New to Benchrest

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dtu2179

Guest
Hello everyone. I am considering getting into Benchrest shooting and was wondering what type of components you guys would recommend to complete a top notch rifle in 6PPC. I have read "The ultimate in rifle accuracy" by Glenn Newick as a start. I was looking at the Hart barrels, but there seems to be a number of action manufacturers and complete rifle manufacturers out there. Additionally, it seems that there are also a number of scopes on the market. My budget is between 3 and 4 thousand dollars. Any input is appreciated.
 
Check around and find yourself a good reputable gunsmith that does BR rifles. The best are no more expensive, maybe just a little further behind. Discuss with him what he recommends. Another thing to do is buy a good used rifle and have it rebarreled.
Butch
 
I think this question is addressed in the FAQ section. If not, it should be.

Let's start by allowing that there is no best. There is "most popular," and while it doesn't change quite as fast as last weeks winner, that's a factor in "popular."

The best advice anybody can give you is to go to a match -- several matches. Do your homework first, so you have some idea about what you are interested in, but don't go just to confirm what you have already decided. Too many of us do that. I've done it, too, and should know better by this time.

"Features" are just that. They work better for some shooting styles than others. The last match I went to, the grand agg champion used an old Stolle Panda, right bolt, right port. His loading measure was an old Redding BR-30. His press wasn't an RCBS partner, but it might as well have been. He just plain outshot us.

Usually, if you show up at a match & there is time at the end of the first day -- or at the end of the day for a score match, people will let you try their rifles; not a lot of rounds perhaps, but at least a few shots. That is worth a lot of ink or internet pixels.

The other bit of advice I can offer is don't be too concerned about getting it right the first time. You will both learn over time, and change you mind. The latter is not necessarily linked to the former, but I guarantee you will change you mind. Your first rig should be conventional. That will keep you out of some trouble.

Welcome, and good luck.
 
Truth Spoken

They speak the truth. You can read books, talk on the Internet, and dream about Benchrest. But going to an actual match will open your eyes more than anything. You will see how it all comes together........jackie
 
getting started

1. Get Mike Ratigans book on "current" Benchrest...
http://extremerifleaccuracy.com/

1.5 Go to a match as others have mentioned... Here you should be able to knock down advice #2....

2. Find a mentor as close as ya can... Big help in getting started.

3. Have a blast..! This is a great sport and I'm sure you'll find a new host of great friends!

cale
 
Learn to read the wind

Buy a used gun > put a new barrel on it, buy some wind flags and shoot a lot. Learning to read the enviroment is the slowest part of the learning curve. Compete at a local match, took me a couple of years to figure out what I want in a gun (there are so many choices). Have fun!!! :)
 
Knowing how the rifle handles and the weight distribution of the rifle plays a big part in the deciding factor. Actions feel different, triggers feel different and weight of barrels. Tuners also may be used.

There's a lot to think about. But what all have mentioned about going to several if not more shoots is a very good idea. I know one guy who shoots a factory Anschutz like a custom rifle.

Don't go on the cheap with the action, barrel, stock and trigger. You do get what you pay for.
 
I say

Find a good deal on a used 6PPC with a prefered action and stock. Get a good scope, as much as you can afford here (very important). Start going to the range and practicing. First practice by finding days when the conditions are good. On those days tune your rifle and make sure you can shoot it to the point where you have confidence in it. Now that you can shoot well in good conditions, practice in tougher conditions in order to learn how to shoot those switchy conditions. Make sure you have good wind flags.

Next start shooting local club matches. Listen to the advice given by those who seem to have it all together, and take notes or a digital recorder.

After you figure out how the game works, have a new barrel put on. Find a highly recommended gunsmith, even if you have to ship your rifle off. While there are a lot of good barrels out there that are capable of winning at a national level, I would recommend a Bartlein or Krieger with a 13.5 or 14 twist and mabye a .237 bore. To simplifiy things have it chambered with a reamer that has a larger neck like .268" (comfirm with Jackie Schmidt). This allows for neck turning, but they clean up quickly. This also gives good neck tension.

Find the right load for the new barrel, and determine how wide the accuracy window is by going up and down on the load. You might even do this at different temperature levels to see how it affects the required charge to stay in tune (take notes).

Go shoot a registered match.

Don't get discouraged and give up. Things will come around in time.

Good luck and have fun..........Michael
 
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dtu

where do you live? One of the things that helped me the most was having a mentor. Find someone in your area that is a seasoned shooter and get to know him/her. I have a couple that I bug quite frequently. They will help with the learning curve, if you have not already noticed there will be a lot to learn. This mentor will point you in the right direction. Now hear this, don't be afraid to ask questions! This forum is a great place to ask those seemingly silly questions. But truth be told, most that frequent this forum have experienced exactly what you are going through. Most of the time the solution to your problem is very easy to fix. So, ask away. Later, Bro.D
 
Dtu

The above posts are full of usefull information. I have had BAT, Panda, RFD actions and really have no preferrence. Same for barrels.....Shilen, Hart, Kreiger, and Spencer. They are all good. Stocks are something else altogether...............at least to me.
Ask shooters if you can sit behind their rifles on the rest and bags and feel it. Some stocks have a very thick wrist, and every time a push the rifle forward (I grab the wrist and push the rifle forward) I become consious of the wrist being fat. Every shot!! That takes my mind off the flags and conditions. It is a distraction to me. A more conventional wrist area like that on the Bruno/McMillan Edge stock is so much more comfortable to me that I push the rifle forward and actually don't remember doing it.
Welcome to Benchrest!!
Bryan
 
Wow. Thanks for all the input. I live in Baltimore, Maryland. The only range that I have found that I can get out to 300 yards is Delmarva Sporting Clays range on the Maryland Eastern Shore. Its a good hour and a half or better from my house, but closer to where I work in Annapolis. I currently have been shooting a Remington 700 PPS in .308win with a Leupold Mark 4 8.5x24 - 50mm scope. I know that this rifle is not capable of the accuracy that I hope to achieve, but it has been a good learning experience for me. It also got me into reloading. I was hoping to find some Maryland, Virginia an PA shoots to check out, but first I wanted to set myself up a good rig before I try a competition. I was looking at the Stolle Panda actions and a couple of different barrels. I have not found alot of information on stocks though. Do they have to be rebedded all the time? My Rem 700 is aluminum block bedded so it doesnt need rebedding every so often. I would prefer something that didnt need constant rebedding. Also, "neck turning," why is this necesary and what benefits does it provide.

Thanks for all the input.

Duane
 
Neck Turning

This makes the bullet concentric to the throat. It is very important in my mind when you don't want to give anything up as far as accuracy goes. There are some people who don't believe it is worth the effort. Ask most of the top shooters and you will find that most neck turn.

Michael
 
Duane, you are not far from a lot of IBS shoots, both score and group. Thurmont, MD is near Frederick. Check out: http://www.international-benchrest.com/

Maybe some of the Maryland Benchrest Mafia (Dick Grosbier, Wayne Shaw, David Apple, Dean Breedon, et. at.) can weigh-in here to help you.

If you want to take a drive this weekend to near Berwick, PA there is an IBS group shoot less than 3 hours from you. Call me at 570-660-6102 and I will fix you up with a rifle and all components to shoot the Myles Hollister Memorial. (BTW, my first shoot many years ago was when I showed up to "watch" and was offered a rifle. Just jump in.) You will learn a LOT at a match.

Jeff Stover
 
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Duane,

There is a match in Manassas, Virginia this Sunday. Come on down and join us. You will not be the only new shooter as I have a co-worker joining for the first time also. Do you shoot right handed or left handed?

Take I95 towards Richmond,
Take exit 158B, Prince William County Parkway,
Go about 12 miles and turn right on Ellis Road. Ellis Road becomes a gravel road and them becomes Signal Hill Road
Go about 1 mile to the Club.
Enter the gate, and turn right and follow the gravel road to the range holding the match. You'll see other cars...

Match starts at 10:00AM, but be there at 9:00 to sign up and stuff.

Ask for me... I'm one of the few bald guys.

Adrian
 
Thanks for the invite. However, this weekend is out for me due to some projects that I am working on. But, I didn't realize that there were shoots somewhat nearby to me, which is good news, because now I will have the oportunity to visit one in the near future. Don't think I want to jump right into competition until I get a rig and some trigger time under my belt first. As far as the matches go, is 100 yrds & 200 yrds one event together and the average of both is your score or are they seperate events? How does that work?
 
At the club in Manassas, we mostly shoot IBS Score matches. This Sunday is a single yardage at 200. Earlier in the year we did have some doubles where we shot 100 yards and 200 yards on the same day. There were winners at each yardage, and then a winner of the combined.

Go to this website, then click on Schedule at the far left. You can then click on Score (or Group) and see where the matches are being held. Score is really popular around here.
http://www.international-benchrest.com/

I do recommend going to a match before you lay down the hard earned cash on something that might not be the right thing. See what the top shooters are shooting and why.
 
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