The Berger Southwest Nationals officially starts on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. However there will be Open Practice today at the Ben Avery Benchrest Range. If you’re shooting the Match and need to confirm your zero after travel, or perhaps do some last-minute load testing, you may want to take advantage of today’s testing session. This is also a chance to test out new equipment — such as a new rear bag, or new front rest — and ensure everything is working right. It’s also a good idea to make sure your scope is aligned properly and working 100% correctly.
Matt Schwartzkopf, Ben Avery Range Director, posted this welcome message on our Shooters’ Forum:
Berger SWN Check-In and Practice
[Berger SWN] shooters can check in and pick up their scorecards starting Tuesday 2/8/2022 at the Berger Building from 1 PM to 5 PM, and starting at 6:30 AM on Wednesday morning, 2/9/2022.
The gates to the facility will not be opened until 6:30 AM each morning of the match. Please do not enter the facility until the gates are opened by Ben Avery Staff.
Practice for the SWN is available on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at the Ben Avery Benchrest Range from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
We look forward to seeing everyone,
SWN Event Staff
Wind effects are complex. In trying to access wind speeds and angles, you’ll want to watch multiple indicators — mirage, dust, wind-flags, grass movement, and more. You’ll also need to be concerned about wind cycles. In the video below, Bryan Litz talks about variable wind speed along a bullet’s flight path. A respected ballistics guru, Bryan is the founder of Applied Ballistics and a designer of Berger’s Hybrid Match projectiles. He is also a past F-TR National Champion and a High Master Palma ace.
In this video, Bryan discusses how wind effects can vary in intensity at different points along the bullet’s flight path to the target. Sometimes the firing line is sheltered, and the strongest winds come into effect in the middle of the trajectory. Bryan concludes: “Wind matters everywhere … but the best thing you can do is try to get a handle on the wind [velocity and angle] where you are. That may or may not represent the wind down-range — that’s when you have to look downrange and make a judgment[.]”
Litz Competition Tip: Select your wind shooting strategy carefully. For beginners and veterans, most points are typically lost to wind. Successful shooters put a lot of thought into their approach to wind shooting. Sometimes it’s best to shoot fast and minimize the changes you’ll have to navigate. Other times it’s best to wait out a condition which may take several minutes. Develop a comfortable rest position so you have an easier time waiting when you should be waiting.
More Wind Tips from Wind Wizard Emil Praslick
In these two short videos, Emil Praslick III, former coach of the USAMU and USA National long range teams, explains how to find the wind direction and how to confirm your no-wind zero. Praslick is widely considered to be one of the best wind coaches in the USA.
When Winds Are EXTREME — Near Gale Force at Ben Avery
This video shows INSANE winds at NBRSA 100/200 Benchrest Nationals. This was filmed at the Ben Avery Range in Phoenix, AZ during the recent NBRSA 100/200 yard National Championships. Extreme to say the least. Based on what we’re seeing here, there are 20-25 mph crosswinds, with gusts to 35 mph — near Gale Force. Video by Hall-of-Fame Benchrest competitor Gene Bukys, whom we sadly lost to COVID last year. RIP Gene.
Texas gunsmith Mike Bryant reports: “This video shows the Unlimited Class 200 at the Nationals in Phoenix. I had three 10-shot groups in the low 2″ range with a 2.228″ being my big group and was glad they weren’t bigger. Thursday and Friday were the worst of the windy days. Unfortunately those were the days for the UL 200 and it was about as windy through most all of the Sporter 200.”
Excellent Wind Reading Resource
The Wind Book for Rifle Shooters covers techniques and tactics used by expert wind-readers. The authors provide a wind-reading “toolbox” for calculating wind speed, direction, deflection and drift. They explain how to read flags and mirage, record and interpret your observations, and time your shots to compensate for wind. Here are two reviews:
This is a must-have book if you are a long-range sport shooter. I compete in F-Class Open and when read it from cover to cover, it helped me understand wind reading and making accurate scope corrections. Buy this book, read it, put into practice what it tells you, you will not be disappointed. — P. Janzso
If you have one book for wind reading, this should be it. It covers how to get wind speed/direction from flags, mirage, and natural phenomenon. This is the best book for learning to read wind speed and direction. — Muddler
A legend in the shooting community has passed. And we are all diminished. Walt Berger passed away on September 19, 2021. A great innovator, a great benchrest competitor (with many Hall of Fame points), and a great friend to countless shooters, Walt will be truly missed.
Berger Bullets announced yesterday: “It is with our deepest regrets that we announce the passing of Berger Bullets & Ammunition founder, Walter Berger. Walt passed peacefully on Sunday afternoon September 19th, 2021, surrounded by friends and family at the age of 92.
‘If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right’, were words that Walt lived by. One could see it in how he treated friends and family, and in his impact on the shooting world. Walt’s legacy and dedication to quality is carried on by his grandson, David Hamilton, the Plant Manager of the Berger manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona. Walt’s philosophies and business practices are the guiding principles in our mission to ensure that products bearing the Berger name continue to be something Walt would be proud of. We celebrate his life and will do our best to live up to his example.”
Walt was a remarkable man who loved the sport of benchrest shooting. He was still competing at age 90+. Here he is in 2016 at the Cactus Classic in Arizona.
Many of our readers and Forum members knew Walt and shot with him at matches over the decades. Here are some of the expressions of sadness at his passing:
“Great man, he had a long run, and touched many lives.” — Boyd Allen
“A real gentleman and always there to help anyone that needed it. I’m blessed to have known him many years. RIP old Friend.” — Bill Shehane
“Now there is a man for ya! I remember talking to him and Eunice on the phone back in the 80s ordering some of their benchrest bullets. May God bless his family. Thank you Walt for the great bullets — I’ve watched them do some amazing things!” — Don Mild
“Walt was an iconic figure in accurate shooting for many many years. A gentleman in the game who traveled worldwide including Australia. He will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family. Rest assured men like Walt aren’t made any more. Thanks for everything Walt — your Australian friends will never forget you.” — Brad Ward
“When I first started chasing accuracy I used to buy bullets from Walt at his little shop on Camelback Road in Phoenix. He always had time to share his expertise and to help me. He and Eunice are together again, shooting at the big range in the sky where the weather is perfect with no wind.” — Doug Whitson
“My prayers go to David, Stacey, Eric, and the girls.
Walt was a truly special man and friend.” — Nancy Tompkins
“He was a Man of Legend. And Legends live forever.” — Ivan Lukashevych
About Walt Berger and Berger Bullets
Walt Berger shot competitive benchrest most of his adult life. Seeing that the bullets he could buy off-the-shelf were not up to his quality expectations, Walt decided that he could make better precision bullets than he could purchase. Walt started making his own bullets and proved their quality by winning competitions and eventually even earning his place in the Benchrest Shooters Hall of Fame. Other benchrest shooters saw his success and solicited him to make their bullets as well.
After years of crafting bullets by hand in his garage, Walt’s wife, Eunice, who was also a legend in benchrest competition, encouraged him to expand his hobby into a business. Together, they grew Berger into a large-scale precision bullet operation with exceptionally high quality standards.
The COVID-19 Pandemic claims another victim — the 2021 CMP Western Games. The CMP announced that the 2021 CMP Western Games at Ben Avery in Phoenix, Arizona have been officially cancelled. Judy Legerski, CMP Board Chairman, stated: “Due to the severely limited number of participants allowed at the Ben Avery facility imposed by the State of Arizona, it is not feasible to hold an event at the facility”. The Games had been slated for March 12-21, 2021.
Arizona health restrictions allow only 10 persons per building regardless of building size, and allow no more than 50 people on the Highpower rifle range (including range officers/staff) despite the outdoor venue. That would make it very difficult to conduct the major Western Games matches. In addition this year no ammunition or rifle sales would be allowed. (The CMP marketplace was a big draw for Western Games participants each year.)
“These restrictions leave us no choice but to withdraw from the event”, Legerski said. “We had planned a full slate of events in Arizona, including CMP Games Rifle, EIC Service Rifle, multiple pistol matches, Vintage Sniper Rifle, Rimfire Sporter Rifle, and a series of rifle and pistol training courses.”
TALLADEGA SPRING CLASSIC (March 16-21) WILL REPLACE WESTERN GAMES THIS YEAR
To replace the 2021 Western Games, the CMP will host a series of rifle and pistol matches at the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama. The March 16-21 2021 Spring Classic event at Talladega will include a pistol 2700, a mid-range 3×600 rifle match, long range rifle clinic, and pistol Marksmanship 101 course. Many of these are new events not held before at Talladega. CLICK HERE for full details.
This Talladega Spring Classic will provide an opportunity for competitors to shoot a variety of new matches. Mrs. Legerski stated: “We are sorry that we cannot hold the Western Games this year. We look forward to returning to the great Ben Avery Range in Arizona in 2022.”
Story based on Report by Bryan Blake, Blake Machine Company
Here’s the gold medal-winning .308 Win rifle of the 2020 F-TR National Mid-Range Champion, Andy Cyr. Arizona native Cyr won the F-TR Mid-Range Championship with an impressive score of 1761-72X out of a possible 1800 points. At this three-day Mid-Range event at Ben Avery in Phoenix, all 180 rounds were shot at 600 yards. Andrew delivered a convincing victory, winning by NINE points over runner-up James Crofts, a past national champion himself. We congratulate Andrew on his impressive win. And today’s Sunday GunDay feature examines the details of Andrew’s impressive .308 Win F-TR rifle.
Cyr Overcame Incredibly Tough Conditions at Ben Avery
After Day One of the Mid-Range Nationals, Andy was in 5th place. Andy made up some serious ground on the next two days despite winds that were well into the 20 MPH+ range. In fact, many experienced shooters took misses (not hitting the scoring ring) because the winds were so fierce. Interestingly, Andy’s 1761-72X score beat all but eight F-Open shooters.
Andrew Cyr’s .308 Win F-TR rifle during load development and accuracy testing.
F-TR Mid-Range Championship-Winning .308 Win Rifle Specifications:
Blake Barrel and Rifle 32″ .30 Caliber, 1:11″-twist barrel with custom specs
McMillan XIT Stock (lightened with ports on butt area)
Borden BRM Action
Kahles K1050 10-50x56mm Scope
Phoenix Bipod with F-Class Products lowering kit and skeleton legs
Andrew Cyr’s Championship-winning F-TR rifle was built by Phoenix-based Blake Barrel and Rifle (BBR) in 2018. Interestingly, this rifle was originally built for Andy’s daughter Jessica. The rifle was used by Andy a few months later. The rifle features a severely-lightened XIT stock with the grip smoothed out. Andy was actually the first customer of Blake Barrel and Rifle back in 2018. He has always been willing to try out new rifling profiles, twist rates, and barrel configurations as recommended by BBR.
Bryan Blake tells us: “Many customers demand exact specs and there is no way of changing their mind, even if it is factual-based. With Andy he was always willing to try new things, some things didn’t work well, but some things worked very well, just like the barrel used to win the Nationals.” Andy preferred a heavier barrel in the chamber area than most TR shooters. The shank diameter is 1.350″ rather than 1.250″. What this does is keep as much material around the chamber, which is the hottest area of the barrel. That way the barrel is less affected by heat over a string of fire, since the heat can be dissipated into a larger area.
Andy used a 32″ barrel, a length not commonly used in F-TR anymore. Most are running 30″ or even 28″ now. Many folks think a shorter barrel is more accurate so these competitors do not use a 32″ barrel. Well as you can see by his results, Andrew’s 32″ tube shot great. The extra length was NOT a handicap. We should remember that longer barrels can normally produce higher velocities than shorter barrels or deliver equivalent speeds with less pressure.
Many people also believe that a 1:9-10″ twist is needed to shoot 200-grain class bullets out of a .308 Win accurately. However, Andy took the advice of Blake Barrel and Rifle, and went with a 1:11″-twist Blake cut-rifled barrel. Many would say this twist is too slow, and some online calculators say a 1:11″-twist won’t fully stabilize 200-grain bullets. Obviously this is also not the case. Andy’s 11-twist and Berger 200-grain Hybrid bullets (NOT 200.20X bullets) work very well with this combination. NOTE: Andy uses an F-Class Products barrel tuner to tune his load. He will sometimes even alter tune between relays to compensate for changing barometric conditions.
Winning .308 Win Load — Lapua Palma Brass, VV N550, CCI 450s, Berger 200gr Hybrids
Andy Cyr took the Mid-Range title loading Vihtavuori N150 powder, CCI 450 primers, Berger 200gr Hybrids, and Lapua .308 Win Palma brass. Andy does not push his bullets very fast and finds a big accuracy node at the mid-2600 FPS range. He jumps his bullets .015″ off the lands. One thing Andy consistently does is test, test, test. He will test different powders, charge weights, seating depths nearly every time he is at the range. He will shoot a different load for each string to see what works best.
Profile of 2020 F-TR Mid-Range National Champion — Andrew Cyr
Father and Daughter Compete Together
Andy started shooting F-Class in 2012 to help him shoot better in the PRS series. He hoped to learn to read the wind better and get more experience in long-range shooting in general. After shooting F-Class he was hooked and found he enjoyed it more than PRS. Andy and his daughter Jessica have shot many state matches together, with both of them shooting F-TR. Jessica owned the Mid-Range 20-shot woman’s Aggregate record for years with a score of 200-11X. Interestingly Andy shot his very first clean at 1000 yards at the Nationals in Raton, NM in 2018 with a score of 200-11X also. This year Andy started using a spotting scope to help read mirage and it has helped him tremendously he reports.
The “Master” Beat the “High Masters”
Andy is currently classified in Mid-Range as a Master for F-Class, not yet High Master. Even after winning the F-Class Mid-Range Nationals, the most prestigious F-Class match of the year, he is still classified as a Master. Andy’s 1761-72X score works out to 97.8% of a perfect 1800. But the requirement for F-Class High Master is 98%. That just shows you how tough the conditions were at Ben Avery this year. But still the Master beat ALL the High Masters — if you look at the score sheet above, all the other Top 10 F-TR competitors were High Masters. Impressive. And we believe Andy is the first Arizona resident to ever win a national F-Class Championship in either F-Open or F-TR.
About Blake Barrel and Rifle Blake Barrel and Rifle (BBR) has been in business since 2018. BBR built the rifle that Brian Bowling used to win the 2019 F-Open National Championship. And now another ultra-accurate BBR-built rifle has won the 2020 F-TR Mid-Range Championship. Bryan Blake tells us that Blake Barrel and Rifle has recently upgraded BBR’s rifle barrel building equipment. There are advanced CNC lapping machines, CNC bore-honing machines, and all-new, proprietary rifling cutter designs that no one else in the barrel business uses.
Blake Barrel and Rifle produces cut-rifled, 6-groove barrels with a unique rifling profile no other barrel manufacturer is using. Blake barrels have an impressive winning record in recent major competitions — earning National Championships, plus many match wins and podium performances. Bryan Blake tells us that “The time and quality control spend on Blake barrels is second to none and the proof in the results.” For more information, visit Blakebarrel.com.
Yesterday was the 1000-yard Team Match Day at the F-Class Nationals in Phoeniz Arizona. It was also Halloween, and there were some very creative costumes on display at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. First, for the serious stuff, we want to congratulate the two winning teams — Team Lapua/Brux/Borden in F-0pen and Team Texas in F-TR. CLICK HERE for updated F-Class Nationals Results.
Team Lapua/Brux/Borden (LBB) (1590-84X) took the F-Open title by six points (and 4 Xs) over runner-up The Long Shots (1584-80X), with Team Grizzly (1580-58X) third.
In F-TR, Team Texas topped the field with 1572-63X, winning by an impressive 17 points (and 5 Xs) over Team USA Independence (1555-58X). Team USA Freedom was third with 1553-44X. Team Texas’s Randy Littleton turned in a stunning individual performance in the first match, shooting 200-14X, best among F-TR shooters. F-Open competitor Jeff Cochran of Team Spindle Shooters also drilled a 200-14X in that first match, the top F-Open individual 20-shot performance.
“Team Texas (center) had plenty of silver and bronze medals in previous national championships, but today earned their first gold medal. Very talented USA teams finished second and third.” — Skip Barkley
Mid-Range Competitors Battle Tough Conditions at Ben Avery Report by F-Class John (competing at the Nationals)
The Mid-Range Nationals at Ben Avery in Arizona have been completed, and many competitors are breathing a sigh of relief. Winds were howling and conditions were VERY tough. We congratulate all the competitors who battled the high winds. This year all shooting at the Mid-Range Nationals was done at 600 yards (the simplified course of fire was adopted in 2019). I think I can safely say everyone is excited and ready to move on to Long-Range portion of the championships.
The Top 10 in each division are listed below. New F-Open Mid-range Champion Tim Vaught put together a very impressive performance, dropping just 14 points in very challenging conditions.
The fact that F-Open winner Tim Vaught dropped just 14 points across nine 20-shot relays is INSANE given the incredibly tough conditions. He deserved his title without a doubt. F-TR Mid-Range Champion Andrew Cyr also had an impressive performance, winning by 9 points over a very tough field, including past National F-TR Champions and Nancy Tompkins, past NRA High Power and Long Range Champion.
The F-TR division was won by Andrew Cyr. His gunsmith, Bryan Blake, said this rig has some unusual features, including barrel twist rate. Stay tuned for a full tech report…
Challenging Conditions at F-Class Mid-Range Nationals
Conditions were pretty incredible and by no means typical for Ben Avery for the Mid-Range portion of the USA F-Class National Championships. We started on Sunday with dead calm conditions on relay one and by the end of shooting, it was challenging but certainly not anything outside the normal for most of the people. We woke up Monday to crazy strong winds that just tore apart those who were ‘lucky enough’ to be on the first relay and it throughout the day it went from horrible to manageable and it was just dumb luck if your relay got hit or spared. The uncharacteristically strong winds met us Tuesday morning again for the final day of Mid-Range.
Video has highlights from three days of Mid-Range competition.
Before the first relay I measured gusts that were almost 24 mph with the constant wind hovering in the high teens. It calmed down from there but still remained very challenging until the end. Overall it was quite the fight for first with Tim Vaught earning the F-Open win with Dan Bramley and Tod Hendricks taking a respective second and third place out of a field of 66 High Masters and 13 Masters. These guys all shot superbly in some of the most challenging conditions ever witnessed at the Ben Avery range in Arizona. Mighty impressive…
Even while other major matches (such as the 2021 SWN) have been cancelled, the 2021 CMP Western Games could be bigger than ever. Next year’s Western Games, held March 12-21, 2021 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona will include pistol matches for the first time. That should attract more competitors, so register early. Western Games online registration opens on November 1, 2020.
NEW in 2021: The CMP will be holding pistol matches during the 2021 Western CMP Games. There will be a Pistol Marksmanship 101, plus an M9 EIC Match, CMP Match Pistol 2700, EIC Service Pistol Match .22 Rimfire Pistol EIDC Match, Military/Police Service Pistol Match and 1911 As-Issued Pistol Match.
RETURNING EVENTS: The Western CMP Games include the Garand, Springfield, Vintage Military, Modern Military, Rimfire Sporter, M1 Carbine, and Vintage Sniper Match. There will also be a Rifle Marksmanship 101 with M16 EIC Match. Other clinics include the GSM New Shooter Clinic and the M1 Maintenance Clinic.
Additionally, the CMP HP Rifle Matches will include a Team CMP Clinic with live-fire, plus 4-Man Team Match, EIC Rifle Match and three days of 80-shot events.
Competitor in M1 Carbine Match at CMP Western Games
The 2020 F-Class National Championships are underway right now at the Ben Avery Range in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mid-Range Championship (Oct. 25-28) concludes tomorrow, followed by the Long-Range Championship (Oct. 29 – Nov. 1). Given the challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we know many F-Class shooters couldn’t make it to Nationals this year. For them, and other folks who are getting started in the sport, here are some special targets that let you train at your home range, even if it does not have target bays at 600 and 1000 yards. These special 300-yard target centers that let you duplicate the exact MOA size of the official F-Class targets, but at closer range.
Here is the sleek, carbon-stocked .308 Win rifle Bryan Litz used to win both the 2015 Mid-Range AND Long-Range F-TR Championship at the Ben Avery Range in Phoenix, Arizona.
These reduced-size target centers were created by Forum member SleepyGator, an F-Class competitor who needed practice targets he could use at 300 yards. There is an official reduced-distanced standard for 300-yard F-Class matches. This utilizes the NRA No. MR-63FC – F-Class Target Center which is pasted over the MR-63 target. It provides a 1.42″ X-Ring, 2.85″ 10-Ring, and 5.85″ Nine-Ring. (The dimensions of F-Class targets are found in the NRA High Power Rules, Sec. 22, part 4, page 70-71 — see sample below.)
To duplicate the 300-yard target, SleepyGator has prepared a printable version of the MR-63FC Target Center, along with a pair of training targets with two bulls and five bulls. The two-bull and five-bull targets mirror the scoring rings on the MR-63FC, but they display only the innermost three rings and two rings respectively. All three targets are Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files that can be easily printed. You may need to adjust the scale (sizing) on your printer to get the dimensions exactly correct. As noted above, when printed, the 10-Ring on all three targets should measure 2.85″. This should provide some handy practice targets you can use between matches. Thanks to SleepyGator for providing these targets. You can download all three as a .Zip archive. After downloading the .Zip file, just click on the .Zip archive to extract the individual targets.
Bad news folks — one of the very best rifle matches on the planet, the Berger Southwest Nationals (SWN), will NOT be held in 2021. The Desert Sharpshooters Rifle Club, organizers of the big match, stated that because of Arizona state health regulations, it would be too difficult to conduct a match this big. An email notice was issued on 10/22/2020 which concluded:
“The Desert Sharpshooters feel that we cannot maintain the integrity of the match while also following all of Ben Avery’s COVID requirements. Additionally, we feel that it is not fair to the shooters and sponsors to hold the match in conditions that will not allow it to be on par with the world class standards we strive for. Therefore … we must announce the cancellation of the 2021 Southwest Nationals.”
Notice from The Desert Sharpshooters
2021 Southwest Nationals Registration Information
The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is owned and operated by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. As a state owned facility, we must follow all COVID restrictions in place, and it seems that these measures will not be lifted anytime soon. We have been informed that the AZ Governor’s office will not enter into any new phases until there is a vaccine in place.
In planning for the F-Class Nationals held this month, the Desert Sharpshooters have struggled to put in place measures that follow all of Ben Avery Shooting Facility’s requirements. This is for a match half the size of a traditional Southwest Nationals. While the F-Class Nationals will still be taking place, it will not have the traditional atmosphere that shooters expect from a national championship event. Among other measures, shooters will not be permitted to gather in groups on the range and will be forced to socially distance themselves. This will virtually eliminate the comradery typical of the shooting sports, especially at an international event.
In recent years, the Southwest Nationals has filled all 360 available spots in a matter of minutes after registration opens. In addition, we typically see a waiting list of 100 to 150 shooters hoping to get into the full match. In order to follow COVID measures, we would have to limit entries to 180 available spots. Since this match consists of Sling, F-TR, and F-Open, we would further have to limit each division to 60 shooters.
After much deliberation, the Desert Sharpshooters feel that we cannot maintain the integrity of the match while also following all of Ben Avery’s COVID requirements. Additionally, we feel that it is not fair to the shooters and sponsors to hold the match in conditions that will not allow it to be on par with the world class standards we strive for. Therefore, it is with much sadness that we must announce the cancellation of the 2021 Southwest Nationals.
Kind Regards,
Desert Sharpshooters
Desert sharpshooters | P O Box 11684, Prescott, AZ 86304
If you have never been to the Berger SW Nationals before, this video from the 2016 match provides an aerial view of the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, along with images from the firing lines:
A legend in the shooting community has passed. And we are all diminished. Walt Berger passed away on September 19, 2021. A great innovator, a great benchrest competitor (with many Hall of Fame points), and a great friend to countless shooters, Walt will be truly missed.
