Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

[TheGent]

It seems to me that the recent trend is for people to run a heavy barrel trainer. Of course, this gives more inherent accuracy and reduces the effects of shooter error. A heavy rifle will lessen the ramifications of small variables such as pulse, breath control, muscular tension, etc. They make follow through easier as well in my experience.

That said, what do you all think of using an accurate, but lightweight .22 trainer? When I use my trainer, I actually WANT my own shortcomings as a shooter to be magnified, not reduced. I have the gamut of experience from Anschutz 1907s to tricked 10/22s to a Stevens Favorite. In my mind, the point of a trainer is to become a better shooter, so anything that will help me identify shooter error is a good thing. As a point of reference, I'm running a Kimber .22 Hunter these days. Great trigger, supremely accurate, but fairly light.

Thoughts?

 

[RicosRevenge]

Re: Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

Me heavy trainer is just that... a trainer. I want it as close to my .308 as possible. I don't want something foreign when I switch between the two.

 

[vman]

Re: Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

Gent, dont think i really matters to be honest with you.

From a rimfire trainer you will get almost nil perceived recoil, so follow through should be 100% on the operator and not the rifle... Yeh if you shoot a .300winmag without a brake might be a different story, but on a rimfire not a problem.

Heavy Barrel rimfires, depending on the stock, are usually very light anyway.

If you want to become a good shooter, one good thing to start with is to have a postivie attitude about what it is that you are doing and always strive to learn more and more... stretch out your shooting and take it to a level that most others wouldnt go to.

Take that .22LR beyond 150! Push that 17hmr out to 200 yards consistently.

To me the trainer isnt all about forming yourself BUT to me it means more than just trigger time or proper cheek weld. To me its about taking that round to its maximum and learning what you can from a round that is on the verge of losing its effectiveness... and then you take that and you apply it to your centrefire.

The principles you learn when you push that 22lr out of its normal range are the same principles you learn when you push that .308 to its max effective range.

But anyway back on topic i vote

+1 for heavy barrel trainer

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

I don't think it makes a difference, and believe the money should be channelled toward ammo. I favor the lighter barrel, because for me, ultimate accuracy is not the goal. The trainer should be basic, simple, and not optimized on the basis of accuracy, but of consistency. I use an old Savage MKIIF. It's definitely not BR accurate, but it's reliably capable of revealing my abilities and failings, which is all I want my trainer to do. Am I 'on' today, or not?

Greg

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

SAVAGE MKII heavy vs. sporter barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RicosRevenge</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Me heavy trainer is just that... a trainer. I want it as close to my .308 as possible. I don't want something foreign when I switch between the two.</div></div>

i think that's hitting it on the head. for a trainer in "truer" sense, try to have the same feel, scope (or at least reticle), scope adjustment size, adjustment knobs, bipod, stock, sling, bolt knob, WEIGHT, etc.

for just getting rounds down range to work on shooting form in general, the "duplicity" probably doesn't make too much of a difference. but well known good shooting rimfires still benefit from being of the heavier variety - heavier barreled / stocked / "trinkets" - as they are more stable platform to shoot from, just like their centerfire cousins.

using a lighter one will have those error magnifications, BUT you may end up asking - was it the rifle or me? the less variables you can cut out, the better you can improve on what variables are left.

don't get me wrong, there are great shooting "light weight sporters" out there, but from an analytical standpoint, lessening the the most variables using a "heavy" rifle produces the best results for what you may be trying to achieve.

 

[TheGent]

Re: Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

Thanks for the input everyone. I've found that the Anschutz 1917 is much more forgiving of poor technique compared to my Kimber. If my heart rate is elevated for example, the Anschutz would move far less than the lighter rifle. I just wanted to see if anyone else shared my philosophy.

 

[kraigWY]

Re: Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

I share your philosophy, as does the CMP Sporter Rimfire Games.

Besides forcing you to pay closer attention the fundamentals, light sporters also allow more people to compete in Rimfire Matches.

Not all can afford $1500 rifles and several hundred dollars in other equipment.

I use to shoot a lot of small bore, both NRA and ISU with my Anschutz 1807, but now, I've found it more enjoyable to shoot decent scores with a light sporter, granted I can't to as well, but I find it more challenging.

 

[ms6852]

Re: Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

I bought the remington 513T which is like 9 lbs. to practice my off hand shooting for hunting purposes. For me it builds strength and has helped my accuracy 100 % when hunting and am forced to shoot off hand. I am more confident knowing that I will connect with whatever I am hunting. I also have a 1022 ruger with a tac sol barrel and hogue stock which weighs like 5lbs. This I use with sandbags or bipods. It is so light that it forces you to follow through because the recoil will move your poi which mimics my 30-06.

 

[JoeMartin]

Re: Light vs. Heavy Rimfire Trainer

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kraigWY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I share your philosophy, as does the CMP Sporter Rimfire Games.

Besides forcing you to pay closer attention the fundamentals, light sporters also allow more people to compete in Rimfire Matches.

Not all can afford $1500 rifles and several hundred dollars in other equipment.

I use to shoot a lot of small bore, both NRA and ISU with my Anschutz 1807, but now, I've found it more enjoyable to shoot decent scores with a light sporter, granted I can't to as well, but I find it more challenging. </div></div>

I agree with Gent's philosophy as well. As a matter of fact I've been practicing the light 'Sporter' rifle fundamentals for the past month with my scoped Marlin 925.

This may sound odd, but I do find the uncertainty of the Marlin results at 100 yards more rewarding over the certainty results of my scoped Savage MKII FVT from that same range.