Connotation of .22 caliber?

[linuxpimp20]

Hi i was wondering what the connotation of .22 caliber handguns are? Like when you think of revolvers you might think of cowboys and the old west. I think i read that .22 calibers are beginner guns - is that correct? So maybe you'd think of a rookie or a beginner? thanks for you replies in advance.

 

[Odd Job]

It is a great beginner's choice because it is cheap and produces hardly any perceived recoil.
The world just wouldn't be right without the .22LR

 

[Steve H]

I think i read that .22 calibers are beginner guns - is that correct?

Nowhere close to being correct. Some beginners might start with the .22 but also remember many "old pros" love and shoot the .22 also. It's a great, fun and chaep to shoot calibur.

 

[Plink]

What I think of first is an intelligent shooter who realizes the value of being able to practice marksmanship cheap. I also think of a shooter who probably helps others get into the sport. A .22 makes a great way to introduce new shooters to the sport without all the recoil.

 

[linuxpimp20]

It is a smaller gun so is it a good gun for the wifey to put in the pocket book or do they typically use another gun. ? Does that same factor make it ideal for criminals because it is easy to conceal? Sorry for all the questions im a real beginner with guns.

 

[waynedm]

I bring a .22 with me to the range every time I go. I shoot a few hundred through the .22 first to get in the rythm of everything again and then bring out the rest of my collection. I think the .22 is better practice than dry firing.

 

[Odd Job]

It is a smaller gun so is it a good gun for the wifey to put in the pocket book or do they typically use another gun. ? Does that same factor make it ideal for criminals because it is easy to conceal? Sorry for all the questions im a real beginner with guns.

Ah, now you are talking about self defense. I don't recommend the .22 for carrying, when you can get a small .380 or even a small 9mm for that purpose.

 

[Shadan7]

What Odd Job said about self-defense.

I think of a .22 as a good place for a beginner to start - and for a smart shooter to return to now and again. I've been shooting for 40 years, and while I've had my various infatuations with various platforms and calibers, I've never left the .22 behind. For either pistol or rifle, it is a great way to stay in practice with minimal expense, keeping your basic skills sharp (and then I practice with whatever carry gun I have enough so that stays familiar). Whether it's a bolt action, a revolver, a lever, or a semi, just about everyone should own and use a .22 fairly regularly.

My humble opinion, of course.

7

 

[koja48]

All of the above, mostly . . . great beginner's gun, economical both to purchase and to practice with/shoot, can be a fine target piece, great camp gun during hunting season. A Ruger Mark III Hunter is my current favorite bunny gun. As far as a personal defense choice, I would prefer my trusty 1911, but would gladly take a 22 over bare hands or a rock . . .

 

[mainmech48]

The 'connotation' of owning a .22 RF is that you like to shoot and you like to have fun doing it.

 

[DMK]

When someone mentions 22LR, the first thing that comes to mind is marksmanship and target guns. Small bore competitions, bullseye pistol, etc.

When someone mentions 45ACP, I think of self defense, a 1911 at the ready on the night stand, on the waistband, or in a glovebox.

When someone mentions .40S&W, I think of Law Enforcement.

When someone mentions .38 Special, I think of Law Enforcement, old school. S&W M&P.

When someone mentions .357 Magnum, I daydream of Colt Pythons.

When someone mentions 9mm, I think of gangbangers holding Glocks sideways.

Seriously, I felt self conscious buying 9mm ammo when I first got my CZ75.

There was an older guy there buying a couple boxes of 45ACP and I thought "I need to get a 1911. That's a respectable round".

 

[BADUNAME13]

I have .22 Conversions for a Glock and a 1911...

Makes me able to afford to shoot.

 

[wanderinwalker]

When I think of .22LR, I think of beginners, introducing people to the sport, the fun of popping empty soda cans, golf balls and $10/550 round ammo.

I also think of dedicated marksmanship, where shooters strive to put every round through the hole made by the previous round. Where "good enough" is left at home and the only excuses are made by those who don't practice enough. I also think of the looks on people's faces when I tell them, "I bought a couple boxes of good .22 ammo the other day, about $12 for 100 rounds."

Me? I've got a couple of semi-autos, and I'm bringing home a .22 bolt action soon. I've already go plans to turn the bolt-gun into a heavy-barreled, heavy stocked hole-puncher. At least until I can afford to get an Annie or Walther for serious work.

 

[billp]

.22 pistols

Fun to shoot.

Inexpensive.

And if something goes wrong with your pistol, likely with a lifetime original owner warranty, then it's lot of fun to talk to the manfacturer to get pistol repaired.

S&W is a fun and neat company.

 

[jad0110]

Every gun enthusiast, from newbies to old timers, ought to have at least one nice 22 LR in their collection. Rifle (bolt, semi auto, or lever), semi automatic, or revolver (single or double action), doesn't matter. Small single shot 22LR rifles are excellent for a child to learn good, solid fundamentals of technique and especially safety. I'll be picking up a 22LR bolt action rifle down the road when I consider my little boy mature enough for it.

For self defense, well, like others said. It beats throwing sticks and rocks, and may be just the ticket for someone who is accutely sensitive to recoil. I'd rather have a medium or large bore round (often in packages just as small as a 22LR) that has sufficient penetration abilities to get the job done, God forbid I ever have to face such a situation.

My S&W K-22 Double Action revolver is probably my favorite gun in my small but growing collection. It is a real joy to shoot, especially when you consider that ammo costs as little as 2 cents per round. The next cheapest round, the 9mm, is at least 6-8 times as expensive.

Here is a picture of my beloved S&W K-22 Masterpiece / Model 17-0 made in 1959. Perhaps not necessarily what a gun novice thinks of first when they picture a 22:

 

[waynedm]

I know when I go to league I always get mad when I see a .22 because I know I won't be able to keep up with it.

 

[Croyance]

.22 LR's as a beginner's gun? You've been talking to too many guys with serious testosterone poisoning. Guys need to get over the "I'm shooting the bigger caliber" syndrome - I don't care about your inadequacies. Keep them to yourself.

Tell it to all those Olympic level shooters as well as marksmanship units. Been used by special operations units to quietly kill lights and dogs. There are survival guns built on the .22LR because it is good for small game.

It is also fun and cheap to use - more practice.

 

[linuxpimp20]

thanks for the replies everyone. I'm thinking of getting a .22 now. lol. The only guns i own are paintball guns and a bunch of us play down at the Rod and Gun down the street so i could take the .22 down there and use the targets.

 

[jad0110]

thanks for the replies everyone. I'm thinking of getting a .22 now. lol.

Way to go (and welcome to THR by the way)!

You may want to see if you cant rent a bunch of different 22s before you buy, see what you like best.

Good luck!

 

[22-rimfire]

A 22LR is the best first gun you can buy. Get both a rifle and handgun. Everyone loves the Ruger 10/22's for general plinking and shooting. There are choices to fit most every budget and most shoot accurately. 22's are by no means a beginners gun, but they are the perfect handgun or rifle to learn to shoot with.

Semi-Autos: The Ruger Mark II or III 5.5" bull barrel (heavy barrel) is about a perfect balance between price and function. Extra magazines are real easy to find at most sporting goods stores that sell guns.

Revolvers: A 22 revolver is a great first gun. Just don't have the mindset that because it is a 22 it is supposed to be cheap. If a double action revolver is the choice, look for a Smith or Colt and skip all the High Standards, H&R, RG's, Charter Arms, etc. I don't own a Taurus, but they should be fine. Choose something in 4 or 6" barrels. If you want a quality single action with the extra 22 magnum cylinder, go with a Ruger Single Six.

I always take a 22 with me to the range. I usually take other stuff too which are rotated depending on ammo supply and how I feel that day.

 

[FieroCDSP]

Bought a 22 handgun after my 40 cal's, because of all the same reasons as above. I've had rifles for years. Anyone that's serious about sport/proficiency shooting has knows that the caliber war is pointless. Shoot what you like, shoot what you're comfortable with. and shoot often, which means on the cheap, and that means a 22 in the range-bag. Fin~

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The connotation of the .22 caliber is "foundation." The .22 pistol is the foundation of all handgun skills. You learn on a .22. You increase skills on a .22. You go back to the .22 to work out problems. You hunt with the .22, compete with it, roam the woods with it, take it on picnics and outings.

 

[shaggycat]

The brilliance of a .22 is that once you can afford the initial cost of the gun, the expenses virtually end. Ammo is hardly worth factoring into the equation.

Buy a gun in .45acp and the costs have only just begun.

Plus, .22s are just fun and encourage good technique.

 

[tnieto2004]

I have to admit that when I take the .22 out to the range I find some guys giving me funny looks .. Till they look at the target! It is fun gun to have .. I picked up a S&W 22A and I love it.. I took it out the first time and went through 550 rounds without even noticing.. VERY fun to shoot a .22 pistol and practice skills for CHEAP!!!

 

[MCgunner]

Personally, I think the .22LR is one of the most useful cartridges ever developed and for more than just beginners. I've been hunting with and shooting .22 my entire life and most of my handguns and rifles are in .22 caliber rimfire. One will never outgrow the rimfire. It is the caliber I started with, both rifle and handgun, not including my air guns.