My 22 LR revolvers are making me a better shot

[Hellraiser]

I really need to get a .22 K-Frame. A 17 is definitely on my short list. My only 22 revolver at the moment is a 1973 H&R Sportsman. While I do love the gun the DA trigger is really heavy compared to my M10 and M13. I was out a the range today and had been through ~50 rounds in the Sportsman and switched to the M13 and it almost felt like the gun was going off a little early due to the much lighter pull in the M13. But it is a great reminder of how nice the K-Frame triggers are

1madss Motzart... you will do well with the K-Frame. Please find a Mk II .22 to shoot as well. I have four that have the greatest triggers ever. More firepower, as well.

^..^

 

[ridgewalker]

I am very fond of the trigger of my 617. When shooting double action, it is very easy to squeeze it and hold it to the point just before the hammer drops. There is a very predictable pause, almost a click, at this point in the trigger pull. At this point I take my final, fine aim at the bullseye, then squeeze a tiny bit more which fires the round. Learning this point of the trigger pull and practicing it on my 617, I have since gotten better at finding this point with my 63 and 627.

 

[eveled]

What you are describing is usually called "staging the trigger", or "indexing". It is a controversial habit, some think it is the way to make precise shots, others think it is a bad habit to get into.

I am one of the latter, I like to shoot my double action revolvers in true double action. Just a long straight pull of the trigger. If I wanted to make a precise shot I would cock the hammer manually. (Like if I was really trying to see how it was sighted.)

If I wanted to shoot in single action I would use a single action revolver.

I am not judging you, if it makes you happy to shoot that way, by all means do it. There are people on both sides of the argument. Be safe.

Here is an older thread on the subject, I found it to be amusing, and a good essay on the subject.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/151308-staging-da-trigger-becoming-lost-skill.html

Double action revolvers are the hardest guns to shoot well, but for me they are the most rewarding because of the challenge.

 

[jaymoore]

This old 617 is probably why I did as well when shooting competition.:

When shooting at Ft. Benning, I used to shoot DA targets out to 100 yards regularly. Wasn't so successful engaging the 300m steel plate DA, but it wasn't a big deal to walk them in SA. But the trick is to shoot it until you know you are tiring and quit. Past a certain point nothing is gained. (The current ammo shortage makes it less likely!)

This one revolver has eaten no telling how many 10's of thousands of rounds and is still tight. (Has seen a boatload of dry firing as well, but that's just me...and it has more to do with the individual rimfire firearm than a flaunting of a generally good idea of NOT doing it!)

 

[brucev]

The first and most important handgun anyone will ever buy is a .22 LR revolver or pistol. Why? Because hitting is fundamental. And one can learn to effectively hit a target, i.e., marksmanship skills, with a .22 LR handgun much more efficiently than with any other caliber of handgun available.

I speak from experience. I have owned and shot extensively S&W 18's and Ruger Mk. II's. I positively adore the 18. With it I have learned to shoot SA and... DA! I have at times shot DA groups that were just as good as SA groups. When I pick up a centerfire handgun, the results of shooting the .22 LR handguns carry over.

Developing good skills shooting a handgun requires actual time spent dry-firing and actual time live firing at the range. Dry-fire w/ a centerfire is easy. But the live fire is problematic due to cost, recoil, etc. The .22 LR is ideal for such purposes. It is unequaled.

 

[Erich]

Nothing better for knocking down a flinch, as has been said.

Here's another thing, though.

Good group, right?

Room for improvement, right?

Never mind that both groups are essentially the same size - with the .22s, I see my errors more clearly and am more inclined to strive to do better.

 

[BigBill]

75 feet.... you are a better man than me... but... that ain't sayin' much. I do admire a great shooter.

But there was a time.... just one time... I put seven shots through one hole at 25 feet with only three 1/4" flyers... with my beloved .45's... Heckle and Jeckle. Shootin' with both hands.

Dang... I do love these pistols... so.

^..^

I took my norinco 1911 that had a loose barrel bushing in the slide and installed and fitted a new USGI surplus barrel and a national match barrel bushing. The first time out she shoots one clover leaf per 8rd mag using Russian wolf 45 acp ball ammo. I'm sure she will tighten up using my swc target loads. I'm not sure if I should touch the loose frame rail fit or not. The 1911's rock. I did install the full length guide rod with the 18# recoil spring. The 1911 cycles faster and smoother with less recoil and less cycle timing. My son and his girlfriend both shot clover leads with my norinco at 15yds. I was very careful when I fitted the barrel and national match barrel bushing to the slide. I also ramped the disconnector too.

For my low budget norc 1911 build it was $300 for the 1911 and about $100 for the parts. She shoots and cycles like a race gun.

 

[Hellraiser]

I took my norinco 1911 that had a loose barrel bushing in the slide and installed and fitted a new USGI surplus barrel and a national match barrel bushing. The first time out she shoots one clover leaf per 8rd mag using Russian wolf 45 acp ball ammo. I'm sure she will tighten up using my swc target loads. I'm not sure if I should touch the loose frame rail fit or not. The 1911's rock. I did install the full length guide rod with the 18# recoil spring. The 1911 cycles faster and smoother with less recoil and less cycle timing. My son and his girlfriend both shot clover leads with my norinco at 15yds. I was very careful when I fitted the barrel and national match barrel bushing to the slide. I also ramped the disconnector too.

I need to get a smith (like yourself)... to work on my .45's. Apparently, when you are meticulous, careful and exacting with your work, there are big-time payoff's to the outcome. You do good work... and have a great handgun that is exceptional.

^..^

 

[BigBill]

I wanted to see how good a low budget cheap build could be using a surplus $59 barrel, $12 national match barrel bushing, a $9 full length guide rod kit with a 18# recoil spring.

I was extra fussy on fitting the barrel assembly. I gave it every chance to shoot good if the barrel was good. The accuracy surprised me too.

Actually this is my first build. I purchased all the 1911 tools from brownells along with the AGI, WILSON COMBAT and the Jerry K 1911 book and videos about working on the 1911's and how to build them. Being a class A machine builder for decades how hard could it be? I even built the 155mm howitzers for the US Army were using in the sand box today. My next build will be building a complete 1911.

 

[spad124]

66park, I know that one risks peeing the back of the cylinder if one dry fires rimfire revolvers. However, if snap caps are used, doesn't that make it damage-free on the revolver to dry fire even a rimfire revolver?

I advocate the use of snap caps whenever dry firing a gun.

On the Rimfire Central forum I picked up a way to make snap caps for 22 LR. Take a small plastic wall anchor- the kind that is tapered and has a flange to keep it from going all the way into the wall. Shave down the outside of the tapered part of the anchor if necessary to fit into a 22LR chamber and use as a snap cap. The flange keeps the anchor from going all the way into the barrel- like the rim on a 22LR. More important, the flange also cushions the firing pin and keeps it from striking the breech when you dryfire. You might have to rotate the anchor every once in a while.

It's worked for me. Also, I now just store my 22LRs with the anchor/snapcaps in them so I can release the firing pin spring for storage. Because of the flange, the extractor pulls the anchor out when the action is worked.

 

[Hellraiser]

66park, I know that one risks peeing the back of the cylinder if one dry fires rimfire revolvers.

Hmmm... If ya pee on the back of the cylinder when ya dry-fire the revolver... I would recommend "depends".







(Joshin'... sorry, friend... but yore post just struck me as absolutely hilarious... but my brain is kinda defective. Hey Collects... I do love readin' yore post, tho.)

^..^