We have had an interesting discussion under "Rifles" regarding the suitability of the 22 Mag in a rifle for defense, and the advice was not to rely on it. I have taken this advice, but now have just a simple curiosity about what I call "the 22 Mag Mystery".
The mystery is that there are many, many anecdotes about the 22 Mag killing deer sized game in the hands of poachers - in fact, poaching and the 22 Mag now go hand in hand. I have only used it for pest control, but inside of 50 yards, it is actually over powered for groundhogs.
In FMJ they penetrate a Kevlar Vest, and the wound channel from a CCI MaxiMag +V in HP is very similar to a 357 Mag 124 gr HP from a 4 inch revolver. There is no difference in velocities betweem my 20 inch Rem 597 and my 17 inch Taurus pump - both average 2265 to 2340 fps with 30 grain CCIs, and 1865 to 1910 fps with 40 grainers.
This level of performance puts the 22 Mag in a completely different category from the 22 LR, not just from a velocity perspective, but the jacketed 22 Mags have a radically different terminal performance. For one thing, they are spinning at 130,000 RPM and throw sharp jacket chards great lateral distances in soft tissue - hence the 357 Mag wound channels.
With this said, I am wondering if any of you have had experience with the 22 Mag in a rifle to support of refute this power mystery.
For defensive purposes, think in terms of 3 quick shots, rather than 1, say 2 HPs followed by a FMJ.
The mystery is that there are many, many anecdotes about the 22 Mag killing deer sized game in the hands of poachers - in fact, poaching and the 22 Mag now go hand in hand. I have only used it for pest control, but inside of 50 yards, it is actually over powered for groundhogs.
In FMJ they penetrate a Kevlar Vest, and the wound channel from a CCI MaxiMag +V in HP is very similar to a 357 Mag 124 gr HP from a 4 inch revolver. There is no difference in velocities betweem my 20 inch Rem 597 and my 17 inch Taurus pump - both average 2265 to 2340 fps with 30 grain CCIs, and 1865 to 1910 fps with 40 grainers.
This level of performance puts the 22 Mag in a completely different category from the 22 LR, not just from a velocity perspective, but the jacketed 22 Mags have a radically different terminal performance. For one thing, they are spinning at 130,000 RPM and throw sharp jacket chards great lateral distances in soft tissue - hence the 357 Mag wound channels.
With this said, I am wondering if any of you have had experience with the 22 Mag in a rifle to support of refute this power mystery.
For defensive purposes, think in terms of 3 quick shots, rather than 1, say 2 HPs followed by a FMJ.