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Best rifle for .22 NRA bench rest competition

dannejdannej Member Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
edited September 2015 in Ask the Experts
I am considering a cash outlay of up to about $1500 for a top of the line custom or unlimited rifle. I see several for sale off and on but wonder if they are being sold because they just don't stack up. I have an Anschutz sporter that I can shoot in the 230's, with a 242 being the best. I see Winchester 52's for around a thousand and Coopers for $1700ish. Is the extra $700 a sure thing for accuracy?

Any info and recommendations would be much appreciated.
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    Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    Back in the Dark Ages I was on the University rifle team. We had rem 37s and Win 52s. Several considered the 52 a superior rifle but I could shoot higher scores with a particular 37. My suspicion is that there are variations between rifles when you get to the Anschutz/52/Cooper level that will allow one rifle to shoot better than the other, for no apparent reason.
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    perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390 ✭
    edited November -1
    TWO places to go Champions Choice and Champions shooter's supply Doth places support NRA 22 matches in the best way Then you need to test all brands of MATCH ammo And each lot number of said ammo keep the best lot numbers for Matches and save the rest for practice.
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    Toolman286Toolman286 Member Posts: 2,984 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Perry is on the money regarding ammo making the rifle. A fellow club member, Frank Boyd (God rest his soul) was an NRA recognized world class master shooter of 22s. He had a deal with several manufacturers who would send him samples of each lot of 22s they produced for him to test through his rifles. He would in turn advise other top shooters of which lot/brand to buy for their rifles.
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    MG1890MG1890 Member Posts: 4,649
    edited November -1
    .22 rimfire benchrest is dominated by custom actions, custom barrels, tuners, and ammo selection.

    Factory rifles like the Anschutz are very good, but not competitive until rebarreled.

    I love Winchester 52's, but they don't compete with the full blown custom stuff.
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    dannejdannej Member Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am aware of the ammo factor and was surprised the Lapua centerX didn't shoot well in my Anschutz, but RWS r50 did. Your replies confirm my suspicions that there is no guarantee you will get a supurb rifle from Anschutz or Winchester. I have thought of having a rifle built, but don't know what action to use. Any thoughts? How critical is the action to accuracy?
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think the money goes into the barrel first and the ammo second. I think your $ amount isn't going to buy a top of the line unit.
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    iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There are several class for NRA bench rest competition. Not everyone is using a BAT action and a cryo'd barrel or some sort of railgun.

    Fella at the local 200 yd range shoots in the 'sporter' class w/ a Cooper M57. He uses Lapua ammo and his rifle cost more than my Anschutz Match 54.
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    dannejdannej Member Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    How does he do at 200 yds.?
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    bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    How about moving this to the reloading and competition forum where we can discuss it for more than ten replies.
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    sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bpost
    How about moving this to the reloading and competition forum where we can discuss it for more than ten replies.


    I would completely agree! Too good of a topic to stop here.[;)]
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