The 3 Best 22 LR Rifles for Home Defense

Rossi RS22 Threaded Barrel

In some states, including my former home state of Washington, 22 LR rifles are exempt from “assault weapons” provisions. In other states, restrictions on magazine capacity don’t apply to tube fed magazines. Additionally, 22 LR rifles are often light, easy to manuever, and are always easy to shoot. Legendary lawman Chuck Haggard himself has said that every shooting he responded to where a 22 LR rifle was the weapon resulted in a homicide. All these factors combine to open the conversation about what are the three best 22 LR rifles for home defense.

22 LR Ammo Overview

The humble 22 Long Rifle cartridge has come a long way. There are COUNTLESS different grain weights, hollow point types, and velocities available, however when you’re selecting a 22 LR round for home defense, you’ll want to focus on a round that feeds in your gun and gives you sufficient penetration to meet the FBI standard, which 12-16 inches in ballistics gel.
This means that you’ll want to avoid a lot of hollow point rounds or fragmenting rounds like the CCI Stinger, as at rifle velocities those rounds will expand and thus not penetrate sufficiently. Your best bets are solids in the 30-40 grain range, which luckily are plentiful and common. Some of my favorites are the classic CCI Minimag, the Federal 40gr Auto Match that’s available at big box stores, and the Aguila 38gr hollow point. I know I said avoid hollow points in general, but I make an exception for the Aguila because it doesn’t seem to expand, even from a rifle.

The State of the Rimfire Rifle Market

There’s never been a better time to get into the rimfire rifle market. Gone are the days where if you wanted a reliable 22 LR your choice was a Ruger 10/22 with a wood stock or a Ruger 10/22 with a synthetic stock. Rossi, S&W, Tactical Solutions, and many other manufacturers are all making reliable rimfire rifles that you can outfit with various accessories as you see fit. You can spend as little as you like or as much as you like all the way up to thousands of dollars for a custom race rifle.
For the purpose of this article, we’re going to focus on semi-auto rifles and omit bolt action and lever guns, not because I don’t like those rifles but because if we’re selecting a rimfire rifle for home defense, part of the value proposition for that rifle is the ability to deliver a volume of fire with basically zero recoil. With that in mind, let’s get into the rankings.

Ruger 10/22

You knew it was going to be on this list. This is the gold standard of rimfire rifles, and has such a robust aftermarket that you can actually build out a 10/22 pattern rifle that has no parts made by Ruger. Wild. However, if we’re sticking with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions, I’d recommend the Ruger 10/22 Tactical, model number 1261. This is a simple 10/22, and avoids a lot of the overtly “tactical” features that do nothing more than add weight. It has a rail on top for mounting an optic, and if you’re smart you could sneak a small WML light mount on there as well.

Rossi RS22 Threaded

The Rossi RS22 Threaded barrel model retails for like $150 and is available in big box stores throughout the country. It has good iron sights, and has a dovetail/receiver mount that has a crazy number of rail adapters or scope mounts available if you want to go the optics route. The only knock on the RS22 is that it is only available with 10 round magazines, but the flip side is that those 10 round magazines work great and are plentiful. It would also be difficult to mount a WML on this rifle, unless you want to go hose-clamps and hundred mile an hour tape, which would be kind of gangster when you think about it. But honestly, the coolest thing about this gun is that for less than $700 you can buy 4 guns, 12 additional magazines beyond what comes with the guns, and 3000-ish rounds of ammo. You could outfit an entire rimfire fire team, which if you’ve got a wife and two medium sized kids…well there you go.

S&W M&P15-22

This is on the list because it is without a doubt the most “tactical” of the bunch, and again has a tendency to work well when you’re thoughtful about ammo selection. The biggest knock against the S&W is the price, running around $500. Plus, since these have rails like you’d expect on an M4, there’s a temptation to ruin the rifle by hanging a bunch of heavy shit on it, and suddenly your 4 lb rifle is 8 lbs and that’s a lot less fun to cart around. I’d stick with the simplest configuration possible and resist the urge to put anything on this other than a red dot and a WML. But it’s on the list because it’s the easiest to add said WML to.

Other Options

There are loads of other 22 LR rifle options out there. Savage, Mosserg and countless other companies make great options. No matter which 22 LR rifle you select for home defense, your first order of business has to be reliability testing. You need to make sure the gun works with your ammo, because reliability is always the biggest failing on rimfire rifles.

I’ve also owned all three of the rifles I’ve recommended on this list. This is likely a big part of why they made the list. I know they work, I know their capabilities, and I’d trust any one of them. If I was buying one for myself, I’d get a Rossi RS22 and a great little suppressor for it, and go about my life.

Train with Taurus and Caleb

train with Caleb

Yes, I fully realize that it’s been over 3 years since I updated here, but one of my resolutions is to start writing more, better content. So here we are. However, the first post I write in 2024 is going to be a commercial: here are some opportunities to train with me in 2024.

The first is a combo CCW/Snub revolver class at Homestead Training Center, February 17-18. Here’s some info on the class:

Two Day Concealed Carry Skills Development Course
Come train with Melody Lauer and Caleb Giddings as CDR offers its first ever CCW Skills Course, which consists of two days of training built around the student’s needs. Students can sign up for either day of training or both days!
Day 1: Concealed Carry Skills ($300)
Learn to run your concealed carry handgun from one of the best diagnostic instructors in the game. CCW Skills is a comprehensive course designed to equip individuals with the knowledge and proficiency needed for responsible concealed carry. In this dynamic class, students will delve into essential aspects of firearm safety, marksmanship, and legal considerations to foster a well-rounded understanding of concealed carry. Topics include but are not limited to: Drawing from concealment, reloading the gun under duress, strong and weak hand only shooting, the use of cover, and more!
Day 2: Small Revolver Skills ($300)
Training Day 2 focuses on the skills specific to operating a small frame revolver as a primary or backup concealed carry gun. This 8 hour block of instruction will cover topics ranging from concealment options/positions such as AIWB, traditional IWB, pocket carry, off-body carry, and more. The courses of fire focus on practical uses of the small revolver from concealment, and is taught by ICORE and IDPA Revolver Master class shooter Caleb Giddings.

Book Both Training Days and Save ($500)

Again, you can sign up for this class at this link.

The next will be the Taurus Handgun Experience, but more details on this are coming soon.

The last one for the year will be my full, two day Fundamental Revolver Skills course in Terre Haute, Indiana on July 13-14. This is my flagship training course, and is a fairly significant deep dive into the world of high level revolver shooting. Tickets are available at the link above, and so far everyone who’s come out has had a great time and learned a lot.

As far as writing, you can definitely look for more content from me on that front.

Say hello to the Aero Precision EPC-9 PCC

It’s like 1997 all over again, because every company is making pistol caliber carbines. The latest entry in the market isn’t some unheard-of startup though – it’s Aero Precision, who have been making quality AR parts and complete rifles for years now. Enthusiasts love Aero, and they’re going to love their latest offering: the Aero Precision EPC-9.

What is it?

Obviously, the Aero Precision EPC-9 is a 9mm pistol caliber carbine, at least in its full form. However, Aero will also be selling component kits to builders who want to make their carbine. This makes sense, given that a large number of Aero’s consumers are home builders who want to make their own guns. If you’re one of those people, good news! Phase One of the launch will include all of the following:

  • Receiver sets
  • 9​mm bolt carrier groups/assemblies
  • Lower parts kids
  • 9​mm barrels in 5.5, 8.3, 11, and 16 inch lengths
  • New lengths for the ATLAS handguard
  • Complete upper receivers

T​he EPC-9 is compatible with most AR parts, although Aero recommends using their parts to guarantee reliable function. The one caveat is triggers – blowback operated PCCs tend to be harder on triggers than DI rifles, so make sure whatever trigger kit you use is PCC rated.

H​ow’s it work?

loaded Aero Precision EPC-9

T​he Aero Precision EPC-9, whether in full rifle form or home brew, is a blowback operated 9mm PCC that feeds from Glock mags. It has a last round bolt hold open function, which is installed at the factory, and the lower receiver has a flared magwell so you can nail your mandatory reloads on PCC classifiers. You can also build one using a stripped lower and upper for 40 S&W, if that floats your boat, but the initial launch all the Aero-made parts will be for 9mm builds. Plus, all the Aero barrels are threaded 1/2×28 so you’ll be able to add common muzzle devices to your new carbine.

Why another PCC?

T​he PCC market is pure fire right now. Between competition shooters and people looking for a 9mm version of their home defense gun, pistol caliber carbines were flying off the shelves even before the great gun panic of 2020. Aero has been making quality receivers and parts for AR platform rifles forever, so it makes sense that they’d enter the PCC market in a smart way – ready to go. The Aero Precision EPC-9 looks like an awesome gun in this market, especially if you want to step up and start competing right away.

G​et your Aero Precision EPC-9 today!

Considering the current state of the firearms market, I would get my order placed today. The Aero Precision EPC-9 is launching with everything ready to go, and there are receiver sets available. If you don’t get one in the initial launch, be patient because production will ramp up as we get closer to summer time and more carbines come available. Order yours at Aero Precision today!

Revolvers Don’t Jam

One of the most commonly quoted misconceptions about wheelguns is that “revolvers don’t jam.” This is based on the correct idea that because a revolver is entirely mechanically driven, it’s more tolerant of neglect than a semi-automatic pistol. You pull a lever, it rotates a cylinder, and everything happens.

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Vista Outdoor Back Ordered to the tune of $1 Billion

vista logo

Vista Outdoor, owner of the Federal, CCI, Speer, and Remington brands of ammunition, announced that they have back orders that extend over a year, and amount to over a billion dollars of orders at wholesale cost. This was revealed by CEO Chris Metz during the company’s second quarter earnings call.

For Vista Outdoor to be back ordered this badly is unprecedented across the industry. Everyone is asking the question of when will the ammo crisis end, and this doesn’t paint a rosy picture for gun owners looking to get back to normal. Vista is currently running three shifts non-stop at their plants, as is Olin (Winchester) and Magtech in Brazil.

The good news for Vista is that their sales are up 29% compared to last year, and their gross profit has increased 78% relative to last year. On the earnings call, Mr Metz disclosed their current gross profit is $162 million dollars. This reflects the record-breaking year that the firearms industry has experienced across the board, and Vista’s benefited from having fingers in every pie in the industry.

Vista Outdoor’s back order status does have some negative implications for gun owners. Unless demand drops off precipitously, every round of ammo leaving the factory for the next year is spoken for, which means there won’t be a return to normal availability levels until late 2021 in the best case scenario. If demand doesn’t drop, shooters can also expect to see elevated prices for common calibers like 9mm and 223 Remington stay in place for some time. With 9mm selling as high as $1.25 p/round on Gunbroker, this is definitely going to curtail people’s ability to practice.

With the Biden administration already working with the ATF to enact gun control via executive action, it’s a safe bet that the demand for ammo will stay high for some time. Good luck, everyone.

Is the Beretta APX any good?

I’m always interested in the search terms that pop up around guns. For example, a related term for Beretta APX is “Is the Beretta APX any good?” Well let me answer that one for you: yes. In fact, the Beretta APX might be the best deal you can get on a new 9mm carry gun right now.

If I’m answering the question of “is the Beretta APX any good” we have to start with the price point. For many reasons, the APX series of guns is priced very well. I looked on Grabagun, and they’re in stock for around $350 for a standard model. Some upgraded models like the RDO or Combat are a bit more expensive, but if all you want for self defense is “pistol, 9mm” then you can get an APX for less than 4 bills. That’s…really good. In fact that’s so good it means no one should ever buy a gun from a second tier brand again. Why would you buy a Canik (at the disco) or an XD when you can get an actual good gun for the same price? It makes no sense.

Beretta APX RDO

Actually, when you start to examine this whole thing, the price point of the APX really starts to make other guns look unattractive. We’re in the golden age of striker fired 9mm pistols right now. You could buy an APX, a Sig P320, a Glock 19/17/45, HK VP9, M&P 2.0, or a Walther PPQ, and they’re all going to be good to go. The big difference between all those guns is the APX is 100-150 bucks cheaper at retail, but at the end they all do the exact same thing: carry 15-17 rounds, accept red dots, and are boringly reliable. As of right now, I’ve got 4,220 rounds through three different APX pistols, and they keep chugging along.

So if you’re asking “is the Beretta APX any good” the answer is yes. It’s reliable, it’s accurate, and it’s extremely affordable. The only knock is that there isn’t a huge aftermarket for it, but JM Custom Kydex makes holsters for it, and Beretta actually has a pretty good selection of parts. So yeah dude, it’s pretty good. Good enough to finish in the top 10 at Nationals with one!

IDPA cancels 2020 National Championship

In a news update post on their Instagram and website, the International Defensive Pistol Association has announced the cancellation of the 2020 National Championship Match, which was scheduled for September 23-26th, 2020. The match was planned to take place in Colorado, however due to ongoing concerns stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak, IDPA has decided to cancel the match.

The major reasons cited for the cancellation are the economic effects on the shooters and the match sponsors. The match can’t be held without sponsors, whose donations pay for the bulk of the expenses involved in putting a national championship on. In her message, Executive Director Joyce Wilson also cited the economic impact to shooters – with many people, including IDPA members, out of work it may be quite an economic hardship to travel to the match just to compete. This is also true for match staff, who are all unpaid volunteers.

IDPA said that there will be a Nationals match in September 2021, and that they will extend the eligibility requirements for this match to allow the maximum number of shooters to participate. By canceling and announcing the new date so far in advance, IDPA appears to be attempting to avoid causing a major disruption to their membership’s lives. While it may seem premature to some, the concerns about putting on a poor quality match thanks to second and third order effects from COVID-19 are legitimate. By canceling far in advance, shooters won’t have booked plane tickets, travel, and serious competitors can re-arrange their training schedules accordingly.

You can read the full text of the release here.

New merchandise for Gun Nuts!

As part of bringing the blog back to life I also have launched some new merchandise! We’ve got shirts and stickers for your amusement. The merch page is named Garbage Apparel, and we’ve got cool designs.

run your gun not your mouth

For example, the most popular seller is the sticker above: it’s five bucks and looks great on an ammo can or laptop. You can also get it on a shirt, but honestly I like the sticker best for this. I also have a new design featuring dinosaurs, and of course my classic Firefly themed design that references a very Cunning hat.

The newest addition is a great truth from shooting: If you shoot fast you look cool. No question about that, so get the shirt that proclaims the truth!

chicks dig guys that shoot fast

Performance Based Shooting

What is performance based shooting? Quite simply, it’s the idea that the act of shooting a gun doesn’t change, regardless of your circumstances. To be specific, the mechanical act of shooting is the same regardless of why you’re shooting, and because of that our approach to the act of shooting should be based on performance and metrics, not feelings.

To explore this concept, I interviewed Matthew Little, aka Greybeard Actual. Matt is a former Green Beret, recently retired from Chicago PD at a SWAT officer, and is also a high level competition shooter and brand ambassador for STI. He is one of few people in the industry who can address the idea of performance based shooting from all the relevant angles that matter. Obviously, I want you to listen to the whole interview, but I’ll pull out some of the good bits for this post.
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