Rimfire Prove it.

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After a couple of days here's where we're at

Varminterror Sav BSEV Scoped 118
Varminterror Sav BSEV Scoped 116
Skylerbone CZ 452 Scoped 113
Varminterror Sav BSEV Scoped 112
Demi-human Sav MK II Scoped 102
Someguy2800 Marlin 60 IRON 79, 67
* Someguy2800 Buckmark PISTOL Scope 89
 
If I'm getting credit for the others, I suppose I better add the photos to back it up. Two 116's and a 112.

116
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116
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112
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I shot bottom left, bottom right, top right, top left, in that order. Might spend some more time tomorrow to see if there's a correlation between sequence and group size - again, I shot these round robin, one shot each target, then reloaded twice to put 3 single shots on each target for group.

In going back over these to take pictures, I noticed the smaller of my groups were particularly small for my abilities, so I broke out the calipers. I measured the clean single holes in the paper to get an appropriate diameter, which came out between 0.119 to 0.125", so I zeroed my calipers at 0.120" and measured outside-to-outside to give center to center measurements. They're .171" and .177", or 0.327 and 0.338 MOA respectively. In younger years, that wasn't uncommon for me, but I've been at best a 0.4-0.6MOA shooter for some time now on a bipod. Even for 3 shot groups, I'm happy when groups like this come out, and I'm especially surprised to have them spit from a rimfire rifle, let alone THIS rifle, which is an accurate rifle, but not really anything particularly stellar - certainly not the most accurate rimfire I've owned, not likely even currently own (it's just the best set up for NRL-22 games). The worst of the 16 groups is 0.929", 1.774MOA, and no alibis, so I'll own that too.

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Varminterror, what's the logic of shooting round robin? I'd think you'd shoot your best groups if you stayed in position and locked on one target. Very nice shooting, regardless!
 
Varminterror, what's the logic of shooting round robin? I'd think you'd shoot your best groups if you stayed in position and locked on one target. Very nice shooting, regardless!

A long answer for a simple question:

A few reasons, none of which are really conducive to the test itself, but rather productive for me as the individual shooter.

I’ll start by calling out - I stole this rifle from my wife and restocked it to fit me this winter, she’s had it for about 9yrs, and I’ve maybe shot it a handful of times until now. She got a new 10/22 about 6years ago, and hasn’t shot this one - I wanted a bolt gun for NRL-22 games and envied the spiral fluted barrel, so I took it over. I have never shot a group with this rifle until now. I knew it shot well, having seen her shoot it, so I bore sighted at 25yrds, took one shot, then moved to 50, then 100. I keep it zeroed at 50. I use it almost exclusively for positional shooting practice, and transition practice, so shooting groups would be out of the ordinary for my normal method of shooting - especially with this rifle.

One other excuse I would use - I was shooting on a pretty “hoppy” bench, with a cheap bipod and a rear bag, so I was effectively rebuilding my natural point of aim no matter what. The range I use is best shot with a machine rest or front sandbag, but I wanted to keep my bipod in place for practice. So I was rebuilding NPOA at least a little whether I shifted targets or not.

Taking advantage of that excuse, since I shoot more dynamic long range steel games than paper games the last ~8yrs or so (time flies!), I need a lot of practice building position and transitioning between targets, reestablishing NPOA quickly on the clock. So this little game was an opportunity to practice building position and transitions. So by shooting round robin, I built position at least 4 times (I came out of the rifle a few times in the middle of the strings), and was able to pull in somewhere around 36 transition reps, plus about 20 shots to confirm zero and practice a bit on other targets. I pushed these to be somewhere on the order of 30-45sec per string to keep myself moving. One of the 116 targets was even faster - it just clicked on every lap. I have a PRS type match next weekend, gone all week for work, and it rained all weekend - I wanted SOME kind of practice while I had an hour to spare.

This is also a “shoot for score” game, where the group doesn’t have to be good, the score has to be great. Note on one of my bulls, I punched a .17” group, but it was only a 29. I had 30’s which were groups twice as large. By NOT shooting groups, I kept myself from shooting to my bullet holes, and kept my focus better on the 10ring. Just part of how I tried to manage my own mind for the test.

I also justified the decision for myself that I would have fewer reloads to shoot strings of 4 instead of groups of 3. I could have loaded 10rnds in each mag and carried on until a 2 shot reload, but I’ve never liked loading mags with more than my string/group when shooting for score.

And finally, another individual self-management idiosyncrasy - one reason I quit playing paper games and favor precision steel games (among many reasons) is the fact I have WAY less target panic if I’m not shooting with my focus on building a group. In a round robin fashion, somewhat pushing the clock, I can distract myself from the crests and caverns of spotting my impacts while building a group, and focus on the next shot.

So yes, if I had a heavy bag out front and a little more self-control, I may have cleaned the targets if I’d have tracked on the bags and built groups. But knowing myself after ~25yrs playing different shooting sport games, round robin is the easiest way for me to drop in without any prep and deliver nearest my peak ability - which sure ain’t what it used to be.
 
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I left my Bald Eagle with windage top at home after consulting the OP, and were it not for an emergency violin bridge repair for my daughter after work I would have grabbed my sandbags from storage and not forgotten my Harris bipod. The spirit of the “match” is a friendly invite to post a common target using minimal equipment. That allows the shooter, rifle, and ammo to “prove it”, at least as I understand things. Most fun I’ve had this season!

That's for posting. I think you did well and are within the spirit of these matches. I won't be able to shoot for awhile but I hope to match you in spirit and shooting. Well done.
 
Varminterror, thanks for the lengthy explanation. I haven't competed since college (a loooong time ago), and what you say makes total sense. I've been a hunter, mostly, and while I like accurate rifles, 1.5 MOA has been my goal for my hunting guns; anything better is just gravy. I have several more accurate centerfires, and have started working on precision/accuracy in the last couple of years, getting much more heavily into hand loading ... to the neglect of my rimfire shooting. But this "prove it" challenge has me intrigued. Need to break out the custom 10/22 and the CZ 452 American and see what they'll do.

Thanks again!
 
I went to the range and shot a target. It almost felt like cheating because the 10 ring was huge compared to the bull I usually shoot. I put a bull in the pic for comparison.

I shot a few off target to warm the gun and went at it. I even used mixed lot numbered ammo from different boxes just to get rid of it.

My target is nothing incredible, because I used a custom built 40x. It is designed for one thing and one only....benchrest. That target was easy, but my groups are poor compared to what the gun can do. The gun is a 40x with a Lilja barrel, Jewell trigger and Harrell tuner.


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VERY NICE Colt !
I knew a clean target would show up. I'm considering pulling out the Kimber 82G with 36x Weaver target dot scope out, this is the type of shooting it lives for. But so many lonely .22's are asking to go to the range.
 
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Thanks, but it was cheating using that rifle....lol...Those are some sloppy groups compared to what it will do with good ammo and a little effort.
 
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Thanks, but it was cheating using that rifle....lol...Those some sloppy groups compared to what it will do with good ammo and a little effort.

Yup - anyone with an Annie, 52, Ural, or 40x and a modicum of experience in their use should clean this thing like no tomorrow. I can’t convince myself to buy another Smallbore rifle, but this thread has had me VERY close!
 
Could someone photoshop these nice little groups into the center for me lol? I shot my marlin with peep sights again this morning with orange stick on targets overlayed. Seems the rifle is plenty accurate, I just can’t find a consistant point of aim through the peep sights. My vision is pretty poor and this took a whole lot of squinting.

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I got rained on 3 times today before finally getting some time with the savage. After the first attempt this morning before work I put my old simmons back on it after finding the 4x12 bushnell I had bought for it would not hold zero. This is about the best I can expect from this rifle. Its good for a sporter but its not a target rifle. Score was 113

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I'll have to take a go at this. I agree with ColtPythonElite that any serious rifle should clear the target just fine. Even my CZ455 rabbit gun shouldn't have a problem. 10 ring is like 1.5 MOA or something it looks like.
 
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