[Antiacus]

I've been going back and forth on this. .22 is really fantastic for plinking but i'm just not seeing how useful it is in a survival situation.

On the other hand there are dandy's out there for barely over $100 bucks and ammo is so cheap.

It seems like the practical applications would be limited to hunting squirrels & the like.

I'd love to hear people's ideas on this.

 

[malcontent]

a .22 rifle and/or handgun are the foundation on which most collections should be built. this is especially true if you are new to firearms.

any of us could go on about why this is true but we'd only be repeating what has been said here a million times.

buy, buy, buy...

 

[blue123]

when i was growing up it seemed like evryone had a .22 rifle loaded in the closet for a house gun and for recreation,plinking,rabbits and such......i still have a .22 boltgun for bustin bunnies and rolling cans.....as for self defence dont sell the .22 short it is a deadly round and i have seen first hand what a .22 can do, as an example: i knew a man who was shot in the arm with one, the bullit entered the wrist curcumvented the arm and came to rest at the elbow just under the skin....painful is an understatement......

one more example:recently an 8 year old kid killed two men with a .22 single shot one was his dad...........i have heard of deer bieng taken with a .22 by a good freind of mine but i have never actualy seen it....bottom line is i can whole heartedly recomend ownership of the lowly .22rf pistol or rifle for the survival arsenal:thumb:...........

 

[tnrick55]

best dang gun i ever owned and the most usefull.don't ever under estimate a 22.i old i been there done that.nuff said

 

[FLsurvivalist]

I love my Ruger 10/22. It is small, ammo is cheap, it's deadly accurate. IMO, the best all around gun, especially for a survival situation.

 

[NEWGUY556]

It is better than a rock for defense.
Ammo is cheaper than any other caliber. It does not matter what kind of gun you have or how many bullets if you are not proficient. You don't get proficient without using it.
I shoot 22's more often now than centerfire weapons. So in my opinion a .22 is pretty handy.

 

[Wright B. Hindya]

I've been going back and forth on this. .22 is really fantastic for plinking but i'm just not seeing how useful it is in a survival situation.

On the other hand there are dandy's out there for barely over $100 bucks and ammo is so cheap.

It seems like the practical applications would be limited to hunting squirrels & the like.

I'd love to hear people's ideas on this.

Is there actually a debate about a .22 being useful?

 

[LuniticFringeInc]

I cant agree more with the replys that have already made. Without a dount its one of the most valuable calibers, not to mention affordable enough to easily own a gazillon rounds in your stash.

Its not a charging bear stopper, its not really a people stopper either although it can definitely ruin ones day in a major way, or even a effcient Moose stopper, but it will do just about everything else you will ever ask of it and do it for less than 3 cents a shot!

Besides of all the guns I have, my 22's have had the dawg snot shot out of them and are still pulling yeoman duty with no end in sight, and are the ones I enjoy shooting the most. How much more could you ask for?

 

[birdman]

I've been going back and forth on this. .22 is really fantastic for plinking but i'm just not seeing how useful it is in a survival situation.

On the other hand there are dandy's out there for barely over $100 bucks and ammo is so cheap.

It seems like the practical applications would be limited to hunting squirrels & the like.

I'd love to hear people's ideas on this.

You've answered your own question... There is survival - filling the stewpot and there is survival - repelling invaders. Neither application is adequately fulfilled by one gun (combo guns aside).

Repelling invaders is better served by something big and heavy that can reach out at distance. That same gun would kill the squirrel alright, but what would be left for the pot? Likewise the .22 is great for small game, but would be ineffective as a long range defensive gun. That being said, included in my bug-out guns (3 long guns & 6 handguns - no, I'm not on foot) is a 3" .22 revolver and a bolt action .22 rifle.

Allan

 

[PAGUY]

For basic "putting food on the table" survival it is tough to beat a 22. If would be difficult to fight the argument that a larger caliber or gauge would not be a better tool to neutralize a predator (two or four foot).

 

[MIL-DOT]

From most of what I've read,for years, there is no single better survival gun than the humble .22. And don't under estimate its value in a HD/Zombie scenario,either.:

 

[FLsurvivalist]

A .22 will take down anything....with a properly placed head shot.

 

[PAGUY]

You can always use a follow up shot if you had nothing else.

 

[salatheel]

And with a 10-22 25 and 50rd mags are available.

 

[curdog]

A 22 with a good marksman behind it can bring meat to the pot and deal two legged problems a lot of misery.

 

[Herd Sniper]

"A .22 will take down anything....with a properly placed head shot."

How you use a .22 is very important. Every firearm has its strengths and their weaknesses. By understanding what your firearm will and will not do is very important so that you can come up with the right tactics to effectively use it.

If you are planning to go for a head shot, keep in mind that you have got to get pretty darn close to your target to make such a shot. That means that you will be taking more chances of being seen and possibly engaged before you are ready to attack. Can it be done? Yes, it can but why go for a .22 for attack or defense when a nice medium caliber rifle or handgun is more effective in the personal defense area? And you don't need to get so close either.

 

[kenxkillz]

the .22 is probably the most commonly owned gun in america.....thats for a reason....its great in many ways, fun, cheap, accurate with some guns, you can carry probably AT LEAST 5x more .22 lr's in a backpack than you could carry .223's. and even if the first shot doesnt drop whatever your shooting at, thats why they have 20, 25, 30, 40, and 50 round mags for the 10/22!!!!! buy, buy, buy, or just dont be prepared.

 

[prprd_1]

The only debate about the 22 lr in the survival battery is which is more useful the 22 or the 12 gauge? (kids don't let this hijack the thread we can start our own!) The 22 really shows its stuff in the weight catagory. Anyone who can walk and is of decent health can carry 2000-3000 rounds in on their back through as rough of terrain as their body and physically take. Say that for any other caliber that is disscussed regularly in SHTF situations!

Darn I was beaten buy 1 min!!

 

[Jamie45]

Along with what everybody else said, don't lose sight of the fact that sometimes it can be to your advantage to solve a problem as quietly as possible. :taped:

 

[Antiacus]

Along with what everybody else said, don't lose sight of the fact that sometimes it can be to your advantage to solve a problem as quietly as possible. :taped:

Now there's a compelling argument for a .22.

Good point indeed.

Thanks for the replies all.