Training Aids- The Chamber Insert

Training Aids- The Chamber Insert

In a previous episode of JohnJacobH RKBA Commentary (CLICK HERE TO READ) I argued the case for teaching newbies with scaled down ammo suitable to their experience and capabilities rather than addle their brains with an array of various caliber firearms all of which feel and perform differently in an attempt to acclimate them to the “shooting experience”.

Thus, while a newbie may have purchased a .357 snubbie for his/her primary (or only) self defense weapon, there is no need to go to the range the first few times with full bore factory hot loads when Speer makes an excellent reusable primer actuated plastic bullet and case for practice and training .

The newbie shooter can become familiar with the operation and feel of his/her weapon without the distraction of flash or recoil or audible concussion.

Long arms can be taught just as well with the aid of a device called a chamber insert. It is little more than a precisely milled tube in the dimensions of a .308 cartridge that is sized to accept .32 pistol cartridges inside. The assembly of pistol cartridge and .308 insert is then chambered in any .308 rifle.

Made for .308,30-06 and .303 British a fully operational rifle can be converted to shoot 32 ACP or 32 H&R Magnum pistol cartridges in a single shot format. This is perfect for men, women and children who have never used a long arm.

The .32 ACP is so low powered out of a 16 inch barrel it can be fired anywhere an air rifle can be used with little difference in noise or recoil. The big difference is a 71 grain bullet moving at about 600 FPS so plinking gallon milk jugs twenty five feet distant becomes a exhilarating adventure instead of a scary experience.

While projectile diameters are slightly different- the standard NATO .308 is .308 inches in diameter and the .32 ACP and .32 HR are officially listed as .311 and .312 diameter respectively in my case I have a slightly shot out Spanish FR8 which is a nearly perfect training rifle- a bolt action carbine with sixteen inch barrel with just enough weight (9 pounds) to impress anyone who has never fired a “real” rifle.

So if you have some inexperienced newbie shooters in your immediate vicinity drag that old military surplus rifle out of the gun safe, equip yourself with a chamber insert and some .32 pistol cartridges and make a day of it-maybe even in the basement or backyard.

A 25 FOOT (not yards) target from rested position through the FR8 using the 200 Meter peep sight (iron sight) with .32 ACP. Shooting about 3 inches low. I will post some 32 H&R targets as soon as I can get to an outdoor range. I suspect a 100 grain bullet at 1000 fps will be just about dead on at 25-50 feet.