my answer is that you do what jackie's club and others have done. you establish local classes and shoot those. my club shoots 6 classes, 4 center, 2 rim fire...only one is a benchrest class as we know it. it aint a cheap sport...plain and simple. new technology does not make the sport expensive. often it makes it less...bbls are better today than in the past. the 30br bbls last a long time...and advancement that saves money...that loading device will only help those that can shoot at the top...the rest of us are still trying.
i know of know way of reducing costs in the sport......make it a claiming event...all rifles have a max dollar value of $2500...anyone can buy the winning rifle for $2500.
that would be sillly in our sport...
remember both major organizations are about ultimate rifle accuracy, not about cost.......
eliminate the ability to use a rifle in more than one class...either fewer shooters or more cost.
add a factory class...but where is the limit...the current savage factory rifles kick butt. is a cooper a factory rifle ??
we sorta tried ar's but the rules limit the class severly as far as accuracy goes and the brass on the bench rule is just plain stupid.
mike in co
