Revised 5/19/24

BASE CLASS RIFLES

You have just discovered the world of .22LR precision shooting and events like the NRL 22… So now what? All you need to get started is a .22LR rifle and some ammo, which shouldn’t be too hard, considering the .22 caliber is the most popular one in North America. But what rifle should you use? After reading the rules and watching a few youtube videos, you have learned that there are 2 classes of .22LR rifles that will be allowed during the match: Base Class rifles and Open Class rifles. it is also very apparent that an optic or scope is 99% necessary, so you can forget about using open sights. Looks like you have a great excuse to pick up a new rifle and scope!

What rifle you decide to use will make that classification for you… But what rifle do you choose? For starters, not any .22 caliber rifle will do. It must be a .22 caliber with the LR designation. The LR stands for Long Rifle and differentiates the cartridge from the other .22 rimfire calibers such as the .22 WMR and the .22 WRF. The .22LR is almost always the caliber referenced to when someone says a rifle is a “22”.

At its very basic level, the rifle you use will have to have a removable magazine. 10 rounds or more is preferred and almost necessary, but you could get by with less rounds if you can change magazines and have more than one. (Not recommended, but possible!) .22 rifles at NRL events will be bolt action and semi-auto style rifles with removable 10 round or higher magazines. From there, the choices are endless. The difference between Base and Open class really comes down to two criteria: Modifications and overall cost.

MODIFICATIONS AND OVERALL COST

Lets start with the cost of your rifle. As in most competitive events, the amount of money you can spend is only limited by your bank account. the more you spend, the better your equipment gets….balance, accuracy, weight, functionality, glass clarity — the adjustments are as endless as the imagination. But better equipment doesn’t guarantee better scores because you still need to develop the skills that make a novice shooter a great shooter. Buying your way the the podium has real limits. The NRL22 has developed guide lines and rules that clearly define what constitutes a Base class rifle.

From the Rules section on the NRL22.com website:

Base division is intended to be budget oriented and friendly to new competitors. Any rifle
system that comes in at or under a combined MSRP of $1500 USD, as listed on the
manufacturer’s website, shall be eligible to compete in Base division. This $1500 USD
combined MSRP price is the limit for the sum of the rifle's MSRP and the scope's MSRP.
a. The following are considered accessories to the rifle and are allowed in Base
division: Interchangeable/removable grips utilizing factory attachment points,
bottom metal/trigger guard/magwell, scope rings, scope bases, bipods,
suppressors, data card holders, magazines, spare magazine holders, auto bolt
releases, extended magazine releases, bubble levels, digital levels, bolt knobs,
and rail attached weights or weights utilizing factory attachment points.
b. Factory barrels must remain in their original factory specifications. Threading of
the barrel is allowed.
c. Barrel tuners, or items attached to the barrel that act as a tuner are not allowed in
Base division. Thread protectors and suppressors are allowed in Base division.
d. Safe adjustments to the factory trigger are allowed but aftermarket triggers are
prohibited.
e. The addition of internal weights is not allowed.
f. Modifications to the stock including drilling holes are not allowed unless being
done with one of the following exceptions listed below:
i. Bedding of the action
ii. Mounting a flat rail (e.g. arca or picatinny) to the bottom of the forend.
iii. Adding a cheek riser
iv. Adding a sling stud.
g. Base rifles must remain in their factory configured stock/chassis. Applying paint
and/or cerakote to the original factory stock/chassis is allowed, but if a barreled
action is removed from the factory stock/chassis and placed in an aftermarket
stock not available by the manufacturer and not available as an option to
purchase as a complete rifle, then that rifle will be an Open division rifle.
h. The production status and MSRP on the first day of the season will be
considered valid for the entire season. Left-handed models identical in
configuration to right-handed models but with a higher MSRP will be recognized
at the MSRP of the right-handed version. Base division competitors should be mindful that

manufacturers may change the MSRP of their products from time to
time. Rifles and scopes that are out of production on the first day of the season
are eligible if the last production year MSRP of the rifle and optic adjusted for
inflation using the following link https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm
fall within the MSRP limits and the rifle meets all other criteria for Base division.
NRL22 will not maintain a list of authorized rifles or scopes due to the dynamics
of the ever-changing cycle of revised models, new products, and upgrades being
released by manufacturers.
i. At sign in, the Match Director should inspect the rifle and ensure that the rifle
meets the aforementioned criteria. If the MSRP goes over or unauthorized
modifications have been made, the competitor shall compete in the Open division
or another division so long as he/she meets the criteria of that division. It is
difficult for local Match Directors to keep up with every detail. Base division
competitors are encouraged to assist local Match Directors with ensuring Base
division rifles appropriately fall into Base division. Match Directors are
responsible for enforcing the Base division regulation matters when they arise on
a case-by-case basis. For the National Championship, these rules will be
followed to the letter. There will be a gunsmith or a representative from NRL22
present at the NRL22 Championship for Base division rifle inspections.

The cost threshold for base class rifles is $1500. That includes your optic and the cost is MSRP, not what you paid for it. It also restricts the modifications made to the rifle. Most notably are mods to the stock/chassis and barrel. Swapping your polymer stock to a slick new aluminum precision chassis instantly puts you in the open class. So does changing out your 16” barrel to a 24” aftermarket one. To shoot an approved base rifle, it will take a little homework on your part. Here is an unofficial checklist based on my own experience as a new NRL22 competitor:

How much of that $1500 dollars are you willing to spend? Figure out what your budget is.
Look for a rifle that has a detachable magazine, preferably 10 or more rounds.
The rifle must have some way to attach a bipod, either a swivel stud, a picatinny rail, or an arca mount. At the very least, it should have enough of the forearm to add a bipod mount to the stock or chassis. Bipods are a must have piece of equipment for matches.
The rifle needs to have a mounting system to attach an optic. You’ll need a pre-drilled action that you can attach a picatinny rail, direct scope rings or dovetail grooves machined into the receiver. For example, a Ruger 10/22 rifle has different models that use one or all three of these mounting systems.
The rifle you choose should have a history of reliability. There are a few models of .22LR that have a less than stellar reputation for reliability. It really takes away from your match and can become a safety issue if you are constantly fighting your rifle’s feeding, ejecting, or firing issues.
Popular Base Class Rifles
- Ruger 10/22 semi-auto ($499)
- Ruger Precision Rifle bolt action ($619)
- Ruger American Model 8378 bolt action ($739)
- Tikka T1x MTR bolt action ($649.99)
- Bergara BMR bolt action ($549.99)
- Bergara B-14 Trainer ($1029.99)
- Savage Mark ll bolt action ($459)
- Savage A22 precision semi-auto ($679)
- Springfield 2020 bolt action ($434)
- CZ 457 Varmint MTR bolt action ($849)
  
  There is plenty of combinations to choose from and carefully researching each one will lead you to the choice that’s right for you and your budget. Many of the rifles mentioned are used by thousands of competitors throughout the US and Canada. If you one day plan on getting into the open class, then choose a rifle that can be improved and modified to enhance your shooting experience. As your budget grows, building your rifle from a base model is a lot of fun, and adds an extra element to the sport. Quiet frankly, it is very addicting and rewarding to make your rifle all it can be. Shooting 1/4 inch groups is a worthy pursuit that will challenge and grow your knowledge of rimfire precision shooting.

I can’t finish this article without at least mentioning what combination of rifle and scope I would purchase and run as a base class set up. Big surprise, its consists of a rifle and an Optic from Blog #3 “ Base Class Optics” from the lists above. For my rifle I’ll take the CZ 457 MTR varmint. CZ 457’s are quite possibly the most popular precision 22LR rifle in every format and come in a variety of styles, barrel types and lengths. With it’s match chamber, you get sub MOA accuracy out of the box and it has one of the best production triggers out there. The 60 degree throw on the bolt will give you less interference with scope magnification levers. The aftermarket options are plentiful and varied, offering upgrades for triggers, barrels, and chassis of metal, wood and polymer. This particular model is outfitted with a precision style walnut stock and a 90 degree grip with palm swells. It features a 20.5” long bull barrel that comes in a 1-16 twist. The most unfortunate thing about this rifle is the included magazine. It functions incredibly well, but has a pitiful capacity of 5 rounds. That would be the first thing I would replace. There are 10, 15, and 25 round magazines, but 10 round mags are the most suitable for precision matches. There are aftermarket mag extensions that will give you 3 more rounds, and I would highly recommend picking some up. As for the scope, I would choose the Arken EP-5 5-25x56 FFP.

Rifle cost ($849)+Optic cost($599.99)= $1448.99 There it is, my perfect base class setup with $51.01 left for 2 or 3 boxes of match ammo! Whatever you choose, there are plenty of options to choose from to fit your budget and shooting style and a great future of awesome range days!

BASE CLASS RIFLES

OPEN CLASS RIFLES