The recent growth of rimfire training and competition has coincided with advancements in rimfire rifles, optics, and ammunition technology. High-velocity and match-grade .22 LR ammunition offer improved accuracy and consistency, allowing shooters to simulate centerfire performance at a fraction of the cost. Additionally, the rise of affordable and accurate rimfire rifles and optics further promotes the use of .22LR as a viable training platform. Today competitors can have full-size rimfire trainer rifles built on a Remington 700 platform with adjustable stocks/chassis and scopes that match their centerfire competition rigs. Below are a few of the most popular .22 LR full-size trainer rifles often seen in NRL22 competitions.
Bergara B-14R Steel
Bergara’s team of experts designed and built an incredibly accurate full-size precision trainer in the B-14R Steel. Their goal was to make the best production precision .22 LR possible for both beginners and seasoned competitors. It includes the adjustable HMR stock and a threaded heavy profile steel barrel. Full-sized “AICS” magazines also make mag changes smooth and quick. Most importantly, you can upgrade the rifle with any Remington 700 platform chassis, trigger or even barreled actions in the future, making it a relatively affordable “Open Class” platform to grow with over time. (bergara.online.com; 877-892-7544)
Vudoo V-22
The Vudoo V-22 action is widely regarded to be one of the best that money can buy. Besides raw accuracy, the secret to the V-22’s success is its scale. Built on a Remington 700 footprint, it handles like a full-size centerfire and is compatible with the entire world of Model 700 stocks, chassis and accessories. The V-22 was conceived as a purpose-built competition/target rifle with sub-MOA accuracy at distance. Vudoo also offers complete rifle builds such as the Ravage and Apparition. (vudoogunworks.com; 435-359-2890)
RimX Action
The RimX rimfire action by Zermatt Arms is designed for both competition and rimfire training. It boasts a full-scale Remington 700 footprint, allowing for compatibility with a wide range of Remington 700 stocks, triggers, and chassis. The interchangeable bolt head system caters to various rimfire cartridges, including .22 LR, 17 HMR, and 17 WSM with more planned. The RimX also features a non-protruding extraction system that simplifies barrel installation by enabling the use of flat breach-face barrels. Each RimX action comes with a proprietary 10-round magazine and offers multiple rail options for scope mounting. (zermattarms.com; 402-782-2884)
Wrap Up
Recent advancements in full-size rimfire rifles have significantly improved the accuracy and consistency of .22 LR, making it a cost-effective training and competition platform. Whether you’re shooting centerfire at 600 yards or .22 LR at 100 yards, it’s all the same basic math for elevation and wind adjustments. You really need to know your equipment and be solid on the fundamentals. To succeed, you must be able to drill the basics: shooting offhand, kneeling, sitting, prone, and from an unsteady rest. These are all things that help hunters immensely and make training enjoyable. Many shooters are learning that training with full-size rimfire rifles can be just as much fun as the big-bore guns.
