Using .22 as a trainer?

[WoodlandCritter]

I disagree because dry fire doesn't provide feedback at all. The target doesn't lie. Go out and shoot a .22 at a 1" dot, 50 yards away, from field positions, and you will improve more than simple dry fire.

The absolute best practice for big game hunting (apart from big game hunting) is squirrel or rabbit hunting with a .22. It's so easy to work on so many aspects of field shooting and hunting doing that, while putting a bit of meat in the pot.

If you're not getting feedback from your dryfire, you're not dry firing correctly. Oughta be able to tell when you make mistakes.

 

[RockAndSage]

If you're not getting feedback from your dryfire, you're not dry firing correctly.

It's not an all-or-nothing thing, and I don't think either you or @Q_Sertorius are saying it is. Dry-fire, rimfire, and centerfire all have different and very valuable utility, but they each also have their pitfalls if done excessively in the absence of others.

 

[BLJ]

I love shooting .22s and they're better practice than browsing Instagram in your recliner. But realistically, they're not very helpful for making major improvements in centerfire shooting.

Shooting NRL 22 the past 6 years has helped my shooting from field positions tremendously.

Building/breaking positions, dialing, moving and making wind calls under a time constraint will make you think and make you better.

Even if it’s a 22. IMO.

 

[Slick8]

I love it, I have a 6.5 manbun as a trainer / hunting rifle and it's great but not having to stuff bullets is an assist for me.

I have a CZ 453 in 17HMR and a 457 Varmint in 22LR, both with stocks and scopes very similar to my hunting rigs. I enjoy shooting steel at 50-200 yards from various field positions and not spending a ton of money or time on ammo.

 

[Macintosh]

Shooting NRL 22 the past 6 years has helped my shooting from field positions tremendously.

Building/breaking positions, dialing, moving and making wind calls under a time constraint will make you think and make you better.

Even if it’s a 22. IMO.

This^^. “Shooting” is more than just pulling the trigger.
Inarguable feedback from a target is gold.
Combining that with building positions, guN manipulation under time constraints, ranging targets and reading wind is all stuff that I dare say 99.9% of people dont do during dry fire practice, even if much of it is possible in theory.

Yeah, at some level it’s “just” dry fire without some recoil, the wind calls are different and maybe if someone is already highly proficient they get all the feedback they need from dry fire. But Im highly skeptical that applies to most people. Personally I find it very helpful.

 

[omicron1792]

I disagree because dry fire doesn't provide feedback at all. The target doesn't lie. Go out and shoot a .22 at a 1" dot, 50 yards away, from field positions, and you will improve more than simple dry fire.

The absolute best practice for big game hunting (apart from big game hunting) is squirrel or rabbit hunting with a .22. It's so easy to work on so many aspects of field shooting and hunting doing that, while putting a bit of meat in the pot.

You eat squirrels?

 

[Macintosh]

Man, nothing better than squirrel barbacoa on a fresh homemade corn tortilla with some pickled red onions.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

You eat squirrels?

They are great in Brunswick stew.

 

[Steve300xcw]

You eat squirrels?

Nope

 

[WoodlandCritter]

Filipino Adobo is my go to squirrel recipe. Its good stuff.

 

[THLR]

@THLR just posted videos on his YouTube about this very topic.

Have filmed 3-4 episodes now. Didn't go crazy on my 22lr trainer, just picked a random suitable from the secondhand market and put on a scope I had.

I believe if you have a decent shape, same or similar LOP, good trigger and scope with similar features - you are golden in terms of training value.

Same for ammo, use the expensive/precise ammo for aim/trigger exercises, use the good enough ammo for position work on reactive targets.

This year my centerfire:rimfire ratio is currently 1:15 but will creep towards 1:10.

 

[nm.otter]

I recently put together a .17 HM2 trainer on a used Sako Quad:
Same trigger and safety as my T3x, $0.15 per round, shoots far flatter (and with less barrel fouling) than .22 LR does.

Factory stock is marginal -- will eventually have matching stocks built for it and the next centerfire.

 

[BLJ]

I believe if you have a decent shape, same or similar LOP, good trigger and scope with similar features - you are golden in terms of training value.

CZ 457 on top and Tikka 308 on the bottom as it will be used this season.

That’s as close as I could get them.

 

[THLR]

Lovely!