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March 21st, 2024

17 Mach 2 — 2050 FPS Rimfire More Affordable Than 17 HMR

17 mach 2 .17 hm2 17HMR volquartsen summit

The 17 Mach 2 (aka “17 HM2″) is making a come-back. We’re glad. This high-velocity round fits actions and magazines designed for the .22 LR, so it’s an easy barrel-swap upgrade for most rimfire bolt-guns (semi-autos are more complicated). The 17 Mach 2 cartridge doesn’t deliver the velocity of the 17 HMR, but it is still way faster than a .22 LR. Expect 2000-2100 fps with 17 Mach 2 compared to 1250 fps for “High-Velocity” .22 LR ammo. And, importantly, 17 Mach 2 ammo is much less expensive than 17 HMR. If you shop around, you can get 50 rounds of 17 Mach 2 for about $8.50. That’s 43% cheaper than a better-than-average* $14.99 price of 17 HMR — a significant savings at 17 cents/round vs. 30 cents/round!

17 Mach 2 Major Selling Points:

1. 60% more velocity than typical “High-Velocity” .22 LR ammo.
2. 40% less cost than average 17 HMR ammo.
3. 17 Mach 2 OAL is compatible with .22 LR receivers and magazines.

17 Mach 2 — Best High Velocity Rimfire Bang for the Buck?

If you are looking for a capable, squirrel-busting round or a fun plinking round, you should definitely consider the 17 Mach 2, especially since CCI has committed to production of the little cartridge. CCI recently rolled out its “Gen 2″ 17 Mach 2 VNT Ammo with polymer tip (see top of article).

Considering that 17 HMR ammo is typically $15 to $17 per box, the 17 Mach 2 is a good value by comparison. It is available from vendors for about $8.50 per 50ct box. That’s $0.17 per round. When you consider overall “bang for the buck”, for many shooters, it makes sense to use the 17 Mach 2 rather than a 17 HMR. You save money, barrel life is a little longer, and the 17 Mach 2 is still a much more potent cartridge than the .22 LR. Check out this comparison, and note how the 17 Mach 2 has a much flatter trajectory than the .22 LR. For varmint shooting, the 17 Mach 2 is clearly the better choice.

And you can easily adapt a .22 LR Rifle to shoot the 17 Mach 2 just by changing the barrel. The magazine and bolt operation should work as the cartridge length, cartridge body diameter, and rim size is the same as the .22 LR.

17 Mach 2 hm2 .22 LR comparison
Hornady’s 17 Mach 2 has a 2100 FPS muzzle velocity vs. 1255 FPS for “High-Velocity” .22 LR.

17 Mach 2 Rifle Reviews

Gun-makers have taken notice of the availability of 17 Mach 2 ammo, introducing new models chambered for this versatile little rimfire round. For a high-volume, small-species varminting, the 17 Mach 2 is much more effective than the .22 LR, and much less expensive than the larger 17 HMR.

New Savage A17 in 17 Mach 2

There are a number of reviews on new-generation 17 Mach 2 rifles. Recently Varminter.com reviewed the Savage A17 in 17 HM2. Editor Eric Mayer wrote: “This new addition to the A17 line comes at a time when the 17 Mach 2 round is experiencing a resurgence, with ammo now available from CCI and Hornady, including the lead-free NTX round from Hornady. This means … you don’t have to break the bank to buy a current, functioning, semi-auto 17 Mach 2 and you don’t have to … convert your 10/22.”

17 mach 2 .17 hm2 savage a17 17 HMR varmint rimfire summit

Eric shot four different types of 17 Mach 2 ammo, putting 1000+ rounds through the Savage. He was impressed: “I am very excited that Savage Arms has chambered their A17 rifle in the 17 Mach 2 / 17 HM2 round. After shooting the prototype, I can confidently say that this new A17 will become my go-to 17 Mach 2 rifle. This new rifle is a great option for varminters everywhere!”

Toggle Bolt Volquartsen Summit in 17 HM2

It’s rare for us to see a new rimfire that we’d really like to own, but the new Summit from Volquartsen fits the bill. This versatile rifle features a cool, straight-pull toggle bolt, similar to those on elite Biathlon rifles. You can see how this gun shoots in this informative 22 Plinkster video:

22 Plinkster Tests Volquartsen Summit Rifle in 17 Mach 2

The 17 Mach 2 (17 HM2) is making a comeback. Now leading manufacturers are offering this efficient little rimfire cartridge in some nice rifles. Both Anschutz and Volquartsen will offer new 17 Mach 2 rifles in 2019. The Volquartsen Summit features a lightweight, carbon fiber-wrapped barrel threaded 1/2-28 for brakes or suppressors. The Summit boasts a nice 1.75-lb trigger pull. The Summit’s CNC-machined receiver features a +20 MOA Rail. NOTE: The video shows a silhouette-style laminated wood stock. However, the Summit comes standard with a composite Magpul stock that actually works better for shooting from a bench.

17 mach 2 .17 hm2 volquartsen summit

*Note: The cheapest 17 HMR we found via nationwide search was $12.50/box, but MidwayUSA charges $19.99 for 50 rounds of most 17 HMR types. At most vendors you’ll pay $16-$18 per box for 17 HMR ammo.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Hunting/Varminting, Tech Tip 2 Comments »
March 16th, 2024

Applied Ballistics — Rimfire Video, Fill Ratios, and 25% Off Sale

bryand litz science accuracy applied ballistics video

The Applied Ballistics Facebook Page features great, interesting new content posted multiple times each week. This resource features videos, test results, accuracy tips, and samples from Bryan Litz’s excellent books on ballistics and the three volume series on Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting. Here are some highlights from Applied Ballistics’ Facebook posts from the past two weeks. Plus there’s a discount code, READ2024, that can save you 25% on Applied Ballistics books purchased in the month of March.

.22 LR Super Slow Motion Video — Watch the Bullet!

Watch .22 LR Rimfire Projectile Exiting Rifle Muzzle
This video, filmed with an ultra-high-speed camera, shows the milliseconds in time as a .22-caliber bullet travels the first 11 inches after leaving a .22 LR rifle barrel. Applied Ballistics states: “Notice that the bullet is fully obturated to the internal bore dimension — the step/rebate that exists on the unfired bullet where it meets the case gets expanded (obturated) and doesn’t exist on the fired bullet.”

How Important is Case Fill Ratio — You May Be Surprised

Conventional reloading practice is to select a powder that gives you a good case fill, meaning 90%-100% fill ratio for the cartridge and bullet you’re using. But why?

bryand litz science accuracy applied ballistics videoSome say that a higher fill ratio is good because it prevents the powder from settling differently in the case (which could lead to inconsistent ignition and greater MV SD). This explanation sounds good, and went unchallenged for a long time. However, Applied Ballistics has done some interesting testing that sheds new light on the density issue.

Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting – Vol. 2 contains the results of Applied Ballistics tests of five different cartridge types — .223 Rem to .338 Lapua — loaded with different powders to produce fill ratios of 80%, 90%, and 100%. The testers wanted to see if 100% fill ratios actually gave better results (lower MV SDs) than the lower fill ratios.

Results of testing 3 different loads in 5 different cartridges — The highest MV SD was in fact measured in an 80% fill ratio load. However, the lowest MV SD was also measured for a different 80% load! Seems like the more we learn, the more questions we have. An informative Applied Ballistics podcast covers the Fill Ratio test. Visit Thescienceofaccuracy.com to access this and interesting podcasts.

EDITOR’s NOTE: There were multiple comments from Facebook readers stating that fill ratios 90% and above worked more consistently for them. And the reloading manuals warn against very low fill ratios.

Get 25% Off Applied Ballistics Books in March 2024

Applied Ballistics, through its Science of Accuracy webstore, is currently offering big savings on its popular books — considered to be the best print resources about rifle accuracy/ballistics ever published. This month you can save 25% on all six Applied Ballistics book titles by respected expert (and past national champion) Bryan Litz. Use Code READ2024 to get 25% of one or more of these books.

applied ballistics bryan litz book sale discount code read2024

Get 25% OFF Applied Ballistics Books! Use code: READ2024 at checkout.

applied ballistics bryan litz book sale discount code read2024

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March 5th, 2024

Fun Rimfire Shooting with Reactive Targets and Plate Racks

rimfire reactive steel target spinner dueling tree falling plates Volquartsen
An accurate, self-loading .22 LR rifle, such as this Volquartsen, is our gun of choice for speed shooting with rimfire reactive targets.

Reactive targets offer “instant gratification” — with every hit your target moves, spins, or falls. Shooting reactive targets with a rimfire rifle is fun AND affordable. Times are a-changin’ — rimfire ammo prices have dropped dramatically, so you can now get very decent rimfire ammunition for under $4.25 a box, such as Norma Tac-22 or Aguila Super Extra. Currently priced at $3.49 for 50 rounds, the Aguila is just seven cents a round! At that price, you can afford to shoot every weekend.

Rimfire Know Your Limits Target Rack
Challenge Targets offers the popular Know Your Limits (KYL) rimfire target for $139.00. This KYL target has become popular for NRL22 and PRS Rimfire shooters. Start on the left by engaging the 2″ round target and work your way to the right. Each shot gets progressively harder as the target sizes decrease. With each solid hit, the target plate will spin giving providing hit confirmation. The target rack easily breaks down for transport in a couple minutes.

rimfire reactive steel target spinner dueling tree falling plates know your limits KYL

Make Your Own Shooting Gallery with Reactive Rimfire Targets
For .22 LR fans, the folks at Action Target have created a whole series of steel rimfire targets. Much lighter than their centerfire counterparts, these rimfire targets are easier to transport and easier to set up. With this wide selection of reactive targets, you can create your own shooting gallery.


Rimfire Dueling Tree

Rimfire Spinning Jack

Rimfire Plate Rack

Rimfire Buffalo

In this video, Michael Bane reviews Action Target’s line of rimfire targets, which includes plate racks, spinners, dueling trees, and more. As Michael explains: “This line of targets is very well thought out. For example — dueling trees are a lot of fun. But a centerfire dueling tree weighs a lot, it’s hard to cart it around. A rimfire dueling tree is easy to set up, easy to carry around.”

New PT Target “Walks” When Hit
Action Target has a cool reactive target that doesn’t even need a stand or base. The patent-pending PT Twist rests on the ground, and flops over or “walks” when hit. Constructed from a single piece of 3/16″-thick A514B steel, the PT Twist has no welds or bolts to break or ricochet. Watch the PT Twist in action:

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March 3rd, 2024

Great .22 LR Rimfire Accuracy at 200 yards — Australia Fly Shoot

Australia Australian SSAA Rimfire smallbore .22 LR Fly Shoot 200 yard record group accuracy Canberra Australia Eley Tenex

What kind of accuracy do you think is possible from a rimfire benchrest rifle? If we said 0.44 MOA you might not be surprised, thinking this was at 50 yards. But how about 0.44 MOA accuracy at TWO HUNDRED yards. Now that’s impressive. Consider this — at 200 yards, a 10 mph crosswind will push that little 40gr bullet 15.3 inches. Here’s the story, which comes from the Land Down-Under, Australia.

A few seasons back, Australian John Lavaring shot a group at 200 yards that would make most centerfire shooters proud. The five-shot group, with all shots in the center 10-Ring, measured just 0.93 inches. That works out to 0.44 MOA at 200 — mighty impressive for a .22 LR. Recorded at a Rimfire Fly Shoot benchrest event in Canberra, Australia, this 200-yard target set two new Australian SSAA National records! John was using ELEY Tenex ammunition.

Congratulations to John Lavaring for a spectacular demonstration of how well a rimfire rig can shoot — even at 200 yards. We rarely shoot our .22 LR rifles past 50 meters. Maybe it’s time to start a Rimfire ELR series, with targets at 200 or even 300 yards. What do you think of the Rimfire ELR idea? Leave comments below.

Australia Australian SSAA Rimfire smallbore .22 LR Fly Shoot 200 yard record group accuracy Canberra Australia Eley TenexAnschutz 54 Benchrest Rig
The rifle was a Anschutz model 54 Match in a custom benchrest stock. John’s record-setting rig features a barrel block, which you can see forward of the action. Scope is a Bausch & Lomb BR model. We don’t have the round count on Lavaring’s barrel, but good rimfire benchrest rifles can often get 10,000 rounds (or more) of accurate life.

Rimfire Ballistics at 200 Yards
Some folks may be wondering about .22 LR ballistics at 200 yards. Well, with a 25-yard zero, the 200-yard drop for John’s 40gr Tenex ammo is 54 inches, assuming 0.145 G1 BC and 1085 fps muzzle velocity per ELEY website. And at 200 yards, a 10 mph crosswind will push that little bullet 15.3 inches! We’re told the winds were pretty tricky when Lavary shot his record group. This makes his achievement all the more impressive — we have to admire John’s wind-reading ability.

This ELEY ammo has proven to be exceptionally accurate. Here is a short video showing TEN rounds of Tenex shot from a machine rest with target at 50 meters.

Ten Rounds ELEY Tenex at 50 meters:

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February 24th, 2024

Saturday Movies: .22 LR Rimfire Tactical Rifles and Competition

rimfire precision tactical nrl22 prs .22 LR 22LR competition video saturday showcase

PRS and NRL tactical matches are now among the most popular competitive rifle disciplines in the USA. And rimfire tactical disciplines are actually growing faster than centerfire PRS/NRL because .22 LR ammo is way cheaper than centerfire ammo, and there are many more ranges where rimfire matches can be held. NRL22 and PRS Rimfire offers the same kind of fun without the high cost of centerfire ammo and the time-consuming burden of hand-loading. You can compete successfully in .22 LR rimfire precision disciplines with affordable rifles, which also offer a whole lot less recoil than centerfire rigs. To learn more, we recommend you read All About Precision Rimfire Competition, by Shooting Sports USA Editor John Parker.

Interview with NRL22 Founder Travis Ishida

This Vortex Nation video features an 80-minute interview with Travis Ishida, one of the original founders of the NRL22 and NRL22-X disciplines. Travis told us that the NRL now runs 7-8 times as many rimfire matches as centerfire matches.

The NRL22 2023 World Championship — Biggest Match of Its Kind

The NRL22 Championship took place in North Carolina in July 2023 and was the biggest match of its kind to date, with over 230 competitors from all over the world. Watch this video to see the latest and greatest equipment, and to see top competitors in action. NOTE: This match also included an AIR RIFLE division. You can see one of these precision air rifles below:

rimfire precision tactical nrl22 prs .22 LR 22LR competition video saturday showcase

Getting Starting in PRS/NRL Rimfire Competition — The Rifle

Interested in getting started in PRS/NRL Rimfire competition? This MDT video explains the components you’ll need for a top-level .22 LR PRS rig. While you can spend many thousands on a top-tier rig, you can also do very well with a used rifle costing under $800 before optics. Rimfire barrels tend to last a very long time, so an older rig can still be quite competitive with over 4000 rounds through the barrel.

Cleaning Rimfire Barrels — How Often Should This Be Done?

Some say never clean a rimfire, others scrub their bore after every shooting session. So, who’s right? Like so much in life, the answer falls somewhere in between. Michael Shae, author of Rimfire Revolution, explains when to break out the jags/solvent and how to efficiently clean your barrel to restore peak performance. We have found that, with some .22 LR barrels, you may want to clean every 200-300 rounds, with others every 1000. Much depends on the ammo you use and the rate of fire. When cleaning, be careful with the muzzle crown. Damage to the crown can definitely harm accuracy.

How to Get Started in Rimfire Tactical Competition

This video offers plenty of smart tips for folks getting started in NRL22 and PRS rimfire competition. The host explains the rifle, optics, and other essential gear. The video also explains how to mentally prepare yourself for your first match and before each stage. We do recommend you do some target work before the first match to understand the challenge of .22 LR ballistics. This relatively slow, low-BC cartridge has very significant drop at longer ranges (100 yards and beyond).

PRS Rimfire 2023 Finale — Over 200 Competitors

Want to see how a top-tier rimfire tactical match actually runs? Then check our this video from the 2023 PRS Rimfire Series Finale hosted last October by MKM Precision in Kennerdell, Pennsylvania. This PRS Rimfire Finale Match drew over 200 competitors. PRS Rimfire offers similiar shooting challenges to PRS centerfire, but at shorter ranges at a much lower cost per round.

BONUS Rimfire Practice Targets

SPECIAL BONUS–Rimfire Tactical Precision Targets

These FREE targets by DesertFrog are offered in Adobe Acrobat format for easy printing.
CLICK HERE to download all six targets as a .ZIP archive.

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February 23rd, 2024

Good Guide for NRL22 Competitors — Rimfire Revolution Book

17 HM2 Mach 2 rimfire

Do you shoot NRL22 matches, or are you thinking of getting started in that rapidly-growing discipline? Then grab a copy of Rimfire Revolution: A Complete Guide to Modern .22 Rifles. Released in summer 2021, this book covers rimfire rifles and shooting disciplines. Order the print version for $20.99 from Gun Digest, $30.29 from Amazon Direct or $26.29 from Amazon Third Parties. Or get a digital Kindle Edition for $17.99 from Amazon.

This Gun Digest book has become a “go-to” resource for NRL22 and PRS Rimfire shooters. Key topics included in this 2021 Edition full-color Gun Digest book include: rimfire semi-autos and how they work; bolt-action accuracy; match shooting skills; DIY precision gunsmithing; hunting with rimfires; and the future of the rimfire market.

With the growth of rimfire tactical competition, the .22-Caliber rimfire rifle is more popular than ever. Every major gun manufacturer has brought at least one new .22 LR rimfire rifle to the market in the last two years. Gun Digest’s Rimfire Revolution has extensive coverage of new models from major manufacturers.

The .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR) is the planet’s most popular ammunition type and firearm chambering. The .22 LR is used in the Olympics by 3P marksmen, but it also serves benchrest competitors, NRL22 shooters, backyard plinkers, small-game hunters, and tactical trainers. With the expansion of NRL22 matches (and the PRS equivalent), the humble .22 LR is undergoing a major resurgence in the USA. And with centerfire reloading components being so costly and difficult to find, many folks are shooting less centerfire, but way more rimfire.

This 272-page book also covers .17-caliber rimfire cartridges: 17 HM2 (Mach 2), 17 HMR, and 17 WSM. These are all excellent varmint rounds, with the 17 WSM effective out to 250 yards. The 17 HM2 will run in a normal .22 LR action and feed from standard .22 LR magazines. So, for most rifles, all you need to do a .22 LR to 17 HM2 conversion is a barrel switch. That gives your rimfire rig twice the versatility. Shoot .22s and .17s with the same gun.

17 HM2 Mach 2 rimfire

NRL22 — Challenging Practical Competition with .22 LR Rifles

The USA has seen a big growth in rimfire tactical matches over the last five years. Right now there are probably ten times as many rimfire tactical matches as sanctioned PRS and NRL centerfire matches. The reason is simple — rimfire ammo is much less costly, and clubs can run challenging rimfire tactical matches at nearly any outdoor gun range that allows shooting out to 200+ yards.

NRL22 Competition — Tactical Rimfire Matches
The NRL22 match format is a great shooting discipline. NRL22 offers a high fun factor at relatively low cost. You don’t have to reload match ammo. A couple of 50-round boxes of .22 LR ammo will get you through the match. While some people bring lots of gear to matches, that’s by choice and not by necessity. You can keep it simple and still be competitive (and win).

jonathan Ocab v-22 vudoo action MPA BA Comp chassis rimfire tactical NRL22 sunday gunday Center-X 6mm creedmoor PRS

Tips for NRL22 Competitors
by Jonathan Ocab
I am a match director at my gun club and run our local NRL22 matches. People often ask me for tips for competing in NRL22. First, I recommend getting the course of fire for the month in advance and practicing those stages at the range. Here are other specific tips that should help NRL22 competitors improve their gun-handling and match results.

1. Dry Fire Practice — If you are not able to do live fire practice at the range, I encourage shooters to practice their shooting positions at home via dry fire. Setup props or barricades with pasters or other faux targets on a wall in the garage or inside the house and run through each stage.

2. Scope Magnification Level — The most common issue I see with newer shooters in NRL22 is the tendency to maximize their scope magnification. The timer will start, and the shooter gets into position on a target, but the scope is set to 15x or higher and the shooter can’t find the target. The shooter lowers the magnification, locates the target, and then increases the magnification again, takes the shot, transitions to another target, and repeats the process of decreasing magnification, locating target, etc. Novice NRL22 shooters should try using the mid-range magnification. Try shooting 7x-12x and learn to balance field of view and target image.

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February 14th, 2024

PRS Rimfire Finale on Shooting USA This Week

PRS precision rimfire tactical NRL22 shooting usa tv smallbore .22 LR

Precision Rifle Series (PRS) Rimfire Finale on Shooting USA
This week Shooting USA showcases the PRS Rimfire Finale. This rimfire discipline is like Precision Rifle Series (PRS) centerfire competition, but shot with .22 LR rimfire rifles. Shooters can compete without the high cost of centerfire ammo and without the need for a 1000-yard range. The 2023 PRS Rimfire Finale, sponsored by Ruger, was held in Pennsylvania in October 2023. The big event drew over 200 competitors. SEE: PRS Rimfire Series Info.

Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.

PRS Rimfire Finale — Over 200 Competitors

The 2023 PRS Rimfire Series Finale drew over 200 competitors. The Finale Match was hosted last October by MKM Precision in Kennerdell, Pennsylvania. PRS and NRL tactical matches are among the fastest-growing competitive shooting disciplines. And rimfire tactical disciplines are actually growing even faster (than centerfire PRS/NRL) because .22 LR ammo is much cheaper than centerfire ammo, and there are many more ranges where rimfire matches can be held. PRS Rimfire offers the same kind of fun without the high cost of centerfire ammo and the time-consuming burden of hand-loading. Rimfire PRS also offers generally less expensive rifles, and a whole lot less recoil.

At the PRS Rimfire Finale in Pennsylvania match directors set out many unique courses of fire, and the target placements were certainly challenging. Many of the stages had cross-course target lay-outs. This makes wind-reading much more challenging, especially with the relatively slow, low-BC .22 LR cartridges used in PRS rimfire competition.

Tune in to Shooting USA TV on Wednesday, 2/14/24 to see the PRS Rimfire Finale. You’ll enjoy the coverage of this popular PRS rimfire sport, which we expect to grow significantly in 2024 and beyond. Notably, the National Rifle League (NRL) now conducts many more NRL22 matches than NRL centerfire matches. And competitors of course are drawn by the fun/challenge of a tactical match with much lower ammo costs — $0.10-$0.25/rd vs. $1.20/rd or more (counting brass, primer, bullets, powder, and barrel wear). And there are many more viable venues, because you don’t need a very big range to run a rimfire tactical match.

PRS precision rimfire tactical NRL22 shooting usa tv smallbore .22 LR

Getting Starting in PRS/NRL Rimfire Competition — The Rifle

Interested in getting started in PRS Rimfire competition? This MDT video explains the components you’ll need for a top-level .22 LR PRS rig.

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February 11th, 2024

Radical Rimfire — Barrel Can Be Rotated for Accuracy Tuning

Bill Myers Indexing Action

The late Bill Myers was recognized as one of greatest rimfire smiths who ever lived. Myers crafted many match-winning, record-setting rimfire benchrest rigs. Here we feature one of Bill’s most interesting creations — a clamping action that allows a rimfire barrel to be indexed (rotated) around the bore axis.

Bill was a creative thinker, and his own exhaustive testing has convinced him that barrel indexing can enhance accuracy in rimfire benchrest guns. Myers did acknowledge that, particularly with a very good barrel, the advantages of indexing may be subtle, and extensive testing may be required. Nonetheless, Myers believed that indexing could improve rimfire accuracy.

Indexing with the Myers’ Clamping Action
To index the barrel, Myers simply loosens the three clamping-bolts and rotates the barrel in the action. Because there is no thread to pull the barrel in or out, the headspace stays the same no matter how much the barrel is rotated. In other words you can rotate the barrel to any position on the clockface and the headspace remains unchanged.

Bill Myers Indexing Action
Bill Myers Indexing Action

The Challenge of Barrel Indexing
cone breech bill myers rimfire indexable actionWith a conventional barrel installation, employing a shoulder with a threaded tenon, it is difficult to index the barrel. Even with a cone breech (photo right) that eliminates the problem of extractor cuts, you’d have to use shims to alter the barrel index position, or otherwise re-set the shoulder each time you screwed the barrel in further.

Clamping Action Allows Barrel to Be Rotated to Any Position
Bill has come up with a masterful solution to barrel indexing. He designed and built his own prototype custom action that clamps the barrel rather than holding it with threads. The front section of the action is sliced lengthways, and then clamped down with three bolts. A special bushing (the gold-color piece in photos) fits between the barrel and the action. By using bushings of different inside diameters, Bill can fit any barrel up to an inch or so diameter, so long as it has a straight contour at the breech end. To mount the barrel, Bill simply places the fitted bushing over the barrel end-shank, then slips the “sleeved” barrel into the front end of the action. Tighten three bolts, and the barrel is secure.

Bill Myers Indexing Action

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February 6th, 2024

Fast-Cycling Volquartsen Summit Rimfire Rifle with Toggle Action

Volquartsen summit .22 LR rimfire 22LR straight pull biathlon toggle action 22Plinkster plinkster video

Ever shot a straight-pull (aka toggle-link) action rifle? We like these action types, which were developed for Biathlon competitors who needed to shoot fast, but were not allowed to use semi-auto actions. The biathlon-style toggle action features a lever on the side of the action. Pull the lever back with your index figure to open the bolt, then push forward with your finger to close the bolt*. It’s fast and efficient. With some practice, you can cycle the action in a couple of seconds — nearly as fast as a semi-auto.

Volquartsen summit .22 LR rimfire 22LR straight pull biathlon toggle action 22Plinkster plinkster video

The Volquartsen Summit .22 LR rifle is based on a concept originally developed by Primary Weapons Systems. Designed for both competition shooting as well as small game hunting, this unique rifle features a straight-pull, toggle-style action with a Ruger 10/22 profile. That means you can run 10/22 magazines, swap into stocks inletted for the 10/22, and even use after-market 10/22 barrels. The CNC-machined receiver features an integral 20 MOA Picatinny Rail. The Magpul stock adjusts for length of pull. Weight is 5.8 pounds, so this is easy to carry in the field.

The Summit features a lightweight carbon fiber-wrapped barrel, threaded 1/2×28 at the muzzle to be suppressor-ready. One of our favorite features on this little rifle is the trigger — which has a light, crisp 1.75-lb pull weight. Watch the video above to see the Summit .22 LR in action. The tester, 22Plinkster, was impressed with the rifle’s ease of use and accuracy. The Summit delivered a 0.277″ group at 50 yards, shot from the bench.

Volquartsen summit .22 LR rimfire 22LR straight pull biathlon toggle action 22Plinkster plinkster video

Good Field Test of Summit Straight-Pull Rifle by Dustin Ellermann
Past Top Shot Champion Dustin Ellerman demonstrates the Summit’s impressive accuracy by hitting small candies at 50 yards (06:13 start/06:55 impact). In rapid-fire drills, Dustin also shows the ease and speed with which the Summit action can be cycled.

Summits Now Offered in .17 HMR and .22 WMR Also
Last Year Volquartsen announced it would be expanding the Summit series to include other rimfire cartridge chamberings. Volquartsen is now offering a Summit .17 HMR and Summit .22 WMR.

Summit .17 HMR configurations can be viewed at: http://vfguns.com/s/sum17hmr
Summit .17 HMR twist rate is 1:9″

Summit .22 WMR configurations can be viewed at: http://vfguns.com/s/sum22wmr
Summit .22 WMR twist rate is 1:14″

These new .17 HMR and .22 WMR offerings will be available in stainless steel and lightweight aluminum configurations, with various barrel and stock options. All configurations will feature a 2.25-pound trigger pull, 0 MOA integral Picatinny rail, and a 9-round magazine capacity. Both 1/2 x 28 threaded barrel and non-threaded barrel options will be available. READ Full Report.

* Biathlon shooters cycle their Fortner toggle actions even faster, using their THUMB to close the bolt. This allows them to get the index finger on to the trigger blade faster. The whole process takes maybe a second — as fast as you can say “snick-snick”. To use the thumb effectively, you need a stock with a more vertical pistol grip. The Magpul stock on the Summit moves your thumb a bit too far back to use comfortably to close the lever without shifting the hand.

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January 28th, 2024

Sunday GunDay: Way’s Wicked Accurate Rimfire Benchrest Rifle

tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

Most folks would be very impressed with a centerfire rifle that can shoot a quarter-inch group at 100 yards. But to do that with a rimfire rifle, shooting little .22 LR cartridges, that’s quite an accomplishment. Today’s Sunday GunDay story spotlights a superbly accurate new .22 LR Benchrest gun belonging to Forum member Dave Way. This rimfire tack-driver was crafted by respected gunsmith Alex Wheeler of Wheeler Accuracy. Check out this five-shot group Dave shot once he had figured out his optimal tuner position. That is mighty impressive for a rimfire rifle!

A sub-quarter-MOA group at 100 yards is impressive for a centerfire rifle. But for a rimfire rifle, it is truly stunning. Check it out — this rifle hammers!
tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

I tested three lots of Lapua Super Long Range today. This lot looked really good so I bought a case. It’s a blast shooting this rifle over wind flags. It’s amazing how little wind it takes to move the bullet at 100 yards. I was having to hold off today to finish up groups. That’s when it’s the most fun. — Dave Way

Dave posted in our Shooters’ Forum: “To say I was impressed with the quality of the action and the accuracy of the rifle would be an understatement. I shot five different lots of Lapua Midas, Lapua Long Range, and Lapua Super Long Range ammunition. At 50 yards all the groups were pretty tight. I was shooting in some wind, using flags. One lot seemed to stand out so I put a target at 100 yards and shot three rounds in it as aiming points. I shot three five shot groups with the last 15 rounds of that lot that I had with me. All three groups were under 1/2″ and they were getting tighter as I moved the tuner!”

tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

Above are initial 100-yard, 5-shot groups Dave Way shot with his rifle, while experimenting with different tuner positions. The largest group (on left) was a 0.416″, while the smallest (on right) was 0.296″. The average of the three groups was a stellar 0.369″ (0.352 MOA).

tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

Dave Way treasures this rifle and praised Alex Wheeler’s skills as a gunsmith: “I have never received a rifle from Alex that didn’t shoot incredibly well and this one is no exception. I’m just getting into the .22 world so I don’t know if this is good, great, or excellent accuracy but it seems pretty accurate to me.”

Lot Testing and Tuner Experimentation Pays Off
Here are some initial groups Dave Way shot during initial ammo testing. They are all under half-inch at 100 yards. That’s pretty impressive — but read on. When Dave optimized his tuner position and found a great lot of Lapua Super Long Range .22 LR ammo — his groups got even smaller. Dave notes: “They could have been better but I was just getting used to the trigger and everything.”

Here are a series of three-shot, 50-yard groups. You can see this rifle is quite consistent. This is with five different lots of Lapua .22 LR ammunition.

Lot Testing with Lapua Ammo — Three-Shot Groups at 50 Yards
tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

Rifle Components

Holeshot 2500X Right Bolt, Left Port Action
Muller Works 1:16″-twist, 8-groove Barrel
Holeshot Barrel Tuner
Bix-N-Andy Trigger
Rotex Stock
Leupold 40x45mm Competition Scope
Talley Rings
Gunsmith: Wheeler Accuracy
Holeshot 2500X actions and Holeshot tuners are now produced and sold by Precision Quest Products.

Have questions about this ultra-accurate rig? You can discuss this Wheeler-built rimfire rifle in a current AccurateShooter Forum Thread.

tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy
tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

Three 50-Yard Groups, All Under 0.180″ — That’s Consistency!

With the right ammo, this rig is wicked accurate. Here are three groups shot at 50 yards one after another. Dave shot these three 5-shot groups consecutively while optimizing his tuner: “Working with tuner the last two trips to the range. [It was] very consistent and pretty tight at tuner setting 162. Here are three consecutive 50-yard groups (5 shots each).” The biggest group (at bottom) measured 0.175″ (0.334 MOA), while the smallest group (middle) was a stellar 0.154″ (0.294 MOA) — that’s mighty impressive!

tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

Alex Wheeler Crafted His Own Superb Rimfire Rifle First
Gunsmith Alex Wheeler of Wheeler Accuracy has, over the years, concentrated on ultra-accurate mid-range and long-range centerfire benchrest rifles, along with some stellar long-range hunting rifles. But Alex has started to venture into rimfire shooting. Prior to building the Dave Way rimfire rifle featured here, Alex built a “sister rifle” for himself with similar components. That gun turned out so well that Dave asked Alex to build another. And, as you can see, Dave’s new Wheeler-built rimfire rifle turned out to be a true tack-driver.

Alex credits Dave’s shooting skills: “I don’t think its possible for anyone to send a rifle to Dave that doesn’t shoot. He just has a knack for it. I’m glad I got into the rimfire stuff. I don’t have any interest in rimfire competition but it’s taught me a lot about bench manners and I get a lot more trigger time. It’s a great tool to learn wind flags with as well. It should make me a better centerfire shooter. That was really why I built mine. I normally sell every gun I build eventually and Dave was going to get mine but I said you should start gathering parts, I think I’m keeping this one!”

Alex Wheeler accuracy rimfire benchrest long range

Lapua Long Range and Super Long Range .22 LR Ammunition
tuner lapua super long range .22 LR wheeler rifle rimfire accuracy

Dave Way had great results with his Lapua .22 LR ammo. Lapua Long Range and Super Long Range ammunition comes from Finland, and is designed for the growing long-range rimfire disciplines with targets at 100-300 yards. This ammo delivers very low ES and SD numbers. Our friend F-Class John tested this ammo and confirmed it performs very well (SEE Test Video).

Capstone’s Marketing Director, Geoff Esterline, explains: “Each production lot of Lapua’s [LR and Super LR] are test-fired in 50-round groups for dispersion. The results determine whether it makes Super Long Range or Long Range packaging.”

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January 12th, 2024

Rimfire Challenge — Fun and Affordable Shooting Competition

NSSF plus one +ONE rimfire challenge mentorship new shooters training family

The Rimfire Challenge Shooting Association (RCSA) is now an official partner of the +ONE Movement, a mentorship program organized by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). “RCSA is looking forward to a long relationship with NSSF,” stated RCSA Board President Peter Swenson.

NSSF +ONE programs encourage mentorship related to firearm safety, firearm basics, shooting sports, and hunting. The +ONE program focuses on peer-to-peer development in shooting sports and hunting.

NSSF plus one +ONE rimfire challenge mentorship new shooters training family

About the Rimfire Challenge Shooting Association
Designed to introduce new shooters to shooting sports in an exciting, family-friendly format, Rimfire Challenge matches focus on competition with .22 LR rifles and pistols. Matches are open to shooters of all shooting experience levels, with events conducted at ranges nationwide. The annual RCSA World Championship takes place each October. See match action in the video below. The RCSA promotes rimfire competition nationwide, supports beginning competitors and clubs, and solicits support for rimfire events from industry businesses.

Watch Action from the 2023 Rimfire Challenge Championship at Cavern Cove Range in Alabama

Programs that inspire mentoring can make a huge difference. According to recent research, if just one out of three target shooters and hunters can introduce someone new to the shooting sports, we can help to secure a strong future for generations to come.

The NSSF encourages shooting sports enthusiasts and hunters to join the +ONE movement and invite someone to the range or afield. Learn more about the +ONE Movement by visiting LetsGoShooting.org and LetsGoHunting.org.
This article is Copyright 2023 AccurateShooter.com. No reproduction on any other site is permitted.

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January 6th, 2024

Saturday at the Movies: Smallbore (Rimfire) F-Class Competition

Camp Wa-Ke-De indiana 2018 smallbore F-Class Jim Murphy
Anschutz .22 LR rifle set up for F-Class competition. Photo courtesy Sportschieben Blog.

Here’s a fun new discipline that will grow in years ahead — Smallbore F-Class with .22 LR rimfire rifles. Rest-supported prone rimfire matches have been held around the world for quite some time, but only a few years ago was the discipline officially codified in the NRA Smallbore Rulebook. And the first-ever Smallbore F-Class National Championship was held in July 2018 in conjunction with the Smallbore Nationals at Camp Wa-Ke’-De in Bristol, Indiana. The Nationals involved multiple days of prone shooting at 50 meters and 100 yards. For more information read Hap Rocketto’s Shooting Sports USA Smallbore F-Class Report.

Camp Wa-Ke-De indiana 2018 smallbore F-Class Jim Murphy
National Championship photo from Shooting Sports USA.

Smallbore F-Class competitors may shoot F-TR style with a bipod, or use a front rest. In the above photo from the inaugural NRA National Championship you can see a shooter with SEB Coaxial Rest at top, with a competitor using a low-profile bipod at bottom. Note the extended handle used to adjust bipod elevation. This is not a coaxial joystick, but rather a long handle attached to the mariner wheel.

Smallbore F-Class — The Future Looks Bright
With the high cost of centerfire ammunition, and the limited number of 1000-yard (or even 600-yard) ranges, we can envision that Rimfire F-Class will become a popular event at ranges across the country. Clubs don’t even need benches — just a 100-yard target bay and flat ground for the shooters. You can start with an inexpensive rimfire rig and Harris bipod. Then work up from there. Here is a custom rimfire F-TR style rig that belongs to F-Class ace and past centerfire F-TR National Champion James Crofts.

Camp Wa-Ke-De indiana 2018 smallbore F-Class Jim Murphy

Rimfire F-Class and Fun Prone Matches with Front Rest or Bipods

Rimfire F-Class offers the fun of centerfire shooting at a much lower cost. Shooting is done prone with either a front rest or a bipod. You can shoot a relatively inexpensive rifle such as a CZ 457 MTR, or a custom build that has the same design features, weight, and ergonomics as a full-size F-TR or F-Open rifle. The choice is yours. We like shooting smallbore F-Class, because you can find decent .22 LR ammo for just $0.20 per round. By contrast, you’ll probably spend at least $1.20 per round for F-Class centerfire ammo (counting bullet, powder, primer, and part of the brass cost).

Top-Tier Vudoo V22-S Target Rifle for Rimfire F-Class


Camp Wa-Ke-De indiana 2018 smallbore F-Class Jim Murphy

Vudoo Gun Works now offers an impressive .22 LR Single Shot Target Rifle that should prove ideal for rimfire F-Class (Open division). It features the new V22-S single-shot action, McMillan stock, and Flavio Fare BR-VS trigger.

Rimfire F-Class in the Canary Islands

This video comes from the Canary Islands, part of Spain. The voice-over is in Spanish but there are English sub-titles. The host explains: “In this video we summarize the main characteristics of this [shooting sport] that is practiced at 50 meters, 100 meters, and 200 meters with your .22 LR. Learn how to prepare your rimfire carbine and learn how to score your own targets by following our simple explanations. In another video we will delve into shooting techniques, shooting accessories and field accessories.”

Here is another rimfire F-Class video from the Canary Islands. This shows how the sport can be done with a variety of rimfire rifle types, even including a .22 LR AR clone. Some shooters are using a wide-base bipod, others are using normal Harris-type bipods, while others are using a large, benchrest-style front rest.

Rimfire F-Class-Style Local Fun Match in Oregon

In this video, F-Class John shoots an F-Class-style local fun match in Oregon. He is using a .22 LR rimfire rifle that has a full-size stock very similar to his custom F-Open centerfire rifles. This allows him to easily switch from centerfire F-Class to rimfire prone shooting with front rest and rear bag. The local fun match rules are a little different than an official F-Class match, but the shooting skills required are the same. Shooting this kind of local rimfire match allows John to keep his F-Class skills at a high level at a fraction of the cost of shooting centerfire F-Open.

Rimfire F-Class in Russia

NOTE: This video was filmed in Russia. The dialog is in Russian (without English subtitles), but it is still interesting to watch. Shooting F-Class with .22 LR ammo has become popular in Russia and other parts of Europe. You can have fun on a relatively short (200m) range with low-cost ammo.

Smallbore F-Class Course of Fire
The Smallbore F-Class Nationals was completed on paper targets at 50 yards and 100 yards. According to Shooting Sports USA: “The tournament ran during the any sight and metric phases of the 2018 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships, featuring a daily course of fire which mirrored the sling shooters, 40 shots at 50 meters on the A-50 target, a Metric Dewar, followed by 40 shots at 100 yards on the A-33 target. Although the international targets were shot throughout, the first two days were titled ‘conventional’ and the last two ‘metric’.”

The specifics of the match such as rifle requirements, rests, and sights may be found in the Provisional Smallbore Rifle F-Class Rules (Section 23), found on page 65 of the current NRA Smallbore Rifle rulebook. Any rules not covered in Section 23 will [reference] the normal rules of Sections 1 through 22.

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