More on Training With the 22

This is a follow-on to the original post on training with the 22 in marksmanship fundamentals. Historian, the author of the original and this piece, has laid out not just a simple training program to produce better marksmen, but is actively putting it into practice. Training doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does need to satisfy objective goals- push yourself and your equipment. -NCS


Dear NCS:

So yesterday I spent about 5 hours competing in the local range’s .22 rimfire long range challenge match. It was advertised as being 50 to 300+ yards, same format as the regular centerfire LR match; 5 stages, 5 targets per stage, up to three shots at each target, in order, but .22 rimfire only. Prone only, bipods, bags or other supports all ok, any rifle, any sights. No sighters and shotgun start- you begin at the stage that you are squadded in.

This was the first such match that they have run, so I had no idea what to expect.

My equipment was very basic- I shot a Ruger 10-22 with a stock barrel, a $90 Tapco stock, the Ruger target trigger, stock 10 round mags, and a Burris MTAC 3.5 to 10x 30 MM scope with adjustable objective and Burris’ Mil-dot reticle, the same scope I use on my centerfire LR stick. Mount was a 20 MOA sloped Picatinny rail and rings were Burris 30 MM heavy duty tactical rings with 6 screws each. The scope, mount, and rings are easily twice the price of the rifle, stock, and trigger, and looked a little absurd on my 10-22, until I saw the course of fire! I used a cheap grip-pod and some Caldwell bags as supports. Ammunition was CCI Target, subsonic 40 grain bullet at 1065 fps from this rifle, which will group into 5/8″ for 10 shots at 50 yards, my sight-in distance. It is a 1 1/4 MOA rifle/ammo combination, nothing special.

This was a significantly challenging match for both shooter and equipment, as the targets started just over 100 yards out and went all the way out to 480 yards, forget “300+”! Unlike the regular centerfire long range match, the targets at each stage were significantly different in both angle (from 30 degrees to the left to 45 degrees to the right on the same stage,) and distance, presenting a highly variable targeting problem, and requiring MAJOR successive elevation and wind hold changes. Targets varied; for the most part 3″ at 100 to 150 yards, to 4″ at 150-200 yards, to 6″ at 250 to 300, to 12″ at 350, to 24 x24 at 480, but I recall one 3 or 4″ at around 300 yards, (which I hit) and one 6″ at 400. The range is sited at the top of a rise, so there is almost always wind after about 9 or 10 am, and this match was no exception.

The wind was a significant factor, varying significantly in strength during the match, and also varying significantly in direction over the course of the match. It was not unusual to see wind from 3 to 8 mph changing within 15 seconds, and the direction was variable from minute to minute and sometimes faster. Top speed I saw was about 10 mph at about a 30 degree angle to my line of fire. Turnout was light, and I actually needed to use my Bushnell spotting scope, my rangefinder, and my wind meter, as my squadmates did not have a wind meter, and the ranges initially given were not always correct.

With .22s at these distances, you need to get within just a few yards of the right distance to have any chance at a first round hit, and with wind drifts for a 5 mph wind at 150 yards running at 4″, a bad wind call means a miss. The farther out you go, the more the wind pushes that slow bullet. At 480 yards, the midrange is about 15 feet above LOS, and the full value wind-drift is 8 feet, or about 5.7 mils.

For the most part, I was able to give good spots for my squadmates who wanted my wind call, and generally got them either on or close, excepting the frequent gusts or drops in wind. These caused me at least 3 or 4 of my 7 missed targets (bad ranging on one and trying to hold over for my first target at 480 yards, as my scope would not dial to the needed elevation. Mirage was also a factor later in the day.) I could tell it was wind when I never missed by much distance (typically, less than an inch to perhaps 3 inches) and my elevations were good, but missed to the left or right, often in alternation! BTW, I dialed for elevation and held for wind, as the wind shifted quickly; here the advantage of the self-loader really stood out, as I could adjust and deliver a followup within a couple of seconds while I still had the same condition. When I missed, I could spot my impact and deliver the correction pronto. My other squadmates all had match grade bolts with match ammo, much more precise, but slower- they’d get caught by a shift in wind. On the 480 yard target that I hit, I was holding a fat 2 mils of windage and about 32 mils of elevation; I figured with that high trajectory I’d pick up a bit more drift, and so it was.

Anyhow, I managed to hit 18 of the 25 targets, with 9 first round hits, including the second 480 yard target, a couple at 200+, one at 340, and five of the closer targets. I also had a blast! I used just under a box of ammo for the match, and stayed a bit to do some longer range practice; overall round count was about 75 rounds, at a cost of less than 5 bucks for ammo. And NO time at the loading bench!

If you really want to learn how to shoot in the wind, an essential skill for shooting centerfire rifles past a couple hundred yards, a .22 is a very good way to do it. You don’t need to spend a lot of money for either rifle or ammo, but a good scope with target turrets is a must have. I’m going to see how I can get more slope on my base before the next match, and I’m also going to check how accurate my milling adjustment is too. I may fire up the sewing machine and make a couple more bags, too; I have some old pants legs that will work for bags.

With regard to all who seek the Light,
Historian

Spread the love
                
By Published On: September 3, 2019Categories: AP Staff, Weapons6 Comments on More on Training With the 22

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

About the Author: admin

6 Comments

  1. Anonymous September 3, 2019 at 13:05

    3.5

  2. anonymous September 3, 2019 at 13:11

    Thank you Historian for your explanations and description of long range rimfire shooting. My very limited shooting has been confined to shooting along the dirt road along a property fence line. The fence posts spaced at 20 feet apart gives us a rough estimate of the distances shot. A milk jug (on ground if bare spot, on post remnant if ground stubble is present). Shoot where a safe backstop is present.

    Very challenging game, it really helps to have a spotter to see the impact out there for corrections.

  3. Historian September 4, 2019 at 06:49

    To Anon:

    This match had the longest distance targets I have ever engaged with a .22. Until now, most of my ‘long range’ .22 shooting has been at 100 to 300 yards, which was itself highly educational. There were a number of folks in this match who scored better than I, all seasoned long range veterans; although I’ve been shooting off and on most of my adult life, I am by no means an expert.

    The point of the post is that even with modest equipment (at least by long range shooting standards) one can successfully engage in long range shooting activity and learn a great deal at a very low price in time and money. For this match (and some practice afterwards,) I fired less than 100 rounds of inexpensive .22 target ammo, simple lead round-nose subsonic ammo. At a cost of less than 6 2019 dollars, and without spending hours at the loading bench turning out a batch of really good centerfire ammo. Most folks have an outdoor range that goes out to 100 yards fairly close by; it is certainly easier to find a 100 yard range than a 500 or 1000 yard range!

    Let’s do the math:

    For the .22:
    travel to and from closest range (with 100 yards) — 20 minutes each way:
    shooting time for practice session- 3 hours
    loading time- 0
    total less than 4 hours; can go any afternoon.
    Ammo cost for 3 hours of shooting (150 rounds)- $10

    For centerfire:
    Travel to and from closest range with 500+ yards– 45 minutes each way
    shooting time for practice session- 4 hours (have to wait for barrel to cool)
    Loading time- 6+ hours for each batch
    total time- at least 11 1/2 hours- long ranges only open 2 days per week or less, depending on matches scheduled
    Ammo cost for 4 hours of centerfire shooting ( 75 rounds) $50+

    So for 1/3 or less the cost in time, and 1/5 the cost in money, I can shoot TWICE the number of rounds, learning, hopefully, twice as much about wind reading, using a .22. This is also an ideal way to practice fundamentals about NPOA, follow-through, aiming, trigger control, position, etc. etc. etc.. The above analysis completely ignores the cost of the equipment, BTW;

    A good centerfire rifle for LR will run about $1200, plus about the same or more for optics, bipod, etc. Say $2500; you can spend a lot more if you want; I know some shooters who have spent 10 grand on their sticks. A Ruger 10-22 will run about $200 lightly used, or a bit more purchased new, say 300 net, plus maybe a stock, bipod, a trigger, good optics, and maybe a decent heavy match bull barrel. If you are frugal, and shop around, (I do) you can get a 1 1/4 MOA rig for less than 700 bucks; I added up what I have spent to date on mine, and it’s around $500. If you go all out and just buy the best, you can get a tackdriving 1/2- 3/4 MOA rig for under 1200 with all the bells and whistles; volquartsen trigger, match grade heavy barrel, adjustable stock, etc.. This is still half the price of the centerfire LR stick. The best part is that you don’t have to commit all the money at one time, as you do with LR centerfire.

    If you are like me, you buy the rifle and you shoot it with the stock iron sights for a while, learning about positions, sight picture, and trigger squeeze, at maybe 15 to 25 yards. Then you put a cheap scope on it, and shoot it at 25 to 50 yards for a number of years. Then you put a better stock on it, and use it to train newbies for years at 10 to 50 yards. Then you put on a better cast-off scope and get out to 100 yards. Finally you decide to train yourself all over again, and put a good scope on it and a better trigger, and go out to 480 yards. The point is, that you do not have to spend a bunch of money all at once to start the learning process. You can improve your training rifle as you yourself improve, and if reality intrudes, you don’t have a bunch of money tied up in something you aren’t using.

    I hope this helps folks get out to the range and really enjoy shooting and learning!

    With regard to all who seek the Light,
    Historian

  4. Thomas September 12, 2019 at 23:44

    Inspiring for sure. As said 2C yards is a great challenge with 22. Thanks for sharing as I doubt I’ll get a chance at 200+ but I can improve at that.

  5. Historian September 14, 2019 at 20:38

    Thomas- If you have 200 yards available, you can learn a great deal about shooting in the wind by using a .22. good luck!

  6. Anonymous October 31, 2019 at 12:37

    4.5

Comments are closed.

GUNS N GEAR

Categories

Archives

Spread the love