NRL22 Virgin busted

[JG26_Irish]

Well I shot my 1st actual NRL22 match this weekend. It was challenging and great fun and parts of it were very difficult for an old man. Some tiny steel tgts. I really struggled on some of the stages that required getting into odd positions to shoot from. The scope I used was a new one that I am still getting used to. The reticle is very fine when dialed down to 6x which made it slow for me to find the cross in the center and hard to see the tiny tgts but when I tried dialing it up to higher settings, I had issues finding the tgts at all in time to engage them all. As with most shooting sports there is a steep learning curve and being a noob is tough. I shot the 1st two stages OK only dropping a few shots but starting with the 3rd stage I struggled. Some friends stopped by and while it was good to visit with them, those who shoot these matches know that there is a good part of it which is mental to figure out the drops for each distance and the best way to engage each tgt and it was just enough distraction that I did not do as well on the last stages but part of this was due to them being tougher also. Conclusions: I need to practice more with improvised shooting positions and figure out better how to bend this old body like a pretzel. NRL22 will make you a better shooter and if you are a hunter like me, it will also make you more proficient at quickly aiming and taking snap shots at long ranges on small tgts with confidence. Win-Win. Oh, I hurt like hell today as well. Sorry, I did not get any pics.

 

[Jefe's Dope]

It really will improve your shooting. Any shooting. There's many lessons to be learned in a .22 NRL/PRS event.

 

[1911JMB]

It is big fun glad you enjoyed it. I am so happy we started it last year and now my club is doing it

 

[littlepod]

Well I shot my 1st actual NRL22 match this weekend. It was challenging and great fun and parts of it were very difficult for an old man. Some tiny steel tgts. I really struggled on some of the stages that required getting into odd positions to shoot from. The scope I used was a new one that I am still getting used to. The reticle is very fine when dialed down to 6x which made it slow for me to find the cross in the center and hard to see the tiny tgts but when I tried dialing it up to higher settings, I had issues finding the tgts at all in time to engage them all. As with most shooting sports there is a steep learning curve and being a noob is tough. I shot the 1st two stages OK only dropping a few shots but starting with the 3rd stage I struggled. Some friends stopped by and while it was good to visit with them, those who shoot these matches know that there is a good part of it which is mental to figure out the drops for each distance and the best way to engage each tgt and it was just enough distraction that I did not do as well on the last stages but part of this was due to them being tougher also. Conclusions: I need to practice more with improvised shooting positions and figure out better how to bend this old body like a pretzel. NRL22 will make you a better shooter and if you are a hunter like me, it will also make you more proficient at quickly aiming and taking snap shots at long ranges on small tgts with confidence. Win-Win. Oh, I hurt like hell today as well. Sorry, I did not get any pics.

I'm glad you had fun! I really enjoy this sport. I struggled with running too high magnification because I took too long to find targets. I then started running all my matches at 10-12x and I had to find a scope where the reticle was thick enough for me to do so. The vortex reticles are known to be a bit thicker which I really like.

I'm now able to run at a slightly higher magnification now and still engage targets well on the clock @ 15x... but it took a long time to get there.

 

[Defender32]

Well I shot my 1st actual NRL22 match this weekend. It was challenging and great fun and parts of it were very difficult for an old man. Some tiny steel tgts. I really struggled on some of the stages that required getting into odd positions to shoot from. The scope I used was a new one that I am still getting used to. The reticle is very fine when dialed down to 6x which made it slow for me to find the cross in the center and hard to see the tiny tgts but when I tried dialing it up to higher settings, I had issues finding the tgts at all in time to engage them all. As with most shooting sports there is a steep learning curve and being a noob is tough. I shot the 1st two stages OK only dropping a few shots but starting with the 3rd stage I struggled. Some friends stopped by and while it was good to visit with them, those who shoot these matches know that there is a good part of it which is mental to figure out the drops for each distance and the best way to engage each tgt and it was just enough distraction that I did not do as well on the last stages but part of this was due to them being tougher also. Conclusions: I need to practice more with improvised shooting positions and figure out better how to bend this old body like a pretzel. NRL22 will make you a better shooter and if you are a hunter like me, it will also make you more proficient at quickly aiming and taking snap shots at long ranges on small tgts with confidence. Win-Win. Oh, I hurt like hell today as well. Sorry, I did not get any pics.

This was my 3rd match for the NRL22 season. I Sucked Balls this month. I blew the crotch out of my pants on the Tank trap stage 4th shooter. I had a couple of case jams where I short stroked the bolt. It was mental and I got into my own head. It is part of shooting. I finished all 5 stages with a 251 due to bonus points on the time bonus stage. I will go on to the next one and be better mentally prepared. I should get to shoot 3 matches for February.

Hang in there it will get better.

 

[steve123]

I'm glad you enjoyed NRL22. Hey it's better than shoveling snow or other things that are not fun, lol. I've had a fun run with the sport.

The sport has progressed and so have the rifles and other gear.
In the 1st year of the NRL22 nationals a guy that used to shoot in our local club got 2nd place' I bring this up because I would often score higher than him or win the match which was fun and encouraging for an old guy like me. Of course I was younger then and age begins to take its toll in many ways and physical decline has become worse. Nowadays I'm not not where I was back then, I've slipped back to being in top 5 and am losing interest in the sport. I doubt I will ever win a match again.

The other thing is the new rifles and chassis systems with ARCA rails, custom actions, combined with heavy and balanced MDT and MPA chassis with weight systems, etc, etc, can, and usually do, make a huge difference in stability off the obstacles.
My go-to rifle is a $3100 Anschutz 1827F that is awesome in a lot of ways but it isn't heavy, or balanced well off a bag. When I've used my friends Vudoo/MPA that weighs 20lbs, shooting off of obstacles, it's a whole different and level higher, it just sits there on his waxed canvas Fortune Cookie bag, so you can free recoil it with minimal touch on the rifle using the very light TT trigger. With my rifle I have to control it MUCH more and its MUCH more difficult to make the same shot for me.

In addition my friend and his other friends go to a lot of matches which really tune's a guy in. Same friend has/will go to 5 matches this month including next weekend. People like me will not be able to compete against dedication like this!

If I were younger I'd build a similar rifle as my friends Vudoo but at this point in life, with my body slowing down, I'm getting into slower paced shooting sports like BR and some airgun shooting sports.

I know we don't need to win to have fun but if I don't stand a chance of winning I lose interest, it's just how I am.

Hey, our time here on earth is short so enjoy what you can as long as you can.

 

[huntnh]

Hopefully they will come to New Hampshire sounds like a blast!

 

[JG26_Irish]

I'm glad you enjoyed NRL22. Hey it's better than shoveling snow or other things that are not fun, lol. I've had a fun run with the sport.

My go-to rifle is a $3100 Anschutz 1827F that is awesome in a lot of ways but it isn't heavy, or balanced well off a bag. When I've used my friends Vudoo/MPA that weighs 20lbs, shooting off of obstacles, it's a whole different and level higher, it just sits there on his waxed canvas Fortune Cookie bag, so you can free recoil it with minimal touch on the rifle using the very light TT trigger. With my rifle I have to control it MUCH more and its MUCH more difficult to make the same shot for me.

Hey, our time here on earth is short so enjoy what you can as long as you can.

Steve, I remember when you got your Fortner action a few years ago. Nice rifle. I love annies. I am well past my prime physically which is hard to admit since I used to be such an athlete. And I agree that our time is too short and we must make the most of it. Littlepod, I used a 6-24x FFP MIL optic which is great, and makes dialing the elevations super easy but the reticle is too fine for some of the stages. That is a handicap that I will just have to live with for now. My rifle sits perfectly balanced on its cookie when shooting the tank trap obstacle. It even surprised me when I was getting ready to shoot that one but I still found it to be more difficult than it should have been. Practice and experience will help. Thanks all.

 

[littlepod]

Steve, I remember when you got your Fortner action a few years ago. Nice rifle. I love annies. I am well past my prime physically which is hard to admit since I used to be such an athlete. And I agree that our time is too short and we must make the most of it. Littlepod, I used a 6-24x FFP MIL optic which is great, and makes dialing the elevations super easy but the reticle is too fine for some of the stages. That is a handicap that I will just have to live with for now. My rifle sits perfectly balanced on its cookie when shooting the tank trap obstacle. It even surprised me when I was getting ready to shoot that one but I still found it to be more difficult than it should have been. Practice and experience will help. Thanks all.

I've never tried running at 6x.. 10-12x is where I'm at to be able to do precise holdovers for my scope. My other scope required me to be at 15-18x minimum if I wanted to see the .2 hash marks, and I gave up on using that scope.

 

[Tacteng]

I'm glad you had fun! I really enjoy this sport. I struggled with running too high magnification because I took too long to find targets. I then started running all my matches at 10-12x and I had to find a scope where the reticle was thick enough for me to do so. The vortex reticles are known to be a bit thicker which I really like.

I'm now able to run at a slightly higher magnification now and still engage targets well on the clock @ 15x... but it took a long time to get there.

This is my story. I too wanted to run my magnification at 20+.

Though I have shot one NRL22 match, I have shot several PRS style 22 matches. Always some problems finding targets. My training now is at 12 - 15x.

Another Item that I am working on is finding my best and most stable position when shooting on obstacles. What works for others may not work for me.

You never stop learning in this sport.

 

[larry meyer]

JG26, Virgin busted? LOL. Your first NRL22, I also did my first one, enjoyed the hell out of it, will do more. You said OLD, takes its tole. My age? I am 67-68 Vietnam vet w/artificial knees & hips, flexibility LOL. You hunt? not me. I don't have the patience. I just want to kill some thing. I enjoy shooting rodents in the farm fields. (destructive target rich environment). (I am asked every year if I can help controlling proliferation). Shooting Belding ground squirrels & rock chucks, I use 22 cal. air rifle & 10-22,(mostly). Shooting the NRL22 has required some new strategies. You mentioned scope, I did this first one w/diamondback tactical, MOA, didn't work. Dialing the reticle requires to much time for some stages. I switched to a mil scope (TALOS BTR 4-14x44) w/better markings for hold over & under & practice w/6-10x. I do believe I will enjoy. Sounds like you will enjoy also.