Rimfire Matches - Fun and a good place to start.

A rimfire rifle match is a popular, common shooting competition using .22 LR rifles, designed for both beginners and experienced shooters. Matches typically include positional shooting (prone, sitting/kneeling, standing) at 25 and 50 yards (Sporter) or precision, long-range steel target matches from 25 to 300 yards.

Common Types of Rimfire Matches

• CMP Rimfire Sporter: A recreation-oriented match focusing on "plinking" or small-game rifles (max 7.5 lbs). It involves slow-fire and rapid-fire strings in multiple positions.
• Precision Rimfire or NRL22: Often involves shooting from barricades or unconventional positions at various distances, demanding real accuracy and knowledge of ballistics.
• Rimfire Benchrest: Focuses on high accuracy from a bench, often divided into classes like Plinker, Sporter, and Unlimited.

Common Match Features

• Ammunition: Exclusively .22 LR (sometimes .17 HM2 or .22 Short).
• Distances: 25–100 yards for sporter, up to 300+ yards for precision.
• Stages: Matches usually feature multiple stages with varying positions and time constraints.
• Targets: Paper targets with scoring rings or reactive steel plates.
• Equipment: A rifle, ammo, magazines, and sometimes a sling or bipod are needed.