Help Selecting Rimfire Equipment

[CrashTheDOG]

So after a bunch of research, predominately on the Hide, I've finally pulled the trigger on my first precision rifle, a Vudoo V-22. I ordered it in April and if all goes well I'm being told I'll have it in two weeks or less. In those couple of weeks I'd love to assemble any of the equipment that would help me start building my precision shooting skills and was hoping to get some feedback from fellow Hide rimfire shooters.

FWIW, I don't think I'm going to be diving into competition any time soon. I'm really just looking to start building good skills and make the most effective use of what little time I have to shoot. I'm assuming that the bulk of my shooting will happen on BLM ground 15-20 minutes from my front door. I do have access to a local range but I'm not really familiar with what's available. Thought I'd check that out this weekend.

Mods if you feel like this thread is better suited in the Equipment forum let me know what needs to be done.

So let's start with what I have coming from Vudoo besides the rifle..

• MAGS: (3) V-22 10 round magazines
• BIPOD: Atlas V8 bipod
• SCOPE: Vortex Viper PST Gen2 5-25 w/rings

I'm considering the following items:

• BAGS: Triad Tactical Rear Bag (large) for when I shoot off of my bench for rabbits and chiselers. Also considering a Game Changer for everything else.
• SHOOTING MAT: Midway Half Acre and/or the Competition.
• TARGETS: I like the concept of the Shoot Steel Combo Stand which will hold paper targets (which are the best paper targets?) as well as the Improved Static Target Hanger so I can ring steel. I've also been intrigued by the KYL Targets thinking it'd be fun too use with my three boys. Love to know what you all are using for targets.

Am I missing any essential items to start off with? I don't mind wisely building up equipment over time, but I'd also like to start off with the equipment needed to make the best use of my time. Thanks for looking and I'm excited to hear your feedback.

Best,
Crash

 

[0dd]

Going to quote @ArmyJerry "Buy more ammo"

Especially with 3 kids + dad shooting

 

[RTH1800]

Atlas bipods are a work of art. Harris bipods simply work better in the field. I have several of both. Atlas’s never see use.

 

[RTH1800]

For precision suggest shooting paper. Large steel targets are too easy. Small ones tell little if hit and nothing if missed .

 

[Cofercr]

Atlas bipods are a work of art. Harris bipods simply work better in the field. I have several of both. Atlas’s never see use.

Cross Tac pad. Harris bipod. Bags of your choice. Best ammo you can afford. I see good groups with the best of the best but
Really is that the intent. Best with what you can buy in bulk.

 

[Loonhunter]

.

 

[Winchester59]

I have had a Vudoo in the Grayboe adjustable stock since January and shoot it off my back deck almost daily. I probably have 15 different rear bags including both you mentioned, and the full sized Gamechanger in waxed canvas gets used the most (you might consider the sticky hybrid if you intend to compete in the future). I bought a 5000 round case of CCI Standard Velocity ammo along with a couple of boxes of every premium match ammo I could find to see what my rifle likes best (so far I'm about half way through the CCI and haven't tried any of the others, which I will do if I decide to do an NRL .22 Match). I occasionally shoot paper, but mostly steel. I bought the 50 and 100 yd. KYL racks from Sturkis here on the hide, both .22 spinners from D&M Targets and a puzzle/wind target from Fry Targets. Some of the best $ spent was to order additional magazines from Vudoo for a total of 10. Stopping to load mags while shooting is a PIA. I load at night and shoot during the day. I really enjoy the steel targets, but some of the best training is shooting at small rocks in the dirt of yonder hillside (+/- 180 yards). Have fun with your Vudoo!

 

[spartan67]

Crash. Look up in the advanced marksman section, the sticky on the fundamentals of marksmanship.
All the equipment isnt worth a dam, if you dont have solid fundamentals.

"There is no magic or hidden secretes in shooting. Advanced shooting is proper application of fundamentals plus practice."
and this sticky also .https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/getting-started-in-precision-rifle-shooting-guide.6284387/#post-7709680

 

[RTH1800]

Crash. Look up in the advanced marksman section, the sticky on the fundamentals of marksmanship.
All the equipment isnt worth a dam, if you dont have solid fundamentals.

"There is no magic or hidden secretes in shooting. Advanced shooting is proper application of fundamentals plus practice."

One thing the "fundamentals preachers" invariably overlook it that you may or may not have already learned much or all you need to know about fundamentals. They seem to just assume that you have done nothing in that line.

I will also say that fundamentals differ. Some of it transfers from one discipline to another but much does not. Are you learning square range fundamentals, silhouette fundamentals, PRS shooting fundamentals, game shooting fundamentals, benchrest fundamentals?
They each have much in common but also have their own nuances.


You darn sure are not going to learn bipod or barricade fundamentals with out a bipod or a barricade. Taken to extreme, you are being foolish to even have a rifle or ammo prior to years studying "fundamentals".


Long to short is that you are doing the right thing researching gear and acquiring it. That alone will not make you a good shooter but it is part of the equation.

Carry on and good luck.

 

[brianf]

A lot of different ammo.
You prob already read about it, but 22lrs are ammo sensitive.
Find out what shoots well and but as much of that lot you can.
Or send it strait to the testing center, get squared away and then buy a metric ton.
You can gear the shit out of it (I’m also a gear hound lol) and yourself but if the ammo isn’t a match with you particular rifle it won’t matter.
You won’t hit shit

 

[RTH1800]

My experience is that most quality ammo has a decent level of accuracy in most good rifles. The testing I have done and the results from the Eley testing center that were done for me on 3 Vudoo's indicates this. My personal testing also involves literally several dozen 40X's and Winchester 52's. Barring the odd "bad lot" the good ammo shoots well. The testing gets you the last 10-15%.

 

[flatland1]

In the Krieger, Benchmark, Lilja, Bartlein, ACE, and Shilen bbls on my .22s, SK & Lapua have been pretty much the best value for the dollar I've found. I've done lot testing with SK Std+, Rifle Match, Pistol Match, LR Match, and bought a brick of one lot of Flatnose Basic that's not half-bad. I'd buy more lot samples of FN Basic to test, but in the last 1-1/2yrs, have wound up buying two cases of a really good lot of Rifle Match, one of Pistol Match, two of Lapua Center-X that Daniel Cliff found shot very well in my 1st V-22's Krieger, and recently, a good case each of Std+ & LR Match that I'd found by lot testing. So, my ammo budget is tapped-out for awhile, and I'm very pleased with the quality of the ammo I have on hand. What I've got shoots good enough to meet my needs, and most of it shoots equally well in all the bbls I mentioned, plus pretty good in a CZ457 Varmint MTR. Even lowly SK Std+ can really impress & shoot well at 200yds if you've done lot testing and found a very good lot of it.

I did buy some lot samples of Eley Match a few months ago from Clint Swigert, and found that at least a couple of those lots shot really well at 200+yds - but I've had some feeding issues with that flatnose EPS bullet in my jelrod-converted 40XB, and even occasional issues in the V-22s. As good as one specific lot of SK LR Match and one lot of Lapua Center-X shoot at 200yds out of both V-22s, I don't feel the extra cost & feeding liability of the EPS is worth it - as far as my specific needs are concerned. I've seen some really impressive 400yd groups from Hoser's lot of Eley in his 40X and/or V-22, so I'm not saying Eley is no good - quite obviously, it does work well for a lot of shooters. And I might change my tune if I were ever to head out to Colorado Springs with a couple of my rifles while Eley is at the Olympic Training Center testing ammo. But for what I've been able to do here at home, I'll stick with SK & Lapua.

 

[Erno86]

May I suggest the flip-up scope covers for the Vortex Viper PST Gen II and the scope power ring. I also have the same scope as you do...mounted on my BSA Mark II International in 22lr.

I like my CST 3/8" x 6" diameter 500 rated steel plate. It hangs on a steel hook attached to a steel cap, that can be placed atop a 2x4, and also emits a loud ringing noise when you hit it. You can also bolt it to a stand, but the hook enables the steel plate to move somewhat and make that audible ring sound better; without the presence of other nearby rifle or pistol fire.

Besides a boresnake...I like .17 caliber rifle rods and brass jags for my 22's, but you might have to walk the tip of the rod back in the muzzle, so it doesn't ding the crown on the backstroke.

Wind flags, Kestrel wind meter and elbow bags also helps.

 

[Old_Longhair]

Atlas bipods are a work of art. Harris bipods simply work better in the field. I have several of both. Atlas’s never see use.

▲▲This ▲▲
I would go so far as to suggest that you take what you'd spend on one Atlas and buy two Harris's...a tall and a short. The short for prone and bench, and the tall for sitting (as you will for various pest control situations). I use my tall one a lot when I'm after muskrats and woodchucks, and even for a fun challenge shooting long range steel , but it isn't practical for bench work or prone.

 

[TIMMYTOY]

Targets we use Shepard’s hooks and buy animal steel targets with no base drill hole in animals and hang them quick and easy.
I made a Kylee rack for about 50.00 it is so much fun.
Also saw blades hanging on Shepard’s hooks are very nice for long range the really ring.

 

[Kisssofdeath]

Here are some target suggestions from my backyard.

 

[Cofercr]

I made these easy and portable. Place them exactly the yardages you want.

 

[usafa77]

The KYL that Sturkis on the Hide sells is fantastic! All the precision you need. I also really enjoy the Mtm spinner/

 

[Near miss]

I have the Atlas PSR, upgraded from Harris and I am never going back. Was shooting a lot downhill and noticed Harris was bot functional on that, too much height vs. Atlas with feet at 45 degree angle.

@reubenski If you have a wobbly Atlas bipod you probably should call BT. I find mine not loose at all.

Chrono:
LMBR R2H
-Used it so far with PCP airguns and 22LR. Works very well. You just stand it with or without a tripod at the range or the muzzle and let it measure. No need to attach anything to the barrel or gun. I like it. You can use easily for BC calculations down the range.

LRF:
Nikon Aculon AL11
Has good reviews and works well for rimfire. If I am going to upgrade it, it will be a proper like Leica or Swaro, maybe Sig. But (un)fortunately it looks like I have no real need for one yet.

Paper targets:
10m Air pistol target
I mainly shoot steel when I am too lazy to go to targets to change them or it is too gusty to expect all to land at paper. I use 10m pistol targets all the way. Sometimes I just make a center dot with a marker to the blank side for POA for easy spotting during heavy mirage. I use tape or stapler for them.

Range bag:
Mil-tec

Mil-Tec gun carry bag, big

Big and black. A good gun carry bag with tons of storage space and a cheap price tag.

www.varusteleka.com

Very good! Max rifle length is around 101cm / 39.7"

I also made myself a brass catcher. Less time picking up brass, more time for shooting.

 

[billmeek]

As far as bipods go, the Atlas PSR is a wobbly fucker.

You should look into this:

BUILT FOR COMPETITION

victorcompanyusa.com

 

[MarkCZ]

If you want a cheap KYL I put one together for 50 yds and closer. http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/cheap-kyl.3975264/

Mark

 

[ROCKKREEK]

If you want a cheap KYL I put one together for 50 yds and closer. http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/cheap-kyl.3975264/

Mark

I built one using your idea on my home range,,,,works great,thanks

 

[Rover31]

@MarkCZ how much movement do the heavy “paddles” get on that kyl with an impact?

 

[MarkCZ]

A center hit will spin the 5/8" it several times. A edge hit will rock it, but not spin it. The others will spin with any hits. I have a full kyl, but find it is a cake walk at 50 yds until you get below 1" target, I found myself just shooting smaller targets. so I built this one for 50 yds shooting.

Mark