Going to the range and shooting does different things for different people. A vast majority of the time (it should be always) we go to the range with the intention of keeping those perishable shooting skills frosty and at an increased level of readiness. But there are those times where we just want to burn off some steam and destroy something without the threat of being arrested. There’s nothing like making small explosions happen repeatedly, well unless you’re a SEAL or on an EOD team then you get to make ginormous explosions all the time and save the free world from terrorists and pirates. For me shooting is simply Zen. It sounds ridiculous to some people, but no matter what’s going on around me I’m in control of my physical movements and mental process as I manipulate that trigger to the rear and make my gun do what it was designed to do. No matter if I’m shooting slow aimed fire or shooting controlled pairs, I’m calm.
Nevertheless we all shoot differently, move differently, and think differently. But when we go to the range there is one thing that pretty much no one can avoid. The cost of ammo! Good God the only thing that rivals gas prices today is how the price of ammo has increased exponentially. Unless you produce your own ammo, have a professional shooting contract, or you’re the CEO of Winchester, Federal, or Hornady ammunition companies, then ammo can put a fat dent in your wallet. I know there are a lot of you out there who get the old “hairy eyeball” from the old lady when you come back from a few hours of shooting because they know you spent some cash. For those women who get the hairy eyeball from your man….well all I have to say is why the hell wasn’t he shooting too and we know whose wearing the pants! Just kidding…kind of. Anyways don’t let the cost of ammo cut back on your training. There is relief and that comes in the form of a .22LR pistol or rifle. The .22 is the most popular and widely produced cartridge in the world and it’s the cheapest. You can literally shoot all day for less than $10. Most major ammunition websites sell .22LR in boxes of 500 rounds anywhere from $20 to $40. It all depends on the grain that you shoot. Plus buying a .22LR if you don’t already own one is an inexpensive venture as well.
The primary reason I decided to write this specific article was because I recently purchased a .22LR conversion kit for my Sig Sauer P229R-DAK (chambered in .40S&W). The kit, made by Sig, comes with the entire pistol top end (barrel, slide, spring and spring guide) and one magazine all for around $300. All you have to do is field strip your Sig and assemble the new top end and you’re shooting .22LR. The coolest thing is that since you’re shooting with the same receiver the trigger operation and poundage required to manipulate the trigger is exactly the same as shooting .40. The only difference is that it’s much quieter and the recoil is substantially less. All the fundamentals of shooting are the same. If you forgot what those fundamentals are and need a refresher, let me direct you to Chris’ articles on the “7 Habits of Highly Effective Shooters”. He has also authored separate articles devoted to each of the seven habits. I keep printed copies of these articles in my range bag so when people ask, “how do I shoot like that”, because my shot group is tighter at 25 yards than theirs at 5 yards, I give them some advice but give them the articles and just tell them to share them along the way. But I love throwing that conversion kit on my Sig and blasting off .22 rounds. Many major firearms manufacturers produce .22 conversion kits for the larger caliber weapons they produce. The other day at the range I saw a guy shooting his Kimber 1911 (.45 ACP) for a few mags then he threw on Kimber’s .22LR conversion for it and started throwing .22LR downrange.
So if you don’t already have one get yourself a .22LR weapon and go to town. They are so much fun to shoot and you just can’t beat the cost. The seven fundamentals of shooting are exactly the same no matter what gun or what caliber you’re shooting. I don’t care if you’re shooting a .22LR target pistol or a .50 DE pistol, it’s the same…..well okay one’s heavier than the other but you know what I mean. Owning and shooting a .22LR will bring your shooting skill set to the next level and cost less than a lunch or that foofoo coffee drink you buy every morning. I mean when’s the last time you spent more on gas to get to the range than on ammo? Do your research on .22LRs just like you would with any other gun and buy the one you want and enjoy the shooting experience. Plus when the Zombie Apocalypse goes down you’re likely to run across .22LR ammo more than any other and you can carry a ton of it!
Good advice, I love my 22s. On top of all of what you mentioned its a great way to introduce new people to the handgun world (and rifle too!). I have a 22LR kit for my P226 and just got one last week for my G19 (get to shoot it for the first time this weekend!). Combine one of the two handguns and my Savage MK2 and I can work on all the fundamentals and not hear my wallet scream in agony.
Ricky-
Great addition on how 22s are the ideal way to introduce new people to the world of firearms. I can’t believe that I forgot to mention that, but thanks for the buddy check! Especially when people reach their adult years and have never fired a gun for whatever reasons, they usually have preconceived ideas about how terrible guns “kick” or recoil because of either what people tell them or what they see on TV. The 22 shows novice shooters they are in control, builds confidence, and develops those “7 Habits of Highly Effective Shooters”. It sounds like you have a great training plan to build upon your own skill set and not annihilate your wallet in the process. Enjoy your new Glock conversion kit this weekend and thanks for reading our article!
-PJ
I’ve already taken my 3 year old out and he had an absolute BLAST with my Ruger MKII and old Mossberg US44c.
Bill-
All I can say is awesome! I remember shooting when I was a little kid (about 5) and it’s still one of the coolest things in the world to do. Shooting is one of those things in life that builds confidence in other facets of our lives. Learning how to shoot at a young age is one of those experiences a kid will always remember and look back on in their life and hopefully pass on to their kids in the future. Many of my friends that I shoot with often times bring their kids and it’s so much fun teaching them how to shoot and watching them have fun doing it. Enjoy your shooting!
-PJ
I stilll have my little marlin youth single shot 22 bolt action that my dad gave me when I was a kid. I still take it out and shoot it every once in a while just for kicks.
Ricky-
I bet when you break out that Marlin it brings back some great memories every time you pull the trigger. Something about “firsts” when it comes to firearms sticks with us because ultimately our first time shooting is about trust in the person teaching us and it’s what I like to call a “crystallizing” event in our lives.
-PJ
Just did the same for my 226 for the very same reasons.
Bill-
So much fun to shoot all day, enhance your pistol skill set, and not really worry about putting a hurtin’ on the old wallet in the process! Have fun, enjoy the new Sig conversion kit, and thanks for taking the time to read the article!
-PJ
I’ve been in the market for a dedicated .22LR AR Upper to facilitate more frequent trips to the range. Any considerations or recomendations to guide my selection?
Thanks, this blog is an excellent resource.
Black Lion,
First of all thanks for taking the time to read the article and firing off questions my way. I’ve actually shot two different .22LR uppers recently and they all performed similar. They were ones from Colt and CMMG. At first with both I experienced several malfunctions. With malfunctions, in my experience, they are typically induced by the shooter so I was looking at what I was doing, which was exactly the same shooting muscle memory as when I shoot my Colt MK-18 CQB rifle (M4 with a barrel chopped down to 10.5″). Next I’ll check the actual rifle and do a safety/function check, which was SAT on all three. Lastly I’ll look at the ammo, which was cheap ammo. So I bought some higher grade stuff and the malfunctions disappeared.
As far as recommendations and considerations go…..first I would go with what brand your lower is. Sure AR15s from any companies as long as they’re MILSPEC can be interchanged, but personally I’ve never been a fan of that. I would buy an upper that matches the brand of the lower. Plus depending on the company, a warranty can be voided if the upper and lower aren’t of the same brand. Just something to think about but not a deal breaker. Next is cost of course. Colt’s is a bit more expensive as with anything from them. But don’t buy a cheaply made upper from some crappy company just to save a few bucks. In the long run you’ll be happier that you bought the better quality upper. With firearms I always recommend buying the better, usually more expensive firearm because it’s more expensive for a reason: reliability, quality, tested and true. I always chuckle when I hear someone say “they want a cheap 9mm pocket pistol for self-defense” instead of buying a higher end one. A cheaply made self defense gun just makes no sense to me, but if people want to put their life on the line because of cheap gun then so be it. Will a cheap gun shoot most of the time, “probably”, but I’d rather have a higher end gun that I can say “yes” it will fire every time. That’s why my pocket pistol is Sig P290 (no laser). Anyways back to you brother….
For you .22LR upper since it’s likely not going to be for self defense, rather it being about developing your marksmanship skill set then saving some money isn’t a travesty. If you don’t want to buy one that is the same brand as your lower, then just make sure it’s from a reputable manufacturer. Many companies are making them now such as Bushmaster (good guns overall). I’m partial to Colt and Sig (pistols) for the simple fact that I’ve deployed with them as my primary and secondary weapons systems and I’ve put them each through the paces in training and operations. Good luck with your shopping!
PJ
My question is related to the sig DAK. What are your tips for best learning this system? My agency uses dak in .40 (p229&p226). I’m still trying to get used to it. I feel like it is a 12 shot revolver. We previously used the p228&p226 in 9mm DAO. I was used to glocks. I guess the conversion kit is in my future. Thanks.
Dave C
Dave C,
Well Dave you’re talking to the right person and this is a great question. Something that I’ve learned is that there’s no instant fans of the DAK trigger system. It’s something you must learn and master and it will grow on you.
When I first joined the USCG we used the good old standard Beretta M9. But in 2002 the USCG began the transition to the Sig P229R-DAK chambered in .40cal. I vividly recall shooting the DAK trigger system for the first time and learning about the primary and secondary resets. Again, I was not a fan at first as I was used to the Beretta and my Glocks. It was very difficult to learn and master. Since it’s technically a DAO pistol, that first trigger pull is always going to be what I call the “long and light” pull. This trigger pull is approximately 6.5lbs. If you’re properly following through with your shots and controlling the trigger reset you come to the part that makes the DAK trigger unique. The first “click” you feel/hear resets the firing system and the gun is reset and ready to fire as you know. I call this trigger pull the “short and heavy”. This trigger pull is approximately 10lbs. You can continue releasing the trigger past that first reset point until you feel/hear the second click. Now the you have the pistol back in the “long and light” pull. Though it’s a DAO pistol system, it’s not a traditional DAO trigger where every pull is exactly the same, like a Glock or any other manufacturers DAO firearm.
I felt the same way you did in that it felt like a 12-shot revolver. As you know trigger control is one of the essential fundamentals of shooting. When I first started carrying and shooting the DAK, it was tough because I felt like I wasn’t being consistent with my trigger pull because of the different resets. But ultimately I’ve learned to love this gun and it’s become my favorite Sig. Here is the training regimen I used to master the DAK:
#1 Dry fire, dry fire, dry fire
#2 First master the “long and light” trigger pull since this will always be the first shot (don’t shoot the “short and heavy” pull until you feel you’ve become proficient with the “long and light” pull
#3 Now master the “short and heavy” pull (load full 12rd mags, shoot the first “long and light” pull then the next 11 shots only reset the trigger to first “short and heavy” reset
#4 Buy the Sig .22LR conversion kit (the .22 is a great and cheap training round, but since you’re using the same receiver, the DAK system still applies and feels exactly the same as if you were shooting .40cal rounds
#5 Dry fire, dry fire, dry fire
A tip that I give others trying to master the DAK system is a simple one. We’ve all been trained that our finger placement on the trigger should place the trigger dead center on the first “pad” of our trigger fingers. But for the DAK I’ve personally learned through trial and error that you should put more finger on the trigger for the DAK. Move your trigger so that the edge of the trigger runs along the first bend on that first “pad”. Don’t wrap your finger around the trigger forming the letter “C”, but ensure the first two sections of your trigger finger remain straight and perpendicular to the trigger. If you look at the top of your finger on the trigger, it should form the shape of the #7. If this sounds a bit confusing, or you’re a visual learner like me, let me know and I’ll throw some pictures your way to clarify.
Try these tips out and let me know how it goes. Enjoy the DAK and keep practicing!
Very Respectfully,
PJ
PJ,
Thanks for the great reply! I’d really appreciate if you could send some pics of the finger placement. I just ordered the conversion and hope to get it soon. Do you have a particular dry fire regimen that you follow? Also what live fire drills do you use to help learn the dak? Thanks
-Dave C
Dave C,
No worries at all that’s what we’re here for and enjoy doing. That’s awesome that you ordered your .22LR kit. Usually Sig is sold out of the “non-threaded” ones, but as of late they’ve been sold out of the “threaded” ones too for the P229 and P229R. These conversion kits have become quite popular. It’s like having a new gun.
*Dry-Fire*
My dry-fire regimen consists of about 15 minutes of trigger manipulation. I’ll do 25 of the “long & light” pulls, 25 of the “short & heavy” pulls, then 25 pulls simulating “controlled pairs” (used to be called the double tap). I’ll draw from the holster and my presentation shot will of course be the “long & light” pull, keep the trigger to the rear while you manually cycle the slide and slowly release the trigger until you reset the DAK trigger to first click, which is that “short & heavy”, then conduct that trigger pull and you’ve completed the dry-fire controlled pair portion. That’s what I do for my dry-fire training. You get the draw, “long & light” pull, and the “short & heavy” pull.
*Live-Fire*
My foundation for learning the DAK trigger parallels my dry-fire training and I do this at least once a month at a minimum before doing any other shooting. The first thing I do is what Chris and I call “getting on the sights”. Take a 12rd magazine, lock and load, but have no actual paper target, just an open range lane. Fire the 12rds (6 on each of the two different trigger pulls) at a controlled, methodical, smooth pace. As soon as you acquire your sight picture you should be firing. This drill helps you learn how to “get on the sights” and is a good so called warm-up. Now do the same 25 shots for each trigger pull and controlled pairs (75 total shots). This time for controlled pairs though obviously the gun does the work and you can just focus on the trigger and the reset clicks.
After you complete this, focus on mastering the first “light & heavy” to end out your range training. Whatever drill you end on is going to be what you focus on naturally. After a few times closing out your training time on the range with the “long & light” pull, start closing out your training with the “short & heavy” pulls.
These are the drills that I started with and it helped me immensely with mastering the DAK trigger system. This was my foundation and it helped me learn the system and really come to enjoy the DAK system as one of my favorites. I still do these same drills because as with any firearms training these are perishable skill sets.
Let me know if it’s okay to send two pics to your personal email of the trigger/finger placement.
V/R,
PJ
PJ,
Yes please, send it!! I’ll be printing all this up along with Chris’s articles for my range trips and dry fire. Thanks!!
Dave,
Sorry the delay, but I worked a double 12-hour graveyard. But I just sent two pics to your personal email. We are more than happy to help and let us know if you need anything else. Just remember that no one really loves the DAK system right off the bat, but after a proper training regime and real understanding of the DAK system and it’s capabilities, you’ll master the weapon and be shooting it all the time….especially with your .22LR conversion kit.
V/R,
PJ
Great write up. I’ve learned over the years. I have two ARs that are made by good manufactures.Sigr, m&P and such. You don’t get the bit of a kick or the big sound say from a .556 cal but you can shoot all day at the range, trying new scopes, red dots or what ever
Thanks Mike. Loud noises don’t end gun fights.
Mike,
I second what Chris said! It doesn’t matter how fast you can shoot, if you can’t put those rounds on target then you’re just making loud noises and not stopping the threat. It’s about putting effective fire downrange. During a combat shooting course I was a student in, they talked about self-defense shooting situations and referenced something called the “3, 3, 3″. This means most on the street self-defense shootings last only 3 seconds, occur within 3 yards, with only 3 rounds fired. Even if you shoot just a single round, make it an effective one.
Saving money at the range during training rings especially true today given the current political and social climate of guns and looming regulations. Even getting your hands on .22LR ammo in most areas is still tough, but slowly getting better. Regardless it’s still cheap ammo and a great training aid at the range.
PJ