J
Joe Haller
Guest
Hot-Beds & Wilderess . . .
When you get away from the East Coast, the clubs that hold BR matches are spread pretty thin. That means low match attendance, unless there are lots of shooters in the club's local area.
The NRA ran a survey related to this. They asked:
How far are you willing to travel for a monthly match?
They got 715 replies:
----------------------------------
Drive 1 to 2 hours - 57.5%
Half-day drive - 18.5%
Stay Overnight - 21%
Cross Country - 3%
---------------------------------
Our club here in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is at the top end of Interstate 75. A river separates us from Canada. We are remote, but with 25 local rimfire BR shooters in our County, we are in a mouse gun hotbed.
Not so for our club's Center-Fire BR program. We need some well thought out local equipment rules to bring back the game. Let's talk about the possibilities.
Joe Haller
When you get away from the East Coast, the clubs that hold BR matches are spread pretty thin. That means low match attendance, unless there are lots of shooters in the club's local area.
The NRA ran a survey related to this. They asked:
How far are you willing to travel for a monthly match?
They got 715 replies:
----------------------------------
Drive 1 to 2 hours - 57.5%
Half-day drive - 18.5%
Stay Overnight - 21%
Cross Country - 3%
---------------------------------
Our club here in Michigan's Upper Peninsula is at the top end of Interstate 75. A river separates us from Canada. We are remote, but with 25 local rimfire BR shooters in our County, we are in a mouse gun hotbed.
Not so for our club's Center-Fire BR program. We need some well thought out local equipment rules to bring back the game. Let's talk about the possibilities.
Joe Haller
Last edited by a moderator:
Joe
Frrom my own experience whatever rules you use you want to follow them to the letter with no exceptions.If something needs changing change it but make sure everyone knows about it even if you have to announce it at the match safety meeting/talk.
You want the drawing of benches done in front of all the shooters so it is as transparet as is possible.
The minute you start making exceptions to your own rules expect attendance to drop and expect word of mouth to ruin your club.
Waterboy aka Lynn
Frrom my own experience whatever rules you use you want to follow them to the letter with no exceptions.If something needs changing change it but make sure everyone knows about it even if you have to announce it at the match safety meeting/talk.
You want the drawing of benches done in front of all the shooters so it is as transparet as is possible.
The minute you start making exceptions to your own rules expect attendance to drop and expect word of mouth to ruin your club.
Waterboy aka Lynn
AndyTaber
New member
I’ll jump into this. I am a relative newcomer to Benchrest shooting, after putting a rifle together for Factory class I managed to shoot in our clubs last match of the year at Iosco. During the course of my searching as many clubs and matches on-line as I could find for the purpose of trying to determine exactly what factory class was – I compiled the following general rules. Some clubs had very short rules ie. “any gun, any sight” and some were very specific and limiting. These were the core rules that most clubs followed. Some clubs allowed brakes others did not, some had weight limits, most did not. I would like to make my case for not having weight limits. I don’t know how the 10.5 and 13.5 pound limits came into being since Benchrest is often said to be evolved from varmint shooters. The weight limit for Varmint matches is 15 pounds for “Stock” class and 25 pounds for “Factory” and “Open”. In F-Class the weight limit is 18 pounds for F-TR and 22 pounds for F-Open using a bi-pod or 16 pounds with a front rest. These other styles of shooting are the competition and they are very popular. If they are excluded for weight, they will not show up to shoot. Maybe IBS and NBRSA need to take a look at this also.
Benchrest - Factory Production Class
Factory available production actions & barrels only.
No “Glue In” or sleeved actions.
No stocks, other than factory original (or equivalent), may be used.
Stocks will have a “Sporter” or “Beavertail” style fore end.
No “Flat Bottom” Benchrest stocks permitted.
Action Bedding and barrel floating of factory stocks is permitted.
Smoothing or lightening of the factory trigger is permitted.
Factory barrels may be re-crowned to SAMMI Specs.
No tight neck chambers allowed.
Any sight allowed.
Benchrest – Factory Modified Class
Factory available production actions only.
No “Glue-In” or sleeved actions.
Aftermarket stocks permitted. (Except no “Flat Bottom” Benchrest style, must have “Concave” bottom).
Action Bedding and barrel floating is allowed.
Any Barrel and chambering permitted.
Aftermarket triggers permitted.
Factory Custom shop rifles or rifles described as “Semi-Custom”
Rifles produced by manufacturers with the primary intent of target / competition
Any sight allowed.
Benchrest – Custom Class
Rifles built on Custom actions (Per IBS or NBRSA rules)
Benchrest - Factory Production Class
Factory available production actions & barrels only.
No “Glue In” or sleeved actions.
No stocks, other than factory original (or equivalent), may be used.
Stocks will have a “Sporter” or “Beavertail” style fore end.
No “Flat Bottom” Benchrest stocks permitted.
Action Bedding and barrel floating of factory stocks is permitted.
Smoothing or lightening of the factory trigger is permitted.
Factory barrels may be re-crowned to SAMMI Specs.
No tight neck chambers allowed.
Any sight allowed.
Benchrest – Factory Modified Class
Factory available production actions only.
No “Glue-In” or sleeved actions.
Aftermarket stocks permitted. (Except no “Flat Bottom” Benchrest style, must have “Concave” bottom).
Action Bedding and barrel floating is allowed.
Any Barrel and chambering permitted.
Aftermarket triggers permitted.
Factory Custom shop rifles or rifles described as “Semi-Custom”
Rifles produced by manufacturers with the primary intent of target / competition
Any sight allowed.
Benchrest – Custom Class
Rifles built on Custom actions (Per IBS or NBRSA rules)
M
moore
Guest
Andy
Its been jumped on before and you have as good of handle on it as anyone else...I agree its a great starter in the game.The sad part folks still wont turn out by the droves....One thing that seems to chase off the few that do show up is the inspection of the the target wall,They see little groups,or Xs knocked clear out,It don't seem to matter if there told not to worry about it as these targets are not in the same class..The faith many had in there factory rifles creeps away and most never return after there told the price of the rifle that shot those targets........
Its been jumped on before and you have as good of handle on it as anyone else...I agree its a great starter in the game.The sad part folks still wont turn out by the droves....One thing that seems to chase off the few that do show up is the inspection of the the target wall,They see little groups,or Xs knocked clear out,It don't seem to matter if there told not to worry about it as these targets are not in the same class..The faith many had in there factory rifles creeps away and most never return after there told the price of the rifle that shot those targets........
AndyTaber
New member
Sorry for any error on F Class weights. I just did a fast search and came up with my info on the Accurate Shooter/6BR site. I should have gone to the NRA official rules. It still points out a major diference in rifle weights. There are a lot of rifles/shooters out there that are interested in accuracy and competing that are being ignored - at least by Benchrest.
Andy. I don't think anyone is being ignored. Every game has rules.
Most shooters, that I have met, the last few yrs. Try to reinvent the wheel. I tried. Just for local matches.
This range has "benchrest" on the schedule. 4 times a week. Tues. centerfire 2x. Thurs. rimfire 2X. 9:30 am and 6:00 pm. Can't beat that.
Almost no rules. Classes Factory and Custom.
My Savage Mod. 12 .223 should be factory. But, the Stock indicates "HS Precision".
Morning guy says factory. Afternoon guy says Custom.
Then I learn some more about Benchrest. It's more of a modified score thing. 200 y.
But, this is a great way to learn. And shooting 200y. It's easy. But, that is what I learned.
Another club we had a 4 gun Group 200y. Some of the regulars didn't show. I was told they were afraid of 200y.
I was also told there would be no more 4 gun at 200y. I had a great time.
So even some of the Reg. Bench Rest shooters won't show up on occasion. Go figure that one out.
How do you fix that??????????
Most shooters, that I have met, the last few yrs. Try to reinvent the wheel. I tried. Just for local matches.
This range has "benchrest" on the schedule. 4 times a week. Tues. centerfire 2x. Thurs. rimfire 2X. 9:30 am and 6:00 pm. Can't beat that.
Almost no rules. Classes Factory and Custom.
My Savage Mod. 12 .223 should be factory. But, the Stock indicates "HS Precision".
Morning guy says factory. Afternoon guy says Custom.
Then I learn some more about Benchrest. It's more of a modified score thing. 200 y.
But, this is a great way to learn. And shooting 200y. It's easy. But, that is what I learned.
Another club we had a 4 gun Group 200y. Some of the regulars didn't show. I was told they were afraid of 200y.
I was also told there would be no more 4 gun at 200y. I had a great time.
So even some of the Reg. Bench Rest shooters won't show up on occasion. Go figure that one out.
How do you fix that??????????