Offhand shooting and the M1-22 Kingston Armory Rifle

by Hobie , Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Sunday, August 14, 2016, 17:29 (3025 days ago)

Several people have asked me how well the Kingston Armory M1-22 rifle shoots. As anyone with any experience knows, choice of ammo and the eye's (mine) ability to distinguish sights and target will have some small influence on the results. So...

I have been shooting a lot of Winchester High Velocity 40 gr. RN stuff purchased about 1986 and stored inside in U.S. Army ammo cans. I had several bricks of it. Some I had used in rimfire silhouette but when that went away I quit shooting it in preference for Power Points of SGB modified Dynapoints for hunting. I also shot a quantity of Golden Bullets (Remington) hollow points. So, when I got this rifle I thought semi-auto+hivel ammo=fault free function. That's been mostly true, until I got the gun dirty enough to hiccup now and then. So this old Winchester ammo is what I used to shoot the rifle and provide some idea of its capabilities.

The sights. They are GI, literally. I think they use either new old stock (or parts therefrom) or new manufacture replacements. The rear sight base is made just for the 10-22 receiver profile. That means you have a peep rear and a thick post front sight. Some people need to learn to shoot these, I've been shooting them for years.

However, my eyesight can be a problem. I've worn glasses since I was 6, bifocals since I was 55, and have known I had cataracts for 2 years. Sometimes I can't focus on anything much less see the target after focusing on the front sight.

Let's not talk about physical conditioning. I am NOT the infantry stud I might have been (in my mind) some 15-18 years ago! When I first stepped to the line with the rifle I thought I must be standing on jello everything was weaving around so much. Things have improved.

Why shoot the gun off-hand (standing, unsupported)? Because we are going to have a golf ball shoot under those conditions (no slings either). Also, because we should be able to shoot this way and might need to.

So how well does it shoot with me behind the butt? I can pretty consistently shoot 30% on a golf ball at 50 yards. I did 70-80% on a 4" diameter disk this past Thursday. Off the bench it is practically a sure thing on the golf ball at 50 yards. I own every miss. It is all me.

http://www.kingstonarmory.com/products/kingston-garand/

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Sincerely,

Hobie