From: swatt%mickey@net.yale.edu (Alan Watt)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Should my first handgun be a .22? (Too wimpy for defense?)
Date: 19 Aug 92 15:13:42 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1992Aug19.141118.21990
Organization: Yale University, Computing & Information Systems


In article <9208181903.AA28504@cyclone.sbi.com>, jbm@cyclone.sbi.com (Jeffrey B. Moore) writes:
|> A .22 is a great gun to learn with;  you're unlikely to pick up a
|> flinch firing .22LR, and it's cheap enough to shoot that you can
|> practise *a lot*, as we all should...

The original post lists requirements which are mutually exclusive.  Nothing
which is easy and inexpensive to learn with will do you any good against
anything bigger than irate squirrels.  Let's stick to the requirement for
"learning to shoot a handgun".  For this purpose, the .22 rimfire excells
and nothing else really comes close.  Basically, a decent .22 is inexpensive
to purchase and maintain, downright cheap to feed, and the low recoil and blast
noise (a) reduce flinch, and (b) make any flinch obvious to see.
 
|> The S&W 41 is renowned as a really fine gun, but costs dollar$.

The S&W 41 is one of those .22s with no firing pin stop, so dry-firing
it will damage the bolt face, the firing ping, or both.  I don't consider
this a beginner's gun.

|> There are other nice little ``plinking'' Smiths.
|> 
|> I've heard good things about the Browning Buck Marks.
|> 
|> The Ruger Mk. IIs tend to be accurate, but are a royal pain to
|> reassemble after cleaning, and their sheet-metal parts are (IMHO)
|> unpleasing.  (Somehow Sig manages create pleasing weapons with some
|> sheet-metal parts; but I guess you pay for it.)

The Ruger Mk. II is *easy* to dis-assemble and re-assemble, once you
know the trick.  I can get mine apart in < 60 seconds every time and
put back together in about the same time unless I fumble.

Send me your name and address on the back of a $20 bill and I will send
you the "Secrets of the Ruger-crucians" and make you a master of this art.

The biggest problem with the Ruger is the trigger, which varies from vague
and mushy to horrible.  I had a Clark competition trigger installed on mine
and this improves matters so it is just vague and mushy.  Actually, it is
only the take-up which is vague and mushy these days -- the break is
fairly clean.

As other posters have noted, you will probably learn some bad habits
shooting .22s which you have to un-learn when you move to defense or
hunting power cartridges.

Requirements for a Learner's .22 Pistol
---------------------------------------

Recent archaelogical finds in the Holy Land have revealed that Moses
got some additional commandments regarding handgun training which have
been lost for centuries.  I disclose them herewith:

  1)	Thy pistol shall have adjustable sights.  Poor sight picture
	is an Abomination in the Eyes of the Lord. [whose eyes, having
	been present at the Creation, are well over 20 years old, and
	therefore not as spry as they once were -- Poster].

  2)	Thy pistol shall be safe to dry-fire without harm to it, for
	as long as your days shall last.

  3)	Thy pistol shall be chambered for .22 Long Rifle, for the
	makers thereof shall bring forth as many cartridges as there
	are stars in the sky, if you can number them.

  4)	They pistol shall have a barrel not less than one fourth part
	of a cubit [ about 4.5" -- Poster ] in length.

  5)	Thou shalt practice with thy pistol at least one half part of
	an hour every day.  Whilst tending thy flock in the hours of
	light, or by dry-firing in thy dwelling at night.  Every day
	excepting only the Sabbath shalt thou practice until the
	Good Habits of Sight Picture and Trigger Control are learned.

	When thy enemies press thee, or when Democrats are in office,
	then mayest thou practice on the Sabbath also.

  6)	Thou shalt focus they gaze on thy Front Sight, forsaking the
	Rear Sight, and yea, even thy Target itself -- thou shalt cleave
	they focus to thy Front Sight.

  7)	Thou shalt Squeeze thy trigger, and not be over-hasty to jerk
	it.

  8)	Thou shalt honor thy elders and the instructors they appoint
	for thee.  And thou shalt practice as they shall tell thee.
	Nor shalt thou refuse aid to any novice seeking thy guidance,
	but thou shall teach others as thou hast been taught, as best
	thou art able to do so.
	
  9)	After use, thou shalt clean thy pistol, and annoint it with
	oil smelling of bananas to cleanse and purify it.

 10)	Thou shalt keep thy pistol in a place where it will not rust,
	nor fall into careless hands.  Nor shall thou allow they pistol
	to be taken by evil-doers, nor surrender it to hypocrites or
	politicians.


Once upon a time, it was possible to have a priest bless your ammunition
and cleaning oil, but this is seldom practiced anymore.
-- 
  Alan S. Watt
  Yale University			Computing and Information Systems
  Box 2112 Yale Station			(203) 432-6602
  New Haven, CT  06520-2112		Watt-Alan@Yale.Edu