McMillan benchrest record question from a history buff

6

65shooter

Member
Hey guys, I'm a history nut and love reading about the ways things used to be. (I think because I admire the old school generations before me) Would anyone have any idea what rifle/barrel/stock and reloading methods were used by Mac McMillan to set his record in 1973 by chance? I can't find a whole lot on it.
Thanks.
 
Here’s something:

“I first became aware of the McMillans about 35 years ago when reading about a group shot by Mac in an NBRSA-sanctioned match at the Skunk Creek rifle range near Phoenix. The date was September 23, 1973, (Mac's 59th birthday) and he was shooting a 10.5-pound Light Varmint class rifle in .222 Remington. It was just about an all-McMillan rifle. Mac had built the action, and brother Pat had designed it. The rifle also had a barrel made by Pat and a fiberglass stock built by brother Gale. It wore a Leupold 12X scope that had been bumped to 24X by Wally Siebert. The dies used by Mac to make his 50-grain bullets from J4 jackets were also made by Pat. Mac's competition load consisted of Remington cases, 23.5 grains of Hodgdon BL-C (Lot No. 1), and a prototype primer that would soon thereafter be introduced by CCI as the BR-4.”

 
I have also heard that the moving backer had broken/stopped moving. The record committee decided to award him the record anyways. I in no way want to imply that cheating was involved and I believe that Mr. McMillan did fire 5 shots into the group. It was a hell of a great group and stood for many years until Mike Stinnett broke it in Denton. I was privileged to be head referee at the time and got to sign that target.
 
Back in 1997 I was in Phoenix with the Australian Team for the WBC. A bunch of us went to McMillan's and were shown the actual rifle that shot the record group. I even got to hold it! By modern standards it looked pretty basic, but obviously it sure did shoot!
 
Tim Oltersdorf said:
I have also heard that the moving backer had broken/stopped moving. The record committee decided to award him the record anyways. I in no way want to imply that cheating was involved and I believe that Mr. McMillan did fire 5 shots into the group. It was a hell of a great group and stood for many years until Mike Stinnett broke it in Denton. I was privileged to be head referee at the time and got to sign that target.
Click to expand...
Tim Oltersdorf said:
I have also heard that the moving backer had broken/stopped moving. The record committee decided to award him the record anyways. I in no way want to imply that cheating was involved and I believe that Mr. McMillan did fire 5 shots into the group. It was a hell of a great group and stood for many years until Mike Stinnett broke it in Denton. I was privileged to be head referee at the time and got to sign that target.
Click to expand...
I shoot at the BR range that is now at Ben Avery. The old Skunk Creek range was across the highway from what is now Ben Avery. I have spoken to a couple of shooters who were present at the match that McMillan shot the purported record group and they both confirmed that there was no backer for verifying his record group.
 
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