KRC
Active Member
To get started, almost any bolt action, magazine fed repeater or semi-auto 22LR rifle will work. (For example: I campaign with a Ruger 10/22 that was built many years before PRS matches, and a Remington 541 that is decades old - expensive specialized rifles like RimX/Vudoo etc. are NOT required, although used by many top level shooters.) Use of a First Focal Plane FFP scope is pretty much required. Scope power should be variable from about 5X to about 25X, with elevation adjustments using turning turrets. There are many makes and models currently on the market with a wide pricing range. A good amount of MOA range may be required (possible a +MOA scope rail) for matches with longer distances, but again, this can be achieved by shimming an existing picatinny rail at almost no cost. The rifle equipped with a picatinny rail or arca rail under the stock to be able to attach/detach a bipod is preferable, but a more permanently mounted bipod will work in most cometition stages. A separate or attachable sandbag will also be required (but if you re a newbie, experienced shooters are generally happy to lend these out).
As you will be shooting targets at multiple distances from ~25 to past 300 yards what is also required is your rifles "dope" - that it be sighted in (almost everyone sights-in at 50 yards) and ballistics data developed for your rifle. This is usually acquired by shooting at a few different distances (i.e. 50/100/150 yards) and entering the scope data into a ballistics calculator or program (Strelok Pro is common but not required). Muzzle velocity data is also useful in this regard. The precision of any given rimfire rifle is highly dependent on ammo selection, so figuring out what ammo works best in your rifle may be critical as well. Typically, cheap bulk ammo will simply not work, nor hyper velocity rounds. SK Rifle Match, SK Long Range Match, Eley Match, and Lapua Center-X are very commonly used, but many also use lower priced CCI SV as well.
What is most important for a newbie to know is that at most matches (especially Salibury MD, Bridgeville DE and Quinton NJ) there will be a LOT of help available and given by experienced shooters. And coming out to a match to just to see whazzup and to talk with shooters is also recommended before any investment is made. We just love to talk about this stuff.
As you will be shooting targets at multiple distances from ~25 to past 300 yards what is also required is your rifles "dope" - that it be sighted in (almost everyone sights-in at 50 yards) and ballistics data developed for your rifle. This is usually acquired by shooting at a few different distances (i.e. 50/100/150 yards) and entering the scope data into a ballistics calculator or program (Strelok Pro is common but not required). Muzzle velocity data is also useful in this regard. The precision of any given rimfire rifle is highly dependent on ammo selection, so figuring out what ammo works best in your rifle may be critical as well. Typically, cheap bulk ammo will simply not work, nor hyper velocity rounds. SK Rifle Match, SK Long Range Match, Eley Match, and Lapua Center-X are very commonly used, but many also use lower priced CCI SV as well.
What is most important for a newbie to know is that at most matches (especially Salibury MD, Bridgeville DE and Quinton NJ) there will be a LOT of help available and given by experienced shooters. And coming out to a match to just to see whazzup and to talk with shooters is also recommended before any investment is made. We just love to talk about this stuff.
