NRL Hunter is a popular series of competitions for all levels of hunters — both newcomers and experts. Matches that showcase hunting skills are hosted through the country with multi-distance, walk-around shooting courses similar to PRS/NRL, but limitations on weight and equipment cost make this more affordable and practical. These events provide a competitive format for new and seasoned hunters to learn about skills, gear, and local hunting terrains. To participate in matches, hunters must purchase a $100 Annual NRLH membership ($75.00 for Young Guns). For more information, visit NRLHunter.org.
In this video top NRL Hunter Pro division competitor Jon Pynch shows the gear he uses to win. He talks about gear used for spotting and ranging targets, building positions, and making shots. Jon also gives his tips on how to cope with broken down equipment and bad weather. Check out the video and try an NRL Hunter match in your state.
Here are upcoming NRL Hunter events slated for the next 8 weeks. CLICK HERE to visit the full NRL Hunter Match Calendar showing all 31 events scheduled in 2025. Registration is still available for most of these matches. You’ll need to become an NRL Hunter Member and then pay match fees which are typically $250-$275 Individual, $500-$550 Team, and $150-$185 Skills.
This is only partial listing. CLICK HERE for all 28 NRL Hunter 2025 events.
Here is the most recent NRL Hunter Podcast, released 1/29/2025. In this episode William Righter, Mike Lilly, Sarah Beard, and Nick Mowrer join Travis Ishida at the 2025 NRL Hunter PRO-AM held in Arizona last month. They review how NRL Hunter competitions run, and how to get the best results. CLICK HERE to visit the NRL Hunter Podcast page with dozens of other informative podcasts, all accessible at no cost to you.
Hunters normally prefer relatively lightweight rifles. When trekking into the backcountry in pursuit of deer and elk, every pound counts. Along with the rifle, the hunter will be carrying a pack with binoculars, food, emergency gear, and tools for harvesting the meat. With all this extra mass to carry, today’s hunters want to keep their rifle’s weight to a minimum without sacrificing accuracy and durability. That was the design objective for Savage’s new Model 110 Ultralite Elite hunter — to “achieve lighter weights for higher altitude hunts and longer treks for big game.” At $3299.00 MSRP, the model 110 Ultralite Elite is the highest-priced Savage rifle on the market. But it offers impressive features and performance for that price.
This video shows key features of Savage 110 Ultralite Elite — good graphics, worth watching!
The modern 110 Ultralite Elite boasts a Proof Research carbon fiber-wrapped stainless barrel and advanced MDT HNT26 folding carbon fiber stock. With these components the 110 Ultralite Elite offers very impressive performance with a remarkably light weight. With its carbon components, and the shorter barrel option, the Savage 110 Ultralite Hunter weighs around 5.5 pounds without scope and rings — a good 3 to 4 pounds lighter than a typical wood-stocked hunting rifle. Seven chamberings are currently offered: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, 7mm BC, .308 Winchester, .300 WSM, and .300 Winchester Magnum. The internal magazine holds three rounds, and barrel lengths vary from 18″ to 22″. The shorter 18″ barrel is offered for 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm BC, and .308 Win.
SAVAGE 110 Ultralite FEATURES:
MDT HNT26 Chassis with carbon fiber fore-end, pistol grip, and foam-filled carbon fiber buttstock
Adjustable stock LOP and comb height with four LOP spacers
Proof Research Carbon Fiber-Wrapped Stainless Steel Barrel
Barrel has 5/8×24 threaded muzzle & Omniport muzzle brake
Lightweight Stainless Steel Receiver with Cerakote finish
Savage’s product page states: “Savage is taking innovation and accuracy to new heights at faster speeds with the 110 Ultralite Elite. With its exclusive Proof Research carbon fiber wrapped stainless steel barrel and MDT HNT26 folding carbon fiber stock, the 110 Ultralite Elite can achieve lighter weights for higher altitude hunts and longer treks for big game. Savage teamed up with PROOF Research to craft a barrel specific for a purpose driven firearm. At under 5.8 pounds, the 110 Ultralite is designed to combat elevation and elements while maintaining the performance of a factory blueprinted Savage 110 action.”
22 Plinkster Video with Steel Target Testing and Scope Camera
If you are potentially interested in purchasing a Savage 110 Ultralite Elite, you should definitely watch this review by popular YouTuber 22plinkster. He explains the features of the rifle, shows off the high-tech carbon components, and then bench-tests the rifle for accuracy on steel targets from 200 out to 1000 yards. The test rifle had a 20″ barrel chambered for the 6.5 PRC. The ammunition was 130gr Federal Terminal Ascent. Starting at 4:12 time-mark you can see 22Plinkster engaging the steel targets. The video provides a shooter’s POV via a TriggerCam Scope Camera.
HuntStand Quick Review of Savage 110 Ultralite Elite
Here is the HuntStand Channel video review from last year when the 110 Ultralite Elite was first released. The HuntStand’s Josh Dahlke was impressed with the rifle’s build quality and light weight. This has a five-minute dialog with a Savage representative. The video has some useful close-ups and it shows how the folding stock works. However, there is no field testing on targets.
TFB-TV Showtime Video Review of Savage 110 Ultralite Elite
This video was produced by The Firearm Blog (TFB-TV) last spring. TFB-TV states: “Savage Arms is typically associated with high quality but economically priced hunting rifles but at IWA 2024, they are unveiling a high end collaborative ultra-lightweight rifle with participation from Proof Research and MDT. The rifle will use an MDT chassis with carbon fiber elements and a folding stock, a Proof Research carbon fiber-wrapped barrel, and Savage’s excellent trigger. It’s hard to believe that Savage is getting on board with high end players like MDT and Proof, but it’s a welcome surprise, to be sure.”
Backfire Multi-Rifle Review Highlighting Savage 110 Ultralite Elite
In this video, the Backfire Channel host reviews a number of rifles. Starting at the 12:20 time-mark he spotlights the Savage 110 Ultralite Elite, calling it his “Dream Rifle”. He highlights the noteworthy features of the Ultralite Elite, and then shows how it can be mounted on a tripod using the integral ARCA rail.
Want to get more info on the Savage 110 Ultralite Elite? Here are three more web resources:
Here is an interesting item for hunters who want to keep their rifle as light as possible. MDT has introduced a new Titanium muzzle brake that weighs just 1.7 ounces. This ultralight MDT Hunt Brake can reduce recoil, so it’s a definite help for heavier calibers. And by reducing recoil up to 66% the follow-up shot speed is greatly improved. The new MDT Hunt brake has upward venting ports to reduce muzzle rise also (see video below at 1:05 time-mark).
On the negative side, the muzzle brake will increase noise heard by the hunter and can kick up dust if the shooter is firing from the ground. That can give away a hunter’s position, potentially spooking his prey.
Still, many hunters may want a modern brake, and this new $249.95 MDT Hunt Brake has some impressive design features. The baffles are designed to mitigate recoil and keep the shooter on target, and the self-timing lock makes installation easy. The MDT Hunt Brake is the third in MDT’s muzzle brake series which includes the steel Elite Brake ($129.95) and the innovative MDT Comp brake ($249.95), which has tunable upward gas vents and directs the blast away from the shooter.
Key Features of the MDT Titanium HUNT BRAKE:
Titanium Construction — Hunt Brake Weighs just 1.7 ounces
4 Baffle design to mitigate recoil and muzzle climb
The design also reduces backwards muzzle blast
Designed to match Sendero profile barrels
Self-timing nut for easy installation
Size specification options:
6.5/7mm/308 – 1/2-28
6.5/7mm/308 – 5/8-24
.338 – 5/8-24
MSRP $249.95
What’s wrong (or right?) with this picture? Does the “F” in F-class refer to “Fauna”? Look carefully at this Bisley Range photo taken by Australian R. Hurley while looking downrange through his March 8-80X scope. The photo was taken in 2015 at the Bisley National Shooting Centre in the UK.
The Story Behind the Photo
British shooter T. Stewart reports: “I was there when this photos was taken. All I can say was that Mr. Hurley was firmly reminded that should said deer accidentally jump in front of his bullet … he would spend five years ‘At Her Majesty’s Pleasure’.”
“That morning we had five deer moving across the targets, literally blocking the V-Bull. Since we were on the 900-yard Firing Point, and elevated for such, obviously the bullet would pass well above them. But they do NOT move or flinch at the noise or passing bullets since they are not hunted on the Bisley Ranges. Earlier this year we saw a herd of 20 or so deer grazing slowly across the Range.”
More Fauna Findings…
Apparently Bisley is not the only place were “the deer and the antelope play”. In Canada, on the Connaught Ranges near Ottawa, Ontario, shooters often encounter a variety of wildlife. William McDonald from Ontario says: “Animals are a common sight on the Range. Along with deer we see geese, turkeys, and coyotes on a daily basis.”
Likewise, E. Goodacre from Queensland, Australia often sees ‘Roos on his home range: “I shoot at Ripley, Australia, and shooting is regularly interrupted by kangaroos. Our last silhouette match was delayed by an hour while 30 ‘Roos dawdled across — silly buggers!”
R. Hurley wasn’t the first fellow to view deer through his F-Class rifle’s scope. After seeing Hurley’s photo from Bisley, B. Weeks posted this image, saying: “Been there, done that!”
This 6 PPC features a Nesika Extended ‘C’ action, Krieger 1:13.5″-twist LV barrel, Kelbly stock, and stunning paint by Mike Lavalle of killerpaint.com. For an eye-catching R-Rated paint surprise, Click HERE.
One of the most popular items in our Shooters’ Forum is the ongoing “Pride and Joy” thread. Since 2009, Forum members have posted photos and descriptions of their most prized firearms. Here are some of the most recent “Pride and Joy” rifles showcased in our Forum. Do you have a gun you’d like to see featured there? Register for the Forum and you can add your favorite gun to the list.
Click image to view large, full-screen photo!
For this week’s Sunday GunDay we’ve selected five fan favorites from the Pride and Joy archives. First up is this custom 30 BR brought to you by ANSHUTER2013 and built by Dave Bruno. We were captivated by the clean lines and handsome looks of the Roy Hunter Curly Maple stock. Nestled in that stock is a BAT B action fronted by a 1:17″-twist James Lederer 24″ HV barrel. A Jewell trigger with fixed 42x44mm Nightforce scope round out this beauty.
This state-of-the-art 6 PPC boasts all top-tier components. And owner Wes R. shoots it with a superb rest/bag/pad set-up that inspires envy. This “Bughole 6 PPC” features a Bat DS action, Bix’N Andy trigger, with Bartlein 1:13.75″-twist barrel. The stock is a super-low-profile Scoville with carbon strengthening. The front rest is a SEB NEO, while in the rear is the new Lenzi sandbag. Folks tell us the Lenzi is super stable, which improves tracking from shot to shot. Note the timer attached to the front rest as well as the nice Edgewood leather bench “blanket” and arm-rest pad.
Forum Member Killick attached PickleForks to his handsome blue Eliseo R1 TubeGun now chambered in .284 Winchester, a top choice for the F-Open discipline. Killick explains: “Behold! An Eliseo R1 F-Classer. This started out as an R1 Long Range sling rifle (6XC) with a Borden TubeGun action. It is now rebarreled in .284 Win with Gary’s PickleFork fore-end adaptor. Props to Gary Eliseo at Competition Machine LLC.”
Sometimes clean and simple is the way to go — particularly with a hunting rifle. WEATHERBYFAN’s 6.5 Creedmoor is built around a Stiller Predator single-shot action in a texturd, green Wildcat Var-Tac stock. The 1:8″-twist Bartlein barrel is finished at 28″. That’s pretty long for a hunting rig, but it delivers added velocity. Finishing off this nice rigle is a Zeiss 6-24x50mm optic. Sometimes less is more and this is a perfect example of that.
Our final offering is from Forum member 300_WHISPER. Completed just months ago by gunsmith CALEB85, this .308 Win rifle features a Bighorn TL3 action with a Bartlein M40 26″ 1:10″-twist barrel, and Manners TA Elite stock. Other components include Trigger Tech Special, Area 419 self-timing muzzle brake, and a Weaver Tactical 3-15x50mm FFP mil/mil optic. When test-fired by Caleb with ammo using Berger 175gr OTM Tactical bullets, this nice .308 Win delivered a 1.6″ 5-shot group at 400 yards. The owner says “It’s my dream rifle. I couldn’t be happier”.
Welcome to 2025 — a new year, with new hunting opportunities in the months ahead. While we’re in the midst of winter, many readers are already thinking about hunting in the months ahead. And in some areas The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has a large selection of online resources that can help hunters achieve success in the field in 2025. While fall is the most popular hunting period, in many states there is also a spring hunting season which begins in late March or April. During spring there are opportunities for hunting a variety of game such as wild turkey and various small game species. Specific season dates can vary by state and game species.
Visit WhereToHunt.org
There’s a great online resource for hunters that will help you find game locations in your state and ensure you have all the proper permits and game tags. WheretoHunt.org features an interactive map of the country. For all 50 states, the NSSF has compiled information about hunting license and permits, where to hunt, hunter education classes, laws and regulations and more. For each state you’ll also find a link for required applications and license forms.
Click Map to Get State-by-State Hunting INFO
Hunting Affiliation Groups
There are many good organizations dedicated to promoting hunting and preserving our hunting habitats. These groups all offer valuable information for hunters:
Winter is a good time to read about hunting, both to get motivated and to learn more about hunting skills. Here are some of the best books written about hunting.
In our Shooter’s Forum there is a popular thread, Let’s See Those Hunting Rifles. This long-running thread features dozens of interesting hunting rifles of all varieties — from rimfires to big magnums. In that thread we found the focus of today’s story, a .221 Fireball. Now that we are in the thick of winter, with Christmas just two weeks away, we showcase this .221 Rem Fireball rifle from Norway. This rig belong to Thomas Haugland, aka “Roe” on our Forum. An avid backcountry hunter, Thomas also happens to be one of the best gun-content video producers on YouTube — check out Haugland’s THLR.NO YouTube Channel.
We’ll begin with two of Haugland’s remarkable videos — worth watching just for the stunning scenery. Thomas skis through the Norwegian Arctic backcountry, then successfully uses his suppressed, white-camouflaged .221 Fireball rifle to bag a Ptarmigan bird — bringing home a well-earned winter dinner.
NOTE: This is the short preview version. Watch the full hunt in second video.
The 7-minute video below shows the full ski hunt. The Ptarmigans are spotted at 4:30 time mark and Thomas takes the shot at 5:36. Great video — you feel like you are there in Norway’s white wilderness. The images above (including top photo) are pulled from this video.
About the .221 Fireball Cartridge
The .221 Remington Fireball cartridge was developed by Remington in 1963 for the XP-100 bolt action pistol. Today the cartridge remains popular with hunters/varminters, both in the original version, and with wildcats such as the .20 Vartarg and .17 Fireball. Lapua started making superb .221 Rem Fireball cartridge brass starting in 2014. However, according to Lapua: “This case is no longer in active production.” On 12/8/2024, we checked many leading vendors including Graf’s, MidwayUSA, and Powder Valley, but could not find new .221 Rem Lapua brass. Lapua notes: “Fireball brass has… seen a dramatic surge in popularity, due in large part to the efforts of wildcatters working with this versatile case. Whether used in its original form, or necked into one of the many cases that it serves as a parent for, the Lapua .221 Fireball brass is a sure winner[.]”
Haugland .221 Fireball with New Carbon Stock and Walther Barrel
Shown above is Haugland’s same .221 Rem Fireball from the videos, but with a new camo stock and new barrel. (The previous stock was painted white). Originally a Remington 700 Light Varmint, this was rebarreled to .221 Fireball with Lothar Walther 1:12″ barrel. Thomas admits he “Goofed a little on the barrel profile, so it is a tad heavier than I wanted.” The stock is a carbon-fiber Gunwerks ClymR and on top is a Leupold 3-18x44mm MK5 HD with Gunwerks RH1 reticle. Only the action and the trigger is left from the original rifle.
With the 1:12″ twist, this rifle is restricted to 55gr maximum bullet weight. Thomas posted: “Shoots well with Vihtavuori N130 and Norma N200 powders, not so good with RL7.” Due to lack of light in far-Northern Norway in winter (see photo above), Roe has not hunted with this rifle much since rebarreling, but as you can see, it’s very accurate — look at that group. Thomas says the gun shoots much better with the new barrel: “With the factory barrel (which I believe was 1:14″-twist) it didn’t shoot better than 1 MOA at 100 yards. Now it approaches half-MOA for three shots (see photo).”
And Thomas was successful with this rig as “reborn” with new stock and barrel. Here’s the gun and a Ptarmigan he shot in the Norwegian snow-covered backcountry.
If you like that Gunwerks ClymR carbon stock, here’s a Gunwerks video showcasing the ClymR Rifle System. A complete Gunwerks ClymR rifle with Titanium action and scope was a shocking $9734.99, so we can understand why Thomas went with the stock alone, paired with a older Rem 700 action.
Savage offers an innovative, versatile version of its popular A22 rimfire rifle. The Savage A22 Takedown separates quickly and easily into two units, with a simple quarter-turn (90-degree) rotation of the fore-end. This allows the A22 Takedown to easily transport in a pack when camping or hunting. Or stow the gun conveniently in your vehicle. Separating this A22 Takedown into two parts is as simple as a twist.
The Savage A22 Takedown ($479.99 MSRP, $370 average sales price) has some other cool storage features. The cheek-piece lifts up to provide storage for three, (3) 10-round rotary-style magazines. In addition, the A22 Takedown has a dry storage compartment in the pistol grip that can hold patches or other small accessories, such as earplugs.
What Are the Advantages of a Takedown Rifle?
The first big advantage of a takedown rifle is that it can be stored in a smaller space and you don’t need a long case to carry in the field. Fully assembled, the Savage A22 Takedown is 36.875″ long. As separated into two sections, each section is about 18″ long, so each segment can fit inside a small day-pack. When transported in a vehicle, the two segments may fit in an on-board storage area, or even in the spare tire compartment (with appropriate padding).
The Savage A22 Takedown rifle can also be transported in an ultra-short 24″ Discrete Carry Case that doesn’t look like a typical rifle case.
Assembly and Disassembly of Savage A22 Takedown
The Savage A22 Takedown can be separated into two sections in a matter of seconds. First make sure the gun is unloaded, the magazine is removed, and the bolt is pulled back and locked. Make sure the muzzle is pointed away from you, and the safety is activated. Double-check to make sure there is no round in the chamber! Then holding the gun horizontally, grab the fore-end and rotate one-quarter turn clockwise. Then ease the barrel/fore-arm section forward gently. This will expose the front of the action and reveal the .22 LR chamber in the fore-end section. You can see how this works in the video below.
To re-assemble the A22 Takedown, bring the fore-end towards the action with the rear sight at the 3 0’clock position (right of center looking towards muzzle). Push the fore-end back gently until is seats properly. Then rotate the fore-end 90-degrees counter-clockwise. Again, watch the above video to see this re-assembly procedure, starting at 00:27 time-mark.
NOTE: Savage provided these studio photos, but the magazine should be REMOVED before disassembly.
On-Board Storage Under Cheek-Piece and in Grip Section
The Savage A22 Takedown has two very innovative and unique storage systems built into the synthetic stock. First the cheekpiece is hinged at the front, and lifts up to reveal a special compartment that holds three (3) of the A22’s rotary magazines. This is a very clever design — unique among rimfire rifles we believe. In addition, there is storage area INSIDE the pistol grip. This is accessed by removing a detachable plastic cover that snaps into the bottom of the grip section.
Performance in the Field
With an 18″ barrel, expect your .22 LR rimfire ammo to deliver good velocities in the A22 Takedown. After some adjustment of the Accutrigger, other A22s we have shot have performed well and been reliable so long as you make sure to fully seat the rotary magazines. This would be a good starter rifle, and has unmatched versatility for easy packing. The weight, before optics, is just 6.3 pounds. One nice design feature is a sight channel in the Picatinny rail. The adjustable rear sight is attached to the barrel immediately forward of the action.
Today is Thanksgiving, aka “Turkey Day”, a time to enjoy an annual get-together with family and friends. To mark this occasion we offer a collection of interesting videos about turkey hunting plus a FREE Turkey target. Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!
GetZoneHunting.com has a vast video library for hunters, with hundreds of helpful videos on all types of hunting. In time for spring turkey season, GetZoneHunting offers a big collection of turkey hunting videos: At the Ranch – Turkey. On that page you’ll find 13 turkey hunting “how-to” videos. Here are links to five GetZone Turkey Hunting videos with valuable information from skilled, experienced hunters.
At the Ranch Turkey Hunting Videos
At the Ranch – Turkey offers solid advice for turkey hunters. These five videos will help you better understand turkey behavior and have success on your hunt. Click any photo to watch the particular video on the GetZone website. (Work Warning — When each GetZone video opens, it may immediately launch an annoying commercial with loud AUDIO!). There are eight more turkey hunting videos on GetZone’s Turkey Hunting HQ Page.
At the Ranch: Shot Placement for Turkeys — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
At the Ranch: Turkey Hunting Essentials — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
At the Ranch: The Difference Between a Jake and a Tom — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
At the Ranch: Early vs. Late Spring Turkey Hunt — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
At the Ranch: How to Plan a Turkey Hunt — CLICK PHOTO to Watch Video
Free Printable Turkey Target from AccurateShooter.com
As a special bonus for our readers, here is a free, printable Turkey Target, so you can practice for your turkey hunting adventure, This special Turkey Bullseye Target was created by our friend and Forum member Pascal (aka “DesertFrog”). CLICK HERE for FREE Turkey Target.
With days growing shorter and winter on its way — here’s a great audio “infotainment” resource to help fill those long winter nights. Leupold offers podcasts, 40-75 minutes in length, on a variety of topics of interest to hunters and precision shooters. A podcast is like a radio show that’s available 24/7, at your convenience. To “tune in” via your home computer or mobile devices, just visit the Leupold Podcast Page.
Oregon-based optics-maker Leupold & Stevens (“Leupold) offers the “Core Insider” podcast series. These podcasts deliver hunting advice and recount successful hunting trips — such as Caribou hunting in Alaska. Other Leupold podcasts provide optics info, industry intel, and tech tips. Leupold’s Core Insider podcasts can also be accessed directly from Leupold.com. From the Leupold Podcast Home Page, you can stream the podcasts live or download for later listening.
The Leupold Core Insider Podcasts cover a wide variety of shooting and hunting topics. One early episode features Leupold team members Kyle Lamb and Buck Doyle discussing long-range shooting, while recent Episode 55 explains how Binoculars and Rangefinders function. There are now 96 Leupold Podcasts available online for FREE.
About the .221 Fireball Cartridge
Savage A22 Takedown Key Features:
