The Ruger Precision Rimfire

The Ruger Precision Rimfire rifle review has been highly anticipated for some time now. Although I borrowed the RPR for this review, I additionally shot one in a match hitting 79 of 80 points - a score that won the match. While budget friendly, the RPR is packed with tremendous capabilities. In the .22 long range game this rifle will punch above its weight class.

I conducted my testing with a Magpul bipod and a Vortex diamondback tactical 6x24. Because this is an entry level gun, I didn’t want to drive the cost up with a bunch of added accessories. This total setup can be purchased for around 850 dollars if you do some shopping around. In the gun world, this is an affordable price.

The RPR is the fourth rifle I have tested and, so far, the most consistent. SK Standard Velocity grouped at .49 and .61 five shot groups at 50 yards. Lapua Center X came in at .41 and .49 inch groups and Wolf Match was at .45 and .47 five shot groups. For the price, this performance is great. In doing some more testing and shooting, I was able to get this rifle to shoot .3’s with Center X. In the precision rifle game consistency is key and this rifle drives that home.

Time for the PRS test! I’m assuming this part of the review is starting to feel like Déjà vu since three other rifles have undergone this evaluation. Here we go anyway:

Stage one was simple. This stage consisted of one three-inch target at one hundred yards, and two different positions on the tank trap barricade. On the sound of the buzzer, I moved to the tank trap, fired five shots at the target, then proceeded to the second position and fired five more shots. I completed this stage clean in 56 seconds. Yes, I was slower than the semi-autos, but with the average stage time between 90 and 120 seconds it doesn’t matter. The next stage I ran was a little harder. On this one, I shot five different targets from five different positions, moving every two shots. On the buzzer I moved to position one and shot at target one, two times then moved to the new position. I cleaned this course in 89 seconds. The targets consisted of a two-inch steel circle at seventy-five and eighty yards, a two-and-a-half-inch target at eighty-five and ninety-five yards and a three-inch target at one-hundred yards. All positions were fired from a barricade with the help of my Whiskey Hotel Stock-Aid bag. All movement was on the clock. My times were slower than they were with the gas guns, but I still made it in under 90 seconds. I was all around slower on these test stages but the bolt action proved to be more consistent when shooting from nontraditional shooting props. Often, I have shot firearms that have a point of impact shift moving from standing to prone to bench. I believe this shift is due to a weak stock or just weak fortitude of the rifle - either way it's hell on the shooter. The RPR had zero shift from one position to the next. Because of this, I say good job Ruger.

The RPR is a great place to start if you want to get into this game. When shooting semi-auto guns, it requires another set of skills. You have to keep the gun on target while its own internal mechanisms operate outside of your control - like driving the gun through the bolt movement. In a .22 there is not a lot of movement from the bolt. However, the dwell time of the bullet down the pipe is prolonged due to the lower velocity of the cartridge. Bolt guns like this tend to help you not throw your shots off target.

This rifle is a perfect PRS training rifle, squirrel hunter, or ”just for fun” gun. I would recommend this rifle to anyone who wants to get into the sport of long range .22. My favorite thing about this gun is the no hidden cost. It already has a 30 MOA rail, a 10 round mag, and a threaded muzzle. This rifle is also fed from 10/22 mags and we all know where to buy those. I have shot and competed with three different Ruger Precision Rifles and they all performed very well. Our club loans this specific gun out to people who are thinking about getting into precision .22 competitions. Most shooters are very happy with it. The most recent match we had a junior shooter borrowing this setup and he shot 93% of the open class winner and secured the junior division win. It’s pretty clear the RPR can compete with the best.

In summation, the RPR is an affordable and consistently accurate option to go with. My only complaint is that the bolt was a little sticky in operation, but this was drastically overshadowed by all the benefits. The lower price point makes it a great starter option and the consistency makes it a good addition for the seasoned shooter as well.