I have no interest in benchrest, but like F-T/R. I haven't seen any F-Class posted for Byers for 2012 yet. Most of the F-Class shooters use 12-42X56 NightForce scopes and I don't $ee one in my future. - nhk
As you have no interest or experience, maybe you'll be a touch careful in your posts. I think your posts to the new & not-yet benchrest shooters have a fair bit of poor information, f
or benchrest-level decisions. You are of course entitled to both your opinions and to report your experience, but sometimes the lack of knowledge about BR level accuracy doesn't come through.
Foe example: I know of NO (nada, zip) benchrest shooter who would purposefully set up a competition rifle to have an Sg over 2. Most don't set up to have an Sg of 1.7 to 1.8. There are reasons for that; it is not a matter of fashion.
Edit:
Here's another one. It is your tested experience, so I'll not say wrong, but can leave the wrong impression.
I've experimented by purposely loading to reduce Sg below 1.0. I've seen groups open up immediately and at about Sg 0.8 holes are oval and it doesn't get any better past 100 yards even though I've been told stability improves down range.
Usually, what happens is not oval holes, but pie-plate size groups. The BR gunsmith & competitor Dave Tooley had a 14-twist barrel that would shoot match-winning groups with the 187 BIB flatbase bullets, but pie-plate size groups with the Sierra 200 MKs.The 200 SMKs were 8 inches at 200 yards. The 187s were less than that at 1,000.
As Tim mentioned, right on the edge is very accurate, going over it a disaster. Secondly, while the fast and slow arms usually damp, and you're right that the Sg *number* improves downrange (usually, there are exceptions with some bullet designs in the transonic region), this only applies if the bullet was "stable" to begin with. In other words, as you said, if you were getting pie-plate size groups, they won't improve down range. Nor, for that matter, will any groups improve in terms of MOA.
If ballistics interests you, try reading Bob McCoy, or Harold Vaughn, or Brian Litz.