will rimfire practice keep my centerfire skills up?

Jayne

Jayne

Just here for the memes
Charter Member
Supporting Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
8,028
Location
Unincorporated Wake County
Rating - 100%
34   0   0
Just going over finances on how much I'm spending on ammo got me to thinking on how I can keep my new found skills up without the great expense or time of reloading. Dry fire is good and lets me keep all my weapon handling skills sharp, but what about live fire?

I've got a .22 conversion for my G19, and use it at least once a week. Will focusing more time on rimfire keep my centerfire skills up to date? Or will I just get really good at rimfire?
 
.........all but the recoil if you are sensitive to it. Sight picture, trigger pull all apply the same......
 
Just before New Years, I ordered an M&P FS 9 and a FS .22. My idea was being able to do more or less what you're doing except with two otherwise identical guns. Sure, controlling the 9 is more work but I like being able to shoot 4 cent rounds without thinking about the cost. I shoot a bunch of .22 and, before closing up for the day, switch to the 9mm.
 
The difference is recoil is probably an advantage - you can practice without developing any kind of flinch from the recoil. By "flinch" I don't mean scared of the recoil, I mean any sort of (early) reaction to compensate for the anticipated recoil. If you mix random snap caps into a mag of live ammo, do the sights move when you pull the trigger shooting normally? If so, that's a flinch. We've all seen and probably been the guy in a match whose muzzle dips on a misfire or empty gun. Flinch.

22 practice is good. Way better than no practice. And the target feedback makes it better than dry fire. 6 rounds of 22 is better than 1 of 9mm, as long as it isn't exclusively 22. You need enough centerfire to keep your muscle memory and rhythm for double taps and for re-acquiring the sights for aimed fire, but 22 is good for the rest IMO. Cheaper, quieter, and generally more fun to shoot more.
 
Last edited:
I bought a 1911-22 for a cheaper practice alternative to my 45 1911s. After weekly practice of 200-300 rounds for about 6 months not only I am not completely broke but my shooting has drastically improved, even when I switch over to the 45s. The lighter recoil allows me focus on fundamentals and helps me control the flinch. Being able to shoot hundreds of rounds a week develops muscle memory and good shooting habits. I say go for it. Especially if you can find a 22 version of what you normally carry and shoot.
 
I would keep it to a supplemental basis. It can lead to bad habits. If you get a mediocre grip with a .22 you don't pay for it come scoring time like you would with centerfire. To Jim's point the rhythm will be different between the two as well. I also think that since you personally struggled with recoil anticipation it can introduce some psychological demons. Last thing you need is to think of your 9mm as a hand cannon and compared to a .22 it is.
 
Not pistol, but I've used a rimfire trainer for practicing offhand shooting with NRA/CMP service rifle. It was useful for tightening up my position as well as developing good follow-through. The fact that it's cheaper to shoot than centerfire ammo was a bonus.
 
I think it will do a lot. But, to me, recoil mitigation is the whole secret to fast centerfire shooting.
Rimfires just don't recoil enough to really exercise that critical element. But, neither does dryfire.
It will certainly help with everything else though.
 
NKD said:
I think it will do a lot. But, to me, recoil mitigation is the whole secret to fast centerfire shooting.
Rimfires just don't recoil enough to really exercise that critical element. But, neither does dryfire.
It will certainly help with everything else though.
Click to expand...
I agree with this. I've been neglecting my center-fire guns recently since Cris got me hooked on rimfire 2-gun. I shot a couple of my 9mm's the other day for the first time in months, and realized I really need to work on recoil management.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 
I have found that in most pursuits, shooting, sports, etc., that concentration and having a plan is most important. It's mental. If we go to the golf range and have two or more buckets of balls, or go to the range with a bucket full of ammo, we have a tremendous mental disadvantage that more is better. If you have a plan, based on your last practice session and the results, write it down. Take it with you to the range. Don't make it complicated. Focus on things that you see yourself doing right or wrong. Only take a limited and I mean a limited number of bullets. Mental control and concentration is paramount. If you take the time and effort to do all it takes to prepare and go to the range or your back yard and only have a few rounds to fire, it makes you focus on the important things. Take your results back home and think about them. Prepare for the next practice the same way. It's mental and mind control. Sure there are the basics and physical things, but after that....it's mental control.
 
I liked shooting my new M&P 15-22 so much I had the 15X in my hand a week later a week before Sandy Hook.
 
MLS2 said:
Focus on things that you see yourself doing right or wrong. Only take a limited and I mean a limited number of bullets.
Click to expand...

I have done this before, and it helps. I plan on doing 1 thing different in a session and evaluate the results. Probably should get back to that. use dry practice and rimfire for most then take some centerfire to the range to work on recoil management and whatever the "lesson of the day" is.
 
Jayne said:
Just going over finances on how much I'm spending on ammo got me to thinking on how I can keep my new found skills up without the great expense or time of reloading. Dry fire is good and lets me keep all my weapon handling skills sharp, but what about live fire?

I've got a .22 conversion for my G19, and use it at least once a week. Will focusing more time on rimfire keep my centerfire skills up to date? Or will I just get really good at rimfire?
Click to expand...
Button Pusher said:
Here are a few articles on the subject.

http://www.gunsandammo.com/blogs/fo...-run-throughs-benefits-of-training-with-a-22/

http://www.gunsandammo.com/blogs/fo...-run-throughs-benefits-of-training-with-a-22/

https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2016/9/29/rimfire-training-guns-reasons-you-need-one/
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link to reasons you should use a rimfire training gun, or whatever because I was going to ask yet ANOTHER question. I never knew about the recoil difference.
 
Millie said:
PS can any ammo come in both center and rimfire so you can choose what kind you want to shoot? (Always with the questions!)
Click to expand...

No, really none of it comes both ways.

You essentially end up either with similar guns in different calibers, or with parts to convert the gun. Rimfire conversions are essentially all 22LR.

Not all guns have conversion options or equivalent 22 versions but many do. ARs are pretty easy and common to convert, normally just a different magazine and a part that replaces the AR bolt since .223 barrels are very close to 22LR barrels. Fine for action shooting but not going to win any accuracy contests. Or (for AR) you can get a dedicated 22 upper and magazine(s). Or you can get a 22 AR like a S&W M&P 15-22 (which I highly recommend and pretty cheap).

Pistol conversions are usually the magazine and top end (slide and barrel). There are 22 uppers available for 1911s and Glocks and some Sigs among others. There are 22 versions of others - an M&P 22 is very like an M&P 9 for instance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom