I have been looking around and decided I wouldnt mind giving a benchrest shoot a go. I have a 22BRx which is very accurate shooting 69gr nosler custom comps in the 1:10 twist barrel around 3364fps. Have shot 0.1's and 0.2's with it when playing with loads so i think it should be accurate enough.
Im just unsure if i will be allowed to compete with my rifle. Its more built for varminting and the shorter ranges in field rifle shooting with a 27" lilja barrel and weighs around the 8kg mark. Its a howa repeating action that has been trued and it wears a slee thumbhole stock (I use it for spotlighting too).
Will i get turned away if i drive to the nearest SSAA range with it, get laughed at then turned away or just plain laughed at
If it shoots .1 &.2's ,I would say there would be a few very interested to see what rock you crawled out from under.
Take it and give it a go,most ranges are happy to see new faces and talk the talk.
Regards
Mate for short range BR you are screwed as far as registered comp's go but for informal or club comps there may be a class or no restrictions imposed as far as weight goes.
At our local club on comp day's it's a run what ya brung,anything goes as far as the benchrest events go ,all depends on the clubs rules.
For registered comps the limit for HV is 13.5 lb's.
Just get along and have a look, most clubs will allow you to shoot if your new to the sport you just dont qualify for anything unless you meet the requirements outlined in the rules.
cheers fellas, I might get out and give it a go. Looking at it, the stock wont ride bags that well but i dont care, in winter sitting undercover shooting 300m seems better than lying in the rain on a mound shooting 300m.
I need to get out the farm and build my target up and mark the 100, 200 and 300m shooting spots so i can practice a bit more.
The first rule. Don't worry about what people think or say. If it shoots it shoots.
When I was younger shooting prone I would receive some pretty vicious comments in regard to the rifle I was using. It was a single shot Marlin .22 however, to their dismay I endured and at times shot some pretty good scores competing against Annies and Walthers.
I really enjoyed those evenings with the bourgeoisie of Queensland's small bore fraternity.
The basis of their greivances was that I was using a sporting rifle or as the yanks call them squirrel guns. This for some reason was not acceptable, especially when the little rifle out-performed the Rolls Royce of rifles.
Don't be discouraged by the elitist elements and attitudes these people are a minority.
Sean you make it sound as if the BR guy's are a bit snooty/elitest's and it's not the first time I have heard/read where the referece was made(not by yourself),I have found the exact opposite,a more encouraging and helpfull bunch of people you would not find........need a hand with something no worries,need a lend of something not a problem,advise no prob's.
As Brad has been advised ..................get out there and have a go....shit never know he might actually like it .
I started off my benchrest shooting career with a heavy barreled Sako in 22/250. They used to shoot every Sunday at Para. I shot with them, and ran last every week, but I was learning all the time. One day I ran second and beat a bunch of proper benchrest rifles. Probably a fluke, but I enjoyed that one.
By the time my real benchrest rifle arrived (after an 18 month gestation period in the USA!!!) I was more than ready, and started winning a few.
Mate, take that rifle out for a shoot - you should be more than welcome. You would be with our mob at Para.
chris.tyne wrote:Sean you make it sound as if the BR guy's are a bit snooty/elitist's and it's not the first time I have heard/read where the reference was made(not by yourself)....
G'day Chris,
This is my experience but like I said 'they are a minority' I generally find that its the prone shooters and the Club shot gunners that are the snootiest.
I always get a giggle when you observe them in their shooting jackets rolling that Old English Tobacco (the kind that has the appointment of Her Majesty on the tin) and having a puff through a pipe during a break.
There are Bad Apples in every bunch, you either learn to tolerate or ignore but never let them deter.
Hi all , I think after 40 years of different National competitions all over this country i could say that there will always be some snootie people no matter what sport u choose ..Especially in areas where some of the equipment can be really expensive ,some guys think because they have shelled out large Dollars that they are above the rest ..Fact is they have the right ,if they choose,to be that way ..I for one am glad that everybody is not the same ,it's just a fact of life .. I seem to have gone through this world with never quite enough money to buy the absolute best ,so i have had to design & make my own stuff , never really been held back ,much..Had a lot of fun ,won a lot of comps, it takes all types! Good Huh..JR..Jeff Rogers
Sounds good enough to me, I might try to get ahold of someone at SSAA in Collie as i think its my nearest range. We have another club locally but its all field rifle shooting. I would like to try the BR rimfire too for the hell of it but once I get the new scope for the BRX, I will get it up there and have a go.
I have also wanted to try br with one of my rifles, just to get the feel of it. I however also thought that I'd be laughed off the range for even dareing to use a 0.5 moa live varmint rifle in a br comp. Might just have to pack one of them up and head down to Little river one sunday. Can any br shooters tell me what I'll need for the match, or that just might come in handy to have. Gonna look silly enough as it is, so if I can have at least the basics that would be a help. I am thinking take my front rest, rear bag, hearing protection and plenty of ammo. What else have I missed?
,all depends on the clubs rules.
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