McMillan benchrest record question from a history buff

65shooter

New 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!
 
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.
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.
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.
 
Back
Top