Working my way back into benchrest - Gun & general questions:

R

RegisG

Guest
When we were leaving Florida for Nashville 6 years ago, I gave up my custom Bill Myers benchrest gun and Pappas rest because there was nowhere in this area to shoot. Now I belong to a really nice range and am trying to get rimfire benchrest started. And I have some questions about getting started again:

Does anyone have experience starting a completely new rimfire benchrest group? There are long range centerfire benchrest shooters at our range but, the only rimfire I see are the occasional 10/22 plinkers. I'm thinking maybe sporter class might be a way to start. I'd appreciate any startup tips.

I'm going to have to work my way up to the tremendous Bill Myers custom that I once had and be sure true benchrest catches on here before I make that kind of investment again. I've never shot sporter but, can I take a CZ455 and put a quality barrel like a Lilja on it and be competitive?

Appreciate any tips along these lines.
Regis in Middle Tennessee.
 
I think it would make sense to start with the discipline that would allow the most shooters to play. That would be Unlimited– IR50/50 or ARA. Folks can shoot whatever they have and use any rest configuration they want.

If there's enough interest in the Sporter and 3-Gun IR50/50 style matches you can expand to that.

Good luck with your new club!
 
I would think you have many more heavy guns around and even the 52 and 40X crowd willing to give it a try.
 
Seveal ARA Clubs North Of Nashville

Bowling Green ,& Paducah Ky are about 2 years old both shooting ARA ( Unlimited) ;East of Nashville is Chattanooga Rifle Club which also host ARA ! William Hearn ,Tom & Judy Aldridge are from Lebanon ,Tn and shoot at all Three Clubs ,they are new shooters and I am sure they would help you get something in the Nashville area !
 
I would say if you're trying to attract guys and gals who have never shot bench rest, then don't show up with a lot of fancy equipment. It will just scare them off. Buy yourself a relatively inexpensive gun and use it in an absolutely stock condition. Shoot off of sand bags too.

Based on your experience, you should be able to out shoot the others anyway, but don't give them the impression that they have to invest five grand in a rifle to match your equipment. That can come later.

Naturally, you want the enjoyment of competition for your own satisfaction and starting a BR group is a great idea, but don't stink it up before you even get off the ground by intimidating the newcomer because you're using fancy equipment he/she doesn't have and is unlikely to buy since they don't yet even know if they like bench rest in the first place. In other words, keep it simple. As a benefit, you might just enjoy seeing how well you can do with a factory CZ 455 or a Savage MK II or some other sub $500 gun.

Just my two cents worth after a lifetime of joining in many different sporting activities which seemed reasonable and rejecting just as many because they were unreasonable, most times based on the high cost of the equipment required to participate at the entry level.
 
Mozella said:
I would say if you're trying to attract guys and gals who have never shot bench rest, then don't show up with a lot of fancy equipment. It will just scare them off. Buy yourself a relatively inexpensive gun and use it in an absolutely stock condition. Shoot off of sand bags too.

Based on your experience, you should be able to out shoot the others anyway, but don't give them the impression that they have to invest five grand in a rifle to match your equipment. That can come later.

Naturally, you want the enjoyment of competition for your own satisfaction and starting a BR group is a great idea, but don't stink it up before you even get off the ground by intimidating the newcomer because you're using fancy equipment he/she doesn't have and is unlikely to buy since they don't yet even know if they like bench rest in the first place. In other words, keep it simple. As a benefit, you might just enjoy seeing how well you can do with a factory CZ 455 or a Savage MK II or some other sub $500 gun.

Just my two cents worth after a lifetime of joining in many different sporting activities which seemed reasonable and rejecting just as many because they were unreasonable, most times based on the high cost of the equipment required to participate at the entry level.
Click to expand...
I'd add take your 10.5 lb gun to the match, not for yourself to shoot, but let the newcomers shoot a target with it. Nothing like a taste of shooting a really accurate target rifle to get newcomers to benchrest interested.
 
Slick Willy said:
Bowling Green ,& Paducah Ky are about 2 years old both shooting ARA ( Unlimited) ;East of Nashville is Chattanooga Rifle Club which also host ARA ! William Hearn ,Tom & Judy Aldridge are from Lebanon ,Tn and shoot at all Three Clubs ,they are new shooters and I am sure they would help you get something in the Nashville area !
Click to expand...

Now that is GREAT to hear. I'm in Mount Juliet, right next to Lebanon. Hopefully I can run into these folks and get acquainted. If they shot PSL or any Alabama ARA's I may have met them in the past.

Thank you,
Regis
 
Mozella said:
I would say if you're trying to attract guys and gals who have never shot bench rest, then don't show up with a lot of fancy equipment. It will just scare them off. Buy yourself a relatively inexpensive gun and use it in an absolutely stock condition. Shoot off of sand bags too.

Based on your experience, you should be able to out shoot the others anyway, but don't give them the impression that they have to invest five grand in a rifle to match your equipment. That can come later.

Naturally, you want the enjoyment of competition for your own satisfaction and starting a BR group is a great idea, but don't stink it up before you even get off the ground by intimidating the newcomer because you're using fancy equipment he/she doesn't have and is unlikely to buy since they don't yet even know if they like bench rest in the first place. In other words, keep it simple. As a benefit, you might just enjoy seeing how well you can do with a factory CZ 455 or a Savage MK II or some other sub $500 gun.

Just my two cents worth after a lifetime of joining in many different sporting activities which seemed reasonable and rejecting just as many because they were unreasonable, most times based on the high cost of the equipment required to participate at the entry level.
Click to expand...

Really good advice. I will start that way as I would like to encourage new or young folks

Thank you very much,
Regis
 
burtona said:
I'd add take your 10.5 lb gun to the match, not for yourself to shoot, but let the newcomers shoot a target with it. Nothing like a taste of shooting a really accurate target rifle to get newcomers to benchrest interested.
Click to expand...

I appreciate that as a non intimidating approach and means I can start building a competitive gun "again".

Regis
 
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