accuracy. 22 vs anything bigger

[oklahoma caveman]

in my limited experience it seems that 22lr pistols regardless of the action are generally more accurate than any other caliber. anybody else felt this way? any ideas why this is?

[Sheldon]

My guess is most people will just flinch less with any low recoil pistol versus any full power one. I think the trigger pulls on the rimfire pistols are generally lighter than their full power conterparts as well, which goes a long way towards helping accurate shooting.

[Shawnee]

Along with what Sheldon said... the .22s are usually a bit lighter and the grips are often slightly smaller - or at least small enough that a person's hand/fingers are not "maxed out" (eg. forced into an uncomfortable grip).

Handgun weight and grip ergonomics can both cause fatigue quickly which in turn wrecks accuracy quickly. Fatigue that can effect accuracy and comfort comes in very small increments to target shooters regardless of whether they are using a handgun, shotgun or rifle.

:cool:

[aka108]

I get better grouping with 22lr but a friend of mine who was with a USMC shooting team gets into the 9 and 10 rings consistently with anything he shoots.

[ArmedBear]

Many reasons.

An affordable .22 semiauto can be built with a heavy barrel rigidly attached to a steel receiver, like my Ruger 22/45 Target. The barrel in a centerfire semiauto is not attached to the frame, and it's usually not very thick.

The .22's sights are attached to the barreled action, whereas the centerfire's are attached to the slide.

.22LR from a pistol is subsonic.

.22LR doesn't torque the barrel or move the gun significantly just from the motion of the bullet down the barrel when it's fired, so sighting in doesn't involve the same variables.

[Jimmy Newman]

I think ArmedBear is right on with his comments.

I mean, you can buy a Marvel .22 slide for your 1911 for $300 that will print 1-2" groups at 50 yards all day.

Try finding a centerfire pistol that will do that that isn't super expensive.

[beemerphile]

ArmedBear is on to something with the rigidly mounted barrel, however, there is at least one auto centerfire with a solidly mounted barrel - the HK P7M8.

It is a naildriver like a .22 if you do your part. - Lee

[Mac45]

.22LR is cheap, which means one shoots more, which in turn would lead to better accuracy. Hopefully:)

[Vern Humphrey]

The .22's sights are attached to the barreled action, whereas the centerfire's are attached to the slide.
My 1938 Colt Woodsman is the most accurate pistol I own, and its sights are mounted on the slide.

But a .22 slide is teamed with a fixed barrel. In most semis, the barrel is moveable -- it has to unlock from the slide. That induces a possibility of less than perfect shot-to-shot lockup.

Most of the other comments contribute -- high cost of centerfire ammo, versus cheap .22s allowing more practice, more blast and recoil from centerfires -- and the fact that most centerfire guns are designed for defensive shooting, where a little accuracy be sacrificed for power and reliability.

[1911Tuner]

A very big part of that is because of the lack of recoil with .22 rimfires.

It's also pretty well known that it's easier to get amazing accuracy from a
.223 bolt rifle than a similar rifle in .30-06 or .308 caliber.

The key to accuracy is to get the bullet to exit the barrel at the same place each time. Since the higher the recoil, the more critical the gun mount becomes. Vary how tightly the rifle is mounted into the shoulder pocket, and you vary the bullet's point of exit from the muzzle, and hence the point of impact on target.

Why?

Because the rifle is in recoil while the bullet is still in the barrel. If you change your position from standing to prone, you'll very likely get a different point of impact on target. This is why a rifle zeroed for shooter A will only rarely be zeroed for shooter B...especially if there's a large disparity in body mass between the two shooters...because the rifle is not only moving backward, but also laterally in response to the twist direction of the rifling.

.22 rimfire arms simply don't move the shooter as much...if at all...so consistency is easier to attain than with the hard-kickers. Likewise for heavy rifles vs light rifles.

Physics, once again.

[ArmedBear]

My 1938 Colt Woodsman is the most accurate pistol I own, and its sights are mounted on the slide.

The slide on a Woodsman doesn't rattle around though. It's very precisely fitted to the rails. So I suppose that's another reason...:)

[Vern Humphrey]

The slide on a Woodsman doesn't rattle around though. It's very precisely fitted to the rails.
That's true, but part of the reason for that is that the slide functions only as a weight -- there in no locking and unlocking process, no movement of the barrel within the slide, and so on.

[PO2Hammer]

I have a T/C G2 w/custom MGM/Shilen .357 mag barrel that would like to argue, but it's headed to the range with a box of HBWC loads ready to print some tiny little groups.

But it's hard to disagree because my tiny little Mark 2 with fixed sights keeps right up with a very expensive .357 revolver I own.

[1911Tuner]

It's very precisely fitted to the rails. So I suppose that's another reason...

That the barrel is fixed to the frame is probably the biggest reason.

[littlelefty]

I'm more accurate with my 22 conversion kit on the 1911 than the .45 barrel/slide. I've gotten better with the 45 over time, so I agree with what's been said already. It's down to me learning the platform/load combination.

It happens to a lesser extent with my .357 revolver when I load it with .38 spl.. thus proving my point to me:D

[Vern Humphrey]

That the barrel is fixed to the frame is probably the biggest reason.
And there is no complex interaction between barrel, slide and frame.

[1911Tuner]

And there is no complex interaction between barrel, slide and frame.

Yup. It essentially functions like a single-shot when the trigger is pulled.

[DMK]

I asked a similar question a while back:

Why is 22LR so accurate? (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=107569&highlight=22lr)

I believe 22LR ammo is inherently more accurate than most centerfire ammo, except maybe something like 222Rem. Perhaps it's easier to make accurate, low cost 22LR than it is to make accurate, low cost 38 Special or 45ACP.

That the barrel is fixed to the frame is probably the biggest reason.Then why are entry level 22LR revolvers generally more accurate than entry level centerfire revolvers? Why are entry level 22LR bolt action rifles more accurate than entry level centerfire bolt action rifles. The barrel is fixed to the frame in all of these examples.

* I say "entry level" to keep someone from comparing some high buck, hand built, match gun to a Ruger Mk II or CZ452.

[Fumbler]

Then why are entry level 22LR revolvers generally more accurate than entry level centerfire revolvers? Why are entry level 22LR bolt action rifles more accurate than entry level centerfire bolt action rifles. The barrel is fixed to the frame in all of these examples.
I think his comment was focusing on the Colt Woodsman, not 22s in general.

This is the answer to your questions.
The key to accuracy is to get the bullet to exit the barrel at the same place each time. Since the higher the recoil, the more critical the gun mount becomes. Vary how tightly the rifle is mounted into the shoulder pocket, and you vary the bullet's point of exit from the muzzle, and hence the point of impact on target.


In handguns I also think managing recoil is the biggest part of shooting accurately.
I can shoot my 22/45 pretty well.
My Super Redhawk in 480...that's another story. If I change my grip the slightest bit then I will be off.
I have to keep my grip in the exact same spot, I have to squeeze it exactly the same, and I have to make my arms react exactly the same or else I'll be off a lot.
I know the gun is accurate because I've seen another guy at the range put 6 bullets into one hole with my gun...he made me feel bad. lol