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October 25th, 2018

PRS Basics — Getting Started in the Precision Rifle Series

Tactical Competition Precision Rifle Series

Many of our readers are thinking of trying out PRS-type competition. Tactical matches are becoming more popular every season. Along with F-Class, tactical/practical disciplines are the fastest-growing forms of competitive rifle shooting. Rich Emmons, one of the founders of the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), has written an insightful article about getting started in the tactical game. This will help PRS novices pick the right equipment and understand the game. Here are highlights from Emmon’s “PRS — Intro to Competition” article, originally published on the PRS website. You may also want to read the current PRS FAQ Page.

Precision Rifle Series — Intro to Competition

by Rich Emmons, PRS President
Tactical Shooting with a precision rifle is not like other disciplines, there is no set course of fire or format. That is what makes it so fun!

GAP Grind PRS series
Photo from Ramia Whitecotton’s GAP GRIND 2016 photo album.

First, you have to ask yourself what do you want to accomplish. When I was introduced to long range shooting, immediately a light turned on for me, once I saw how easy it was to hit 300–600 yard targets. What I quickly learned from my first competition and the many that followed was there is so much to learn and shooting in competition put everything you thought you knew to the test. So back to the question: “What do YOU want to accomplish?”. The reality is you may not know yet, you just think it is cool to have a bad ass rifle and scope that can make almost any shot. Now if you’ve got that rifle and scope, it’s time to take it to the next level.

Watch PRS 2016 Championship

Getting Started — What to Expect
If you’re reading this, you have probably already have been bitten by the long range shooting bug. It can seem quite intimidating to just jump in with a new bunch of shooters you don’t know and shooting lingo you don’t quite understand yet. But here is the key — show up and shoot! I guarantee you if you show up to a match as a new shooter, other experienced shooters will guide you along and give you help on anything you need.

AUDIO: Click Button to hear Rich Emmons Talk about the Precision Rifle Series.

Now, a couple things you should just expect. You’re not as good as you think you are. Don’t expect to come into your first match and beat all the veterans. That just doesn’t happen unless you have had some really good coaching or other shooting competition experience to get you ready for this type of competition. If possible, find a local rifle club that has monthly long range matches, or any type of match will help prepare you for a larger PRS event. Getting involved with a rifle club and starting out shooting monthly matches is definitely the way to jump into competition shooting.

PRS equipment gear AREA 419 gear changer bag

The Gear You Need
The first question that many ask is: “What kind of rifle/caliber/scope do I need?” The easiest answer to this is, the best you can afford. It’s no secret the gear is expensive. It took me several years of buying sub-par gear and eventually trading up to figure this out. Now, a guy can get a real sense of pride of doing it on the cheap, or with a factory rifle. I’ve seen many old Savage 10FPs take down custom rigs that cost 10 times as much. And if that’s all you can afford, then eventually you will learn the limitations of yourself or your gear. As for choice of cartridge/caliber, the respected Precision Rifle Blog has analyzed four years worth of match results from the best tactical shooters in the nation. CLICK HERE to read a PRB article that reveals what the “top guns” use.

Tactical Competition Precision Rifle Series

Craig Arnzen of Area 419 has created a useful article reviewing the gear PRS shooters need, including support bags, hearing protection, and other key accessories such as muzzle brakes. This helpful article also covers factory ammunition options.

Area 419 Game Changer bag PRS tactical matches

Making Good Ammo
Producing quality reloads is something you have to master. It’s not hard at all, you just have to pay attention to detail, and eventually you are going to do something stupid like mis-priming your brass, or skip a row of brass when dumping your powder. Everybody has their own horror story of some reloading failure that cost them a stage or even a match. So load to perfection, work with your rifle to find what load it likes the best, then start your practice.

Tactical Competition Precision Rifle Series

Practice Makes Perfect
You want to become ONE with your rifle, learning everything you can about its functionality. Getting comfortable with the operation of your rifle is key. Learn the feel of your trigger, dry-firing until you wear the paint off your bolt handle. Learn how the rifle works best — pay attention to little things like the sound and feel of the bolt feeding a round from the mag (or when it doesn’t). Learn how to remove a jammed round quickly, learn how to reload a magazine quickly. Learn to scan across a field and find targets in a quick manner, seeing the targets with your eye and coming into the scope on target. These are some of the basic practices that separate the new shooters from the seasoned ones.

Tactical Competition Precision Rifle Series

Tactical Competition Precision Rifle Series

Permalink Competition, Shooting Skills, Tactical No Comments »
October 21st, 2018

30 BRX — A 30 BR Improved for Score Competition

30 BRX wildcat cartridge VFSForum member Al Nyhus is a top-level score shooter who has competed successfully with the 30BR cartridge in VFS (Varmint for Score) matches. Al has been working on an “improved” 30 BR cartridge that delivers extra velocity. Al’s 30 BRX cartridge is inspired by the 6mm BRX cartridge, popular in 600-yard benchrest and across-the-course competition. The 6mm BRX cartridge maintains the same sidewall profile and shoulder angle as the parent 6mmBR case. Likewise, the 30 BRX retains the 30° shoulder used on the popular 30 BR cartridge.

Al reports: “Thought you might like to see what I’ll be working with in my VFS gun this season. It’s a true 30 BRX — a 30 BR with the shoulder moved forward 0.100″ with the standard BR shoulder angle. Stan Ware of SGR Custom Rifles built one last season for Steve Grosvenor and I was really impressed by the performance of Steve’s gun. The 30 BR barrel on my VFS gun needed replacing, so the new 30 BRX got the nod.”

30 BRX Delivers 150-200 FPS More Velocity than 30 BR
Al’s testing shows the 30 BRX gives a solid 150-200 fps speed gain over the 30 BR at the top, while needing just 2.5-3.0 more grains of Hodgdon H4198 to do so. A 30 BR case holds on average 40.8 grains of water, while the 30 BRX holds 42.3 grains (roughly 4% more). So the 30 BRX delivers a 7% increase in velocity with a mere 4% increase in H20 capacity. That’s pretty good efficiency. [Editor’s Note: Assuming 34 grains of H4198 is a typical 30BR match load, Al’s increase of 2.5-3.0 grains for the 30BRX represents roughly a 7.5-8.5% increase in actual powder burned. That explains the higher velocities.]

Why did Nyhus decide to try an “improved” 30 BR? Al explains: “The 30 BRX was created to operate at a [higher] velocity level than can be achieved with the standard 30BR case, while at the same time keeping the easy-tuning characteristics of the standard 30BR case. We also wanted to use the same powders currently used with the 30BR and maintain similar operating pressures.” Is the 30 BRX harder to shoot because of the increased velocity? Al doesn’t think so: “In a 13.5-lb HV gun, the 30 BRX case is a pleasure to shoot with just a flea bite of recoil.”

Will the 30 BRX Replace the 30 BR in Score Competition?
The 30 BR is already an exceptionally accurate cartridge that dominates short-range Benchrest for Score competition. Will the 30 BRX make the standard 30 BR obsolete? Nyhus doesn’t think so. However, Al believes the 30 BRX offers a small but important edge in some situations: “On any given day, it’s the shooter that hits the flags best and makes the fewest mistakes that ends up on top. No amount of velocity will save you when you press the trigger at the wrong time. Missing a switch or angle change at 200 yards that results in 3/4″ of bullet displacement on the target can’t be compensated for with another 200 fps. That’s the hard fact of benchrest shooting. But on those days when, as Randy Robinett says, ‘our brains are working’, the BRX may offer enough of an advantage to turn a close-but-no-cigar 10 into an ‘X’ at 200 yards. Or turn a just-over-the-line 9 into a beggar 10.” Given the fierce competition in Score matches, an extra 10 or another X can make the difference between a podium finish and also-ran status.

By popular request, this story has been reprinted from 2011.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Competition No Comments »
October 20th, 2018

Train Indoors with Portable Air Gun Range from Creedmoor Sports

Creedmoor sports air rifle airgun practice indoor range curtain targets

Air Rifle Range BackstopIn another month or two many Eastern and snow-belt shooting ranges halt operations for the winter. If you’re an avid rifleman who enjoys shooting regularly, the dark days of winter can bring withdrawal pains. The closure of outdoor ranges can mean months of forced inactivity… unless you have an all-weather indoor shooting solution.

Some clubs maintain their own indoor air rifle ranges where you can continue to shoot and train throughout the winter. If there are no such facilities nearby, Creedmoor Sports now offers a great solution for those who want to shoot indoors — even in your own basement or garage.

Creedmoor’s patented 10m Air Gun Range provides a target holder and a curtain-type backstop capable of stopping pellets with a muzzle velocity up to 600 fps. The target boxes can be positioned at various heights for prone, kneeling, and standing. Creedmoor says the hardened steel target boxes provide 100% containment for any pellet passing through the target.

The 10M Air Gun Range is sold as a 3-station configuration for $1514.00 (item 3AGR), or as a one-station (single-point) range for $325.00 (item AGR-SINGLE). Creedmoor’s Air Gun Range is a proven, heavy duty product — the only Air Rifle target system ever tested and approved by the U.S. Military. This system is now being used in more than 800 schools nationwide, as well as the CMP shooting facility in Alabama. The 3-station range easily dis-assembles for transport and storage, fitting inside a 34″ x 10″ x 8″ carry duffle. The one-station range measures 84″ high x 30″ wide when assembled.

The Portable Air Gun Range comes with a durable curtain/ backstop that sets up quickly and easily. Velcro edging allows multiple curtains to be joined together. The curtain provides ample stopping power for air pellets. However, this is NOT to be used with high-energy pneumatic hunting rifles (such as the .357 Benjamin Rogue) or rimfire or centerfire rounds. This is for standard airguns only. That could be a $100 Crosman, or a $3600.00 Model 9003 S2 Anschutz:

Air Rifle anschutz

Permalink Competition, Gear Review No Comments »
October 19th, 2018

National Rifle League Championship This Weekend in Oregon

National Rifle League NRL Vale Oregon Idaho Precision Rifle Shotoers of Idaho PRSID

It the world of practical/tactical competition there are now two major sponsoring organizations — the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and the National Rifle League (NRL). The PRS has the most matches (and greater name recognition), but the NRL is definitely on the rise with some great events at sites around the country. This weekend, October 19th-21st, the NRL conducts its 2018 NRL National Championship at the Snake River Sportsman Range in Vale, Oregon. The 2018 NRL Championship will be hosted by the Precision Rifle Shooters of Idaho (PRSID).

National Rifle League NRL Vale Oregon Idaho Precision Rifle Shotoers of Idaho PRSID

This is the final 2-day, National-level match of the NRL’s second season. The event will feature the season’s Top Competitors, plus Ladies, “Young Guns”, and special invitees. NRL President Travis Ishida told us: “The NRL is excited to have the opportunity to bring professional-level events to shooters across the nation. Our Championship is a culmination of a season’s hard work from everyone involved to find out who the best precision rifle competitor in the nation is. This match is going to be epic!”

CLICK HERE for NRL 2018 Championship Event Information »

NRL 2017 Championship Teaser Reel

NRL New Mexico NMLRS Event

NRL Mile-High Shoot-Out

2018 NRL Test The Best Oktoberfest Championship

Match Directors: Nate Lauerman / Jack Wilson
Event Cost: $275.00
Dates: October 19, 20, 21 (2018)
Round Count: 200 plus extra for sight-in/zero
Location: Snake River Sportsman range in Vale, Oregon
3600 Lytle Blvd, Vale, OR 97918

Precision Rifle Shooters of Idaho hosts the 2018 NRL Test the Best Oktoberfest Championship match. This match will determine the 2018 NRL Champion. Competitors who competed in the 2018 NRL season and received qualifying scores are invited to this match.

The closest airport is Boise, Idaho, 77 miles to the Southeast. Participants can stay at the Clarion Hotel in Ontario, Oregon, 20 miles from the Championship venue, the Snake River Sportsman Range. The Clarion offers discounted rates for NRL competitors.

Permalink Competition, News No Comments »
October 17th, 2018

Rimfire Challenge Worlds on Shooting USA TV This Week

NSSF Rimfire Challenge World Championship Cavern Cove Alabama

The Rimfire Challenge is just about the most fun you can have with .22 LR pistols and rifles. This week Shooting USA TV features the 2017 Rimfire Challenge World Championship hosted at the Cavern Cove Rimfire Range in Woodville, Alabama. This major match attracts hundreds of competitors from around the nation. It’s fast and fun with instant feedback from ringing plates indicating hits. The Rimfire Challenge Championship is family-friendly event that’s great for all skill and experience levels.

Shooting USA TV Airs Wednesday Night on the Outdoor Channel:
9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central

NSSF Rimfire Challenge World Championship Cavern Cove Alabama

The 2017 Rimfire Challenge World Championship brought 350 competitors to Alabama from as far as California and Washington State to shoot .22 LR rimfire pistols and rifles on 14 challenging stages, all with steel plate targets. The Challenge is designed to attract first-time competitors. “Our mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. And to see all these young kids out here with their parents and their families all shooting together and enjoying the shooting sports. That’s what it’s all about, ” says Tisma Juett with the NSSF.

NSSF Rimfire Challenge
Photo Courtesy Rockford Sportsmans Club.

The Challenge offers plenty of action, with fourteen (14) stages of fire — each with a wide variety of steel plates. There is no set pattern or design, so each stage is different. You need to be fast AND accurate — you get penalty points for missing any plates. Scores are based on time for each stage, with add-ons for penalties. As with most action shooting games — it’s always best to shoot “clean” (no misses), even if you slow down a little bit.

At the 2016 NSSF Rimfire Challenge Championship Smith & Wesson was on hand with demo rifles and pistols. See the action in the S&W-produced video above. Competitive shooting is one activity in which entire families, both oldsters and youngsters, can come together in a supervised setting to enjoy the spirit and camaraderie of competition.

NSSF Rimfire Challenge Basics
The Rimfire Challenge is a two-gun event so you need a rifle and a handgun (which can be either a semi-auto pistol, or revolver). There are two divisions: 1) Open — Any firearm (pistol or revolver in handgun class) with scopes, optical sights, light gathering scopes, battery powered optics or lasers; and 2) Limited — Pistols and rifles with iron sights, adjustable metallic sights, and/or fiber optic. Bolt-action rifles and lever-action rifles are allowed, but self-loading (semi-auto) rifles are most popular because they can shoot quickly.

Many different stage designs can be employed at Rimfire Challenge matches. Here are two examples from the Rimfire Challenge Suggested Courses of Fire:

NSSF Rimfire Challenge

Rimfire Rifle of Choice: S&W M&P 15-22
If you want to shoot both Limited and Open class, a very good rifle choice rifle is the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22. The feel, weight, and controls will be familiar to any AR owner. These 15-22s have been refined over the years and now are very reliable. Shoot it in Limited Class with the standard iron sights. Then fold down the sights and attach a 1-4X optic to shoot Open Class.

NSSF Rimfire Challenge M&P 15-22 smith Wesson

Rimfire Challenge Organizational Change for 2018
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) announced that, starting in January, 2018, the NSSF Rimfire Challenge will be transitioned to a new organization: the Rimfire Challenge Shooting Association. Originally developed by Ruger’s Ken Jorgenson, TV host Michael Bane and the late Nelson Dymond, the program was first known as the Ruger Rimfire Challenge. NSSF took over the the program in 2014, changing its name to the NSSF Rimfire Challenge. The new organization will be led once again by Ken Jorgensen and Michael Bane.

Permalink - Videos, Competition No Comments »
October 16th, 2018

Western CMP Cup and CMP Games Start Today in Phoenix

CMP Western Games Ben Avery Phoenix Arizona

The 2018 Western CMP Cup and CMP Games Event kicked off today at the Ben Avery Range in Phoenix, Arizona. The event runs through Monday, October 22, 2018. For 2018 the CMP takes over what were the Creedmoor Cup Matches, and all matches will now follow CMP High Power Rifle Competition Rules. Notably, this year the Cup and Games matches on the High Power range will be fired on the CMP’s electronic targets. That means less time in the pits, and faster cyeling of relay. Also new this year, the CMP will be adding more smallbore events at Ben Avery. Click HERE for full schedule of events.

Western CMP Cup/Games Program | Cup/Games Entry Form | Online Registration

CMP Western Games

The CMP Cup Matches include two CMP 1000 Aggregate Matches followed by a 4-Man Team Match and an EIC Service Rifle Match. Following the CMP Cup Matches will be the CMP Games Matches, which will include Small Arms Firing School (SAFS), Garand/Springfield/Vintage/Modern Military Matches, Carbine Match, Rimfire Sporter match and Vintage Sniper Team Match.

In past years, Dennis DeMille, former Creedmoor Sports General Manager, served as an instructor for the Small Arms Firing School at the Western Games. Below, Dennis shows a young competitor at the CMP Western Games how to adjust his leather sling.

Dennis DeMille Creedmoor Sports Rifle Sling video training set-up

Sling Shooting Tip — The Benefits of Leather
“Many shooters shy away from using a leather sling because they have never been taught how to use one. That’s unfortunate. A leather sling offers more support than a web sling, which is important when competing with the heavier than normal rifles.” — Dennis DeMille

Dennis DeMille High PowerThe Benefits of Dry-Fire Training
Once you set up your sling properly, you’ll need practice. Dennis DeMille stresses the importance of dry-fire practice with sling and shooting coat. Dry-Fire training is essential to the sling disciplines. DeMille, a past National Service Rifle Champion, told us that, for every minute he spent in actual competition, he would spend hours practicing without ammunition. While in the USMC, Dennis would practice in the barracks, working on his hold and dry-firing:

“The most important thing is to spend time off the range practicing. Most of what I learned as a High Power shooter I learned without ammunition — just spending time dry firing and doing holding exercises. Holding exercises will really identify the weak parts of your position. The primary purpose of dry firing is to get you used to shooting an empty rifle. If you can shoot a loaded rifle the same way you shoot an empty rifle then eventually you will become a High Master.”

Permalink Competition, News No Comments »
October 16th, 2018

Personalized Precision — The Modern Smallbore Match Rifle

Anschutz 1913 rifle smallbore

Report based on Lars Dalseide story in NRAblog

Anschutz smallbore position rifleHigh-Tech Rimfire Rigs
If you watched the smallbore position and prone shooters at the 2016 Brazil Olympic Games, you couldn’t help but notice the exotic rifles competitors were shooting. There were wood stocks, metal stocks, factory-built rifles and customized specials. Why are there are so many different design features and stock types? To answer this question, the NRAblog’s editors called on Jessie McClain of the NRA Competitive Shooting Division.

“The customized rifles, like the Anschütz you showed me, can make a real difference in a shooter’s performance,” explained McClain. “I went from a decent shooter to making the varsity shooting team my freshman year because of the rifle.” As Jessie explained, one new feature out there is the adjustable stock, which she called the Porsche of the shooting world. Fully adjustable from the butt plate to the check piece to the hand stop and risers and bolt knobs, this component is fully customizable to the athlete … which can be a huge advantage. “Every person is different … a customizable rifle fits anyone. A rifle team can purchase four of these and field a shooting team for years.”

Anschutz 1913 rifle smallbore

The Modern Anschütz Position Rifle
Smallbore match rifle makers are using modern materials in response to the need for greater adjustability (and enhanced accuracy). One of the popular new designs is the Anschütz model 1913 position rifle with a “1918 ALU Precise” brushed aluminum stock. This looks like it has been crafted in an aircraft plant.

Anschutz 1913 rifle smallbore

Story by Lars Dalseide, courtesy the NRA Blog.
Permalink Competition, Tech Tip 2 Comments »
October 11th, 2018

Daniel Horner Goes Pro — Leaving USAMU for Team SIG Sauer

SFC Daniel Horner USAMU 3-Gun Multi-Gun Championship WSC Team Sig Sauer marksmanship unit u.s. army

SFC Daniel Horner, now a civilian, is the best multi-gun competitor this Editor has ever met and seen in action. Horner is masterful with pistols, ultra-fast and accurate with rifles, and amazing with shotguns. Horner’s multi-gun aiming and transition speeds defy belief. Even with his world-beating skills, Horner is also respectful and humble. As a leading member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship (USAMU) team, Horner was never a show-boat, he was just (nearly always) the fastest guy on the range. I’ve seen him beat other top-level shooters by 10 seconds or more in a single stage. He’s that good. And now he’s turned PRO, having joined the SIG Sauer Shooting Team.

SFC Daniel Horner USAMU 3-Gun Multi-Gun Championship WSC Team Sig Sauer marksmanship unit u.s. army

As a soldier with the USAMU, Horner was a true phenom with rifle, pistol, and shotgun, winning multiple 3-Gun titles against tough competition. When he was on his game, no one on the planet was better in the 3-Gun arena. His record of major multi-gun championships may never be rivaled. He has won over 125 major events/titles at the world, national, regional, and state level and he’s still a young man! Consider Horner’s amazing list of World and National titles:

SFC Daniel Horner USAMU 3-Gun Multi-Gun Championship WSC Team Sig Sauer marksmanship unit u.s. army10-Time USPSA Multi-Gun National Champion
4-Time 3-Gun Nation Pro Series Champion
2014 NRA World Shooting Championship Winner
2-Time IDPA National Champion
2-Time Int’l Sniper Competition Team Winner
IPSC Shotgun National Champion

Horner Highlights on Video

Here are some of our favorite Daniel Horner competition videos. You can see why he won so many major championships, including all the top multi-gun competitions.

Horner Shreds 3-Gun Nation Night-Time Stage

Horner Blazes in Rocky Mountain 3-Gun Shoot (Great Scenery!)

Horner Rips Night-Time Stage at 3-Gun Nation 2016 Pro Finale

How to Hammer Like Horner

In this USAMU Video, SFC Daniel Horner talks about grip, hold, stance, and body position. The proper hold/stance speeds up target transitions and keeps the muzzle on target for faster follow-up shots.

Champion 3-Gun Ace Daniel Horner has joined the SIG Sauer Professional Shooting Team — Team SIG. Horner recently left the service of the U.S. Army where he rose to the rank of Sergeant First Class (SFC). Horner served with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, becoming one of the most successful shooters in team history. Horner also helped coach the USAMU Action Shooting Team.

Horner’s History — Rising to World Champion After Starting at Age Six
“I started shooting at six years old when I would go to the range with my Dad. When I was twelve years old I shot my first IDPA match, at sixteen I won my first IDPA National title, and at eighteen I enlisted in the U.S. Army to join the AMU. For basically my entire life I have been shooting competitively, and for as long as I can remember it’s been a lifelong goal of mine to shoot professionally. To have this opportunity to … join Team SIG is really a dream come true and I can’t wait to start working with the company and competing.”

Horner will compete primarily in multi-gun matches, and long-range rifle competition as a member of Team SIG. Horner’s first competition with Team SIG will be the SIG Sauer Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge next month (November 15-18, 2018). Horner will campaign a P320 X-Five full-size pistol, and a SIG M400 SDI Comp rifle with a TANGO6 1-6x24mm second focal plane scope.

Permalink - Videos, Competition, Handguns, Shooting Skills 1 Comment »
October 10th, 2018

Sportsman’s Team Challenge This Week on the Pursuit Channel

2018 Bass Pro Big Cedar Academy sportsman's team challenge sportsman rimfire steel
STC Archive photo. Doug Koenig now shoots with Team Ruger. He did not compete this year, instead dedicating his time to running the match.

Speed on Steel. That’s what’s featured in the latest episode of Doug Koenig’s Championship Season on the Pursuit Channel. This week features steel courses of fire at the 2018 Sportsman’s Team Challenge (STC) National Championships in Ridgedale, Missouri. Teams shot plate racks and various steel targets set at distances from 10 to 90 yards. Adrenaline levels were high as fixed time limits were displayed on digital clocks. These steel stages tested competitors’ speed, accuracy, and rapid-loading skills. With over $125,000 in cash and prizes this year, competitors were highly motivated.

2018 Bass Pro Big Cedar Academy sportsman's team challenge sportsman rimfire steel
The pistol stage featured brightly painted plate racks, shot with time limits.

At this year’s STC, fifty teams competed in pistol, rifle, combo, and three different shotgun courses of fire. Competitors came from 14 states and three countries. The three-day event is a family-friendly celebration of community and teamwork, with shooters as young as eight years old in the Sub-Junior and Junior divisions. Colorful reactive targets and visible countdown timers make this multi-discipline event spectator-friendly. It’s a great experience for all competitors — from new shooters to top pros.

2018 Bass Pro Big Cedar Academy sportsman's team challenge sportsman rimfire steel

The STC was directed by 18-time NRA Bianchi Cup National Action Pistol Champion Doug Koenig — now in his third year at the helm of the STC. Koenig said this year’s Big Cedar Lodge venue, home of the Bass Pro Shooting Academy, is a “phenomenal location overlooking Table Rock Lake. [Big Cedar Lodge] demonstrated why it’s a world-class shooting facility … with its stunning vistas and close proximity to nearby entertainment capitol Branson, Missouri.” You can see the lake in this photo:

2018 Bass Pro Big Cedar Academy sportsman's team challenge sportsman rimfire steel

Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, purchased Big Cedar Lodge in 1987. This Missouri venue now serves as a Nature Park and the Bass Pro Shops’ Outdoor Shooting Academy.

2018 Bass Pro Big Cedar Academy sportsman's team challenge sportsman rimfire steel

Doug Koenig’s Championship Season can be viewed on Pursuit Channel, available On Demand at PursuitupTV.com. Learn more on Doug Koenig’s Facebook Page or @dougkoenig on Instagram.

There was major industry support for this event. Sponsors included: Berger Bullets, Hornady, Hogue, Lapua, Leupold, Otis Technology, Remington, Ruger, Sierra Bullets, SK Ammunition, Sig Sauer, Starline Brass, and Vihtavuori.

Permalink Competition, News No Comments »
October 6th, 2018

Prize Rifle for IBS Shooters in the Southeast Region

IBS International Benchrest shooters 30 BR prize rifle Kelbly action Brux barrel Nightforce scope
If you’ve never been to a benchrest match, visit the IBS website to find an affiliated club in your area. You’ll find schedules for upcoming events where you can learn about the sport.

This article describes an impressive complete benchrest rifle that will be awarded next month to an IBS competitor in the IBS Southeastern Region. This premium benchrest rig was a collaborative effort, with components and build labor donated by many companies. The rifle and scope prize will be awarded at a Banquet on November 10, 2018. The winner will be chosen from shooters who have accumulated “tickets” (essentially prize credits) over the course of the year. Tickets are earned through match attendance and shooting performance: 1 ticket for each match attended in the SE region ranges listed above (AFTER attending five matches). Shooters get additional tickets for a perfect 2,500 score, plus 10 additional tickets for attending at least one match at each and every participating range.

A Magnificent Prize
by Boyd Allen, IBS Vice President
Coming up with prizes for shooting events is always a challenge, and results can vary considerably from match to match. This rifle is at the apex of the prize pyramid. Few complete rifles are seen on prize tables, because of their cost, and because they are generally built to order from select components, produced by multiple manufacturers. There are no off-the-shelf benchrest rifles, and if there were, the price of one, complete with a quality scope, would be too great to ask of a single source, given the size of the typical businesses that serve this sport.

IBS International Benchrest shooters 30 BR prize rifle Kelbly action Brux barrel Nightforce scope

Any score shooter would be glad to have this rifle and feel quite fortunate to win it. It is a fine example of its type, made of top components, and stocked with a “Indian Blanket” pattern Obeche laminate that will not be seen again once the supply runs out, because the factory that produced it burned down. As you would expect for this type of competition, it is chambered for the 30 BR.

This prize rifle was built to increase interest and participation in centerfire score shooting in the Southeast Region of the International Benchrest Shooters (IBS), as well as to encourage competitors to visit more ranges and attend more IBS matches. Ranges participating in this prize campaign are:

Bluegrass Sportsmen’s League (Wilmore, KY), Buck Creek Gun Club (Somerset, KY), Georgia Mountain Shooting Association (Eastanollee, GA), Mid-Carolina Gun Club (Orangeburg, SC), Piedmont Gun Club (Rutherfordton, NC), and Palmetto Gun Club (Ridgeville, SC).

Good luck to everyone for the remainder of the 2018 season. NOTE: There are more detailed rules than we can reproduce here (for space reasons). If you intend on taking a serious run at this prize, take the time to inquire about all of the specifics.

IBS International Benchrest shooters 30 BR prize rifle Kelbly action Brux barrel Nightforce scope
Left to Right: Jim Cline, Doyle Anglin, and Ronnie Milford.

Background of the IBS Rifle Prize
Ronnie Milford explained: “Near the completion of the Southeastern Regional, I [asked] some of our fellow shooters about increasing participation. One of them suggested that we have one big prize that would be participation-based. I ran the idea of building a complete rifle by my personal gunsmith Doyle Anglin. He warned me that he had seen others try to do the same thing, and that it would be hard to get people to donate products. That lit a fire. First phone call was to Jim Kelbly who offered to donate the action. For the trigger Jim recommended a Bix & Andy from Chris at Bullet Central. I then called Jim Cline, and he got Brux to donate the barrel. Then, I talked to my NightForce contacts, Allen Stillwell and Wayne Dayberry. They donated a competition scope.

My next phone call was back to Doyle Anglin and I told him what had been donated. He then talked about ‘fitting and chambering, pillar bedding, and stock by Dixie Guns’. When Dave Short heard what we were doing, he donated a trigger guard, chamber cleaning kit, and a barrel tuner. Jim called Linwood Harrell who donated our scope rings. We were almost complete, and I told them that I would spray the finish on the stock. When this news got out, it caused a great deal of excitement.”

IBS International Benchrest shooters 30 BR prize rifle Kelbly action Brux barrel Nightforce scope

Prize Rifle Eligibility and Award Procedures
This custom rifle will be given away at the awards banquet on November 10, 2018 in Orangeburg, SC. The winner will be chosen using tickets earned during the season. A shooter will “earn” 1 prize chance ticket for each match attended in the SE region ranges listed above, AFTER attending five (5) matches. (If you attend four matches or less you will receive 0 tickets for attendance.) You can get 5 additional tickets for a perfect 2,500 score and 10 additional tickets for attending one match minimum at each participating range. We will keep track of the tickets earned and they will be passed out at the banquet for you to personally place them in the container.

Prize Rifle Being Constructed at Doyle Anglin and Ronnie Milford shops:

IBS International Benchrest shooters 30 BR prize rifle Kelbly action Brux barrel Nightforce scope

IBS International Benchrest shooters 30 BR prize rifle Kelbly action Brux barrel Nightforce scope

IBS International Benchrest shooters 30 BR prize rifle Kelbly action Brux barrel Nightforce scope

Support the Sponsors — This is a very impressive prize. Keep the generosity of all who donated to the project in mind the next time that you are in the market for products they make or sell. In the future we may offer a follow-up story about the rifle winner and his/her first competition with this 30 BR benchrest rifle. In any case, on November 10, 2018, someone is going to be very happy with their valuable prize.

Built to Shoot — Remember this rifle was created by donations, to grow the sport, and promote shooting, not to sell for monetary gain. If you do not plan on shooting this rifle, please donate it to an upcoming shooter. Ronnie Milford, and Jim Cline worked hard to make this dream become a reality. Let’s not let down the sponsors who continue to support us.

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