Benchrest rifle article on front page, many questions

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Rock63

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3 year old Benchrest rifle article on front page, many questions

A 3 year old article on the front page (link below) states:

http://benchrest.com/articles/articles/11/1/How-to---Competitive-group-shooting/Introduction.html

1.
Wilbur said:
The reason the list states “Sporter class rifle” is that a Sporter rifle is legal in any class. If you have one rifle, it should be a Sporter. I think the word on the street still advises that a Heavy Varmint rifle is the better starting rifle since it is easier to shoot but nothing in the match results support that thinking. The Sporter scores are as good or better in almost every case. Personally, I don’t think a Heavy Varmint is easier to shoot .
Click to expand...

Still true? Or is this dated information?

2.
Wilbur said:
There is one and only one choice in rifles and that is a full blown benchrest rifle, weighing three ounces less than the 10.5 pound sporter class weight limit, chambered in 6 PPC, Jewell trigger, flat forend stock and a quality scope of 36 to 45 power. Anything less and you’ll be back at the benchrest store before the scorer’s ink dries on your targets. If you want to use a Remington 700ish action that’s fine but a custom action will make you feel “complete” and sell easier come hard times. Sure, matches have been and will be won with rifles that differ with this description. By the same token, if it gets cold enough you can push a wet rope. Yes, I do know what you want to do and why you want to do it. Believe me, I do know and I'm begging you not to do it.
Click to expand...

Is this the correct weight still?
Is the 6PPC still the 'only' choice?

This article was written 12/13/2005 at 4am. Is it still valid today, or has the sport/technology evolved?
 
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I think so..

I wrote the article so you might want another opinion but I believe the words to be valid.....still.

The weight is 10.5 lbs. Less 3 ounces gives you some leeway when you're not thinking about weight. Changing scopes, repainting, etc..
 
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Hi Wilbur, thank you for your speedy reply.

Any projected timeline for part two of the article?
 
Back in the early 70's a good shooting sporter worked in all classes as well... the only thing that has changed since then is the dominating 6mm PPC cartridge.
 
I fully agree with Wilbur.

And regarding his choice of the 6PPC round........well, I'm one of the guys who've spent tens of thousands of dollars on NOT PPC rounds, I've got BR built 6PPC rifles with many other barrels in NOT PPC for direct comparison.

When I go to the range I keep a PPC handy to use as a baseline ........ f'rinstance just this last Saturday I was working with a NOT-PPC cartridge and after 4 hrs of careful shooting over the flags on a very blustery day I was convinced that the rifle was shooting really well. In fact, my notes say twice "seems to be shooting like a PPC".....

The rifle in question IS a purpose-built 13.5lb 6PPC HV rifle which shoots very well, But I'm using it as a platform to test another cartridge.

Soooooo, I'm noting down that the new round is shooting real good, "like a PPC"......... Now I just happen to keep a tuned up PPC right there with me not ten ft from my bench. I do this, as I said, so that I can periodically "baseline" my day at the range. so when the wind was REALLY kicking up and my barrel was getting hot I just set it aside and grabbed up the PPC and fired a couple groups.........Hokey SMOKES Bullwinkle!!! The day WASN'T so very blustery after all! The freakin' PPC was shooting well inside my new round and did NOT show the 1/2" of vertical that I'd attributed to wind coming over the range house........there wasn't even a quarter inch of vertical running.


I crossed out the lines "seems to be shooting like a PPC" and spent ten minutes rewriting my notes. I had to revert to the PPC twice more through the day. It's like a really looooong Sharpie. To say that it "could hit a fly at 100yds" is like saying "the sun came up today".

It'd take days to explain all the reasons WHY but YES, the 6PPC is still the no-brainer choice.


My opinion is worth only a fraction of Wilbur's even though he DID write the article ;)


LOL


al
 
Rock63

As a experienced Benchrest Shooter,I see nothing in Wilburs orginol post that I would find any fault with.........jackie
 
Rock63 said:
Is the 6PPC still the 'only' choice?
Click to expand...

It might not be "the only" choice, there are some/several others that are promising or potensial (to my eyes) --- anyway, if you see the result/equipment list of the SuperShoot 2008, ALL 6PPC there.
It's just a "small" fact that the 6PPC (for 100/200/300yds) is still the King, until now.

Well, I am no expert/experienced shooters in anyway...just my 2 cents, seb.
 
I have shot Benchrest a few times and I can't find anything in Wilbur's article that I could argue with. He seems to have that ability to shoot straight and keep it simple. As I get older,I to find these virtues a positive. To often there is way to many flies in the honey to get anything good out of some of the stuff posted in some of the threads.:D
 
BenchRest competition at 300 yards is generally rare. A once or twice a year sort of thing. Organized BenchRest Generally skips 400 and 500 yards and competes at 600 and again at 1000 yards. The 6BR based cartridges are quite competitive at 600 as well as 1000 yards along with a number of other cartridges. It is very, very rare to see a 6PPC at those competitions.
For information on those cartridges for BenchRest competition beyond 100, 200 and 300 yards you should check on the 1000 yard board where those guys have experience in that form of competition.
Ted
 
So it's 6ppc at 100-300 yards and then changes to 6br for 600-1,000 yards?
 
6BR variants/wildcats such as the 6BRX or 6Dasher as well as other cartridges such as the 6.5/284.
The Long range BR game has a plethora of good cartridges. But you should go to the 1000 yard board to find out about those.
We pretty much concentrate on the 100 to 300 yard game.
 
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