NBRSA 100/200 Nationals Final Results
The final results have been tallied for the 2009 NBRSA 100/200 Yard Benchrest (Group) Nationals. This was an epoch event, with numerous potential records set, including a stunning 0.093 by Tom Libby in the 200-yard Sporter Match. (Target photo below, courtesy James Mock.) Exceptionally good conditions produced phenomenal scores, with dozens of Teen Aggs in some events. Jack Neary won the Two-Gun Grand with an impressive 0.1788 Agg. Tony Boyer, runner-up to Neary in the Two-Gun, took the Three-Gun Grand with an 0.1995 and Boyer won the Four-Gun Grand as well with an 0.2038. Other top shooters, by class, are listed below.
| Sporter Grand | LV Grand | HV Grand | UnLTD Grand |
|
Jack Neary, 0.1846 Gary Ocock, 0.1846 Mike Ratigan, 0.1872 |
Tony Boyer, 0.1661 Jack Neary, 0.1731 Tim Courtney, 0.1805 |
Bob Scarborough, 0.2160 Mike Ratigan, 0.2166 Lowell Hottenstein, 0.2244 |
Tony Boyer, 2.165 Jeff Summers, 2.300 Mike Conry, 2.363 |
Click Here for Complete Match Results and Standings
Hottenstein Bullets were HOT
A quick glance at the official equipment list shows some remarkable trends. First, Lowell Hottenstein’s bullets were indeed the “Hot” ticket. The majority of Top 10 finishers in every bag gun class used Lowell’s bullets. In fact, in both LV and HV classes, 8 of the top 10 shooters used Hottensteins. That’s 80% Top 10 usage in the most competitive classes — a remarkable showing for one bullet-maker.
As for powder, Vihtavuori N133 was still favored by the vast majority of shooters… but watch out for Hodgdon’s new 8208 XBR powder. (More on that in a separate report).
Cut-Rifled Barrels and BAT Actions
Bartlein and Krieger cut-rifled barrels completely dominated the match. In Sporter, Light Varmint, AND Heavy Varmint Classes ALL of the Top 20 shooters used either a Bartlein or a Krieger. You read that right, in ALL the bag gun classes, nobody cracked the Top 20 without either a Bartlein or Krieger. Is the button-rifled barrel “obsolete” in short-range benchrest?
BAT, BAT, and more BAT. A BAT Machine action was in EVERY Light Varmint rifle in the Top 20. 100%. Among Heavy Varmint rigs, 16 out of the Top 20 used BATs (there were two Pandas, a Stolle Teddy and One Farley). Again, that’s remarkable dominance by a single action-maker. There was more diversity among Top 20 Sporters, but BAT still had 10/20 or 50%.
Light Varmint Top 20 Equipment List
Heavy Varmint Top 20 Equipment List
Sporter Top 20 Equipment List
To be clear, the picture posted of Tom Libby’s group was shot with bullets made by Del Bishop on Tom’s dies. (not Hottenstiens)