In my previous post, I discussed a new revolver intended for self defense use chambered for the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire cartridge.
Long time reader knirirr has a question ….
“ I’ve heard that handgun ammunition prices can be quite high at the moment (the rifle rounds I buy are certainly so). Would there be any significant advantage to the .22 you mention in saving on ammunition costs? “
That is a very good question, although a bit tough to answer. To dig out some data I went to Lucky Gunner, a website that not only sells ammunition but also lists the cost per cartridge to help the budget-minded make a decision. Just to make things as uncluttered as possible I decided to compare the cost of .22 WMR with the cartridge I use most often for defense, the 9mm Parabellum.
The page for .22 WMR shows prices all over the map, which is to be expected when the largest possible variety of manufacturers and loads are offered. At the time of this writing, 22 different WMR loads are offered with the price per round ranging from $0.17 USD to $0.75 USD (£0.13 GBD to £0.58 GBP). Ammunition that I consider suitable for defensive use, the hollowpoints, are actually the cheapest on the list with a cost per round of $0.17 (£0.13 GBD).
Thanks for the analysis!
I suppose, then, that this gun might possibly suit someone who doesn’t own other handguns, is intent upon doing a great deal of practice and particularly concerned about ammunition costs – perhaps not a big market.
I’m with knirirr – anyone who practices enough to care about the 10 cent difference between two rounds of .22 mag and one 9mm is probably not going to carry a .22 mag for self-defense anyway. It’s a Catch-22 (excuse the pun).
Let’s see: pull the trigger once, two shots fire. The ATF defines a machine gun as- “Any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.” Own or carry at your own risk!
Good point!
I came here to say the same thing, but Jim beat me to it. Perhaps if the manufacturer split the trigger, similarly to how double barrel shotguns or rifles with double triggers are set up, but put the triggers side by side it would get around this issue. As it is, this handgun certainly fits the BATFE definition of machine gun better than a bump stock.