I did not know that,SWO1! Thanks for the info. Why is it that we quit making match grade?
Thats a long debated subject on a lot of rimfire forums. I think it was the cost of Quality Control. The components, brass, lead bullets, powder is about the same for Match Grade vs say Remington thunder bolts, or Remington Golden bullets. Quality control is highly human hands on and costly. For example Eley subjects every Tenex round to numerous Automated and manual inspections. Their priming system is reguarded as the best. Consistant and accurate 22 is just like center fire. Every round has to be the closest to the same in all aspects of the round. In centerfire ALL the Match grade is Hand loaded by the shooter, the ones that win anyway. Hand loaded 22 is not even allowed in ANY shooting venue. It is highly dangerous to produce due to priming, and Cost prohibitive. Companys like Eley, Lapua, ect made the decision to produce the BEST in the world cost not considered. Kind of like their Guns, Cars, ect.
The best rim fire rifles, pistols are also left to the Eupropeans. Winchester and Remington used to rule the Match shooting world with Win Model 52s, and Remington 40Xs. But sadly they are no longer made either.
Now to compete Anshultz costing thousands, and then rebarrel them, custom made bench stocks, Optics that cost many thousands, bench equipement, rests and bags and its Nothing for a top shooter to throw over $10,000 on the bench and burn thru $200 worth of ammo in a practice session.
Like putting Match grade ammo, the best bench equipment and optics on a Marlin 60 or Ruger 10/22 and think you will be competative .... Aint gonna happen. Use racing fuel, a custom paint job on the family sedan and go race NASCAR ...... same thing.
Now understand I am talking about shooting paper at 50 yards, or 50 meters for those across the pond. Americans seem to want Low cost ammo, High Velocity, low cost guns that sling the lead from a 20-30 round mag for hunting and general shooting. and nothing wrong with that, that is the market here.