Just which sanctioning bodies have an unlimited class?

C

Charles E

curmudgeon
I've gone to the BR Central homepage, and brought up the various rimfire organizations. Best I can tell, only ARA and RBA have an unlimited class -- no weight, no rest restrictions.

Most everything around here (North Carolina) seems to be IR/50-50. The Durham Pistol & rifle club has one RBA match with an unlimited class (well, 2 - a 50 yard and a 50 meter; same weekend). The ARA listed schedule is current, which means there are no listings for January-October. Aquadale N.C. is quite a hike, but I could make one or two.

Sooo. What's the real poop? Unlimited is what I'd most prefer to shoot, but building a rifle & getting a one-piece rest is a fair bit of money for one or two matches a year, esp. when it might conflict with my true love (wife's birthday, 1,000 yard matches, etc.). Anything within about 150 miles is no problem, I'd go.

(All this assume Mr. Pappas would sell me one of his rests, of course.)

Thanks for any help,

Charles
 
All 3 associations (4 if you include the PSL) provide for an Unlimited class.
However, as Tim stated, opportunity will vary by club.

I don't believe anyone is shooting ARA in NC, so that's sort of moot.
I think the closest is probably Kettlefoot in Bristol TN. Maybe a tad outside of your 150 mile limit.

RBA club matches are typically combo events with one sporter, one medium, and three unlimited targets.
It's not uncommon for a shooter to attend and only shoot the three unlimited targets.
What you saw for Durham was the NC State Unlimited match this past summer.
State, Regional, and National Unlimited matches are 6 targets, 3 at yards and 3 at meters.

IR50/50 matches will be either 3 gun or Unlimited matches.
In NC, I think Bulls Eye is the only range shooting unlimited matches.
Greg has typically run a 3 gun match, followed by a separate unlimited match.
North Wilkesboro and Sparta shoot 3 gun only.
However, you don't need a sporter to shoot in the IR 3 gun events.
Several fellas have 10.5# guns and shoot the two heavier classes only.
With N.Wilkes and Sparta shooting double 3 gun matches, that's 4 targets with a 10.5# gun.

In NC, you also have a couple non-sanctioned opportunities.
Tuckertown Barn (Riverside Gun Club) has a 4 target match the first Saturday every month.
Unlimited match guns are certainly welcome, but they sort of frown on the one piece rests.
Rockingham County GC also runs a little 2 target rimfire match the second Saturday every month.

With the variety and frequency of matches, and your 150 mile distance,
I think it's safe to say that you'll have opportunity to shoot in more than one or two matches.
 
Jeffrey, thanks.

I think I follow you; my question was really only about unlimiteds. For the other classes, I can shoot a club match every month (Wake County, unsanctioned, indoors), and I'm a member at Rockingham. Durham Rifle and Pistol also has unsanctioned matches every month except in the winter; I don't think those have an unlimited class, but don't really know. North Wilkesboro is withing my 2.5-hr driving distance.

I guess the ARA match at Durham was just a one-time thing?

When you say "frowns on one-piece rests," does that include a two-piece rest where both are mechanical? That would be similar to 1,000 yard CF benchrest, where the rests can both be mechanical pedestals, but (1) must use sandbags, and (2) cannot be conjoined when the record target is fired. I suppose the frowning would extend to that, and in any case, it is the sandbags I'd like to avoid.
 
Charles: You can use a one piece rest in IR50 Unlimited, ARA RBA Unlimited and PSL. The weight classes of IR50 and RBA REQUIRE 2 piece rests with the rifle on sand both ends. There are ways to adapt a rear mechanical to meet the sand requirement. The rules do not say they have to be sandbags like most of us are used to. Look at the Ken Fulghum rest, both one and 2 piece. The small, glued on sand tubes are legally "sand bags". There are others too that are legal, but I'm most familiar with the Randolph Machine tops....that is Kens' company name. Perhaps you could adapt Kens' rear V bag on his one piece to your 2 piece mechanical rest....I suspect it would be legal to do so.....bob
 
Charls, I think I have a solution - - -

I recently made a rigid extension for my Farley rest that bolts to the rest base and has a Ddelrin rear rest piece percehed on a piece of Oak bolted through the 2" steel strap to a Delrin base. It may take 5 minutes to add it to the front rest.

I have shot from it once and it seems to work the very best. I plan to use it this winter to see if it is going to work out. I may have $15. into it. I have missed my Joystick rest when using my one Piece rest, which led me to make the extension. I hope it works out. I don't see any reason one of them couldn't be fitted to any front rest.
 
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Charles ........There will IR50/50 matches unlimited only at Mid Carolina in Columbia SC the third Sunday of Every month .......Double matches starting at 9am ........
 
Charles,

If you're going to the expense of building a rifle make it a 10 1/2 lb. You can use it in all classes (including unlimited), except Sporter. You will also have a bigger resale market if you ever decide to sell.

Ken
 
TangoTwo said:
Charles,

If you're going to the expense of building a rifle make it a 10 1/2 lb. You can use it in all classes (including unlimited), except Sporter. You will also have a bigger resale market if you ever decide to sell.

Ken
Click to expand...

Ken, How about a Swap Stock arrangement? I have noticed that some of the winning Unlimited Rifles weigh in excess of 20 Lbs. I have considered trying a heavily weighted stock to see - - - -. I am interested in your opinion.

Pete
 
Pete,

For my money, I don't think I'ld bother. Too many winning 10 1/2 lb. rifles out there. They sure don't need the extra weight. You could introduce problems by constantly switching components. Take a good rifle and learn how to shoot it. Spend the money on ammo for practice instead. FWIW, I have been called several synonyms of frugal.

Ken
 
TangoTwo said:
Pete,

For my money, I don't think I'ld bother. Too many winning 10 1/2 lb. rifles out there. They sure don't need the extra weight. You could introduce problems by constantly switching components. Take a good rifle and learn how to shoot it. Spend the money on ammo for practice instead. FWIW, I have been called several synonyms of frugal.

Ken
Click to expand...

I hear ya Ken but I am trying to spend the Nursing Homes Money now you see - - - -. I understand about the 10.5 # rifles and they do shoot dern well; some of them. :(
 
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Thanks to everyone who responded. I guess I'm not going to build an unlimited rimfire this winter. My friend Joel Pendergraft was trying to sell his 1K HG, and no one would buy it. After dropping and dropping the price with no takers, he was threatening to break it up for parts. So I bought it, and there goes the spare money for this year -- unless he exercises a clause I insisted on, namely that I'll sell it back to him at the same price if he asks.

The rifle?

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...ets-new-ibs-1000-yard-heavy-gun-world-record/
 
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