RECOIL Magazine Issue 48

Last issue, I rambled on incoherently about the importance of taking a newbie shooting and in this one, we take a close look at things with a .22-inch bore diameter, which I’m guessing for most of us were the gateway drug to this firearms lifestyle.

There’s truth to the adage that no one outgrows a good 22. If you happen to wander by the used gun rack at your local shooting emporium, take note of how many Ruger 10/22s there are on offer. With over 5 million in circulation, you’d expect them to take up way more space, but I’d be willing to put up a Benjamin that the majority of those available on the secondary market are from estate sales, rather than from people trading up to the next “must-have.” Owners are far more likely to customize, rather than dump them.

As a training tool, the humble 22LR is without peer. Every one of the fundamentals of marksmanship can be mastered at a nickel per round, and the only aspect of training with centerfires that can’t be duplicated is recoil management. As a means of introducing new shooters to this thing we do, rimfires excel. All animals, including we bipedal apes, are hardwired with a startle response, triggered by fast movement, loud noise, bright light, and unexpected pressure or pain. Which is why setting off a small explosion right in front of your face is a pretty hard thing to get used to, and why sticking a 44 Mag snubby in a new shooter’s hand isn’t such a great idea. A .22, on the other hand, will make transitioning from non-shooter status, to aspiring Grand Master that much easier.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in serious training with serious guns that we forget about the 12-year-old us; you know, the one who treated every chance to get to the range with the same joyous expectation as Christmas Eve. So bust out your .22, go burn a brick of cheap, bulk pack ammo, and if you infect a newbie with the same enthusiasm, so much the better.

Check out RECOIL Issue 48

NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOIL

For years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included).

Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.

You want this. Trust Us.