Do I need a 22lr?

behindyou

behindyou

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Have a 9mm, 40SW, and 45ACP handguns. Last year shot 2X a months (when ammo was available). This year, no trips to the range. Lost interest, not sure why, but it hasn't gotten to where I'll sell anything. Its gotten to the point where the wife will ask me if why I don't go shooting anymore. Thinking a 22lr might be needed to help with the lack of interest - perhaps an AR style rifle. Initially looking at the SW and HK variants - but no hurry.

Thoughts? Anyone else go through this - if so, what snapped them back to shooting?
 
What kind of shooting do you typically do?

I get bored easily standing at a square range shooting at paper targets. Maybe you can switch it up with some steel, shooting on the move, competitions...for me that's what keeps things interesting..
 
+1 for .22 being great for cheap practice. Ammo is actually available most places and not 10cents+/rd. I love shooting .22 for fun or practice.


If you’re in the market, I think below is a great place to start.
Rifle: 10/22 or M&P15-22
Pistol: .22 variant of your favorite handgun, or Ruger Mark IV

If you have a .22 suppressor, grab a bolt action rifle. It’ll make you giggle! haha
 
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I bore easily on an indoor range. 22LR let’s you make games and different targets to hit. Way more fun than blasting paper or steel. Much cheaper as well. But if you want to have more fun shooting, take up skeet shooting.
 
behindyou said:
Have a 9mm, 40SW, and 45ACP handguns. Last year shot 2X a months (when ammo was available). This year, no trips to the range. Lost interest, not sure why, but it hasn't gotten to where I'll sell anything. Its gotten to the point where the wife will ask me if why I don't go shooting anymore. Thinking a 22lr might be needed to help with the lack of interest - perhaps an AR style rifle. Initially looking at the SW and HK variants - but no hurry.

Thoughts? Anyone else go through this - if so, what snapped them back to shooting?
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given your stated interest, the Tippmann M4-22 is likely going to end up on your short-list

 
everyone needs a good 22, the best all around 22 is a ruger 10/22, that being said if you have a yard you may want to consider a good 22 caliber air rifle for plinking. its cheap to shoot, quiet, and theres still the skill involved to hit targets of unique varietys, the gamo brake actions are a good start. just my opinion
 
Where do you shoot, public or private? Private you can have way more fun since you can put all sorts of reactive targets up which is so much fun with any .22
 
ronn47 said:
You need 2, one for you and one for your lady friend.
Take the wife shooting.
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Won't he need 3? One for him, one for the wife and one for the lady friend?


Yes, you need a .22. Everyone should have a .22. As far as maintaining interest, look into friendly competitions. Many ranges have some sort of regular event going on and are usually very friendly to newbies. Also, as mentioned, outdoor ranges with steel are so much more fun than paper. Especially, if there's steel like a plate rack or competition trees.
 
behindyou said:
Have a 9mm, 40SW, and 45ACP handguns. Last year shot 2X a months (when ammo was available). This year, no trips to the range. Lost interest, not sure why, but it hasn't gotten to where I'll sell anything. Its gotten to the point where the wife will ask me if why I don't go shooting anymore. Thinking a 22lr might be needed to help with the lack of interest - perhaps an AR style rifle. Initially looking at the SW and HK variants - but no hurry.

Thoughts? Anyone else go through this - if so, what snapped them back to shooting?
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You just need to get rid of all your SIGs...

:D
 
100% yes get a .22. Get a pistol and a rifle. I waited way too long to buy a .22 pistol. Go for a reliable option like the Ruger Mark or Browning Buckmark or SW victory, the ones that emulate full size polymer pistols are overrated and finicky.

Just don’t hoard too much ammo cause I need to stash some too 🤣
 
Get a 22 handgun and a rifle. Clay pigeons set at various ranges, balloons (air and/or water filled), plastic soda bottles filled with water, fired shotgun shells, etc make for fun days. Anything reactive is more fun than just paper punching.
 
IMHO .22 handgun and rifle are near mandatory for shooters. Great for practicing or teaching the basics of marksmanship. Easier on the wallet for high volume shooting. I don't shoot much paper unless sighting in. A few hundred rounds and my shooting gallery almost always puts a big smile on my face. My friend shot the golf ball off the empty string.20220502_135715.jpg
 
Short answer: Yes

Long answer: Of course you do

A rifle in bolt action or semi auto for sure. Preferably a pistol as well. Lots of fun for cheap. Even if they don't match your center fires. Sight picture and trigger discipline translate at a much lower cost per round.

Plus if allowable. It takes very little space to set up a backyard plinking range safely and targets are limited by your imagination and willingness to pick up the pieces.
 
Everyone should have a .22 We carry .22 pistols in our get home bags with 50 rds ammo to supplement what ever our regular carry is that day. It's great for training, great for small game hunting, easier to collect thousands of rounds for. I'd get a 10/22 over an AR copy because it's more versatile. Also a good .22 target pistol is nice and can double as your walking around the property carry. If ya carry a pistol 40 grain plated round nose can penetrate 6 - 8" and would be like getting stabbed with a phillips head screw driver - so probably effective against 2 legged critters in a pinch.
 
Oh, but be forewarned. It's yet another rabbit hole.

"Oh this is fun, I need a revolver with subs for critter control in the garden"

"Oh I can hit shotgun shells at 50yds most of the time. Need to be a little more accurate"

"I bet a bolt gun can make smaller groups at 100yds than this semi auto"

"Man is this mark IV so good. I gotta try out the Volquartsen clone"

"(Digging for a spot in the safe for my new to me, old Mossberg bolt gun) wait, when did I buy this 10/22? I have 4 marlin 60's? Why do I have 2 matching base model savage mark II's? Didn't I already build a cz chassis rifle? What is this one for????"

"Well if I sell a few of these, I can afford that smith 41 I was offered the other day"

😆😆😆🤣😱😁
 
We have the S&W 15/22 AR style rifles for plinking and love them. They run exceptionally well.
 
I have a collection of 22 firearms that I love. Few are expensive, some wouldn't turn yer haid at a pawn shop. The rifles alone include representatives from every decade starting with the 1880s. Some of them are depression era game-getters that surely fed families. Some are fine old target rifles. Some have scopes from their era. I've matched vintage scopes with many others. I've had more fun with 22 firearms than any other type by far!
 
Going to the regular range indoor or outdoor is a horribly boring time. Find a local match , do not worry you are good enough and the people I have met have all been great.
Find a local club that’s not too far and one that runs a wide range of matches.
.22s are great we just had our monthly rimfire / PCC Match
 
The question isn't do you NEED a .22 LR, it's do you WANT a .22 LR.

There's a difference between a need and a want, you know!

And my answer is the same every time someone asks a question like this:

If you WANT one, GET one.

The only detractor for this is if it interferes with the family budget.
 
MacEntyre said:
Way back in the 70s, my economics professor said, "There's no such thing as Needs. There are only Wants."
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I found a video of him. 🤪

 
behindyou said:
Thanks to all for the input, and to BigWaylon for his generous offer. I'm going 22lr rifle shopping this weekend - Tipmann, SW, and HK are the top contenders as they all fall within the price point I'm looking for.
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While you’re looking at Smiths, try to find an M&P 15-22 pistol!!!!
 
I no longer enjoy steel or paper shooting. I go just enough to feel competent. When i do shoot rifles or pistols I enjoy the 22s the most.
I switched to sporting clays and never looked back.
 
Why ar style rifle. Shooting does not have to be "tactical". If you don't know if you want to keep shooting why spend all that money. Maybe a used 22 of any kind. Keep it simple and fun. Get your wife, kids or someone to go with you. Maybe not to a range. If you can find a place in the woods where you can shoot. Going to a range is just a downer to me. Find ways to make it fun.
 
22s are the jam and they seem to multiply.
 
behindyou said:
Thanks to all for the input, and to BigWaylon for his generous offer. I'm going 22lr rifle shopping this weekend - Tipmann, SW, and HK are the top contenders as they all fall within the price point I'm looking for.
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Just let me know…I have a variety.

A couple semi-auto pistols
A revolver
A couple bolt rifles
A pump
A lever
A 15-22 pistol

I do have a 15-22 rifle, but it’s been cut down to 4.5”, so I’d have to go to the range with you. 😎

I have silencers for all of them, which is the next thing you need once you start shooting 22LR.
 
So I bought a HK 416 22LR at the LGS. Fondled the M&P and Mossberg. HK felt more substantial. Red dot to be added. Target: 25 yards, shoulder fired. Yellow area is first few shots, then green, and finally red. Haven’t shot a 22 in years, actually didn’t feel the first shot ‘going off’. Big fun. Thanks all for the advice.D3044A91-F750-4190-87E6-ED255C1724E8.jpeg
 
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