The options are insane right now, Vudoo, Zermatt, Ruger, and 5 others. Is there a solid, no nonsense path to take? Also, I have a donor 10/22 I could use if they are still a legit option. I also intend to go suppressed.
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Best path in choosing an NRL 22 rifle?
- Thread starter blue_ridge
- Start date
My budget is semi-flexible. I don’t see spending over $3,000, but am looking for the best bang for buck between $1000-2500 or so. Also, what kind of accuracy can you expect with a good 22?
I'm really happy with my Bergara. Fits Remington footprint so I can match my chassis to my comp rifle. Very accurate with the right ammo. So far my mags have fed great. Seems to hold its own against Zermatt's and Vudoo at least for it's price.
Just order the Vudoo unless you have a very competent .22 smith you can trust building a RimX. Or go find a RimX dealer with an outstanding reputation. They're finicky about set up it seems. The Vudoo is for those of us who don't want to 'tinker' too much. If you have any issues, they will take care of it promptly. I can see no reason to not go with a Vudoo except price. There's too many in the wild shooting too well to be ignored.
I do have about five shots through a RimX and it is a thing of beauty.
I do have about five shots through a RimX and it is a thing of beauty.
I also have a Rem LTR stock (HS Precision) that I was saving for a rainy day. i could drop a barreled action into it, marine Tex bed it and add a trigger.
Blue_ridge I'm having similar thoughts as yourself. The rifles I'm looking at are the Bergara, 457 and the Anschultz 64 MPR and mating it with either a Athlon or Element optics (it's a limited choice in the UK). I've had hands on all three rifles and still can't decide. Budget wise the vudoo and rim-x are out of the picture but the above rifles may be worth the look of you can get hands on.
I Gotta breakout my 10/22 i built, I'm betting it won't be far behind at 50.
That being said I really like the bergara I bought.
I have a CZ457 ProVarmit and a decked out 10/22 in a Victor Titan and the CZ shoots better and more consistently - both have an Athlon Midas Tac 5-25x56. 50yds with SK Standard Plus
All that said, I still want a Vudoo in an MPA chassis like my big gun.
All that said, I still want a Vudoo in an MPA chassis like my big gun.
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I am a lot like you. Been thinking Vudoo but price compared to what I gain is what I am still wresting with. I've got several rimfires and just about all are shooters or I don't keep them.
My Tikka is shooting mid to upper 2's in idea conditions from the bench with bipod and rear bag with fairly good consistency. Me being the inconsistent part that opens up the groups when they open. My Kidd 22's shoot lower to mid 3's, same conditions.
Although I am sure I will end up with a Vudoo at some point I currently struggle with how much I stand to gain for the price tag. But I also know if I want the best (which I usually do) then the Vudoo has to be in my future.
Since I buy a new rimfire every month or two, I am leaning more toward the Bergara as my next purchase. I too am also wanting to get into NRL22 but here is what I've decided to do.
The Kidd or the Bergara seems like they would put me into the Open class. I doubt either is going to outshoot the Tikka I currently have so I've decided to go with the Tikka. I can shoot and learn. Not a good doper and have always spent my time on a bench instead of different positions.
So my though again, which is a personal thing is, I am not likely to shoot any better with that Vudoo than I will the Tikka right now. Since I'm going to be a newb at NRL22, I'd be better off in Base class. All the Vudoo will do for me at this point is place me in an even more competitive class and I serious doubt I am going to do any better with the Vudoo than the Tikka.
Again, I constantly buy rimfires and I do want the Vudoo. So I know at some point I will get one. Just saying even if I had it, at least for right now I'd probably still grab the Tikka and shoot the base class.
Hope I like the Bergara but mostly buying it cause I have the Bergara in 6.5
Good luck to you and I will be watching this thread with anticipation.
My Tikka is shooting mid to upper 2's in idea conditions from the bench with bipod and rear bag with fairly good consistency. Me being the inconsistent part that opens up the groups when they open. My Kidd 22's shoot lower to mid 3's, same conditions.
Although I am sure I will end up with a Vudoo at some point I currently struggle with how much I stand to gain for the price tag. But I also know if I want the best (which I usually do) then the Vudoo has to be in my future.
Since I buy a new rimfire every month or two, I am leaning more toward the Bergara as my next purchase. I too am also wanting to get into NRL22 but here is what I've decided to do.
The Kidd or the Bergara seems like they would put me into the Open class. I doubt either is going to outshoot the Tikka I currently have so I've decided to go with the Tikka. I can shoot and learn. Not a good doper and have always spent my time on a bench instead of different positions.
So my though again, which is a personal thing is, I am not likely to shoot any better with that Vudoo than I will the Tikka right now. Since I'm going to be a newb at NRL22, I'd be better off in Base class. All the Vudoo will do for me at this point is place me in an even more competitive class and I serious doubt I am going to do any better with the Vudoo than the Tikka.
Again, I constantly buy rimfires and I do want the Vudoo. So I know at some point I will get one. Just saying even if I had it, at least for right now I'd probably still grab the Tikka and shoot the base class.
Hope I like the Bergara but mostly buying it cause I have the Bergara in 6.5
Good luck to you and I will be watching this thread with anticipation.
Vudoo probably won't help to much 100yards and under(nrl22) but if you plan on reaching out beyond 100yards this is where the Vudoo should come into play. With my Vudoo 2" targets at 250-300 yards just seems to easy. I'm now wanting smaller or farther targets.
Unless you have a lot of experience already, choose the rifle with the best trigger you can afford and still spend 2x that much on cases of ammunition, or other means of improving your software.
No rifle has ever won a match.
No rifle has ever won a match.
If your budget for the rifle alone is 3200, buy a vudoo in a matrix chassis. Or if you like stocks, the manners competition. Buy sk standard plus ammo and be done.
You’ll have a rifle that can win any match and have plenty of adjustments for balance, weight, LoP, and cheek.
That’s the easy button.
You’ll have a rifle that can win any match and have plenty of adjustments for balance, weight, LoP, and cheek.
That’s the easy button.
I went through half a dozen rimfires starting with a PWS Summit, Decked out 10/22, RPRR, Tikka T1X, and now I'm at a Vudoo. And I've shot with a ton of CZ 452,455,457, Anschutz, etc... all of this for shooting for NRL22.
I'd stay away from shooting a 10/22. As much as you want to tweak and customize it and drop money in it, it'll never perform like a bolt. The gas escaping to cycle the bolt mean inconsistent velocities, which means inconsistent group sizes, and out to 200+ yards it's just going to really hurt you.
RPRR, while for $400 is a pretty solid entry, their barrels blow and precision is a crapshoot. Velocity is super slow, like 75 less than a match chamber. It is a great starter rifle though IF it fits you.
CZ 45* and Tikka T1X are about the same. Tikka T1X generally shoots a little bit tighter on average. Tikka T1X has ejection issues sometimes, CZ 457 has feeding issues sometimes due to the angled mag that sometimes hits a barricade.
Given the popularity of rimfire, CZ, and Tikka have a host of chassis options, but not nearly as much as R700 pattern (Vudoo, RImX, B14R). A lot more trigger options on the R700 patterns as well.
For NRL22 I have seen all of these rifles win in Open class in matches. You're not needing to shoot in the .2's, you just need to shoot about 1 moa at 50 yards, and all of these rifles are capable of doing that.
What really makes a winner is your comfortability with the stock, trigger, bipod, and scope. If you had a limited budget, I'd focus on those things.
I went from a factory stock, to a KRG Bravo, to an ACC, and then trying out a Xylo. Xylo so far I like the most for its ergonomics and balance and full area419 integrated rail.
I went from an Athlon Ares BTR to ETR to Tract, Leica, and now on a Vortex AMG since I like the reticle the most and the lightweight it offers.
Triggers, I stuck with a 2-stage as I didn't like light single stages, especially when I'm shooting in the cold.
Again all of this was just a very iterative process of 20,000 rounds of shooting over the past year, and about 2 comps a month.
If I say had a set $3000. I'd probably do...
CZ 457 MTR $650
Athlon Ares ETR $850
Atlas Cal2 $300
Find a chassis you like... like maybe MPA / MDT $1000.
Weights/add-ons for chassis $200.
And save money for a lot of ammo... like SK+
I'd stay away from shooting a 10/22. As much as you want to tweak and customize it and drop money in it, it'll never perform like a bolt. The gas escaping to cycle the bolt mean inconsistent velocities, which means inconsistent group sizes, and out to 200+ yards it's just going to really hurt you.
RPRR, while for $400 is a pretty solid entry, their barrels blow and precision is a crapshoot. Velocity is super slow, like 75 less than a match chamber. It is a great starter rifle though IF it fits you.
CZ 45* and Tikka T1X are about the same. Tikka T1X generally shoots a little bit tighter on average. Tikka T1X has ejection issues sometimes, CZ 457 has feeding issues sometimes due to the angled mag that sometimes hits a barricade.
Given the popularity of rimfire, CZ, and Tikka have a host of chassis options, but not nearly as much as R700 pattern (Vudoo, RImX, B14R). A lot more trigger options on the R700 patterns as well.
For NRL22 I have seen all of these rifles win in Open class in matches. You're not needing to shoot in the .2's, you just need to shoot about 1 moa at 50 yards, and all of these rifles are capable of doing that.
What really makes a winner is your comfortability with the stock, trigger, bipod, and scope. If you had a limited budget, I'd focus on those things.
I went from a factory stock, to a KRG Bravo, to an ACC, and then trying out a Xylo. Xylo so far I like the most for its ergonomics and balance and full area419 integrated rail.
I went from an Athlon Ares BTR to ETR to Tract, Leica, and now on a Vortex AMG since I like the reticle the most and the lightweight it offers.
Triggers, I stuck with a 2-stage as I didn't like light single stages, especially when I'm shooting in the cold.
Again all of this was just a very iterative process of 20,000 rounds of shooting over the past year, and about 2 comps a month.
If I say had a set $3000. I'd probably do...
CZ 457 MTR $650
Athlon Ares ETR $850
Atlas Cal2 $300
Find a chassis you like... like maybe MPA / MDT $1000.
Weights/add-ons for chassis $200.
And save money for a lot of ammo... like SK+
Stick with the Bergara or CZ457. Anschutz mags suck ass for quick changes and are very expensive compared to either the CZ or Bergara. I've been down this road with two Annie 17xx rifles (they use the same mag for all their rifles) and finally have my 5 round mags working most of the time, I've given up on getting the ten round mags to reliably work with either of my anschutz's. For what they cost you would think they would be reliable and easy to use, they are not. Their stamped and folded steel magazine system is left over from the middle of the last century without any updates and it is obvious once you use them and compare to modern rifles from other manufacturers. While The Annies are great squirrel or silhouette guns, I would find a different rifle for shooting PRS/NRL or any game requiring more than 5 rounds or a mag change.
I've used CZ 455/457's for a long time and their magazine system is robust, easy to change quickly, and reliable. Their polymer mags just work.
I have no experience with the rimfire bergara yet.
As to the NRL22, go to a match or two and see what ppl are using and ask them why, and, what they would do different now after using it for a while. Note who is winning and watch what they do. Most ppl will gladly let you try a couple shots or at least hold the rifle and see how it feels to you in prone, standing and sitting.
Just about everybody is proud to show off their rifle and talk it up, they may even let you borrow it for a match. I've loaned out my rifle to co-workers I've drug out to a match and had the "pleasure" of being beaten with my own rifle in somebody else's hands---this proves to me that all the work I put into dope for that rifle and ammo combo work well enough that a newbie can do very well with it. Great optics also play a big part of the rifle's accuracy.
What lil pod said is the best advice. If you can afford it you can never go wrong with more accuracy. In that case go with the VuDoo. But, you do not need sub 1/2MOA accuracy to be competitive in NRL22/PRS-22 type matches. Having a good repeatable FFP optic and knowing your dope for that rifle/scope/ammo combo perfectly from 50y out to 300+ is way more important than being able to shoot the flies off of the tgt at 100y. When I first started shooting this type of match, I used a Sav MkII with a cheap FFP 4-25x scope and did just fine because I worked very hard to know my scope and my dope without question. Make sure that you factor in the need for about three 10rd (or more) mags also. I recently acquired a Sako Quad which was one of the Eurooptic special edition trainers. It is fit with a lilja bbl and a McMillan A5 stock and is so much better than the old Savage it is like daylight and dark. Yes, I could have put together a nice VuDoo for the same price or slightly more, but it will do the job. For the money the CZ 457 pro varmint or the Tikka UPR (if you can get one) might make good lower priced options. Both shoot good enough with good ammo. Spend the budget to burn ammo in the lot you will compete with and verify your dope to a tee. That will pay dividends in added confidence and less time wasted on missed shots.
For typical NRL distances and wanting to shoot base class, grab a Ruger 10/22 factory competition rifle and throw a decent scope on it and this should start the experience. Can also do the same with the 457 and T1x if you prefer bolt action. Within a 100yds the Ruger Competition can hang with most custom 10/22 open builds. If wanting to shoot further distances then all bets are off. Have an open 10/22 Volquartsen build, and an open T1x build with factory barrel and both are reliable and accurate to win. Also just recently picked up a 16" 457 and a 16" T1x, they are reliable and accurate for base class though not as comfortable to shoot due to retaining factory stocks. (I prefer the short bolt lift of the T1x and 457.)
As someone else said, the Vudoo guarantees accuracy and almost zero tinkering. Haven't met anyone who disliked their V22. Also, since the V22 is a manually operated bolt gun, I have seen them jam in the heat of competition.
As someone else said, the Vudoo guarantees accuracy and almost zero tinkering. Haven't met anyone who disliked their V22. Also, since the V22 is a manually operated bolt gun, I have seen them jam in the heat of competition.
If you can afford a vudoo do it!
Start big now you wont regret it.
I have decked out 10/22 a cz 457 in a chassis and a vudoo in an mpa .
Bought the vudoo last.
I spent 3k on 2 rifles to end up with a vudoo anyway .
My grandkids (9 and 5) don't know what 1 rifle cost over another and have shot all of them.
They ask to shoot the vudoo when they visit
YMMV
Start big now you wont regret it.
I have decked out 10/22 a cz 457 in a chassis and a vudoo in an mpa .
Bought the vudoo last.
I spent 3k on 2 rifles to end up with a vudoo anyway .
My grandkids (9 and 5) don't know what 1 rifle cost over another and have shot all of them.
They ask to shoot the vudoo when they visit
YMMV
My Kidd super grade with centerX ammo can hang with groups posted thus far, and it is much easier to stay on target when you don’t have to work a bolt. That said, buy a vudoo and centerX ammo and be done. This is as close to buying a W as you can get in this sport.
Buy a factory fresh 10/22. Give them that, a dozen mags (25 rounders even better), a brick of decent ammo, and several aluminum cans. Tell them they can shoot as fast as the like (this is the reason for the bone stock ruger), so long as they are hitting the cans. So long as you can keep them supplied in ammo and cans, this should free up your vudoo for the foreseeable future...
I would suggest just buying a Vudoo and never looking back. Sure other rifles can shoot great, but there is something to be said about buying an amazing rifle and spending your time shooting great groups and less time buying and installing accessories on a lesser quality rifle.
Of the Rem 700 footprint actions, it seems a barreled action from Bergara Is 1/2 the price of Vudoo and Rimx. Am I leaving any others out? Given the flexibility in stocks and the ability to match the setup for PRS, is there any Major drawback of the Bergara action? $850 vs. $1700 would leave a lot of extra money for ammo, stock and optics.
For me here is the $950 difference in value:
Bergara, you have to hope you didn’t get a Friday barrel. Or a barrel at the end of tooling life. You’ll also either need to send it to be tested or do a bunch of ammo/lot testing yourself.
Vudoo, it’s always going to have a good barrel (or they will give you a new one, no questions asked). And you can literally just buy any Lapua ammo (I use sk+) and win PRS/NRL matches. Only testing would be if you want to shoot F class or BR with it.
As with most things that save money (like putting together your own rifle instead of using a Smith) will cost you more time tweaking and getting that $950 less cost tweaked out.
If you don’t mind having to spend more time (sometimes less, sometimes exponentially more) working with it, go for it. If you’re like me and just want to grab it and shoot, pay the extra.
I have a Kidd Supergrade, Tikka T1X, and a Bergara B14R, All shoot about the same around sub moa out to 200 yds. The Bergara is the easiest to shoot, of them all. it sets well due to its weight. I would get the B14R in their stock ( you have to buy the bottom metal. it does not come with the barreled action. if you don't like the stock, sell it, you will come out better) I replaced the trigger with a Trigger tech Diamond. I have a little less the $1300 into the B14R without the scope. You could get a T1X and set it up for base class, then get a open gun. you are going there sooner or later.
Mark
I have a full Vudoo build in a bravo chassis and it’s spectacular. I also have a B14r that I have bedded and put a Jewell trigger in and it’s also an awesome little rifle. The refinement of the Vudoo is worth the extra expense the bolt lift is slick and fluid nothing is clunky or chunky feeling at all. If you have parts and pieces already get the Vudoo barreled action and use what ya have. You can always swap it around later if you want to..
Mine does, built 10/22's for my nephews, they had only been to the range once before with me. We hit the rimfire range once, it was too easy, we only go to the steel range now and they think it's normal to shoot steel chickens in the head at 200 meters. That being said I wish I'd gotten bolt actions, would have saved me a bunch in ammo.
Building up a 10/22 for 50-200yd shooting. Starting with a factory action & 18.5" barrel, sending trigger to Brim. Will test out factory barrel - have heard that #31145 18.5" barrel is same as the Target models. Now to decide stock/chassis - thinking Boyds Pro Varmint like the CZ
