When the infamous caliber debate comes up, most people agree that 9mm or larger calibers are ideal for self-protection, though, many people will argue that .380 can work effectively for self-defense.
Of course, it goes without saying that the power of your ammunition only matters if you are accurate with your shots.
That being said, if you’re accurate (and some would say, with some luck), you may be able to effectively defend yourself with an even smaller bullet.
Even .22.
Yes, really, .22 can even do the job if you are a good shot. As an example of that, take a guy in Colorado (hat tip to here for the lead). Luke McCoy writes,
A Pueblo homeowner shot a man in the leg on December 8, 2025, after discovering him inside his residence during what authorities say was a burglary in progress.
At approximately 2:26 p.m., Pueblo Police Dispatch received a call from a woman reporting that her brother had shot someone. Responding officers arrived at the home and located the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Ricardo Alonzo Diaz, with a gunshot wound to his right thigh. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Yes, the firearm used in this self-defense shooting was a .22 pistol, and once released from the hospital, the guy who was shot was booked “on charges of second-degree burglary.”
Now, again, neither I nor most people familiar with firearms would recommend .22 as your choice of self-defense ammunition. Sure, it’s great for target shooting and for plinking, and it’s fun to shoot.
It just doesn’t have a lot of stopping power.
If you’re accurate, though, you don’t necessarily need the most stopping power. You need good accuracy so that it can get the job done.
And I’ll argue all day that a .22 pistol in your hand is more effective self-protection than a .40 pistol in your gun safe at home.
Sometimes it really is a matter of using what you have on hand to get the job done and save your life.
