

Information without agenda or emotion. Well done.

[@allenhelton1401]

I’d love to see you test the Phoenix arms hp 22. It’s a super cheap pistol that most folks say is surprisingly reliable. I’d like to see it put to the luckygunners test

[@johnl.5117]

Bought one in the mid 90's on reading a claim it ate everything you fed it. Great little pistol but it HATED Remington 40 gr. ammo. I was getting 2 or 3 split cases from every box. Went to Winchester 40's which worked fine. I just stuck with that.

[@bernardscheidle5679]

He won't test it becuz its not a manly 45 steel cannon strapped to his leg.

[@gregshock]

Love that retro intro/extro music. We’re talking 1930’s there.

[@michiganedge4770]

Great video. I was curious about cci’s and 22 ammo in general getting wet from sweat and I am glad you did the test you did. Cci is some good stuff definitely worth the extra penny’s per round to carry over bulk ammo. I like a 22 for a backup or throw in the pocket to go to the store gun. it is definitely a scary round and I can’t imagine any bad guy doing to well after taking a few 22 bullets to the head. I had a Ruger lcr 22 with an internal hammer and the trigger pull was horrible. Hard to beat a little naa mini or beretta bobcat.

[@clinkerclint]

Great info and video! Another thing I might add is .22 pistols are less forgiving to dirt, dust and lint. It's a great idea to field strip the gun and wipe it down every couple of weeks if you carry it every day. I use an old toothbrush. While I don't carry a .22 anymore, I still wouldn't be afraid to do so again if needed. Thanks for the video!!!

[@HillbillyMusings]

Great video! I'm glad to see someone finally taking on the pocket pistol debates. My feeling on .22 reliability as in failure to fire issues is they will come and go in batches. I've seen hundreds if not thousands of rounds with no failures to fire from multiple bricks of ammo and then I've seen half a dozen from the same brick. I suspect personally it has something to do with bad manufacturing process in most cases...maybe a machine is out of alignment or something similar causing a few questionable rounds to slip by.

[@michaelc5386]

Great video, great science, great representation. I highly recommend the Ruger SR22 if you are willing to carry a .22LR

[@LYLEWOLD]

i've heard 22 isn't reliable for years now, i've just never experienced that, myself. sample size of 1, but kinda wonder if 22 isn't as bad as the internet says. no

[@StevenWalker]

I've put tens of thousands of rounds of .22 down range and have only had a handfull of feeding issues and it was mostly because of a poor knockoff 10/22 magazine.

[@StepSherpa]

Had some failures to feed though it was later attributed to a bad mag. Had some failure to fire, but this is a match gun that has seen alot of use

[@steakman]

Its mostly guys who need to act cool so they tend to say bad things about the little rounds.... tbh its kinda like when little guys get huge trucks even though they work in an office. Over compensating a lot. Hahaha

[@ghostuscoyote]

Yesterday I had my first horrible failure of .22 ammo in my Ruger 10/22 Takedown Lite. Squib load. Luckily I could just pull off the barrel to see the problem. To be fair, it was super old ammo that I found in a pawn shop that looked like it was from the 80's at the latest.

[@mattheww5157]

Same here. I shoot tons of 22 lrs and I haven't yet found any serious reliability issue. Keep your weapon clean and make sure your firing pin strikes hard.

[@janmale7767]

I like the 22...almost no recoil...affordable ammo.....motivates you to focus on the importance of shot placement, which will serve you well with the larger calibers!

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

Amen ....

[@Predalien195]

.22 LR in pocket revolvers isnt a bad option. In semi autos, it has plenty of issue in terms of reliability between both the ammo and the fact most the pocket .22 LR guns are older in design and age, they dont always like to go off reliably. Something like small 6 shot .22 LR's are easy to come by, even with older top break guns. And finding ones in good shape is pretty easy too truly. Finding 7 or 8 shot .22 LR's in J-Frame size guns is also not that hard to do either. I'd recommend a 3 inch barrel at the very least, but it's not a mandatory thing. But one of the biggest problems with .22 LR ammo is as you say.. it's filthy. Bulk ammo usually has the most problems, but also the fact .22 LR is easy to dent the casings when loading a semi auto. The brass is real thin and can be bent with very little force, this isnt an issue on a revolver unless it came out of the box that way, but ultimately yes... the quality .22 LR stuff is going to work and work well. It reminds me a lot of 7.62x39 though... people buy the cheap stuff the most and use it the most. The quality stuff while much better isnt what the majority of people are using and if a firearm isnt reliable with the most readily available ammo, people tend to poo poo on it.

[@Predalien195]

@Landon Hunt There are plenty of good semi auto .22 LR's out there that are reliable. But they arent pocket sized typically is the problem.

[@Predalien195]

@Landon Hunt Jennings was never known for quality to begin with. I think these days the cheapest one that's reliable is the Phoenix Arms guns. They actually come in a nice package where you can get them with a standard 3 inch barrel and a 5 inch target barrel together. I've heard some complaints about the redundant safety systems as it seems it's trying to be legal in places like California and such, but disabling some of them is rather easy from what I understand. I've shot a few of them and they seem to work pretty well for a gun that tends to run about $125. Least reliable .22 LR I ever shot though with some frequency was a Beretta .22 Jetfire. Just would not cycle rounds reliably or consistently. Of course, ammo has come a good ways since I was younger too so maybe that had a role in it.

[@Predalien195]

@Yard Sale Dale I believe that's Jimenez Arms. Phoenix I believe has nothing to do with them.

[@Predalien195]

@Yard Sale Dale Well, doesnt matter I guess as the Phoenix pistols have proven themselves reliable for the most part.

[@Predalien195]

@Yard Sale Dale I dont own one myself but have shot a friend's at least with 300 rounds, havent had issues. At the price tag I expected it would fail a long time ago and has continued on.

[@RealMTBAddict]

Been using 22lr for years. I have a Ruger SR22 and a Tippmann M422 rifle. The right ammo makes a huge difference, so experiment. CCI makes a round made for semi auto rifles, and they work great.

[@ACommenterOnYouTube]

Amen, the ammo says it all. CCI Mini Mags, im at 100% fire rate so far and its been about 600+ rounds between my MP15-22 and my Keltec P17

[@jeffrichardyoung]

Chris, your sense of what kinds of tests are practical is very, very good. Thanks for all the information. Please keep it coming.

[@grrrlbreaker]

Using CCI for your tests just confirms what I've encountered over the years: quality ammunition gives quality performance. All the failure to fire/eject I've had at the range has been using big box (325 round, you know who I'm talking about) manufacture. Usually 5-7 rounds per box. Interestingly, after recovering the rounds and carefully placing them in the chamber rotated 180 degrees about half fired. Make of that what you will.

[@davegoodridge8352]

A small revolver with 22 mag and I feel confident with it, 22 lr maybe

[@mattbrown5511]

My wife's Ruger SR22 loves to eat CCI Stingers, but has issues with lesser ammo. So she uses nothing but what we know works. My 12 year daughter has started on a Rough Rider,, and loves it.

[@2AEnthusiast]

Excellent video. I'd be curious to see how some of the bulk 22LR ammo would hold up after your test. The CCI ammo's reliability doesn't surprise me. It's worth the extra money.

[@CleF75]

Excellent idea!

[@randomchannelname24]

And on sale, CCI is already cheap enough.

[@jbdgizmo]

Extremely well done and informative video. My choice is an 8 shot .22 pocket snubby revolver. If it ever got a dud, which hasn't happened so far, all is needed is to pull the trigger again. Thanks Luck Gunner!

[@AccordionJoe1]

The odds of having to actually fire a weapon in self defense is about one in a million. The odds of a .22lr failing to fire is about one in 200. So, the odds that your weapon will not fire in a life-or-death situation is one in 200 million. I can live with those odds in order to EDC a pistol that is light, fast to get on target, and can fire rapidly and accurately.

[@lazar2175]

Not to mention that clearing a malfunction is super easy and since price per round is low you can practice a lot. I don't carry a 22lr but i still would not joke with it, i've seen people take wild hogs with it and i'm pretty sure a experienced shooter with it is as good or better than a inexperienced shooter with .380, 9mm or .45

[@fury556]

That’s not how statistics work

[@---tx9xx]

@@lazar2175 if it stops a wild boar it definitely stops a man

[@lazar2175]

@@---tx9xx Well you have some time to line up a boar shot to hit vitals, in self defense you'd probably pump someone into chest without much thinking.

[@PetuniaIii-pd1ww]

@@fury556 yeah, but it sounds good...The real stat is rule #1, have a gun...all other stats improve immediately...

[@keithfreeman5204]

I understand but I don't understand. When I return from the range the first thing I do is to clean my 22's. I have fired several thousands rounds without any misfires, problems with ejection, or feeding. The key concerning 22's is to simply keep them cleaned and lightly oiled. This covers rifles, and handguns. Well, really, all firearms. Keep 'em clean, they work better.

[@MyGuy42069]

Honestly I have a Glock 44 for a carry and it has been great. Lower quality or lower velocity round do malfunction though.

[@therealhawkeyeii7888]

A NAA Mini Revolver in .22 LR has been a regular part of my daily carry rotation for 30 years, and I only shoot them out and replace them once a year. Never had a failure to fire.

[@johnnybeanz1296]

Good choice. I shoot my pug every time I go to the range even if it’s only the five loaded. Just a little insurance for my edc.

[@PetuniaIii-pd1ww]

Yup, ours has never had a fail to fire, either...our .22 revolvers get turns being carried, our autos live on the range...

[@barbusie5217]

The " CCI Stinger hollow point " will do considerable damage to any flesh it hits.. And at room ranges, will kill instantly if you put the round in the right spot.. Center of the chest, between the eyes, or just behind either ear, will get the job done.. It's the round Mafia hit men prefer to use.. It's not that loud in a closed room or basement.. A .22 LR will instantly drop a huge hog when its time to butcher it . . .

[@gammalgubbestorstadshoodie9148]

What i learned in Swedish army about 22 cal ammo is casings that is small is often not suitable for offensive fire like self protection because energy is to low compared to 22 cal longrifle that contains more gunpowder than smaller casings so longer bullet casings is better than short casings.

[@0214Bub]

Good info. I've been looking at the S&W 43c, lightweight 8 shot revolver with a nice front sight, any chance this will be one of the bug guns you plan to review?

[@LuckyGunner]

Yes.

[@Bacciagalupe]

It's a crime that this isn't one of the most popular channels that covers guns

[@nickwillard4471]

In my experience, CCI makes the best .22 ammo. I got some federal rounds a few weeks ago, the box had 250 rounds in it and at least 20 of them were either crooked or bent, and one of them was just a shell. I couldn't find the lead in the box either. But with CCI rounds, they've all been really good. I think because they won't fit in the tray if the bullet is malformed.

[@jamesricker3997]

Are you sure those weren't counterfeit rounds? Always examine the box.

[@bff1316]

Never a failure with CCI 22lr. Federals, I gave away most of a brick, with the warning that there would be a lot of misfires.

[@hermesten1000]

I've had some problems with Federal 22 as well. Rarely with CCI.

[@alandavis5820]

Federal always gives me problems. Try Armscor 36gr hollopoints. I have yet to fail to fire, and maybe one or two misfeeds.

[@testos2701]

My Granddaughter can empty a 25 round 22lr mag in about 1 minute and hit the bullseye 20 times out of 25 on a 25 yards target from a prone position of course, I think the 22lr could do a great job for self defense. I always said the best firearm is the one that puts the most rounds on a target.

[@i_figuredit_out1946]

That 1500 round test pretty much debunked the 22 reliability myth again. All you need is a quality gun and quality ammo, the same as with any caliber you choose. Don't buy the cheapest gun and the cheapest bulk ammo. In my experience, bad magazines are more common than bad ammo. The slightest imperfection can ruin all your fun.

[@claymac7895]

It’s all about shot placement. Whether you’re hunting or self defense. Putting shots on target is what it’s all about.

[@shermdog6969]

I have shot thousands of 22 rounds and have had less than 10 failure to fire yet I've had hundreds of failure to feed and those were fired out of a crappy desantus semi auto. I trust 22 ammo. Nice video.

[@jungleno.]

There is no semi-auto firearm made by any company named Desantus. Idiot.

[@daf62757]

With the shortage of .22 ammo over the past years, I have bought quite a few brands and without exception, the Remmington Golden .22 that you buy in their bucket ot bullets is flawless. Other brands usually have about a 98% success rate, but the Remington has a 100% success rate. For self-defense, I would use it it without any concerns.

[@robertshelnutt5081]

Re: Cleaning. I'm old enough to remember advice from older relatives and friends of the family that cleaning a .22 rifle is actually counter productive. I clean mine anyway, but there seems to have been some difference of opinion. Just a thought.

[@thebes118]

In what way? I never heard this.

[@elonmust7470]

@@thebes118 Sounds like something someone really dense would say!

[@PetuniaIii-pd1ww]

The thought is the build up in the bore somehow improves accuracy, and I am still thinking this one over...i know we used to really scrub our .22 rifles, but now we run a bore snake through, a couple dry patches to remove excess oil, and call it a day...we haven't detected any difference in performance...hmm...🤔🤔

[@o2wow]

As those zero problems populated I could hear the keyboard commando heads exploding. Thank you for an interesting and practical test.

[@LEARSIKCIGAM]

in a “semi” it’s an argument i would do revolver only, personally

[@havfunwithit]

I have a 22 Beretta Semi auto. It’s a paper weight. I even sent it back to the factory but they did not fix the problems. All my 22 guns jam except my Henry Lever action. I’m even disappointed with my Ruger take down 22 rifle. All my guns are in immaculate condition. I was a competitive pistol shooter for many years. Rarely when shooting a match did someone on the firing line not have a misfire. Even at camp perry for the national championships there was always a line of shooters at the gunsmith. My gun went full auto. Using a 22 for personal protection is a horrible idea. If you still desire to do so a revolver should be your only option.

[@TheCreamRisesToTheTop]

I’ve put 3,000+ rounds through my SR22 without cleaning it

[@alvinthompson6333]

Should clean it though, show it some love, get to know it better, maybe buy it a drink.

[@Zeppelinlv2007]

love the sr22.

[@mainevolcanovaporizer4204]

Go go clean your gun

[@urfork1]

It’s been a year now. I hope you’ve cleaned it already?

[@faustsin9366]

Man your a SAVAGE!

[@klncow]

I have a 30 year old ruger pistol with a 6 inch barrel. The only time it has jammed is when the gun gets so filthy it just absolutely cant fire anymore.this is my favorite gun! It is deadly accurate!

[@randyrush9856]

I believe the unreliability claims for 22lr have been greatly exaggerated and most the fault can be attributed to internet bs, or a firearm or magazine design flaw, worn or broken firing pin, and/or people who don't properly maintain their firearms.