I have a Bergara B14 trainer and a Ruger Precision Rimfire.Both rifles shoot very good and are probably good for most of the rimfire shoots in my area.Neither one is a custom rifle,and as such,they may be limited if they have to go up against some of the incredibly good guns that are being built for the various disciplines that are really getting popular.I've enjoyed a little advantage over some of the younger shooters because I'm a little better at watching the conditions and making the needed adjustments to stay on target.I've been fooling around at shooting long range centerfire and rimfire for a good number of years.My first accurate 22 was a Remington 541S that I bought new in 1980 or 81.Back in those days,we were shooting blackbirds that were coming into the fields of oats.Sometimes the shots went out as far as 150 yards or so.
I got the RPRR about 2 years ago.It's a decent shooting 22 right out of the box,but I didn't like the trigger,so I spent the money and put a two stage Timney in it,which made a world of difference.It actually likes CCI Green Tag better than any of the other ammo I tried in it.With a 6-18 Leupold with a fine crosshair and a .125 dot,it is a great rifle for improvised positions.I don't shoot it well off a front rest and sandbag because of the play in the stock and the pistol grip.I shoot the Bergara very good from the rest and rear bag,and it's a very accurate setup,easily the most intense 22 I've ever had.I put a 2 ounce Shilen trigger and a 12-42 Nightforce scope on it,and it's very consistent.The last 2 50 yard benchrest targets I shot with it were all 10's,but the X count was not the best.The precision 22 games are just getting a toehold in my area,and some very well done rifles are coming out of the WV hills n hollers.At the local public range yesterday,there were Bergaras,Rugers,custom Winchester 52's and even an Anschutz that my buddy's daughter shot for WVU and the Olympic tryouts.I've seen shooting games come and go,but it's been a while since I've seen anything like the precision rimfire shooting take off like it has around here.Vudoos and the slightly lesser bergaras seem to be the most popular.I have worked on many Remington 700's over the years and I like the Bergara because it's close to the 700.
Barrel,trigger,optic,stock and action are where the brush is separated from the timber,but the one big aspect of the rimfire sport is the shooter.The wind and mirage and position are all up to the shooter to get right,and a rifle that may not shoot in the .150's at 50 yards but is still reasonably accurate can be a winner if the operator is on his game.
. I have some of the better 22LR rounds (I save for competition), but am just using these for more trigger time.
