First - Yes, I searched. I went through the first 15 pages of the SC forum and read almost everything. After 15 pages a lot of it seemed outdated - I'll read most of it eventually but I wanted to post this.
I want to do a series of topics on Steel Challenge gear as general requests for info, and maybe, if the mods like the info we gather, turn them into stickies for the forum. I can't find a webpage that talks about SC gear anywhere else, and non-stickied forum posts get outdated. If we can clean up the info and sticky it, we can make a real resource for people looking for information.
Of course, I also want to know because I'm planning on building an Open rimfire gun myself, and I'm trying to figure out the best stuff. The only things specific to me are that I'm trying to spend less than $1500 on the gun+any gunsmithing, and that I'm left-handed. Happily I don't need to mess with the safety in rimfire.
So-Here's a list of the rimfire guns listed in the SC forum that are available new:
1911/2011 - TacSol Conversion
Beretta - 87T
Browning - Buckmark
Hammerli - Xesse
Ruger - 22/45 and Mark III
S&W Model 41
Volquartsen pistols
I'm only listing the guns that are currently available that people mentioned in here, so - for example - Bob Marvel's kit from Nightforce isn't there. Which pistols am I missing? Why did you go with a Buckmark over a Ruger? Which model? Why is a 4.5" TacSol barrel better than a 6" one? Can you be competitive using a 1911 conversion if your last name isn't Norris? Don't just say it is, explain. Please feel free to blab at length about your testing 5 different brands of ammo with three aftermarket uppers in 20 degree weather. If there's interest, I'm planning on doing topics on guns, optics, ammo, triggers, other parts, training, and anything else that seems important enough.
Forums are a great place to share information, maybe the best one we have, so let's use it. No flame wars, no arguments - let's have a discussion about what we like and dislike about what we use.