- Location
- West Quebec
Agree totally .. accuracy is my driver and it can be achieved with more affordable practice with a 22 and then move up if that's your thing
First handgun question 9mm vs 22 lr
- Thread starter LongRangeJunkie
- Start date
Agree totally .. accuracy is my driver and it can be achieved with more affordable practice with a 22 and then move up if that's your thing
Both are decent calibers to begin shooting with as both have their merits and you can not go wrong with either. However it has already been pointed out that you may get bored of the .22lr quickly so I would suggest the 9 MM and go slow. This is a tremendous caliber that has a plethora of makes and models of firearms to choose from. Mild recoil and fairly cheap, maybe not as inexpensive as the .22lr but cheaper then any other center fire cartridge.
Both should be in your future plans tho.
Both should be in your future plans tho.
I started with the 9mm, now I'm looking for a .22 . If you can afford it OP, buy both. There will be days when you just feel like going through a crap ton of ammo. One thing I've find that is beneficial is to bring my rifle with me. I'll set up two targets. One rifle, the other pistol. Whenever I go to inspect my rifle target, I bring the pistol with me and shoot a few mags. If I bring the pistol only, I go through WAY more.
I started with .22 then moved to a 9mm. To do it again I'd go straight to 9mm. Find the gun that suits you and your grip the best. I have the 92fs, a couple of Hi-Powers but my favourite is my CZ SP-01 Shadow. Still have my .22 pistols but don't shoot them nearly as much as my 9's
Turkinator
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Onterrible
^^ this
The notion of buying a "trainer" .22lr version of a pistol you own in a larger caliber is silly to me because a .22lr pistol will usually have a much heavier trigger pull in DA and dry fire practice in any caliber costs nothing! I only use .22lr to fill in the gaps on range day due to cost and for when I'm with new shooters.
Last edited:
- Location
- Montreal, Québec
Funny, if "anyone" can shoot accurately slowly why aren't ALL shooting disciplines rapid fire? And why aren't all disciplines over the same distances at the same targets?
100% recoil management? For what calibre? Why 9mm and not larger? Why a target load and not a high velocity load? Why a light bullet versus a heavy bullet?
Flinching or anticipation has nothing to do with recoil management either. Recoil management and bringing the pistol back on target or on to the next target are AFTER the trigger has been pulled.
Different disciplines require different skills. Some skills are cross-discipline. Nothing is gained by bad mouthing or denigrating other disciplines. Respect everyones choice of specialty.
A .22 is a great starting out pistol. If it becomes boring in time then that is fine, sell it. As you can see from the replies the shooting public is highly polarized between owning .22's and not owning a .22. And what they have chosen is right for each of them.
Me? I continue to add to my .22 handgun collection. And I shoot all of them in some vague sort of rotation. I do this because it's great practice for the basic skills and I just enjoy hitting what I aim for. A .22 gives me more trigger time for cheaper to maintain these skills.
As for the lack of kick and noise? Yeah, the others are right on that count. But I get around that at the range for plinking by using one of the rimfire flip up and reset targets. Hitting the steel and seeing the flipper flip and hang more than makes up for the lack of kick and noise.
Can a person self train themselves to shoot well with a center fire pistol as their first gun? Of course. But the question is can they do it as effectively and as quickly and as cheaply as the same person could manage with a rimfire. I'd say the answer to this last question is "in only a very few cases". As an RO in a lot of the local shooting events I've gotten to see many shooters with 3 years or less who have a LOVELY flinch from only ever owning center fire handguns. As a rule those that started with or still use a .22 seem to be better at this stuff. That is my observation from the past 5 years of RO'ing in matches and just generally observing other shooters.
For ME I know that using a rented .22 was a major factor in beating down my early flinch issues in a more effective and timely manner. I point out that it was a rented gun (DVC in Coquitlam) to show that I have no reason for loyalty or to defend the choice I made. If the .22 had not helped me I'd be equally happy to say so. But I found the .22 handgun to be such a great aid to my early and continued training that I did buy one. And since that time I've added about half a dozen more.
Yes, I will admit that the lack of recoil IS a bit boring. A good thump to the hand and arm is part of the enjoyment. But I also enjoy hitting what I aim for. And even now the rimfire handguns I have help me maintain the good habits that make tighter groups possible. And the good habits I get with my rimfire handguns comes through when I can shoot my .44Magnum revolver with good results and no sign of any flinch.
A lot of us find that shooting ANY handgun from standing still to perforate paper gets old pretty fast. The rimfire guns just get boring that much sooner. But there IS an answer. Gather up your handguns and enter into the local competitions. Rimfire suddenly becomes exciting again when you are shooting while a timer is held over your shoulder. See if there is any club's hosting Steel Challenge or some similar event that has classes for rimfire handguns. It'll spice up your shooting life more than you can imagine. If there isn't any club currently hosting such an event then gather up a couple of fellow shooters and propose that you organize and run such an event. If the results in our local steel events is anything to go by you'll find interest and number of competitors grows like wildfire.
Me? I continue to add to my .22 handgun collection. And I shoot all of them in some vague sort of rotation. I do this because it's great practice for the basic skills and I just enjoy hitting what I aim for. A .22 gives me more trigger time for cheaper to maintain these skills.
As for the lack of kick and noise? Yeah, the others are right on that count. But I get around that at the range for plinking by using one of the rimfire flip up and reset targets. Hitting the steel and seeing the flipper flip and hang more than makes up for the lack of kick and noise.
Can a person self train themselves to shoot well with a center fire pistol as their first gun? Of course. But the question is can they do it as effectively and as quickly and as cheaply as the same person could manage with a rimfire. I'd say the answer to this last question is "in only a very few cases". As an RO in a lot of the local shooting events I've gotten to see many shooters with 3 years or less who have a LOVELY flinch from only ever owning center fire handguns. As a rule those that started with or still use a .22 seem to be better at this stuff. That is my observation from the past 5 years of RO'ing in matches and just generally observing other shooters.
For ME I know that using a rented .22 was a major factor in beating down my early flinch issues in a more effective and timely manner. I point out that it was a rented gun (DVC in Coquitlam) to show that I have no reason for loyalty or to defend the choice I made. If the .22 had not helped me I'd be equally happy to say so. But I found the .22 handgun to be such a great aid to my early and continued training that I did buy one. And since that time I've added about half a dozen more.
Yes, I will admit that the lack of recoil IS a bit boring. A good thump to the hand and arm is part of the enjoyment. But I also enjoy hitting what I aim for. And even now the rimfire handguns I have help me maintain the good habits that make tighter groups possible. And the good habits I get with my rimfire handguns comes through when I can shoot my .44Magnum revolver with good results and no sign of any flinch.
A lot of us find that shooting ANY handgun from standing still to perforate paper gets old pretty fast. The rimfire guns just get boring that much sooner. But there IS an answer. Gather up your handguns and enter into the local competitions. Rimfire suddenly becomes exciting again when you are shooting while a timer is held over your shoulder. See if there is any club's hosting Steel Challenge or some similar event that has classes for rimfire handguns. It'll spice up your shooting life more than you can imagine. If there isn't any club currently hosting such an event then gather up a couple of fellow shooters and propose that you organize and run such an event. If the results in our local steel events is anything to go by you'll find interest and number of competitors grows like wildfire.
MacUser416
New member
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
When I first started shooting handgun (not that long ago) I was "told" to get a 22 first, mainly because of cheap ammo, and not to develop anticipating recoil. Of course I did not listen and bought a 9 instead. I find (for me) dry firing in between magazine changes will help to mitigate the flinch, where as dry firing at home won't help as my brain already knows there will not be a loud bang. However any dry firing will help to improve trigger pull/squeeze. In my case my brain got used to the 9mm bang after about a thousand rounds, now the challenge is how to hold my arms steady to get a 3" group free hand at 25m.
If I did it all again, I would start with a .22 LR. There's a good selection nowadays. Is it thrilling to shoot? Not particularly, but neither is 9mm, and that's 5x the price. If you're looking for thrills, you might as well buy a .44 Magnum, make a lot of expensive noise, hit nothing because you develop a bad flinch, and then go home. If you're looking to develop good habits and work on technique without needing to manage much recoil, a low-recoiling, all-metal .22 LR handgun is a good start. It won't be your last gun, by a long shot.
I agree with this setup or as someone stated earlier a Glock17 with the Advantage Arms 22 conversion kit. You still have the same trigger pull and feel except a little more recoil with the 9. Or go Glock22 in 40S&W and a 9mm conversion barrel and Advantage Arms kit.
9mm, .40, or .45. If revolver, go .357 mag. I have .22 rifles and revolvers but only my wife and daughter shoot them, I can't get excited about shooting them. I really only shoot the .22's to make sure they are sighted in for my girls.
For me, the first pistol I bought was the 9mm 92FS. I've shot a fair bit in the past before eventually getting my RPAL and I know how helpful it is to have a 22LR for training but I also know that after 30mins or less of shooting 22LR, it gets old and turns you into a crack addict itching for the heavier snap of a centerfire.
If you buy a 22LR first as a newbie shooter, I guarantee you, you will be buying a centerfire pistol after your first range session with said 22LR.
If you buy a 22LR first as a newbie shooter, I guarantee you, you will be buying a centerfire pistol after your first range session with said 22LR.
Turkinator
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Onterrible
You get the same advice buying a motorcycle for the first time. Some people will tell you to start with a 250cc that even a 98lb woman would feel cramped on. After your first ride you're already looking to upgrade.
If it's not what you wanted initially it may get boring as hell after just a couple range trips. If you've ever swung a hammer or used a drill without developing a case of PTSD you will be able to handle 9mm, or 45acp etc. I'm not saying .22lr is worthless and you shouldn't get one because I love my .22lr revolver and bolt gun, I'm saying if it's not what you want don't feel obligated to start small. The point of shooting is to have fun, if you're not having fun there's no point.
If it's not what you wanted initially it may get boring as hell after just a couple range trips. If you've ever swung a hammer or used a drill without developing a case of PTSD you will be able to handle 9mm, or 45acp etc. I'm not saying .22lr is worthless and you shouldn't get one because I love my .22lr revolver and bolt gun, I'm saying if it's not what you want don't feel obligated to start small. The point of shooting is to have fun, if you're not having fun there's no point.
Cocked&Locked
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- S. Ontario
depends really on if you want to learn to shoot accurately or just shoot. I own over a 100 handguns, and shot both ipsc and idpa. I don't compete much anymore are my knees are both blown, but i keep shooting, but now shoot mostly rimfire and black powder percussion. When i shoot centerfire it's generally 38 in a k38 or 9mm from a sti Sentry, since they are the two i know off hand are more accurate then i am (will shoot inside 2" at 23 yards). I bring out other stuff for fun or for friends, but the 22 keeps me accurate as there is nothing to hide errors in form or technique.
I reload for everything and could shoot any of a dozen other calibers, but other then for novelty, can't really be bothered any more. I watch new shooter after new shooter at my club with their 9 or 45 who can't group inside 8" at 7 yards and think they shoot well...they all think 22's are boring too...
the fact that it is cheap to shoot a 22 is a factor for a beginner, but the biggest part of the equation is that you have nothing to blame a miss on. If you have a ruger or a buckmark, and it's not shooting 10 rounds inside 1/2" at 10 yards (actually they can do it farther then that, but its a good starting goal) then you know you've got fundamental issues with sight alignment or trigger control...and nothing to blame it on.
You can learn to shoot well starting with a 9, but it's easier and faster with a 22...but it's all your choice, find what you like and have at er...
I reload for everything and could shoot any of a dozen other calibers, but other then for novelty, can't really be bothered any more. I watch new shooter after new shooter at my club with their 9 or 45 who can't group inside 8" at 7 yards and think they shoot well...they all think 22's are boring too...
the fact that it is cheap to shoot a 22 is a factor for a beginner, but the biggest part of the equation is that you have nothing to blame a miss on. If you have a ruger or a buckmark, and it's not shooting 10 rounds inside 1/2" at 10 yards (actually they can do it farther then that, but its a good starting goal) then you know you've got fundamental issues with sight alignment or trigger control...and nothing to blame it on.
You can learn to shoot well starting with a 9, but it's easier and faster with a 22...but it's all your choice, find what you like and have at er...
