Options for Rimfire Rifles

Rockon71385 · Sep 15, 2017

Several of the kids on the OSU team are interested in competing in the Scholastic Action Shooting Program league, which is basically steel challenge. I've never competed with any kind of rimfire gun so I'm trying to find out what kind of equipment they need to be competitive. It doesn't need to be top tier tricked out stuff, I'm just looking to find the rimfire rifle and pistol equivalent of a G34 with a fiber front sight and a trigger. I know that 10/22's dominate the rimfire rifle division, and rimfire has lots of Mk3's and Buckmarks.

How do most people set up their guns for rimfire irons, optics, both for rifle and pistol? I would love to get some info from someone who has competed in these divisions.

foghorn918 · Sep 15, 2017

The S&W Victory is another good option for
rimfire pistol. Reasonably priced has a fiber optic front sight 2 mags and a very good trigger out of the box. Very accurate and easy to take down and clean.

Another option for rifle is an M&P 15-22 AR style so transition to 3 gun rifle later would already be familiar with controls.

My grandson has the Victory and I have the buckmark. He has a 10/22 and I have the M&P 15-22.

Any of them want to come to a steel challenge match at OKC let me know and they can run anything I have. Both mine and my grandson setups have red dots.

wgm2011 · Sep 15, 2017

Last weekend we shot with the local (Spring, The Woodlannds and Conroe, Texas area) Scholastic Action Shooting Program league. Fine group of youngsters (ages 11 to 19).

More than a few were pretty salty on the range.

I visited briefly with the shooting coach. I don't know if its just with the local group or its all groups, but they do not shoot rimfire rifles. only iron sight pistols.

dennishoddy · Sep 15, 2017

My steel challenge guns are a Ruger Mark III hunter with some trigger, Mz Brake and take down mods, and an AR Nordic upper NC-22 rifle that is awesome.
That being said, one of the fastest shooters in the OKC steel challenge has a birch stock 10-22 and uses factory 10 round rotary mags. Box stock.Comes to the match in farm coveralls and boots.
Take that for what its worth.

Matt1911 · Sep 16, 2017

It's hard to beat a 10/22

Rockon71385 · Sep 16, 2017

10/22's have a big advantage on cost. Also, a lot of the .22 AR platforms I've seen seem to have reliability issues. Maybe they're the same issues every rimfire semi-auto has when they're not clean, use cheap ammo etc? Do you guys that have .22 AR's ever have to deal with malfunctions at matches?

Bryan Hoover · Sep 16, 2017

Robbie said:
10/22's have a big advantage on cost. Also, a lot of the .22 AR platforms I've seen seem to have reliability issues. Maybe they're the same issues every rimfire semi-auto has when they're not clean, use cheap ammo etc? Do you guys that have .22 AR's ever have to deal with malfunctions at matches?

M&P runs great. Only thing I've seen is people trying to run junk ammo have problems.

foghorn918 · Sep 16, 2017

Robbie said:
10/22's have a big advantage on cost. Also, a lot of the .22 AR platforms I've seen seem to have reliability issues. Maybe they're the same issues every rimfire semi-auto has when they're not clean, use cheap ammo etc? Do you guys that have .22 AR's ever have to deal with malfunctions at matches?

10/22's are a good place to start, cost wise you can compete out of the box with some extra mags. They are also easy to start upgrading and customizing.

I've seen malfunctions with all rim fire platforms.

Wall · Sep 17, 2017

My Nordic 22 up runs like a top with no malfunctions.
But, I stay away from the Remington ammo & stick with federal bulk packs primarily.
I've not seen any 22 ARs that run reliably with on Remington ammo.

Raford · Sep 17, 2017

I have an M&P 15-22 and more than a few Ruger 10-22's that I shoot regularly for Steel Challenge and NSSF matches, either is a good choice for the game in my opinion. If controls familiarity is an issue then go with the M&P or a Nordic Upper, you can't go wrong. Pistols are more of a personal choice as to what fits your grip and eye. S&W Victory, Ruger MK III's & IV's, Buckmark's are all suitable for the game. Any one of these can be shot as stock or modified considerably, depending upon your preference. If you want, there are 2011 frames with 22 uppers if you want to closely replicate shooting a center fire pistol as well. The options are almost endless and so are the budget requirements.

Ammo is a different story. You don't have to shot high end 22 to make your guns work reliably but there are certain brands and varieties that will cause problems and it won't take you very long to figure out which ones your particular guns don't like. The Remington "Golden" bullets in bulk tend to be a little waxy and therefore can have feeding issues from magazines and chambering issues in certain guns. Some brands of 22 have construction issues and I've seen more than one case pulled apart leaving the case body in the chamber and the rim pulled off, (which will really ruin your day). So find a brand and bullet weight and speed that your particular gun likes and stick with it. This one thing will add more to you reliability than any other issue.

Matt1911 · Sep 17, 2017

Federal auto match runs great in my MKIII and .22 kit for the AR.

Stay far away from Remington Thunderbolts (thunder-duds is a common nickname for a reason)

dennishoddy · Sep 17, 2017

Robbie said:
10/22's have a big advantage on cost. Also, a lot of the .22 AR platforms I've seen seem to have reliability issues. Maybe they're the same issues every rimfire semi-auto has when they're not clean, use cheap ammo etc? Do you guys that have .22 AR's ever have to deal with malfunctions at matches?

My Nordic NC-22 upper will run flawless with any ammo that runs 1260 fps or faster.
The 1200 fps CCI or other brands just doesn't seem to cycle the action fast enough. Just because I'm anal about it, I run the faster more expensive ammo. The cost over bulk isn't that much per match.
Side note: I haven't seen federal bulk in three or so years.

Robusto · Sep 17, 2017

My NC-22 is a Honey Badger. It doesn't care, it eats every thing.

Wall · Sep 18, 2017

mattmiller (Robusto) said:
My NC-22 is a Honey Badger. It doesn't care, it eats every thing.

I've not had a problem with any ammo in mine either. I just havent tried/don't use the Remington ammo due to my experience with it in the past.

Dennis, if yours won't run 1100 fps ammo, you should look into a recoil spring change. Have you ever changed it in the 4 or so years you've owned it? It's probably due anyway.

Btw.....all of these NC-22s we're talking about in this thread so far are the older square bolt models, not the round bolt versions they sell today. They redesigned them a couple years ago. They are supposed to still be on the same level as the square bolts or better & I haven't heard of any issues with them.

dennishoddy · Sep 18, 2017

Wall said:
I've not had a problem with any ammo in mine either. I just havent tried/don't use the Remington ammo due to my experience with it in the past.

Dennis, if yours won't run 1100 fps ammo, you should look into a recoil spring change. Have you ever changed it in the 4 or so years you've owned it? It's probably due anyway.

Btw.....all of these NC-22s we're talking about in this thread so far are the older square bolt models, not the round bolt versions they sell today. They redesigned them a couple years ago. They are supposed to still be on the same level as the square bolts or better & I haven't heard of any issues with them.

I haven't changed the recoil spring since new. Probably time to do so. It will run the 1100 fps for the most part, but I can tell the difference in the action cycling. It's like I'm having to wait on it to cycle. The higher velocity stuff runs perfectly.

P.E. Kelley · Sep 19, 2017

The Nordic's are very, very nice and locally the S&W MP15-22 rule the roost for reliability.

I have been running the Savage A22 and I think it kicks 10-22 butt out of the box...it does not
need a new barrel, new trigger or new stock.

10-22's have been on the market a long time and have a pile of aftermarket stuff where the new to the market Savage doesn't.

What you haven't heard of the A22?

https://youtu.be/i8UbDudLbZM

hunter_dmw12 · Sep 19, 2017

look into tactical solutions x-ring it is very nice and reliable. if not pick up a used 10-22 and put a tac-sol barrel on and go have fun.

Rockon71385 · Sep 20, 2017

Tacsol looks like awesome gear, but it's way outside our price range right now. That Savage A22 does look nice.

P.E. Kelley · Sep 22, 2017

Robbie said:
Tacsol looks like awesome gear, but it's way outside our price range right now. That Savage A22 does look nice.

AND>>>>Butler Creek will have a 25 round mag out soon for the Long Rifle. Already have for the 22mag.

Rockon71385 · Sep 28, 2017

P.E. Kelley said:
The Nordic's are very, very nice and locally the S&W MP15-22 rule the roost for reliability.

I have been running the Savage A22 and I think it kicks 10-22 butt out of the box...it does not
need a new barrel, new trigger or new stock.

10-22's have been on the market a long time and have a pile of aftermarket stuff where the new to the market Savage doesn't.

What you haven't heard of the A22?

That rifle does look like a really nice option. The sights look way better than the stock 10/22 sights, and the stock is in a much better position. I'm not sure rifles are in the budget for this fall, but that looks like a great option to get the kids started on rimfire rifle division. Thanks.