Rimfire Rifle Comps

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Mar 6, 2019
    67
    I recently ordered a rifle and scope looking to get into NRL22 base class. Then I started looking on MDS for info. I looked through a bunch of posts here and it seems like MARS is the popular rimfire series. Is that what some of the more experienced shooters here see on the lines too? Is MARS the only game in town or is it just the biggest fish with other series around? It’s not a big deal since the gear can shoot either, just curious where I should focus my searches.
     

    dghboy315

    Dave Luu
    Mar 5, 2012
    147
    Rockville, MD
    Yes, come join us! We are working on our 2021 season. New rules and dates should be posted by the end of the year.

    We also offer coaching sessions so you will be ready for the new season. Lots more info on the website. Reach out if you have any questions.
     
    Mar 6, 2019
    67
    Yes, come join us! We are working on our 2021 season. New rules and dates should be posted by the end of the year.

    We also offer coaching sessions so you will be ready for the new season. Lots more info on the website. Reach out if you have any questions.

    Good deal. I’ll sign up for some coaching after I get my new rifle and accessories. Never know what shipping times will be like around Christmas.


    MARS is your best bet. The NVGC does a combined MARS/NRL22 match every month.

    Thanks for the info. I’ll look into NVGC too.
     

    bbradshaw21

    Active Member
    Jun 14, 2016
    174
    Pikesville
    You've got a ton of options in the Mid Atlantic. MARS offers the most matches by far. Excited to see what 2021 brings.

    Peacemaker in WV offers the Lapua Practical Rimfire Challenge which is 4 or 5 matches throughout the year.

    NRL22 isn't too big around here yet, but like was said above Northern Va Gun Club offers those matches monthly along with MARS stages. Their first match is in January. There are some NRL 22x matches in the region, just may need to drive a little bit.

    I've heard that there will be Western PA/Ohio series that will be tied in to the PRS Rimfire Series.

    To sum it up, check out Peacemaker, MARS, NRL22/NRL22x and PRS Rimfire websites for matches.
     

    PoPo3

    Active Member
    Oct 26, 2009
    364
    Hagerstown, MD
    Peacemaker does a long range rimfire PRS style series. Lots of fun if you like testing the limits of a .22. Some shots are close to 500 yards.
     

    SOMD_Shooter

    Member
    Dec 15, 2020
    4
    I recently ordered a rifle and scope looking to get into NRL22 base class. Then I started looking on MDS for info. I looked through a bunch of posts here and it seems like MARS is the popular rimfire series. Is that what some of the more experienced shooters here see on the lines too? Is MARS the only game in town or is it just the biggest fish with other series around? It’s not a big deal since the gear can shoot either, just curious where I should focus my searches.

    Which rifle and scope did you order? I am looking to get into competitive shooting. I'll have to see if a 10/22 is sufficient or if I should purchase a bolt action rifle.
     
    Mar 6, 2019
    67
    Thanks for the additional info. Stretching out the 22 sounds like fun. I’ll probably take it slow so I can dial things in at 200 and in first since it’s my first foray into shooting where wind reads can make a significant difference.

    Which rifle and scope did you order? I am looking to get into competitive shooting. I'll have to see if a 10/22 is sufficient or if I should purchase a bolt action rifle.


    I went with a CZ 457 Varmint and an Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x50 gen 2 scope. All things considered I probably would’ve gone with the precision chassis model or got a better glasses scope if I had done my research prior.

    I’ll make it work until I figure out if I’m gonna stick with the discipline. If I enjoy the challenge I’ll upgrade bits and pieces as I go. Everything I’ve read says it’ll be a good base to build off of regardless. Worse case scenario I’ll have another nice rifle to shoot on the cheap.
     

    KRC

    Active Member
    Sep 30, 2018
    615
    Cecil County MD
    You'll likely find out pretty quickly that gear such as different types of bags to squat on and/or position with and floppy sandbags to place on the various shooting elements (and PRACTICE) will be as or more important than the ultimate precision of your rifle, although knowing your rifles ballistics at all ranges will be critical. MARS has both bolt-action and semi-auto classes. A decent shooting 10/22 will more than get you started.
     

    KRC

    Active Member
    Sep 30, 2018
    615
    Cecil County MD
    It might be helpful for an experienced MARS or NRL22 competitor to post a list of non-rifle/scope/ammo items that would be needed by beginners? The more specific the better (name/brand etc.). I am just a 2-event beginner myself.
     

    MacGuns

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 14, 2013
    1,899
    Damascus
    One required piece of equipment is a good bipod for the rifle, Harris-Magpul-Atlas etc. You will need the tripod on many stages. An added bonus (but not required) is the ability to quickly attach and detach the tripod. On some stages the tripod can get in the way.

    Make sure you have at least three 10 round mags. If you are shooting a 10/22 I don't recommend the 25 round magazines. They get in the way with prone and on many of the stage props. The 15 round magazines work great since it gives you extra rounds and makes mag changes faster.

    There is usually one stage per match where you need to shoot off hand. Having a sling for these positional stages comes in handy. I'm currently using an Armageddon Gear Sling.
    https://www.armageddongear.com/Precision-Rifle-Sling

    I picked up a SAP Positional Sling off the prize table last weekend. I'm going to give this one a try for the rest of the year. It looks like it will adjust quicker between standing, kneeling, sitting, prone.
    https://www.shortactionprecision.com/collections/sap-positional-sling

    For the beginners, I would suggest not worrying about purchasing any bags. You can probably start with a single bag that will do double duty as your prop support and also serve as a rear bag. You can use any of the following for this type of double duty support.

    Game Changer
    https://www.armageddongear.com/Game-Changer™_p_111.html

    Warhorse Bags
    https://www.warhorsedevelopment.com/support-bags
    Clede, Commanche, Peanut take your pick

    Fortune Cookie
    https://wiebad.com/mini-drc-fortune-cookie/

    When you go to a match anyone on your squad will be willing to lend you one of their bags. You can then experiment with the different types of bags and you will quickly learn which ones you like.

    I think I have about 8-10 different bags, but have narrowed it down to the following that I use on a regular basis.

    https://www.warhorsedevelopment.com/product-page/comanche

    https://www.blammenterprises.com/product-page/blamm-power-wedge-mark-ii
    You need a rifle that supports ARCA rails for this bag.

    Pump pillow - I can't find a link for that one. But it is a bigger bag that you can use to support the backend of the rifle. Don't go out and buy one of these. Someone on the squad will have one and you can borrow it. Example photo from Sunday's match.
    MDA-20201213-4982-S.jpg


    I know one competitor that shoots every match with a single bag. He is usually in the top 10 at each match. He uses the Wiebad Mini Fortune Cookie.
    https://wiebad.com/mini-drc-fortune-cookie/

    You can go to my website to see photos of how people set up their bags for each of the various stages and how they handle the props.

    https://www.macguns.photo/

    Once again I want to emphasize that you don't want to go out and start buying a ton of bags and accessories. Once you have a few matches under your belt and have had a chance to test drive what others on the squad bring. Then you will have a better idea of what you want to buy.
     

    SOMD_Shooter

    Member
    Dec 15, 2020
    4
    It might be helpful for an experienced MARS or NRL22 competitor to post a list of non-rifle/scope/ammo items that would be needed by beginners? The more specific the better (name/brand etc.). I am just a 2-event beginner myself.

    I spoke with a gentleman with MARS today. I am going to start off by determining which ammo my 10/22 likes the most. After that, I will determine if I want to go with a red dot and shoot shorter range or go with a decent scope and shoot long range.
     

    MacGuns

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 14, 2013
    1,899
    Damascus

    I'm more familiar with the Vortex product line. The Strike Eagle comes highly recommended. I won one of these at a match, but i haven't spent much time with it yet. I'm planning to test it out over the next couple of months on my backup rifle.

    https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-strike-eagle-5-25x56-ffp.html?vortex_reticle=1503

    I started with a Vortex HST which was a $300 scope for the first year. Now I'm running Vortex PST Gen II scopes 3-18 and 5-25.

    I know others love the Athlon line of scopes. I'm sure someone will come around to give you the options from them.

    The scopes that offer BDC's for most 22LR scopes don't work well for these type of events. You will want to dial your elevations. I would look for a scope that offers a Zero Stop. You don't want to start a stage at 50 yards and you are several revolutions up from your last 300 yard stage. That is where the zero stop comes in handy. After every stage I always set my scope back down to zero.
     
    Mar 6, 2019
    67
    I spoke with a gentleman with MARS today. I am going to start off by determining which ammo my 10/22 likes the most. After that, I will determine if I want to go with a red dot and shoot shorter range or go with a decent scope and shoot long range.


    That’s definitely a good way to go. That’s what I would’ve done if the excuse to get a rifle in the brand and action I wanted wasn’t presented. Be sure to read up on transitions with a semi. Seems like something I’d forget 90% of the time without the timer. Hope to see you out there eventually.
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,918
    Messages
    7,258,721
    Members
    33,348
    Latest member
    Eric_Hehl

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom