That's a crock about .22magnum as being adequate for defense. IF you have legal justifible reason for using deadly force in defense situation,the criminal ALREADY has a weapon and is threatening or shooting at you so you want the biggest gun you can handle/shoot effectively. Sure,nobody wants to get shot with anything BUT I want him to stop all further agression RIGHT NOW-NOT sometime later when he goes into shock or from blood loss. It's mighty easy for armchair experts or ballistic studyiers to argue about smaller calibers but trust me-once you have seen combat or have actually been in defense situation that resulted in deadly force used,you too will opt for the biggest gun you can shoot GOOD too as in those type situations,ANY gun feels kind of puny-must be same feeling as charging animals (which I havn't experienced-TG).