After the IPRF world shoot in Italy during September 2023, there has been a huge spike in interest in PR22 shooting. Gun dealers have been doing a swift trade in 22LR rifles and, with licences now coming through, there is a lot of excitement around the SA Precision Rifle Federation (SAPRF) shooting calendar.
I believe that the relatively low cost of the ammunition and the low sound signature makes it attractive to shooters. Also, the total lack of recoil makes it a great entry into the sport of precision rifle shooting. Once the big dogs in the sport realised just how difficult shooting that tiny 40 gr low ballistic coefficient bullet is, the old mindset of 22s are for kids evaporated fast.
With the new competitiveness in the sport driving interest, we had a full field of 44 shooters register for the combined national and club match hosted at the farm of Hendrie Brink just outside Darling on the West Coast. Shooters flew in from Gauteng and we were amazed that top shooter Anthony Barraball drove through the night from Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal to be on time
