Rail gun ?

Yes, a rail gun can be a great tool in learning to read conditions.

Then, you have to shoot those 10 shot groups in this kinda mess.

https://youtu.be/uIOiDaGfC3k

Keep n mnd, a rail gun is not nessessarilly any more accurate than a bag gun. It just takes most of you out of the equation, allowing you to shoot heads up, concentrating on the conditions.
 
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Thanks for the replys.

That's what I was thinking. At this point as I'm learning to read conditions a lot of times im not sure it was the conditions that caused a problem or me.
Catch myself going in circles seems like
 
I always recommend being a solid hitter with a light gun before ever getting into heavies or rails. Heavies teach real bad habits. If youre not a solid threat to a rail gun in a 5 shot unlimited with your bag gun keep goin. If you cant kick butt with one gun dont worry about 2 or 3. Remember- beware the man with one gun!
Get 2 lv guns exactly the same and shoot one carrying the other swabbed out and loaded up for a spare. The guy with 3 light guns and 2 heavies shooting them all on friday never is a threat on saturday- just watch at your next match and youll see what i mean. I looked thru a box of wood one day (my last day of HV competition) and realized all my trophies from my first 10yrs were HV and UL. No threat on a 4 gun or light at all up to that point.
 
Tim
I know you well enough now to know you would really enjoy playing with a rail gun. If you want a rail then by all means go get one. Lots of them out there to be had. Some really expensive, some not so bad. You have a passion for this game, so go enjoy it!!! Lee
 
skeetlee said:
Tim
I know you well enough now to know you would really enjoy playing with a rail gun. If you want a rail then by all means go get one. Lots of them out there to be had. Some really expensive, some not so bad. You have a passion for this game, so go enjoy it!!! Lee
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Lee
I think so. Sometimes it seems like I'm working on something and don't have all the right tools to do the job.

I'm not thinking of competing with one so much. But as a learning tool
 
Butch Hongisto told me last week, his rail gun is for sale..............
 
Be careful here

You don't need just a rail gun. You need one that shoots pretty good - and that's not really easy to find.

If you're not planning to shoot it competitively I don't think you need one because it will teach you one thing - rail guns have the needed speed to shoot better aggs.

Make sure the sighter cam is where you want it. When you shoot a sighter, look at where the bullet hole is in the scope rather than on the target. Crank that spot to the group and pull the trigger. Believe what you see...if not, shoot another sighter. Pretty easy!
 
Tim, I'm in the same boat and just bought a Rail gun. I say go for it and don't think you will regret it. There's several nice Rails for sale and I'd be happy to pass along a few contact's if your interested.
Best of luck and good shooting.
 
Just remember this and I'll let it go. Folks build rail guns that maybe haven't ever shot one or better yet won a match shooting a rail. Not just any rail will do. Again, take a look at the sighter cam and imagine how long it would take to go to the sighter, shoot a shot, and then return to the record target. Other than the accuracy deal, and nobody knows that, the sighter cam is the only thing that you'll need to work well/fast. Your favorite spot for a sighter cam may not be the same as mine but the process is the same.

If you're gonna look every shot, save your money. That said, the rail can't move. I don't know what's going on these days as far as hammering the "feet" into the bench (somebody tell me please) but you need something that won't move as well. If your rail gun moves and you lose badly, just block it out. No sense in losing the next time out because you're afraid your rail moved.

Also, I don't know much about 5 shot unlimited except it gives the bag gun shooters (those without rails) the possibility. A lot of UL matches are now 5 shot - which makes a rail much, much, less effective. Seems that there were more folks that didn't have one than there were folks that did. Yes, I remain a little miffed about that but life goes on. Ten shot UL is really a pain in the...well...it takes longer and you need the right stuff to win.

The right stuff doesn't have anything to do with the box that houses your rail gun. Try not to zero on that bit of good looks. You don't shoot the rail from the box. Get a good rail gun..then get a good box! You really don't need a box but I know you want one. A couple of old blankets and a barrel cap work just fine. Drill a hole in that barrel cap so a bullet can pass to save you that embarrasment (another story).
 
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Tim Singleton said:
Thanks for the replys.

That's what I was thinking. At this point as I'm learning to read conditions a lot of times im not sure it was the conditions that caused a problem or me.
Catch myself going in circles seems like
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Tim, I think a lot of newer BR shooters experience this as well,I know I did. A rail gun is a great tool to help ones BR learning curve along. A front rest and rear bag sporter rifle set up should mimic the way a rail gun behaves under recoil & return to battery. Gun handling skills are learned as well,rails need to be handled carefully with consistent trigger pull,not just monkey bashed (try shooting a rail with your thumb pinning the gun against the front stop,groups suffer.Try pushing the trigger left or right,ditto). Tuning skills are learned as well,for a rail to be competitive it has to just "drill" tiny holes match after match,if groups start to open up in good conditions you will learn to make adjustments to get it back in tune.You will see how temp,humidity,pressure changes throughout the day effect the performance of your loads.Your Cleaning regimen will also be examined as 10 shot groups and the fouling build up they create will show up in your barrels performance.Wind reading skills and the timing of when to shoot and most importantly,when not to shoot, will reap the benefits of a well tuned honest gun that does exactly what you expect it to do when you pull the trigger. A rail made a big difference in my BR education,I'm sure it will for you as well.
 
Good stuff

Nader said:
Tim, I think a lot of newer BR shooters experience this as well,I know I did. A rail gun is a great tool to help ones BR learning curve along. A front rest and rear bag sporter rifle set up should mimic the way a rail gun behaves under recoil & return to battery. Gun handling skills are learned as well,rails need to be handled carefully with consistent trigger pull,not just monkey bashed (try shooting a rail with your thumb pinning the gun against the front stop,groups suffer.Try pushing the trigger left or right,ditto). Tuning skills are learned as well,for a rail to be competitive it has to just "drill" tiny holes match after match,if groups start to open up in good conditions you will learn to make adjustments to get it back in tune.You will see how temp,humidity,pressure changes throughout the day effect the performance of your loads.Your Cleaning regimen will also be examined as 10 shot groups and the fouling build up they create will show up in your barrels performance.Wind reading skills and the timing of when to shoot and most importantly,when not to shoot, will reap the benefits of a well tuned honest gun that does exactly what you expect it to do when you pull the trigger. A rail made a big difference in my BR education,I'm sure it will for you as well.
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Great post, Joel..... Scott
 
Hey, Tim.
I have been advised that unless you have the money to burn, the rail gun is only for HOF points at the Nationals.
I shoot Eastern Region. Eastern Region has a Hall of Fame.
I was advised to use a used barrel. That guy was wrong. But, I was having fun.
I shot the unlimited event. We started at 200y. Oh, and a very nice fellow let me use his Farley rest. I was just having fun.
First match I was 5th place. Shooting a bag gun.
I wish, I had a start over. And put on a good barrel.............I had beat 16 railguns. :).

Tim B.
 
Rails

If you don't shoot rail guns your really missing out. My wife and I have travelled and shot for 40 years. A "good" rail is the most fun you can have in this sport. When we go out to the range to have a great time,we take our rails. Just because you did well once against a rail I don't think you want to take it for granted its going to happen all the time.
 
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Dave B said:
If you don't shoot rail guns your really missing out. My wife and I have travelled and shot for 40 years. A "good" rail is the most fun you can have in this sport. When we go out to the range to have a great time,we take our rails. Just because you did well once against a rail I don't think you want to take it for granted its going to happen all the time.
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Dave, I have never been a great rail shooter, or fan, to start with. Now that we shoot the rail on Monday and then have it and its monstrous cart in the way till Saturday I have packed my rail, its monstrous boxes and that chariot racing looking cart into a corner in my gun room and may never get it out again.

I can see the hosting clubs point in doing this as it saves moving the target frames twice, except on ranges like Fairchance, but it does take much of the fun out of it for me.

So, what do I do on those days? I took my solid graphite Kelbly stock normally used for 600 yard, milled out the barrel channel to accommodate my rail gun barrels and shoot it from the bags. How do I fare with this now 20# monster? About like I did with that infernal machine....its not a gun anyway, IMO!! Ten shots per target is more of an endurance exercise than a shooting contest.

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