New BR shooter!

[jallen]

I shot my first rimfire BR match a month ago. I took my own 10/22 bone stock other than the Volquartsen trigger group and a 4-16 power scope. For ammo, I shot Federal Bulk pack from Wallyworld, off of a two piece rest that one of the other fellows had.

There were only 6 or 8 of us that morning and it was raining off and on, mostly on. Everyone was helpful and encouraging. After the first several targets, one fellow let me shoot his back-up, a Remington 40X with a 36x scope and some kind of match grade ammo. Needless to say, my scores improved markedly. I did manage to spare the other competitors from the humiliation of being whipped by a newbie with a 10/22. There is another match this weekend, and I think I will go and see if it is easier shooting dry.

Now the question is where to go from here. Obviously I have a long way to go equipment-wise. I have gathered from another thread that souping up a 10/22 is a waste of money as far as BR goes, however gratifying it may be otherwise. I also see that the 40x type rifle is pretty hard to come by, and involves writing big checks. This is probably even more expensive than golf, but without the weird clothes!

What suggestions do you have for the next step? A bolt action rifle that will be decent but not a blow-em-away winner? What should I be looking at for a rest. Some of the ones I saw were really elaborate. What is the intermediate grade and where does one look for them?

How does one learn the craft? It can't be ALL gear. Books, articles, what do you do to learn this stuff? TIA!

 

[Wilbur]

It's not all gear..

...but darned close. If you don't have a rifle that shoots so very, very well you can't learn anything. Get your hands on that special rifle and it becomes as simple as:

If I see this I do that ! Two or three minor corrections and you're there.

The best benchrest teacher on the planet is a good rifle. If you don't have one, borrow one.

 

[Renegade]

Jallen,
See if you can find a used Anschutz 54 or Suhl. Both already have excellent triggers and BR stocks are available for both also. You should be able to find either in factory form for under $1000. Keep an eye on the BRC classifieds for rifles, too. Once in a while you'll see a decent rifle all set up for BR go for $1200-$1500. You might even find a 40X for that price.

For a front rest, you can't go wrong with a Cowan Rest. They're made by a high school Tech Class in Altoona, PA and go for around $200, depending which bells and whistles you add (speed screw, name engraving...) I don't have Joe Cowans contact info handy, but if you do a search here on the forum, you'll find it. If and when you decide to move up to a more elaborate rest, the Cowan is like money in the bank. They are very popular and very easy to resell.

Like Wilbur said, after you have the equipment, the best way to learn is to shoot over your wind flags. Don't be afraid to ask questions at the matches, either. We all started where you did and are still here because this is a great game with some of the most helpful people you'll ever meet.

Good Luck!
Todd

 

[nemohunter]

things to start.

i'm with you on being a NOOB on the BR scene. i currently shoot a CMP Kimber 82G. it cost just over $400 without the sights. they can be had NIB for $600 from CMP. any of the other CMP guns can be excellent shooters. such as the H&R 12. they are great guns to get started with and then you can sell them when you upgrade to another beging shooter. after that get a good repeatable rest. the next most important thing is get some wind flags. then get some ammo and get out and shoot. read your flags and learn what your bullets do in certain conditons. i built my own one piece rest and restocked my 82G with a purpose built BR stock. my trigger is set at 12oz which is OK but a far cry from 2oz. hopefully i will be able modify a suitable trigger in the future. if you can afford a bottom grade comercial gun then go for it. that and get you some scope power 32X minium. i'm using 50X myself right now.

 

[jallen]

...but darned close. If you don't have a rifle that shoots so very, very well you can't learn anything. Get your hands on that special rifle and it becomes as simple as:

If I see this I do that ! Two or three minor corrections and you're there.

The best benchrest teacher on the planet is a good rifle. If you don't have one, borrow one.

I can see there is a lot of truth to that, even from my very limited experience last month. The difference between the 10/22 with 16x scope and bulk pack ammo, and the 40X with 36x scope and match ammo, was remarkable, astonishing, really, even with the same noob pulling the trigger.

We didn't have wind flags that day, at least I didn't. Rain gauges would have been more appropriate! This weekend will be much different.

Thanks for the replies thus far. I can start investigating the various possibilities.