looking to get into rimfire benchrest shooting

There is a SuhL up on Rimfire Central right now with a scope.
 
That's not likely to be the rifle that'll take you to the top, but then it doesn't cost $4,000 either. That rifle will get you in the game and depending on the equipment used by the shooters in your area, it might be competitive on a local level. So long as you're realistic that a newbie using entry level equipment is not going to successful at the highest level of the sport, you will be able to learn and enjoy our sport with that type of rig. Good luck to you with whatever you decide to do.
 
One of the biggest disincentives for anyone looking into trying Rimfire Benchrest is being told right up front that you need the top of the line equipment that can compete at the national level.

It is like being told that the price of admission is:

Custom rifle: $3000
One Piece rest $800
Competitive Ammo $1500 per case

And the attitude that “if you don’t want to pony up (equipment wise) before even your first match, just buzz off boy, you are bothering us.” That is what kills the interest of most people that would even consider trying the sport even before they sit down at a bench at a match.

My advice is to just ignore the grumpy old men and show up at a match with what you have (CZ, Anschutz etc.) and try the course of fire to see if you would enjoy the competition. Yes, there is no way you will win, but you can get a feel for whether or not you would even enjoy the competition.

I started with an Anschutz 1411 that I bought for $425 and have been slowly upgrading it, and having fun along the way. I am sure I won’t get my entire investment back. But if that was my concern, I probably should put the money in a CD at the bank.

I compete at local club matches and I am really enjoying myself, but I almost let the elitist attitude of some on this board keep me from even trying the sport.

Someday I will have the time that it takes to justify buying a custom built bench rifle and the time to test ammunition for every phase of the moon, barometric pressure, temperature range, humidity level and wind direction.

Until then I am just enjoying company of other competitors at the matches and trying to increase my scores.:)

Michael Ohlsen
Andover, Kansas
 
Gumby, is your alternative to lie to the new shooter? I would be much more upset with the folks here if I had spent my money on the cooper, went to the match and found out that I now had to sell it at a loss and buy something else. Yes, all new shooters should be advised to attend a match and pick their poison after borrowing some equipment for a match or two. Most won't take that advice because they want to be prepared when they show up the first time. That is the purpose of asking the question here.
 
Just keep driving people away and watch the sport die.

Mike
 
It was an honest question. What would you tell the poster that wants to know if a cooper can win?
 
Hey...let's ask negpos

Negpos - Kindly offer your thoughts on the responses to your question.
 
Welcome

negpos said:
i have been searching the all over the net for somthing pre owned that i might be able to compete with.i found something that might be a good deal but would like some feed back. is the price fair and is this something that would be competative? Cooper TRP-3 22LR

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=156778860

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Hi negpos, Welcome to the forum. Don, Mike and Bill all have good points to consider. When you say being competative it depends on which game your shooting and those your competing with. If your shooting against others using stock rifles yes you probably could compete with them. Let's say if you were shooting ARA matches against some of the top shooters no you wouldn't be competitive. I've only been competing a couple of years in ARA matches and I've never seen a Cooper at any of them. I've read where some have claimed that the Coopers they own have been competitive where they compete, but can't say for sure. There's one listed in the classifieds here right now that's had the trigger upgraded to a Jard 2 oz. and tuner with weights added. Note that for benchrest the very light triggers is the way to go and the stock Cooper triggers aren't adjustable for such. My suggestion would be to go to a couple of matches and talk to some of the folks and see what's going on. Determine what type of competition you'll be doing, benchrest has a few choices, ARA, IR 50/50, and local clubs that have their own rules etc.... Good Luck and come back and ask away. Also if you PM some of the folks who respond to your questions they may even agree to talk to you real time on the phone. My one suggestion is don't rush out and buy something that won't work for what you want to do.

Les Williams
 
Welcome negpos, I have no experience with the setup you are asking about, but you might expand your internet search to include Killough Shooting Sports.com(one of our sponsors). Dan has a good used equipment section on his web site, and was most helpful to me when I became interested in BR last July. Regards
 
Negpos and Gumby,
I went to my first 7 ARA matches with a stock Remington 541-thbl. I took along 4 or 5 old shot bags filled with sand and a few boxes of Federal UM1. I finished dead last everytime. I upgraded equipment a bit at a time. I bought a used two piece rest system and bought some Eley Tenex. It didn't improve my situation. I then bought a used bench gun and the world turned. I won a high target the first registered target I shot with it. What I'm getting to is I learned the game with the equipment I already had, no matter how uncompetitive it was. I learned what to expect as to what the wind would do to the bullet. I learned to like the game. But I never had any expectations to do well until I was properly equipped. I think that, scratch that, I know that a lot of new shooters get really intimidated when they take their best squirrel rifle or old NRA sillywet gun and find that it isn't even in the same state as the ballpark. But it takes someone who dedicates themselves to suck all that up and upgrade equipment and continue competing. This sport is not cheap by any means. But if you want any hobby, it gets into your pocketbook.

John M. Carper
 
Don,

I am enjoying the discussion.

But, what is more important?

Saving someone a few dollars? OR Encouraging interest and participation?

This is just a hobby, it isn’t about saving money.

If someone loses ½ of their “investment” in a $1200 rifle they are out $600.

That is a lot less than the cost of a case of “competitive” ammunition at $1500 to $2500.

If you and others on this board tell people that they shouldn’t bother with trying this sport unless they are willing to start out with “Mercedes” class equipment instead of maybe trying with a “Chevy” you are doing more to kill the sport than you are to build participation. IMHO

I am sure I won't change your opinion on this, but I call it as I see it.:)
 
If the question was framed differently, I would have sugested that the new guy buy a 40x for the same money or less. Try the game and if he likes it, put a trigger, good stock, and depending on how it shot, a new barrel and he would have gotten into the game without wasting a dime. He also could sell out for just what he had into the gun anytime he wanted to.
 
I read the original question, will it be competitive? And, I agree that Don gave a good answer. A 40X would be a good start. I read "competitive" to be any where you go at any match, you have a chance of winning or placing at the top.
No one is trying to run off new folks who are interested in the game.
However, when someone asked a question he deserves a true answer, does he not?

It's less expensive in the long run to start out with the proper equipment. This is a benchrest forum and there are guys who can point you in the right direction on equipment. But, having top equipment won't guarantee you a win either. There's a bit more to it than that.

If you just want to play the game, any safe equipment will do. If you want to be competitive, you have to get more in line with whatever the rest of the folks are using and learn to use WIND FLAGS.
 
negpos said:
i have been searching the all over the net for somthing pre owned that i might be able to compete with.i found something that might be a good deal but would like some feed back. is the price fair and is this something that would be competative? Cooper TRP-3 22LR

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=156778860

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

I would go here and plunk down monies on one of the rifles listed on the page. Then look around on the site for wind flags and a good rest (if you don't already have this equipment). Then buy 2 boxes of each machine/lot of Eley Tenex and Black box match for testing. If you need a scope there are some 24X Leupolds there also. IMHO you will be better off than buying the Cooper from gunbroker. Like someone here already said, a Cooper has not shown up at the top of any national matches but Suhl, Rem40x, and Annie 54s have. Give yourself the best chance at having a gun that will shoot well and it will save you time, money, and perhaps some aggravation down the road. The aggravation will always be there but time and money will not.
 
Take a look at this. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=156731076

Be patient....knowledge is valuable. Find someone that knows the game and pick their brain. Most really like to share what they have learned.

The cooper wouldn't be bad, Its just likely to lose value vs. some other options.

I believe I'd buy this before the cooper. You can just do more with it and history of others success is comforting. Like others have said and for about 200-400 more you can have one with a better history...Suhl, 40X, Win 52, ....Go to killoughshootingsports.com and check out his used guns...Dan likely can tell you much about each gun and is a good fellow. You'll be doing business with him anyways in the futrue if you keep at it.



Good luck

Chadflys
 
Nope, but the other half of that advice was good. Call Dan.
 
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