Pennsylvania Game News - February 2022 - 54

When I began shooting back in the
late 1950s, there were only two types
of rifles. If you wanted to hunt then
you'd use an easy-to-carry and relatively
lightweight pump, lever or bolt gun. And
if you wanted to shoot competitively,
you'd need a full-stocked, long-barreled,
heavy bolt-action.
If you wanted to do both, you pretty
much needed two guns. So I hunted
with a Remington Model 141 pump,
Winchester 9422 and Marlin 39 leveraction,
and competed with a Remington
Model 37, Winchester M52 or Anschutz.
Well, rimfire rifles have come a long
way since then, and today, in all price
ranges, there are Rimfire HMR rifles
that combine the best characteristics of
match rifles and hunting rifles.
Rifle prices start around $400 and
run up to about $2,500, depending on
quality and available options. Scopes
that are reliable for competition out to
200 yards might cost a couple hundred
dollars, or more than $1,000. But a combination
scope and rifle that can compete
effectively out to 300 yards can be had
for under $1,000.
Since the .22 LR cartridge burns
about 1½ grains of powder inside 14 to
16 inches of barrel, many match rifles
have shorter barrel lengths that milk the
best velocity (around 1,050-1,100 fps)
while keeping the bullet below the speed
of sound (1,125 fps) throughout its flight
to attain the best accuracy.
Popular barrel lengths vary from 16.5
to 22 inches.
Many rimfire HMRs are decked
with 20 to 60 minute of angle (MOA)
elevated picatinny rails to accommodate
the trajectory of the .22 LR from 50 to
beyond 400 yards.
54
Rimfire competitors who are intimately
familiar with the trajectory of
the 40-grain .22 LR cartridge often say
that, aimed at the right angle, there is no
reason it can't achieve sub-minute 1½
MOA accuracy out to 400 yards.
Many competition rimfire rifle/ammo
combinations can shoot ½- to ¾-inch
MOA, though a particular brand of
ammo likely will work best with a particular
rifle. Achieving such accuracy
often is a product of experimenting with
different ammo until the best combination
is found.
I have competed in paper bull's-eye
target matches out to 100 yards for many
years and have found it challenging. But
competing at animal silhouettes, steel
plates and swinging targets (which can
vary from ½ to 2 inches) from 50 to 300
yards is a real challenge. You must learn
to make scope adjustments for different
distances and adapt to wind and other
conditions. The audio and visual of the
bullet hitting the target is very rewarding
and just plain fun.
Plus, the ammunition is relatively
inexpensive, the recoil is nonexistent and
the report of a .22 LR negligible. Best
yet, there are more shooting clubs with
ranges of 300 yards and under, so it's
easier to find places to compete.
Organizations such as the National
Rifle League (NRL) and the Long Range
Rim Fire Club (LRRFC) can get you
started.
For those who hunt small game with
a .22 LR, competition tremendously can
benefit better hunting marksmanship
that will translate to big-game hunting
with a centerfire rifle, as well.
Pennsylvania Game News - February 2022

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