What about .22magnum?? It's mainly a rifle cartridge, but how about from a handgun??

After reading dozens of websites proclaiming the virtues of the .22caliber magnum cartridge in both rifles and handguns, I concluded these people were "rationalizing" about handgun performance rather than stating dependable facts. We all tend to do that. When we purchase something we're not sure about we rationalize ourselves into thinking we did the right thing only to end up later selling it or trading it at a loss.

Well, none of the many sites I found had any terminal ballistic data for the .22mag from handguns showing expansion and penetration results in gelatin, water, wetpaper, mud, pigs, etc.(Goldenloki has some 22LR data but no 22Mag and Ricardelli had only one 22mag data point in a water jug with a round fired from a rifle that fragmented). Not even the great M&S lists it in their 3rd book. A few writers mentioned penetration in dry phone books. But nothing I could really point to and say the .22magnum is better or worse than any other caliber from a handgun. There was a gap between reality and fiction.

My dealer had several 22mag handguns available at bargain prices so I decided to find out for myself if 22mag was any good. I purchased a Heritage "Rough Rider" 22LR/22Mag combination revolver 4-1/2"barrel, a Cobra 22mag derringer 2.4"barrel, and an NAA 22mag mini revolver 1-1/8"barrel. Initially I only function fired the Heritage (excellent) and the Cobra (terrible trigger, over 15lb pull). The Cobra also had a hazardous problem initially with the top firing pin protruding at all times preventing the hinged barrel from closing with a round in the chamber. This could have caused a really bad AD if the barrel was 'slamed shut' with a loaded round. I found I could correct it myself by simply removing the cover plate and grinding the removable firing pin tip down. I did this before I test fired the gun. But then found out the trigger was terrible. In addition, the "effective" barrel length of the Cobra 22mag is really only 1.07" considering the length of the cartridge, which is actually less than the 1.125" barrel of the NAA revolver. So the Cobra went back to the dealer as part payment for the NAA.

My range reopened and I was able to conduct the wetpack test with results shown in the photo. Basically, the results were pitiful, except for good penetration. Not shown in the photo is the result of firing 1 shotshell ("snake shot") round (CCI WMR, 1/8oz #12shot) at the wetpack. From 6' the pattern covered 8"diam. with the 175 pellets nicely dispered, but penetration was only 2" in the wetpack (equivalent to maybe 3" gelatin). You're gonna haveta get closer to the snake than 6' to kill it with this pitiful round. (Do you want to get closer!!)

Draw your own conclusions from the photo, but if you want to mess with .22magnum, I recommend you get a rifle chambered for it that would be good for varmints.

og