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Zermatt RimX 22LR Review - Bartlein, Benchmark, GM, Krieger, Lilja

Took my Shilen barreled RimX our again today for casual ammo testing. 50yds and and several at 100yds. Lapua Pistol King was better than Midas +. SK STD + also did good for cheaper ammo.
For 100 yds shooting didn’t want move scope, just aim high. Another shooter decided to to shoot my my target when I was shooting @50 yds.
 
padom - Your results with the Krieger validate my confidence in the ones I've got on V-22s & a CMP 40XB that jelrod did the V-22 mag repeater conversion on. I chambered all three of mine with a EPS reamer from PTG, and all three really like a lot of SK Rifle Match I found at Grafs three years ago. I had to do some explaining to the sales gal who I bought some lot samples from, but when she understood what I was after & why, she was good help, and at the time (June 2017), they were running a dealer special featuring free freight & insurance. So when I found a lot # that shot really well in my two 40Xs, and ordered a case of it, my dealer price was $638 delivered. She even called me back a couple of days later, asking if I wanted another case of the same lot - she'd taken it upon herself to go snooping through the warehouse, and had found one more unbroken case of it. Bless her heart - you bet I snapped it up at the same price! However, the next few times I called to ask for lot samples, I got some dude who really didn't have a clue, and what's worse - didn't care.

Whatever, thanks for posting the results with your Krieger...hope you have time to do some Center-X lot testing with it down the road....
 
Awesome shooting and results. It seems like 3 years ago the options for high end customs and easily attainable results were pretty limited and now there are multiple and available barrels, prefits, and action choices.

But this video taping stuff on the other hand... LOL. This isn't exactly regulation Dodgeball on the Ocho. Even with video folks are still bickering about measuring edge smears and softwares. Doesn't seem to provide the bullet proof fidelity in the long run. Not to mention, watching 100rds of rimfire on target is like your aunt Karen force-feeding you photos from her vacation to Ft Lauderdale, ha ha! I'm good to just take your word for it.

But good shooting. Three barrels hammering back to back is pretty darn conclusive. Great service to the community here.

The video isn't proof of anything or there to prove anything. Its something I committed to doing when I started this review. If people don't believe the results, I could give 2 shits. Lololol.. Some people actually enjoy the videos and maybe it helps some people. Idk but I sure as hell couldn't watch it
 
Its really amazing to see the consistency, barrel after barrel with mid range match ammo. The RimX is really a game changer giving people the option to grab a very very accurate setup for reasonable money and have lots of barrel options.
 
I received my Lothar Walther pre-fit last week, and it looks nice. But the headspace was very excessive, so back to LW it went. They were apologetic and sent a return shipping label and promised a quick fix.
 
I received my Lothar Walther pre-fit last week, and it looks nice. But the headspace was very excessive, so back to LW it went. They were apologetic and sent a return shipping label and promised a quick fix.

What was the excessive headspace? What chamber?
 
What was the excessive headspace? What chamber?

Didn't check the headspace when I first installed the barrel. When I went to test it out it would only fire once in 5 or 6 attempts. I stopped trying to shoot it and then checked the headspace with the gauge provided with the Rim-X action and the bolt closed easily on the no-go gauge.
Not sure exactly what chamber Walther uses, but whatever it comes with from their site.
Walther was eager to remedy the situation and the barrel is on it's way back to them.

I sent my Green Mountain Keystone Accuracy barrel back to John for inspection as well.
 
Its really amazing to see the consistency, barrel after barrel with mid range match ammo. The RimX is really a game changer giving people the option to grab a very very accurate setup for reasonable money and have lots of barrel options.
That and I think your chamber really wrings out the accuracy for these brands of ammo.
 
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Didn't check the headspace when I first installed the barrel. When I went to test it out it would only fire once in 5 or 6 attempts. I stopped trying to shoot it and then checked the headspace with the gauge provided with the Rim-X action and the bolt closed easily on the no-go gauge.
Not sure exactly what chamber Walther uses, but whatever it comes with from their site.
Walther was eager to remedy the situation and the barrel is on it's way back to them.

I sent my Green Mountain Keystone Accuracy barrel back to John for inspection as well.
What issue did you have with the GM barrel?
 
I don’t have mine yet but my buddy has had his for a week know. 20” Green Mountain by Keystone and one of the ammo’s that’s surprised us at least at 50yds is SK Pistol Match.
 
I don’t have mine yet but my buddy has had his for a week know. 20” Green Mountain by Keystone and one of the ammo’s that’s surprised us at least at 50yds is SK Pistol Match.

I have a bunch of SK Pistol Match and Pistol Match Special. Its always shot good for the money @ 50yd but really falls apart at 100yd or farther which is why I dont even include it in these tests.
 
@padomhow do you like the mdt xrs chassis on the rifle?

Im shooting the XRS on the Vudoo for the Vudoo testing right now, not the RimX. I was going to use it on the RimX but I switched it to my XLR Envy chassis because its much easier for testing purposes to clean the barrel between 50yd and 100yd tests, etc. with the XLR folder...

But the MDT XRS is a great stock/chassis (hybrid) whatever you want to call it for the money. Accuracy wise it shoots as good as anything else.
 
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Question, I've ordered the barreled action from Keystone. I have a stock that had a Curtis vector Bedded for it. Ya think I could use this as a drop in or not really.
 

Not 100% positive but I believe the Vector is Rem700 clone footprint but I could be wrong. But one thing I do see would need to be modified on your inlet stock is the bolt handle inlet. It would need to be opened up since the Vector uses a straight bolt handle and the RimX uses a swept bolt handle...
 
Not 100% positive but I believe the Vector is Rem700 clone footprint but I could be wrong. But one thing I do see would need to be modified on your inlet stock is the bolt handle inlet. It would need to be opened up since the Vector uses a straight bolt handle and the RimX uses a swept bolt handle...

^Correct on Curtis Vector being rem700 footprint.
 
What issue did you have with the GM barrel?

It wasn't shooting to my satisfaction accuracy wise. About as good as I could get was 1.5 MOA @ 50 yards....
This was after testing several types of known excellent quality ammo, something just wasn't right, not sure what, but I am confident they will figure it out.
 
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Keystone just posted their Krieger RimX sale. Now till July 4th


padom, can you comment on why you chose the M24 contour for the test barrels? Is there an accuracy benefit from your experience with this contour?

Also, one additional question. Does the rimX action bolt fit in an MPA BA chassis? No issues with bolt throw clearance from the RimX design?

Thanks!
 
@padom kinda a stupid question but trying to get all the parts here for my 2 rim x builds from keystone so once the BA's get here I can get to shooting. Anyways, I went with 20" m24 40moa rail so basically what your shooting. And athlon ares etr's. What height rings are you running? Curious if I can get away with 1" and scope caps or should go with 1.25 or something of the sort. Thanks!
 
@padom kinda a stupid question but trying to get all the parts here for my 2 rim x builds from keystone so once the BA's get here I can get to shooting. Anyways, I went with 20" m24 40moa rail so basically what your shooting. And athlon ares etr's. What height rings are you running? Curious if I can get away with 1" and scope caps or should go with 1.25 or something of the sort. Thanks!

I run 30moa rail, .92" vortex PMR rings with Athlon Cronus BTR and i clear barrel with room but caps won't fit..
 
I received my Lothar Walther pre-fit last week, and it looks nice. But the headspace was very excessive, so back to LW it went. They were apologetic and sent a return shipping label and promised a quick fix.

Lothar Walther called yesterday and said that the relief cut on the shank at the end of the threads was not quite to proper spec. They fixed it and the barrel is back on the way to me in less than a week!

Very good communication and customer service from Lothar Walther!
 
Took my Shilen barreled RimX out again today. EPS Chambered, five shot groups @ 50 yds. with 5 shots in W/U target before shooting. Two groups each with various ammo. Temp was 90+ and light variable tail wind. Lots of gnats getting in my eyes while shooting. Lapua ammo still is the best in all my rifles and Pistol King has always been solid performer in all my rifles. Will test again as conditions permit @ 100 yds where Pistol King has been a solid performer. Center dot is 1/4”.
 

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Took my Shilen barreled RimX out again today. EPS Chambered, five shot groups @ 50 yds. with 5 shots in W/U target before shooting. Two groups each with various ammo. Temp was 90+ and light variable tail wind. Lots of gnats getting in my eyes while shooting. Lapua ammo still is the best in all my rifles and Pistol King has always been solid performer in all my rifles. Will test again as conditions permit @ 100 yds where Pistol King has been a solid performer. Center dot is 1/4”.
What barrel contour is that?

Jeff
 
escopeta2020 - Looks like your Shilen shoots pretty darned good with Lapua in its EPS chamber. All but one of my custom 22RF bbls have been chambered with my PTG EPS reamer, including five Kriegers, two Shilen ratchet rifled select match, one 3-gr Benchmark, and a Lilja titebore, and they all shoot pretty well with SK & Lapua ammo. However, a couple of times last year while testing some Eley Match, one of the Kriegers and a Bartlein that VGW chambered shot better at 200+yds with the Eley than they did with a select lot of Lapua Center-X. I was mostly just shooting up some lot samples of Eley that I'd bought to try in an Anschutz 2011, but once I found out how well my V-22s liked a few of these lots, I wondered if the Lapua & SK would perhaps shoot better at the same 200+yds if they were chambered with a reamer designed from the get-go for best performance with Lapua? I may do some work to find out when I get my hands on a V-22S action & get it set up to shoot BR. I have a Shilen ratchet in R5 contour for it, and may try either a Bartlein or Krieger for it also - unless the R5 shoots lights-out, and if it does, why mess with success?
 
Plan was to test the Krieger @ 100yd this morning but the wind is blowing 8-12 so no go. New plan is this evening if wind cooperates.....
 
Lilja barrel is back from Keystone ready to go. After the 100yd Krieger test Ill be screwing on the Lilja, the last barrel in this review.
 
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@padom I have a question about XLR chassis' I was hoping you could help me with. Have you had experience with the element 3.0? Is it shorter than the Envy Pro? I will want to put an ARCA rail on the element if I go that route, am I better off coughing up the extra $200 for the envy pro?
 
@padom I have a question about XLR chassis' I was hoping you could help me with. Have you had experience with the element 3.0? Is it shorter than the Envy Pro? I will want to put an ARCA rail on the element if I go that route, am I better off coughing up the extra $200 for the envy pro?

I have owned every XLR except the Element 3.0. They are all great..

There have been a few different versions of the Envy... i have an Envy Gen2 with the full ARCA, I have an Envy Pro and I have a Envy JV Heavy. I love them all. I mean you aren't far off after adding a ARCA so I would go Envy Pro
 
padom, can you comment on why you chose the M24 contour for the test barrels? Is there an accuracy benefit from your experience with this contour?

Also, one additional question. Does the rimX action bolt fit in an MPA BA chassis? No issues with bolt throw clearance from the RimX design?

Thanks!
Have mine in MPA Competition chassis with no issues. Pix on my other posts here. Use same chassis on my Tuebor Raider 6BR. Seems to work just fine.
 
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Alright winds were much calmer tonight then this morning so the 100yd Krieger test was a success. Winds pretty consistent 3-5mph.

To recap, the Krieger shot the best 50yd results of the barrels tested so far, just barely beating the Bartlein but it was so close you can call the 50yd results equal (.005). Well the Krieger beat all the barrels tested to date @ 100yd by a pretty good margin with CenterX. The 10x5 was incredible as well at just barely over 0.6" showing the results were very consistent. A second lot of CenterX was right there with the previous 100yd 6x5 best results just barely over 0.6. The 3rd lot of CenterX shot a respectable 0.75" 6x5. This Krieger sure is shooting very nicely, really looking forward to shooting it at 300 and 400yd after this review is over.

20" Krieger M24
22LR Match Eachus
Keystone Accuracy
100yds
Prone, Bipod Rear Bag

84F
3-5 MPH wind









 
I’m going to have to get a lot of Center X it looks like!
 
Not impressed today at 100 and light tail wind. Lapua Pistol King, Center x, and Midas +. We’re the best at 50 but lacking at 100.
 

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Not impressed today at 100 and light tail wind. Lapua Pistol King, Center x, and Midas +. We’re the best at 50 but lacking at 100.
I think your standards may be too high. For 20 shot groups in variable wind those are pretty dam good groups. Big difference when you go from 5 to 10 and huge difference when you start shooting 20 shot groups (especially in wind).
 
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Good shooting Padom!

I've been watching these barrel tests from the start. Thank you for taking the time, energy & money to do this.

From what I can see - by a very slight margin, the Krieger seems to be the king of the hill.

From you have seen, what barrel was the most consistent with multiple ammo brands?

Take care,
Bob S.
 
So I just received these in the mail and they couldnt come soon enough. I had Zermatt send Joel @ JKL Precision a RimX magazine so he could design and make RimX magazine loaders. These are a MUST BUY for anyone running the RimX magazines with the +5 magazine extensions!! 10rd mags you can load just fine with the built in loading tabs to pull down on the follower. If you have the +5 billet extensions installed, you can just barely load 11 rounds into the magazine at which time you no longer have tabs to pull down on to load the last 4. You had to physically grab the greasy/oily stack of match bullets and pull down hard to get the last 4 in. Anyone loading 1000's of rounds in their RimX 15rd mags knows how frustrating this is/was.

Well the new JKL Precision RimX magazine loader is done and it works beautifully! Made this quick little video to show how easy and nice it is. Get with JKL Precision to place your orders!

Big shout out to Joel @ JKL Precision for getting this done! and Ray @Zermatt Arms for helping me out and sending Joel at mag to design off of!..




 
Doesn't look like the mag loader is on the site yet. Mind me asking how much they are selling them for? Any feeding issues when running the +5 Mag extension?
 
Doesn't look like the mag loader is on the site yet. Mind me asking how much they are selling them for? Any feeding issues when running the +5 Mag extension?

I literally just got home from being away for the weekend and found this in my mailbox for testing. I emailed Joel and let him know it works beautifully. Email them if you want to place an order.

I have zero issues with the +5 magazine extensions. They feed and run just like the 10rd mags before the extensions were installed. I have probably 2000rd or so through my 3 mags with the 3 +5 extensions installed.
 
For the guys I know personally that have purchased the +5 mag extension it's been a mixed bag in terms of function and reliability. Luckily, Ive had no problems. Definitely going to pick up Joel's mag loader
Any idea on what makes some function and some not? Shot a match last week with a guy shooting a Rim-x who said his were not working, didn’t have time to get into why. My barreled action arrives at the end of the week.