Ideal Mapleseed rifle

Travis_m

Travis_m

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What is your ideal semi auto 22 rifle set up for project Mapleseed. Nothing crazy customized. I know the standard answer is probably going to be 10/22. If it's a 10/22 how do you have it set up? Optics vs red dot vs open sights (ie tech sights), heavy barrel vs standard barrel, wood stock vs syntethic vs aftermarket (magpul hunter?).

What about Marlin 795, savage 64 etc.
 
If you want a 10/22 look for the target version, far more accurate then the standard. I would personally use an optic with a close adjustable parallax, but I hate iron sights and red dots seem even less accurate too me.

For a basic cheap rifle a Ruger 10/22, marlin 795, Savage 64 or a Remington 597 would all work fine...
 
I thought project mapleseed looks like it would be a lot of fun, I plan on attending it next time they have one in NS. I would think any semi .22 that is reasonably light would do the trick, I doubt you would get much benefit from a heavy barrel.

I have a new CZ 512 in my safe, it’s been there for a couple years and I haven’t shot it yet. I think that would be a decent rifle to set up for mapleseed, I plan on using a low power decent quality optic on it.
 
Do's and Don'ts for Mapleseed

DONT get some high power sniper scope.
4x magnification is the most you will need. Higher magnification will only annoy the participants beside you as you shoot their targets by accident. It happens. Irons or peep sights are perfectly fine as well. The fundamentals won't change and if you are good enough to shoot rifleman with a scope you will prolly be able to do it with irons as well in most cases.

DONT worry if your scope isn't perfectly zero'd. If you are on paper and somewhat in the ballpark, it's part of the course to teach you how to get it zero'd / learn how to use the irons to have your point of impact be the same as your point of aim.

DONT worry about how accurate your rifle is. You are shooting at 25 meters at rather large targets. It does not matter if your rifle shoots a 1/4 inch group or a 1 inch group. If you are capable of shooting rifleman you will get your patch.

DO bring a teachable attitude. They say it's like trying to drink from a fire hose... They weren't kidding. Come prepared to learn, any preconceived notions you have will get in the way of learning.

DO bring an adjustable sling with two points of attachment. You would perfectly fine with a home made sling as long as it attaches at the forend and butt of the rifle and it has at least one buckle to adjust it with.

DO bring a shooting mat or pad of some sort. Your day will be spent on it. The more comfy you are the more you will be able to focus on shooting. On this note bring other stuff to keep you comfortable and able to focus on learning. Rain gear, sunscreen, lots of water, snack type food like nuts, cliff bars etc.

DO bring 200-250 rounds of ammo.

DO bring a semi-auto rifle with 2 magazines. Bolt action is fine as well; however you will have difficulty with the times portions of the MQT. Not impossible just harder is all. The more you can focus on the fundamentals of the shot and the less you need to worry about running the bolt, the more you will learn

DO be familiar with your firearm. Know how to clear jams, know what type of optic you have. MRAD, MOA etc.

Bottom line is the instructors at Mapleseed are nothing short of amazing. They will bend over backwards to help you succeed and learn. If there is something on the DO list you can't do... Like bring a rifle... Just give them a heads up before hand and in many situations they can hook you up with a loaner.

I was able to attend Mapleseed in July and even though I was able to qualify... I'll definitely be going back to take the course again. Even though it's been just a couple months since the course.... It's amazing how much I've improved being able to put to use what they have taught me.

Hope this helps
 
Sorry I got sidetracked.

Best rifle is going to be a 10/22 with a fixed 4x MOA scope. The only reason this is "best" would be because 75% of the people there will be shooting exactly this and it'll help not having to learn something different.

Don't recommend bringing a red dot. Irons or tech sights are just fine

Having said that, bring absolutely anything you have and you will learn tons regardless.
 
Travis_m said:
What is your ideal semi auto 22 rifle set up for project Mapleseed. Nothing crazy customized. I know the standard answer is probably going to be 10/22. If it's a 10/22 how do you have it set up? Optics vs red dot vs open sights (ie tech sights), heavy barrel vs standard barrel, wood stock vs syntethic vs aftermarket (magpul hunter?).

What about Marlin 795, savage 64 etc.
Click to expand...

I'd say a stock Marlin 795 with a fixed 4 power scope would be the best setup there is for mapleseed. 10/22 in the same setup would be a close second. Make sure you rifle is sighted in for 25 yards
 
Anything with a flush-mount magazine. I shot Rifleman using a Savage Mk II, so it is possible with a bolt-action non-flush. However, your support hand will thank you if it doesn't have the sharp edges of a mag digging in.

As for optic, stay away from a red dot. You want to be shooting 3MOA, and most red dots are 3MOA, meaning there's 0 margin for error. I had a spare Vortex Strike Eagle kicking around and used that, solely because I could set the parallax to 25 yards. I like to be a bit more zoomed in than most people, but still never went above 6x.

If I knew how accurate the Savage B22 was, I'd recommend it.
 
Well I didn’t make the Rifleman qualification his past August, but it was fun. I’ll be putting into practice what I’ve learned until I get to try again next year.

Dashiras post above is pretty accurate. You do not need a fancy rifle to achieve Rifleman. But a semi is a better choice in that you do not need to run the bolt and can more easily maintain your natural point of aim. I shot a Savage MkII and had some issues with having to reset my NPOA and expedient mag changes. I couldn’t see the mag well very easily while strapped into the rifle.

Also before you do the MQT, I’d take the time to run a bore snake through the rifle. I did not and after shooting all day, had two FTE during the test. There is no do overs so make sure your rifle is good to go. I think mine just got dirty.

Oh an I wouldn’t bother trying to find the ‘best’ ammo you can or spending big dollars. Obviously each rifle has its favorite ammo so I’d just use whatever you’ve already been using. For most folk, CCI Minimags get the job done.

I used a Cabela’s 3-9x40 Rimfire scope I picked up for cheap. You do not need a $500 scope. I’m getting geezer and my eyes aren’t what they used to be so just seeing the target was an issue. Most folks used optics but there were a few using irons.

You definitely need the USGI sling or something similar. I had an Allen sling I thought would work, but didn’t. I’ve since replaced it with a Magpul Rifleman Loop Sling that has been working nicely for me.

Speaking of geezer, I’ve a lousy back and the sitting position was untenable for me. I was better off at sitting on my foot but the stability isn’t as good as cross legged. Next time I’ll pre dose with some Aleve. Even prone was a bit tough at points. But the instructors are able to accommodate your condition. And pick a flat piece of ground, not a dish like I did. It wasn’t very comfortable.

It’s an outdoor event. Rain or shine. Sunscreen for the nice days, rain gear for the crappy ones. And bug spray. Hats and long sleeves help. I have two .22lr tattoos I earned after I removed my long sleeve shirt. That hot brass loves to find the divots your elbows create when prone.

They say experience is everything so with that in mind and some time to practice, I’m confident I’ll get the Rifleman patch on my next outing. But like they say, only 20-30% of participants will earn the Rifleman patch and even if you don’t, you’ll come away with the knowledge to make you a better shooter.

Have fun and good luck future participants.

Cheers,
EZTRGT
Kyle
 
Good question!

I got my rifleman patch last year, and I’ve done 4 events this year as an IIT.

The rifle I used to make rifleman was a Ruger 10/22 “deluxe”. That would be the standard barrel, but with the walnut stock that doesn’t have a barrel band. Optic is a Leupold VX Freedom 2-7x33 rimfire scope. The only mods that were done to the rifle was the auto-bolt release, extended mag release (what comes factory on10/22s with a plastic trigger guard now), swapped the factory sling loops for sling studs and a “pop can” aluminium shim was put under the V-block to ensure the barrel was free floated.

This last summer, that same rifle was loaned out at all 4 events I attended as an IIT, 2 out of 4 “borrowers” got their patch with that rifle.

I’ve seen people get their patch with a bolt action, but I would not recommend one for a first timer. Until a person is proficient on nailing down their NPOA quickly, having to move your trigger hand to run the bolt will add a level of difficulty that is “sub-optimal”. The same goes for tube fed semi’s or lever guns. It can be done, and it’s “cool as heck” to see them on the line. It’s even cooler when the person who brought the rifle knows how to run it! But, again, it adds that level of difficulty that can (and usually does) add more anxiety and mucks with your NPOA and your mental headspace. Remember, the MQT is a timed event. Time you spend on reloading or manipulating your rifle is time that can’t be spent on ensuring good NPOA, breathing and sight picture.

I would recommend a semi-auto. Pick your poison, it doesn’t matter which brand, make or model. Ensure you have 10 round magazines.

I would also recommend that the rifle be tested and ensure that the rifle is capable of running 500 rounds (of the ammunition you plan to use) without malfunction.

I would recommend an optical sight, either a straight 4x or an adjustable one that goes no higher than 7x. I really like my 2-7, it just works well on 2x for the standing stage, 4x for sitting or kneeling and 7x while prone. A 4x will do quite nicely for all 4 positions. A 3-9 would also be OK, the problem with a 9x is that it narrows your sight picture quite a bit and I have seen people place their rounds on their neighbours targets because of this. Iron sights can also be used, but it can be a handicap.

I would also recommend the installation of sling studs before the event. There is no time at the event to instal them and the Mapleseed is all about how to utilize a sling. That said, if you don’t have studs, we can make it work.... it will involve zip-ties, tape and perhaps some chewing gum, but we will get a sling on there for you!

Do not worry about bringing a sling, it is better to have no sling than a sling that doesn’t work the way you will need it to. We will have loaners at the event. If you “absolutely” must bring a sling, the web USGI style sling (the inexpensive ones come with the Chinese M305 rifles) are the ones we recommend.

All that said, it’s a great time with good people and as long as you bring an open mind and a “teachable attitude” you’ll have a great day.

Cheers!
 
Any 4x scope on a reliable, magazine fed, 22 semi auto (marlin, rem, Ruger) that can accept a 1 1/4” gi sling.. We have loaner slings, but if your the spendy type, go ahead and buy your own cotton 1 1/4” USGI sling and swivels.

A shooting mat, two ten round mags and reliable ammo also a must, CCI standard are my goto for Mapleseed, rifle was a bone stock 10/22. If you run a 1022, one mod I’d recommend is the auto bolt release.

All the rifle has to do is 4 moa (1” at 25m), don’t overthink it, most guns are capable. Bipods, bags, benches etc are not used, so you don’t need a 13 pound target gun. Anyone who’s been to an event will tell you earning a riflemans patch is based on shooters ability, and not how fancy his gun is.
 
I ended up with a 10/22 target model. It is a bit heavy at 7.5 lbs but has an upgraded trigger. It has no front sights and a new scope is not in the budget right now so I'm going to take a scope off one of my other rifles. It's a Leupold vx3 3.5-10 x40. (originally said 4.5-14x40. Was thinking of a different scope).

Will I have parallax issues at short range? There is no adjustment on the scope.

Just need a sling and some swivels and I'm ready to go.
 
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Travis_m said:
I ended up with a 10/22 target model. It is a bit heavy at 7.5 lbs but has an upgraded trigger. It has no front sights and a new scope is not in the budget right now so I'm going to take a scope off one of my other rifles. It's a Leupold vx3 4.5-14 x40. It's a bit overkill on the magnification but I can keep it low.

Will I have parallax issues at short range? There is no adjustment on the scope.

Just need a sling and some swivels and I'm ready to go.
Click to expand...

1 1/4 swivels and a cotton usgi sling.


Or this https://www.magpul.com/products/magpul-rls-sling?ProductColor=VO343
 
gallen270 said:
All the rifle has to do is 4 moa (1” at 25m), don’t overthink it, most guns are capable. Bipods, bags, benches etc are not used, so you don’t need a 13 pound target gun. Anyone who’s been to an event will tell you earning a riflemans patch is based on shooters ability, and not how fancy his gun is.
Click to expand...

This ^
 
I did mine with a savage short barrel 17 hmr and a holosun red dot. I found it easy with that setup. I also did it with a 10/22 target which was even easier since it had a 3-9 scope.. Basically, it's what you are comfortable with. Bring 300 rounds though, I ran out of 17hmr.

North
 
I did it with a Tikka T1X and a leupold 6-18 target scope......passed all 3 targets.......

my best advice when shooting against the clock.....

DON"T PANIC.....seriously, don't panic, stay focused, especially during magazine changes, it's better to land 7 perfectly aimed shots then to rush and panic and hope for a decent score, I ran out of time once, but the 8 shots I made were perfect...

if you want to practice, here are 2 key areas where most fail, shooting standing......smooth mag changes

shoot lots, shoot good, learn to shoot good, then learn to shoot fast, don't try to learn to shoot fast good right off the get go......
 
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