22 Mag for Bug Out Rifle / Self Defense?

[okchief]

Been thinking of picking up one of Kel-Tec's CMR - 30s to keep as a bug out / self defense rifle. Maybe to keep in a bug out bag or vehicle. I like the standard collapsible /pdw style stock, the small 30 round mags, being able to store thousands of rounds with very little space. I just don't know if 22 mag would be an effective man stopper if SHTF, theoretically. I know the saying "there isn't anything in Oklahoma a 22 mag won't kill.".. But, what about for self defense? Wouldn't be fond of waiting for my attacker to stop bleeding out before he stops shooting at me. Could it actually put someone down?
Any thoughts?

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[okeydoke]

There's no subsonic rd for for the 22 mag. If shtf, a sound suppressor and night vision will be essential. An AR15 with a Ciener .22lr conversion unit (30 shot box mag) would be a lot more of what will be needed. Subsonic 60 gr Aquila 22 ammo and 60 gr Nosler Partition softpoints for the 223. The 223 has 3x the power and range of the 22 mag. The 223 will pierce soft armor, while most 22 mag loads will not. The military arsenals are full of 223, not .22 mag. People have stashed billions of rds of 22lr, not 22 mag. A gun for which you have no ammo is a club. Ars can be had with luminous sights, chromed bores, dark, rust resistant finishes and sights that see over the sound suppressor. Not true of many, if any, 22 mags.

22 mag has, at best 350 ft lbs, from a rifle barrel. that means it hits no harder than a pocket 9mm with the 1350 fps 100 gr Corbon jhp. The shorty 223, however, has the same 850 ft lbs of a 4" .44 mag revolver. Which would you rather bet your life upon?

With 7.5" of 223 "can", the 60 gr Aquila .22 subsonic sounds like a BB gun (if you use your non-firing thumb to hold shut the bolt of the .22 conversion unit.) The sound suppressed .22 mag sounds just like the sound suppressed 223, audible at half a mile.

Google for Ciener .22lr conversion units and search youtube for them, sound suppressors, etc.

 

[adamsredlines]

My "bug out" .22 would be a 10/22 Takedown. Shoot Mini mags for a bit more power, cycle Colibri's by hand for quiet shooting...and the rest for general use.

 

[okchief]

My thoughts on the amount of ammo available is that if everyone has 5.56, that's going to be the first round to become unavailable when SHTF everyone is going to hoard it.. If stores or warehouses are looted that round will be the first to disappear. May be easier to get your hands on a round that's not so common like the 22 mag. Also one could easily carry 1000 rounds on their person. Not quite as easy with 5.56.

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[adamsredlines]

The 5.56 will be looted because it can be looted. Hard to loot something thats not on the shelf (.22 mag). Something to think about.

 

[okeydoke]

you can stockpile at least 2 rds of .22lr for every rd of .22 mag. you can put away components for reloading 223 for the same price as .22 mag ammo. 22 mag's a waste on a lot of small game, not really good enough for defense or deer, hogs, etc. So it's sort of neither here nor there. The AR breaks down in 5 seconds, to conceal in your pack, re-assembles to fire in 10 seconds, too. The AR can be had in pistol barrel lengths, with different rifling twist rates. The AR can be had as an 80% finished stripped lower receiver. Everyone should have one fighting rifle and one fighting pistol that nobody knows that they have. Especially if Clinton wins! Sound suppressors exist that are specifically scaled to shorty AR's, resulting in a very handy "package". AR's can be had in 4 lb format, with see-thru scope mounts, qd scope mounts, return to zero scope mounts, and protected iron sights.

 

[grwd]

.22mag is out because its way too f$$#%king loud for what it does

 

[Wheel Gun]

For a true SHTF scenario, a suppressed .22LR rifle would be indispensable. Optimally, it would be backed up by a slug/buck-loaded 12 guage or a rifle in .308 or 7.62X39. But, that quiet .22 would be used 99% of the time.

 

[okeydoke]

there will be no safe place to leave your other guns, and you'll have to always carry at least 25lbs of water, soft armor, survival gear, So, no, you wont be carrying another longarm. You also wont be shooting a gun you aint got with you. Nor will you have a crystal ball that tells you when to carry which. So, it's either a 223 autorifle with a .22lr conversion unit, or some other caliber, with a sound suppressed .22lr handgun. The .22 unit helps build 223 skill, practice with the handgun can not build rifle skill. A suppressor, luminous sights, folding stock, trigger job, scope, etc on the AR is automatically also added to the .22 unit in the AR. Saves you $1000+

 

[surjimmy]

There are better calibers, but a 22 mag is nothing to sneeze at.