other than price, why is 22LR for me?

[Splatter]

and interesting 'option' of alternating between a pellet gun and a normal handgun! i hadn't thought about that - and i think i still have my cheapie BB gun kicking around somewhere (or can pick up a new one for $100 or so). that might even let me get additional 'practice' in a basement or back-yard at times when i can't get to the range for proper discharges.

The cheapie BB gun probably doesn't have the sights or the inherent accuracy you need to be able to switch-out for a real gun. If you are looking to pickup something for extra practice in the garage or basement (check your local bylaws first), you should look at spending closer to $200, something like the Daisy 717 or 747 will give you real sights and really good accuracy. The pellet pistol is an excellent idea; but frankly, I'd buy a good .22 first.
Why?
Because the majority of the benefits of shooting the pellet gun at home can be realized with dry-firing practice with your real gun, plus, you have the benefit of learning that same trigger.
And yes, dry-firing is safe for the vast majority of modern .22s. (ask before you buy).

And don't discount the added life of a good .22rf. For a decent quality .22 bolt, figure 100,000 rounds before it starts to act 'shot-out', as long as you do a fair job of maintaining it. This allows you to get a lot more "trigger time" which is really how you learn to shoot.


I bought my first handgun from Lever Arms Service, way back when Alan Lever still owned it, and it was right downtown. I had enough money for a brand new Ruger Mk1 with a 6" barrel or a very lightly used Ruger SuperBlackhawk (In .44 mag). I was hanging around the handgun display case when Mr. Lever came over, I told him what I wanted (first handgun) and how much I had to spend (I think it was $200) and told him which two I had my eye on.
He asked "Are you stupid?"
I paused a moment, looked around the largest and coolest gunshop I'd ever been in, in my short life, looked at the owner of said establishment, bit-off the smart-mouthed answer I had for him and just said "No sir."
"Good. then buy the .22" So I did. After handing-over my money I asked why, and he basically said all the stuff you've been reading here, you'll shoot it more and it'll last longer.

 

[Brutus]

Mostly great advice Splatter. But I beg to differ on the matter that most .22 LR firearms are dry fire friendly. I pose the opposite fact myself.

Without a case or perhaps a non-firing 'snap cap' one often is in the process of permanently damaging the unsupported rimfire chamber, with 'cratering' on the rim of the empty chamber, from the firing pin.
Also with the absence of a brass cushioning rim, the impact pulse is just transmitted back into the firing pin, shortening it's useful service life considerably. Only the manufacturer's data, from an owner's manual, is what I would trust completely. These days, spare parts of any firearms, just seem harder and harder to acquire.
My two bits......

 

[Splatter]

Brutus:
We'll have to agree to disagree. My Rugers, My S&W, BRNO, Norinco M93 and EM321, Henry AR7, Cooey 64b and my Anschutz all either have positive stops for the firing pin or specify in their manual that dryfiring is permissible. The only .22 I have that doesn't permit regular dryfiring is my Walther OSP, so it came with a special trigger group that allows dryfiring.

As for the theoretical problem of the metal fatigue, I've just not seeing it in the real world.

That having been written, the empty case used as a snap-cap is not a bad idea, these often work better if you can grind a notch where the extractor(s) will bite it, that way you don't have to find it every time you #### the action. Just use a cleaning rod to pop it out of the chamber.

 

[Brutus]

Brutus:
We'll have to agree to disagree. My Rugers, My S&W, BRNO, Norinco M93 and EM321, Henry AR7, Cooey 64b and my Anschutz all either have positive stops for the firing pin or specify in their manual that dryfiring is permissible. The only .22 I have that doesn't permit regular dryfiring is my Walther OSP, so it came with a special trigger group that allows dryfiring.

As for the theoretical problem of the metal fatigue, I've just not seeing it in the real world.

That having been written, the empty case used as a snap-cap is not a bad idea, these often work better if you can grind a notch where the extractor(s) will bite it, that way you don't have to find it every time you #### the action. Just use a cleaning rod to pop it out of the chamber.

Perhaps, my gun designs are too old and I'm being overly cautious.

Cheers.......