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October 17th, 2009
Greatest Hits: Record-Setting Liquid-Cooled Heavy GunLINK: Joel Pendergraft’s Record-Setting Heavy Gun
August 10th, 2009
Williamsport 2009 World Open Wrap-UpReport by LARRY BANEY The 2009 Williamsport World Open, held in mid-July, enjoyed a record turnout. The club welcomed 164 shooters from nine states all over the eastern half of the country, and from as far away as 1000 miles (Georgia). Even with new rules being applied for 2009, the match ran smoothly and was a great success.
New, Less-Restrictive Rules Attract More Shooters
The weather was not typical for a Williamsport World Open weekend and had its share of very nice and very tough shooting conditions. Saturday was nearly totally overcast with no mirage and moderate temps that topped out at about 74 degrees. Wind was light at times and gusty at times, but definitely more cooperative in the afternoon for the Heavy Gun match. That is rare for a match at Williamsport. It often looked like we were going to get rained on, but it held off just long enough to get the match finished.
Mark King Crowned 2-Gun Champion Superlatives of Note
July 6th, 2009
Williamsport 1000-Yard BR School Hits the MarkThe Second Williamsport 1000-Yard Benchrest School wrapped up on June 7, 2009 after two days of great weather. The weather cooperated just long enough to complete the school and send everyone on their way. Then it proceeded to rain for a few more days! According to student feedback, it seems this one-of-a-kind, long-range Benchrest Clinic at the Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Benchrest Club was a success.
A full class of 36 “students”, ranging in age from 20s to late 70s, came from all over the USA (from as far as Oregon, Georgia, and Missouri), to attend the second-ever Williamsport 1000-Yard Benchrest School. With the help of more than a dozen Williamsport regulars and record-holders, along with generous support from vendors such as Berger Bullets and Forster Products, the school finished up with nary a hitch.
Students were taught brass prep, reloading methods, bench setup, gun handling and cleaning, along with other finer aspects of the 1K benchrest game. Saturday after the lectures and a good meal from the grill, students tried their luck on some 1040-yard clay birds on the back bank (as well as some shots on paper), and basically familiarized themselves with gun-handling and sandbag tracking. Sunday was the day for them to try all their newly-acquired skills and knowledge by shooting a mock 1000-yard competition under real match conditions. The students obviously caught on quickly because there some very small groups (6″ and less) were shot by folks new to the long-range game.
Below is a slideshow/video created by Sebastian Reist, a “student” at the 2009 Williamsport 1000-yard BR school. A talented professional photographer, Sebastian did a superb job capturing the highlights of his Williamsport 1K training weekend. In the video you’ll see a “shooter’s eye view” of the targets and a view from the pits as a 10-shot group actually forms up on the target. Hey guys–watch this video! Sebastian did a great job and this is probably the best multi-media video we’ve ever run on this site. Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this VideoPress video.Photos and Video © 2009 Sebastian Reist, used with permission.
May 9th, 2009
Spaces Still Available for Williamsport (PA) Benchrest SchoolFrom June 5-7, the Original Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Club will host a multi-day, long-range benchrest school at its Williamsport range. For $200, up to 36 students will enjoy 1 night and 2 days of intensive training under the tutelage of some of the nations’ top 1000-yard shooters. There are still a few spots available for the class, which is designed for novice to intermediate shooters. The sign-up deadline is June 1st.
On Friday night (June 5th), students will meet their mentors, including school director Frank Grappone. Saturday (June 6th), the class moves to the range for a full day of hands-on technical training. Topics will include precision reloading, load development, gun handling, use of chronograph, analysis of shooting results, gun cleaning, and target analysis. The Williamsport Club will provide the rifles and all reloading components. Saturday’s training sessions are followed by a steak dinner, included in the $200 seminar price.
On Sunday (June 7th), after an early training session covering bench set-up and match strategies, students will participate in a 1000-yard match, spending time both behind the trigger and in the pits. Instructors will explain how to read conditions, and will demonstrate target measuring and analysis after the relays. The program wraps up before 4:00 pm on Sunday. The 1000-yard Benchrest School is limited to 36 students (with less than 3 students per advisor). Intructors include Gunsmiths Bruce Baer and Mark King, our Asst. Editor Jason Baney, and many Williamsport Hall of Fame shooters. For more info, email School Director Frank Grappone, frankgrappone [at] sbcglobal.net.
May 5th, 2009
Ken Brucklacher Sets 1000-Yard Score Record: 100-8XKen Brucklacher, current President of the Original Pensylvania 1000-yard Benchrest Club (Williamsport), joined the immortals this Sunday, May 3rd. Shooting a .300 Weatherby Mag with 240gr Sierra MatchKings, Ken set a new 10-shot Heavy Gun World Record score of 100-8X. The group size was pretty amazing too. A measured 3.137″, Ken’s ten shots also set a new group record at the Williamsport range, besting the previous mark set 13 years ago by John Voneida (3.151″ and 100 score). Brucklacher’s group is just 0.089″ larger than the 3.048″ all-time, 1000-yard small group shot last month by Joel Pendergraft. Conditions were good when Ken set the record. It was cool, with overcast skies, and the winds were calm with “the flags still hanging down”. Ken said he “took his time, made sure he was on for every shot.” He pretty much held “on the center of the white patch” in the 1000-yard target. The result was spectacular, as you can see below:
Ken has been shooting 1K benchrest for 9 years, and in the past year his big Heavy Gun has been awesome. This new 100-8X record was not a fluke. Ken’s gun has already shot two 100s in competition. In fact, Ken set a 6-match, Heavy Gun 1000-yard World Record for score with his .300 Weatherby, averaging 98.333. In 2008, Ken’s Heavy Gun shot a 100.0 score in the 8th Williamsport 1K match, a 99.0 in the 9th Match, and another 100.0 in the 10th match of the year. That’s consistency.
Gun Specs: Aluminum stock, Lawton Action, Krieger Barrel Record-Setting Load: .300 Weatherby Mag, 240gr SMKs, H4831SC, Fed 215Ms
While Ken does not point his bullets or trim meplats, he did weigh and measure the 240gr MatchKings (base to ogive) before loading. Ken has not chronographed this load so he doesn’t know the velocity. Ken didn’t do any special load tweaking for this record group. However, he explained that he changed his seating depth last summer, going from .018″ jump to .028″ jump. That minor change, Ken noted, “really seemed to close up the groups”.
April 19th, 2009
Joel Pendergraft Sets New IBS 1000-Yard Heavy Gun World Record
This 3.048″ 10-shot group was a remarkable accomplishment, breaking one of the longest standing 1000-yard World Records. Bill Shehane commented: “This tops the NBRSA, IBS, and Original Williamsport Clubs’ all-time 10-shot Heavy Gun group records. Took a long time to do it and I for one know Joel did not back into it — he has worked harder than most the last 10 years to break this record. And just like John Voneida of the Original Williamsport Club who held this most prestigous record for so long, Joel is a super nice guy and a great competitor.”
Pendergraft’s fellow 1K competitors were quick to praise his accomplishment. Dave Tooley observed: “I still remember the day I suggested flat-based bullets to Joel and the laugh I got. Well he was laughing today. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Glad I was there to see it.” Posting on Benchrest Central, “4Mesh” wrote: “Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy! That gun showed some serious promise last year at the World Open and anything that cranks off targets like the one you shot there, has what it takes.” Jim Hardy added: “The new record is great but no better than the fine man who shot it. Everyone who knows Joel will say the same thing — he is one of the finest men you will ever meet. He lives the life, and walks the walk and has paid his dues in the 1000-yard BR game to get the record.”
Pendergraft was modest after his notable achievement: “Some of the words spoken are too kind. What makes this so very special is to be able to celebrate the accomplishment with all of my shooting friends[.] A good friend once said that records are shot when preparation and opportunity meet. I feel blessed to have personally had the opportunity. The preparation we can individually work on and acheive but the opportunity only comes to a few. Those of you that compete in longe range competition will know what I mean.”
April 11th, 2009
Long-Range Benchrest School at Williamsport, PA
Saturday morning (June 6th), the class moves to the range for a full day of hands-on technical training. Topics will include precision reloading, load development, gun handling, use of chronograph, analysis of shooting results, gun cleaning, and target analysis. The Williamsport Club will provide the rifles, plus all reloading components–powder, primers, and bullets. Saturday’s training sessions are followed by a steak dinner, included in the $200 seminar price.
On Sunday (June 7th), after an early training session covering bench set-up and match strategies, students will participate in a 1000-yard match, spending time both behind the trigger and in the pits. Instructors will explain how to read conditions, and will demonstrate target measuring and analysis after the relays. The program will wrap up before 4:00 pm on Sunday.
The 1000-yard Benchrest School is limited to 36 students. Gunsmiths Bruce Baer and Mark King, and many Williamsport Hall of Fame shooters will provide instruction. There should be no more than three students per advisor. Over the course of the weekend, trainees will receive 14-16 hours of quality “hands-on” instruction, plus actual match shooting time. This program is designed for novice to intermediate shooters. For more info, email School Director Frank Grappone, frankgrappone [at] sbcglobal.net. Act soon, if you want to attend — the sign-up deadline is June 1st. Available slots are mostly filled already. If you’re interested, don’t delay — the classes fill up quickly.
February 6th, 2009
AZ Long-Range Championships This Weekend at Ben AveryThe Ben Avery Shooting Facility hosts the Arizona Long-Range Championship this weekend, February 7-8, 2009. This event will draw many of the top 1000-yard shooters from the Western states. Prior to the Long-Range Championships, a individual Palma match will be held today, Feb. 6th. The Palma match will have 15 shots for record at EACH of three distances: 800, 900, and 1000 yards.
Photos courtesy AZ Desert Sharpshooters. On Saturday the 7th there will be two (2) Any-rifle, Any-sight 1000-yard matches (20 record rounds per match), followed by a 4-man team match with two shooters per realy. On Sunday the 8th, there will be two more Any-rifle, Any-sight 1000-yard matches (20 record rounds per match). The Championship will be determined based on combined Saturday and Sunday Aggregates. CLICK HERE for Match Program and Schedule. Member of the U.S. F-Class Open Team have been “working out” this week at Ben Avery, tuning their 6.5-284 rifles and working on team strategies. Many members of the Team will participate in the AZ Long-Range Championship this weekend. If you are in the Phoenix area, this is your chance to come out and meet team members and see some of America’s top long-range shooters in action.
November 7th, 2008
The Hottest Chamberings for 1000-Yard ShootingThe question is often asked “what’s the best cartridge for 1000-yard Benchrest”. This immediately stirs a debate between fans of the “Big Thirties”, 6.5mm and 7mm advocates, and a few staunch 6mm defenders. In truth, a wide variety of cartridges, from the 6mmBR all the way up to .338 Lapua magnum, can do well at 1000 yards.
Below is a table showing the Top 15 Chamberings among shootoff participants, for combined LG and HG Classes from 2000-2006. We have totaled the Big 30s in this group of 15, and the large 30 Calibers (red dots) represent 66% of the total. There are 2064 entries in this set of Top 15, and 1355 are 30 Calibers.
The next chart includes ALL LG and HG Relay Winners from years 2000-2006. Steve has sorted the data by bore diameter. The two dominant calibers among Relay Winners are: 30 Caliber (.308) at 60%, and 6.5mm (.264) at 27%. Presumably most of the 6.5mms are 6.5-284s, but there are some larger 6.5mm wildcats as well. NOTE: When you look at Light Gun Relay Winners only, the percentage of 6.5mms rises while the percentage of 30 Cals falls. Overall however, the big bore 30-Caliber rifles are still “King of the Hill” in 1000-yard competition.
Steve Shelp’s data is contained in three Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Click the links below to download the collected 2000-2006 data.
July 5th, 2008
Williamsport World Open, July 12-13If you want to test your long-range shooting skills against some of the best shooters in the country (including our own Jason Baney), head to Pennsylvania next weekend for the Williamsport World Open. Shooters will compete in Light Gun and Heavy Gun classes for a host of prizes including scopes, actions, and barrels. Sponsors include Nightforce Scopes, BAT Machine, and Bartlein, Hart, and Krieger barrel-makers, among many others. In addition, the Original Pennsylvania 1000-Yard Club will give $1000.00 CASH to anyone breaking the match time current Light Class or Heavy Class Ten-Shot Benchrest World Record during this event. (Award limited to person shooting smallest group of the weekend.)
The schedule of events will be: Saturday Morning – Light Gun Match One; Saturday Afternoon – Heavy Gun Match One; Sunday Morning – Heavy Gun Match Two; Sunday Afternoon – Light Gun Match Two. Complete Event info, including Course of Fire, Rules, and a list of nearby motels, is found on the World Open Webpage, or contact Matt Dienes, 724-479-0790. CLICK HERE for World Open APPLICATION The deadline for entry to the World Open at 7:00 pm Friday night. Rotations will be drawn at this time so please get your entry fees in before that time. NO LATE ENTRIES will be accepted on Match Day. The cost is $60.00 per Class for the two day event ($120 for both Classes both days). The Pig roast held Saturday evening is included in this fee.
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Sunday was a much more typical Williamsport match day. It was sunny and topped out in the low 80s with a few passing clouds and low humidity. Mirage conditions were much worse than Saturday but did settle down for the last few relays of the day. The wind was a bit trickier on Sunday and hit some relays pretty hard.
In addition to the classroom sessions and practice on the firing line, the clinic’s “curriculum” included pulling “pit-duty”. While working the pits, students got a look at Williamsport’s brand new, state-of-the-art pits, complete with an extended concrete ceiling! Williamsport’s targets are no longer at 1022 yards like they always have been, but are now at 1003 yards. The new pits now meet or exceed the NRA guidelines for pit construction. These will surely be as safe as or safer than any pits in the country. There will be more photos and details to follow on this once the construction is totally finished.
Brucklacher used Norma .300 Weatherby brass “right out of the box”. You read that right… Ken set the record with brand new Norma brass with no case prep whatsoever. He didn’t touch the flash holes or primer pockets — in fact Ken didn’t even chamfer the case mouths. This was brand new brass, not fire-formed. According to Ken, he “just added a primer, filled the cases with powder, and shoved in a bullet.”
Yesterday, April 18th, Joel Pendergraft of Durham, NC put 10 shots into 3.048″ to set a new IBS 1000-yard Heavy Gun World record. Competing at Hawks Ridge, NC, Joel set the record with his big, 300 Ackley Improved HG fitted with an unusual water-cooled 12-twist, 4-groove Krieger barrel. Joel shot BIB 187gr flat-based bullets in Norma brass, pushed by a “generous amount” of Alliant Reloder 25 and Federal 210M primers.
From June 5-7, the Original Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Club will host a multi-day, long-range benchrest school at its Williamsport range. For $200, up to 36 students will enjoy 1 night and 2 days of intensive training under the tutelage of some of the nations’ top 1000-yard shooters. On Friday night (June 5th), students will meet their mentors, including school director Frank Grappone, and will work on informal “homework” assignments.
