by Guy J. Sagi
Photos by Lloyd Hill

It doesn’t take a magic act to convert some pistols to softer-shooting .22 Long Rifle chamberings-, but it does take some knowledge and an adult’s help.

Not only is a .22 conversion a lot of fun on the range, you’ll learn a lot about the proper functioning of a pistol as you and a parent install the unit. Best of all, mom or dad can reconvert it to the original chambering in seconds.

I know it’s hard to believe, but every time you head outdoors with your parents you learn something new. In camping, it might be how to pitch a tent or start a campfire. In fishing, it might be baiting your hook or mastering the improved clinch knot.

In shooting you learn even more. Every time you head out for target practice, the rules of safety are reinforced and your skills improve. Remember the first time you shot a BB gun or .22 rifle? You probably didn’t hit the bullseye the first time, but now you know every gun is considered loaded, you’re hitting the target with each shot and probably never have to be reminded to wear your eye and ear protection.

No, it wasn’t the same as going to school, but you learned a lot along the way. In fact, safe gun handling has become natural and you now understand the power of concentration—especially when you’re trying to hit the target or your long-term goals.

Once you master the basics, and only when your parents decide you’re ready, it might be time to give pistol shooting a try. But that big pistol mom or dad may use could be way too much when you’re only starting out or interested in small-game hunting.

There is a solution though, and done right it will teach you even more about firearm safety on the same pistol your parents own. Jonathan Arthur Ciener has created a line of .22 Long Rifle pistol conversions that can be swapped onto many existing larger-caliber handguns and even some rifles.

That means if your parents decide you’re ready, they can temporarily convert their existing pistol for you to use without buying a new gun. They’ll like that. And, because low-recoiling .22 Long Rifle is ideal for learning pistol marksmanship, and for shooting in competition, it’s a great start.

When we tested one of the kits on a 1911A1, it installed in minutes and the instructions were easy to follow. At the range, the .22 Long Rifle conversion, from Jonathan Arthur Ciener, performed flawlessly. Since the sights are part of the slide, it allows you to set them for your ammunition without having to move your parents’ sights. That’s a big advantage.
Serrations along the side means your hands won’t slip, no matter how wet they are. The unit looks as if it was factory installed and comes with a .22 Long Rifle magazine that slips right into the original pistol. With a little practice, conversions take only seconds.

The ammunition is a lot less expensive and because all the controls are the same—including trigger let-off weight since the same trigger and assembly are retained—you’ll feel right at home when you’re ready to try the bigger cartridge.
There’s no magic involved. With a little slight of hand, today anyone can make it seem as if two pistols are one with the Jonathan Arthur Ciener conversion kit.

Jonathan Arthur Ciener
Dept. IS
8700 Commerce Street
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
(321) 868-2200
www.22lrconversions.com

	By converting a 1911A1, which traditionally chambers the beefier .45 ACP cartridge seen at left, to digest .22 Long Rifle ammunition, at right, practice sessions are less expensive and recoil is greatly reduced.
	The .45-caliber barrel and slide, at left, may be a little too much to learn the basics of pistol marksmanship. But the Jonathan Arthur Ciener conversion, at right, allows the same 1911 pistol to chamber the softer-shooting .22 Long Rifle cartridge.
	This conversion kit allows a young shooter to learn pistol marksmanship without investing in another firearm.