.22 for High Power Practice

[ReadyontheRight]

I've got a Garand and I'm going to get an AR15 eventually for High Power (many thanks on the excellent recommendations BTW). I'd like to get a .22 and set it up with a sling and similar sites if possible to practice positions and especially my offhand shooting.

Any recommendations for a .22 that matches well with a Garand? I don't care if it's bolt action or an autoloader. I just want it to be a good high power practice weapon.

Do those of you into High Power get a .22 upper for your competition rifle?

Also -- What ranges and targets do you use to simulate a High Power course of fire?

 

[Dan Shapiro]

Mossberg M-44. Great little rifle.

 

[AK103K]

How about using your Garand at the inside pistol range at 25 yards? Same gun, just a different load and sight setting. If you reload, all you need is a couple of grains of pistol powder, like Unique or Bullseye, and a Hornady .310 lead ball. Prime and charge the case, put the ball on top and press and lightly tap it in till tight. Offhand at 25 yards with 10 extra clicks(on my gun) on the sights, and I was getting about 3" groups on average. The load chronographed around 650fps at 15'. Works great, I've used it in the Garand, M1A, and a couple of bolt guns. Needless to say, it wont cycle the rifle, but if you shoot indoors at the pistol range, you will get some looks.

 

[Monte Harrison]

AK103K:
What about those stories we hear about rifle kB's with too-light loads? Is that only a problem with slow-burning powders?

 

[AK103K]

I've shot a lot of these squib loads without any problem. The ball isnt set very tight and its a light load of fast burning pistol powder. I dont think the brass really expands when they are fired. I even tried it without the powder charge in my FR8, but the ball only made it to about an inch from the muzzle. I got the load from an old boy down at the range who was big on loading lead bullets. He said he had used them for years.

 

[hps1]

AK103:
One word of caution when using reduced loads in your Garand (or other HP rifles). Be sure to keep the brass used for reduced loads separated from your other brass! The firing pin, possibly aided by the primer, drives the case forward hard enough to set the shoulder back on the cartridge and the reduced load does not expand the case sufficiently to grasp the chamber walls as in full power loads. Therefore, the cases will shrink and result in these cases having insufficient headspace. This will cause case head separation if used to load full power loads.


Readyontheright:
The mossberg is, indeed a good practice rifle. Use it at 100 yds. with the SR-1 (100 yd. NRA reduced target). You will be surprised that your offhand scores with the .22 will be pretty close to your offhand HP scores. (except on windy days )

Regards,
hps

 

[AK103K]

hps1,
Thanks for the info and warning. I have kept them seperate, but not for that reason. I usually use old military brass for these rounds as I dont reload it for my rifles. This is one case where military brass actually lasts.