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Help me pick a NRL22 rifle
- Thread starter docohm
- Start date
If I am going to compete against you, then get a Savage hands down! (sorry, just had to say it! 
)
"What make/models should I look at?" I don't have a lot of details about the current crop of .22 offerings, so I will learn along with you.
"What did you choose and why?" When I dip my toe in the NRL22 pool soon, I plan to use my recently completed 1980's 10/22 with a Kidd barrel and bolt, in a Magpul stock. I went that route as I don't know if I will like NRL matches, or I can get away to enough matches to make it worth my while. I just don't know what I don't know. So, worst case is I have an awesome shooting .22 and it did not cost me too much time or $$ to put together.
I see it as win no matter how it works out as accurate rifles are never boring.
)"What make/models should I look at?" I don't have a lot of details about the current crop of .22 offerings, so I will learn along with you.
"What did you choose and why?" When I dip my toe in the NRL22 pool soon, I plan to use my recently completed 1980's 10/22 with a Kidd barrel and bolt, in a Magpul stock. I went that route as I don't know if I will like NRL matches, or I can get away to enough matches to make it worth my while. I just don't know what I don't know. So, worst case is I have an awesome shooting .22 and it did not cost me too much time or $$ to put together.
I see it as win no matter how it works out as accurate rifles are never boring.
I picked a Tikka T1X and added a KRG Bravo stock. The factory stock isn't bad, but the KRG is more comfortable for me. Getting both will still keep you under $1,000.00
Another good option is a CZ 457 Pro Varmint.
Either of these will fit the bill and accuracy needs.
I think the Tikka has a better adjustable trigger right out of the box - but the CZ can be made to be as nice with a $15.00 spring kit. I also like the shorter bolt lift and pull of the Tikka.
The Tikka comes with 10 shot mag, the CZ comes with a 5 shot - extra 10 round mags for either run in the $25-$30 range if you shop around.
From what I've seen & read, I think the Tikka has a slight accuracy advantage - but it is slight.
I'd say see which one makes you smile the most, and go with that.
Have fun,
Bob S.
Another good option is a CZ 457 Pro Varmint.
Either of these will fit the bill and accuracy needs.
I think the Tikka has a better adjustable trigger right out of the box - but the CZ can be made to be as nice with a $15.00 spring kit. I also like the shorter bolt lift and pull of the Tikka.
The Tikka comes with 10 shot mag, the CZ comes with a 5 shot - extra 10 round mags for either run in the $25-$30 range if you shop around.
From what I've seen & read, I think the Tikka has a slight accuracy advantage - but it is slight.
I'd say see which one makes you smile the most, and go with that.
Have fun,
Bob S.
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I have a 457 VPT in a Manners and love it. If you look around you might be able to find it right at your price point. Its a great rifle, accurate with lots of different SK and Lapua ammo. Adjustable trigger, lots of upgrades available from Area 419.
If a chassis is more your style, look at the pro varmint model and then upgrade with the PDC custom chassis. That should put you right around a grand as well.
The Tikka dropped in pretty much any chassis is a great choice as well and keeps you at your price point. I have a couple of buddies who shoot them and really like them.
Another great option is the Bergara B-14R. Ready to go out the box and really nice as well. Unfortunately, I have no first hand experience with them
If a chassis is more your style, look at the pro varmint model and then upgrade with the PDC custom chassis. That should put you right around a grand as well.
The Tikka dropped in pretty much any chassis is a great choice as well and keeps you at your price point. I have a couple of buddies who shoot them and really like them.
Another great option is the Bergara B-14R. Ready to go out the box and really nice as well. Unfortunately, I have no first hand experience with them
Well - if you want to at least double his $1000.00 limit. Heck, if your going to spend that kind of cash, I'd go to the Zermatt RimX from what I've seen on these forums.
But for under a grand, Tikka, CZ and Bergara will provide you with rifles that will not be the limiting factor on where you place in a match.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a decked out Vudoo V22 or Zermatt RimX, but it wouldn't make me a better shot (or a happily married man
).Bergara B14R. Had the CZ 457 VPT. Great rifle. Got a B14R barreled action and dropped in a used Greyboe Ridgeback. Shoots and handles GREAT. Would much rather shoot the Bergara than CZ. For $1,000 you could get the standard B14R, or for a little more you could buy the barreled action and drop it in a Bravo, Oryx, BMP chassis (on Bergaras site for 399), or something used.
i'll agree to an extent. at some point your gear does become the limiting factor. at least with the vudoo and rim-x you know YOU are the weak link.
now i know full well i'm missing because of me and i would rather miss with my gear than gear that costs double.
the last thing to think about, if the OP thinks they may end up going down a customization / aftermarket rabbit hold to chase accuracy, it might not hurt to just save a little longer and get the rim-x or the vudoo because you end up spending vudoo money eventually down that rabbit hole...
now i know full well i'm missing because of me and i would rather miss with my gear than gear that costs double.
the last thing to think about, if the OP thinks they may end up going down a customization / aftermarket rabbit hold to chase accuracy, it might not hurt to just save a little longer and get the rim-x or the vudoo because you end up spending vudoo money eventually down that rabbit hole...
I just recently bought a Bergara b14r with carbon barrel. It shoots very well. Smooth bolt action, very accurate, controlled feed, trigger is a little heavy but crisp. I only have personal experience with the Bergara and a friends cz 457 in a manners stock. The cz shoots well and I really like the manners stock but after shooting my Bergara he bought one as well... We were both impressed at how well it shoots. I haven’t shot any NRL22 matches yet but plan on it. We have a range setup just as an NRL22 match would be. You wouldn’t go wrong with the cz and maybe I got a one off tack driver from Bergara. They haven’t been out long so who knows how they will perform across the board but I do prefer the Bergara and would highly recommend.
Red
Red
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Could you post pics of the cheek peice? Price?
You got my VPT all hot and bothered.
Good advice is always to try to find a match, go there and ask to get behind some rifles. I didn't follow my own suggestion and went the path of seeking accuracy at a fair price. I came to the conclusion that with a Tikka I would want a new stock, with a CZ I might need an aftermarket barrel (not everyone wins the super accurate barrel lottery), with a Bergara the odds of needing anything were less (most all of the reports I have read here were positive). I have a rem 700 so I know the platform and generally what can be done with it. I am happy with my choice. Most will say the Bergara feels more substantial. This isn't necessarily a positive; some like a 22 with a more compact feel and a 60 degree throw.
I echo the responses about the B14. Its a heck of a rifle. The rifle doesn't limit me at all in the matches I've shot with it shooting with just about every rifle mentioned.
T1X / Bravo would be my choice.
Started with a T1X + Bravo. Went to T1X + MDT ACC. Went to T1X + MDT ACC + IBI Barrel. Sold it all, ordered Vudoo + ACC. Shot a 10/22 in an MDT Oryx for 3 months. Now I shoot the Vudoo.
So yes, you can see that was a ton of money spent.
What did I learn? Factory T1X shoots sub moa at 50 yards, which are the requirements of NRL22. Smallest target @ 100 yards is generally 1.5-2", which my T1X shot with SK+ 99% of the time. They throw in a 1/4" at 35-40 yards sometimes.
Chassis is going to be where you find the most comfortability behind. I liked the MDT ACC, but overall it's way too heavy and hard to balance. To balance a MDT ACC, the rifle will be about 15lbs. KRG Bravo is much lighter, but you have to like the way the grip feels since it's not adjustable.
Arca rail is a must IMO to be top tier competitive as it allows you to 'game' a lot of stages by adjusting where the bipod sits on the rifle.
Add a good bipod as well.
Lot test some ammo, order a bunch of it once you get your lot. It's a waste of time to buy brick at a time and spend 100 rounds re-doping it and rezeroing it.
You can replace T1X with CZ* as well since there's equal aftermarket support for both. The nice thing about some of the T1X stuff, is if you buy MDT, the stuff works for their T3X too, so you can interchange things for your centerfire. Same with the T1X trigger it uses T3X triggers. That's the one reason I went T1X as I had a T3X.
When you start getting into the Top 5's and doing really well, where you're losing to the top shooters by 1-2 shots, then you might decide that a Vudoo or RimX is worth it. When you start losing by 1-2 shots you might decide that Center-X or Midas+ is worth it too.
I'm shooting a Vudoo now, sold of all my Tikka stuff, and run R700 pattern for centerfire too. None of this made me really jump up in positions. I shot like shit yesterday at my match, the targets were generously big, but I have not spent time on dry firing and fundamentals and was just sloppy and unstable.
Best advice is, choose a setup, get your ammo sorted out and spend a shit ton of time practicing on ladders, tires, buckets, offhand, etc. (on the clock) Don't sit around in prone shooting groups for hundreds of rounds, that's not how NRL22 works. I got my Vudoo a few months ago, and literally just sat around enjoying shooting little groups at 50/100/200. Scored new bests in my 6x5's. Went out to a NRL22 match with my new rifle and was just rusty and had my worst score outside of my very first match a year ago.
Started with a T1X + Bravo. Went to T1X + MDT ACC. Went to T1X + MDT ACC + IBI Barrel. Sold it all, ordered Vudoo + ACC. Shot a 10/22 in an MDT Oryx for 3 months. Now I shoot the Vudoo.
So yes, you can see that was a ton of money spent.
What did I learn? Factory T1X shoots sub moa at 50 yards, which are the requirements of NRL22. Smallest target @ 100 yards is generally 1.5-2", which my T1X shot with SK+ 99% of the time. They throw in a 1/4" at 35-40 yards sometimes.
Chassis is going to be where you find the most comfortability behind. I liked the MDT ACC, but overall it's way too heavy and hard to balance. To balance a MDT ACC, the rifle will be about 15lbs. KRG Bravo is much lighter, but you have to like the way the grip feels since it's not adjustable.
Arca rail is a must IMO to be top tier competitive as it allows you to 'game' a lot of stages by adjusting where the bipod sits on the rifle.
Add a good bipod as well.
Lot test some ammo, order a bunch of it once you get your lot. It's a waste of time to buy brick at a time and spend 100 rounds re-doping it and rezeroing it.
You can replace T1X with CZ* as well since there's equal aftermarket support for both. The nice thing about some of the T1X stuff, is if you buy MDT, the stuff works for their T3X too, so you can interchange things for your centerfire. Same with the T1X trigger it uses T3X triggers. That's the one reason I went T1X as I had a T3X.
When you start getting into the Top 5's and doing really well, where you're losing to the top shooters by 1-2 shots, then you might decide that a Vudoo or RimX is worth it. When you start losing by 1-2 shots you might decide that Center-X or Midas+ is worth it too.
I'm shooting a Vudoo now, sold of all my Tikka stuff, and run R700 pattern for centerfire too. None of this made me really jump up in positions. I shot like shit yesterday at my match, the targets were generously big, but I have not spent time on dry firing and fundamentals and was just sloppy and unstable.
Best advice is, choose a setup, get your ammo sorted out and spend a shit ton of time practicing on ladders, tires, buckets, offhand, etc. (on the clock) Don't sit around in prone shooting groups for hundreds of rounds, that's not how NRL22 works. I got my Vudoo a few months ago, and literally just sat around enjoying shooting little groups at 50/100/200. Scored new bests in my 6x5's. Went out to a NRL22 match with my new rifle and was just rusty and had my worst score outside of my very first match a year ago.
what @littlepod said is the truth. a miss with a $1000 setup is the same as a miss with a $4000 set up if you've never shot off barricades before.
The two biggest factors I found are to buy something that is dependable and that you are comfortable shooting. In your price range I would either buy a CZ 457 pro varmint for around $550 or buy a Tikka T1x and get a KRG Bravo for it. Both of these rifles will be dependable and more than accurate enough with good ammo. They also come with good factory triggers And have a ton of aftermarket support if you do find you want to upgrade in the future.
Notice I said good ammo. Don’t buy a bucket of Golden Bullets and think you are going to shoot 1 moa groups at 100 yards. I use cheaper ammo for positional practice at closer ranges but I use good ammo for matches. Some of the $5-7 a box SK or Eley will be more than adequate. There is no need to go out and buy $15-20 a box ammo for positional shooting. While it may shoot better, being stable off a barricade will gain you a lot more than an ammo that shoots a .1“ better group at 100 yards. I compete with $5 a box SK ammo and I would say I have never lost a point due to my ammo. When I miss it’s all me.
I went through the same evolution that a lot of guys do. I decided to try rimfire PRS and started with a Savage MKii in a boyds stock. I had nothing but reliability issues with the rifle. I see competitor after competitor have the same exact reliability issues I had. Don’t get me wrong some shoot really well and my rifle was very accurate but I had zero confidence In the rifle due to magazine and extraction issues. Finally when I had enough I sold it and bought a T1x and put it in a Bravo. With that change I saw a huge jump in my match scores. I wasn’t doing battle with my rifle any longer and only myself at that point. After that the more I practiced the better I got. I eventually rebarreled the Tikka and then decided to move to a Vudoo. Buying the Vudoo had nothing to do with need however. I simply wanted one. I don’t shoot any better with the Vudoo than with the Tikka. What I do have is a lot of time and practice now which is what makes all the difference.
I will add getting a scope with a reticle you are comfortable using is huge. It took me a little while to figure out what I liked best and I played musical scopes for awhile. Keep in mind what works well for you on a centerfire may not work on a rimfire. I find myself holding over 6-8 mils at times shooting rimfire matches. shooting centerfire I rarely need to hold over more than 3 mils. When you get way down in some of the tree style reticles it can be pretty easy to get lost. I have found using the reticle for holdovers is the only way to place well in these matches and you need a reticle you can use. What works well for me may not work well for you however. For this I would figure out your price point and starting looking at reticle options. If you have friends rifles and scopes you can try take advantage of that and try to see what will work for you.
Notice I said good ammo. Don’t buy a bucket of Golden Bullets and think you are going to shoot 1 moa groups at 100 yards. I use cheaper ammo for positional practice at closer ranges but I use good ammo for matches. Some of the $5-7 a box SK or Eley will be more than adequate. There is no need to go out and buy $15-20 a box ammo for positional shooting. While it may shoot better, being stable off a barricade will gain you a lot more than an ammo that shoots a .1“ better group at 100 yards. I compete with $5 a box SK ammo and I would say I have never lost a point due to my ammo. When I miss it’s all me.
I went through the same evolution that a lot of guys do. I decided to try rimfire PRS and started with a Savage MKii in a boyds stock. I had nothing but reliability issues with the rifle. I see competitor after competitor have the same exact reliability issues I had. Don’t get me wrong some shoot really well and my rifle was very accurate but I had zero confidence In the rifle due to magazine and extraction issues. Finally when I had enough I sold it and bought a T1x and put it in a Bravo. With that change I saw a huge jump in my match scores. I wasn’t doing battle with my rifle any longer and only myself at that point. After that the more I practiced the better I got. I eventually rebarreled the Tikka and then decided to move to a Vudoo. Buying the Vudoo had nothing to do with need however. I simply wanted one. I don’t shoot any better with the Vudoo than with the Tikka. What I do have is a lot of time and practice now which is what makes all the difference.
I will add getting a scope with a reticle you are comfortable using is huge. It took me a little while to figure out what I liked best and I played musical scopes for awhile. Keep in mind what works well for you on a centerfire may not work on a rimfire. I find myself holding over 6-8 mils at times shooting rimfire matches. shooting centerfire I rarely need to hold over more than 3 mils. When you get way down in some of the tree style reticles it can be pretty easy to get lost. I have found using the reticle for holdovers is the only way to place well in these matches and you need a reticle you can use. What works well for me may not work well for you however. For this I would figure out your price point and starting looking at reticle options. If you have friends rifles and scopes you can try take advantage of that and try to see what will work for you.
Here’s a practical consideration. Get a rifle that balances forward of the magazine well, or that has a flush fitting magazine (like the 10/22). “Free recoil” is a valid option when shooting 22lr from barricades, and can dramatically reduce your wobble zone- without hindering your ability to see impacts. But, it is more difficult if you’ve got that little banana clip hanging down below the stock, right on the balance point. And, I can’t count how many times I’ve seen someone block the ejection port with a fortune cookie (or similar) and jam their gun when trying to get their gun to balance with that mag in the way...
Bergara B-14, mine shoots great. Stock seems pretty good so far but you can get a barreled action and put it in something else as well.
I purchased a CZ pro varmint in January and have been shooting the monthly matches. So far it’s been able to keep up with all of the open class rifle scores at the local matches. Buy a tikka, CZ, or bergara and you will be plenty accurate for the matches.
I have a Bergara B14R. It shoots great. I did replace the trigger with a TT diamond. Not that the stock trigger was bad but the TT adjusts lighter.
I won several base class local events with a T1X. It was more accurate than I expected right out of the box with SK ammo.
