Benchrest Specifications

F

fredd3039

Guest
I was reading a rifle builders site today and he said that all of his guns were built to "bench rest standards." Intrigued I went about searching the net for a definition of "Bench Rest Standards" only to find that everyone claimed to be building them that way but no one explained what it was. I went to my Primer on benchrest shooting book and again nothing. In an effort to clarify this, and to please give a novice some direction, could someone please post a list of what it is that makes a rifle benchrest standard? I assume things like the bedding, chambering, reaming, trigger job, etc etc. Is there a list? Is there already a topic on the forum that covers this? Something like building a proper benchrest rifle maybe? Is there a book that covers this material no matter how old or rare? (I am a rare book dealer so I can find it believe me) I understand that the building of these rifles is a closely guarded secret passed on from business owner to business buyer and no book can teach you how to do it but I am interested for knowledge sake. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also if you are looking for any old, rare and out of print fire arms books, let me know I have over 2000 in stock and if I don't have what you are looking for I can get it.
Frank
 
"Benchrest" rifles

Other than what is specified in the rules of a sanctioned organization (i.e. IBS or NBRSA) involved in benchrest competition, there is no standard…or it is an ambiguous term. It could even be considered an aphorism as far as the quality of the rifle build. I am not suggesting that gun builders are involved in Madison Avenue hype with the term “benchrest standards”, but the specifications among gun builders can vary a great deal.

Typically, they are single shot rifles with custom barrels, telescopic sights, and lightweight triggers. The barreled actions are precisely bedded in stocks that have a shape that allows them to be comfortably fired from sandbag rests.

If you are looking for a gun builder to build a benchrest rifle for you, I would recommend that you check the equipment lists that are published in the IBS or NBRSA magazines to get a general idea on who is making rifles to the standards that are the pinnacle of precision in the heat of competition.

Greg Walley
Kelbly’s inc.
 
I almost bought a PINTO once that was built to "RACE CAR" standards. "Benchrest Standard" is a term used by mickey-mouse gunsmiths to sell their mickey-mouse rifles or mickey-mouse services and mickey-mouse parts, to un-knowledgeable shooters. Listen to Greg and Francis. If there was 100,000 gunsmiths in North America only about 10 would be listed as "Benchrest Standard" Sorry for the rant, it is going to be a long day.
 
bill....
did you know that there was a class for pinto's...and they did race them......well not against top of the line nascar stuff.
but you are right, lots of hype, little substance.
mike in co
Bill Gammon said:
I almost bought a PINTO once that was built to "RACE CAR" standards. "Benchrest Standard" is a term used by mickey-mouse gunsmiths to sell their mickey-mouse rifles or mickey-mouse services and mickey-mouse parts, to un-knowledgeable shooters. Listen to Greg and Francis. If there was 100,000 gunsmiths in North America only about 10 would be listed as "Benchrest Standard" Sorry for the rant, it is going to be a long day.
Click to expand...
 
The best indicator of rifles' being built to "benchrest standards" are the lists of equipment used by top finishers in benchrest matches. Selecting a good smith is of prime importance. I wouldn't let distance be a factor, unless someone that was very good was within driving distance. Are you planning on building your own rifle, or having one built? Detailed explanations of all the factors involved are a bit too long and involved for a post, and I would say that no secrets are involved. As to the value of old books on the subject, If you look at match results, current equipment is, on average, superior to that of several decades ago, so pouring over a pile of old books is unlikely to yield any advantage.
 
Built to Bench Rest Standards

I'd think this claim, coming from a reputable builder of bench rest rifles, would mean that this paticular builder builds all his rifles to his personal set of standards used in the building of Bench Rest rifles.

I'd think this would apply, regardless if the shooting discipline a particular rifle would be built for------build'em all as well as he can.

A. Weldy
 
i guess, if you can shoot it from a BR, then its built to "bench rest standards"!!! falls under the category of buyer beware, and do your homework before plunking down your money.
 
How much for a first ed copy of "Hell, I Was There?"

I also might need another first ed "Horn Of The Hunter." :)
 
First off, alinwa, $70 to $175 depending on condition. I have a copy that I will part with for $85. I t Is listed in my private catalog as very good with good dust jacket.
 
Now a bit of further explanation. My Name Is SSG Frank Redd and in 10 days I will be retired from the Army. I live in SC and I am married to a Doctor. An MD not a PHD. I have served in Afghanistan in 2002/03 and Iraq 2009/10. I started out my career active duty in special operations, no I am not a green beret, and finished as an MP SRT (SWAT) Instructor. As you may have guessed I have been using weapons professionally for a long time and as I find myself preparing for a second career I think it will have something to do with them. I am starting school on Aug 15th for Machine Tool Tech because there are no gun-smithing schools anywhere near by. I am already an FFL dealer and next year the class II license is going into effect. I spent some time manufacturing suppressors for our team in my early Army days (don't ask) (Seriously, don't ask). NFA firearms and suppressors don't sell well but I have my own designs for some AR lowers and I plan on manufacturing the receivers and doing precision long range AR's and bolt actions. I am sniper qualified but , you may find this hard to believe, they don't teach us how to build sniper rifles, only how to use them. Well you pick up some tips here and there but that was years ago for me. I want to learn but it is a B**** of a community to get into. I just want to get a handle on the basics first to see if it is something I would like doing full time. I asked about Benchrest rifles because I wanted to do a comparison of some of the techniques used on them versus other long range precision systems. For example: Are Benchrest Rifles single Shot? Heres one what is F class? Which competition class would most mimic precision military/ LE sniper systems? Is there any builder on here that can point me in the right direction as far as learning and resources. I will even work for a builder in SC for free to learn the skills.
 
learn to build a 308 win that will shoot 175 mk's in small groups/...bolt or ar paltform
learn to build a 300 win mag that will shoot a 190 mk in small groups. bolt.....
learn to build an ar that will shoot the 77 mks in small groups....ar platform...

..........
add the 338 lapua and the 50 bmg.....
br rifle tend to be tight on tolerances, mil rifles need to shoot "stock" ammo......
but chambering....and crowning...get to the sub 0.001 numbers......
mike in co
 
First of all, you need to learn the commercial markets -- What civilians buy. Aside from hunting, that means the various forms of rifle competitions. For the particular things you mention that interest you --that you're familiar with -- benchrest should probably not be on your short list.

* * *

The whole notion of "benchrest specifications" comes from the time when people thought benchrest rifles were the most accurate rifles possible. So if a gunsmith built a rifle "that way," it was the most accurate rifle possible. The claim is mostly PR these days, real benchrest gunsmiths don't bother to make it.

Those of us who shoot benchrest know that technically, the biggest factor in what makes for winning rifles are barrels and bullets. Individual barrels. If you continually shoot at the National level, you buy 20 barrels, chamber them up, and pick the best one for large matches. If you find a good lot of custom bullets, it was likely the jackets that made them so -- the bullet makers skill isn't something that comes and goes -- so you buy all of that lot you can get. The biggest performance factor continues to be learning to read the subtleties of the wind.

I don't know if highpower, tactical, three-gun, or just what most closely matches your existing skills. Probably the smart thing would be to go to some matches in each sport & see what they're doing.
 
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