Does shooting .22LR really help?

[CDFingers]

I find shooting my MKII .22LR pistol to help me inexpensively develop trigger control.

CDFingers

[Tanner68]

Besides the four or so fundamentals several mentioned above, a 22 helps you practice accounting for bullet drop and wind drift. It is no easy task keeping your shots to minute-of-bunny everywhere from 50 yds to 150 yds.

[Mr. Meeseeks]

Its commonly a noob thing to think 22lr is week, boring, etc.

Just my experience with this subject.

[Lovin]

If you don't own and shoot a .22 regularly, you're either wealthy or not shooting enough.*

*reloaders excluded

I subscribe to that.

[BanjoGunner]

I purchased an Advantage Arms conversion for my G17 (actually from a fellow calgunner). It paid for itself within a few months just taking my kids shooting, but I eventually gave up on it for myself due to an adverse impact on my recoil management and multiple shot handling. Then, when I was working one day, I had a nice long chat with a guy and his wife shooting a G17 conversion kit and they were very enthusiastic about its benefits wrt the four fundamentals and convinced me to give it another try. I'm very happy I did.

I started shooting about 500 rounds/week through it focusing on the fundamentals, and I can say without a doubt it had a noticeable, positive impact on my marksmanship with both my G17 and G26 firing 9mm. Further, I found that any erosion of my recoil management and multiple shot performance could be significantly overcome by simply firing off a box or two of 9mm before going home for the day.

[Yehosha]

"Does shooting .22LR really help?"

To answer this question you should ask yourself 'what are the four fundamentals of marksmanship?'
Steady Position
Steady Aim
Breath Control
Trigger Squeeze

Notice "recoil bracing" is not one.

.22s can help you with the 4 basics which will contribute to you becoming a better shot. Only Cheaper...

Although sure shooting your larger guns is definitely a must!

Exactly. Shooting your .22 rifle is the perfect way to practice all of those cheaply.

[chucksolo69]

If nothing else, it will definately teach you trigger control, sight alignment and the fundamentals.

[ironpete]

Too much thinking and not enough shooting.

Can it help...yes.

If it isn't helping you then you're doing something wrong.

I had an AA kit for my G34. I didn't personally like it but could I practice drawing, sight alignment, sight picture, front sight press, surprise break, calling my shot and trigger reset with actual feedback? All of that at a fraction of the cost of my reloaded 9mm?

Many people can shoot good groups from a bench with all the time in the world. Question is can you group like that when everything isn't perfect and without thinking? Could you shoot those groups if you were hunting in the rain or if you were stressed and your life depended on it? Only practice will do that and a 22 can help you practice cheaply.

If you're just a casual shooter and don't really care about accuracy or skill then, "no", shooting a 22 won't help.

-Peter

[jimster716]

Some very good points. I figured I wouldn't be able to fully address the trigger flinch knowing I was expecting very little recoil with a .22 but also questioning the accuracy of .22 @ 100 yards (making it difficult to be positive that I have the basics down pat) with non-match ammo.

Well, I'll be starting to hand load .308 soon but it's still an expensive proposition. Maybe I'll pick up a 10/22 or Savage MKII down the road to practice more affordably.

[2shotjoe]

I kinda flinch with my pistols, they just scare me.

When my trigger group blow up in my Saiga 7.62x39 and well full auto I almost **** myself, no one else got hurt and I just had a small cut on my hand. I only flinched with rifles rest of that day.

[voiceofreason]

I've gotten to the point where I enjoy shooting .22 more than my .308.

I can shoot for longer, cheaper, and I don't have to let my barrel cool in between shots.

[IllTemperedCur]

I put more rounds through my MkII than all my other guns combined, including the long guns. DEFINITELY has a beneficial effect on the fundamentals, which erode away into nothing unless you stay in practice.

Think of any intramural port you played in High School. Practice wasn't just going out and playing the game repeatedly. You did strength training, cardio, agility drills, you practiced specific plays or took batting practice, or did passing drills for soccer etc. Focusing in on narrowly specific aspects of the sport while in training is an essential part of building overall skill level.

[Sunday]

Shooting a 22 is the best thing you can do!!!!

[Ahhnother8]

The best marksmen/women in the world shoot rimfire. The skills are then easily transferred to any centerfire.

[mosinnagantm9130]

I've got plenty of larger caliber stuff, but I can't think of a single time in my life that I've ever been to a range and didn't have at least one .22 with me.