.22-250 for learning to shoot
06-10-2011, 05:40 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 45
.22-250 for learning to shoot
I have just taken up target shooting and have a Ruger 10/22 semiauto that works fine, but doesn't fit me. I like iron sights and was thinking of getting a .22-250 to serve as a target/varmint rifle. Is this a good caliber for learning to shoot, or a long day at the range? Any suggestions?
06-10-2011, 06:09 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 970
Honestly, the .22 is the best caliber to learn to shoot with.
What you're experiencing is how a gun fits you. You need to find some rifles and hold them. When you find one that fits you, you will know it. The right gun for you makes a big difference in how you shoot.
Unfortunately, I'm not as good as others here when it comes to describing what you want to look for. I just know from experience that when I hold a gun that fits me, it's a natural extension of myself. It moves with me naturally making lining up the rifle to make a shot with ease.
What you're experiencing is how a gun fits you. You need to find some rifles and hold them. When you find one that fits you, you will know it. The right gun for you makes a big difference in how you shoot.
Unfortunately, I'm not as good as others here when it comes to describing what you want to look for. I just know from experience that when I hold a gun that fits me, it's a natural extension of myself. It moves with me naturally making lining up the rifle to make a shot with ease.
06-10-2011, 07:24 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
First, learn all the fundlamentals with a .22 LR using a bolt action rifle......then graduate to a .223 for all the reasons RR said !
Always wear eye plugs AND ear muffs when firing repeatedly, helps to NOT develope a "flinch" (anyones/everyones worst enemy).
Becoming good/great takes time, meaning practice !!!
Always wear eye plugs AND ear muffs when firing repeatedly, helps to NOT develope a "flinch" (anyones/everyones worst enemy).
Becoming good/great takes time, meaning practice !!!
06-11-2011, 07:31 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 608
You have received some very good advice above. As stated above by Sfury and Sheridan, a .22LR is best for learning how to shoot. I agree with Sheridan that using a .22LR in bolt action can be very helpful. If you shoot a lot, you will still eventually save enough money over centerfire ammo to pay for the .22LR file. RR pointed out the .223 is the lower cost of centerfire ammo (even lower if a friend reloads for you). See if there is a NRA Basic Rifle course taught in your area. Here is a link where you can search for courses in your area.
http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx
RR says he does long range shooting. Maybe he can share some of his techniques with you.
The following is from me.
Here are some of the fundamentals where shooters harm their accuracy by not doing them. The below info is assuming you have a rifle with good fit and proper head position.
You need to find the shooting hand grip and finger position for your hand and that rifle where the muzzle of the gun does not move due to your trigger finger moving the trigger to the rear for the shot. The thumb and non-trigger fingers of the shooting hand should not move at all. The only thing that should move is your trigger finger. Do not change the pressure of the shooting hand on the rifle (NRA calls this "lobstering"). The pressure of the support hand should also not change. I do NOT recommend dry-firing any rimfire firearm.
Make sure the butt of the rifle is solid against the proper part of the shoulder area. Draw an imaginary, vertical line in the center of your armpit. No part of the gun butt should touch this imaginary line.
Focus on the front sight only. The rear sight will be blurry and the target will be blurry, but the front sight should be very clear and in focus. Focus on the front sight only and do not move any part of your body (even your trigger finger) until about 3 to 5 seconds after the shot (I wait about 2 seconds after the shot to breath to help avoid moving the rifle if I am taking a precision shot).
There is not much recoil in a .22LR, but you still want to do proper follow through. While continuing to focus on the front sight, put the sights back on target ASAP after the shot and hold that position for 3 to 5 seconds. You can work on speed later (slowly pick up speed), but you first need to work on proper follow through, remaining focused on the front sight only and not moving your body, including the trigger finger as it should sill have the same pressure on the trigger as it did when the shot was fired, until well after the bullet has left the barrel.
Find that spot where you can hold your breath for 5 seconds (while focusing on the front sight) and still be comfortable with the sights steady on the target. Try to hold your breath when taking the shot. Breathing will move the firearm, and not breathing (for a few seconds) when taking the shot can help a lot. If you did not take the shot, start breathing again and start the process over. Don't forget to start breathing after the shot (again, I wait for about 2 seconds after the shot to start breathing).
Here are mistakes a lot of people make.
Shooters want to see where they hit right away, so they move their head immediately after the shot. Quite often, they will move several parts of their body. There is a delay from the recoil until the bullet leaves the barrel, and moving any part of the body until the bullet has completely left the barrel affects accuracy. Any part of the body includes the trigger finger and pressure of it against the trigger, grip and pressure of the shooting and support hand, head position, eye focus, breathing, and pressure of gun butt against the body.
BE SAFE!!! Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and trigger finger along the stock and outside of the trigger guard until you are on target and ready to shoot. Treat every firearm as if it is loaded. Keep unauthorized people away from the firearm and ammo. Know your target and what is beyond. If you are wondering if you should take the shot, DON'T. If you walk away from the rifle while at the range, open the action, make sure the chamber is clear, make sure no ammo is in the magazine (remove magazine if it is detachable), keep the action open and make sure nobody is near the rifle. Check the firearm when you return to make sure the chamber and magazine are empty. For a bolt action, I will remove the bolt and take it and the mag with me if I walk away from the rifle while on a range. I will especially do this if inexperienced people or people I do not know or trust (have not watched them shoot or handle a firearm a lot) are around. It also prevents someone from removing your bolt and taking it or the mag with them.
Be sure to follow all range rules and ask questions if you have any. If you do not understand the rules, ask for clarification. Talk to the Range Officer if others are doing actions that violate the range rules. Safety is the responsibility of everyone.
http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx
RR says he does long range shooting. Maybe he can share some of his techniques with you.
The following is from me.
Here are some of the fundamentals where shooters harm their accuracy by not doing them. The below info is assuming you have a rifle with good fit and proper head position.
You need to find the shooting hand grip and finger position for your hand and that rifle where the muzzle of the gun does not move due to your trigger finger moving the trigger to the rear for the shot. The thumb and non-trigger fingers of the shooting hand should not move at all. The only thing that should move is your trigger finger. Do not change the pressure of the shooting hand on the rifle (NRA calls this "lobstering"). The pressure of the support hand should also not change. I do NOT recommend dry-firing any rimfire firearm.
Make sure the butt of the rifle is solid against the proper part of the shoulder area. Draw an imaginary, vertical line in the center of your armpit. No part of the gun butt should touch this imaginary line.
Focus on the front sight only. The rear sight will be blurry and the target will be blurry, but the front sight should be very clear and in focus. Focus on the front sight only and do not move any part of your body (even your trigger finger) until about 3 to 5 seconds after the shot (I wait about 2 seconds after the shot to breath to help avoid moving the rifle if I am taking a precision shot).
There is not much recoil in a .22LR, but you still want to do proper follow through. While continuing to focus on the front sight, put the sights back on target ASAP after the shot and hold that position for 3 to 5 seconds. You can work on speed later (slowly pick up speed), but you first need to work on proper follow through, remaining focused on the front sight only and not moving your body, including the trigger finger as it should sill have the same pressure on the trigger as it did when the shot was fired, until well after the bullet has left the barrel.
Find that spot where you can hold your breath for 5 seconds (while focusing on the front sight) and still be comfortable with the sights steady on the target. Try to hold your breath when taking the shot. Breathing will move the firearm, and not breathing (for a few seconds) when taking the shot can help a lot. If you did not take the shot, start breathing again and start the process over. Don't forget to start breathing after the shot (again, I wait for about 2 seconds after the shot to start breathing).
Here are mistakes a lot of people make.
Shooters want to see where they hit right away, so they move their head immediately after the shot. Quite often, they will move several parts of their body. There is a delay from the recoil until the bullet leaves the barrel, and moving any part of the body until the bullet has completely left the barrel affects accuracy. Any part of the body includes the trigger finger and pressure of it against the trigger, grip and pressure of the shooting and support hand, head position, eye focus, breathing, and pressure of gun butt against the body.
BE SAFE!!! Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and trigger finger along the stock and outside of the trigger guard until you are on target and ready to shoot. Treat every firearm as if it is loaded. Keep unauthorized people away from the firearm and ammo. Know your target and what is beyond. If you are wondering if you should take the shot, DON'T. If you walk away from the rifle while at the range, open the action, make sure the chamber is clear, make sure no ammo is in the magazine (remove magazine if it is detachable), keep the action open and make sure nobody is near the rifle. Check the firearm when you return to make sure the chamber and magazine are empty. For a bolt action, I will remove the bolt and take it and the mag with me if I walk away from the rifle while on a range. I will especially do this if inexperienced people or people I do not know or trust (have not watched them shoot or handle a firearm a lot) are around. It also prevents someone from removing your bolt and taking it or the mag with them.
Be sure to follow all range rules and ask questions if you have any. If you do not understand the rules, ask for clarification. Talk to the Range Officer if others are doing actions that violate the range rules. Safety is the responsibility of everyone.
