[Old School or Nothing]

I'm obtaining a 22LR match grade bolt gun and deciding between the std steel or a carbon fiber wrapped liner barrel option.

The weight difference isn't that big of a deal breaker as it will be used mainly on a rest and limited freehand shooting. I think the carbon mdl also has carbon stock and not sure about the composit stock on the all steel model.

I'm leaning towards all steel because I'm worried that in 20yrs the carbon fiber may degrade and not be worth a hoot. There is a little gap in the price difference but not enough to matter. Both have steel bores.

You guys have any input that would suggest a different opinion?

Thanks,
OS/N

 

[Hawg]

If I was going to do bench rest shooting I'd want the heaviest steel barrel I could get but that's just me I'm sure.

 

[Old School or Nothing]

Update -
I went with the regular steel barrel mdl.
Will do a range report after taking posession from the LGS sometime next week. Fits the basic 22NRL requirements if I don't put too high end of a scope on it. 👍

First runner up was a Tikka T1x (stock was deal breaker)

Second was toss up between a CZ457 and Ruger American Rimfire. Ruger would have needed a new stock and I'm not in love with their sloppy bolt so went with the Begara. Looked at a Ruger Precision also but don't care for the forearm and stock on them - just not my thing.

 

[MPistone]

Well you certainly have good taste in rifles. Bergara's reputation speaks for itself. I would have opted for the steel barrel as well. Gonna need some target pics once you break in that barrel.

 

[Old School or Nothing]

Well you certainly have good taste in rifles. Bergara's reputation speaks for itself. I would have opted for the steel barrel as well. Gonna need some target pics once your break in that barrel.

I had been debating on getting a respectful bolt action 22RF or a Howa 1500 mini action in 6.5 grendel - a barreled action build.

Looks like the rimfire won. The grendel brass, bullets and factory ammo are all just to costly and hard to find to get into right now. Its using small primers was a good thing but the other items are just too much.

 

[sparkyv]

Good choice, sir. I too, chose the steel bbl, Old School or Nothing. The carbon version is a small diameter tube wrapped in carbon fiber, and it just didn't seem to be sturdy enough to me. I guess I'm too, just too "Old School" in that respect. 🤣 It isn't more accurate and really, the only advantage is the lower weight...all this for an additional hundred bux.

I haven't spent enough testing time with my BMR yet to find its ideal ammo, so my CZ455 is still my preferred target/bench gun. For me, the BMR is ideal for offhand shooting at the siluetas...I'm confident it will grow on me.

 

[Old School or Nothing]

Well the BMR showed up yesterday at the LGS. I'll pick it up today. The weather is supposed to be a little better this week end so I should be able to inspect and clean it up, slick it up if needed, outfit it with some optics I already have, and get a little wax worked in the barrel.

Will post a few target dots with hopefully some little clover leafs on them in a day or so. Have several decent ammo types to run through it so should get a good idea of what it likes. Think I will season it with a box or two of CCI SV, get those on paper first, and then run some of the others for comparison.

 

[Old School or Nothing]

Went through some ammo this afternoon. It seems to like greasy ammo better than waxy but it did reasonably well with all I shot through it.

10 round groups at 50 yards best at top

• SK pistol match best groups at a little under 1 moa
• TAC 22
• Eley target
• CCI SV

Eley target and CCI SV were about the same. Sorry didn't do photos today cause it was a little rainy and I've been under the weather for the last few days. I had some Eley benchrest outlaw (42 solids) but grabed the target box by mistake - they usually shoot better than the SK Pistol. The eley target always seems to throw 1 or 2 fliers a little out of the group like the tac 22. The SV didn't have fliers it was just spread out more at about 3/4". The tac22 and SV are around 8$ a hundred and the eley and sk were 18 so...

I didn't try any high velocity - all were under 1125 fps out of the 18" barrel. It is noteworthy to mention that the SK Pistol Match and Norma Tac22 ammo produced mutible single hole 3 and 5 round groups prior to me shooting the above 10 round group listings. The shooter, ammo, rifle, weather, and everything else working perfect together has to happen to keep 10 rnd groups as tight as 3 and 5s.

The rifle worked fine and was easy to use. Only downside is the 30MOA rail put my old scope right at the end of travel - think a flat rail would be better or maybe a 20 at the most. It is a nice solid rig and handles well on the bench. More or par with a center fire bolt gun than most 22RF guns - IMO.

 

[Firpo]

I think you made the right decision. 👍🏻

 

[ms6852]

I personally would go steel. I find that I am more accurate shooting off hand with a heavier rifle than a lighter one. I seem to be more stable.

 

[gvw3]

I have a Ruger American Rimfire, Ruger Precision Rimfire and a CZ 457. CCI-SV works ok in all of them. The CZ really shines with SK-Standard. Nothing I own will outshoot it with the SK ammo. I don't find my bolt sloppy on either of my Rugers. The only thing I don't care for is the Ruger American has a pressed-in barrel and it can't be changed by the user. That's what I was told by Ruger. My barrel was warped on my Ruger American and they just sent me a new rifle at no cost.

 

[sparkyv]

Statistically, 10 shot groups are expected to be larger than 5 or 3. It's more appropriate (and less frustrating) to compare 10 shot groups to other 10 shot groups than to 5 shot groups.

Regarding the 30 MOA rail, I shimmed the front of mine by 15 thou, and it did the trick for me since I don't shoot beyond 100 yds. At what distance were you shooting, Old School or Nothing?

$8/100 SK pistol match is pretty decent. From where do you get it?