Wanting to get back into benchrest shooting...

[jordang1102]

Hey all,

To make a long story short, I used to shoot benchrest competitively (but not as much as most of you) after somewhat growing up under the wings of Jay Lenn Gore and Jim Ridings near Greenville, TX. I was a kid back then and I started learning to shoot benchrest under their direction around the age of 13. I started with a Remington 700 VS in .308 and loved it but desired a more accurate rifle. So Jim Ridings at Outback Shooting Club sold me a prototype benchrest rifle that he had modified that would allow me to shoot light varmint and heavy varmint because he installed a lead weight system that could be installed and removed for the different classes.

The rifle had a McMillan stock, Shillen barrel, Jewel trigger and Panda action chambered in 6mm PPC. I loved it but I ended up selling it shortly after I moved to the Austin area and started working and became distracted with motorcycles .

Since then (1999) I have lost touch with both Jay and Jim but plan on one day meeting up with the two of them again soon. I find that I'm losing interest in riding and regaining interest in precision shooting again.

Now I'm 27 years old and I want to get back into benchrest but don't know where to start in terms of where to shoot locally to where I am now. Again, I live in Georgetown, TX north of Austin. I'm thinking that slowly getting back into it like I did when I was young may be the best way and most affordable up front. My thoughts are to buy a Remington 700 SPS Varmint in .308 and KEEP this one for good. I still have all of my reloading equipment and die sets for the .308 caliber plus I just love the versatility of this round anyway.

What are your thoughts on the rifle I'm considering vs any competition in it's class? Where do you folks local to my area shoot benchrest? In the future, I would like to compete again but this is further down the road obviously. I am going to visit the Best of the West Shooting Club in Liberty Hill, TX this weekend to blast a few rounds down range but primarily am there to find a place I can join as a member.

You guys are the pros at this and I would love to hear your comments and feedback regarding my reintroduction into precision shooting.

Thank you,
Jordan Green

 

[pmcallan]

Ausitn Rifle Club puts on a match on last Sunday of the Month. Betwen 10-25 shooters show up every month. Contact Virg (Virgil Howarth, match director) on this forum for more information Search Austin Rifle Club on this forum for more infomation on past matchs.

Go to WWW.austinrifleclub.org, check the calendar for events.

Pat

 

[JD Mock]

Jordan, I believe that Jim Ridings has passed away, but Jay Lynn is still active in BR shooting. Good shooting and welcome back. James Mock

 

[jackie schmidt]

Jordan, why not drive over to Tomball this Sunday Morning, we are having our next Club Match, where we shoot three classes, Factory, Modified, and Benchrest. We shoot score at our Club Matches, a 100 nyard agg. You could gain a wealth of info as to what a three class match looks like, from the bone stock Factory Class to the all out Benchrest Class........jackie

 

[SGJennings]

If you visit and decide to get back into it, suggest you buy consider a used dedicated BR rifle in 6PPC or 30BR rather than a factory 700 in 308. The classifieds here are very good http://benchrest.com/class/index.php?a=5&b=197 as is Bob White at Shooter's Corner http://www.benchrest.com/shooterscorner/ .

 

[Vern]

I would suggest you go see Jackie he can help get you lined out and provide you with lots of good info.
I used to shoot with Jay Lynn in Denton some years ago. I still have his contact info. I saw him this year at the bluebonnet.

 

[mike in co]

me thinks you should go see jackie first.
if you insist on a factory rifle, first...go look at savage.....it aint what it use to be
mike in co