The SHTF .22LR

Preparation, Preparedness & Prevention Disaster Preparation & Planning
1

I got some new respect for the .22LR some years ago in Maine when I was attacked by a pack of feral dogs one evening when coming off a archery stand deep in the woods during hunting season. I was waist deep in saw grass moving out and had just picked up my Ruger 10/22 rifle that I keep about 100yds from the stand for use as a escort gun while walking the two miles back to the road and my vehicle.

During my walk I started hearing something running all around me and since it was dusk and my short range red beam light only allowed me to see a few yards for navigation I stopped and jacked a round of 40gr. Aguila .22LR Interceptor copper coated solids into the chamber.

After about 30 seconds the first of what appeared as a dog made a short charge and then rolled to the left as I fired six rounds at close range and then the dog moved out of view. I continued to slowly walk and every time I heard the dogs close the distance on me I fired rounds at the flashes of movement in the grass.

I had two 25rd magazines and on inspection had eight rounds left in my second magazine once I was out. Now all this occurred in less then 20yds of travel and the whole event took little more then a minute but it had me thinking what could have happened if I did not have my Ruger a long. The following day was Sunday so at high noon I returned to my walk in point with a AR and slowly walked back to my stand where I found two dead dogs and blood trails for two more.

These dogs were completely wild and had no issue with challenging a human without fear. I’M glad I had a walking gun that trip and never go in the woods without being armed.

So that day I found what a .22LR can do to a 50 to 100lb predator in less then ideal conditions as some of the Aguila Interceptors were able to completely penetrated some of the dogs.

So with this in mind I always wondered what a Aguila .22LR Interceptor copper coated solid could do penetration wise if it were used on a two legged threat during a self defense situation. A 40gr. solid at 1450FPS from a 10/22 barrel should be able to penetrate to a decent depth unless heavy bone is hit. Impact range would also be a consideration but if one had nothing else to use or needed it for a elderly, very small framed female or youth its better then throwing rocks.

So without getting into a caliber war and trying to stay true to the theme of the thread what merit if any do you think a .22LR rifle could have as a SHTF weapon and what configuration and loading would be most beneficial.

Here is some not very scientific utube video’s which show penetration of different .22 caliber rim-fires in water and sim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o25ieULe_Ik&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6exXXsf5XII&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAkOzr6cDx0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoU99SpCFQY

2

Pretty cool I just picked up my first 10/22 a month ago great little gun. I needed a 22 for rodents around the farm and its just the ticket. I have been meaning to get some 60g Agula and try them out on stuff.

3

Like you sir, I DO NOT want to come off as sounding like Im saying a
.22LR is great for defense. Only as you state, I do think people dont realize the exact power of the round. Ive seen them do things that before I woulda bet money wasnt possible. I know that at 100 yards, theyll go thru a golfball over half the time. Now, a golfball is a hard s.o.b. Ive killed game WAY out past 100 yards many times with one shot.Ive shot old cars, old houses, old appliances, all manner of targets with .22’s, and Ill tell you now, Ive got two 10/22’s here loaded with 50 rounds each of hv .40gr. lead ammo, and I will freakin stitch someones ass open with them if need be.
Very cool you popped those old feral bastards like that. I loathe with a passion a fuckin coyote or wild dog.
About 20 years ago, me and 2 friends were coyote hunting one night, I had some Burnham Bros. mouth calls I was using. Heard two different packs a few miles away, raising hell. Got to calling, they all got quiet. Kept calling, then went to a close range, less loud call,intermitenlly. About 30 minutes later…we were sitting back to back now…heard growling…lights come on…we got yotes 10 yards out and coming!!! For about a solid minute it sounded like the TET Offensive on that ridge!! I saw several, they each also saw several.
Now, Ill never know if them yotes, after getting so close, realized we were human and started growling, or of they thought I was a rabbit in distress…but we didnt do that shit no more!!

4

As a SHTF round, it definitely has some benefits. Obviously not ideal for every situation. Super plentiful and cheap ammo. Easy to carry much more of it then you could possibly need. Almost nonexistent recoil, and with the right gun can be blisteringly accurate. Relatively quiet even without a suppressor. Especially if you use the right ammo. In an urban setting, you don’t have to worry as much about how far and how much damage the bullet will do.

A 10/22 is a good choice for a rifle as it’s light and accurate, and has a ton of aftermarket upgrades available to make it even more accurate. Also, a variety of high quality magazines are available for it. Ruger 22/45 is a good choice for a handgun. Reliable, also a variety of aftermarket upgrades available. There are lots of ammo types available, from cheap plinking to match quality so its a matter of what works for the gun. That is one negative I guess. Lots of 22s are picky about what you feed it. Figure out what works for your gun and stick with it.

Also, excellent for hunting small game and birds. I would be hard pressed to part with a good 22. You can put together a nice set up for less than 500 bucks. What’s not to like?

5

My family friend’s farm is being terrorized by a larger pack of yotes, (Maine) but he wont let me sit on top of his barn at night with my goggles and some rifles.

I’m not even sure what the legality is up here with animals attacking your livestock.

6

alienb-
WHY THE HELL NOT?!! I lived next to a 996 acre farm, and was ASKED to kill them every time I saw one. I cannot understand a farmer not wanting someone to take care of the problem.:confused:

7

He’s more or less a hobby farmer…dunno how to explain it. His daughter has 10 horses, they have a few hundred chickens, (these are the primary target, they lose 2-3 a week) He had a cow that’d gotten loose, (chased away and harassed through several fences by the coyotes…) and he didn’t even want to be there when we put it down. (BTW Speer Gold Dot 230gr works just fine for the moo’in zombies too)

Hopefully he’ll wake up this winter when the coyotes start losing alternative sources of food and start wiping out his chickens wholesale. Night hunting these bastards will be much easier in the winter too…

Just need to come up with some money for a thermal to accompany my NODs >.>

8

Here is a slow motion gel shot with the 40 grain velocitor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEDo_PbAvJc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The good thing about .22, especially the solids, is the good deep penetration.

The wound channel tends to be pretty small in diameter, but penetration can often be 16".

So again, placement / number of hits is critical.

But if you do your part, it will do it’s part.

9

I have shot a ton of Yote’s up in Maine but my favorite gun for pit shooting was a Ruger PC-9 and Federal 115 +P+ H/P’s out of a camo tree stand.

But back to the .22LR of course penetration and shot placement are paramount unless you hit the CNS and I have seen Utube videos of .22LR H/V 40gr. solids punching through some thick stuff at ranges up to 300yds. Now I’M not saying a .22LR is anything but a short range proposition but one just has to wonder what it can really do penetration wise if forced into service.

10

I don’t see the wound profile being that great…but when I had the two 50rd 10/22 mags…well shit…100rds in less than 20 seconds? (Of course I broke them.)

I have a .30cal can of about 3200 .22 rounds for this purpose, I’m planning on adding 2-3 more cans for storage, I tend to buy a few boxes when it’s cheap at walmart.

11

Well they work great on knee caps and frontal lobes . . . just ask the IDF. :cool:

12

I have been giving more and more thought to the 22 lately. That is why I just sold my ruger 10/22 (easily replaceable) and a savage 22 to fund getting a mp15-22. I figure if the gun acts more like my real fighting guns the more I will use.

13

http://www.usrsog.org/equip.htm

a .22 equipped w/ a red dot is recommended in some SHTF survival situations, easy to hide, carry and carry a lot of ammo in different types.

14

just be careful when stockpiling 22 ammo. i have found that it does not store as well as regular centerfire ammo. more attention needs to be paid to moisture. make sure you if you are using ammo cans or any other type of box, you place some sort of moisture absorbing material in there as well. just a little moisture can ruin 1500 rounds. i am just shooting thru the ammo i have that is partially ruined before i start storing more. needless to say, lots of failures. i like to learn the hard way.

15

Does it looked damaged? I’ve got .22lr that’s been around for 30+ years. Just stored in a drawer in utility room, or ammo can in attic. Shoots fine. Do you live near the coast?

16

Same here I have 27 year old bricks of Remington Thunderbolts that was purchased in 1985 for my father were he stored them in a cardboard box in his garage. I recently have been shooting these bricks without issue so far but I do agree that very high humidity can take is toll on .22LR ammo.

17

I have a Ruger MkIII/Paclite that I put together specifically for SHTF (okay, and just general fun).

The configuration is very flexible and at a bear minimum allows taking small game, suppressed or un-suppressed, in a small, quiet and packable unit. And as was already mentioned, you can carry hundreds of rounds fairly easily.

18

How about the old henry survival rifle? I admit I have always wanted one.

https://www.google.com/search?q=henry+survival+rifle&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=DFNTUIzXAoX28gTw7oGoDg&sqi=2&ved=0CCUQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=579

Anyone have experience with them?

19

Phila PD, thanks for the dog story. I have not been to Maine since the 70s.

20

not damaged, just sitting in a very humid, and sometimes water prone fargo basement. about a 20% failure rate with those rounds. im glad you guys are having luck with your older rounds. i just learned an expensive lesson in ammo storage that only my 22 rounds seemed to be affected. now all my ammo is in metal cans with rechargeable desiccant packs. i heard people putting pieces of sheetrock in thier ammo cans too because they absorb moisture as well.