Possible 200-30X National Record Set with Pre-Fit Criterion Barrel
Think you need a custom action and a custom-chambered barrel to set records? Well think again. Recently, a potential new 300-yard National record was set — 200-30X. That’s a truckload of Xs. But here’s the kicker. That 200-30x score was shot with a Savage-actioned rifle no less — a Savage with a screw-on, “no-gunsmithing” pre-fit barrel from Criterion Barrels Inc. (CBI). The shooter was David Mark Honeycutt, shooting F-0pen at the Catawba Valley Rifle & Pistol club in Conover, NC. The chambering was a favorite of ours — the 6mmBR Norma.
Check out this score sheet — no shortage of Xs here! Honeycutt fired a 200-30X relay using a CBI Savage Pre-Fit chambered in 6mmBR. This should be a new National 300-yard F-Open record, provided it was shot in a registered match.*
Mike, one of our readers, witnessed Honeycutt’s impressive marksmanship: “I was there. F-Open at 300 Yards. [Honeycutt] put on some show. Another thing that makes this so impressive is that after twenty Xs, you have … no waiting on conditions.” Shiraz Balolia, the current F-Open, 300-yard record holder (with 200-26X), explains: “You do not get an extra minute per shot once you reach 20 Xs. All shots still need to be fired within the allotted original time of the match, which I suspect was 22 minutes total.”
NRA National records can be accessed at http://compete.nra.org/national-records.aspx. We checked that website, and saw nothing that would rival Honneycutt’s 200-30X. The listed record for F-Open at 300 yards is 300-26X shot by Shiraz Balolia on 4/26/2008.
*Note: We won’t see this 200-30X as a listed record unless the appropriate paperwork is done. National record reporting forms must be submitted to NRA by the statistical officer of the registered tournament in which they were fired after being certified by the jury chairman or referee. National records can only be set in registered matches that have a minimum of two ROs running the match.
Impressive! I wonder at what distance this was fired at?
It was at 300 Yds at Catawba Valley rifle & pistol club in Conover,NC
No RO’s signature?
This is the section of the Score Card the Stat. Officer would have, and yes it should be signed by the RO plus the sighters would not be scored on the card like that and if there are mistakes they should be initialed. The Competitor should only have the stub from this ever in his possession after the Course of Fire as it should be turned in after both sign it.
What if you make a picture of the card before you turn it in?
I might look pretty silly with my question, but how can u get 30x with 20 record shots? (10 pts per x for 20 shots = 200 pts)…
What am I not seeing? — Rod
Editor: Rod, if the competitor shoots perfectly, i.e. twenty shots with 200 and twenty Xs, the rules permit that shooter to continue until he fires a shot that is NOT an X. That is how the current recored was set by Shiraz Balolia. 200-20X plus 6 more Xs, for a total of 200-26X.
What discipline?
I was there. F-Open at 300 Yards. He put on some show. Another thing that makes this so impressiveis is after 20X’s you only have 1 minute per shot to get off each additional shot, no waiting on conditions.
Because of the ITAR export requirements from the US, pre-fit barrels (other than OEM Savage) are virtually unknown to us in the UK. With the hassle and costs of getting barrels from this source, it’s only marginally more expensive to buy a custom barrel blank and have it chambered locally and threaded / headspaced in the conventional manner without the Savage barrel nut.
Having said that, I’m not at all surprised at such a combination shooting so well. We have a small group of people who know just how well the Savage PTA action will perform when married to a good barrel. Stuart Anselm in the North of England (Osprey Rifles) specialises in Savage builds for F-Class / FTR and precision varminters, but was forced elsewhere for a few years by the UK importer’s reluctance to obtain actions. Fortunately, that’s now been rectified and Stuart has resumed building rifles on this action. Now if only I could persuade our importer to obtain a 12 LRP model in 6.5mm Hornady Creedmoor (assuming there are actually any available in the US for export …..!?)
This was a Registered Match?
That’s good shooting!
I have not been able to find the match bulletin or the match results for this match. Anyone care to post a link or two? Does anyone have a picture of the target? Would be a good keepsake for the shooter.
And, to clarify, you do not get an extra minute per shot once you reach 20 Xs. All shots still need to be fired within the allotted original time of the match, which I suspect was 22 mins. total. I assume this was a registered match since they say its a National record. National records can only be set in registered matches that have a minimum of two ROs running the match.
Good shooting, once again!
FR/TR
First Name Last Name Match 1 Match 2 Match 3 Agg. Place
_________ __________ ______ ______ ______ _______ _____
Robert Hudgins 198-11X 198-10X 199-12X 595-33X 1st
Nik Taylor 199-6X 193-0X 200-13X 592-19X 2nd
George Northam 191-2X 194-6X 199-9X 579-17X 3rd
Don Keziah 189-2X 193-3X 190-2X 572-7X
John Nelson 181-2X 179-2X 186-2X 546-6X
F Open
First Name Last Name Match 1 Match 2 Match 3 Agg. Place
_________ _________ ______ ______ ______ ______ _____
David Honeycutt 200-30X* 200-17X 200-13X 600-50X 1st
Joseph Cannon 200-15X 199-13X 200-18X 599-46X 2nd
Mike McSwain 199-12X 200-13X 198-8X 597-33X 3rd
Steven Lahr 195-13X 200-12X 196-8X 591-33X
Mike Groce 195-9X 196-5X 200-6X 591-20X
Norm Goelzer 200-10X 189-12X# DNF 389-22X
Notes:
We had absolutely the best weather conditions you could ask for through
out the day, except for a few rain drops late in he after noon.
David Honeycutt set a new national record with the score of 200-30X
score. It surpassed the old record by 4Xs. Congratulation David!
Awards for the match will be distributed at the next match August 16,
2014
If anyone would like to check out ammunition or their rifle, you can do
that at our F Class Benchrest match which is held on the forth Saturday
of each month. You can shoot off the bench or the ground.
Norm Goelzer
More details regarding the Honeycutt record can be found here:
http://criterionbarrels.com/media/honeycutt-sets-national-f-class-record-with-criterion-barrel
It is now official. The NRA has posted the record. Congratulations Mark