ARA Indoor Nationals

T

tonykharper

Well-known member
An interesting story came out of the ARA Indoors Nationals yesterday.

I borrowed this from another website:

"Joe Ettershank from South Africa has been Shooting here @ ChickenFoot this Year with a 3P Anshutz ! Very Nice 3P rifle but it aint close for a 22RFBR rifle ! Joe is Left Handed ,so he needs a LH action to really get there and compete ! Larry Parsons loaned Joe one of Chris Gilmers old Left hand Calfee Rifles ! WoW . Joe shoots a 2500! Never seen anything like this here at ChickenFoot! Very nice story ,don`t you think !"

Several things struck me about this. First, shooters are more than willing to help each other. Larry Parsons demonstrated that.

Second, given the right equipment shooters from anywhere can step up their game and compete on any level.

Third, as many have claimed, RFBR rifles just may be a step above 3P rifles in general.

TKH (4628)
 
tonykharper said:
An interesting story came out of the ARA Indoors Nationals yesterday.

I borrowed this from another website:

"Joe Ettershank from South Africa has been Shooting here @ ChickenFoot this Year with a 3P Anshutz ! Very Nice 3P rifle but it aint close for a 22RFBR rifle ! Joe is Left Handed ,so he needs a LH action to really get there and compete ! Larry Parsons loaned Joe one of Chris Gilmers old Left hand Calfee Rifles ! WoW . Joe shoots a 2500! Never seen anything like this here at ChickenFoot! Very nice story ,don`t you think !"

Several things struck me about this. First, shooters are more than willing to help each other. Larry Parsons demonstrated that.

Second, given the right equipment shooters from anywhere can step up their game and compete on any level.

Third, as many have claimed, RFBR rifles just may be a step above 3P rifles in general.

TKH (4628)
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So I'm wasting time on my 1913?
 
Butch Lambert said:
So I'm wasting time on my 1913?
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Butch,

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but factory actions haven't been competitive in RFBR for a long time.

Now there have been exceptions, as in all things, but it's really like hoping to hit the lottery.

While it is true one can build a centerfire bench rifle on a factory action and compete, not the same with rimfire.

If you are really wanting to get into winning, you have to have State of the Art equipment.

It all depends on your personal objectives.

TKH (4628)
 
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tim said:
Butch…..you made a funny.
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Well, I'm going to do it anyway. Barreled action is at the stocker as we speak. Promised to me in February. I have 2 Shilen ratchet barrels if needed. It will be fun, but if it isn't competitive, I can always call Jerry.
 
Butch Lambert said:
Well, I'm going to do it anyway. Barreled action is at the stocker as we speak. Promised to me in February. I have 2 Shilen ratchet barrels if needed. It will be fun, but if it isn't competitive, I can always call Jerry.
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Cut your loss Butch…l.call Jerry now, especially if stocker can switch up for a 2500 action.
 
Butch, I also have a junk Anschutz action and glued a Benchmark 3 groove barrel in it and it chambered for Lapua. The less than 4Oz. tuner was added. I took to the test site in Ohio and ran a bunch of lots of center X and Midas through it and it isn't too shabby and on the same tuner setting as the 29 speed I was shooting..... At 78 I don't think I'm that competitive anymore but I can have fun. Those same people that can kick my a$$ at 50yds I can hand them theirs at 1000...... LOL.... Jim
 
jim1K said:
Butch, I also have a junk Anschutz action and glued a Benchmark 3 groove barrel in it and it chambered for Lapua. The less than 4Oz. tuner was added. I took to the test site in Ohio and ran a bunch of lots of center X and Midas through it and it isn't too shabby and on the same tuner setting as the 29 speed I was shooting..... At 78 I don't think I'm that competitive anymore but I can have fun. Those same people that can kick my a$$ at 50yds I can hand them theirs at 1000...... LOL.... Jim
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Jim,

What is it about your chamber in your Anschutz/Benchmark that makes it a Lapua chamber?

I've seen people say they had a Lapua chamber, or an Eley chamber, but I don't think anyone has explained the difference at least on this site.

TKH (4628)
 
It seems to me a man named Joe, used and Anschutz action to win quite a few ARA Tournaments and Matches. Even won the A-Line as well.
 
tonykharper said:
Jim,

What is it about your chamber in your Anschutz/Benchmark that makes it a Lapua chamber?

I've seen people say they had a Lapua chamber, or an Eley chamber, but I don't think anyone has explained the difference at least on this site.

TKH (4628)
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It was recommended for Lapua through the work Keven Nevius did..... Jim
 
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Fred J said:
It seems to me a man named Joe, used and Anschutz action to win quite a few ARA Tournaments and Matches. Even won the A-Line as well.
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Fred,

Joe was the singular reason I said there are always exceptions.

Joe's shooting is amazing, and that Anschutz he shoots isn't one the average guy is likely to duplicate.

By all means shoot an Anschutz, or any other factory action. It's all in personal choice.

Ford beat Ferrari two years in a row, but I would prefer the Ferrari.

TKH (4628)
 
jim1K said:
It was recommended for Lapua through the work Keven Nevius did..... Jim
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Jim,

Thanks for the reply.

It would be great if we could get Kevin to come on here and explain the technical reasons his chamber is unique to Lapua.

TKH (4628)
 
tonykharper said:
Jim,

Thanks for the reply.

It would be great if we could get Kevin to come on here and explain the technical reasons his chamber is unique to Lapua.

TKH (4628)
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Maybe this will help till Kevin shows up.

attachment.php


"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but factory actions haven't been competitive in RFBR for a long time"

Maybe not, but they are way more fun to shoot, especially when you sit down between two of the best in the country and score better 2 out of 3 targets with a basically stock 52D, without a tuner, while shooting off a bi-pod. When I shoot good scores, I want to think I was at least as much involved as my equipment was.
 
George Atkins said:
Maybe this will help till Kevin shows up.

attachment.php


"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but factory actions haven't been competitive in RFBR for a long time"

Maybe not, but they are way more fun to shoot, especially when you sit down between two of the best in the country and score better 2 out of 3 targets with a basically stock 52D, without a tuner, while shooting off a bi-pod. When I shoot good scores, I want to think I was at least as much involved as my equipment was.
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George,

As long as you are having fun I think that is all the counts. Nobody is getting rich out of shooting RFBR.

Please help me with that diagram. If you can, please tell me where this chamber differs from many others. I just can't see why it would work with Lapua and not other ammo.

In my experience my rifles seem to shoot either one. Of course, finding good Eley these days can be difficult. The only thing I know is the rim thickness on Lapua is a little thicker than Eley.

Some rounds may be a little tight for Lapua where no problem with Eley.

TKH (4628)
 
An important dimension is the amount of bullet engraving when the bolt is closed which is dictated by how deep a rimless reamer cuts the barrel. There are several depths that work well with Eley and several that work well with Lapua but only 2 that work equally well with both. One is not readily visible and the other shows the rifling on the first 2 driving bands.
 
Jerry H said:
An important dimension is the amount of bullet engraving when the bolt is closed which is dictated by how deep a rimless reamer cuts the barrel. There are several depths that work well with Eley and several that work well with Lapua but only 2 that work equally well with both. One is not readily visible and the other shows the rifling on the first 2 driving bands.
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Jerry,

Thanks for your input.

I am aware of the importance of engraving on the bullet. I'm also aware that both Eley and Lapua, vary lot to lot, in their overall length. They even vary within the same lot.

I do not know the depths that you say work with Eley or Lapua. Would you be willing to share those numbers in terms of chamber depth? Or perhaps engraving on the bullet.

TKH (4628)
 
tonykharper said:
Jerry,

Thanks for your input.

I am aware of the importance of engraving on the bullet. I'm also aware that both Eley and Lapua, vary lot to lot, in their overall length. They even vary within the same lot.

I do not know the depths that you say work with Eley or Lapua. Would you be willing to share those numbers in terms of chamber depth? Or perhaps engraving on the bullet.

TKH (4628)
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Tony, I can only think it would be in the length, Lapua is much more consistent in length (per lot) and usually always longer than Eley. My 52D will shoot either one, but has a slight preference for Lapua, my best guess as to why, would be a little more engraving with the Lapua. It will also extract a live round with Eley, but not with Lapua. That tells me Lapua is seated better ( maybe ) in that particular chamber.

George
 
I hesitate to name specific numbers as they are often mistaken because of variation in measurement methods. Lead is quite easily deformed. Each gunsmith will have his preferred chamber depth. When I have compared them, many are quite close to one of the 2 that I use. Neither is better suited to either ammo. Just my opinion.
 
Jerry H said:
I hesitate to name specific numbers as they are often mistaken because of variation in measurement methods. Lead is quite easily deformed. Each gunsmith will have his preferred chamber depth. When I have compared them, many are quite close to one of the 2 that I use. Neither is better suited to either ammo. Just my opinion.
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Jerry,

My experience is the same as yours. I can't see how to chamber to suit one brand of ammo rather than another.

Thanks for your input.

I have taken this thread off topic. I may try to continue this topic in another thread.

TKH (4628)
 
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