cheapest path to benchrest

[Goosebrown]

Your inbox is full. I tried to PM you. I have an obligation every other Tuesday but could change that in the future. That being said, this Tuesday I've got that appointment but I think I'd like to come down and check it out next week if that week works for you. If not then let me know and I can try to move my obligation around so I have more then 2 available Tuesdays per month.

Cleared it out. It sounds good.

Next Tuesday. Not tomorrow.

You need to be there at TCGC by 5:30 and no later than 5:45. Are you going to shoot? If so you need a minimum of 25 rounds. You'll have a warm up period for unlimited warm up shots then two spotters and 20 rounds for record. You'll need to have your scope zeroed at 100 yards and you need to know your bullet drops at 600 I can help if you don't know.

Your ammunition must be supersonic at 600yards and cannot keyhole. If you can't get it on the paper they're going to work with you some but if it doesn't make it to paper they're going to ask you to observe.

Also you want to know how many fractions of an inch your scope changes with each click. You must have a case for your rifle. You need eyes and ears and a chamber flag. You can share my rests if you like. You need a front and rear rest. Just go with what you have as a start.

 

[Alan12013]

Cleared it out. It sounds good.

Next Tuesday. Not tomorrow.

You need to be there at TCGC by 5:30 and no later than 5:45. Are you going to shoot? If so you need a minimum of 25 rounds. You'll have a warm up period for unlimited warm up shots then two spotters and 20 rounds for record. You'll need to have your scope zeroed at 100 yards and you need to know your bullet drops at 600 I can help if you don't know.

Your ammunition must be supersonic at 600yards and cannot keyhole. If you can't get it on the paper they're going to work with you some but if it doesn't make it to paper they're going to ask you to observe.

Also you want to know how many fractions of an inch your scope changes with each click. You must have a case for your rifle. You need eyes and ears and a chamber flag. You can share my rests if you like. You need a front and rear rest. Just go with what you have as a start.

I'd just want to watch at first... I'm not ready to shoot really, this is all new to me. I need to get a new scope as I'm using an incredibly cheap one at the moment, plus I am still in the process of load development for 140vld and 135 matchking. I just built a portable reloading bench into my van so that should speed up testing and probably be done this weekend or next. Then I'll have to practice shooting at a little distance with those loads a couple times, then I'll be ready to shoot.

 

[11Charlie]

no factory ammo is capable of benchrest accuracy.

What do you call bench rest accuracy? Just curious because my Tikka is sub MOA with factory match grade ammo at 300 yds. I am curious because I do know that you reload and shoot long ranges.

 

[Alan12013]

What do you call bench rest accuracy? Just curious because my Tikka is sub MOA with factory match grade ammo at 300 yds. I am curious because I do know that you reload and shoot long ranges.

I've been under the impression that you want to be shooting sub .5' at 100 yards or some people use 300 yards to determine if their round is a long range performer as at that distance the bullets trajectory is pretty much "asleep" or comfortable and it's done with any variable behaviors. It's also a distance to see if your calculations are good because sometimes from my understanding you can shoot well at 100 but calculations can be off at long distance if the bullet isn't at optimal spin which lowers BC even though it might still appear to be reasonably accurate. I'd feel good about competing with under 1 moa at 300 but the competitive 600 yarders shoot under an inch still I think. Shooting under an inch or even 2 inches at 300 would be quite the feat for ammunition not tailored to the rifle. I am just guessing and rambling at this point but I'd guess he was generalizing what is needed to be competitive. If some one can shoot under 2 inches at 300 yards with factory ammo I'd like to hear about it out of curiosity even though I hear of under an inch at 300 with 6mmbr using custom everything. all imo and based on theory, not practice.

 

[Goosebrown]

You'd probably be fine for f class. You're scoring based on a bullseye not group size per se.

The bull is 1/2 MOA. The 10 ring is 1 MOA. If you're sub MOA at 300 you should be good enough with factory but you aren't going to be competitive with the top 25% I'd guess. Also your groups spread more with distance due to externalities like wind and bullet drop and internalities like barrel heating.

I have a 6mm benchrest so no factory loaded I can afford. My initial reloads we're getting me scores in the 186-190 range so about 8-9 inch groups at 600 or 1.5 MOA.

The top 10 scorers at TCGC were all scoring 197-200. With 10-15 xs. So that's what I mean competitive. If you're going against yourself or friends you can be but you won't be with the guys where 75% or their shots are reliable 1/2 MOA at distance.

I think you should come and shoot with us one evening. My guest. FGGM 308 would be great. 22 rounds plus warm up shots. Way less than a morning of AR shooting.

600 is long enough that you need to think like a rifleman. Not 1000 but lots of fun.

 

[11Charlie]

I will have to post a picture of my last target at 300. I was shooting about 3/4" groups at that distance with 175 grain 308 match factory ammo.

 

[11Charlie]

I think you should come and shoot with us one evening. My guest. FGGM 308 would be great. 22 rounds plus warm up shots.

That would be fun and would absolutely enjoy learning from someone like yourself. I haven't gotten into reloading yet but would like to some day. Just need to get some things settled down around the home front.

 

[Goosebrown]

There's all levels of competition. I think the world record group at 600 is under 1/2". The best in our group is about 2" I think but that's a guess and from my observation of one small part of the group. My best is 5.75" and that was a real good day. I'm about 6.5-7" right now. 197-9x (ish).

I think the way to approach it is to go shoot a few times and start competing with yourself or someone else with a similar setup. There's a range of people there and a range of rifles but most are target rifles and hand loading.

 

[Goosebrown]

Get yourself together. Summer is when you want to do it honestly. Now through August.

 

[Herb g]

I agree with Goosebrown...you should shoot...if you're serious about this. What a golden opportunity he's laid out for you. Don't be afraid, jump in. If I were closer...but you know what they say about advise...

 

[Alan12013]

I will have to post a picture of my last target at 300. I was shooting about 3/4" groups at that distance with 175 grain 308 match factory ammo.

That is quite impressive. What gun is it? Custom or stock? I can't wait to stretch it out to 300. I've only taken mine out twice, both times for load development and I shot a several .4ish groups and now that I have my notes in front of me... a .214 ctc with 140vld and rl-22 and .355 with 135match and h4831sc with my 270win bergara b14 hunter. I still want loads for the 100gr range which are my 110v-max and 90gr varminters, a 130-140gr load, and maybe a 150 but doubt it could pull me from the 140vlds edit: 4 shot groups, not 3.

 

[11Charlie]

That is quite impressive. What gun is it? Custom or stock? I can't wait to stretch it out to 300. I've only taken mine out twice, both times for load development and I shot a several .4ish groups and now that I have my notes in front of me... a .214 ctc with 140vld and rl-22 and .355 with 135match and h4831sc with my 270win bergara b14 hunter. I still want loads for the 100gr range which are my 110v-max and 90gr varminters, a 130-140gr load, and maybe a 150 but doubt it could pull me from the 140vlds edit: 4 shot groups, not 3.

Tikka T3 stock with Vortex Viper scope

 

[11Charlie]

Get yourself together. Summer is when you want to do it honestly. Now through August.

I will see what I can do. What days do you go do the shoot?

 

[titsonritz]

View attachment 468484
Tikka T3 stock with Vortex Viper scope

I'd buy a Tikka over any US production made rifle, that said, I would think the cheapest path to "competitive" bench rest would be a Ruger RPR.

 

[Boboclown]

The only Ruger I'd get is the Hawkeye, that's not really a rifle I'd use for competition.

Better off buying a savage as far as American companies go. Tikka would be where I'd go.

 

[11Charlie]

I'd buy a Tikka over any US production made rifle, that said, I would think the cheapest path to "competitive" bench rest would be a Ruger RPR.

Tikka now makes a bench rest like the RPR.

 

[Goosebrown]

I will see what I can do. What days do you go do the shoot?

See above for details. Every Tuesday at 5:30 (6 but they lick the gate then so plan for 5:30

Every third Saturday 8am

 

[coop44]

A bench rest rifle can be bought or built on a budget. In the sub 1k range a decent sub moa rifle can be built on a large ring mauser action. Best to find a stalled project that somebody wants to unload, they are out there. The pride of building one up, and learning how is a huge benefit.
Plan on spending for a decent scope, but I have seen results with lower end scopes that are surprising.
Steel scope bases and rings are a must.
Factory triggers can be worked to be better than acceptable.
If you have a heavy long barrel don't float the whole thing, bed the chamber area as well as the receiver. Takes stress off the rear action screw.

Buy books, don't count of b.s. YouTube videos.

 

[Alan12013]

A bench rest rifle can be bought or built on a budget. In the sub 1k range a decent sub moa rifle can be built on a large ring mauser action. Best to find a stalled project that somebody wants to unload, they are out there. The pride of building one up, and learning how is a huge benefit.
Plan on spending for a decent scope, but I have seen results with lower end scopes that are surprising.
Steel scope bases and rings are a must.
Factory triggers can be worked to be better than acceptable.
If you have a heavy long barrel don't float the whole thing, bed the chamber area as well as the receiver. Takes stress off the rear action screw.

Buy books, don't count of b.s. YouTube videos.

I've been misled before from youtube videos so I now approach those with caution and have been picking up books here and there, got a lot of solid info from books.

 

[JimBob]

I started shooting at 600 yards with a Sightron SII Target scope. Good glass for the money. Recommend Savage off the shelf rifle in 6mmBR