NRL shooting: NRL22 and NRL Hunter

Upcoming matches

11 events matching this sport’s disciplines. Discipline does not establish league affiliation. Coverage is partial; confirm dates and registration with the organizer.

1. Nov 7, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   Tactical Sniper Series DMRColemans Creek, Ellerbe, NC
   NC calendar →
2. Nov 8, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   Central Texas Precision Rifle Steel (500 yd) (session 5 of 6)Temple Gun Club, 3924 FM 438 Loop Rd, Temple, TX 76501
   TX calendar →
3. Nov 17, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   PR301-3 Day Advanced Precision Rifle CourseColemans Creek, Ellerbe, NC
   NC calendar →
4. Nov 18, 2026Registration closed
   2026 Precision Rifle SymposiumFresno Rifle & Pistol Club, 15687 Auberry Rd, Clovis, CA 93619
   CA calendar →
5. Nov 20, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   PRS1 - PRS Match Prep ClinicColemans Creek, Ellerbe, NC
   NC calendar →
6. Nov 21, 2026Listed date, not yet confirmed by the organizer
   PR201 - 2-Day Precision Rifle CourseColemans Creek, Ellerbe, NC
   NC calendar →

How a match works

1. For NRL22, register through the host club’s chosen system: the official FAQ lists PractiScore, Impact Scoring and local sign-in sheets. Pick one division at the beginning of the match; you are eligible for placement only in the division you enter. [6] [8]
2. The NRL22 match director must provide at least a 30-minute sight-in period on match day, with paper targets at 50 yards. The rules prohibit practicing the published stages or shooting match steel before competition begins that day. [20]
3. The match director covers safety before the match. At each NRL22 stage, the range officer explains the procedures, restrictions and target order, then allows the squad five minutes of preparation. Ask for stage clarification before the clock starts. [21]
4. The NRL22 command sequence is “Do you understand the course of fire?”, “Please load and make ready”, “Are you ready?” and “Stand by”, then a tone or “Engage”. At the end, the command is “Unload, show clear, and insert chamber flag”. Load only when directed by the range officer. [48] [49]
5. The monthly NRL22 course has five stages using prone (lying down), barricade or positional shooting, or a combination. Each shot has a designated target and position. The range officer calls impacts; a shot from the wrong position or at the wrong target counts as a miss. [4] [16]
6. After each NRL22 stage, competitors must be able to see their scores. The club submits match scores to the league; members’ eligible scores feed the national points race. [26] [4]
7. NRL Hunter is not the same match sequence: stages are blind and you find, range and engage the targets on the clock. Its newcomer guide describes targets from 200 to 1,000 yards and natural props such as rocks. In Skills division, newcomers can watch stages, ask range officers questions, and find and range targets before their turn. [40] [46]

Where to compete

Find NRL22 hosts and addresses in Find a Club; use the official calendar for NRL22 and NRL22X dates and the host for registration. Dated open-entry example checked October 4, 2026: DSRPC in Las Vegas lists October 10, 2026, 7:00 am–1:00 pm PDT. Its host page lists Adults $20, Youth $0 and a $10 property-entry fee for non-DSRPC members, with a minimum youth age of 8. Verify the host’s latest timing and entry terms. Hunter and Games use the separate finders linked from their newcomer guide. [36] [37] [6] [59] [60] [40]

• NRL22 match finder ↗
• NRL22 club finder ↗
• Find a shooting range

Your first match

1. Choose NRL22 or NRL Hunter. For a local match within 100 yards, look for NRL22’s standard Option 1. Hunter is a field format where you find and range targets; its guide recommends Skills for newcomers and offers one-day Games as an alternative to two-day Hunter. [4] [40]
2. Find the host, then the registration. Choose a host from NRL22’s Find a Club directory and calendar, then follow that host’s registration instructions. A league membership purchase does not register you for a match. [36] [6] [27]
3. Check equipment and division before buying. For NRL22, check the .22 LR/removable-magazine rule or the Air Rifle rules, and ask the match director about Base eligibility or Adaptive availability if relevant. The rules encourage sharing gear with newcomers. Southern Tier Precision’s published listing is one example of a host offering a loaner—not a league-wide guarantee. [7] [9] [13] [23] [35]
4. Read the current rules and monthly course. Use the 2027 NRL22 Rules for the May 1, 2026–April 30, 2027 season. The official Downloads page lists monthly courses and video walkthroughs; viewing and downloading the October 2026 course require login. Read the host’s additional stages and requirements too. [3] [38] [4]
5. Attend the briefings and say you are new. Attend NRL22’s match-day sight-in and stage briefings. Tell the range officer if this is your first or second match so they can apply the newcomer-coaching allowance. Young Guns have class-specific assistance limits; NRL22X restricts on-clock corrections. [20] [21] [22] [10] [31]
6. Decide whether you want national points. Join if you want eligible scores to count toward the national leaderboard and championship qualification. There is a 7-day post-match membership grace period, plus an extended allowance early in the season. For a score correction, contact your match director first. [6] [27] [28]

Never fired a gun at a range? Start with your first range visit.

What to bring

Bring eye and hearing protection to your first match, even where a league only recommends it. Check the host’s requirements before you arrive.

NRL22 rifle with removable magazinesRequired

A .22 Long Rifle rifle, or an air rifle meeting its division rules. Fixed tubular magazines, .17 HMR and .22 Magnum are not allowed. Bolt-action and semi-automatic setups have different division and safety considerations. [7] [12] [24]

NRL22 sights or scopeRequired

Scopes, iron sights and electronic sights are allowed. A magnified scope with externally adjustable turrets and a reticle for holdover and measurement is highly recommended, not required. [7]

NRL22 ammunition and magazinesRequired

The official minimum equipment list includes magazines and ammunition. Read the host’s stage descriptions for that match’s requirements rather than assuming every club runs only the five national stages. [6] [4]

NRL22 chamber flagRequired

The rules call chamber flags essential equipment. Match directors may allow magazine blocks at their discretion after a range officer confirms the rifle is unloaded. [24]

NRL22 eye and ear protection (check host rules)Required

NRL22 recommends proper eye and ear protection and says individual range safety rules supersede league rules. The host range may impose its own requirements. [24]

NRL22 support bag or bipod (owned or borrowed)Required

The FAQ’s minimum list includes a safe support such as a bag or bipod. The rulebook describes a bipod or support bag for prone support and encourages sharing equipment, especially with new competitors; borrowing is not guaranteed. [6] [23]

NRL22 optional comfort equipmentOptional

The FAQ says normal outdoor attire works and kneepads are optional. Personal tripods and shooting sticks are not permitted in monthly NRL22 unless the stage incorporates an approved tripod; then everyone uses the same designated stage tripod. [6] [23]

What it costs

NRL22 season membership

$60 Adults; $25 Young Guns. The 2027 membership covers NRL22 and NRL22X, valid May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027, with the championship in June 2027. Local participation does not require league membership. [27] [6]

A published local entry fee

Southern Tier Precision’s October 3, 2026 NRL22 match in Alfred, NY listed $15 cash, paid on arrival, and a loaner rifle for new shooters. This is one host’s dated example, not a national rate or a promise of loaner availability at another club. [35]

NRL22 equipment eligibility

Base’s $1650 USD combined rifle-and-scope MSRP ceiling is a division rule, not a complete gear budget. The rulebook treats scope rings, bases, bipods, magazines and other listed items as accessories. [8] [9]

NRL Hunter membership

NRL Hunter’s separate 2027 membership lists Standard — $100 and Young Guns — $75. The season runs Jul 1, 2026 – Jul 31, 2027; this membership page defines Young Guns as under 16 at the season’s start. [44]

Starting an NRL22 host club

Club costs are not individual match-entry fees: the rules state a $20 annual club fee and $35 per month per club for monthly score tracking. NRL22X charges match directors a $50 admin fee per match. [26] [30]

How scoring works

NRL22 scores target impacts, with most steel targets worth 10 points per hit and exceptions specified by the course. The five-stage monthly course is worth not less than 500 points. One stage adds a time bonus to help reduce ties. National leaderboard points are a percentage of the local winning score, not the raw number of hits. [4] [17] [18]

• Only a hit on the correct target from the required position counts. Hits on hangers, stands or straps do not count. The 2027 rulebook also defines when a KYL target’s stem counts; a moving target is not automatically proof of a valid impact. [16]
• On the designated timed stage, the timer stops after the prescribed rounds have been fired and the competitor receives 0.1 bonus points per second remaining. The rulebook’s example is 100 impact points plus 0.865 time points, for 100.865 total. It is not an overall fastest-shooter-wins format. [17] [4]
• NRL22 leaderboard points equal your score divided by the winning score, multiplied by 100, rounded to the thousandth. Your best eligible score per division per month counts. The season total uses the top six scores, a maximum of 600 points, plus the championship at double points, a maximum of 200, for 800 possible points. [18] [19]
• NRL22 monthly matches need at least five competitors for leaderboard points; NRL22X matches need at least 15. Smaller matches can still earn classification credits. NRL22X uses the three best scores, with only the single best Specialty score allowed among them. [19] [30]
• NRL Hunter uses a different scale: a first-round hit earns 2 points, a second-round hit earns 1, and two misses earn 0. After a hit, the competitor moves on. Its newcomer guide states a maximum of 8 points per individual stage. [40]

Divisions and classes

NRL22 Open

For competitors who do not meet the criteria of the other divisions. The official FAQ describes Open as a safe rimfire rifle setup with no price restrictions; the general rifle rules still apply. [8] [6] [7]

NRL22 Base

Budget-oriented division: the rifle and scope’s combined manufacturer MSRP must be at or under $1650 USD. The price limit is not the whole rule: factory barrel specifications and factory stock/chassis requirements also apply; barrel tuners, aftermarket triggers and internal weights are not allowed. Ask the match director to check eligibility at sign-in. [8] [9]

NRL22 Young Guns

Competitors 17 or younger on the first day of the season remain eligible for the whole season; a parent or guardian must be present. Novice and Marksman Young Guns may receive verbal coaching and hands-on assistance at any time. Sharpshooter and Expert Young Guns may not receive either while on the clock. [10]

NRL22 Ladies

The rulebook defines eligibility as competitors born as biological females. Eligible competitors may instead enter another division if they meet its requirements. [11]

NRL22 Old Guns

For competitors 60 or older, including anyone turning 60 during the current May 1–April 30 season. Eligible competitors can enter from the first day of that season and shoot the same course and stage instructions as other competitors. [11]

NRL22 Air Rifle

Compressed-air rifles firing pellets or slugs, .30 caliber or smaller, with muzzle energy not exceeding 110 foot pounds of energy (FPE). No projectile weight restriction; tethered tanks are not allowed. Air rifle competitors may enter another division if they meet its requirements. [12]

NRL22 Semi-Auto

For semi-automatic rifles, without price or attachment restrictions. Competitors may choose another division if eligible. The match director must approve the semi-automatic exception to the movement rules; see the league’s safety section rather than treating this as an equipment-only choice. [12] [24]

NRL22 Adaptive

An optional local division for competitors whose needs or limitations severely restrict participation in the course as written. Hosting is at the match director’s discretion. Course adaptations are allowed only in monthly NRL22, not NRL22X or the National Championship; discuss the published course with the host before attending. [13]

NRL Hunter Skills

The newcomer guide recommends Skills for a first Hunter match: discounted entry, a rifle no larger than .30 caliber, and opportunities to watch stages and ask for help. Skills does not count toward the Grand Slam. These are Hunter rules, not NRL22 divisions. [40]

NRL Hunter Factory, Open Light, Open Heavy and Teams

Hunter’s newcomer guide lists Factory at 13 lbs or under; Open Light up to 12 lbs; Open Heavy at 12–16 lbs; and two-person Teams using Open Heavy rules up to 16 lbs. Open Light and Open Heavy list a 380,000 power-factor minimum. The linked full rules still say 2026, while membership is for 2027: confirm current configuration, weight allowances and ammunition exceptions with Hunter before entering. [41] [47] [44]

Classification

Division and skill class are different in NRL22. Novices advance to Marksman after 6 credits, Marksmen to Sharpshooter after 8, and Sharpshooters to Expert after 12; Expert has no credit ceiling. Credits reset to zero when you advance and expire after 2 years, while classification carries between seasons. Military/LEO is separate recognition, not a division or scoring advantage. Hunter instead uses “classifications” for Young Guns, Women and Seniors. [14] [15] [42]

Safety rules

• NRL22 is a cold range: rifles must be unloaded, magazines out, actions open and chamber flags or approved blocks inserted until the range officer directs otherwise. The host range’s safety rules supersede the league rules. [49] [24]
• The match director gives a safety briefing before competition. If anyone witnesses an unsafe act, the rules require them to call for a ceasefire and inform the nearest range officer. This overview does not replace the full safety rules or the briefing. [21] [50]
• NRL22’s 2027 rules make negligent discharge a match disqualification and define it to include unintentional discharge while behind the optic, even if the round hits the intended target. Consult Section 2 for the full definitions and penalties. [25]
• Sweeping someone with the muzzle means match disqualification, without a warning. The rules also specify match disqualification for loss of rifle control with the bolt closed, and for a competitor the match director judges to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A match disqualification means zero points for the whole match. [51] [52] [53]
• Not every safety penalty is immediate match removal. A cold-range violation progresses from warning to stage zero to match disqualification. Unsafe transitions—including sky-bolting or moving with a closed action outside the approved semi-auto exception—progress from correction and return to the previous position, to stage zero, then match disqualification. Mechanical-failure discharges remove the competitor until the rifle is repaired; points are forfeited during that downtime. [54] [55] [56] [24]

Match levels and major events

• NRL22 monthly club matches: five nationally published stages, with options selected by the local match director and optional extra local stages. National leaderboard scoring uses the best eligible monthly score in each division. [4] [19]
• NRL22X: a match-director-designed course of at least 8 stages. There is no maximum yardage if the match director has target flashers and spotters to identify hits or misses. It has seven divisions rather than monthly NRL22’s eight; Adaptive course changes are not allowed. [29] [13]
• NRL22 National Championship: invitation-based qualification through NRL22, NRL22X or international clubs. The rules allocate 45% of participants to NRL22, 45% to NRL22X and 10% to international NRL22 clubs. The championship follows NRL22X rules. [32]
• NRL Hunter and Hunter Games: two-day and one-day field formats respectively. The newcomer guide says Games usually runs 8–12 stages and Hunter usually runs 16–20. These are separate from the NRL22 points race and lead toward the Hunter Grand Slam; Skills does not count toward it. [40]

Major events

NRL22 National Championship ↗

The 2027 rulebook schedules the championship for June 2027, with location and host to be announced. Invitations are emailed to qualifying members. The NRL22X championship rules require at least 18 stages and 190 rounds. [32] [33]

NRL Hunter Grand Slam Championship ↗

The Hunter newcomer guide describes an invitation earned through season standings. It lists the season window as Jul 1, 2026 – Jul 31, 2027 and excludes Skills division from Grand Slam qualification. Use the official Hunter site for current standings and championship details. [43]

Common questions

Glossary

NRL

National Rifle League. NSSF’s explainer traces its founding to 2016 and describes the origins of NRL22 and NRL22X. Today the live NRL22 site calls itself the National Rimfire League; use the named format’s rules rather than one undifferentiated “NRL” ruleset. [1] [2] [3] [47]

COF

Course of fire: the stages and shooting requirements for a match. NRL22 publishes a standardized monthly COF; NRL22X’s hosting match director designs its COF. [5]

Stage

One part of the course with its own procedures, restrictions and target-engagement rules, explained by the range officer before competitors begin. [21]

MD

Match director: the person responsible for the overall direction of the match. [21]

RO

Range officer: a person assisting in running the competition, including those responsible for stage briefings, commands, safety and spotting. [21]

Impact

The range officer’s call that the correct target was hit. In NRL22, the shot must also follow the required target and position sequence to count. [16]

KYL

Know Your Limits. NRL22’s standard package has 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" and 1" KYL targets; the rulebook separately specifies which stem hits count. [60] [34] [16]

D.O.P.E.

Data on Previous Engagements, the term used in the rulebook’s sight-in section for data competitors may verify or gather. [20]

Division

An eligibility group selected when entering the match. NRL22 groups include equipment-based Base and Air Rifle, age-based Young Guns and Old Guns, and other divisions. You receive placement only in the division entered. [8] [10] [12] [11]

Classification

In NRL22, a progression through Novice, Marksman, Sharpshooter and Expert based on experience, participation and skill. It is not the Base/Open equipment distinction. [14] [8]

Leaderboard points

NRL22’s local score expressed as a percentage of the winning score, rounded to the thousandth, then used in the season race. [18]

Blind stage

In NRL Hunter, target distances and acquisitions are not provided; competitors find, range and engage the targets on the clock. [46]

Power factor

In NRL Hunter, bullet weight in grains multiplied by muzzle velocity in feet per second. The official FAQ’s example is 140 gr at 2800 fps = 392,000, above the 380,000 minimum. [45]

Cold range

NRL22’s unloaded condition between turns: magazines out, actions open and chamber flags or approved blocks inserted. Loading is controlled by the range officer. [49]

DQ

Disqualification. A stage penalty and a match disqualification are different: an NRL22 match DQ removes the competitor and gives zero points for the whole match. [53] [25]

MSRP

The manufacturer-listed price used for NRL22 Base’s combined rifle-and-scope limit, rather than the price you paid. [8]

FPE

Foot pounds of energy, the unit used for NRL22 Air Rifle’s muzzle-energy ceiling. [12]

Prone supported

Lying-down shooting with forward support for the rifle, such as a bipod or a support bag when a bipod is unavailable. [23]

Specialty NRL22X

League-designated match styles, including range-officer matches, Pro-Am Team scores and true team matches. Only your best Specialty score can be one of the three used for the series. [30]

Military/LEO recognition

NRL22 recognition for current U.S. Armed Forces members, veterans with Honorable service, and qualifying commissioned law-enforcement officers. The officer must be currently employed by a state agency, retired or medically retired; civilian and non-commissioned staff are excluded. Active-duty and active law-enforcement status require seasonal verification; veteran and retired-officer verification is once. Submit through the shooter profile. This recognition changes neither scoring nor division eligibility. [15] [58]

Sky-bolting

Closing the bolt, or disengaging a semi-automatic rifle’s safety, before looking through the optic and being on target. NRL22 prohibits this; the range officer controls the stage. [24] [55]

Watch and read

• NRL22 monthly courses and official video walkthroughs ↗Page · National Rimfire League
• NRL22 official YouTube channel ↗Video · National Rimfire League
• NRL Hunter newcomer guide, stages and equipment ↗Page · NRL Hunter

Related sports

• Precision Rifle Series (PRS)
• CMP matches
• NRA High Power Rifle
• Compare every league

Sources

Facts checked October 4, 2026 against the sources below. Each bracketed number on the page links to its source.

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6. [6]
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34. [34]
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Inclusion is not an endorsement. Send a source or correction.