This is my rig, love it. KIDD full build.

 

+1 on Kidd for a lightweight steel challenge gun. You can get a Supergrade with an ULW barrel and chassis. Then just buy another stock and a Kidd heavy target barrel and with the turning of a few screws you can go from a lightweight steel gun to a full benchrest rifle. Even if your not interested in BR Kidd is still the way to go IMO.

 

Thanks for the recommendations!

@Quick1, which buttstock/pistol grip/forward grip are you using? Is that the Kidd chasis? What trigger weight and sight did you go with?

@Nick7274, that’s a good point about BR!

I priced out a Kidd build vs a more economical mix still good used on light weight (Whistle Pig barrel / Faxon receiver / Pike bolt / Ruger trigger with Brimstone Tier 2 upgrade? and it’s about a $450 difference - but from what folks are saying Kidd is the best of the best..

Also, I know it’s just aesthetics - but I like the idea of a Cerakote OD green barrel and receiver on a black chassis. Is cerakoting a new Kidd barrel/receiver advisable or is that a big no no for this quality of build? I emailed Kidd to see if they could Cerakote the rifle for me if I purchased it all together and they said thank and that it would likely violate the warranty.

Thanks!
Patrick

 

Yes, KIDD Chassis, love it, top notch quality. Parts as follows:

- Buttstock: Phase 5 Universal Mini Stock: https://phase5wsi.com/universal-mini-stock-ums.html

- Tube: Phase 5 A2 Rife Extension Tube: https://phase5wsi.com/a2-rifle-receiver-extension-tube.html

- Bravo Company Gunfighter Pistol Grip: https://bravocompanyusa.com/bcmgunfighter-grip-mod-0-black/

- Fortis Manufacturing Shift Short Angle Foregrip: https://fortismfg.com/ar15-fortis-shift-short-angled-grip-mlok

- Red Dot: C-More RTS2B - V5 (8 MOA) w/RTS2MT-200 mount

- Trigger: KIDD Single stage (sorry, don't remember exact weight, maybe 2 lbs)

Get the full KIDD build, you will not be disappointed!!!

 

Honestly for a difference of $450 the Kidd is a BIG upgrade over the other parts you listed. The fit and finish on Kidd parts is excellent as opposed to using parts of less quality from several different manufacturers. Also while this may not be a concern, a full Kidd Supergrade is going to have about 3× the resale value of a rifle put together with the other parts you mentioned. If you do go the Kidd route just make sure you go with the "Supergrade" and not their "Classic" slip fit if you want to be able to easily change barrels back and forth.

 

I put this one together several years ago.

Tac-Sol barrel re-worked by Que
Stock receiver, smoothed internally
Que'd bolt
Rimfire Tech flat trigger blade, charging handle, mag release and optics rail
Trigger job at 2 1/2 lbs.
Boyds Barracuda stock
Red dot optic

 

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the insight and details (especially the links!). You’re right, given the overall cost of the build the better long term investment is to spend the extra $450 for the Kidd. Will post when I get it all together. Thanks!

 

I just did my lightweight build. Came in at 3.15 lbs. And it shoots even better than I expected. Many parts I had leftover, some were ordered to complete it. As it turns out, not a single Ruger part, not on purpose, just happened that way. Asolutely in love with the Modshot chassis. It is light enough and comfortable enough for my daughter shooting steel as well. The highlights...
Tacsol AL barrel
Mod shot chassis
VQ trigger assembly
JWH bolt
VQ forward comp. (This one shot the best in my testing and provided and linear rearward recoil with zero POA shift)
Faxon receiver

 

my entry level build was to use a lightweight PMACA chassis, BRN22 integral rail receiver and barrel with Ruger bolt and BX trigger... AR receiver tube and stock and Hogue grip with angled fore end cantilevered off the front end... not as lightweight as a Wiland, but if you have the donor rifle and some AR parts lying around a relative cheap starter option

 

Given your experience with both patterns, would you say that a light 10/22 built on a chassis is a better option than a 22lr AR?

A few years ago, I was thinking of getting a 10/22 receiver with an integrated picatinny rail ($), a chassis ($) and the connection for a free float tube ($). It seemed like a lot of money, and wished there were cheaper parts like the kind I had seen for ARs. Then I began to investigate the switch.

 

I just ordered a Wiland 11oz barrel, so the fun begins!

 

Do you have any idea how to adjust the iron sights from Wiland. I bought set and I got them shooting close but don't know how to get them hitting dead center.

 

Did you get both the front and rear or just 1? Also, is it not close vertically or horizontally?

 

Elevation was pretty easy but windage I am not sure but I guess you have to twist the sight around the barrel to get it right. Going very very slow.

 

I have built three and they are all different. Warning its addictive!

Two of them have a TacSol barrels, a fluted and a spiral. The third one has a Volquartsen ultralite barrel.

I used Tactical Innovation receivers on two of them.

all have Ruger BX triggers.

one has a Taccom3g chassis, one has a Boyds Barracuda stock and the last one has Blackhawk Knoxx Axiom stock, it's the lightest of them all.

I shoot the one with the Boyds stock the fastest. With the other two lighter weight rifles I tend to overrun the plates. So I don't mind an extra pound.

 

Zukiphile... my 10/22 pictured is considerably heavier than a Wiland with carbon fiber stock and barrel, but still swings well with a steel barrel...and I like it as it uses familiar AR butt stock and grip... the problem I encountered with the 10/22 was the reliability of the highly regarded 10 round rotary magazines... I purchased 6 new mags with red rotors and could not get the reliability out of them, but never really spent time working on the solution... I did measure them, and there was a .015" difference in front to rear between them and which when shimmed tight into he mag well helped with reliability

my current Steel Challenge long gun is a registered Short Barrel Rifle with approx 10 1/2" CMMG 22 barrel with a CMMG B collar conversion unit...with good ammo, it has been very reliable.... I like the ease of cleaning of the bolt face and feed ramp and access to chamber and barrel by simply pulling the unit out of the receiver of the AR.. the 10/22 required removal from the stock and trigger group to remove the bolt (even if you have a hole drilled in the rear of the receiver).... I use Black Dog mags with stainless feed lips...and the feed ramp on the collar I perceive to be a better solution than having the feed ramp and ejector on the feed lips of the magazine as does the 10/22....it swings very fast, and although it is heavier, the weight is in the rear and gives stability... I like that the high capacity magazine will give me 3 strings of fire before I have to interrupt to change magazine

a friend with a M card has a CMMG chamber insert in a 16" 5.56 barrel and he gets very good results... a couple of friends use the plastic SW 15-22 and if you watch for feed lip wear gives them pretty reliable results

if I had not had access to the SBR and short barrel prior to starting Steel Challenge competition about 2 years ago, I would have taken more time to work out the reliability issue with the 10/22.... the 10/22 has tremendous after market support in the Steel Challenge arena ....a Chevy Truck STC 10/22 I built in the mid 90's was capable of 1" at 100yd with a barrel tuner.....I don't need a lot of accuracy to shoot a 10" plate at 15m..... I never really shot the AR with 16" barrel in the speed events of Steel Challenge, to give it a true evaluation...

I originally got the CMMG chamber insert and later collar units as a rimfire trainer for 3 gun.... I can't run any longer so Steel Challenge is a refuge for old farts that still like to play... regards Les L747

 

LES: Ain't nothing practical about USPSA anymore.... big difference from the old days. I stick to Steel Challenge, Bianchi Cup, and Bullseye. Aim High.... Mark L670

 

I am using Wiland chassis and barrels for my SC builds. This past season I only had 1 rifle for both divisions. This season I'm building 2 dedicated rifles. Bot will have Wiland Chassis and barrel. The RFRI is the stainless barrel and the RFRO is the titanium barrel. Both guns weight about 3.5lbs.

I am now using the Tactical Innovations Elite-22 receivers and VQ competition bolts. Also stock Ruger trigger housings with all Tandemkross internals

Disclaimer: I am a sponsored shooter for Wiland (use code jbeaver05 for 5% off at Wiland's site)

 

I shot this in a steel challenge match Saturday. Ruger polished receiver and metal trigger housing, Kidd 18" ultralight barrel, Kidd Trigger Job kit, Kidd bolt and charging handle kit. The red dot is an old Bushnell I had laying around. Won't use it again. Way too dim on the brightest setting. The rig as it sits is 6lbs 1oz. The gun shot great! It was my first time to shoot steel challenge and I'm 71 years old. Pretty slow, LOL. My fastest time was 4.82 seconds, but I only had 5 misses in 6 stages. Had a great time. Next time I think I'll shoot my Ruger SR22 with a Romeo Zero.

 

My poor man's Steel Challenge gun is TacSol barrel on a Blackhawk Axiom stock.

The Grandmaster's with the carbon barrels and super light weight chassis and minimalist stocks have shaved off a few more ounces.

But there is a point of diminishing returns between performance and cost.

And keeping in mind that Steel Challenge does not require pinpoint accuracy, you just have to be able to hit the target fast, so reliability is a more important factor than sheer accuracy.

 

This was the first time I ever shot in a "Steel Challenge" match. I just took my silver Mueller APV scope off of it and stuck that Bushnell on it, and did a quick sight in. Since then, I sold the Bushnell and put a Burris Fastfire III on it. I also have a Ruger SR22 that I have put a Romeo Zero red dot on that I might try if I decide to try the 'Steel Challenge' again. I already shoot in 2 benchrest 22lr competitions a month, practice one morning a week, and play golf 3 days a week. Not sure I need any more activities, LOL.