Hall Rail

[Chism G]

Saw this interesting Hall Rail Gun this weekend. It has a Wichita 1375 BR action. Built back in the late 70’s according to owner Tim Mcnally. The barrel is believed to be a Douglas.

Tim Shot this Rail in the UNL Match at Pencil Bluff Ark, this weekend.

Notice the Dial indicator. Tim says it reads in 1-10,000th of an inch. Tim bought this Rail from a friend, two years ago. The Dial indicator attachment generated much discussion, at the match, about how the previous owner used the Indicator,during a match. Tim admitted he had no clue. The previous owner had no clue.

So the question is, how was the dial indicator used to facilitate windage adjustments, during target management?








Glenn

[BillBrawand]

Is indicator for dialind to hold off so mutch

[Chism G]

Is indicator for dialind to hold off so mutch

We were all curious as to how one could focus on wind flags and dial indicator,that reads in 1-10,000th of an inch, while shooting in the wind. I haven't seen a dial indicator on any of the later Rail gun designs.

Interesting addition.


Glenn

[hayscott]

Glen, I wasn’t there but I was told that Paul Mitchell used an indicator when he shot the UL at the Nationals last year. I asked what does it do for you and was told that you note where it’s at when you start and if you make a change, you can always get back...

Now, I can see how that might be a good thing in heavy mirage, if you make a change for a condition and it changes back. Even if your crosshairs are dancing all around, you can get back to where you want to be.

[Chism G]

Hey Scott,congrats, good shooting at the Cactus.

I suppose the dial indicator could be used as you described. May explain the 1-10,000th dial reading. I ran the windage from center to stop, and the needle moved very slightly.

Saturday morning, at 200, the heavy fog mixed with rain, made it impossible to see bullet holes or lines on the target.

At the commence fire command, all four Rail shooters put a couple on the sighter, flipped the cam to record and quickly, put five shots on what was a blurred target. the fog started to clear slightly,during match four.

Wind flags was the only hard evidence(indicator) of when to start your group. It was a challenge and a lot of fun.

Tim McNally,said he never looked at the dial indicator on his Hall Rail. There's a reason why its called an unlimited Rifle. You just never know what you might see on an unlimited Rifle.


Glenn

[BillBrawand]

we were all curious as to how one could focus on wind flags and dial indicator,that reads in 1-10,000th of an inch, while shooting in the wind. I haven't seen a dial indicator on any of the later rail gun designs.

Interesting addition.


Glenn

any thing that helps one thing no shooter should be allowed behind the firing line with spoting scope during the match i feel this should closely looked at

[Chism G]

any thing that helps one thing no shooter should be allowed behind the firing line with spoting scope during the match i feel this should closely looked at

Spotting scopes are to Benchrest what binoculars are to Opera.


Glenn

[mrspradlin]

That rail came from my shooting mentor Bruce Andrews. When he passed I sold his equipment for the family.

Bruce saw that setup on a very well know shooters rail and had it installed on his.

He had it installed so he could “knob back to the starting point” in a heavy mirage. He also said “makes the other guys start asking questions” which I always got a kick out of.

Bruce had a habit of playing with the knob on the sighter target and loosing where his starting point was.

Also I was told by Bruce it was a Powell rest not a Hall. Not sure if that accurate or not.

Matt

[Chism G]

That rail came from my shooting mentor Bruce Andrews. When he passed I sold his equipment for the family.

Bruce saw that setup on a very well know shooters rail and had it installed on his.

He had it installed so he could “knob back to the starting point” in a heavy mirage. He also said “makes the other guys start asking questions” which I always got a kick out of.

Bruce had a habit of playing with the knob on the sighter target and loosing where his starting point was.

Also I was told by Bruce it was a Powell rest not a Hall. Not sure if that accurate or not.

Matt

Matt, I can assure you that your mentor was correct in that the dial indicator on that rail, Hall/Powell, generated a lot of curiosity.

It caused me to create this post with photos.

Thanks for the background info on this Rail. It shows the lengths some will go in the search for accuracy.

The "motto" of the Sport.



Glenn

[BillBrawand]

spotting scopes are to benchrest what binoculars are to opera.:d


glenn

in the opera your not in the show

[Mike Bryant]

I’m not sure when the one piece base was legalized in the unlimited class. It was sometime after about 1985 or so that the one piece base was legalized. Before that it had to be a separate front and rear rest. The change to the one piece base is what made the unlimited class what it is today. In the early days you saw lots of experimentation in designs of the unlimited rails as you can see by some of the ones you saw at Seymour. Some of those were more works of art. Not necessarily form following function. Now it’s almost like the rail gun design has become standardized. With good reason, because they work and work well.

[Mike Bryant]

Bill, why do you think spotting scopes shouldn’t be allowed behind the firing line? Coaching is prohibited while the shooter is shooting.

[BillBrawand]

bill, why do you think spotting scopes shouldn’t be allowed behind the firing line? Coaching is prohibited while the shooter is shooting.

if you take a good look you will see what is going stay for 4 or5 relays you will learn if you watch the right bench

[BillBrawand]

if you take a good look you will see what is going stay for 4 or5 relays you will learn if you watch the right bench

i only mean competors