Best Rimfire Pistol for Steel Challenge?

[apoc4lypse]

3 hours ago, mpmo said:

Volquartsen just announced a new Mamba that looks sweet!  Available this summer.

 

https://volquartsen.com/retail_mailers/2021-01-21-the-mamba-x

 

 

I might just have to get theat upper for RFPO and swap in my current Black Mamba's bolt and frame.  I guess the old upper can be a dedicated RFPI setup

[zzt]

8 hours ago, pjb45 said:

my grip with the marvel  was the guide rod tightens the upper to the frame.  Every time I took it off, I had to re-zero the gun.  Larry said that is not a problem with his although his looks like a Marvel. 

i just brought a new place, unpacking and build a reloading bench, so I have no time to explore his stuff further. Oh I am in the capitol of action shooting so matches take up the remaining time.  Sounds like i am whining

 

You have to be just as careful with the Nelson.  When Bob Marvel 'redesigned' the Unit One for Nighthawk he made as few 'modifications' as he could to avoid a patent infringement suit.  He did not do as good a job as he did with the Unit One.  Nighthawk got tired of the problems and sold the manufacturing rights to Larry Nelson.  Another thing you won't like about the Nelson is it is more finicky about magazines and about the 1911 ejector position.  I had problems with both.

[Ming the Merciless]

15 hours ago, pjb45 said:

my grip with the marvel  was the guide rod tightens the upper to the frame.  Every time I took it off, I had to re-zero the gun.  Larry said that is not a problem with his although his looks like a Marvel. 

i just brought a new place, unpacking and build a reloading bench, so I have no time to explore his stuff further. Oh I am in the capitol of action shooting so matches take up the remaining time.  Sounds like i am whining

 

Both the Nelson and the Marvel will have the same issue IF the frame cut for the barrel foot is too wide.  Reliability will suffer as well since the barrel may be off center to the bolt face.  If the frame gap is not too big, it helps to use one of the aluminum dummy proving rounds in the chamber to help align the bolt face cutout with the chamber while tightening the guide rod.  If the frame gap is big, cut some cheap feeler gauges down to size and glue the proper thicknesses to each side of either the frame or the barrel lug to center the chamber to the bolt face cutout.

[pjb45]

zzt/ming

Nice info!  Thanks for contributing.

[Eldubya]

Practically any well-made 22 lr pistol will be accurate enough for the short target distances in steel challenge.  More important is the guns reliability as well as the ammunition.  I use a sw22 Victory with CCI SV ammo.  The weakest element of this setup is the shooter, not the equipment.

[riden]

On 1/25/2023 at 10:04 AM, Eldubya said:

Practically any well-made 22 lr pistol will be accurate enough for the short target distances in steel challenge.  More important is the guns reliability as well as the ammunition.  I use a sw22 Victory with CCI SV ammo.  The weakest element of this setup is the shooter, not the equipment.

My main 22 pistol steel gun is also a Victory with Tandemkross upgrades. Tinkering now with a Taurus TX22 Competition. 

[Cuz]

Giving this a quick ump to see what the current hot rimfire pistol is for shooting RPO Division. Is it still the Ruger 22/45, Volquartsen, or Buckmark?

 

Or has something else worked its way up to the top of the list?  What are the big match winners using these days?

 

My inexperience leads me to believe that a lighter gun would be faster, but I’m sure this has already been beaten to death and answered, so which is it?  Is a heavier or lighter gun preferred for the best scores?

 

Thanks,

Cuz

[Dr. Phil]

I prefer a bit heavier guns. They swing quicker and stop fine - for me. Maybe because most of my SC is done with a revolver.

I have tried several guns; Ruger MKIII, Buckmarks, GSG 1911, 22 revo. I have always come back to the Buckmark.

The 1911 .22s are nice, but my favorite auto has always been the 1911. 

My latest Buckmark has a TacSol lightweight barrel now. It is just on the cusp of being too light for my liking but man it shoots like a house-a-fire!

FWIW I have shot with M and GMs using "normal" guns and I have shot with A-Ds shooting Mambas and tricked out everything else.

I think it's the archer and not the arrow mostly.

YMMV

[Cuz]

1 hour ago, Dr. Phil said:

 

FWIW I have shot with M and GMs using "normal" guns and I have shot with A-Ds shooting Mambas and tricked out everything else.

I think it's the archer and not the arrow mostly.

YMMV

I totally agree with this statement, but sometimes, when your looking for an excuse to buy a new toy, you know, because everyone needs a ninth rimfire pistol, it’s nice to check on what some of the better players are shooting. Not necessarily because I think it will make me shoot like them, but rather because if they are shooting it regularly in competition, then it’s most likely a very reliable, serviceable pistol. 
 

The games we play, and the amount of shooting done in USPSA and Steel Challenge type matches really taxes a firearm. When you look around at what guns the “regulars” are shooting, you will see a decent variety of guns. But, what you won’t see are the guns that just can’t cut it. It’s always nice to have that data available when choosing a new pistol that I hope to compete with. 
 

[Dr. Phil]

Well I better get going! 

I think I only have 8 rimfire pistols Wait! Does the new Ruger Challenger count?

I might be good.

Best of luck in your search.  Whatever you may choose I know it will be fun, at least for a season or so.

[lawboy]

I have used several rimfire pistols.  Rugers, rimfire 2011s, Buckmarks.  Currently shooting Buckmark Lites in RFPO and RFPI.  I don't see myself changing anything in the foreseeable future.  These guns have proven extremely reliable. 

Edited July 25 by lawboy

[dfwmiket]

Have a set of his and hers Taurus TX22 Competition pistols both decked out with all the Tandemkross goodies.  Very reliable and fun to shoot. 

 

-Mike

[Cuz]

31 minutes ago, dfwmiket said:

Have a set of his and hers Taurus TX22 Competition pistols both decked out with all the Tandemkross goodies.  Very reliable and fun to shoot. 

 

-Mike

That’s about all you can ask for. 

[MikeNS]

I recently picked up a Mamba-X from Volquartsen. It has been an absolute pleasure to shoot! Probably have 500’ish through it now of various ammo and have yet to experience any kind of malfunction. I think it would be difficult to match what they offer in this gun for the price. 
 

~measly A class shooter without a jersey…