Best 22LR Pistol for M&P Shield Training?

[JMichaelTX]

Hi guys,

Just read this blog, and it makes a lot of sense to me:
Learning to Shoot Doesn’t Have to be Expensive — Here’s how

Basically, the bottom line is to get a .22LR Pistol that most closely matches your regular pistol. The ideal solution is a conversion kit for your actual pistol. But, AFAIK, this does not exist for the Shield, correct?

So, what 22LR Pistol would you recommend for a training substitute for the M&P Shield?

 

[MAJPATT]

Meh, I don't completely buy into the whole "trainer" concept. Certainly wouldn't buy a junky .22 and justify as a trainer. Marksmanship concepts are largely transferable across "platforms." Trainers may have been used successfully in bygone military days under different constraints. Either buy ammo or buy a nice .22. Life is too short and .22 too expensive and scarce to waste in junk guns.

Yeah I know, I'm the jerk, free country man, Costa and Seal endorsed , etc.

 

[MAJPATT]

Just read the article, Sig .22 are notoriously weak, and I love regular sig pistols.

 

[fixitfred]

I have a Ruger 22/45 which has the same grip angle as my SR1911 45acp. I bought it for similar reasons that you stated. It can augment but not replace practice with your carry gun.

 

[RobzGuns]

I don't know of any .22LR semi-autos that are close enough in size and trigger action to act as a Shield 'trainer'.

If you could find one with a similar trigger pull, it might suffice. Around here, .22LR isn't THAT much cheaper (or readily available) to make using .22s worth it (for me anyway).

 

[JMichaelTX]

Sorry, but I'm a bit confused by your statements which seem to contradict each other:

AGAINST TRAINERS

Meh, I don't completely buy into the whole "trainer" concept.

FOR TRAINERS

Marksmanship concepts are largely transferable across "platforms." Trainers may have been used successfully in bygone military days under different constraints.

AND THEN

Certainly wouldn't buy a junky .22 and justify as a trainer.
. . .
Either buy ammo or buy a nice .22. Life is too short and .22 to expensive and scarce to waste in junk guns.

But I agree that it's best NOT to buy a junk 22.

So which 22LR Pistol would you recommend?

 

[Starwalker]

I guess I am the odd one here. I have an M&P22 compact, and a Shield. I think the compact is a reasonably good trainer for the Shield. Not a perfect match, but close enough.

I also hold with concept that if you shoot a .22 automactic well, you can shoot almost any automatic well. You can learn sight picture, grip, and trigger control from almost any quality .22 pistol, which skills will in part transfer to a larger caliber pistol of the same style.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Learning to shoot with a .22 is a good plan. There are plenty of quality .22 caliber pistols and revolvers to choose from, Walther, SIG, Ruger, etc. Once you master shooting that platform, wheelgun or pistol, the skills are transferable to other handguns. Your next step in a training evolution like that would be to learn to handle a larger caliber pistol's recoil and so forth, but lining up sights, trigger control, breathing, once you know, well, then you know. Many folks learn to shoot with a .22 but very few learn to shoot a 9mm by poking around for a similar handgun in .22 caliber. I can see a very direct relationship between learning to shoot various .22 caliber revolvers and their big brothers and sisters because the guns are so precisely similar but pistols are rarely made that match so well from .22 to a big brother in 9mm, .45 ACP, etc. There are a few, but too few to mention. Shooting is shooting. After you've shot more handguns than you can remember it won't matter what handgun you pick up, you'll always be able to shoot the danged things.

 

[hoc9sw]

The shield and the .22 Compact are very close in profile. The .22 Compact is a tiny bit larger. I have a couple of holsters that work well for both.

At 5-7 cents a round, it is cheaper to train grip, sighting, and stance on a .22.

My phone has no camera, so I punted. Photos are pitiful, but you should be able to see the size is about the same.

(.22 compact has the rail, Shield does not)

 

[McE]

Shoot what you want to get better with.
People who think shooting cheaper ammo makes sense probably can't tell the difference between practice and simply throwing lead downrange.
1500 rounds of 9mm is a better use of money than buying a 22compact.
There is no substitute for practicing drawing and shooting your actual carry gun.

 

[hoc9sw]

Shoot what you want to get better with.
People who think shooting cheaper ammo makes sense probably can't tell the difference between practice and simply throwing lead downrange.
1500 rounds of 9mm is a better use of money than buying a 22compact.
There is no substitute for practicing drawing and shooting your actual carry gun.

I'm not going to disagree with the idea of getting good with your carry gun.

BUT...

In the process of sending guns off for repairs, having to rotate carry because of external regs, ammo supply, just for a few, I've had .38 revolvers, .357, 9mm, and .45.

Basic skills apply to all firearms.

There is no fault in being good with what you carry, but in my world, you need to be good with what falls in your hand.

 

[shakyshoot]

M&P 22 Compact is very, very close to the size and feel of the Shield. I bought one partially for that reason. Only problem is that shooting 22LR is nothing like shooting 9mm, so any training value is going to be minimal IMHO. I find that my Compact serves no real purpose in my handgun lineup. If I want to practice for using the Shield, I feel I'm way better off shooting the Shield, especially with factory ammo nearing $10/box again. And if I want to shoot 22LR, well I have some nice target pistols for that. The Compact is a nice gun, but it's more of a tin-can plinker that inevitably stays home when I go to the range.

 

[hoc9sw]

The Compact is a nice gun, but it's more of a tin-can plinker that inevitably stays home when I go to the range.

Mine is always in the range bag, as my arthritis limits "big caliber" use to ~100 rounds per trip. I can wring out another 2-300 rounds of .22 before the pain wins.

My other .22s are Ruger single six class, and not the same practice scheme.

So for me, the shield 9 and .22 compact travel together, both get used, and both get cleaned on the same range day.

 

[McE]

The aforementioned training of grip, sighting, and stance, are things that do not require ammunition.

I would even go as far to say you are better off dry-firing your carry gun than shooting a different 22lr.

Yes, basic skills apply across firearms. But the only skill that costs ammo is recoil management, and there is no substitute to shooting what you'll be carrying.

 

[alleycat7002]

Shield 9 mm recoil is light too me....

 

[Ranger17]

For me, and being one with only a couple years shooting under his belt; i can say a .22 was my first handgun and i used it to not only learn the basics but as a good inexpensive introduction into this new hobby of mine. But once i picked up my 9mm MP's, i never felt any need to use a .22 for a training piece. If i will someday carry one of my 9's, then that is the handgun i will make sure to train with for defensive purposes until both confident and comfortable with my abilities. In fact i always take .22's and 9's to the range and run thru several boxes ammo each for both practice and fun.

Back on point, i have seen plenty of comments around that the MP compact .22 is a good fit size wise to the Shield, if one wants to practice their holster work, grip, etc. but keep in mind it still is a .22 so there may be ammo issues, etc that won't pop up in most higher caliber rounds. And I couldn't see using a .22 to mimic how the 9 will fire and feel. Use a .22 for initial learning but train on the firearm that you will use to protect yourself.
Only my .02

 

[skays]

My wife originally had a Shield 9mm. But she was complaining about the kick and her small hands hurting after shooting several magazines at the range. Soooo...I "sold" it for a Bodyguard. Then she complained so much about it and actually like her Shield 9mm more, I got her another Shield 9mm.
She doesn't like to shoot that much as she has very small hands and consequently, she won't spend much time on the basics if shooting a lot of rounds at one time hurts her hands. My thought process, get her an M&P Compact .22LR. Less kick which means better focus on aiming techniques, trigger pull, hand position, and most importantly, having a good time and gaining confidence. Plus, it sure can't hurt holding a gun similar in size and action as her shield.