Need Startup Advice

P

Phil H

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I want to start shooting competition benchrest (former high power pistol silhouette shooter, 3-gun state champ). Experienced with reloading. Sold all my gun stuff 15 years ago when I moved to continue my career – so I have to buy everything necessary to get back in the game. Know very little about benchrest. Have decided two things: 1. Need to shoot 100 and 200 yard games because of availability of ranges within reasonable driving distance (live in Green Cove Springs, FL), and 2. I want to shoot 6mm PPC, because it’s the most accurate 100/200 round (at least that’s what I read), and I can't take heavy recoil in my shoulders (bursitis). Some questions:

1. What are the sanctioning bodies for 100 and 200 yard events?
2. In what classification would I shoot?
3. Where are the rules for whatever classification I would shoot?

I don’t want to spend money assembling a competition gun, complete with accessories, only to find I can’t compete because the rifle does not comport with the rules. Been there, done that, got the shirt.

I know there will be many questions to follow, but for now I have to narrow scope a bit. Would appreciate any advice you would offer.

Thanks,
Phil
 
Phil, Went back and looked to see where Green cove was, you or close to Gateway Rifle and Pistol Club in Jacksonville, and I think they shoot centerfire benchrest there, I shoot rimfire benchrest there some nice club .
 
Thanks for your reply Gerald. I would like to narrow this down some if possible. Do competition shooters join all three organizaions and shoot whatever matches come up? Or does one organization sponsor the majority of shoots in the USA? Or are the rules mostly the same cross the three you mentioned and you shoot all three organiation's events?
 
Best thing you can do is go to an event prior to building a gun, and see what everone else is using. Ask questions, I dounbt you would ever find someone in this sport that would not be willing to bend over backwords to help you out, heck I am sure you will find a couple of people that will let you shoot their rigs. Ontop of sanction bodies, you also have "club rules," and you may want to see what they are. Many clubs dont shoot sanctioned matches either due to money, or equipement, or other reasons, but most of them will follow either IBS or NBRSA formats, and many will modify them for their needs. One of the biggest shoots in the country is the Firearms industry super shoot, and it is a club match, as it is not sanctioned by eith er the NBRSA or the IBS.

On sanctioning bodies, The two biggest are IBS and NBRSA, the UBR, and VHA are smaller and harder to find matches localy. (At least in my area.) Here is the deal with IBS and NBRSA they both cost $50 bucks a year to belong, with your paid membership to IBS you get Precision shooting magazine each month. (Very nice magazine.) With the NBRSA you get a bi-monthly news letter. (Rumer has it that they will be offering a magzine in the future.) Now here is the nice part about the IBS they will honer a NBRSA card, but the NBRSA will not honer a IBS card. Some clubes will shoot both IBS and NBRSA sanctioned matchs, but most are either one or the other. Again going to the clube and seeing what they honer, is a good thing.
 
Phil H....Glad to hear you're getting back into shooting. I'm a member of Gateway Rifle & Pistol Cub in Jacksonville. I also shoot a 6PPC along with some friends on Saturday a.m(100yds) & Sunday a.m's(200yds)...just look for the wind flags on the range. No formal centerfire benchrest matches at GRPC. You are certainly welcome to visit. Hope to see you and maybe we can help you.

Dan
 
Patrick, This helps - I'll print out IBS and NBRSA stuff and begin studying. When I shot silhouette we used IHMSA rules, which was the major organization back then. With the various benchrest organizations, I needed help getting focus. Thanks to you and Gerald for the help.
If I’m going to shoot benchrest, I would like to get a handle on gun design. At first blush, I am overwhelmed with the possibilities, with everything being custom. So much really neat stuff out there.

Another impression too is the willingness to help. Really appreciate all the responses to this query. Thanks everyone! And, there will be more to follow…..
 
You will find in Benchrest most generaly things are basicly the same, what is working for the top shooters people will follow, I have also see the it also depends on what part of the country your are at, as people in certain area use certain products, as others in other area use diferent products. For someone starting out I would recamend building a light gun (10.5 lbs) as you can use it in both light and heavy. I would say buy a used gun, but by the time you buy one you can garentee it will need a new barrel, and now your in the same ballpark as building a new gun. You will find that IBS and NBRSA rules are very simliare and only differ on a few small things. (targets, and such.)
 
Phil, to answer one of your questions, no, there are no shooter classifications in Registered Benchrest. You just might be sitting next to the current World Champion at any given match.
After you do it a while, you will understand why a shooter classification is not practical in Benchrest.

I agree with the others, the very best thing you can do is find a Benchrest Match and go and see. You will have so many questions answered by simply seeing what is going on.

As for rules, there isn't a hill of beans difference in the IBS and NBRSA rules as far as equipment goes. There are a few procedural differences in the way matches are run, but you won't notice..........jackie
 
I don't think Jacksonville hosts centerfire benchrest competition but they do have a nice range. Manatee Gun Club near Bradenton, FL hosts an early match each year for those weather challenged guys north of I-10.

Join both the IBS and NBRSA. Alternatively, figure out where you're gonna shoot and join the one that sanctions those matches. By all means, listen to the advice to drive to a match and see first hand what's going on there. Let us know here and maybe somebody will loan you the stuff to shoot a target or two when you get there.
 
so the career is over, your in retirement...and

you have decided to stress the kcrap out of yourself by taking up br competition ??

before you go see a match...go see your doctor.....



allriight


go read all the rules, print them if you actually go shoot.

and first and foermost go to a couple of matches....

someone may offer to let you shoot thier gun..do it!

go see it and then decide...

mike in co
 
Hi Dan, Appreciate the invite. Busy this weekend, but plan to come up soon and take a look-see. I came up on the GRPC site and noticed only rimfire is mentioned. You say you shoot 6PPC, so when I join the club, could I shoot 100m and 200m even though the club does not hold sanctioned centerfire shoots? I lived in Summerville, SC (north of Charleston) for 30 years and the Palmetto gun club had two ranges. I could work up loads and take them to the Givhans range for testing - most any time during the week. I was spoiled. Can a member shoot during the week?
 
Phil,

It is harder to find a complete list of ranges in the NBRSA (primarily a group shooting organization), but you are in the Southeastern region, so here is a link for that.

http://www.nbrsa.org/Southeast-Region

IBS (mainly a score and long range organization) has a full list here:

http://internationalbenchrest.com/ranges/index.php

* * *

You needn't get too worried about recoil, that is, building a PPC. For score shooting, the .30 BR is almost mandatory, but there are ways to shot it "free recoil." As an aside on recoil, another good way is to pin the rifle against the front rest stop, taking most of the recoil with the left hand/arm (if you're right handed). I shoot a 17-pound .338/404 that way, and I absolutely wouldn't touch such a chambering shooting any other way.

I hope what I've given you with this little description is a bit of confusion. Should reinforce the point: GO TO A MATCH.

Point two is don't make hard and fast decisions about equipment, including chambering, before you GO TO A MATCH, OR TWO.

You're lucky. There is a 1,000 yard range not too far from you, in Sawinsboro Georgia. That means you can choose from short range group shooting, short range score shooting, and long range, where they shoot for group & score simultaneously.

With the list of ranges that sanction matches, you can get a feel of how much of which type of benchrest is available in your area.

Be aware that club matches are fun too,so check out what is shot at the local clubs. It will probably be a score match.

Formal group matches take two days, usually Saturday and Sunday, from 8:00-AM Saturday morning to about 3:00-PM Sunday afternoon. Add travel time. Score matches are usually a one-day affair, and if not too far, you can sleep in your own bed at night.

All kinds of things to think about.

Almost done: just like on the internet, there are people who know what they're taking about, and a like number that simply repeat rumor & old wives tales. It takes a while to figure out who's who.

Finally: Even if you have the skill to build your own rifle(s), it might be a good idea to have the first one built by a recognized benchrest gunsmith. Someone who's rifles appear on the top-ten list at matches. There are several in the Southeastern region.

Good luck, & welcome

Charles Ellertson
 
Phil......You don't have to join the club to be able to shoot. There are daily fee charges if you don't want to join. 100yd line not avail on Monday a.m. & 200yd line not avail on Thursday a.m.(maintenance).
Range only closed on Easter,Thanksgiving,and Christmas.

Dan
 
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