Ballistics Test (1 of 6) .22 caliber

[leetosaurus]

22 lr is squirrel round but the 22 magnum has energy similar to a .38 special.

[Xxoo0o0o0ooxX]

@leetosaurus Yup a squirrel round alright. Thats why my air pistol takes squirrel with one shot? If you ask me a .22 is overkill for such a small animal.

[USSBN734]

@Xxoo0o0o0ooxX It is, but I would rather over than underkill.

[Xxoo0o0o0ooxX]

@USSBN734 Yes, youre correct. It only takes about 6 foot pounds of energy to kill a squirrel with one shot, but sometimes its just fun to blow its head off :-)

[USSBN734]

@leetosaurus A 22 is seriously underestimated. It is only since WWII that it has become to be considered a small game round. In the early 1900's, most families (country families) had a shotgun and a 22, and the 22 was the workhorse, used to kill everything from deer and pigs, to rabbits and squirrels. The most common cause of human firearm deaths is the 22. The 22 was the gun used by the US, Britain, Russia & France in WWII for assassination and silent killing.

Don't underestimate it.

[Auszie]

Just remember, the .22 is a ricochet bullet. Meaning it will do some SERIOUS damages upon impacting bones, as it will then usually ping pong around and hit and likely decimate multiple structures, unlike most larger caliber bullets that stay on the same paths and exit more often than the .22! This would be why I am a fan of the .22, dirt cheap ($3.10 x50 rounds) and very effective for self defense with high likelihood of a kill shot with one shot because of the ricochet phenomenon!

[Auszie]

Take for example, the skull. .22 Bullet usually goes in, doesn't usually come out! Because it will not only just go through the brain once, but will bounce off of the inner skull and then follow new paths and so on until coming to rest. Same for the chest cavity, these bullets go in but do not go out if they hit bone and ricochet to other paths when coming into contact with ribs etc. through more tissues and so on until resting.

Never, ever underestimate the power of the .22!

[03SilveradoGuy]

While it is true that the .22 is deadly, especially because of the ricochet effect you correctly point out, its really not recommended for self defense b/c of low penetration and in the case of drugged or ortherwise shot up assailants, very little stopping power.

[Auszie]

That is very true, it would be unwise to fight with a .22 against semi-auto or else fully automatic assault rifles etc. Very good point. But, there is a reason why they are still used to this very day in combat as sniping rifles, they are quiet, inexpensive and they get the job done 9/10 times. And in a sticky situation up close, they will still get the job done if necessary. Just saying, they should not be discounted simply because of their size. The .22 is the most deadly caliber to date.

[ThePoisonYouth]

If all you are doing is shooting to kill on the first shot and don't expect too much confrontation, that's true. The KGB and Israel used them as assassin's weapons back in the 70's. Both of them used Ruger 10/22's at one point and time. A suppressed .22 with subsonic rounds sounds like nothing from 50-100 yards away and they have a very high rate of fire when automatic. It's also pretty hard to trace back who it is when everyone is using the same ammo.

[acbd659491]

@Auszie where do you buy your ammo? i can get a brick (500) for 12 bucks here in vegas.. but thats usually at gun shows. as for those arguing about the .22, a gun is a gun. if you shoot better with a .22 than a 9mm.. use the .22. use what you are familiar and comfortable with and also use what you train with. .22 vs a knife, .22 wins. trained .22 shooter vs. average .45 shooter.. .22 wins. catch my drift? .22 vs automatic rifle? depends on range and conditions. .22 drifts bad in wind

[Auszie]

Well, seeing as I live in California, nowhere but Outdoor World has any in my location, and that's a 60 mile drive. I got lucky when I went as they had just restocked and they sure weren't cheap, and they don't know when they will get anymore. I have to buy online now at a hefty $50 or $80 because all of the cheaper value packs are sold out and not on backorder everywhere you look. Hoarding more than tripled with that new ammo bill of Arnold's too. It's bad.

[03SilveradoGuy]

Its rediculous the restrictions that the PRC (People's Republic of California) puts on law abiding citizens trying to purchase ammunition. I certainly hope that you arent paying 50 or 80 bucks for .22 caliber. Its like $1.50 for 100 rounds of it here.

[h8uall66]

@acbd659491

I totally agree.

[Halvorson]

i dont get why peoeple rated it so low. its for comparing.

[xfpsnoob]

weak. lol