Is The 22 Magnum Good for Self Defense?

About this video

Colion explores whether .22 Magnum can serve as a viable home defense caliber, particularly for recoil-sensitive shooters. He outlines what he sees as the round’s advantages—including manageable recoil, improved modern reliability, higher capacity options, and reduced overpenetration risk—while emphasizing that it requires superior shot placement and multiple hits to compensate for lower stopping power compared to 9mm or larger calibers. Colion concludes that while he personally wouldn’t choose .22 Magnum, recent advances in platforms and ammunition have made it a defensible choice for those with specific needs, provided users understand its limitations.

Key takeaways

• Colion argues that .22 Magnum is a ’last resort’ caliber best suited for shooters highly sensitive to recoil (arthritis, age) who can train more effectively with lighter recoil.
• According to Colion, modern .22 Magnum pistols offer improved reliability, higher capacity (15+ rounds), and self-defense-specific hollow-point ammunition unavailable in the past.
• Colion stresses that .22 Magnum’s lower energy per round demands excellent shot placement on ‘switches’ (immediate incapacitation zones) and compensatory volume of fire to be effective.

Episode details: published March 30, 2025 · 11:54 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Colion Noir’s legal commentary reflects his positions and teaching, attributed to him — it is not legal advice. His defensive-incident breakdowns are his analysis of reported incidents, attributed to him.

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