October 2026 (1) - Flipbook - Page 76
Getting Started in .22 BPCR
By
Scott Elliott
As many of you know I
enjoy shooting .22 LR Single
Shot Ri昀氀es. With that in mind
I am always looking for a “valid” excuse to acquire another.
A few years back I had been
competing in American Single
Shot Ri昀氀e Association (ASSRA)
and International Single Shot
Association (ISSA) matches
for some time and then heard
about .22 BPCR matches being
held locally and I immediately
needed to get the scoop. Bingo a
“valid” excuse for another ri昀氀e!
Since participating in .22 BPCR
matches I’ve made some really great friends and have had
some great experiences. Below
you will 昀椀nd some thoughts and
ideas based upon my travels.
This is by no means “expert”
advice, but rather a guide to get
you started.
First you need to 昀椀nd
a venue that conducts .22
BPCR events. Word of mouth
with other singleshot enthusiast is how I found out about
our events at the Ben Avery
in Phoenix, AZ. Another way
would be to check out www.22bpcra.com or the 22 BPCR
Association Facebook page.
Once you locate a match go
check one out. Talk with the
participants and don’t be afraid
to ask questions. Remember it’s
always good having new people
out. Here is where you can gain
valuable information on equip-
76
ment, techniques and a schedule of events.
After meeting folks and
deciding you want to particpate
in this shooting discipline then
it’s time to start getting equipment together, 昀椀nding a shooting partner and shooting your
昀椀rst match. So you are going
to need a ri昀氀e with an exposed
hammer, a spotting scope, a
scope or iron sights, cross sticks,
a shooting mat and ammunition. We are fortunate to live
in era were ri昀氀es that meet .22
BPCA rules are plentiful. CPA
and C. Sharps currently produce
accurate ri昀氀es. You may also
take the route of having a custom ri昀氀e built o昀昀 of a historical
reciever or an 1885 by Montana Vintage Arms (MVA). The
scoped ri昀氀e class is the most
popular. MVA, DZ Arms and
Hi-Lux produce scope that will
meet your needs and stay within
the rules. A scope can only have
friction adjustment no clicks.
The objective cannot be larger
than 1inch. Iron sights are also
used and shoot in there own
class. Next a stable set of cross
sticks is essential. I am happy
with my Bu昀昀alo Shooting Sticks.
They produce a wide variety to
suit your needs. Match grade
ammunition is essential. You
need consistent ammunition.
Remember you will be shooting
out to 200 yards with a .22LR
cartridge. I suggest taking a
look into Eley, Lapua and RWS
ammunition. Test it on paper o昀昀
of the bench and see what works
best for you. Then take it to a
match. Lapua has and continues
to serve me well.
You can have all of the
best equipment, but if you do
not have a good shooting partner/spotter you are going to
have a tough row to hoe. You
need to be able to communicate
with this person, trust their
windcalls and enjoy shooting
with them. A good shooting
partner wants to see you shoot
well and have fun.
So now you have everything you need to shoot .22
October, 2026, Issue #4
