.22 plinking- Am I the only one that doesn't enjoy it all that much?

[natedog]

I hear a lot of people talking about how fun plinking with .22LR pistols and handguns is. Myself, I don't really think so. I get about as much satisfaction out of shooting a .22 as I do a paintball gun. I like it for cheap practice, but that's about it. Anyone else feel the same?

 

[Chut1st]

Of course you're not wrong! Life is too short to do something that doesn't give you satisfaction. Personally, I have almost as much fun shooting my Mark II as any other handgun in the safe, up to and including the .454 Casull.

I have the same conversations with other motorcylists. Just because I ride a Harley doesn't mean that I hold rice-rocket riders in contempt. If it runs on two wheels or burns gunpowder, it's okay with me.

Just my $.02.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I'd much rather shoot targets than plink, but plinking has its charms.

 

[Mal H]

"Anyone else feel the same?" Not me.

But. like Chut1st implied, if you don't like it, it shouldn't bother anyone else in the least.

 

[huntsman]

I do all my shooting outside at my privite range, and while .22 plinking is fun I don't care for punching paper. I try to mix it up a bit with different types of targets, clay pigeons are fun and I see cabellas now sells holders for clays that I want to buy . I also want to get some spinners that will take handgun and rifle fire.

 

[Kenneth Lew]

Somehow 15 yd., one handed, bullseye shooting against someone else is very interesting. You got to practice beforehand.

 

[R.H. Lee]

Nope. Gimme my MKII Stainless Target 6 7/8"bbl, a brick of ammo and a coupla dozen golf balls and I'm good for the afternoon. Much more fun than punching paper with anything.

 

[45R]

.22 is great for plinking. I dont care if anyone thinks .22 is uncool. I put more rounds through my .22 than any other pistol I own.

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Nah, you're utterly alone.

You just don't get out enough.


Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[Greg L]

Plinking with a .22, nope not me. At the price surplus is at I do most of my plinking with either 8mm or 7.62x54 . The kids seem to enjoy it though.

However .22 is easier on the shoulder .

Greg

 

[Dbl0Kevin]

I'm with ya on this one Nate. When I was a kid and got my first .22 it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.....obviously since it was my first gun. But now if I break out a .22 I'm pretty much bored with it after a couple mags. If I'm gonna shoot something I want it to be worthwhile and I wanna feel some recoil to what I'm shooting. Granted an AR doesn't have all that much recoil, but there's just something more exciting to sending a 5.56 round downrange than a little zippy .22.

 

[444]

Well, I am not real big on plinking. I find it kind of boring.
I do like to shoot .22s though. But mostly on paper.
I plink now and then, usually when I am shooting with someone else and we can sort of compete with each other to see who can hit some piece of junk. By myself, I couldn't be bothered.

 

[schromf]

When I shoot a 22 I really want a rifle, and bunnys and squirels are great sport. I have a Ruger bolt action and an ancient Savage pump that are choices when I do that kind of shooting. Haven't done it in a while but it is a very good way to hone your marksmanship.

I have alway figured I would get a 22 pistol, just never have. Either I don't like the gun, or I don't like the price or both. I also subscribe to the Elmer Kieth school of thought, "big bullets".

I always figured a 38/357/9mm was a small bore, a real cartridges start at 10mm, then 41, 44 and 45. Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the smaller bores they just don't float my boat so to speak.

A 22 pistol is a hole in my gun safe, one I hope to fill one day, I just wonder how much I would use it, I know if I was at a gun show with cash in pocket, and had a choice between a quality target 22 rifle, and 22 pistol; the rifle would go home with me. Of course if there was a 6.5x55 or a .308 target rifle even at the show I doubt I would even notice the 22's.

Kind of funny actually if I was in the wilderness and had a choice of just 1 firearm, a good 22 rifle would be right up on the top of a short list of two or three rifles I would consider suitable. They have always been a put meat on the table gun and if used properly are very good at that.

 

[BamBam-31]

I like .22's. Actually, I love .22's. I love how Zen-like it can be, how the technique used in shooting a .22 carries over to any other caliber. And it's cheap, too!

Maybe you're not challenging yourself enough. Try getting ten shots inside a golf ball sized hole at 50 ft., no flyers. Smaller hole/ further distance, if that's too easy.

There's no more "Aim small, miss small" than a .22 (except maybe a .17).

 

[444]

"Maybe you're not challenging yourself enough."

That is exactly the reason that I don't really enjoy plinking.
Out where I shoot, there is endless junk lying there that pigs have left behind after their plinking sessions. I stand there for a minute and wonder why ? A propane tank: now there is a challenge: if it was sitting 100 yards away for a pistol or maybe a couple hundred yards away for a rifle with iron sights. But of course they were shooting at it at like 10 feet. Wow, what an accomplishment. Why not see if you can hit the side of the earth ? Computers, kitchen appliances........... what is the point ? Let's shoot a beer can: if you hit it every time, the group on paper would be like, what ? Five inches ?
Shooting a group on paper ? Now that is a challenge.

 

[Edward429451]

22's for paper, steel, plinking, golfballs, smallgame, lion

Whats not to love?

 

[J Miller]

Your not alone. Shooting .22's bores me to tears. I have several .22 handguns and a rifle, but they almost never get used. I got bricks of ammo dating way back to the 70's. I buy it on sale and somehow never shoot it.

But occasionally, I'll take them out and play with them. As long as I can have my centerfires there for a fix afterwords.

Joe

 

[BamBam-31]

Maybe I'm not understanding the term "plinking." Does it necessarily mean shooting at junk? I've always taken it to mean casual, fun shooting. At paper, at junk, at whatever. When I mentioned challenging oneself more, I specifically meant on paper. That's why it says "golf ball sized hole," not "golf ball." Perhaps I wasn't clear.

 

[Greg L]

A propane tank: now there is a challenge: if it was sitting 100 yards away for a pistol or maybe a couple hundred yards away for a rifle with iron sights. But of course they were shooting at it at like 10 feet. Wow, what an accomplishment.

Oops sorry, lets define "plinking". Propane tanks @ 100+ are good for pistols. Teninis balls on top of hay bales are good @ 200+ for iron sights (or optics if that is what you can't hit them with ), balloons are great for +/- 450+ w/ iron if there is a dry field behind them that will kick up a burst of dust to help you walk the bullets in .

However it is layed out though, my kids love to shoot w/ their .22s at the supposed "adult" target way out there. Ever now & then they do hit one, much to the enjoyment of those who have "progressed beyond a pitiful .22 .

 

[Tharg]

I'll take my .22

Yes - i'm impressed w/ cheap )(*& optics at hitting what i aim at.

No i'm not a if ya ain't using iron sights you suck person.

Its cheap - its fun - its can ya get all three spinners to keep spinning for an entire magazine fun. Since ea shot costs nearly nothing.... its WONDERFUL on the pocketbook.

And the .22 is the first thing i'll pull out fer critters.... since its dropped everyone i've had to use it against so far. Sure... i could pull out the .223... but why? -

I guess i'm just not advanced enough... <hehe> but i still enjoy cheap shooting.

J/Tharg!

 

[twoblink]

In an outdoor range, have you tried playing "roll the orange"? that might spice up your .22LR life..

Also, I use to play ".22LR @100 yards" and that made things really interesting... (out of a 10/22)

 

[Reno]

.22 is good for plinking practice, but I gotta say, I definately prefer the 12ga for going out and having fun with friends.

 

[Valkman]

I haven't shot my .22's, including my Model 41, for quite some time. Maybe it was all the Bullseye shooting, I don't know, but just about all my shooting is .45, 10mm, .44Mag and .454 anymore. When the urge hits I'll shoot 'em again, but I've just had no urge at all to shoot them.

 

[Tharg]

oh! forgot about 12ga....

pretty much 12 and 20 ga. shotgunnin is cheap too... its when you get into .410 that it gets expensive. at 15 or so bucks for 100 rounds from wally world... its hard to beat per shot ... well other than .22...

hehe

J/Tharg!

 

[Majic]

I love to plink. In fact I plink more than anything else. Depending on where you are there is no need to have junk, trash, or carry targets. I just stroll along and take shots at various targets. Be it a pine cone, clod of dirt, cut leaves or small branches. Nature provides an aboundance of targets for you.
There is nothing but the basic gun handling rules, a pocket full of cartridges, your favorite handgun, and a leisurely stroll thru the woods taking a few shots every now and then. That makes for a relaxing afternoon for me. When you have to tote and set up targets, abided by strict rules (like at a range or friendly competion among the guys), and you are under time constraints then it is no longer plinking to me.