I have been making as many of our NBRSA Varmint for Score Matches as possible. I have cut back on a few Group Shoots to make room.
I use exactly the same Bench Equipment in both, in fact, I shoot score the same way I do group. I strive to keep the Rifle shooting at a sub.200 level, and hunt and pick the condition just as I do in group.
I do not seem to have problems going up and down the target, most shooters who do are probably shooting a Rifle that is a tad out of tune. Popped shots are really more of an indictaion that the Rifle is not quite right than anything else. Most shooters prefer to put the blame elsewhere, because just as in group, one of the more difficult things in Benchrest Shooting, whether it be Score or Group, is keeping the Rifle working through the entire agg.
You want to see how well your Score Rifle really shoots?? Go shoot some Registered Group Matches with it.
One thing you find with the 30's is they tend to show more verticle dispersion when going from left to right, or visa-versa. In a group Rifle, it doesn't matter that much, because all of the bullets might still go together if the condition is the same direction. But, in Score, if you are sighted for a right to left, and are forced to shoot a reversal, you can get as much verticle as side to side. Even though you hit the side to side perfect, you might might miss the verticle hold, and miss the X.
I have talked to a few veteran Group Shooters who are giving Score a try, and they have found that the run and gun method that has become so successful in Group does not transfer to Score. They are being forced to actually read the conditions, rather than simply wait on a let-up and bang five shots down range in 20 seconds. The fact that you have to take the time to move up that target does force a shooter to adapt.
My style of shooting probably lends its self to Score more than Group, although I have enjoyed a reasonable amount of success in both..........jackie