.22 Rimfire for Training: Ruger 10/22, Mark IV and M&P 15-22 Compared
Short answer: A .22 LR rimfire is the cheapest, quietest and lowest-recoil way to practice the fundamentals: sight alignment, trigger control and follow-through. The Ruger 10/22 is a classic, accurate and endlessly customizable rifle; the Ruger Mark IV is a popular target pistol that is easy to take apart; and the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 copies the AR-15 layout for low-cost AR-style practice. Many shooters improve faster with a few hundred rimfire rounds a month than with a few dozen centerfire rounds.
Key facts
- .22 LR ammunition usually costs a fraction of 9mm or 5.56 per round.
- Low recoil and noise make it easier to spot and fix flinching.
- Rimfire ammunition has a higher rate of duds than centerfire; handle misfires carefully.
- Many rimfire guns should not be dry-fired without a snap cap; check your owner's manual.
Popular .22 training guns compared
| Model | Type | Strengths | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruger 10/22 | Semi-auto rifle | Accurate, reliable, huge aftermarket | New shooters, rifle fundamentals, rimfire steel |
| Ruger Mark IV | Semi-auto pistol | Accurate target pistol, one-button takedown | Pistol trigger control and sight alignment |
| S&W M&P 15-22 | AR-style rifle | Same controls and layout as an AR-15 | Low-cost AR-style practice |
| Browning Buck Mark | Semi-auto pistol | Good trigger, many variants | Target shooting, beginners |
Drills that build real skill
- Dot drill: five shots on a 1-inch dot at 5 to 7 yards, slowly, calling each shot.
- Ball-and-dummy style practice: have a coach occasionally hand you an empty magazine to reveal flinching.
- Rifle prone and sitting: 10 shots on small targets at 25 to 50 yards.
- Rimfire steel: small steel plates for fast feedback; see steel vs paper vs reactive targets and follow the target maker's rimfire distances.
Our free guides Train Smarter With Just 50 Rounds and The Diagnostic Target Manual work perfectly with a .22.
Rimfire safety and care
- Misfires: if a round does not fire, keep the muzzle pointed downrange for at least 30 seconds before opening the action, in case of a hang fire.
- Dry fire: use rimfire snap caps if your manual allows dry practice; striking the chamber edge can damage some guns.
- Cleaning: .22 ammunition is often dirty; clean the action and magazines regularly. See our cleaning kits guide and The Clean Gun Manual.
- Storage: keep rimfire pistols secure like any firearm. A Magnetic Mount PRO inside a safe holds compatible flat-top pistols, and a Quick Magnet Holder keeps magazines organized.
Quick answer
Is .22 LR good for training? Yes. It is cheap, quiet and low recoil, so you can practice more and see your mistakes clearly.
Ruger 10/22 or M&P 15-22? The 10/22 is a classic rifle with a huge aftermarket; the M&P 15-22 is best if you want AR-15 style controls for practice.
Can you dry fire a .22? Many rimfire guns should only be dry-fired with snap caps. Check your owner's manual.
What should I do if a .22 round does not fire? Keep the muzzle pointed downrange for at least 30 seconds, then carefully open the action and remove the round.
Always follow the four rules of firearm safety and your firearm maker's instructions. Brand names are trademarks of their owners and are mentioned for comparison only.