How Many Of You Practice With One Caliber.. But Carry Something Different?

[FireStar M40]

So I'll ask my question again..

"How Many Of You Practice With One Caliber.. But Carry Something Different?"

Am I the only one who does so? I have several different caliber handguns/sidearms.. two of which are my FireStar M40 and my wife's pre-1968 gun ban Beretta 70S in .22 LR. I'll usually practice with the 70S and run through a few hundred rounds before I switch over to my .40, which at that time I'll shoot a box of 50 or so just to tune myself back into the larger caliber.

Obviously the advantage to this is the cost of .22's (@ approx $20 per brick of 500 for training) against the more expensive .40's (@ approx $15 for a box of 50). For me, this scenario works great.. and saves me a lot of money $$$ to boot.

What say you?

FireStar M40

[Treo]

IMO the basics; sight alignment, breath control and trigger squeeze are the same from caliber to caliber.

That said,

I want to be as familiar w/ the piece I carry as possible

[Johnny Dollar]

Practice with .357 Mag and .45 ACP.

Alternately carry both. Proficient with both. Love both equally!

Can do the job with both. Feel comfortable and strong with both.

Bring it on!

[KodiakBeer]

I shoot at least one hundred .22's for every 9mm or .45 I send downrange. That isn't to say I don't send an awful lot of 9mm and .45's out - I just shoot more .22's. I have a Ciener conversion and a Buckmark, either of which is a good simulation for a 1911 or Hi Power.

I wouldn't advise anyone to "practice with one but carry another", I'd just say supplement your shooting with a .22 to increase how much you shoot. Even as a reloader, I'd probably only shoot a few hundred rounds a month if I didn't carry bricks of .22 with me every time I shoot.

[pmeisel]

A number of years ago I belonged to a club that had a core group of bullseye competitors, who were very friendly towards newer shooters like me.

Most of them did, and advised others to, do a lot of practicing with .22 or light target loads, and relatively little with higher power ammunition, to avoid developing bad habits.

I don't compete anymore, but I shoot a lot more .22 than I do .38/357, and more mid-range than full power. It just makes sense.

[Selena]

So I'll ask my question again..

"How Many Of You Practice With One Caliber.. But Carry Something Different?"

FireStar M40

I have a husband that enjoys reloading. I make sure he has a lot of empty brass.

[Mr. James]

I personally practice with my carry rounds, but certainly not because there's anything wrong with practicing with .22. As KodiakBeer and pmeisel and Treo said, more rounds down range are better than fewer of your preferred.

I just don't happen to own a .22 handgun at the moment.

[Old Dog]

Eh, I usually carry a 1911 of some sort; I practice mainly with .45 ACP to the tune of at least a couple hundred rounds (usually much more) of 45 a month. However, as a firearms instructor for my department, I also shoot a bit of 9mm every month, and occasionally carry a SIG P-228 or 229, sometimes my duty S&W M&P 9c ... I cannot remember the last time I shot .22 through a handgun ... been years ...

[thesecond]

Welcome to GRM.

I try to supplement 'carry-round' practice, with target/fmj practice, with .22 lr practice, and with dry-fire. I can't afford to buy a ton of premium ammo, but that doesn't mean there isn't a 'work-around'.

[Loosedhorse]

I often practice with a different caliber and a different gun than I use for SD. But of course I also practice with my carry gun, just as you do.

Different guns teach you different things. A .22 will help you identify a flinch or other poor tigger management. A .44 Mag (for those who like them) can really help you with mastering flinch, so that when you switch back to your .40 or .45, hey, feels kinda like a .22.

The motivation you mention is expense, and that's important.

[Slotback]

Many folks I know take Loosedhorse's approach.

[TallPine]

Practice/Carry

Single Six/Blackhawk

[gc70]

I second the choices of KodiakBeer and TallPine. I shoot a lot more .22 than 9mm, .38/.357, and .45, combined. But I like my .22s to be as similar as possible to my centerfire guns. The grip and trigger of a Single Six is substantially the same as a Blackhawk and I can use the frames of my 1911s and Sigs with .22 top ends.

[PavePusher]

I have an Advantage Arms .22 conversion for my 1911. At 2-300 rounds per session, plus a box or two of .45, it paid for itself about half-way through session 3 with it....

Now I need to get a .22 conversion for my AR....

So I'll ask my question again..

"How Many Of You Practice With One Caliber.. But Carry Something Different?"

Am I the only one who does so? I have several different caliber handguns/sidearms.. two of which are my FireStar M40 and my wife's pre-1968 gun ban Beretta 70S in .22 LR. I'll usually practice with the 70S and run through a few hundred rounds before I switch over to my .40, which at that time I'll shoot a box of 50 or so just to tune myself back into the larger caliber.

Obviously the advantage to this is the cost of .22's (@ approx $20 per brick of 500 for training) against the more expensive .40's (@ approx $15 for a box of 50). For me, this scenario works great.. and saves me a lot of money $$$ to boot.

What say you?

FireStar M40

[GhostlyKarliion]

I probably fire 20 dry rounds for every live one I shoot. The basics of shooting are best learned through dry firing. You can see instantly if you are moving at all and most importantly you will not develop a bad habit from recoil that you will have to overcome. Plus it saves you money in ammunition.

So, the caliber I practice with the most is none, which is definitely not the caliber that I carry .

[shep854]

While I practice and enjoy a number of guns, I start every range session with a least a couple of cylinder-fulls through my CCW. If passing near a range and have time, I will swing by to give it some exercise.

[bellyfat]

i used to be in the artillery. i dont have a flinch reflex anymore.
you cant strtle me with a fire cracker. even if im sleeping.

[Aaryq]

I practice and carry the same calibre, but I usually practice with different rounds than what I carry because FMJ of the sam weight cost a lot less than the good stuff for carry.

[NEOKShooter]

I just don't happen to own a .22 handgun at the moment.

I just have a problem with that.

Shouldn't we have an associate member status for those who just do not have a proper arsonal?