Once again, should I get air rifle for PRS/NRL22?

[UtahPewPew]

I’ve never been the kind of guy to talk anyone out of buying more guns! Airguns count too. My impact does fine for prs/nrl and I have high hopes for my Panthera also! That’s said I own a fair share of rimfires. Variety they say Is the spice of life

 

[impact_2a]

UtahPewPew; you started with center fire and expanded. Glad I can say I have shared a match with you. You contribute in a positive way to the sport.

 

[Rover31]

I’m also this debate of going to a pcp for NRL22 and for practice.
I have a Vudoo that is perfect in every way along with other rimfires.
My question is many of you talk about the pcp rifles going out of tune…
What is causing that?
Is it immediately recognized?
And then,
Easy to change back/fix?

Basically,
Is getting a high end accurate pcp worth the “trouble and cost”?
Thanks

 

[Dairyboy]

I'm not a competitor at all but I chased the slug game for awhile. I bought a Tikka T1X. For how good it shoots with SK Standard+ ammo I don't play with slugs really in airguns now. I enjoy having both. And like said no tinkering with the tune and no air just grab a box and go. Unless your very serious into competition and a great shot and practice, practice, practice I'm not sure your average shooters will ever see the advantage of the lower ES compared to rimfire.

 

[Raider03]

That’s great info. I haven’t pulled the trigger on a high end 22lr because of the inconsistency of the 22 ammo regardless of maker. I was wondering if pellets or slugs did the same thing and have flyers. To be honest I get tired of chasing lot numbers in 22lr. I was hoping pellets were more consistent. Keep it coming.

Airgun pellets can be sorted for weight and head size.

 

[Geekmedic]

That’s great info. I haven’t pulled the trigger on a high end 22lr because of the inconsistency of the 22 ammo regardless of maker. I was wondering if pellets or slugs did the same thing and have flyers. To be honest I get tired of chasing lot numbers in 22lr. I was hoping pellets were more consistent. Keep it coming.

If you are interested in a high-end.22 I suggest you send it to either the Eley testing center in Texas or the Lapua testing center in Mesa, AZ. I shoot a CZ 455 with a Lilja barrel, and I took it to the Lapua center in Mesa because I'm already in town. For $50 they will test as many lots of whichever of the Lapua ammo you want to test in your gun. They have a machined fixture that is attached to an engineered block of concrete. They attach your action and barrel to the fixture and shoot down a 100m long tube with electronic sensors at 50m and 100m. they shoot groups until they identify a few that have good performance with 10 round group, and then they shoot 30 rounds with those lots. You will find that different lots of ammo will like your gun better or not at all. Once you find the ammo your gun likes they will sell it to you at a very nice price. The only catch is that they only sell by the case (5,000 rounds.) It was totally worth it for me because I didn't have to go out and buy 10 or 15 types of ammo to see if my gun liked something and then hunt down that lot. One trip for an hour and I had all the ammo that gun is ever going to shoot.

 

[drsquall]

I did that.


Yeah I got completely out of prs 22 and sold all my vudoos,bergara and Kidds, rimx and only do field target now.

 

[steve123]

If you are interested in a high-end.22 I suggest you send it to either the Eley testing center in Texas or the Lapua testing center in Mesa, AZ. I shoot a CZ 455 with a Lilja barrel, and I took it to the Lapua center in Mesa because I'm already in town. For $50 they will test as many lots of whichever of the Lapua ammo you want to test in your gun. They have a machined fixture that is attached to an engineered block of concrete. They attach your action and barrel to the fixture and shoot down a 100m long tube with electronic sensors at 50m and 100m. they shoot groups until they identify a few that have good performance with 10 round group, and then they shoot 30 rounds with those lots. You will find that different lots of ammo will like your gun better or not at all. Once you find the ammo your gun likes they will sell it to you at a very nice price. The only catch is that they only sell by the case (5,000 rounds.) It was totally worth it for me because I didn't have to go out and buy 10 or 15 types of ammo to see if my gun liked something and then hunt down that lot. One trip for an hour and I had all the ammo that gun is ever going to shoot.

I went to the Lapua test center in Mesa for my 22rf.
Found a lot number of Polar Biathlon that shot as good as the better Exact X lot's.
That was a decade ago and ran out of it last year.
Not competing in NRL22 so don't need that higher level of precision anymore but that doesn't mean I don't miss it.

 

[Raider03]

Does any know if the 2023 NRL22 Championship had compressed air available for the airgun competitors?

 

[nakoa05]

I think as we see the air gun side of this grown I think there will be tanks on site for.fill ups. I just think that is coming. But as for now until you can take an air rifle and outshoot a vudoo, ZCO optic, and lot tested ammunition I don't see it happening. In the last 3 years I went on a buying and testing spree. 5 bergaras over 25 czs 9 with aftermarket barrels, 5 kidds and 2 rimx and 11 vudoos. At the end of the day the vudoo is the most amazing rimfire ever developed.
I own and fx crown. What I see is that an air rifle at least the crown is very susceptible to air pressure, temperature, wind density humidity all of it. A 22lr with good ammo is effected by temps but not til I get below 40degrees. I can pick up my 2ws ans know exactly what to expect with a given ammo and conditions at 50yds day in day out. My crown likes warmer weather absolutely 0 wind. It seems like sooooo many more variables in an air rifle than in a 22lr. I think there will be air gun stages. But I don't think we are going to see air rifles replacing a well tuned 22lr. Prs shooters have sooo much gear. And now theybare going to have to carry a tank or bottles.

 

[Rgkracing]

Hello,
It's me again with same question just months later. LOL I had lost interest in the air rifle for PRS/NRL22 but with the Panthera coming out it made me itch again. I was about to pull the trigger on a rimx build but thinking about putting the money towards a pcp for NRL. Now to be honest I only shoot about 1 match a month here locally and have no intentions of traveling alot with my work schedule. I only get 2 weekends off a month. Also, I do not have bottles or compressor yet but my rimx build was going to cost about 3500 w/out scope so that's my budget all in. I am also a lefty so I need an ambi stock at least, I'm fine with cocking lever on right side as long as it is in front of my face. I don't want a bullpup. I was looking at the Panthera or the RAW chassis. I know it's a totally different ballgame, but I really want to do it. LOL Talk me out of it? The club I shoot at are PRS rimfire not NRL. We do have some shots that are out past 200yds. Usually just one stage like a troop line shooting bigger targets out to 300 sometimes of bench or prone. Most shots average around 75-150yds. So lets here your ideas thoughts please.

Jon