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April 27th, 2013
The NBRSA has wrapped up its 600-yard National Championship, with the 1000-yard National Championship taking place today and tomorrow at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center. Richard Schatz, one of the greatest 600-yard shooters of all time, topped over 40 talented shooters to win the two-gun overall title. Richard, we’re told, also won the Light Gun Division. Forum member Terry Balding (aka “Terry”) won the Heavy Gun Class. Terry drove all the way from Wisconsin to compete in the match. We’ll publish more details as they become available. If any of our readers have more photos from the match, or a list of final results, please send them along. Here’s Richard receiving his trophy from match director Craig St. Claire:
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September 30th, 2012
Richard Schatz won the Two-Gun Overall Title at the 2012 IBS 600-Yard Nationals held this weekend in St. Louis, Missouri. Congratulations to Richard for this big win against very capable competition! This marks two Overall wins for Richard in the past three years (Schatz also won in 2010). The match was well-attended, with 81 shooters in Light gun and roughly 60 shooters in the HG division. Winds were challenging at the Match, particularly on Saturday. Sam Hall stated: “Richard [showed us] some fine shooting shooting in those switchy St Louis winds. Richard didn’t do anything spectacular but he was very consistent in all categories — he rarely makes a mistake. Congratulations on the Overall 2-Gun Championship! It could not have happened to a finer fellow!” We are still awaiting the final, official scores to be posted.
Here are tentative Top 10 Two-Gun Overall Rankings (not official) Forum member LMMike obtained by phone from Match Director Jerry Kloppell (there may be spelling mistakes):
Two-Gun Overall Standings
1. Richard Schatz
2. Mike Hanes
3. Stephen Hall
4. Sally Bauer
5. John Powers |
6. Sam Hall
7. Tod Soeby
8. Darrel Daucus
9. Chad Jenkins
10. Rodney Wagner |
 Tim Claunch photo
Posting in our Shooters’ Forum, Sam Hall and Chad Jenkins provided these preliminary (non-official) Light Gun (Day 1) and Heavy Gun (Day 2) results:
Light Gun Overall
1. Mike Hanes
2. Sam Hall
3. Richard Schatz
4. Sally Bauer
5. Chad Jenkins |
Light Gun Group
1. Mike Hanes, 2.124″
2. Tim Claunch, 2.138″
3. Sam Hall, 2.198″ |
Light Gun Score
1. Mike Hanes, 384
2. Sam Hall, 376
3. Chad Jenkins, 376 |
Heavy Gun Overall
1. Stephen Hall (5 pts)
2. Richard Schatz (8 pts)
3. Tom Jacobs (9 pts)
4. John Powers (11 pts)
5. Tod Soeby (15 pts) |
Heavy Gun Group
1. Rodney Wagner, 2.0159″
2. John Powers, 2.1500″
3. Steve Hoskin, 2.1510″ |
Heavy Gun Score
1. Stephen Hall, 384 (2.1574″)
2. Tom Jacobs, 382 (2.3796″)
3. Richard Schatz, 381 (2.2241″) |
Richard and Rory — A Living Legend and a Bright Young Talent
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May 22nd, 2014
Richard Schatz, the “Duke of Dashers”, has done it again. Just look at that group! Believe it or not, that is five shots at 600 yards. There are four shots in one ragged hole, with one a bit to the right. The group, initially measured at between 0.402″ and 0.410″, is very close to an IBS World Record. Assuming (on the high side) that that group measures 0.410″, that works out to 0.065 MOA. Wow.
Schatz, a past IBS 600-yard National Champion, shot this group in a Heavy Gun relay on May 18, 2014 at the Columbus Sportsman’s Association range in Columbus, Wisconsin. Richard was using his trusty 6mm Dasher, a 17-lb Light Gun that he has been shooting for years. His ultra-accurate load consisted of 103gr Spencer Bullets pushed by Varget and CCI 450 primers. The Lapua brass had recently been annealed and he batched his record rounds “by feel” based on the force needed to seat the bullets.
Richard said the group involved a good bit of luck, and perfect timing. The conditions were generally “switchy and difficult” at the match. However, in one Heavy Gun relay, Richard said “the wind flags just dropped straight down at the end of the sighter period. It’s like the range went dead.” Richard had windage on his scope so he just held off to correct for the calm. “I didn’t guess the hold-off correctly”, Richard admitted, “that’s why the shots ended up at the edge of the 9 Ring.”
Twenty Seconds of Near-Perfect Shooting
Richard got his five record rounds down range in about 20 seconds. He can shoot faster but, given the exceptional conditions, he took a little more time to aim: “Because the flags dropped and conditions stayed calm, I slowed down a little. I made more of a deliberate attempt to shoot a small group — a conscious effort to aim more precisely. Normally I’ll try to shoot the quickest I can get the dot close to the center of the X. I was trying to be a little more precise this time.”
Whatever Richard did, it sure worked. That’s a spectacular group — one of the smallest ever shot at 600 yards. Richard, a modest guy, credited the group to good conditions, and good luck: “Like I always say ‘the wind can blow ‘em in just as easy as it blows ‘em out’.” Richard says this rifle, with the current Krieger barrel, can typically put five shots in about two inches at 600 yards, in calm, stable conditions.
Very Close to an IBS Heavy Gun Record
The current IBS 600-yard, five-shot Heavy Gun group record is 0.404″, set by John Lewis in 2008. This recent group by Richard Schatz is very, very close to that mark. At Columbus, Wisconsin, four different measurers examined Richard’s group on May 18th. The four measurements were: 0.402″, 0.403″, 0.410″, and 0.409″ (see photo). Whether or not this is a new record will be determined by the IBS official measurement committee to which the target is being submitted. It’s worth mentioning that Richard Schatz currently holds the IBS 600-yard Heavy Gun score record, with a value of 50 points (and 0.634″ tie-breaker).
Rifle Specifications:
Nesika Action
Krieger 1:8″ twist barrel, 27″ length, 0.236″ bore
Chambered for 6mm Dasher with 0.272″ neck
and 0.104″ Freebore
Shehane “Baby Tracker” stock
Nightforce 8-32x56mm NSX Scope |
Load Specifications:
Clay Spencer 103gr bullets
Lapua 6mmBR brass (formed to Dasher)
Cases skim-turned for .0035 total clearance
Hodgdon Varget powder, 32.2 grains
CCI 450 primers
Muzzle Velocity 2980 FPS |
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April 20th, 2012
 The NBRSA 600-Yard Nationals were held April 18-19, 2012 at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center in Sloughhouse, CA. Among the nearly 40 com-petitors, Forum Member Terry Balding (aka Terry) was the big winner, taking home the Overall Two-Gun Title with strong performances in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun divisions. In both classes, Terry shot his 6mm Dasher Light Gun. Terry finished with 19 rank points, and former NBRSA 600-yard Champion Richard Schatz was not far behind with 24 rank points.
Richard, as you’d expect, also shot a Dasher in both classes. Schatz apparently was at no disadvantage using his Dasher Light Gun in the Heavy Gun phase — Richard set a new NBRSA 10-shot Heavy Gun Record with a 1.769″ ten-shot group, and Schatz also posted HG single-target high score for the match, a 99-8X. Both Terry and Richard plan to shoot their Dasher Light Guns in both LG and HG classes at the NBRSA 1000-yard Nationals which continue this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in Sacramento.
We’re delighted to see Terry Balding win this major Championship. He has worked very hard on his game and has steadily climbed the ranks. He’s a deserving new Champion. Along with his overall win, Terry posted the best 6-target LG score: a 284-5X (plus tie-breaker group). When confirmed this will be a new NBRSA 6-target LG record. Terry told us he shot fast to stay in the non-dominant left to right condition. In both LG and HG relays, Balding waited for the L to R to appear, then he shot fast. Terry’s 6mm Dasher, smithed by Lester Bruno, features a multi-flat BAT dual-port action, March 10-60x52mm scope with PECA Amber filter, McMillan MBR stock, and 28″ Krieger 1:8″ twist, 0.237″-land barrel. Terry told us this barrel shot great “right from the start”, and his Dasher has performed very well in the last five matches, so he wasn’t surprised it did so well in Sacramento.
Berger 105gr Hybrids, Varget, and Brass Annealed After Every Firing
Terry’s match-winning load consisted of Berger 105gr Hybrids “pointed slightly with a Whidden Pointer”, pushed by Varget powder and CCI 450 primers at 3030 fps. Terry seats his 105s very slightly into the lands. As is becoming the fashion with many top shooters, Terry anneals his brass (with a Ken Light annealer) after every firing. Terry believes this helps him maintain “very consistent neck tension”.
Terry wanted to give credit to his friend Richard Schatz, who “has been a great help for a number of years”. Terry, who hails from Wisconsin, also wanted to mention that his home club, the Columbus Sportsmans Association, is constructing a new 600-yard benchrest range in Columbus Wisconsin. Terry invites his fellow shooters to visit the new range when it is complete, hopefully by August of this year.
Schatz Sets New Heavy Gun Group Record While Finishing Second Overall
Our friend Richard Schatz performed well, shooting his trusty 6mm Dasher. There was a bit of a change this time around — Richard was pushing his 2006-vintage 107gr SMKs with Varget powder, rather than Reloder 15, which he has used in the past. Richard explained that his lastest barrel seems to prefer the Hodgdon Varget. Richard joked: “After so many years using RL15, I felt like I was taking a new girl to the Prom”. Like his friend Terry Balding, Richard shot fast to stay in a condition: “I was running pretty much as fast as I could. By the time of the Heavy Gun relay, the gun had settled well into the bags, so it was returning to battery really well.” Richard definitely had his Dasher running well during the Heavy Gun phase, as he ended up setting a new NBRSA 10-shot Heavy Gun single target record. Shown below is Richard’s record target.
CLICK HERE to download NBRSA 600-Yard Nationals Results (PDF file)
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Two Gun Overall Rankings
1. Terry Balding (National Champion) – 19
2. Richard Schatz – 24
3. Frank Vance – 30
4. Bill Johnston – 33
5. Rick Duncan – 36
6. Dan Robertson – 36
7. Peter White – 40
8. Dick Colyar – 48
9. Larry Kahle -53
10. Don Nielson – 56 |
Two Gun Score
1. Frank Vance — 822-12X
2. Terry Balding — 809-8X
3. Bill Johnston — 809-5X
4. Dan Robertson — 808-10X
5. Rick Duncan — 805-7X
Two Gun Group
1. Bill Johnston — 3.276
2. Richard Schatz — 3.517
3. Terry Balding — 3.586
4. Dick Colyar — 3.572
5. John Crawford – 3.764 |
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Best Targets
Light Gun High Score: Terry Balding – 50-3X, 1.77″
Light Gun Small Group: Bob Dorton – 0.851, 46-0X
Heavy Gun High Score: Richard Schatz – 99-4X, 2.222
Heavy Gun Small Group: Richard Schatz – 1.759″ (10 shots), 88-0X (New NBRSA Record) |
Thanks to Jerry Tierney for providing 600-yard match photos. Jerry will be shooting in the F-Class Benchrest match held April 20th in Sloughhouse.
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October 30th, 2010
Richard Schatz won the 2010 IBS 600-Yard Nationals held recently in St. Louis, Missouri. Congratulations to Richard for this big win against very capable competition! Posting in our Shooters’ Forum, Richard Schatz noted: “It was a great time seeing old friends and making new ones. The St. Louis range turned out to be very challenging with winds switching fast enough to keep everyone on their toes just trying to stay in the game.” Forum member David L. (aka David2) attended the match and tells us: “St. Louis has a very nice facility. The Match Director and target crew [ran] a good match, even with some gusty winds blowing off or loosening a couple of targets.”
Match Report by Jerry Kloeppel
St. Louis hosted 74 shooters at its first 600-Yard Nationals. Pleasant temperatures and strong, gusty, switchy winds both days kept shooters off-balance. As usual though, the weather conditions didn’t seem to bother some while driving others crazy. Friday was all Light Guns and at the top of the heap was Dan Hobbs with a First Place group Agg of 3.013. Richard Schatz came in second with 3.019 and Samuel Hall in third with a 3.028. Now that’s a tight race!
For score, Hobie Bond [took first] with a 361 followed by Jay Cutright’s 355 and Mike Jakubczak’s 352. Mike also won the overall Light Gun Championship. The Small Group of the day went to Sam Hall with an amazing 1.128″ in those conditions. Richard Schatz found a way to keep them in the middle… with two perfect 50s for the day. Also on Friday Mike Hanes won a Kelbly stock for a shot closest to the center.
Saturday’s winds were even worse than Friday’s and again some shooters made it look easy. In Heavy Gun, Sam Hall took first in group with an impressive 2.136 Agg. Al Forbes finished second with a 2.590 and Schatz was with with 2.612. The score Champ was Richard Schatz with a 355 total, followed closely by Richard Griffins (352) and Dan Hobbs (351).
Here is how the Two-Gun overall standings worked out. In Two-Gun Group, Sam Hall was first, with a 2.582 Agg. Schatz was second with 2.815 and Al Forbes was third with a 3.004. A group size tie-breaker gave the Two-Gun Score title to Richard Schatz over Richard Griffin (both men racked up identical 696 scores). Also on Saturday, David Dorris of Benchsource presented Don Elder with a shiny new Benchsource annealing machine as a prize for the shot closest to center. And that brings us to the 2010, IBS 600-yard overall Champion: Richard Schatz. Congratulations Richard.
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September 18th, 2009
Sam Hall did it again. The 2008 IBS National Champion and 2008 Shooter of the Year captured his second straight National Championship, winning the 2-Gun Grand Agg shooting a standard 6BR in both Light Gun (LG) and Heavy Gun (HG) classes. It was an impressive victory in challenging conditions at the Varmint Hunter Assn. (VHA) range in Pierre, South Dakota. But this was a very close match. Mike Davis, runner-up in the Grand Agg, tied Sam in 2-Gun points, but Sam was awarded the title based on 2-Gun Small Group tie-breaker. Richard Schatz was just one point behind Sam and Mike. All three men shot superbly and any of the three could have won it all. Davis won the HG Overall Agg (with Hall second), while Schatz won the LG Overall Agg, with Hall again placing second. Both Davis and Schatz shot 6BR Improved cartridges in both LG and HG — Davis shooting the 30°-shoulder BRX, while Schatz campaigned a 40° Dasher. Rodney Wagner (6BRX) and John Griswold (6 Dasher) tied with 27 points in the 2-Gun overall, with Wagner earning 4th place overall on the tie-breaker.
Horrendous Conditions on Friday — Many DQs
Sam Hall said the conditions on Friday were “horrendous” with 25 to 35-mph gusts. Conditions were among the worst ever seen by the VHA rangemasters, and a third of HG competitors (17 of 48) DQ’d because the wind blew shots off paper. Luckily, conditions moderated for the Saturday relays, with mild 10 mph winds. Regulars at the VHA range said Saturday’s conditions were “about as good at it gets in Pierre.”
Complete Results are posted under Long Range Match Results on the IBS Website.
Equipment — Still dominated by 6BR and 6BR Improved
A quick look at the equipment lists for both LG and HG classes showed the 6mm as the preferred caliber, with a 6mm Dasher or 6mm BRX the most popular cartridge (though Hall won it all with his standard 6BR). Despite the windy conditions, the mid-sized cases such as the 6-6.5×47 Lapua couldn’t outshoot their smaller brothers. Notably, Sam Hall used a plain vanilla 6BR to win LG Agg with a 2.852″. Shooting a 6BRX, Mike Davis won HG Agg with a 2.492″, with Hall’s 6BR only .054″ behind.
LG Equipment List
HG Equipment List
Calibers: 17 of the top 20 in LG shot 6mms, mostly Dashers (but Hall won LG with a standard 6BR). There was one .22 and two 6.5s. In HG it was pretty much the same story, 16 of 20 using 6mms, with a couple 6.5s, a .308 Baer and a 30 BooBoo (not “39” as stated in equipment list).
Barrels: Sam Hall won LG Group Agg with a Broughton button-rifled barrel, but otherwise cut-rifled barrels from Brux, Krieger, and Bartlein dominated the Top 20 in both classes. In HG, Mike Davis shot a Brux to finish #1. NOTE: Sam Hall had a Lilja barrel on his second-place, 28-lb Heavy Gun, not a Brux as shown on the official equipment list.
Bullets: Sam Hall used Spencers in LG, and Steve Shelp shot BIBs in his 30 BooBoo Heavy Gun. Otherwise it was “all yellow box”, with Berger filling the Top 10 equipment rankings for both LG and HG. It’s fair to say Berger Bullets dominated the match.
Powder/Primers: Alliant Reloder 15 and CCI 450s (usually pushing Berger 6mm bullets) composed the preferred combo in both LG and HG. Sam Hall did use CCI BR4s, however. Rodney Wagner was the only Dasher shooter to use Hodgdon Varget, but he finished fourth overall in the 2-Gun Aggregate.
Optics: While ace shooters Sam Hall and Mike Davis both used Leupold Competition Scopes in both LG and HG classes, Nightforce scopes, (mostly 12-42 BR models) dominated the Equipment Top 20 lists. To our surprise, there were only a couple March Scopes in the Equipment Top 20 in HG, and just one in LG.
Stocks: Shehane (D & B Supply) stocks were used by 8 of the Top 10-ranked LG Shooters, and 5 of the Top 10 in HG rankings. The Trackers, both ST 1000 and MBR Tracker, remain hard to beat. We did see some “true maxies” in this match.
Hall Reveals Shooting Secrets in Home-Made Video
If you’re interested in 600-yard competition, or just want to shoot more accurately and consistently from the bench, you should watch a video Sam Hall put together last year. Because of wind noise, the audio is pretty bad at first, but be patient. Sam delivers some invaluable advice in the video. His tips on body positioning, gun-handling, and follow-through can earn you some points in your next match.
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September 23rd, 2008
Legendary North Dakota shooter Richard Schatz, the “Duke of Dashers”, has done it again. Competing in challenging conditions at Byers, Colorado, against a field of top shooters, Richard took the two-gun championship. Glen Sterling also shot very well. Both Richard and Glen broke the existing NBRSA 6-target Light Gun Group Aggregate record. Glen posted a 5.3272″ Agg, while Richard had a 5.3702.” The previous record (6.125″) was set by Schatz at Byers in 2004. We’re waiting for final results, but there was some talk that Schatz may also have set a new 12-target Score record, but that is unconfirmed. Excellent performances were also turned in by Duane Capehart, Robert Hoppe, Daryl Kopriva, Dee Thompkins, and Joe Thielen.
Schatz shot his trusty 15.5-lb, 6mm Dasher in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun classes. This rifle features a Shehane Baby Tracker stock, Nesika Model ‘K’ RBLP, right-eject action, and a 27″ Krieger barrel. The chamber is basically a no-turn neck, but Richard does “clean up” his necks, turning them to a uniform .013″ neck-wall thickness. Richard’s match load was 33.0 grains of Reloder 15, CCI 450s, and 105gr Berger VLDs. This load runs 3020-3050 fps. Richard notes: “That’s the [velocity] spot where every barrel I’ve had likes to run.” Richard’s Krieger barrel now has about 2000 rounds through it. When the barrel was new, Richard seated his bullets just “kissing the lands.” He has not chased the lands over time so he thinks his seating depth is now at least 0.010″ off the lands but he hasn’t measured recently. “I don’t know [the exact depth], and I don’t care,” Richard told us, “because it still shoots great.”
Complete Match Results
Thanks to Forrest Foster, below we offer complete Match Results for the 2008 NBRSA Nationals in spreadsheet format. Right Click and “save as” to download the files. You will need MS Excel (or an Excel Viewer) to open the files.
NBRSA 1K Nationals Complete Score | NBRSA 1K Nationals Complete Group
The course of fire at this match was 12 total targets at 1000 yards, six targets for Light Gun and six for Heavy Gun. There are five (5) shots for record per target in LG, and ten (10) shots per target in HG.
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July 30th, 2008
Richard Schatz, 2007 IBS 600-Yard Shooter of the Year, has done it again. While competing in the South Dakota 600-yard State Championships, Richard nailed a superb 5-shot group that may be a new IBS 600-yard Heavy Gun score record. Richard tells us: “Got home from the VHA Jamboree and IBS 600-yard South Dakota state championship match held last week at Fort Pierre, SD. During the 600-yard match I managed to lay down a ‘lucky’ 50 for score in Heavy Gun with a 0.634″ group for a potential new score record.” While other perfect 50s have been shot in competition, under current rules, group size is the tie-breaker. Schatz’s impressive 0.634″ group, we believe, is the smallest “50” shot to date, and one of the smallest groups ever shot at the 600-yard distance. Amazingly, there is just one bullet diameter of vertical:
In the South Dakota Championship, Richard won Heavy Gun group, finished second in HG score, and finished third overall for the Two-Gun. Richard was shooting his trusty 6mm Dasher in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun classes. This rifle features a Shehane Baby Tracker stock, Nesika Model ‘K’ RBLP, right-eject action, and a 27″ Krieger barrel. The chamber is basically a no-turn neck, but Richard does “clean up” his necks, turning them to a uniform .013″ neck-wall thickness. Richard’s match load was 33.0 grains of Reloder 15, with 105 Berger VLDs, seated about .005″ off the lands. This load runs 3020-3050 fps. Richard notes: “That’s the [velocity] spot where every barrel I’ve had likes to run.”
Richard used Sierra 107gr Match-Kings with great success last year. He recently switched to the Berger 105 VLDs. His testing at 250 yards showed that the Bergers “had a very slight edge in agging capability. It wasn’t much…but enough that I decided to go with the Bergers.” Richard’s Krieger barrel has about 800 rounds through it, and he typically cleans the bore every 70-90 rounds: “I’ll clean after a match, and don’t let it go past 100 rounds.”
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September 17th, 2007
Recently, Richard Schatz, the “Duke of Dashers”, set a new IBS 600-yard Light Gun World Record, an amazing .888″ five-shot group. We had a chance to chat with Richard after his record-setting performance at the Nationals where he won the LG division Overall and LG Score title along with posting the new single-group record.
Richard attributes much of his success to his choice of bullets and some recent equipment upgrades: “I recently ordered three Kriegers and had Dan Dowling chamber them. These are all 4-grooves with a .236 land dimension. My gun’s been on fire ever since I put on that new Krieger. I’ve been doing really well at matches and this gun has delivered great accuracy AND consistency. And I can’t say enough about the bullets–the new Sierra 107s. The combination of a new Krieger and the Sierra 107s has been amazing.
In late 2006, Rich Machholz at Sierra gave me a call and said I should try the latest batch of 107s. He said they were some of the best they’ve ever made. I was a little skeptical as I had been using another brand. But I bought 500 of the new 107s and tested them against three bullet types. When I tested them head to head with the other bullets I had, the Sierras were just awesome. Flyers just didn’t happen. I consider this batch of Sierra 107s better than great–the equivalent of a ‘hummer’ barrel. They measure exactly .24300 in diameter and seem ideally suited for the Krieger.”
Richard explained his load development process: “First I shoot multiple groups with different bullets to get a sense which has the best potential. I pick the most promising bullet, then experiment with seating depth. Using a Stoney Point tool, I get a baseline OAL with the bullet at the zero position, just touching the lands. Then I’ll seat them long and start testing .020″ into the lands. (I prefer starting in the lands because I don’t want to soot up the throat first–something that can happen when you’re jumping the bullets.) So, starting at .020″ in the lands, I work backwards in .005″ increments, doing .015, .010, .005 and so on. Then I will try the jumping the bullets, going from .005″ to .020″ out. With the Sierra 107s, I found they shot best .005″ into the lands–a bit less jam than I run with Bergers or Lapua Scenars.”
As to powder, Richard remains a fan of Alliant Reloader 15: “I shoot a load of 32.5 to 33.0 grains of RL15 with the 107s, CCI 450s, and Lapua brass. This runs 3015 fps in a 26″ barrel and 3020-3030 fps in my 27″ barrels. I’ve tried other powders and RL15 still seems to provide the best combination of accuracy and velocity in my Dashers.”
Richard’s record-setting 6mm Dasher was smithed by Dan Dowling, and features a .272″ neck with 0.104″ freebore. Here are the components:
Action: Nesika K, RBLP, right micro-port eject, Jewell trigger
Stock: Shehane Baby Tracker Stock, Sierra color scheme
Barrel: 27″ Krieger HV taper 8-twist, 4-groove with .236″ land
Optics: Nightforce NXS 12×42 NPDD, Burris Sig Zee 30mm rings, Nesika 20 moa base
Rest: Sinclair front pedestal with Farley mini-joystick control, Sinclair top, Protektor rear bag
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September 9th, 2007
 Under the able direction of the Varmint Hunters Association (VHA), the 2007 IBS 600-yard Nationals were held this past week in Pierre, SD at the VHA Range. The match drew competitors from around the country. The big winner was Glen Sterling, who captured the Two-Gun title, and finished first in both Heavy Gun Group and Score, shooting a 300 Win Mag in HG (Glen shot a 6mm Wildcat in Light Gun).
 A familiar name, Richard Schatz, piloted his 6mm Dasher to victory in the Light Gun division, posting both Small Group and Best Score. Richard, the “Duke of Dashers“, added another record to his collection, shooting a 5-round group of .888″ according to initial reports. This may be a new IBS world record. Congratulations to Glen and Richard for their impressive shooting.
Full match results should be available on the VHA Website, within a few days. Thanks to Donovan Moran for this report. Donovan, who chatted with Glen after the match, tells us: “Glen Sterling really shot some phenomenal small groups and very high scores. The first 6 targets and scores he shot are amazingly consistent — SMALL and centered up for high scores (from what I heard, Targets 7 & 8 were shot in down pouring rain and wind).” Here are Glen’s Heavy Gun results, producing a 2.3915″ Aggregate with 379-6X score total for eight 5-shot groups:
Target 1 = 1.886″ / 50-3X | Target 2 = 2.460″ / 48
Target 3 = 2.325″ / 50-1X | Target 4 = 1.592″ / 49-1X
Target 5 = 1.473″ / 47-1X | Target 6 = 1.413″ / 47
Target 7 = 4.590″ / 41 | Target 8 = 3.414″ / 47
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September 3rd, 2023
Here is beautiful F-Open rig crafted by Forum member CigarCop of KW Precision LLC. It features a laminated wood stock with stunning figured walnut on the outside.
One of the most popular items in our Shooters’ Forum is the ongoing “Pride and Joy” thread. Since 2009, Forum members have posted photos and descriptions of their most prized rifles. Here are some of the most popule “Pride and Joy” rifles showcased in our Forum. Do you have a gun you’d like to see featured there? Just Register for the Forum and you can add your favorite gun to the list. You’ll enjoy the Forum, which recently hit the 70,000-member mark!
600/1000 Benchrest Light Gun for Richard Schatz in 6 BRA
This blue benchrest rig was crafted by Alex Wheeler for ace benchrest competitor Richard Schatz, a past 600-yard IBS Shooter of the Year. Richard’s new 600/1000-yard Light Gun features a Krieger barrel chambered in 6 BRA (40° Ackley version of 6mmBR Norma). That Krieger is mated to a 1.550″ BAT B action, ignition-timed for smooth bolt close and increased accuracy. The trigger is the sophisticated Bix’n Andy. Schatz’s BAT is glued and screwed into a Wheeler LRB stock, with aluminum rails and adjustable metal “tracking rudder” on the toe of the stock. The rudder can be adjusted side to side to ensure optimal tracking, while the rudder’s vertical angle can be adjusted slightly with shims.
Hand-Crafted Thumbhole-Stocked Rifle Chambered in 6 PPC
Forum Member Grimstod offered this handsome 6 PPC custom with a beautiful, hand-made thumbhole stock: “This was fully accurized with Premier Accuracy recoil lug installed. Really makes these shoot a lot better. It features a Kelbly Panda action with Hart barrel and glass bedding. Trigger fall was perfect to start and we have to give Ian Kelbly big thumbs up for making every action perfectly timed.” On top is a March competition scope. See more photos at www.premieraccuracy.com.
A Wicked Accurate Big Dawg in 28 Nosler
This 28 Nosler Benchrest rifle looks good and shoots even better — check out that 20-shot target shot at 200 yards! You can’t argue with that…
Belonging to Forum member LA50Shooter, this rig is chambered in 28 Nosler, with metal work by Gre-Tan Rifles. The action is a BAT Model “L” 1.650 Octagon with a 30 MOA scope rail, running a Jewell BR Trigger. The stock, from D&B Supply, is a Shehane Big Dawg Tracker with 5″ fore-end. Color scheme is “Field & Stream” Rutland laminate. This big rig boasts FOUR 34″ Benchmark barrels (1.5″ for seven inches tapering to 1.225″ at muzzle).
A Pair of Score Benchrest Beauties
Forum member JimPag showcased two new Benchrest-for-Score rifles. The rig on the left, smithed by Dwight Scott, features a Farley Black Widow RBLPRE (with Bix’n Andy trigger). It features Pistachio and Carbon Terry Leonard stock glued and screwed by Sid Goodling. The barrel is a Krieger 23.5″ chambered in 30BR with a Mike Ezell tuner. It’s topped with a Goodling-built 1-piece Davidson base and a Nightforce 42X Comp scope. The rifle on the right, smithed by Sid Goodling, features a Marsh Saguaro RBLPRE Action with Bix’n Andy trigger, and March 36-55X scope. This rifle boasts a rare Screwbean Mesquite and carbon stock by Terry Leonard. The 23″ Lilja bbl is chambered in 30 Thrasher with a Goodling tuner. (30 Thrasher is longer 30 BR case developed by Joe Entrekin). Jim also has two other barrels for this action in 30 BR and 6 BRAI. On top is a Sid Goodling-built one-piece Davidson base with a March 36-55X scope.
6BRA with BAT Action, Brux Barrel — The Blue Beauty
Next is a blue 6BRA beauty from Forum Member RiflePainter: “This is my brand new 6BRA Light Gun built by Jason Danley at Danley Precision! Jason did all of the work including paint. Brass was done by Darrel Jones at DJ’s brass service.” This features a Johnny Byers stock painted in HOK Custom Oriental Blue Candy mix. The action is a BAT DS Left-load, Right-eject, Right bolt fitted to a 1.5 oz. Jewell trigger. The barrel is a 28″ Brux HV 1:8″-twist chambered for the 6BRA (6mmBR Ackley) and fitted with a Harrell’s radial muzzle brake. On top is a Sightron SIII 10-50x60mm optic riding in BAT 1-piece scope rings.
Rem 700 in Manners Stock — .284 Winchester for Hunting
Here’s a Rem 700 enhanced with a Manners Elite TA stock and other upgrades. Forum Member NickB1075 says: “Here is a rifle I finished for hunting this year. It’s a bit heavy for New York woods carry but it just shoots great. Maybe I will have to get one of those fancy Proof Research barrels to lighten it up a bit.” Nick is running a Benchmark 1:8.5″-twist barrel chambered in .284 Win with 0.315 neck for shooting 150gr Barnes bullets. Nick added a Jewell trigger and on top is a U.S. Optics B10 Scope.
When Only the Biggest and Boldest Will Do — .50 BMG
No “Pride and Joy” feature would be complete without a Big Boomer. This impressive .50 BMG, “61 inches of big bore goodness”, weighs a whopping 49 pounds (95 lbs. complete with case and accessories). This rifle’s proud owner, forum member 6MT, says everything on this black beast is jumbo-sized: “Yes, I can stick my finger clear through the ports in the muzzle brake!” The rifle boasts a U.S. Ordnance 31″ heavy-contour barrel fitted to Barnard GP action. The stock is a “Big Mac” from McMillan. No optics yet — 6MT says he is “looking at an ATACR 7-35x56mm with a Spuhr mount… As soon as my wallet recovers!”
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May 16th, 2021
Chuck’s Pair of Pennsylvania Dashers
The 6mm Dasher wildcat cartridge is very popular among competitive benchrest shooters, varminters, and even PRS competitors. So this Sunday we thought we’d showcase a matched Duo of Dasher rifles belonging to a Forum member Chuck L. (aka “Ridgeway”). The 6mm Dasher began as a wildcat improved version of the 6mmBR Norma cartridge. The Dasher has been very successful in competition, and now factory Peterson 6mm Dasher brass is sold by Grafs.com. (But out of stock currently.)
Chuck has a prize pair of 6mm Dashers for competitive benchrest and varmint matches in Pennsylvania. Both guns feature Kelbly Panda RBLP actions, Bartlein 8-twist barrels, and Shehane Laminated Tracker Stocks. However, the two rifles are not exact twins, as you can see. One, which we’ll call the Big Dasher, is built on a Shehane ST1000 Tracker stock. The other gun, the Small Dasher, sports Shehane’s “Baby Tracker” stock — a design used with great success by Richard Schatz. The Big Dasher, optimized for 1000-yard competition, has a slightly longer freebore — 0.136″ vs. 0.104″ for the Small Dasher.
| Specifications for the Dasher Duo:
Small Dasher (13.5-pounder): Chambered for 6mm Dasher with approximately .104 freebore and a .264 NK. (No way of knowing exactly since its freebore was set in a separate operation by Kelbly.) Components are: Shehane Baby Tracker laminated stock, Kelbly Panda RPLB action, Bartlein 1:8″ LV barrel at 26 ¾”, Kelbly Rings, Weaver T36, Jewell trigger. The barrel was chambered by Kelblys and the stock was bedded, glued and balanced by a shooting buddy (Forum Member johara1). Chuck clear-coated the stock with auto urethane. Total weight is 13 lbs., 4 ounces.
Big Dasher (1K Light Gun, 17-pounder): Chambered for 6mm Dasher with a .136 freebore and .264 neck (PTG Reamer). Components are: Shehane ST-1000 laminated stock, Kelbly Panda RPLB action, Bartlein 1:8″ HV 5R barrel at 28″, Shehane +20-MOA rings, Nightforce NXS 12-42x56mm, Jewell trigger. The barrel work, pillar installation, and bedding was done by Dave Bruno. The stock was clear-coated by Chuck with auto urethane. Chuck also made the rear butt plate and balanced the rifle. Total weight: 16 lbs., 13 ounces. |
Chuck tells us: “I don’t get out shooting competition as much as I want due to time and family, but when I do compete, I shoot a Groundhog match at Southfork Rifle Club in Beaverdale, PA. Info on Southfork Club events can be found at Southforkrifleclub.com. The Southfork match is basically a 100-, 300- and 500-yard match with one sighter the entire match and 5 shots at each yardage for score. The Small Dasher, with the shorter ‘Baby Tracker’ stock, was set up for the Southfork Rifle Club’s ‘Light Unlimited’ class which has a 13.5-lb max weight.” (Editor: ‘unlimited’ is a misnomer for a weight-limited category.)
Chuck adds: “The Big Dasher with the heavy ST-1000 stock is set up for 1000-yard benchrest matches in Light Gun class. I shoot 1K matches with it at Reade Range in southwest Pennsylvania. One ironic thing is, it shoots the same load I’m shooting out of the lighter gun rather well. The only difference between the two chambers is the freebore is roughly thirty thousandths longer on the 1K gun (Large Dasher). I will also shoot this at Southfork in the ‘Heavy Unlimited’ class.”
Both Dashers Group in the Ones at 100 Yards
Chuck favors 107gr Sierra MK bullets in both Dashers. Other components are: Reloder 15 powder, Lapua cases, and CCI 450 primers. His main load for the Small Dasher is 33.0 grains of Reloder 15. This load shoots in the ones at 100 yards. For the Big Dasher Chuck reported: “I’m still working on a load, although the same 33.0 grain load shoots in the ones in the heavier gun as well. I’m still looking for more velocity and my ‘max’ node.”
Dasher Brass — Three Options
1. Buy Peterson 6mm Dasher Brass
In years past, you had to create your own Dasher brass, by fire-forming (with or without projectiles), or by hydro-forming. However, Peterson Cartridge recently introduced factory-made 6mm Dasher brass.
If you do not want to waste time with fire-forming or hydro-forming, you can look for Peterson 6mm Dasher brass. This is excellent quality brass that has earned stellar reviews from purchasers. The price — $56.99 for 50 cases at Graf’s (i.e. $1.14 per case) — is nearly the same as what you’d pay for Lapua 6mmBR brass, which is $116.99 for 100 cases or $1.17 per case. The advantage is that you save time, barrel life, and you won’t lose any cases to split necks. Peterson brass can be ordered from Grafs.com. Graf’s is currently out of stock, but they should have more in a few weeks.
2. Fire-Form Dasher Brass with Bullets Hard in Lands
Chuck fireforms his Dasher brass for both rifles. Because he has a tighter-neck chamber, he neck-turns the brass first: “To fireform, I turn my cases down to fit the chamber and stop where the false shoulder makes snug contact with the chamber. Fire-forming rounds are loaded up with a 29-grain charge of H4895 or Varget and a 108gr Berger bullet seated hard into the lands about 0.020″ past initial contact with the rifling. It takes about three firings to make a nice clean Dasher case with a sharp shoulder.”
Chuck anneals his Dasher brass regularly to help maintain consistency: “I anneal about every 3-4 firings. I have many cases that have about 10+ firings on them and they are still shooting well. The primer pockets are a little looser, but still hold a primer.”
3. Have Darrell Jones Hydro-Form Your 6BR Brass to 6mm Dasher
DJ’s Brass can hydro-form a wide variety of cases for a modest fee
 Fire-forming all your own 6mm Dasher brass takes time, costs money (in bullets and powder), and consumes precious barrel life. Well there IS a better solution — you can have your new brass hydro-formed by DJ’s Brass to your exact specifications for a $60.00 per hundred, which includes annealing.
DJ’s Brass Service now offers custom case hydro-forming to your exact specs. Darrell Jones offers this service for a variety of popular cartridges: 6 PPC, 30 PPC, 30 BR, 6 BRA (BR Ackley), 6mm Grinch, 6 BRDX, 6 BRX, .260 Ackley, .284 Shehane and of course the very popular 6mm Dasher. After hydro-forming your brass, Darrell can also neck-up or neck-down the cases to meet your needs. He can also turn the necks to your specs for an additional $0.60 per case.
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