Have a Smith Wesson MP bodyguard 380 pistol, no safety. Put the Galloway trigger enhancements in it. 100% reliable. Load more for penetration than expansion.Only carry it in crazy hot AZ summers.

Reading more about the Ruger LCP II in 22.
Never shot one so not sure how the trigger compares. 10 rounds of 22. Seems to be okay with the high velocity stuff. Very similar size/weight. Sights don't look great but not a target pistol.

Would you trade 1 for the other? Cheaper ammo, more pleasant to shoot. A threaded barrel would be cool. Guessing someone will provide one.

Well...what's the goal?

Carry/self defense pistol = I'd take a .380 over a .22 any day. I shot the BG380 a bunch, not a good trigger, but it's super small and light. Though I've never shot one with a trigger job. The LCP II stock trigger is definitely nicer than a stock BG380 trigger.

You mentioned cheaper and more pleasant to shoot. For that I'd just get a .22lr plinker. Ruger Mkx, Buckmark, etc.

I'd never carry a .22lr for self defense if I had any other option. But that's me. A .22lr is better than nothing, but a 9mm is a whole lot better than that.

I wouldn't carry it just on one fact that I've had more ammo related malfunctions with rimfire cartridges than centerfire.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nismo,

If you were talking about a pair of 80-series Berettas I'd probably say yes, but I'm not sure what you're gaining with this trade. Would it make sense to trade for something like an M&P Compact .22?

It's funny that this came up. I recently sold my wife's Bodyguard. 380 and got her a lcp .22. She hated the long, heavy trigger on the Bodyguard, it was a struggle to shoot with any amount of accuracy.
After a lot of searching we ended up with the .22 lcp. She carries in her purse, so the pistol needed to be light, small and easy to make hits on a target with a minimal amount of range time. Ideally I would prefer she carried the .380 lcp but it's like pulling teeth to get her enough range time to be fairly proficient with it. With that .22 at 7 yards she can quickly send 10 rounds into an 8 in circle over and over. That's what's more important to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Nismo:
I wouldn't carry it just on one fact that I've had more ammo related malfunctions with rimfire cartridges than centerfire.

I can't remember the last failure to fire (not due to light primer strike by the gun) I had with a centerfire cartridge, but with .22 rimfire I get at least one dud, sometimes two, per ~100 cartridges fired. Those aren't good odds. A .22 LCP is good for two things: as a cheaper to shoot practice or "understudy" companion to the .380, or if one simply cannot handle any greater recoil.

quote:

I can't remember the last failure to fire (not due to light primer strike by the gun) I had with a centerfire cartridge, but with .22 rimfire I get at least one dud, sometimes two, per ~100 cartridges fired. Those aren't good odds. A .22 LCP is good for two things: as a cheaper to shoot practice or "understudy" companion to the .380, or if one simply cannot handle any greater recoil.

This right here. Even without going into arguments of power and energy delivery, I would not carry a rimfire for defensive purposes, ever. I've had far to many FTFs over the years to trust them. A rimfire is fun at the range as a cheap practice tool, good for shooting small game like rabbits and squirrels, and a good way to teach kids to shoot without having to worry about recoil. They have no place as a serious defensive tool.

With that in mind, IMO the LCP in .22 is the answer to the question nobody asked. The LCP is a passable backup gun for when you absolutely can't carry anything else. It's not a fun range gun. The trigger sucks, the grip sucks, and the sights suck. There are much better options for a .22 range gun (Ruger's Mk series, Browning Buckmark, CZ Kadet or Beretta 87 if you've got the coin...and many more).

If you like your M&P Bodyguard (and it sounds like you do), I definitely wouldn't trade it for an LCP...22 or otherwise.

I don't trust .22 to be reliable. I'm trying to work through a bad batch of Federal Auto Match where around 15% of the rounds don't fire on first strike. Rotate and re-chamber and they're just fine.

With a revolver you'd at least have a different round the next time you pull the trigger, but I still wouldn't rely on that.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

Originally posted by Nismo:
I wouldn't carry it just on one fact that I've had more ammo related malfunctions with rimfire cartridges than centerfire.

I can't remember the last failure to fire (not due to light primer strike by the gun) I had with a centerfire cartridge, but with .22 rimfire I get at least one dud, sometimes two, per ~100 cartridges fired. Those aren't good odds. A .22 LCP is good for two things: as a cheaper to shoot practice or "understudy" companion to the .380, or if one simply cannot handle any greater recoil.

One or two light strikes per 100 is way more than I experience. I probably fired 500 the last time I shot .22lr and didn’t have any failures. That’s through a pistol, two Henry lever actions and a AR. It was all bulk pack stuff too.

ETA: I still would never carry .22lr for self defense. But more because of the poor performance of the round.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pale Horse,

I'm sorry but I think you are going in the wrong direction....

Not for defensive use. No way.

.380 is marginal as it is, as far as effective penetration is concerned. Plus centerfire .380 ammo is significantly more reliable than rimfire .22 ammo, as previously mentioned.

While a .22 is potentially better than just harsh words and a pointy stick, I would never make a .22 pistol my Plan A for defensive use.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Not for defensive use. No way.

.380 is marginal as it is, as far as effective penetration is concerned. Plus centerfire .380 ammo is significantly more reliable than rimfire .22 ammo, as previously mentioned.

While a .22 is potentially better than just harsh words and a pointy stick, I would never make a .22 pistol my Plan A for defensive use.

My thoughts exactly. .22 is for plinking, not defensive use.

quote:

Replace a 380 with a 22?

Only time I'd go lower than 380 is if there was a reason 380 couldn't work.

I've seen people with arthritis and grip issues that used the Beretta .25's with tip-up barrels because they couldn't rack a slide.

Short of that I wouldn't go less than 380... 9mm really, since many 9s are as small as the 380s now.

The smallest gun I carry these days is a .38 j-frame.

quote:

While a .22 is potentially better than just harsh words and a pointy stick, I would never make a .22 pistol my Plan A for defensive use.

This

There are several schools of thought.

A .22 in the eye beats a miss with a 380.

Average .22's are not reliable, BUT Eley Tenex and Aguila Super Extra are two brands with Elegy priming and ARE reliable.

.22 is not my first choice, but it sure beats a pocket knife.

My theory is to carry the largest caliber you can accurately shoot with. Several times a year, at least, this means carrying a 380 EZ because arthritis keeps me from manipulating the gun well and the recoil of 9mm becomes quite painful.

I sometimes carry a .22 Magnum revolver with Hornady Critical Defense ammo. Revolver because a bad primer ignition can be quickly overcome.