Most North Carolina and South Carolina shooters only get one good range day a month. That means your training plan has to be efficient, repeatable, and focused on results you can measure. This guide builds your entire rimfire training program around a monthly four-hour live-fire session, plus short dry-fire work at home.
This is built for real Carolina shooters — the ones practicing at 25, 50, and 100 yards, not sitting on some private 600-yard range in the middle of nowhere. You’ll learn to confirm zero, map holds, practice stage flow, and build match discipline even if you’ve never shot past 100 yards.
I. Your Training Goals
Rimfire precision is not about recoil management. It’s about discipline. Your training should push four main skills:
- Consistency: Can you produce repeatable hits, on demand, under time?
- Speed with control: Can you move positions, build support, and break a clean shot without rushing your trigger?
- Wind judgment: Can you read what the bullet is doing downrange?
- Stage management: Can you follow stage instructions, track holds, and stay inside par time?
Those are the same skills you’ll use when you shoot the Eastwood Outfitters Rimfire Precision Match in Derby, NC — a five-stage .22LR match that brings in shooters from across the Carolinas.
II. The 4-Hour Monthly Training Session
Most shooters around Moore County, Richmond County, the Sandhills, and southern Virginia are not getting three range days a week. They’re lucky to get one day a month. So instead of pretending you’re going to “practice every day,” we plan for reality: one focused four-hour block.
Here’s the structure. This is your month.
0:00–0:20 — Setup & Safety
- Uncase rifles, verify chambers clear, confirm gear layout.
- Quick safety brief (muzzle awareness, trigger discipline, range commands).
- Glass check: Are your scope turrets where you left them last month, or did they get bumped?
0:20–1:20 — Zero Check, Group Work, and Ammo Testing
Start at 50 yards (or 25 yards if that’s all you’ve got). Fire slow, controlled 5-shot groups with each ammo type you brought. Circle group center, measure group size, and write it down. This tells you two things:
- Is your rifle still zeroed?
- Which ammo is actually consistent in your rifle?
Different .22LR match loads have different muzzle velocities and ballistic coefficients (BC). For example,
- Lapua Midas+ is published with a G1 BC of about 0.172 and a typical muzzle velocity around 1,070 fps.
- ELEY Match publishes a BC around 0.112, with mean velocity determined in test barrels near 1,040–1,080 fps depending on lot.
- CCI Mini-Mag .22 LR 36gr HP lists a BC of 0.125 with a muzzle velocity of about 1,260 fps.
- SK Rifle Match is generally advertised around 1,050 fps from a rifle-length test barrel, and SK states their round-nose rimfire bullets use a G1 BC in the ~0.17 range.
That matters because BC and velocity affect your holds. If your rifle prints tight with a slower, higher-BC round, you’ll get a different drop curve than a faster round with a lower BC. You’re not just picking “what groups best,” but “what tracks best at distance.”
1:20–2:05 — Build Your Hold Card
Once you confirm zero at 50 yards, prove the point of impact at 100 yards (or the farthest you can shoot at your range). Log how far you had to hold over or dial to get centered at that distance.Then build a small card with dope/holds for 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 / 150 / 200 / 250 / 300 yards. If you don’t have those distances on your home range, don’t worry — you can still generate them.Use your best-performing ammo’s BC and muzzle velocity numbers in a ballistic calculator (Strelok, JBM, etc.) to estimate holdovers beyond 100 yards. Enter:
- Muzzle velocity (fps) from the box or, better, from your chrono if you have one.
- Bullet BC (G1) for that ammo.
- Weather (temperature, pressure, elevation).
For example, if you’re running Lapua Midas+ with BC ~0.172 at ~1,070 fps, you can model your elevation at 150, 200, and 250 yards even if your local lane stops at 100. ELEY Match at BC ~0.112 and roughly 1,050 fps will not carry the same way — expect more drop and drift past 100. CCI Mini-Mag is faster at ~1,260 fps, but because its BC (~0.125) and projectile shape aren’t optimized strictly for precision match work, you may see more vertical spread at long distances, even though it’s screaming out of the muzzle.. Write those predicted holds on your dope card and tape that to your stock or wrist. When you finally shoot a match with targets at 150+ yards, you won’t be guessing.
2:05–2:45 — Position & Support Work
This is where you start acting like you’re in a match.
- Prone with bipod + rear bag: 10 slow-fire rounds. Focus on the natural point of aim and a clean trigger press.
- Barricade or improvised support: 2-minute drill. Build a position, break two shots, move to the next height or support, repeat.
- Sitting or kneeling: Work fast setup. Get stable in under 10 seconds, press a clean shot, and recover the sight picture.
Use the same front support (bipod) and rear bag setup you plan to bring to an event like the Eastwood Outfitters Rimfire Precision Match. That match specifically expects shooters to run a .22LR rifle with an optic, a front support (bipod or similar), and a rear bag. Distances can range from close ranges out to 300 yards on steel. That’s a big part of why your stability work matters.
2:45–3:30 — Stage Simulation
Now you run it like a match.
- Pick 2-3 positions (prone, low barricades, high barricades).
- Pick 2-3 targets (for example: 50 yards, 75 yards, 100 yards).
- Set a par time (like 90 seconds).
- Shoot the mini-stage. Score your hits. Record your misses and why.
You’re not just working on accuracy. You’re building a repeatable routine under time. This is where people realize their magnification is too high, their bag setup is clumsy, or they lose track of their holdovers while stressed.
For ideas on structuring an actual match stage, check: How Our Rimfire Precision Matches Work – Stage Breakdown.
3:30–3:50 — Debrief and Notes
- Which ammo grouped best today?
- What was your most stable position?
- Where did you miss under time — bad hold, rushed shot, bad position, or wind?
- Did your predicted holds (past 100 yards) make sense based on what you saw at 75–100?
Write it all down in a shooting log. This is how you actually improve month to month.
3:50–4:00 — Pack Up and Plan
Before you leave the range, set one goal for next month. Example: “Next session, I want my 50-yard 5-shot group down under 2 inches with my match ammo,” or “Next time, I want to run a 90-second stage without timing out.”
III. Dry-Fire Between Range Days
The range day is only four hours. The rest of your gains come from dry-fire at home.
- Trigger press without movement: 5 slow presses × 5 sets. Watch the reticle for bounce.
- Mount and settle: Build a prone or barricade position with an unloaded rifle. Get stable in under 10 seconds. Hold steady for 10 seconds.
- Transition drill: Move from kneeling to barricade to prone. Get sights on an imaginary target and call “impact.”
Keep these sessions short — 15 to 30 minutes, 3 times a week. You’re teaching your body to move like it will on match day.
IV. Understanding Ammo, BC, and Velocity
This is the part newer shooters tend to skip, and it’s also the part that separates the shooters who “hope” from the shooters who walk into a match ready.
The ballistic coefficient (BC) tells how well a bullet resists drag. Higher BC tends to hold velocity longer and drift less in the wind. The muzzle velocity (fps) tells you how fast that bullet starts. Together, BC and velocity shape your holdovers and wind calls at distance.
| Ammo Type (.22LR) | Published BC (G1) | Typical Muzzle Velocity (fps) |
|---|---|---|
| Lapua Midas+ / Midas | ~0.172 | ~1,070 fps. |
| ELEY Match | ~0.112 | ~1,050 fps (lot dependent). |
| CCI Mini-Mag 36gr HP | ~0.125 | ~1,260 fps. |
| SK Rifle Match | ~0.17 | ~1,050 fps. |
You don’t have to memorize numbers. You just have to pick the one load your rifle shoots well and stick with it so your dope stays consistent. Once you lock in that ammo, use its BC and average velocity in your ballistic app to predict holds past 100 yards. Then write those holds on your dope card and bring that card to the match.
V. Wind, Magnification, and Time Pressure
Carolina wind will humble you. Afternoon wind in the Sandhills can flick left-right on you between shots. That’s normal. Instead of blaming gear, learn to watch grass, trees, mirage, and splash.
On magnification: this is the number one rookie mistake. New shooters max out at 20x+ and then can’t find targets fast under time. Run your optic in the 7x–12x window on most stages. You’ll pick up targets quicker and maintain awareness between shots, especially when moving between props or barricade heights.
VI. After the Session: Capture What You Learned
Before you leave the range, do this:
- Record which ammo you’re committing to for next month.
- Write down the dope/holds you confirmed at 50 and 100 yards.
- Note any issues: Was your bag too small? Bipod loose? Scope walking? Parallax off?
- Circle one skill to fix next month (for example: “I rushed barricade shots”).
That’s how you build repeatable performance. That’s how you walk into your next match calm instead of guessing.
VII. Where to Put This to Work
The structure you just read is precisely what prepares shooters for events like the Eastwood Outfitters Rimfire Precision Match in Derby, NC — a five-stage rimfire match designed for both new shooters and experienced precision shooters. You’ll see realistic distances, positional shooting, and supportive coaching on the line.
If you’ve been waiting for “the perfect time,” stop. Get your four-hour session on the calendar, print a dope card, and show up.
Trace Armory Group supports responsible firearms ownership, skill development, and precision shooting culture across North Carolina and South Carolina. We work with Eastwood Outfitters and other local ranges to grow the rimfire precision community in the Carolinas.