Rimfire competitions: NRL22, PRS Rimfire, ARA/RBA benchrest, ISSF 50 m, biathlon and ELR22
Written in our own words from the sources cited after each fact. We haven't run hands-on tests for this page; where sources disagree we say so. Prefer the primary source (SAAMI, the maker, the governing body) if anything here conflicts with it.
| Discipline | Format in brief | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| NRL22 | A monthly five-stage course of fire on steel, mostly at 100 yd or less, shot at clubs nationwide; divisions include Open, Base and Semi-Auto. | [NRL22 rules][NRL22 FAQ] |
| PRS Rimfire | Positional precision matches run under PRS rimfire rules. | [PRS Rimfire rules] |
| ELR22 | Long-range .22 LR steel shooting. | [ELR22 Association] |
| ARA benchrest | .22 LR from a rest at a 50 yd minimum on a 25-bull target, one shot per bull, 20 minutes per card, scored on the worst edge. | [ARA rule book (Jan 1, 2026)] |
| RBA benchrest | Also 25 bulls at 50 yd, but scored best-edge with a 250-point maximum (per a club comparison). | [River Bend Gun Club] |
| ISSF 50 m rifle | Olympic-style prone and three-position smallbore events on standardized 10-ring targets. | [ISSF general technical rules (2023)] |
| Biathlon | .22 LR at 50 m on knockdown targets: 45 mm prone and 115 mm standing scoring areas. | [IBU event and competition rules annexes (2024)] |
Ready to try one? How to get started in NRL22 · PRS rimfire and ELR22 wind reading · find a match.
Ammo for competition
Match shooters test lots because .22 LR consistency varies. Lapua runs rimfire test centers for lot testing[Lapua Rimfire Performance Center][Lapua rimfire test shooting]. Our method: ammo lot testing.
Sources
- NRL22 rules
- NRL22 FAQ
- PRS Rimfire rules
- ELR22 Association
- ARA rule book (Jan 1, 2026)
- River Bend Gun Club: rimfire benchrest targets (ARA vs RBA)
- ISSF general technical rules (2023)
- IBU event and competition rules annexes (2024)
- Lapua Rimfire Performance Center
- Lapua rimfire test shooting