Best Steel Challenge Guns for 2026: Rimfire, Centerfire & PCC

Last updated May 2026 · By Nick Hall, club-level Steel Challenge competitor

The Ruger Mark IV 22/45 is the best Steel Challenge gun for most shooters, the most popular rimfire pistol in the sport thanks to its reliability, easy takedown and huge aftermarket. The S&W SW22 Victory is the best value, the Volquartsen Black Mamba is the premium pick, and the Ruger 10/22 rules the rimfire rifle division. A 22 with a big-window red dot is the ideal beginner setup, but Steel Challenge has a division for everything from a centerfire race pistol to a PCC. This guide ranks 11 guns across all four matches with full specs, pros and cons, live prices, and the optic and ammo advice that wins a pure speed game.

Steel Challenge is the friendliest speed game in the shooting sports, and the gun list reflects that: a humble 22 pistol is the most popular tool on the line. Because the sport is governed by the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) and scored purely on time, what matters most is a gun that runs flawlessly with a light, crisp trigger and a red dot with a big window you can find fast. There’s no recoil management to worry about with a rimfire, so the gun almost disappears and the whole game becomes about seeing the dot and pressing the trigger.

New to the sport? My guide on what Steel Challenge is explains the eight fixed stages and the divisions. Below are the best guns sorted by the four Steel Challenge matches, from rimfire pistol up through centerfire and PCC.

Best Steel Challenge Guns 2026: Quick Comparison

Gun	Division	Action	Capacity	From
Ruger Mark IV 22/45	Rimfire Pistol	Semi-auto 22 LR	10+1	$329
S&W SW22 Victory	Rimfire Pistol (value)	Semi-auto 22 LR	10+1	$329
Volquartsen Black Mamba	Rimfire Pistol (premium)	Semi-auto 22 LR	10+1	$1,405
Browning Buck Mark	Rimfire Pistol	Semi-auto 22 LR	10+1	$279
Taurus TX22 Competition	Rimfire Pistol (value)	Semi-auto 22 LR	16+1	$349
S&W Model 41	Rimfire Pistol (target)	Semi-auto 22 LR	10+1	$1,199
Glock 44	Rimfire Pistol (trainer)	Semi-auto 22 LR	10+1	$395
Ruger 10/22	Rimfire Rifle	Semi-auto 22 LR	10+1	$271
Ruger 10/22 Competition	Rimfire Rifle (premium)	Semi-auto 22 LR	10+1	$569
CZ 457	Rimfire Rifle (bolt)	Bolt-action 22 LR	5+1	$529
Tikka T1x	Rimfire Rifle (bolt)	Bolt-action 22 LR	10+1	$549

Best Rimfire Pistols for Steel Challenge

The rimfire pistol divisions are the heart of Steel Challenge and the most popular entry point. A 22 has no recoil, costs pennies per round, and lets you drill the eight fixed stages all day, so these guns cover the field from budget to podium. High-velocity 22 LR knocks the plates down more reliably than match target ammo, and a gun that cycles every round you feed it beats a finicky race gun, so reliability is the first thing to look for.

1. Ruger Mark IV 22/45: Best Overall Steel Challenge Gun

The Ruger Mark IV, and especially the 22/45 model with its 1911-style grip angle, is the most popular rimfire pistol in Steel Challenge for good reason. It’s utterly reliable, the one-button takedown finally made the Mark series easy to clean, and the aftermarket from TandemKross, Volquartsen and others is enormous, so you can tune it into a race gun over time. At around 330 dollars for the Tactical model it’s accurate, optics-ready, and the obvious first buy.

The 22/45’s polymer frame keeps it light, and the 1911 grip angle makes it a natural for shooters who also run a centerfire pistol. The stock trigger is good rather than great, but a cheap Volquartsen or TandemKross kit fixes that, and the gun will carry you from D-class to the podium. For the broader pistol picture, see my best competition pistols roundup, and see specs at Ruger.

2. S&W SW22 Victory: Best Value Steel Challenge Gun

The Smith & Wesson SW22 Victory is the value and entry champion, with an easy-to-mount optics plate, an interchangeable 5.5-inch barrel, and a clean trigger, all for around 330 dollars. The simple optic mounting is a real advantage for a new shooter putting their first red dot on a gun, and the big aftermarket means it grows with you.

It’s one of the most accurate rimfires you can buy at the price, and the easy barrel swaps let you experiment with bull and threaded barrels as you get serious. The grip is a touch blockier than a Ruger and the trigger, while good, is not Volquartsen-crisp, but for the money it’s a superb first Steel Challenge gun.

3. Volquartsen Black Mamba: Best Premium Steel Challenge Gun

When you’re chasing the podium, the Volquartsen Black Mamba is the answer. Built on the Ruger pattern but to a different standard, it brings a crisp 2.25-pound match trigger, a compensated barrel, and dead-flat balance that lets you hammer the plates. At around 1,400 dollars it costs more than many centerfire pistols, but it’s the gun the top rimfire shooters run when fractions of a second decide a match.

The Black Mamba is essentially a factory-built race gun, sparing you the cost and trial-and-error of upgrading a Ruger piece by piece. It’s overkill for a casual shooter and the price stings, but for a serious competitor it’s the production benchmark of the rimfire divisions, and it holds its value.

4. Browning Buck Mark: Best Mid-Tier Steel Challenge Gun

The Browning Buck Mark is the classic mid-tier alternative, a proven, accurate 22 with a comfortable grip and a good trigger that has been winning rimfire matches for decades. At around 280 dollars it slots in as a reliable, no-drama option for a shooter who wants something a little different from the Ruger and Smith crowd, with plenty of optics-ready models available.

Its straight-blowback action and steel frame give it a slightly different balance than the Ruger, which some shooters prefer, and the natural pointability of the grip is a long-standing strength. The aftermarket is smaller than the Ruger’s, but for a dependable, affordable steel gun it’s a genuinely good choice.

5. Taurus TX22 Competition: Best Out-of-the-Box Race Rimfire

The Taurus TX22 Competition has quietly become a default Steel Challenge choice for budget-minded shooters. It’s reliable, accurate, and runs cheap bulk 22 LR without hiccups, and it comes optics-ready with a factory compensator and a 16-round magazine for under 350 dollars. For a new shooter who wants a competition-ready rimfire straight from the box without diving into the Ruger aftermarket, it’s a smart, affordable pick.

The 16-round capacity is a real edge in a sport where you can fire as many rounds as you need to hit the plates, and the factory comp and optics cut mean you spend less to get race-ready. The Taurus name carries less prestige and the long-term durability reputation is still building, but the value is undeniable.

6. S&W Model 41: Best Target-Grade Rimfire

The Smith & Wesson Model 41 is the classic target pistol, a refined, supremely accurate rimfire that has served bullseye and precision shooters for decades. Its match-grade barrel and exquisite trigger make it one of the most accurate 22s ever made, and it crosses over into Steel Challenge for a shooter who wants old-school target precision and craftsmanship.

At around 1,200 dollars it’s a premium, traditional choice, and its longer barrel and target grip favor precision over raw speed. It’s not the fastest gun to run on a tight close array, but for a shooter who values accuracy and a heritage target pistol, the Model 41 is a joy.

7. Glock 44: Best Crossover Trainer

The Glock 44 is the rimfire option for a shooter who carries or competes with a Glock and wants a 22 that mirrors it exactly. Same grip, same controls, same manual of arms as a Glock 19, so your reps transfer directly between your centerfire and rimfire guns. At around 400 dollars it’s a practical way to shoot Steel Challenge cheaply while reinforcing your Glock skills.

It’s optics-ready in the MOS version, and the hybrid steel-polymer slide keeps it running, though it’s pickier about ammo than the dedicated target guns and prefers high-velocity loads. It will not out-shoot a Volquartsen, but for Glock shooters it’s the most useful rimfire on this list.

Best Rimfire Rifles for Steel Challenge

Steel Challenge has its own rimfire rifle match, and it’s a blast. A 22 carbine with a red dot lets you ring the plates with almost no effort, and it doubles as an NRL22 trainer. Here are the rifles to look at.

8. Ruger 10/22: Best Steel Challenge Rimfire Rifle

The Ruger 10/22 dominates the rimfire rifle division the way the Mark IV dominates pistol. It’s reliable, cheap at around 270 dollars, and supported by the largest aftermarket of any rimfire, so you can build it from a plinker into a tuned race gun with Volquartsen, Kidd, or TandemKross parts. For most shooters it’s both the best value and the best platform to grow into.

A bone-stock 10/22 with a red dot will get you on the line and competitive, and you can upgrade the trigger, barrel and stock as your times demand. The rotary magazine is utterly reliable, and parts and knowledge are everywhere, which makes it the natural first rimfire rifle for the sport.

9. Ruger 10/22 Competition: Best Factory Race Rifle

If you want the 10/22 platform already tuned, the Ruger 10/22 Competition model delivers a factory race rifle with a heavy bull barrel, a quality adjustable trigger, an upgraded stock and a receiver cut for optics, for around 570 dollars. It saves you the cost and effort of upgrading a base 10/22 piece by piece, and it shoots noticeably better out of the box.

It’s heavier than a base 10/22, which actually helps on a static Steel Challenge stage, and the factory trigger is a real step up. For a shooter who wants a podium-capable rimfire rifle without a custom build, it’s the smart middle path.

10. CZ 457: Best Bolt-Action Rimfire Crossover

If you also want to shoot the precision rimfire game, the CZ 457 is the bolt-action benchmark. It’s superbly accurate, takes interchangeable barrels, and serves double duty in NRL22 and rimfire precision matches as well as the Steel Challenge bolt-rifle ranks. At around 530 dollars it’s a lot of accuracy for the money.

A bolt gun is slower to run than a semi-auto on a fast steel array, so the 457 is more a crossover pick for a shooter who also shoots precision than a dedicated Steel Challenge race rifle. But its accuracy and smooth action are exceptional, and it’s the best value in precision rimfire. Pair it with the right glass from my best rifle scopes picks. See it at CZ-USA.

11. Tikka T1x: Best Precision Rimfire Trainer

The Tikka T1x brings the famously smooth Tikka bolt action to the rimfire world, mirroring the ergonomics of the centerfire T3x so you can train cheaply for PRS. It’s a precision-first rifle that crosses over into Steel Challenge and shines in NRL22, with excellent accuracy and that buttery action for around 550 dollars.

Like the CZ 457, it’s a bolt gun, so it’s a crossover and trainer pick rather than a pure Steel Challenge speed rifle. But for a shooter who wants one rimfire to do precision, NRL22 and the occasional steel match, mirroring their centerfire bolt gun, it’s the pick.

Centerfire Pistol and PCC Divisions

Steel Challenge is not just a rimfire game. The centerfire pistol match runs the same guns as USPSA Carry Optics, so a CZ Shadow 2, a Staccato, or a Canik SFx Rival-S is right at home, and you can read about all of them in my best competition pistols roundup. The PCC match welcomes pistol-caliber carbines like the Sig MPX and JP GMR-15, covered in my best competition PCCs guide. Whatever you already own for USPSA will shoot Steel Challenge too, which makes it an easy second sport to add.

Best Steel Challenge Gun by Use Case

Sorted by what you actually need, here’s how these guns stack up.

• Best overall: Ruger Mark IV 22/45.
• Best value: S&W SW22 Victory and Taurus TX22 Competition.
• Best for the podium: Volquartsen Black Mamba.
• Best for Glock shooters: Glock 44, for identical reps.
• Best rifle: Ruger 10/22, or the 10/22 Competition for a factory race gun.
• Best crossover with precision rimfire: CZ 457 or Tikka T1x.
• Best target-accuracy pick: S&W Model 41.

How to Set Up a Steel Challenge Gun

Because the sport is pure speed, your setup priorities are simple and they’re the same across divisions.

• A big-window red dot. The faster you find the dot on the draw and after each shot, the faster your runs. Window size beats everything; see my best competition red dots picks.
• A light, crisp trigger. A clean break with a fast reset lets you run the plates at speed. Most budget guns benefit from a drop-in trigger kit.
• Reliable, high-velocity ammo. A rimfire gun is only as good as the ammo it likes, so test a few brands and feed it what runs cleanest. High-velocity 22 LR also knocks steel down more reliably than match target ammo, since plates need energy to fall.
• A stable grip and good optic mount. Mount the optic low and confirm your zero, then practice the eight fixed stages to shave time.
• Spare magazines. You can fire as many rounds as you need per plate, so a couple of loaded backups keep you running between strings.

Rimfire Ammo for Steel Challenge: What Knocks Steel Down

Ammo is a bigger deal in rimfire Steel Challenge than most newcomers realize, and getting it right is nearly free speed. The two things that matter are reliability and enough energy to reliably tip the plates. A 22 LR pistol has to cycle every single round on the clock, and rimfire ammo is famously inconsistent across brands, so the first job is finding a load your specific gun runs without a single failure. A gun that chokes once costs you more time than any ammo upgrade could ever save.

Once reliability is sorted, lean toward high-velocity 22 LR over slower match target ammo. The plates need energy to fall, and a high-velocity round knocks them down more decisively, while a weak load can leave a plate standing or wobbling, costing you a make-up shot. CCI Mini-Mag, CCI Standard Velocity and similar quality loads are popular for their consistency. Buy a few brands, run them through your gun in practice, and then stock up on whatever cycles cleanest and drops steel hardest. That tested, reliable load is part of your competitive setup, not an afterthought.

Tuning a Rimfire Pistol for Speed

A bone-stock rimfire will get you on the line, but a few targeted upgrades turn a Ruger Mark IV or similar into a genuine race gun, and none of them costs much next to the gun itself. The single best upgrade is the trigger: a drop-in kit from Volquartsen or TandemKross gives you a lighter, crisper break and a faster reset, which directly translates to faster splits between plates. On a sport scored to the hundredth of a second, a better trigger pays for itself fast.

Beyond the trigger, a big-window red dot is non-negotiable, because finding the dot fast on the draw and tracking it between plates is the whole game. Add a slightly heavier bull or compensated barrel if your division allows, since the extra weight settles the gun and a comp keeps it flat, though on a no-recoil 22 the gains are smaller than on a centerfire gun. Finally, a set of reliable magazines and a holster that gives a consistent draw round out the setup. Spend on the trigger and the optic first, because those move the timer the most.

Practicing the Eight Fixed Stages

Steel Challenge has a unique advantage no other action sport offers: the eight stages never change. Five to Go, Showdown, Smoke and Hope, Outer Limits, Accelerator, Pendulum, Speed Option and Roundabout are identical at every club in the country, year after year. That means every practice rep directly prepares you for the exact stage you’ll shoot at the match, and you can track your times on each one over months to see real, measurable improvement.

Use that to your advantage. Set up the stages you struggle with in practice, often the ones with a tricky transition or a distant plate, and drill them until the movement pattern is automatic. Dry-fire practice at home, drawing and transitioning between marked points on a wall, builds the same skills for free and is some of the most valuable training you can do. Most shooters find one or two stages consistently cost them time, so focus your practice there rather than shooting your favorites. Because the stages are fixed, disciplined practice pays off more in Steel Challenge than in any other sport, and it’s the fastest path up the classifications.

Why a Rimfire Pistol Is the Best Starting Point

If you’re torn on where to begin, start with a rimfire pistol, and here’s why. A 22 has essentially no recoil, so you’re not fighting the gun and can focus entirely on seeing the dot and pressing the trigger, which is the core skill the whole sport tests. The ammo is cheap enough to shoot a thousand rounds for the price of a couple hundred 9mm, so you can practice the eight fixed stages relentlessly. And a reliable rimfire like the Mark IV or SW22 Victory costs a third of a centerfire race gun.

That combination, no recoil, cheap practice, low buy-in, is exactly why the rimfire pistol divisions are the most popular in Steel Challenge and the best on-ramp to competition shooting as a whole. You can always add a centerfire or PCC division later once you’re hooked, and the skills carry straight over.

The Bottom Line

For most shooters, buy a Ruger Mark IV 22/45, put a big-window red dot on it, and go shoot a Steel Challenge match this weekend. The SW22 Victory and Taurus TX22 are the value alternatives, the Volquartsen Black Mamba is the podium gun, and the Ruger 10/22 rules the rifle side. If you already own a USPSA pistol or a PCC, you can shoot those divisions too. Whatever you pick, the gun matters far less than the reps against those eight fixed stages. New here? Start with my complete guide to competition shooting.

Frequently Asked Questions