River Bend's 2025 CF BR "Open" Matches - Schedule & Results

Hunter

Screamer Dreamin'
Unless nasty weather, high water, the virus, or some other calamity interferes, we're shooting centerfire benchrest "open” matches on the second Sat of each month (as shown below) at River Bend -- starting Jan 11th.

Schedule
Jan - Group — CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
Feb - Score​
Mar - Group​
Apr - Score​
May - Group​
Jun - Score​
Jul - Group​
Aug - Score​
Sep - Group​
Oct - Score​
Nov - Group​
Dec - Score​

Info for those who haven't shot one of these matches at River Bend:

1. Open matches are non-registered; thus, you don’t have to be a member of any club or organization to shoot.

2. Not much walking is required. Paved parking is close to the firing line (if moving your stuff is difficult someone will help); the covered and paved reloading area (with tables and seats) is between the parking area and the firing line; and the target crew will place and retrieve your targets. If it's cold or hot, the enclosed office area has a couple of heaters and an air conditioner to offer a bit of relief from the weather. Lunch is oftentimes included in the entry fee. If you'd like to bring your camper (or tent) and come a day or two early and/or stay a day later, and shoot and/or spend the night (on site), I suspect Jim Andress (the match director) can arrange for you to do so; just check with him ahead of time.

3. We will shoot ten, 5-shot targets (with unlimited sighters), with ample time to reload between targets. Five of those targets will be at 100 yards, then five at 200 yards; the overall winner will be based on the combined 100 and 200 yard aggregates. At most (maybe all) matches the top shooter(s) take home money -- so don't risk leaving money on the table by not being there. Custom, factory, and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the following two paragraphs).

4. Per Jim Andress, "RBGC monthly matches are open to the public. Matches typically begin at 9:00AM, so arrive early. Cost for non-registered matches is typically $20. Unlimited guns such as railguns, with no restrictions on weight, size, or configuration are not allowed, and front and rear rests must be separate. 'Heavy Bench' class rifles up to 24 pounds are allowed. Calibers up to .338 are allowed, but remember, no brakes of any kind. No 'super guns' (anything designed to deliver a jacketed bullet weighing over 300 grains with a muzzle velocity of 2900 FPS or greater). Ejections cannot reach adjacent benches. Subject to the foregoing, typical LV, HV, and Sporter rifles (as known in the benchrest community) and typical hunting-type rifles are allowed -- and typically represent all the guns at the matches. To be fair, purpose-built Benchrest rifles compete in the custom class, all others in the factory class."

5. For more information, see: https://rbgc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=265856&module_id=471033. (Be aware that the 18-pound weight limit mentioned in the second paragraph in the last section in that link does not match the "Heavy Bench" sentence in the preceding paragraph above -- feel free to ask if something needs clarification.)

6. Also, you may enjoy watching the video at https://benchrest.com/forum/threads/river-bend-benchrest-match-video.73843/.

7. For directions, see: https://www.google.com/maps/dir///@34.0197376,-84.3317248,13z (put River Bend Gun Club Road, Dawsonville, GA in the “Destination” box).
 
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Feb Report - We had nine shooters today, including three factory shooters (including long-absent Hayden Mathis, and first-time BR-match shooter Steve Tidd, from nearby; however, Steve didn't get but one shot down range due to an apparent over-pressure issue with his rifle — so, only eight guys actually shot for a score). Jack Perry left after the 100 yard agg. due to family-related needs. The weather was nice; about 56° when we started and 73° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Bill Von Minden - 250-19x (6mm)
2. Zane Athey - 250-16x (6mm)
3. Jack Perry - 250-14x

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Bill Von Minden - 245-2x (6mm)
2. Michael Scott - 244-6x (6mm)
3. Zane Athey - 244-3x (6mm)

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Bill Von Minden - 495-21x (6mm)
2. Zane Athey - 494-19x (6mm)
3. Roger Avery - 489-15x (6mm)

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match, scoring, and running the computer; Jim and Bobby Rieber for providing lunch (BBQ, buns, chips, and condiments); all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting groups at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
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Mar Report - We had nine shooters today (but Jack Perry could only shoot in the AM due to family-related needs, and Joe Bougard didn't get to shoot the last two targets due to a scope issue), including one factory-class shooter. The weather was nice; about 59° when we started and 70° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Jim Andress - .1746
2. Roger Avery - .2058
3. Zane Athey - .2138
Three shooters had screamers: Roger (.076), Zane (.082), and Jim (.085)

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Greg Ellis - .3713
2. Roger Avery - .4243
3. Michael Scott - .5327 (He beat his wife, Jenna, by .0062!)
Zane had the smallest group - .327

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Roger Avery - .3151
2. Greg Ellis - .3224
3. Jim Andress - .3906

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring; Jim and Bobby Reiber for providing lunch (a slow-cooked pork shoulder, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there; also thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting score at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Sorry I couldn't make it, It was beautiful weather and unfortunately I was working in it. See y'all next month and thanks for posting the results.
 
Apr Report - We had six show today; however, Jenna Scott stayed in her truck because of the cold weather; thus, there were five would-be shooters — but Jim Andress didn't get a shot down range due to a reloading issue; thus, there were four actual shooters; however, Michael Scott had a gun/ammo issue on target # 8 and didn't get but one shot on the bullseye; thus, there were only three shooters who shot all the targets. The weather was nice — but very chilly with typical spring-time wind. It was about 37° when I arrived a little after 7 AM, and about 44° when we started shooting and 64° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Roger Avery - 249-18x
2. Joe Bougard - 249-14x
3. Michael Scott - 245-9x (6mm)

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Roger Avery - 243-3x
2. Joe Bougard - 243-6x

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Roger Avery - 492-21x
2. Joe Bougard - 491-20x

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match, scoring, and running the computer; Jim and Bobby Rieber for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting groups at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
May Report - We had seven shooters today. There was light rain from time-to-time; however, the flags didn't put on much of a show this morning. It was about 58° when we started and 56° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Jim Andress - .1582
2. David McDowell - .1856
3. Michael Scott - .2212
Jim had the smallest group; a .069 screamer.

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Joe Bougard - .2616
2. Jim Andress - .2715
3. David McDowell - .3258
Roger Avery had the smallest group - .267

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Jim Andress - .2149
2. Joe Bougard - .2502
3. David McDowell - .2557

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring; Jim and Bobby Reiber for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there; also thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day — chilly and wet, but nice.

Next month we're shooting score at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Jun Report - We had eight shooters today; including long-absent Kevin McGowan (from Dublin), long-absent Scott Dittman, and Michael Scott (shooting without his wife Jenna). The weather was nice — about 70° when we started and 83° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Greg Ellis - 250-20x (6mm)
2. Roger Avery - 250-20x
3. Joe Bougard - 250-18x

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Greg Ellis - 250-7x (6mm)
2. Scott Dittman - 250-5x (6mm)
3. Jim Andress - 249-9x (6mm)

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Greg Ellis - 500-27x (6mm)
2. Scott Dittman - 500-20x (6mm)
3. Jim Andress - 499-25x (6mm)

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match, scoring, and running the computer; Jim and Bobby Rieber for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting groups at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Jul Report - We had 12 shooters today, including Steve Hill (from SC), his nephew Andrew Hill (from AL), and one factory-class shooter. Andrew and Zane Athey did not shoot the 200 yard targets. It was about 74° when we started and 88° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Bill Von Minden - .1766
2. Jim Andress - .2186
3. Zane Athey - .2250
Two shooters had screamers: Jenna Scott (.048) and Bill Von Minden (.088). (David McDowell had a nice three-shot group going but couldn't shoot the last two shots because of a trigger problem. Jim couldn't get a measurement on the three-shot group because it was so small; David got a 2.000 on that target — which included a 2" inch penalty.)

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Bill Von Minden - .2508
2. Roger Avery - .3312
3. Scott Dittman - .3478
Bill had the smallest group, a .134 screamer.

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Bill Von Minden - .2137
2. Scott Dittman - .2925
3. Roger Avery - .3119

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match, scoring, and running the computer; Jim and Bobby Reiber for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there; also thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting score at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Aug Report - We had eight shooters today; including one factory-class shooter. We shot group and score at 100 and 200 yards; all on one score target per shooter at each yardage. The weather was nice — about 70° when we started and 82° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
Group:
1. Joe Bougard - .2042
2. Scott Dittman - .2064
3. Bill Von Minden - .2408
Scott had a .070 screamer.
Score:
1. Zane Athey - 250-17x
2. Jim Andress - 250-17x (6mm)
3. Scott Dittman - 250-16x

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
Group:
1. Jim Andress - .2779
2. Scott Dittman - .3042
3. Roger Avery - .3688
Jim had a .213 screamer. Bill Von Minden had a .3133 agg. after four targets and a decent two-shot group going on the last target — then cross-fired a very nice three-shot group for a six-inch penalty. :(
Score:
1. Zane Athery - 250-10x
2. Scott Dittman - 249-9x
3. Roger Avery - 249-8x (6mm)

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
Group:
1. Scott Dittman - .2553
2. Jim Andress - .2605
3. Joe Bougard - .3050
Score:
1. Zane Athey - 500-27x
2. Scott Dittman - 499-25x
3. Jim Andress - 499-19x (6mm)

Partial results -- Combined Grand Agg Placements:
1. Scott Dittman = 3
2. Jim Andress = 5
3. Zane Athey = 6

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring; Jim for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month, per the schedule in post # 1 above, we're scheduled to shoot groups at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Sep Report - We had eight shooters today, including Larry Randall (shooting his first match at River Bend) and Zane Athey (shooting his new-to-him Winchester factory-class rifle in .222). Zane and Roger Avery did not shoot the 200 yard targets. It was about 64° when we started and 83° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Jim Andress - .1656
2. Roger Avery - .1802
3. Joe Bougard - .2656
Roger had the smallest group, a .099 screamer.

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Jim Andress - .2098
2. Scott Dittman - .2989
3. Larry Randall - .3355
Jim had the smallest group: .359.

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Jim Andress - .1877
2. Joe Bougard - .3037
3. Scott Dittman - .3174

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring; Jim and Bobby Reiber for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there; also thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting score at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Oct Report - We had five shooters today. The weather was nice — about 51° when we started and 75° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Jim Andress - 250-22x (6mm)
2. Roger Avery - 250-21x
3. Greg Ellis - 250-14x (6mm)

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Roger Avery - 250-6x
2. Greg Ellis - 249-11x (6mm)
3. Jim Andress - 249-7x (6mm)

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Roger Avery - 500-27x
2. Greg Ellis - 499-25x (6mm)
3. Jim Andress - 497-29x (6mm)

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match, scoring, and running the computer; Jim and Bobby Rieber for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting groups at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Nov Report - We had nine shooters today, including Tom Polen (shooting a factory rifle in his first benchrest match), but excluding Tom's 11-year-old son who got to shoot one target (with a custom gun) — it was his first time shooting a CF rifle. It was about 61° when we started and 73° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Zane Athey - .2124
2. Jim Andress - .2318
3. Scott Dittman - .2552
Zane had the smallest group: .105.

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Bill Von Minden - .2580
2. Scott Dittman - .3329
3. Zane Athey - .3389
Zane had the smallest group: .282.

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Zane Athey - .2757
2. Bill Von Minden - .2772
3. Scott Dittman - .2941

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match and scoring; Jim and Bobby Reiber for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there; also thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting score at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
Dec Report - We had ten shooters today, including: Brent Cook (shooting his first benchrest match at River Bend), long-absent Miles Gibby and Tony Rogers, and one factory-class shooter; however, Zane Athey didn't shoot the 200-yd targets. The weather was nice — about 34° when we started and 67° when we finished.

Partial results -- 100 yard aggs:
1. Scott Dittman - 250-22x
2. Zane Athey - 250-22x
3. Miles Gibby - 250-18x (took 3rd place over two others based on his X-count in match one)

Partial results -- 200 yard aggs:
1. Greg Ellis - 250-8x (6mm)
2. Miles Gibby - 249-5x
3. Scott Dittman - 249-3x

Partial results -- Grand Aggs:
1. Greg Ellis - 500-22x (6mm)
2. Scott Dittman - 499-25x
3. Miles Gibby - 499-23x

Thanks to: Jim Andress for running the match, scoring, and running the computer; Jim for providing lunch (burgers, dogs, buns, chips, and condiments) — and Dee and Phylliss for sweets; all those who helped move the target frames; and all the shooters for being there. Also, thanks to RBGC for providing this venue for us to shoot. It was a nice day.

Next month we're shooting groups at 100 and 200 yards; factory and modified rifles are welcome (subject to the parenthetical phrase at the end of paragraph # 3 in post # 1 above).
 
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The Year in Review:

Grand Agg Winners: Group/Score/G-S Combined=Total
Roger Avery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/2/0=3
Jim Andress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/0/0=2
Greg Ellis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0/2/0=2
Bill Von Minden . . . . . . . . . . 1/1/0=2
Zane Athery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/0/0=1
Scott Dittman . . . . . . . . . . . . 0/0/1=1
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/5/1=11

It looks like 2025 was the Roger Avery show.
 
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