One of the most underrated and overlooked calibers in all of firearms is the .22 long rifle. Commonly referred to as .22LR (don't vocalize the "."), this is a cartridge that many of us who grew up around guns were first introduced to at a very early age. It's actually the PERFECT round to start with. Many times, new shooters, young or old, will opt for a .22LR caliber firearm to get familiarized with the intricacies of shooting. Think about it: most gun manufacturers offer a .22 caliber version of their most popular platforms. That means what you learn will translate over to a larger caliber more easily. Also, .22LR has very little recoil. This makes it easier to control and in turn, much less intimidating for a new shooter. Even more so important, the rounds are about as cheap as bullets get. You can learn sight alignment and sight picture for a relatively inexpensive price. You're free to make as many mistakes as it takes to get it right. Finally, it's just plain fun! This round can take care of small, unwanted critters, shoot longer distances than people think, and before you know it, eat up an entire afternoon. Honestly, the only drawback that comes to mind right off the bat is that .22LR is not sufficient for self defense. I mean, if it's all you have, ok. But at the end of the day, I'd rather have something with a little bit more "umpf" to protect me life.
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If you shoot, you know it can get pretty expensive, pretty quickly. As usual, the Cave has a way to ease some of the pain when it comes to shelling out cash for your firearms enjoyment. This time, it's all about targets. Targets are probably one of the most wasteful things shooters buy. Think about it, you spend money on a piece of paper that you're going to shoot up and throw away. There is no better way to waste your hard earned money. Every time I go into a gun shop, I hear a salesman trying to sell a new shooter a pack of targets. Personally, I think it's a lesson that everyone must learn, you don't need everything sold in a gun shop to shoot your guns. Now some people may ask, "Well what am I supposed to shoot?" Anything. Literally anything. I've used some of the most random things ever as targets. Since I shoot on private property, the rules are pretty mush whatever I make them. Here are a few of my favorite things to shoot. The best part is, it's all free. I order things online all the time. Boom, cardboard targets. I drink tons of water. Boom, fill the jugs with tap water and now i have reactive targets. Drink beer? Bottles and cans also make excellent targets. But a word of advice, cans are better than bottles if you plan on picking up the pieces once you're done. When you take a second to think about it (literally 1 second), targets are everywhere. Anything you've used to the point of trash is a potential target. Every time I blow a light bulb, I stash it until the next time I go shooting. You could do the same. The next time you order something online, keep the box and stash things in it that you'd like to shoot. Before you know it, you'll have a box full of targets, being stored in a target. It's perfect! Now I understand that everyone can't shoot in the backyard and might have no other option but to go to a public shooting range. No worries, I've been there too. There is STILL no need to spend money on targets. That same cardboard box can be cut to any size you need and will catch a bullet as well as anything else. You can cut the box into a silhouette or simply a paper sized rectangle. An old shoe box will do the exact same thing. If you need a reference point to aim at, simply draw a dot in the middle. Seriously, that's it. Of course you can take the time to draw a bull's eye if you choose, but you'll be aiming at the center anyway. The dot is all you need. It's actually the exact method I use. Also, a quick google search will give you instant access to millions of traditional targets that can be printed off and shot to shit. As a matter of fact, I'll start you off with a few. Just click to enlarge and print all you need. Think about it this way, after you spend money on guns, ammunition, ear and eye protection, a range fee, and something to haul all that stuff in, why waste any on something that will be trashed or recycled in a few hours. Take it from me, it may not seem like a lot, but the cost definitely adds up. Save every penny you can and you will not be sorry. Now every once in a while I see a good deal on a zombie target or a splatter target that I go ahead and grab, but honestly, I find myself choosing the free ones that I've printed or made. Hell, I still have some sitting around. Let me know if you want some. I'll send a few to you. Speaking of splatter targets, I found out how to make those myself as well. Stay tuned, we will post a video soon sharing how you can make them yourself. The ONLY targets I plan on buying in the future will be steel targets. There's something about the sound that makes shooting that much better!
Every once in a while, you do stuff just because it looks badass! This weekend I decided to work on a few things at the range. Nothing major, just some accuracy practice and a few speed drills. I grabbed a few hundred rounds of some bulk ammo I caught a great deal on and figured, a bullet is a bullet... boy was I wrong! Let me reintroduce a name that all shooters know, TulAmmo. Anyone that shoots has seen their steel cased AK ammo for dirt cheap prices and may have even bought a box or two. Well, I was that person this time. The only difference is, I ordered mine online. It was a deal that was too good to be true, because it was! In the first magazine of my Smith & Wesson M&P Shield alone, i had 3 malfunctions. Two because the primer didn't ignite the powder when the striker hit it and one stovepipe. I cleaned my guns before I went to shoot so I'm positive that wasn't the issue. To make sure it wasn't a fluke, I cleaned my pistol AGAIN and even cleaned the magazine. Eight pulls of the trigger, 1 weak primer strike that couldn't ignite the powder. Now I'm getting irritated. I decide that it's the ammo so I decide to switch it out with some American Eagle 147 gr FMJ flat points. I then fired two full magazines from my Shield, reloaded them both, and fired them again with no issues. Now I'm SURE it's the ammo! But I guess that's what I get for being cheap... I tried to save a few dollars on ammo that I knew would only be shot at paper or steel & ended up wasting most of my money. Now I have around 300 rounds of ammo that I don't even know will go bang when I press the trigger. I've learned my lesson. Please believe this will NOT happen again.
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AuthorKeep in mind that I am by no means a gun expert. I have had some safety, handling, and shooting training, but nowhere near the amount I feel is needed to claim the "expert" title. With that being said, I am a man that owns a LOT of firearms, knives, and gear! I have been shooting since I could hold a rifle and have even competed in and won a few competitions. The advice and tips that I give are based on personal experience, but are by no means to be taken as law. Please consult a trained, certified professional for all your firearms needs. Enjoy! Archives
May 2016
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