Camdyn Powers won the Ladies Division at the 2024 National Rimfire League (NRL22) Championships held June 21-23, 2024 in Frederic, Wisconsin. Along with winning the Ladies Division Title, Camdyn secured an impressive 7th place overall finish. Camdyn said the match was tough: “This match pushed my mental and physical abilities, but I managed to navigate the challenges and make wind adjustments effectively on the clock. It was my best two-day match performance with achieving a 95% hit percentage of the top shooter.” She noted that her Lapua rimfire ammo was accurate and reliable.
With this major 2024 title, Camdyn has secured her status as the top woman in NRL22 competition — in 2023 she was the 2023 NRL22 Ladies Division Season Champion, as well as the 2023 Ladies Match Winner.
Powers competes with a Vudoo V22 bolt-action rifle with a 20″ MTU-V contour Bartlein barrel in an XLR Envy Pro Chassis. On top is a Burris XTR Pro 5.5-30X FFP competition scope, with illuminated reticle. Camdyn’s sponsors include Lapua (ammunition), Burris Optics, Vudoo Gun Works, and WieBad Gear Bags.
Camdyn praised her Burris XTR Pro competition scope: “With my XTR PRO, I could see the target clearly and bullet trace for accurate adjustments that led to impacts.” Burris Optics Marketing Director Jordan Egli stated: “We are incredibly proud of Camdyn Powers and her outstanding success at the NRL22 Championship. Her victory is a testament to her hard work and determination[.]”
About NRL22 Rimfire Competition
The National Rifle League (NRL) started off sponsoring major centerfire tactical matches, similar to PRS competitions. The NRL then added a .22 LR Rimfire series, called NRL22, which is now the premier precision rimfire league in the country. The NRL22 rimfire discipline has been a huge success, as rimfire guns are fun to shoot and ammo is very affordable. NRL22 is now the most active type of NRL competition by far, with a vast selection of matches around the country. Popular NRL22 matches have drawn up to 170 rimfire competitors. Divisions may include: Open, Base, Ladies, Air Rifle, Old Guns, and Young Guns. Get more info at NRL22.org.
About NRL22 Tactical/Practical Competition The goal of NRL 22 is to make Precision Rifle competitions more available to every community. A significant percentage of American cities do NOT have nearby ranges where you can shoot to 500 yards and beyond. However, most Americans can access 100-yard ranges within a relatively short drive and most shooters own a .22 LR rifle. The NRL22 program is designed so any facility with a 100-yard range can host matches. Participants at local NRL22 events can then attend the National Championship. NRL22 started with four classifications: Open, Base, Ladies, and Young Guns (8-18 age). Air Rifle is the new fifth class.
For the fourth year in a row, the MidwayUSA Foundation has provided cash grants to help ranges across the country expand and support youth shooting sports activities. This year, $2.3 million has been awarded to 99 recipients — a substantial increase in recipients and dollars paid compared to last year. A key factor in choosing winning applicants is a range’s plan to increase and enhance youth shooting sports opportunities.
MidwayUSA Foundation Executive Director, G. Scott Reynolds, spoke about the Range Development Grant Program: “America’s youth not only need funding to cover their shooting sports expenses, but they need qualified coaches to teach them to shoot safely, and they need a safe place to shoot. MidwayUSA Foundation is proud to offer grant programs to cover all three needs.”
Since this grant program’s inception in 2021, the Foundation has awarded $4.45 million for range improvements to recipient programs throughout the USA. MidwayUSA Foundation Range Development grant recipients are listed at: Midwayusafoundation.org/range-development-grants.
Applications for special purpose grants, like Range Development and Coach Training, will be accepted annually and applicants must hold an endowment with MidwayUSA Foundation to apply. Youth shooting teams and organizations should work closely with their range operators to complete the grant application.
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow youth shooting sports by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation made is tax-deductible. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. Visit Midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.
Firing an “off-the-rack” M1903 Springfield that he had never shot before, using GI-issue “tin-plate” ammunition, George Farr shot 71 consecutive bullseyes at 1000 yards (70 for record), setting a marksmanship record that has never been broken.
This is not the typical Daily Bulletin feature. It is an historical account of one of the greatest performances by a marksman in the history of the National Matches at Camp Perry. We think any competitive shooter will find this amazing narrative worth reading from beginning to end. This story is provided courtesy the NRA Blog with photos supplied by the NRA Museums.
An Old Man at the National Matches:
‘Dad’ Farr’s Golden Afternoon at Camp Perry by Doug Wicklund, NRA Museums Senior Curator
It was 1921. Warren Harding was President of the United States, and “The War to End All Wars” was less than three years past. The nation was getting back to a normal routine, and for competitive shooters, that meant an annual pilgrimage through the state of Ohio to the shores of Lake Erie, where the National Matches had been held since 1907 at Camp Perry. In those lighter days of the “Roaring Twenties”, marksmen from states banded together to make the journey, housing together in tent clusters on green lawns well behind the firing points.
The silver plate affixed to George Farr’s M1903 Springfield states: “With this rifle and using issued ammunition Mr. G.R. Farr of Seattle Wash in the Wimbleton Match, 1921, Camp Perry O., made 71 consecutive bulls eyes at 1000 yards”.
But one man at the 1921 National Matches stood out amongst the rest. George “Dad” Farr was a 62-year-old man from the state of Washington, and this was his first time heading east to shoot in the “big leagues”, as some of his fellow Evergreen State friends termed the annual competitions.
Aptly nicknamed, “Dad” was a good bit older than the average shooter during that late summer season, striding forward hesitantly clad in a khaki shirt and dungarees. He wasn’t a practiced High Power shooter — he showed up at Camp Perry without a rifle, and relied on a crude monocular for a spotting scope that he had fashioned from a pair of French opera glasses.
At the previous day’s shooting, he had experienced issues with the initial .30-06 rifle he had chosen from the rack, a Model 1903 Springfield that didn’t seem to hold a consistent zero. This day, he chose a different gun, just another off-the-rack rifle no different from the one next to it. Though he didn’t realize it, George Farr had just made the best selection of his life.
Farr readied his bolt-action and prepared a clip of five rounds of Government Issue ammunition, then went to his position. He was ready to fire on a 1,000-yard target with a rifle he had never shot before.
Perhaps he had resigned himself somewhat to the outcome — after all, it was the last relay of the day on September 9. Off to the west, the sun was beginning its slow trip down to the horizon. But Farr shouldered his Springfield and prepared to fire. The time was 4:30 p.m. Shooters nearby were puzzled by this shooter who squirmed and shifted repeatedly, but were amazed as he made his first hits on paper. Farr was shooting Frankford Arsenal tin-plate ammunition, the standard G.I. .30-06 rounds. More experienced marksmen, like Marine Sgt. John Adkins — who had just won the Wimbledon Cup — were using commercial Remington match ammunition and had spurned the government ammo.
The Historic String of Bullseyes
At that distant 36-inch target, Farr scored two hits for his two sighters, with the last sighter being a bullseye. He then prepared to fire 20 shots for record. Each of those 20 shots went into the center. Each scored as a “5”. At the end of this amazing string, Farr gathered up his monocular and prepared to depart. His fellow shooters quickly advised that match rules required him to continue firing until he missed “the black”, the inner 5-Ring bullseye at the center of the target. Farr had only brought one box of ammunition with him to the firing line, and had run out. As he waited for more of the tin-plate ammo he had been using, the sun continued its retreat. Farr continued his shooting, racking up growing strings of bullseyes – 30, 40 50, 60 – each impact on target being carefully recorded on his scorecard in the growing darkness.
Then, at the 71st shot with daylight completely gone, the bullet strayed outside the target center, and Farr’s incredible string came to its conclusion. But counting his second sighting shot, George Farr had fired 71 consecutive bullseyes at 1,000 yards using an unfamiliar rifle plucked from an ordnance rack earlier that day. It was an amazing feat, one immediately recognized by those in attendance. His fellow shooters quickly took up a generous collection, contributing in recognition of Farr’s natural skill and enabling him to purchase that bolt-action Springfield he had worked magic with on that distant target. Enough funds remained that a silver presentation plate, inscribed with the names of the states whose competitors had contributed, was ordered and mounted on the side of the rifle’s buttstock.
The next year, the Civilian Team Trophy was re-designated as the Farr Trophy, and George Farr’s record, fired on the old target system, was never beaten. Farr’s rifle went home with him to Washington and remained there, never again traveling eastward to Camp Perry. In 2011, The Farr family donated this legendary piece of shooting history to the NRA National Firearms Museum collection.
In 2013, as NRA Museums curators began assembling the collection for display at the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri, the museum staff created a unique exhibit featuring George Farr’s Model 1903 Springfield rifle and its special place in competitive shooting history. Alongside the rifle rests Farr’s simple monocular, another mute witness to Camp Perry history made on that September evening in 1921.
Farr’s Springfield… is one of thousands of historically significant firearms found in the NRA Museums collections on display across three locations. To view the collection and learn more about the incredible stories behind each gun, visit the NRA Museums in person or browse the NRA Museums website.
As a way of providing guests of the 2024 CMP National Matches more opportunities to socialize off the range, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has added Beach Parties and Movie Nights to the calendar of the Camp Perry National Matches.
These social events will be held near Camp Perry — at the beach and within the historic Hough Theater. These fun events/entertainment are open to all competitors, coaches, parents, and volunteers.
Movie Nights – Hough Theater
July 11, July 31, and August 3: 7:00 PM
• July 11 – The Sandlot
• July 31 – Top Gun: Maverick
• August 3 – Hacksaw Ridge
Doors to the theater will open at 6:00 pm, with the movies beginning at 7:00 pm. Concessions will be for sale inside the theater.
Beach Parties at Camp Perry Beach
July 9 and July 12: 5:00 – 7:30 pm
• DJ with Music
• Food Trucks or Bring Your Own Food/Drinks
• Games (cornhole, volleyball)
• Fun with Friends and Fellow Competitors
• Free Giveaways of Sunglasses and Beach Balls
Guests should bring chair or blanket for seating.
More Camp Perry Summer Services — Sales and Accommodations
On Camp Perry’s Commercial Row an array of vendors will be offering firearms, ammunition, competition gear, accessories, apparel, and more. The CMP North Store, located on the grounds of Camp Perry, offers a large selection of military surplus rifles, memorabilia, and equipment.
Accommodations — Housing for the National Matches is currently available on the grounds of Camp Perry. Accommodations include 4-person huts, cottages, barracks, RV spaces, and camp sites. In addition, numerous hotels are available in the surrounding Port Clinton, Fremont, and Sandusky areas. CLICK HERE for information on local hotels and tourism resources.
CLICK PHOTO for article on after-match activities in the Camp Perry region.
National Matches Shooting Events at Camp Perry
The 2024 CMP National Matches run July 11 through August 10 at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Site in Port Clinton, Ohio. The month-long event will feature a mix of rifle, pistol, and air gun matches and clinics for both adults and juniors. Learn more about the 2024 National Matches and review the event schedule on the CMP website at TheCMP.org/cmp-national-matches.
The CMP National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio commence July 8, 2024 with 3P Air Rifle events. The Camp Perry matches are historic, having been held since 1907 at this location on the shores of Lake Erie. The 2024 First Shot Ceremony takes place Monday, July 15 on the grounds of Camp Perry. Air Force Academy shooting coach and former Olympian Launi Meili is the 2024 First Shot Speaker. Launi will address the crowd and make the traditional First Shot to officially open the National Matches.
For this week’s Saturday at the Movies, we offer seven videos from Camp Perry. These cover both rimfire and centerfire shooting, team matches (including the famous “Rattle Battle”), along with pistol shooting. If you’re heading to Camp Perry this summer, today’s video showcase provides an informative preview. And watch the video above for a great short preview of the event.
CMP National Matches at Camp Perry — Ranges, Events, Training
This 3-minute video above shows the Camp Perry ranges and shooting facilities and explains the programs scheduled, including training courses. The video also covers nearby accommodations and explains how to register for the National Matches on the CMP website.
NTIT Team Match — “Rattle Battle” at Camp Perry
The CMP’s National Trophy Infantry Team Match (NTIT) has been a staple at the National Matches since 1922. Also known as the “Rattle Battle,” the event is one of the most unique in the competitive rifling world — scoring is based on how many hits six-person teams can score on a bank of targets during a series of 50-second firing periods at four yardages.
Watch CMP ‘Rattle Battle’ Video — 50 Seconds of Rapid Fire…
Teams fire upon eight silhouette targets from 600, 500, 300 and 200 yards during successive 50-second periods. After each rapid-fire string, team members move forward (to the next-closest distance) carrying all equipment from firing line to firing line. The video shows the California Grizzlies, one of the top junior squads. The lead photo shows the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) Team in action during the NTIT match. See more in USAR “Rattle Battle” Video.
Camp Perry M1 Garand Competition — Vintage Military Rifle
The John C. Garand match is a Camp Perry classic. Note the signature Garand clip in the air.
The CMP hosts the popular M1 Garand Match as well as the Springfield M1A Match. This writer’s father carried a Garand in WWII — reason enough for me to want one. But I also loved the look, feel, and heft of this classic American battle rifle. And the unique “Ping” of the ejected en-bloc clip is music to the ears of Garand fans. Some folks own an M1 Garand for the history, while others enjoy competing with this old war-horse. The CMP’s John C. Garand Match is one of the most popular events at Camp Perry every year. There are other vintage military rifle matches.
Rimfire Sporter Event Draws Hundreds of Competitors
If there is a single CMP event at Camp Perry every summer that draws the most competitors and offers the lowest cost of entry, that would be the annual Rimfire Sporter Match. This year’s match will be held on Saturday, July 13th at the Viale Range. There will also be a CMP Sporter Live-fire Training Clinic on Friday the 12th. One of the most popular annual Camp Perry events, the Rimfire Sporter Rifle match features .22 LR competition in open sights (O-Class), telescopic (T-Class) and tactical/unlimited (TU) classes, fired at 25 and 50 yards. A CMP Rimfire Clinic will be held prior to the match.
Each year, the Rimfire Sporter Match attracts hundreds of shooters to the shore of Lake Erie at Camp Perry. The CMP National Rimfire Sporter Rifle Match offers shooters a recreation-oriented competition where they use affordable, smallbore sporter rifles with either scopes or iron sights. All you need are a .22 LR rifle, sling, and ammo.
Service Rifle Matches — AR-Platform Rifles, Now with Optics
Service Rifle shooting is fun yet challenging. You need to develop skills with multiple positions and be able to make rapid wind calls. However, the modern AR-based service rifle is affordable and has relatively low recoil. Highly-customizable, modern service rifles can be fitted with adjustable stocks and optional magnified optics. Older military rifles, such as the M1A and M1 Garand, offer different challenges with heavier-recoiling cartridges, greater weights, and classic iron sights. Hi-Lux asked competitors at Camp Perry during CMP’s 2021 summer games what they enjoyed most about competition with service rifles and Military rifles such as the M1 Garand. The shooters’ responses had four key themes: Self-Improvement, Comradery, History (enjoying shooting rifles with heritage), and Challenge.
Camp Perry Bullseye Pistol Competition
Camp Perry hosts the most prestigious annual trophy matches in our nation’s history. And in a venue renowned for service rifle matches, the sport of precision pistol is no less important, no less challenging, and no less respected. The National Trophy Pistol Matches are all about traditional handgunning — the stance, the intense concentration, and of course, the one-handed grip. It’s all unmistakable as the game of Bullseye Pistol. Every year there are 20+ match trophies for the top Bullseye Pistol shooters, both military and civilian. And the very best will claim National Match Trophies and receive the President’s 100 Tab.
CMP Camp Perry National Matches Registration Links
The 2024 CMP National Matches at Camp Perry officially commence Thursday July 11, 2024. The summer schedule concludes Saturday, August 10 with the Palma Match and awards. Here is the full CMP schedule (click to zoom):
NOTE: This CMP Calendar is hosted online in spreadsheet format. This allows you to increase display size, and also to search for specific words. CLICK HERE to view full spreadsheet calendar.
History of Camp Perry
“In the year 1907 the machinery of the National Matches, now grown to immense proportions, was moved to the mammoth new range at Camp Perry.”
—James Drain, Arms and the Man, August 1911
Federal legislation originally launched the National Matches. The 1903 legislation also established the National Matches, commissioned the National Trophy and provided funding to support the Matches. The National Matches have been held at Camp Perry since 1907. The range is located along the shores of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. The site was first acquired in 1906, in response to the need for a larger facility for military training and the NRA’s shooting programs. The original land for Camp Perry was purchased in 1906, and the reservation was named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the American naval commander who won the Battle of Put-in-Bay during the War of 1812.
On August 19, 1907, Cpl. L. B. Jarrett fired the first shot at the new Camp Perry Training Site. And that year, 1907, Camp Perry held its first National Pistol and Rifle Championship events. This location has hosted the annual National Matches ever since. Typically over 4,000 competitors attend the National Matches each year, making it the most popular shooting competition in the western hemisphere.
The 2024 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury commence Monday, July 22, and conclude Monday, August 19, 2024. You can register now for pistol, smallbore rifle, and centerfire (High Power) rifle matches via the NRA Competitive Shooting website. Click the link below to REGISTER for the 2024 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury.
15 Ruger Guns as Prize Awards: Ruger, the Title Sponsor of the NRA National Matches, has donated 15 firearms to the competitors’ prize tables at the 2024 NRA National Matches.
This year’s calendar returns to the traditional National Matches schedule, starting with the Precision Pistol National Championships, followed by the Smallbore Rifle National Championships and ending with the High Power Rifle Nationals, specifically the Long-Range and Palma Championships. The 2024 NRA High Power National Championships will be fired on electronic targets.
Precision Pistol (July 22 – 25)
July 22 –Opening Ceremony, Practice, Preliminary Match (no awards), Harry Reeves Match
July 23 – .22 Championship, .22 EIC
July 24 – Centerfire Championship, Service Pistol EIC
July 25 – .45 Championship, Distinguished Revolver, Awards Ceremony
Smallbore Rifle Prone and F-Class (July 28 – August 1)
July 28 – Squadded practice, Metallic Sights Day One
July 29 – Metallic Sights Day Two
July 30 – Randle, Dewar, Team Matches
July 31 – Any Sights Day One
August 1 – Any Sights Day Two, Awards Ceremony
Smallbore Rifle Three-Position (August 2 – 4)
August 2 – Metallic Sights
August 3 – Drew Cup Team Match, Team Matches
August 4 – Any Sights, Awards Ceremony
High Power Rifle Across the Course (August 5 – 10)
August 5 – Seeding Match
August 6 – Member’s Trophy, Scott Trophy, Coast Artillery Trophy Matches
August 7 – Navy Cup, Army Cup, Coast Guard Trophy Matches
August 8 – Appreciation Cup, Marine Corps Cup, Air Force Cup Matches
August 9 – Crescent Cup, Cavalry Cup, Crowell Trophy Matches, Awards Ceremony
August 10 – EIC Leg Match
High Power Rifle Mid-Range (August 11 – 14)
August 11 – 300-, 500-, 600-yards, 600-yard Teams
August 12 – 3×600 yards, 600-yard Teams
August 13 – 300-, 500-, 600-yards, 600-yard Teams
August 14 – 3×600 yards, Awards Ceremony
High Power Rifle Long-Range (August 16 – 19)
August 16 – Wimbledon Cup, Rem Trophy, Porter Trophy, Andrus Trophy, Herrick Trophy Team Matches
August 17 – Leech Cup, Mustin Trophy, Farr Trophy, Aitken Trophy, Roumanian Team Trophy Matches
August 18 – Palma Individual Match, Awards Ceremony
August 19 – Palma Team Matches, Awards Ceremony
2024 NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury Calendar
Camp Atterbury is a National Guard training facility located in Edinburgh, Indiana, which is about 37 miles south of Indianapolis.
The NRA National High Power Championships will be fired on advanced Silver Mountain electronic targets. Another other nice feature of Camp Atterbury is the large, modern covered range. This is used for smallbore and pistol competitions.
The 2024 National Pistol Matches take place July 14-21 at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Site in Port Clinton, Ohio. These matches are run by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) and Ohio National Guard. If you want to shoot in the National Pistol Matches this year, it’s not too late to register (links below). CLICK HERE for more information about the National Pistol Matches.
The National Pistol events, open to adults and juniors of all experience levels, include several traditional matches like the President’s Pistol (President’s 100), National Trophy Individual, and National Trophy Team events alongside a series of 900 Aggregate matches for .22, .45, and centerfire pistol. The CMP Games competitions, such as the Military & Police and 1911 As-Issued Matches, will also be part of the National Matches schedule (see Calendar below). The last pistol matches run on Sunday the 21st, with Pistol Games Awards at the end of the day.
The GSSF GLOCK National Challenge returns to the schedule in 2024, while the Service Revolver EIC Match has been renamed the Philip Hemphill Memorial Service Revolver EIC Match in honor of Philip Hemphill, a celebrated national champion who passed in 2023. There will be plenty of talent on the firing line. In recent years, over 90% of the top 50 Service Pistol shooters were Distinguished.
CMP will also conduct indoor Air Pistol National Matches at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. Rental air pistols are available for a modest fee.
This video shows .45 ACP centerfire pistol competitors at Camp Perry
Interested in competing in the Camp Perry Pistol Matches this summer with either a .22 LR rimfire pistol or centerfire pistol? It’s not too late to register. CLICK HERE for Pistol Match Online Registration.
In connection with the National Matches, a Pistol Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) will be held July 15, 2024. Participants in SAFS are instructed by some of the top military marksmen and women in the country on firearm safety and competition basics, both within the classroom and on the range. All firearms and ammo are provided for the live-fire portion of the clinic.
The 2024 National Matches will include a Pistol Small Arms Firing School.
For those looking for a little extra time on the range before competing, be sure to sign up for Pistol Practice on July 15 and 16 (cost: $5.00 per practice time). Competitors will receive a Pistol Practice card at check-in, with additional practice time open for purchase (if available).
About the National Matches:
The annual National Matches have been held at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Site since 1907. The month-long series is comprised of the CMP National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches, National Games Matches, National Smallbore Matches, National Air Gun Championships, and the National Mid-Range and Long Range Matches. The National Matches also include educational clinics for shooters of all experience levels. View National Matches schedule and programs at: Thecmp.org/cmp-national-matches.
With the huge popularity of NRL22 and PRS rimfire matches, along with the growth of rimfire benchrest events, and local rimfire fun matches, we’ve seen heightened demand for all types of .22 LR ammunition. Plus the high cost of centerfire bullets and limited availability of powders and primers has pushed many centerfire shooters into the rimfire fold. Accordingly, prices have been rising for quality .22 LR ammunition. Thankfully, if you use Ammoseek.com, you can find most types of .22 LR ammunition, from bulk-pack plinking fodder to high-end Lapua, ELEY, RWS, SK, and Norma ammo.
Find Rimfire Ammunition Fast with AmmoSeek.com
Here’s a great search service that can help you locate hard-to-find ammunition and reloading components — while saving money in the process. AmmoSeek.com monitors scores of online vendors — checking current pricing and available inventory, for pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammunition. Looking for .22 LR ammo for your rimfire trainer or NRL22 rifle? Just select “.22LR” from AmmoSeek’s “Quick Seek” menu. NOTE: In mobile view type “22LR” in the “Search Ammo by Caliber” field top center.
And here are the 6/20/2024 search results for .22 LR ammunition. These are six of the 1000+ entries, starting with the least expensive, just 4.1 cents ($0.041) per round:
How to Search by Manufacturer and Bullet Weight
You can also search for a particular .22 LR ammunition manufacturer, and/or search by bullet weight. Just click on the “Modify Search Link”. Once you see the “Modify Search” column on the left, scroll down and you can sort by price (cost per round) and/or shipping cost. Here are the results of a search for LAPUA .22 LR rimfire ammunition:
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, June 17, 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, 6/19/24 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.
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.
Today’s Saturday Showcase features Palma rifles and Palma competition. The Palma discipline is a prone Iron Sight competition that originated in 1876, making it the second oldest continuing rifle match in the world. Except for a hiatus in the late 1900s, there is a nearly 150-year history of Palma matches. The Palma Course of Fire includes stages at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. At each yard-line you get two (2) sighting shots followed by 15 shots for record, for a grand total of 51 shots.
Under U.S.A. Palma rules the gun must be a rifle with metallic sights chambered for .308 Win (7.62×51) or .223 Rem (5.56×45). Most of the rifles featured in these videos are chambered for .308 Winchester, but we do have a video of John Whidden shooting his .223 Rem Palma gun — you’ll notice the significantly reduced recoil. CLICK HERE for more information on Palma Rules.
Components of Modern Palma Rifle and Palma Competition Basics
We definitely recommend you watch this video. Hosted by SSG Robert Germanelo of the U.S. Marine Corps Shooting Team, this video explains the basic rules of Palma competition and covers the key features of a modern, tubegun-style Palma rifle. The featured rifle has a Eliseo Competition Machine stock, Krieger 30″ 1:13″-twist barrel, Defiance Machine single-shot Rem 700-compatible action, Jewell trigger, Warner Tool Aperture Rear Sight, and Stallings Machine “Right Sight” in the front.
John Whidden Shoots His Modern .223 Rem Palma Rifle
With the latest bullets, long barrels, and strong Lapua brass, the .223 Rem CAN compete successfully in modern Palma competition. Here we feature a .223 Rem Palma rig belonging to 5-time NRA Long Range Champion John Whidden. Watch video at 00:25 and you’ll see the recoil of Whidden’s .223 Rem Palma rifle is significantly less than a .308 Win Palma rig. John joked: “With the .223 Rem there is just a pop and a wiggle after the shot.” CLICK HERE for full 1200-word report on this rifle with many more photos.
Modern .308 Win Palma Rifle with Custom Anschutz-style Stock
Here a Palma competitor showcases his modern .308 Win Palma rifle built with an custom-made, Anschutz 1913 model-style stock with the main frame crafted by the host’s father. This rig has a 30″ barrel chambered for 155gr bullets. The video explains how the components were chosen, why the barrel is so long, and how the stock adjusts in numerous ways to fit the shooter’s particular prone style. Below is a diagram of the sight picture. This is covered at 1:56 in the video.
Palma Rifles Shooting 1000 Yards at Bisley in the UK
This UK-produced video features Palma matches at the Stickledown Range at Bisley. This video showcases the Inter-Counties match, where competitors use iron-sighted Palma rifles on targets at 1000 yards. This video provides a good introduction to the Palma discipline as practiced in Great Britain.
Canadian Palma Fun — Nova Scotia Shooters at 900 Yards
In this video, filmed at a beautiful range in Nova Scotia, two Canadian shooters compete at 900 yards with their iron sighted .308 Win Palma rifles. The video combines three different views into one frame, so you can simultaneously see downrange, see the shooters, and see the shot impact on the electronic target display. The shooters fired .308 Win cartridges loaded with Vihtavuori N140 powder and 155gr Sierra #2156 PALMA bullets.
Ballistics Guru Shoots Palma at 800 Yards
The talented Bryan Litz, head honcho of Applied Ballistics LLC, demonstrates his shooting skills in this video. Watch Byran complete the 800-yard phase of the Palma course shot at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in the summer of 2008.
Brass Test in .308 Win Rifle — Lapua vs. Norma Brass
This video by our friend Keith Glasscock is not specifically about Palma rifles. But it does provide key information about the .308 Win cartridge, the most popular chambering for Palma rifles. Keith tests two different brands of .308 Win brass — Lapua and Norma. The results are enlightening. We have observed that Lapua brass can probably take higher loads and has greater longevity. NOTE: For this test a .308 Win F-TR rifle chambered for heavier bullets was used. But it’s still a good comparison test for .308 Win brass.
Palma Chambering and Bullet Weight Limits
There is, understandably, quite a bit of confusion concerning caliber limitations for Palma rifles and Palma competition. Some folks say you can shoot a .308 Winchester (or 7.62×51) with a bullet weight up to 156 grains. Others say you can shoot a .308 Win (or 7.62×51) with any bullet weight. Still others opine that you can shoot EITHER a .223 Rem (5.56×45) or a .308 Win (or 7.62 NATO).
So who is right? Well, all these viewpoints are correct in part. That’s because different rules apply in different venues. In most, but not all United States Palma competitions, you can shoot either a .223 Rem or .308 Win with no restriction on bullet weights. But in some U.S. Matches, most notably the Spirit of America, certain prizes are limited to .308s with 156gr max bullet weights OR .223s with 81gr max bullet weights. What’s the bottom line? In most USA Palma competitions you can shoot either a .308 or a .223 with no limit on bullet weight. In International Palma competitions you can shoot either a .308 or a .223 but the max bullet weight is limited.
Camdyn Powers won the Ladies Division at the 2024 National Rimfire League (NRL22) Championships held June 21-23, 2024 in Frederic, Wisconsin. Along with winning the Ladies Division Title, Camdyn secured an impressive 7th place overall finish. Camdyn said the match was tough: “This match pushed my mental and physical abilities, but I managed to navigate the challenges and make wind adjustments effectively on the clock. It was my best two-day match performance with achieving a 95% hit percentage of the top shooter.” She noted that her Lapua rimfire ammo was accurate and reliable.
The goal of NRL 22 is to make Precision Rifle competitions more available to every community. A significant percentage of American cities do NOT have nearby ranges where you can shoot to 500 yards and beyond. However, most Americans can access 100-yard ranges within a relatively short drive and most shooters own a .22 LR rifle. The NRL22 program is designed so any facility with a 100-yard range can host matches. Participants at local NRL22 events can then attend the National Championship. NRL22 started with four classifications: Open, Base, Ladies, and Young Guns (8-18 age). Air Rifle is the new fifth class.
The National Pistol events, open to adults and juniors of all experience levels, include several traditional matches like the President’s Pistol (President’s 100), National Trophy Individual, and National Trophy Team events alongside a series of 900 Aggregate matches for .22, .45, and centerfire pistol. The CMP Games competitions, such as the Military & Police and 1911 As-Issued Matches, will also be part of the National Matches schedule (see Calendar below). The last pistol matches run on Sunday the 21st, with Pistol Games Awards at the end of the day.
