help with dilemma - new to comp shooting

[mountainpharm]

My 14 year old son is very interested in getting started with competition shooting. He is going to try out for the 4H state team next month. Our problem is deciding which route to go for equipment. He has a bone stock 10/22 that we take to the range every week or so and he is an experienced shooter. However, CZs appear to dominate the competitions so my first option is to get him a CZ 452 Lux at a cost of $450-$475 according to my local dealer. Option B is to spend the $475 customizing his 10/22 instead of going with the CZ. Which option will yield the better rifle in your opinion? If I should customize the 10/22, recommendations for barrels, stocks, trigger sets, etc. would be more than welcome. Also, what scopes should we look at? Like I said, we're brand new to the competition scene. The description of the 4H tryout is below per one of the organizers:

"Shooters will need to be able to shoot with a scope a metal chicken, about 1/2 the size of a real one, at 100 yards. a Pig about the size of a newborn Chihuahua at 70 yards, a boar the size of my eyeglasses at 50 yards and another chicken (actually I think the 1st one is a turkey) at 40 yards, standing position only. Tryouts we will see maybe three of these things actually hit. In competition, in order to hope to place, you have to hit 20 out of 40."

"The CMP round will be 10 shots in 30 seconds, then slowfire 10 shots in a minute and a half, or something like that. I believe the distance is 75 feet. A decent score at tryouts is maybe 150, at competition over 300."

"NRA three position is at 75 feet also, iron sights only. The rest same as at Millstone, except 40 rounds instead of so. Iron sights only. Tryout scores will need to be 320, at competition 380 to place."

 

[twofifty]

What you describe reminds me of Metallic Silhouette competitions. In .22LR smallbore silhouette, the ram is at 100m, the turkey at 70m, the pig at 60m, and the chicken at 40m. The targets are NRA-approved cast steel, shot from standing without a sling, using powerful optics.

Folk compete in Hunter class (light .22s with 'normal' stocks) and a weight limit, and in Silhouette class (heavy .22s) with fancy stocks.

In Hunter class, you'll see a lot of CZ rifles, some 10/22s, a few old Remington 513s (not sure of the model, but it's a bolt action), and very very many Anschutz rifles of different model and action types (usually referred to as 54 action and 64 action bolt rifles). Mostly all are bolt repeaters, with 5 shot magazines. In metallic silhouette, you can only load 5 shots at a time, with one reload per string of fire, for a total of 10 shots in 2.5 minutes.

If you get a CZ for your son, make sure the stock has a high enough comb that he can comfortably use the scope. I don't think the Lux model has a high enough comb.

If your son ends up hitting half the targets, he will be doing extremely well. Many beginners are lucky to hit 8 out of 40. Whatever happens, if he sticks with it, he will become an exceptional off-hand shot.

 

[Jim Watson]

The local club shoots CMP Rimfire Sporter at 50 and 25 yards; and a homegrown game with metallic silhouettes but all at 50 yards.
When the programs started, the 10-22 was very common with increasing levels of customization and refinement over a few seasons. But the trend has shifted and the most common rifle on the line is one or another CZ. The CZ452 American is good for scope use with a higher stock and straight barrel. It crowds the CMP weight limit and a lot of them have holes under the floorplate to get off a few ounces down to the 7.5 lb limit. The CMP maximum scope magnification is 6X, a variable will be set at 6 and the change ring taped.

I don't know the 4-H rules or whether they limit weight and scope power, but you should before buying a new rifle.

 

[Misstreeshot]

I shoot SASS competitions and am getting into CMP service rifle competitions. Here is my two sense worth: I love my Ruger 10/22. Since I shoot iron sighted, I replaced the sights with Tech sights: http://www.tech-sights.com/ and suggest getting multiple mags, and even swapping out the mag release. I recommend a sling if you are not shooting bench rest. http://www.appleseedstore.flyingcart.com/?p=detail&pid=10&cat_id=0
The best advice I have received about competitive shooting is that you have to have the confidence in your gun, be familiar with it and know it. I know my 10/22 sights and the gun fits me. If you get a new gun, hopefully you will have time to break it in and get use to the gun before a shoot.

 

[John Wayne]

I would stick with the 10/22. There are more than enough accessories to adapt it to whatever you want to do, and it can become plenty accurate.

Also, there is a huge market for stocks for the 10/22, so you won't have to swap rifles if he outgrows the current stock.