Here are the .22 handguns I've been nattering on about for the last couple of days.
First up is my Model 34. It was made in 1957, the first year that Smith used model numbers rather than names to designate their handguns (prior to '57, it would have been called a ".22/32 Kit Gun" for reasons explained in Xavier's ode to his.) Being one of my nicer Smiths, I've often considered tracking down some of the proper "diamond" grips for it, and maybe getting a factory letter from Mr. Jinks. Anyhow... The shots on target are in two clusters; the first, off to the right, is before I had Bob give the sight a clicky, and the large cluster at 6 o'clock below the bull is after the sight had been fixed. It's amazing how often one finds sights on trade-in guns adjusted slightly to the right; there must be a lotta flinchin' individuals out there.
Next is the '66 Colt with the Ciener .22 conversion on it. The benefits of being able to use your regular carry gun, with the same grip, control placement, and trigger pull, for cheap target practice and plinking fun can not be overstated, especially in this day and age of spiralling ammo costs. If your carry gun has a .22 conversion available, you should run get one. Now. If you're really tactical, like my neighbor, you'll even get night sights put on your .22 conversion units, so that they have the same sight picture as your CCW piece. Looking at the above picture, it is sad to admit to all you really good shots out there, but I am absolutely tickled pink with the performance I turned in on the lower right hand bull. That, for caffeine-and-nicotine-soaked li'l ol' me, is some durn good shooting. Hopefully my commitment to shoot a little every day will get me to where I can do that routinely and in rapid fire, rather than have it be something that I get all jump-up-and-downy over.
4 comments:
Are those powder burns I see around that ragged hole? How far away was that, 3 feet? :p
It took me years of shooting before I found a gun from the factory with the sights adjusted correctly. I'd always have to crank them over to the right because some moron at the factory regulated them too far to the left.
Funny thing though, I sighted in a Taurus .22 revolver that way years ago, but haven't shot the gun much since. I shot it for the first time in years not too long ago and darned if it wasn't now shooting too far to the right. Figure some gun elves musta gone in and switched the sights around on me?
It's RARELY a matter of sight adjustment! It IS a matter of trigger control.
There are about 7 different things related to trigger control that cause the bullet to print to the left of point of aim, some of which can be virtually impossible to self-diagnose.
Many people have a subtle combination of these problems.
They'll drive themselves nuts trying to fix them. Of course most people are in complete denial, refusing to accept that they might have a slight trigger control problem. It's just easier to blame the gun or the sights.
Good shootin' Tam! Sooner or later I will have to get a .22 upper for a 1911. I've been resisting, but the time is a comin'!
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