22LR vs other chamberings

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Ocraknife

New member
I shoot my 22LR pistols quite a bit better than my centerfire pistols and this has been consistent since I've been shooting which is a long time.

Any body else experience this? Is this because the round is more accurate or the gun or am I just strange?
 
Most people shoot .22 better because there is very little recoil. Many people anticipate the recoil of centerfires, throwing off their aim at the last millisecond when they're pulling the trigger. Nothing new.
 
I can't remember the last time I shot a 22LR. Seldom used my High Standard Victors and Beretta 71 because felt it was a waste to make the trip and range time for 22LR. Need to change my thinking one day. :o The 45auto makes holes big enough so as to not require optics. Shot is confirmed by a thunk about a second after the bang. And the recoil gives it substance. I think I'm addicted. :)
 
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Machine rested...a good .22 pistol will consistently give you smaller groups at 50 yards than a good centerfire pistol. Recoil is not a factor there. You make get remarkable groups from both but the .22s will be tighter as a rule.

That being said, it is far easier to buy an out of the box and very accurate .22 pistol than to buy a comparably accurate out of the box CF pistol. Easier and cheaper.
Pete
 
Shoot enough Bullseye pistol and you will observe that your 22 LR scores are always better than centerfire. This is due to recoil!

By the way, Nashville Match Masters Gun Club is just south of you. http://magnusbullets.com/New Folder/index.htm Bullseye matches ought to be starting up in March. Great facilities to shoot.
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With the popularity of USPSA bullseye is often overlooked.

It's alot of fun and much more relaxing than run and gun but doesn't seem popular in my area.
 
It can depend on the gun and the ammo.
Generally, .22 rimfires are very accurate, though, especially when compared to centerfires.
Too bad the ammo has gotten so scarce and expensive.
Kind of defeats the purpose.
On the other hand, thanks to those drawbacks, I have rediscovered airguns.
Haven't even looked at the rimfires in a couple of years, now.

Yeah, Bullseye matches have gotten mighty scarce.
So have the Action Pistol matches, ala the Bianchi Cup version for that matter.
It's gotten mighty hard to compete with the run'n gun games.
Blame the video games. :)
 
Noise & recoil makes a difference even a highpower champ said his score increased going from 308 to 7MM-08 with no other changes.
 
I think it is the flinching in anticipation of recoil. However, I am pretty even with one of my rimfires and one of my 9mm. I bought a Ruger 22/45 Target and practiced with it a lot. I then bought a RIA full size 1911 in 9mm that feels, aims and shoot almost the same. Since both guns are heavy, flinching is not as much of a problem and the practice with the 22/45 helps with the 9mm. My light plastic 9mm doesn't get shot much any more and my 2 other 22s don't either.
 
The fact that MOST .22 have a fixed barrel, where the barrel and the sights are a single unit, means that lockup is more consistent certainly has to play a role.
 
The .22 lr is much more tolerant of an inconsistent grip with the strong hand. The more recoil, the more important it is to keep an absolutely consistent grip from shot to shot.

A .22 allows a more sloppy grip in that regard. By varying my hand position, even slightly, I can move my groups 4-5" at 25 yds, and open my groups by the same amount with a heavy caliber hand gun.

Many have said that the three most important factors for accuracy in a hand gun are:

1. Sight picture with focus 100% on the FRONT SIGHT. This allows front sight and rear sight in proper alignment.
2. Trigger control. Manipulating the trigger in such a way so as not to disturb the sight picture achieved in #1. For many that means a straight back trigger press, with no hesitation "when things look just right", while allowing the shooter's normal amount of wobble.
3. Consistent Grip. Each time the piece is handled, a FIRING GRIP is taken, with the same position on the grips and with the same amount of force exerted by the fingers and palm.

Achieving those three points will allow you to shoot to the gun's mechanical and ammunition limits. No one gets this good, but some do approach it.
Rod
 
I would have thought the bullet would exit the barrel before you perceived any recoil or heard the sound, is that not the case?
 
The .22 lr is much more tolerant of an inconsistent grip with the strong hand. The more recoil, the more important it is to keep an absolutely consistent grip from shot to shot.
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would that matter as much in very slow fire exercises?
 
3. Consistent Grip. Each time the piece is handled, a FIRING GRIP is taken, with the same position on the grips and with the same amount of force exerted by the fingers and palm.
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A rifle is the same. You must be able to repeat to shoot small groups.
 
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