Take this for what its worth as I have been shooting Rimfire BR for less than a year. I reloaded and shot plenty of centerfire calibers for the past 35 years, though not in competition unless you consider yourself as your main opposition like I do. Precision rimfire is cursed with being at the mercy of finished ammunition manufacturers as opposed to your own attention to meticulous detail and consistency. I'll take the latter any day, but I digress.
I shot a Savage MKII BTVS which I accurized as much as was affordable for the first few shoots and quickly realized the humbling feeling that accompanies last place in the local club ARA League. I saved my shekels and finally amassed enough to buy a "real BR rifle", albeit an affordable one. I wanted a Remington 40Xb or a Win 52D, the latter possibly with a Kenyon or Canjar trigger, to grow into. After getting knocked out of the running for several good examples of each in open bidding on GB, I stumbled into the opportunity to buy a Cooper 57M TRP (not TRP3) with the red McMillan composite stock and fitted with a Sightron SII 36x42 scope. Since I owned several SII scopes and a set of their field glasses, I was already enamored with the model line. Anyway, I got the setup and a hard case for $1500. I knew the lineage of the rifle and both owners had gotten it for the ladies in their families. It was hardly used and by outward appearance it could pass for new, including the mirror like bore. Folks I knew were quick to point out that they had never seen a Cooper in the winner's circle at any major match, but that they felt the price for the package was great. I barely got to shoot it twice in the league before the big freeze once again descended upon Minnesota for another 6 months. I had all winter to ruminate on thse two outings and how I did not improve upon my scores over the Savage.
Looking at pictures from "The winner's circle" at some of the indoor matches, it became apparent I could improve upon my hardware and choice of ammunition. My front rest was a Rock BR1000 with a micro-slide table I got from a manufacturing surplus store adapted to fit it. My rear bag was a Dr Bag. No one at the nationals were using anything like that "franken-rest". All but one were using 1-piece rests and unlike my SK+ ammo, they were using Eley Match, Tenex or Lapua Midas. It was clear I needed to save more shekels, which I did. Overtime is a no-brainer in the winters up here. Too cold to do much else. By the start of the 2014 ARA league, I was ready to rock and roll. I had read my share of articles on utilizing wind flags. Something I did not use in the few months which I shot last year.
The hardware and a lick of understanding paid off. The first match, I had the high target for that cold (43F) afternoon (2200) and went from being the guy everybody else felt sorry for to someone to keep an eye on. Since that first shoot back in April, I've logged another 2200, a 2300 and several 2150s. I know that will not get you much respect in competition with the heavyweights, but how well were most of them shooting in their first year at it? Its 5 shoots into the season and I'm to the point to where if I shoot less than a 2xxx, I'm doing something wrong (again) and need to think about it.
The net point of this ramble is that any decent rifle is a good place to start out. My Cooper is an example of that kind of rifle. There are others as well. Like most BR shooters, I suspect that some day I'll move into a better platform, but for now, during these formative years, its as good a choice as any other, especially if you can fall into a good deal on one. The rifle is not holding this newbie back. Attention to detail and consistency are the biggies to conquer. That and that ornery wind. Master it and you can buy your way out of any other challenge that's in your way.
Good Luck with whatever platform you wind up throwing in with. Sweat the small things and have fun along the way. I sure am!
Hoot
