Does practicing with a 22 pistol improve defensive carry of bigger caliber pistol?

Are you practicing slow fire fundamentals or working on speed?

22lr is a great cheap way to stop yanking the trigger and learn how to work your eyes on the front sight.

Rapid fire 10mm and dropping split times isn't going to happen with 22lr.

i believe there's value in using the .22 to train with. but yesterday i was at an indoor range plinking away with my 1911-22. at the other end was a man firing a .45 glock. i've never been around a .45 going off. every round he fired shook the building and i could feel it in my chest. i was far more than impressed!

hard to grasp how driving my little go kart would teach me to drive that locomotive.

Yes, it helps alot. My main carry is a PPQ, so I bought a PPQ M2 22lr for practice. It's the exact same grip/size, so it is a perfect match. It saved me far more in ammo cost than the pistol cost, so it paid for itself, and now I have another gun. If I could only have one 22 pistol, it'd be the Taurus TX 22.

Well for about the same ammo cost I can go to the range and shoot 150 rounds of 9MM or 100 rounds of 9MM and 325 rounds of 22 LR.
I also have found that laser training cartridges make dry firing much more fun and productive.

I had not shot my SIG 1911 in quite a while as I did not like the way it hurt my hand at the bottom with the stupid lanyard mainspring housing it came with. Not too long ago I changed that out for an Ed Brown arched MSH. Since I had not fired my 1911 in quite a while and I did not want to shoot a bunch of my valuable 45 ammo to try it out I practiced dry fire with the laser cartridge until I was confident. Then I went to the range and here is a target from 7 yards for 8 rounds. I have fallen in love with my SIG 1911 again.



Just put new Hogue grips on my Ruger Standard pistol that I bought new in the late 70s. and was my very first pistol and only pistol for many years. These new grips fit my hands much better and am anxious to try it out. Also going to take along my old Marlin 99 tube fed autoloading 22 rifle next range trip.

I think practicing with my Glock 44 (same size and shape as my Glock 19) is a great idea, and I do just that - often. I’ve become quite proficient with my Glock 19 because I practice a lot with my Glock 44.
Just kidding around. I love shooting that little Glock 44 - that’s the main reason I shoot it as often as I do. The fact is, I bought the Glock 44 first, and liked it so much I went out and bought a Glock 19 for EDC.

Yes it absolutely helps, especially if you have a rimfire version of your centerfire pistol or a rimfire conversion kit. I have a G44 along with my G19 and have a conversion kit for my 1911. I also have a 22 version of my 38 revolver. And even if you do not have an exact rimfire version of your centerfire pistols, the trigger time will help with the fundamentals. As stated, the only thing a rimfire pistol will not help with is recoil management.

When I'm rusty from not shooting or somehow loose trigger control, the first thing I grab is a DA revolver. 22s don't help me as much but they are great for saving ammo and money.

One thing I use my 22lr pistol for is to train malfunction clearing. The bulk ammo in particular is notorious in mine for failure to eject and stovepipes, something that almost never happens in my center-fire pistols. I do try to sprinkle in a center-fire magazine worth of shots about every 5 magazines of rimfire just to keep up with the recoil. The reason I use this ratio is simply because I have 5 magazines for 22 pistol. Another thing I like to do is start practice with center-fire so I can see where I am for proficiency when rusty with no warm-up.

1942bull said:

You are bot going to get significant recoil from ant 22LR pistol or revolver to condition response to any Shield caliber. So best to focus on a good handgun that has a reputation for accuracy. That is important because you want 22 drills to help establish accuracy. A crappy 22 will not fill that bill. I used a M&P 22 Compact for a few years. It was reliable and reasonably accurate. It is a blowback not a locked breech so it has a tiny bit more noticeable recoil but not enough to make a meaningful difference. But I do think the blowback’s fixed barrel give more consistent accuracy.

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The S&W .22s will not be an exact replacement, but definitely, a training aid.
Do 90% with .22, then finish with your EDC.


The 1911 platform is a bit unique, in that the Military was behind development of the ACE
An exact copy of the 1911, size, weight and recoil; to train troops with.

There is no discernible difference between .22LR and .45ACP.

To test this claim, I had a group of 6 shooters, from 13 to 50 yo, one at a time, they were on the firing line, eyes closed. An ACE was put in 1 hand, .45 in the other. Both shot, at the same time. No shooter could identify which was which.
I have repeated this test several times. None have noticed a difference.

The ACE, available as a complete pistol or conversion, IS a valuable training substitute.

I use a Single-Six to train, in place of Blackhawk. The recoil is different, the feel is different, but action is the same. Good training substitute.

A S&W M17 with 6" barrel is outstanding substitute to train with, for any center fire 6" S&W revolver.

Exact copies are excellent, somewhat close, still works. Training is training.

There’s a difference between practicing and training.

Otto said:

There’s a difference between practicing and training.

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And we FIGHT like we TRAIN.

Even the Army would use 22lr conversion kits for training and I'm sure they still do. There were plenty of times while I was stationed in Germany that the weather was way to bad to safely make it to the ranges so we would go to the indoor range and use conversion kits instead.

On my average range trip I shoot about 1/3 22lr, and 2/3 centerfire.

I feel that shooting 22lr helps my handgun shooting in general.

I’m another Glock 19/44 shooter. I also have a Glock 19 CO2 BB pistol I practice with at home. I run the dot drill at least a couple times a week at home…I think it helps. All three guns use the same holster. Only issue is my G19 has a red dot, but I still feel the presentation is critical, since if you can draw to an iron sight picture, the red dot will be right there too.

I also have a CMMG 22 bolt for an AR…that gets shot every time I bring out the AR’s

.308 Norma said:

I think practicing with my Glock 44 (same size and shape as my Glock 19) is a great idea, and I do just that - often. I’ve become quite proficient with my Glock 19 because I practice a lot with my Glock 44.
Just kidding around. I love shooting that little Glock 44 - that’s the main reason I shoot it as often as I do. The fact is, I bought the Glock 44 first, and liked it so much I went out and bought a Glock 19 for EDC.

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Another fun option:

https://www.amazon.com/Glock-177-Ca...19+bb+gun&qid=1631575476&sprefix=glock&sr=8-3

.38 Special said:

I think a good .22 is the best teacher a handgunner can have. I bring one to nearly every range trip to reinforce the fundamentals, and have been doing so for decades now.

I think the fellow who is using one primarily to benefit his combat shooting should find one which mimics his carry gun as closely as possible, and in fact believe that the availability of a matching .22 should have some influence on the purchase of a concealed weapon.

Beyond that, I actually would not recommend choosing a small and light .22 unless it matches your centerfire, as the goal of mastering and maintaining the fundamentals is not best pursued with a more difficult gun. If a "matched set" is not practical, then I would simply get myself a Ruger, at least assuming that the carry piece is also a semi-auto. (S&W still make very good .22 revolvers, which are ideal trainers for those of us still carrying wheelguns.)

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This is excellent advice and mirrors my own experience. A shooter schooled at the very start with a .22, builds technique in trigger control and soon learns the meaning of sight alignment and picture without the burden of excessive recoil. I'd estimate that I shoot as much .22 ammunition as I do center fire.

I use several .22's to reestablish the fundamentals for my bigger bore shooting, both revolver and pistol. I have .22 uppers for my Sig P226, as well as Colt and Ruger 1911's, and a Smith M41 and Ruger Standard for variety.

For revolvers, I use, a Ruger Single Six that does duty for my Blackhawks in .357, .41 Mag, and .44 Spl & Mag. I also have a S&W M18 that's the perfect understudy for the .357 Mag M19 and M66. HTH's & offer an opinion that a first revolver or pistol ought to be a .22 for any shooter new to handguns. Best Regards, Rod

Buzznrose said:

Another fun option:

https://www.amazon.com/Glock-177-Ca...19+bb+gun&qid=1631575476&sprefix=glock&sr=8-3

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Wow! That might be a lot of fun in the backyard.

I gave my Wife a Beretta Neos for practice, she puts 10 rounds in a playing card at 10 yards. It has improved markedly her accuracy with her CCW Shield 9 mm.

I don't really shoot a .22 a lot to help how I shoot other guns. I shoot it a lot because it's fun, cheaper, and more time efficient since I don't bother looking for the brass.
I do think it can be useful to train with, if you're getting useful training in. A wise man once said, the only thing worse than not training is bad training.

With regard to "practicing" vs. "training", it has been my experience that many of the most "serious" handgunners - meaning those who rarely if ever shoot for fun - never do any kind of slow fire work, believing it has no place in training for defense, or even deriding it as "unserious". As a result, a surprising number of these folks can't actually hit very well, slapping at triggers and flinching from recoil - and I long ago gave up trying to encourage these folks to spend some time on fundamentals, as they are almost universally unwilling to do anything which takes away from their "training".

I'm sure that doesn't describe anyone at THR, of course.

On a further note...

I grew up shooting a Single Six a lot, but didn't shoot a centerfire handgun until I got one when I was in my early 20's.

The transition was practically effortless.

My first "real" handgun was an medium-framed 4" 357. The transition from the Single Six to the 357 was easy. I was shooting it just fine before the first box of shells was empty.

It was just like shooting the 22, but with more "bang", which I liked.

Any type of pistol practice is helpful (22Lr or other). Slow fire as well as rapid. I'm working on point shooting with small and large caliber. Hopefully, to help me as much as is needed! More is better for me!!!

Practice/training all works, all types, all levels, and helps all of us including new individuals we are just exposing to weapons in general!!!

I am in the warm up with .22, wrap up with centerfire school of thought.
I don't do double taps with the .22, it would set bad habits of recoil control, I put out two or more targets and do transitions. I am practicing for IDPA and USPSA.

Any trigger time can be helpful. Getting good at shooting is less about the gear & equipment you use and more about how you practice.
If a 22 gets you practicing good on it.

Let's talk pure economics here.

550 rounds of Wal Mart Federal bulk pack is (last I bought some) $21.7?.

550 rounds of even the cheapest 9mm (pandemic prices) is (11 x 19.95) is $219.95.

For ease of Math let's say $22.00 versus $220.00,,,
That's a difference of 198.00.

Lat's also make the presumption that you are "practicing" rather than "plinking".

You will get 11 times the practice time using 22.LR,,,
At a price difference of $198.00 that's almost the cost of a .22 pistol.

My Bersa Thunder 380 cost me $265.00 (pre-pandemic),,,
My Bersa Thunder 22 cost me the exact same price.

That means in less than 2 Wal Mart bulk packs (actually 1.33 bulk packs),,,
You have paid for the Bersa Thunder 22 in ammo savings.



Look people, you have my permission to nit-pick my logic all you desire,,,
But if the statement that "only trigger time will increase proficiency" is true,,,
Then practicing with an identical (or closely matched) rimfire is cost effective.

And to me the cost of ammunition for shooting is very pertinent,,,
I'm reasonably proficient with my defensive handguns,,,
22 LR practice allowed the requisite trigger pulls.

Aarond

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