Blast from the Past — Benchresters Circa 1955
With so much attention given to the newest hardware, and most recent reloading innovations, we sometimes forget that Benchrest shooting, as a competitive sport, has been around for quite a long time. And some of those “old school” shooters managed to put together some pretty fine groups even without 21st Century gadgets and gear.
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Here are some of the founding fathers of benchrest shooting, in a photo taken nearly six decades ago (4/3/1955). Men’s fashion has changed a bit over the years. Tony Boyer notwithstanding, you won’t find so many Stetsons at a shooting match these days. Courtesy of Sierra Bullets, here’s a “throwback” image of Benchrest shooters at the Brea, California “Round-Up” Shoot April 2 – 3, 1955. Left to right are: Frank Snow, (Founder of Sierra Manufacturing Company), John Moffit, K. E. “Smitty” Smith (NBRSA Director), Al Christie, E.F. Stewart, Jack Rice (sitting), I. F. Jack Williams, Lindsey King (behind Williams), Don “6mm” Smith, Frank Hemsted, and Art L. Elliott.
If you like this sort of “trip down memory lane”, visit Sierra Bullets’ Facebook page. Every Thursday morning, Sierra publishes a “Throwback Thursday” photograph from some decades past, together with a short featurette on the shooting-related item/person in the photo.
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Tags: 1955, Benchrest, Sierra Bullets, Throwback Thursday
How things have changed. I own an unmodified match rifle from that era dated 1952. Built by F. Harvey Miles of Bedford, VA. It is built on a Springfield 1903 action with the original trigger modified to about 2 lbs. pull. The barrel is a 28″ Pfeiffer cut-rifled bull barrel chambered in 30-06. The stock is entirely hand-made and inletted, with nary a drop of bedding compound, but it requires a good-sized mallet to get the barreled action out or in. The barrel is tightly installed in the wide, rounded forend with about 14″ of barrel extending beyond the forend. It has a globe front sight and Redfield Match rear sight, but was also drilled and tapped for scope mounts. Several years ago I dug up a set of mounts and installed a scope on it just to see what would happen. With 165 gr. Sierra Match bullets and Varget it shoots about 1/4 MOA at 100 yards. Amazing, Grace!!!!