Interest in pushing rimfire to its limits has skyrocketed in recent years. This year Lapua announced two new rimfire products — Long Range and Super Long Range — designed specifically to optimize .22 LR performance past 100 yards.
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About Lapua .22 LR Long Range
From Lapua:
Lapua quality has been around for 100 years, and we adequately celebrate by presenting new rimfire cartridges designed for ranges at 100 m/yds and beyond: The Lapua Long Range .22lr cartridge.
The result of extensive product development combined with the world’s finest rimfire production process, the Lapua Long Range is made and designed for those who are looking for the best of the best in extreme long distance shooting with .22 caliber ammunition. The Lapua Long Range rimfire round shows excellent performance on targets at 100 m/yds and beyond and is the perfect option for disciplines such as Long Range, PRS, rimfire benchrest and Field Target shooting. With a flat trajectory and improved wind performance, Lapua Long Range brings top notch accuracy for any top shooter.
Ballistic coefficients are calculated by Quick Target Unlimited Lapua Edition from V0 to V75 BC G1 for all rimfire .22 LR bullets = 0.172
About Lapua .22 LR Super Long Range
From Lapua:
Lapua quality has been around for 100 years, and we celebrate by presenting the very best new new rimfire cartridges designed for ranges at 100 m/yds and beyond: The Lapua Super Long Range .22lr cartridge.
The result of extensive product development combined with the world’s finest rimfire production process, the Lapua Super Long Range is made and designed for those who are looking for the best of the best in extreme long distance shooting with .22 caliber ammunition. The Lapua Super Long Range rimfire round shows excellent performance on targets at 100 m/yds and beyond and has a muzzle velocity of 337 m/s or 1106 fps. It is the perfect option for disciplines such as Long Range, PRS, rimfire benchrest and Field Target shooting. With a flat trajectory and improved wind performance, Lapua Super Long Range provides the very best accuracy for any top .22LR shooter looking to beat the competition at longer distances.
Ballistic coefficients are calculated by Quick Target Unlimited Lapua Edition from V0 to V75 BC G1 for all rimfire .22 LR bullets = 0.172
Testing
While I’m primarily a center fire guy, I’ve found rimfires to be especially accurate and addictive.
Curious about this ammunition, we headed to the Ultimate Reloader Ridgeline with the Anschutz 1710 Competition.
This rifle shoots great and looks great!
We’ve previously shown this rifle in depth and regularly use it for a variety of rimfire tests. It currently sits in an XLR Element 4.0 chassis with an FFP Athlon Midas TAC 5-25×56. This rifle has a very light two stage trigger. It’s incredibly smooth and easy to use.
We shot at 50 yards, 100 yards, 200 yards, 336 yards and 400 yards, starting off the bench. My first objective was to sight in the scope after taking it off my Anschutz benchrest rifle.
My three-shot sight in group with Lapua .22LR long range cloverleafed into 0.2445” at 50 yards. After adjusting the scope so the group and reticle matched, I fired three more sets of groups with Lapua Long Range and collected chronograph data with the Caldwell G2.
My first five shots went into 0.453” at 50 yards. My second group measured 0.353” at 50 yards. I was especially impressed with this given the heat and visible mirage while we were shooting. The average velocity was 1101 fps and the best observed SD was 9.1 fps.
I then switched over to Super Long Range. Our first five shots at 50 yards measured an impressive 0.187”. This ammo had a 1113 fps average velocity and a 5.5 fps SD.
It didn’t take long to realize that while both Long Range and Super Long Range are great products, Super Long Range has the edge. Both are essentially the same, both have a 40 grain projectile, but the Super Long Range is held to a higher standard than the Long Range.
While I observed great precision, it’s important to remember that every rifle/ammunition/lot number combination is different.
Before moving to 100 yards, I calculated dope in my ballistics solver, but I also checked the drop at different distances with an end goal of 400 yards.
My first three shot group at 100 yards with Super Long Range measured 0.389.”
Transitioning from 100 yard paper to 204 yard steel, I was 6.1 mils up from my 50 yard zero, exactly where my ballistics solver told me to be.
Moving to a 336 yard real-size steel rock chuck target from D-M Targets, I battled switchy winds, but still managed three consecutive shots on target. We used the Longshot Target Camera system to record the hits.
Back at the cabin, we fired at a D-M coyote target at 400 yards off a Two Vets tripod. It took a few shots to get on. Our solver calculation was a bit off — we ended at 16.8 mils up.
Conclusion
I’m not a rimfire expert, but I enjoy shooting it and have an interest in NRL22 and rimfire PRS. My friend Seth Gardner of D-M Targets has been encouraging me to join him at a match. If I had the choice, I’d shoot the more consistent Super Long Range but in most instances, Lapua Long Range will do great as well. Overall, rimfire shooting is a challenge I look forward to keep exploring.
Get the Gear
Order Lapua Long Range and Lapua Super Long Range from Creedmoor Sports.
Creedmoor also carries the Anschutz 1710 Competition and other rimfire models!
Also see the Longshot Target Camera system we featured in this story!
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Thanks,
Gavin Gear
