What Rifle and Iron Sights for Long Range Rimfire?

[rolltide]

I shoot in a local match where we shoot silhouettes from 80 yards out to 200 yards. All of the shooting is done from a bench and almost always using bipods instead of a front rest.

Typically, we shoot several matches, including:
Unlimited Class, where anything goes
Tactical Class, which is similar to Unlimited except the scope magnification can't be turned higher than 16X
Sporter Class, which is similar to Tactical except the barrel must have a taper to it
Semi-Auto
Magnum, can be a 22 WMR or 17 HMR...but no 17 WSM

An iron sight match has been talked about and I want to either set up one of my rifles for it...or buy one.

I've been debating on either a Remington 40X, a Winchester 52B or possibly even a 54 Anschutz of some sort.

I don't have any experience shooting with irons, but I've heard a few horror stories of shooters trying to dial the elevation on a rear sight to 200 and having a hard time doing so.

What rifle would you recommend for this type of shooting? I'd prefer magazine-fed over a single shot, but there is enough time to use either.

I've got several rimfires...from Anschutz and Coopers to Sako's and Vudoo's. CZ's, Remington 541's, and a bunch of others...

I've even got a Winchester 52B...but the barrel has been shortened so I'm not sure how I can add a front sight and no idea what to use for a rear sight...

If you've read this far...I appreciate the patience to read through my rambling!

So...what rifle and sight combo would you recommend?

 

[1Merlin]

Decide on what class first then you can start making some reasonable assumptions as to what you actually need. You are covering a LOT of ground with your possibilities as you have it now.... As I see what rifles you have listed you probably have a really decent rifle for just about anything you have a will to shoot.

Of course the thread will eventually wander into the "if you don't have a (insert flavor of the season) you're just wasting money because everyone knows any other rifle is a POS and just won't work at all for the "serious gunner."

Pick one - buy a case of good ammo and shoot a season then perhaps you might reconsider. Have fun.

 

[rolltide]

I'm already covered in all of the classes except for the Iron Sight match...that's what I'm trying to figure out...the rifle and sight combo to use out to 200 yards.

 

[Toms]

I'm already covered in all of the classes except for the Iron Sight match...that's what I'm trying to figure out...the rifle and sight combo to use out to 200 yards.

I shoot out to 200 yards with iron sights, Redfield International. The elevation can be changed by shortening the front sight base. Heights is determined by the distance between the front and rear sight. There are stepped bases for the front sight. Tall base for 50 yard and short base for 100 yds. There are charts for figuring height of base verses sight spacing. Good luck. It’s challenging but rewarding when you figure it out.

 

[Jeff Porter]

You can get a front sight like this that has the MOA needed built in and marked. If your barrel is 0.750 at the muzzle.



I also have one that dials one moa per click on the front.

 

[MarkS]

pm sent

 

[rolltide]

That's cool Jeff! Can you share who makes that front sight?

Also, what do you use for a rear sight?

 

[Jeff Porter]

What rifle are you considering using for LR 22 irons ? You will need about 25 MOA to go from a 50 yard zero to a 200 zero.

I use match rifle rear sights and have several different ones Redfield Palma, RPA Tracker, Warner #1 and a Centra.

Doug Beach makes front sights like the top one. You will need to buy the iris with the circle in it too. Bottom one came on a rifle made by Michael Torre and I think he fabricated that one himself.

The bottom one in the picture is surplus to my needs at the moment. It has an 18 mm iris and a lens in it. Also the Redfield Palma rear sight is not in use. Has a Pic rail mount on the rear sight.

 

[rolltide]

I'm not sure what rifle I'm going to use yet. I have a Winchester 52B that someone has cut 4" of the barrel off and also has had the stock repaired. I bought it fairly cheap with plans to do something with it...but have never done anything other than mount an EGW rail on it and be impressed by the 50-yard groups.

I suppose I could add a clamp-on sight similar to what you have shown and possibly add a rear peep sight.

My other thought has been to pick up either a Remington 40X or another Anschutz.

The 52B option is probably the easier route, especially since all I would need to do is add sights and buy a few more magazines.

Unfortunately, I have an addiction to rimfire rifles though...so a new rifle could absolutely happen...

 

[Jeff Porter]

The left side of the 52 B receiver is likely drilled for iron sight side mount. Two tapped holes in the midline of the receiver

 

[Doug Beach]

I make adjustable front sights. 60 minutes of adjustment in 5 minute increments, assuming a 36” sight radius. 22mm or 30mm tunnels, and two different heights, for conventional or Eliseo/ Tubb style stocks.

 

[pascalp66]

I've owned a BRNO md4 match with diopter and front sight.

The front sight seat on a removable part.

Removing this part and attaching sight directly on the barrel will lower 7mm, about 26MOA of elevation (Distance between sights: 840 mm.)

Diopter have about 49MOA of elevation (15 turns, 3.3moa/turn, 0.16moa/clic). It have an adjustable zero stop.


You may consider this kind of rifle for Long Range.


For eyes pleasure.

 

[CharlieNC]

Good eyes fellas!

 

[rolltide]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I believe I'm going to go with one of the older Redfield rear sights and figure out a way to add a front sight...most likely by adding a bloop tube since the barrel has already been shortened.

 

[55fairlane]

I hope I'm not to late to chime I here, granted I'm referring to my match rifle, but I shoot irons from 100 to 600 yards, my set up is a Phoenix front (5 M.O.A graduation) centra rear, so but here is the info no one has publicly said, set your rear sight at eye level, zero it out, fire a group, adjust your frontsight up or down till your close, now use your rear sight adjusters to fine tuneful zero, rezero your rear sight, now when going to longer distance, if you go more then 5 M.O.A, move your front sight....this keeps you eye perfectly I the center of the rear sight. Example my base line zero is for 200 yards, I go up 3 M.O.A to 300 yards, (now I need another 10 M.O.A, for a total of 13 M.O.A) to go to 600-yard, I move my front sight 2 notches
Hope this helps

 

[shutinlead]

Rolltide,
Just to add to the mix, I've been building and shooting vintage single shots and sights for a few decades and until recently it was enough. Then I stumbled onto the crowd that shoots the newer rifles to the extreme limits and I've sort of fallen down that hole... As retirement approaches I find myself looking at things I never had time to do before-not that the time issues are going to be any different, I'm just going to "make time before there isn't any"
Here's a couple pictures of a pair of Ballards that I use for "long range" shooting with irons. The Ballard in the foreground is an original Merwin and Bray while the one in the rear is one I made from a Storie casting - it's also a striker of my own design. The sights except for the one front 17A are some I've made. I don't build any for sale but there is a guy down the road from me that makes sights, and sells vintage rifles. His website is "theoriginalsightcompany.com" - just doing what I can to enable those teetering on the edge...
Our "long range" is 400 yards and we shoot at a gong that is eight minutes by twelve minute size target at this distance, various other targets down to the close target which is the 385M turkey that's set up at 225 yards. Given the target size many folks come into this game either thinking it's impossible or from another discipline thinking "it's easy given the size of the targets" right up until the match begins and the winds pick up - and they always do.
Good luck with whichever path you choose.
Greg

 

[justinp61]

I have a few old target rifles, 52D's one E and a 40XB and have aperture sight for them all. Mine are all Redfields, several Internationals, a MK10, MK8 and Palmas. I've never shot them long range though, only 50 yards.

 

[rolltide]

Thanks again for the replies! This is all new to me but I can see it being a fun challenge. For the time being, I'm going to take my 1885 Low Wall out and see how it performs. I picked it up some time ago, but haven't spent any real time with it.

I don't shoot benchrest, but a local club is having an informal bench match on Saturday so I'm going to take rifles for each class and see what happens. If the 1885 shoots the way I want it to, it may be a quick fix for my other needs as well.